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Sample records for surrounding air mass

  1. An experimental investigation of transient heat transfer in surrounding rock mass of high geothermal roadway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Yuan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A self-designed experimental installation for transient heat transfer in the modelling surrounding rock mass of high geothermal roadways was elaborated in this paper. By utilizing the new installation, the temperature variation rules in surrounding rock mass of the high geothermal roadway during mechanical ventilation were studied. The results show that the roadway wall temperature decreases dramatically at the early stage of ventilation, and the temperature at every position of the surrounding rock mass is decreasing constantly with time passing by. From roadway wall to deep area, the temperature gradually increases until reaching original rock temperature. The relationship between dimensionless temperature and dimensionless radius demonstrates approximately exponential function. Meanwhile, the temperature disturbance range in the simulated surrounding rock mass extends gradually from the roadway wall to deep area in the surrounding rock mass. Besides, as the air velocity increases, heat loss in the surrounding rock mass rises and the ratio of temperature reduction becomes larger, the speed of disturbance range expansion also gets faster.

  2. The Effective Mass of a Ball in the Air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Messer, J.; Pantaleone, J.

    2010-01-01

    The air surrounding a projectile affects the projectile's motion in three very different ways: the drag force, the buoyant force, and the added mass. The added mass is an increase in the projectile's inertia from the motion of the air around it. Here we experimentally measure the added mass of a spherical projectile in air. The results agree well…

  3. Energy buildup factor for ICRU 33 sphere surrounded by an air layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ochiana, G.; Oncescu, M.

    1994-01-01

    The buildup factor due to the air surrounding an ICRU 33 sphere is a desirable quantity in the assessment of the air kerma rate for external exposure to gamma emitters distributed on the ground. A Monte Carlo algorithm has been developed to perform the photon transport calculation within the air layer around the sphere. The energy buildup factor due to the air layer has been calculated for an extended radioactive source - the contaminated ground. The transport of photons within the air layer surrounding a sphere -ICRU 33 phantom - is done by calculating separately the energies deposited by photons into the sphere when this one is in vacuum and when it is surrounded by the air, respectively. The results are given for an air layer of 100 m thickness and photon energy between 0.01 and 3.0 MeV. (Author) 1 Fig., 1 Tab., 9 Refs

  4. Infrequent air contamination with Acinetobacter baumannii of air surrounding known colonized or infected patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rock, Clare; Harris, Anthony D; Johnson, J Kristie; Bischoff, Werner E; Thom, Kerri A

    2015-07-01

    Using a validated air sampling method we found Acinetobacter baumannii in the air surrounding only 1 of 12 patients known to be colonized or infected with A. baumannii. Patients' closed-circuit ventilator status, frequent air exchanges in patient rooms, and short sampling time may have contributed to this low burden.

  5. Contamination of nebulisers and surrounding air at the bedside of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An air sampler was used to collect air samples from the surrounding bedside environment. .... individualised resealable plastic bags and stored upside down in a cooler .... conventional and mesh technology nebulisers used at home by adults.

  6. A Comparison of the Red Green Blue Air Mass Imagery and Hyperspectral Infrared Retrieved Profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berndt, E. B.; Folmer, Michael; Dunion, Jason

    2014-01-01

    The Red Green Blue (RGB) Air Mass imagery is derived from multiple channels or paired channel differences. Multiple channel products typically provide additional information than a single channel can provide alone. The RGB Air Mass imagery simplifies the interpretation of temperature and moisture characteristics of air masses surrounding synoptic and mesoscale features. Despite the ease of interpretation of multiple channel products, the combination of channels and channel differences means the resulting product does not represent a quantity or physical parameter such as brightness temperature in conventional single channel satellite imagery. Without a specific quantity to reference, forecasters are often confused as to what RGB products represent. Hyperspectral infrared retrieved profiles of temperature, moisture, and ozone can provide insight about the air mass represented on the RGB Air Mass product and provide confidence in the product and representation of air masses despite the lack of a quantity to reference for interpretation. This study focuses on RGB Air Mass analysis of Hurricane Sandy as it moved north along the U.S. East Coast, while transitioning to a hybrid extratropical storm. Soundings and total column ozone retrievals were analyzed using data from the Cross-track Infrared and Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder Suite (CrIMSS) on the Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership satellite and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Aqua satellite along with dropsondes that were collected from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Air Force research aircraft. By comparing these datasets to the RGB Air Mass, it is possible to capture quantitative information that could help in analyzing the synoptic environment enough to diagnose the onset of extratropical transition. This was done by identifying any stratospheric air intrusions (SAIs) that existed in the vicinity of Sandy as the wind

  7. Comparison of dioxin-like PCBs in passive air and vegetation samples surrounding a metal reclamation incinerator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lucaciu, C.M.; Fayez, L.; Reiner, E.J.; Kolic, T.M.; MacPherson, K.A.; Crozier, P.W.; Emerson, R. [Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Toronto, ON (Canada); Wania, F. [Toronto Univ., Scarborough, ON (Canada). Dept. of Physical and Environmental Sciences

    2004-09-15

    In 1998 the WHO identified 12 PCBs to be dioxin-like (DLPCB). This list includes 4 coplanar: 77, 81, 126, 169 and 8 mono-ortho: 105, 114, 118, 123, 156, 157, 167 and 189 congeners. Determination of DLPCBs allows results to be converted into TEQ (toxic equivalent quantity of 2,3,7,8-TCDD) values and enables data comparison at very low (sub ppt (pg/g)) levels. Vegetation and air samples were collected from an area surrounding a metal recovery incinerator in order to assess spatial and temporal trends for DLPCBs stemming from the long term operation of the incinerator. Foliage samples were harvested in September (1999 - 2 sets, 2000 to 2003) from maple and ash trees surrounding the incinerator at varying distances. Mature tree leaves are exposed to atmospheric deposition of PCBs for about 4 months (June to September) and the levels determined in foliage are representative of DLPCBs in the atmosphere surrounding each tree. Additionally, a passive air sampling technique based on the sorption of gaseous pollutants on XAD-2 (a styrene-divinylbenzene co-polymer) resin was used for measuring long-term average gas-phase concentrations in the area surrounding the incinerator. Ten passive samplers were placed adjacent to trees previously sampled for DLPCBs at locations presented in Figure 1. The deployment period, lasting approximately 4 month (June to September 2003), corresponds to the time that mature leaves were present on the adjacent trees. Four other air samplers were placed close to a main highway in Toronto in order to compare the concentration of DLPCB in the urban area with the concentration in the rural area surrounding the incineration facility. Passive air samplers allow the characterization of the gaseous distribution of DLPCBs in the atmosphere. The advantages of using this technique are that it is independent of the atmospheric conditions (winds, precipitation, UV exposure) and can be used for sampling year round. Atmospheric deposition is expected to control

  8. Numerical Simulation on Zonal Disintegration in Deep Surrounding Rock Mass

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xuguang Chen

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Zonal disintegration have been discovered in many underground tunnels with the increasing of embedded depth. The formation mechanism of such phenomenon is difficult to explain under the framework of traditional rock mechanics, and the fractured shape and forming conditions are unclear. The numerical simulation was carried out to research the generating condition and forming process of zonal disintegration. Via comparing the results with the geomechanical model test, the zonal disintegration phenomenon was confirmed and its mechanism is revealed. It is found to be the result of circular fracture which develops within surrounding rock mass under the high geostress. The fractured shape of zonal disintegration was determined, and the radii of the fractured zones were found to fulfill the relationship of geometric progression. The numerical results were in accordance with the model test findings. The mechanism of the zonal disintegration was revealed by theoretical analysis based on fracture mechanics. The fractured zones are reportedly circular and concentric to the cavern. Each fracture zone ruptured at the elastic-plastic boundary of the surrounding rocks and then coalesced into the circular form. The geometric progression ratio was found to be related to the mechanical parameters and the ground stress of the surrounding rocks.

  9. Numerical simulation on zonal disintegration in deep surrounding rock mass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xuguang; Wang, Yuan; Mei, Yu; Zhang, Xin

    2014-01-01

    Zonal disintegration have been discovered in many underground tunnels with the increasing of embedded depth. The formation mechanism of such phenomenon is difficult to explain under the framework of traditional rock mechanics, and the fractured shape and forming conditions are unclear. The numerical simulation was carried out to research the generating condition and forming process of zonal disintegration. Via comparing the results with the geomechanical model test, the zonal disintegration phenomenon was confirmed and its mechanism is revealed. It is found to be the result of circular fracture which develops within surrounding rock mass under the high geostress. The fractured shape of zonal disintegration was determined, and the radii of the fractured zones were found to fulfill the relationship of geometric progression. The numerical results were in accordance with the model test findings. The mechanism of the zonal disintegration was revealed by theoretical analysis based on fracture mechanics. The fractured zones are reportedly circular and concentric to the cavern. Each fracture zone ruptured at the elastic-plastic boundary of the surrounding rocks and then coalesced into the circular form. The geometric progression ratio was found to be related to the mechanical parameters and the ground stress of the surrounding rocks.

  10. Influence of surrounding environment on subcritical crack growth in marble

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nara, Yoshitaka; Kashiwaya, Koki; Nishida, Yuki; , Toshinori, Ii

    2017-06-01

    Understanding subcritical crack growth in rock is essential for determining appropriate measures to ensure the long-term integrity of rock masses surrounding structures and for construction from rock material. In this study, subcritical crack growth in marble was investigated experimentally, focusing on the influence of the surrounding environment on the relationship between the crack velocity and stress intensity factor. The crack velocity increased with increasing temperature and/or relative humidity. In all cases, the crack velocity increased with increasing stress intensity factor. However, for Carrara marble (CM) in air, we observed a region in which the crack velocity still increased with temperature, but the increase in the crack velocity with increasing stress intensity factor was not significant. This is similar to Region II of subcritical crack growth observed in glass in air. Region II in glass is controlled by mass transport to the crack tip. In the case of rock, the transport of water to the crack tip is important. In general, Region II is not observed for subcritical crack growth in rock materials, because rocks contain water. Because the porosity of CM is very low, the amount of water contained in the marble is also very small. Therefore, our results imply that we observed Region II in CM. Because the crack velocity increased in both water and air with increasing temperature and humidity, we concluded that dry conditions at low temperature are desirable for the long-term integrity of a carbonate rock mass. Additionally, mass transport to the crack tip is an important process for subcritical crack growth in rock with low porosity.

  11. How to Design a Park and Its Surrounding Urban Morphology to Optimize the Spreading of Cool Air?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jérémy Bernard

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Green areas induce smaller increases in the air temperature than built-up areas. They can offer a solution to mitigating the urban heat island impacts during heat waves, since the cool air generated by a park is diffused into its immediate surroundings through forced or natural convection. The purpose of this study is to characterize the effect of several variables (park size, morphology of surrounding urban area, and wind speed on the spreading of cool air. A parametric study is performed to run computational fluid dynamics simulations. The air temperature entering the computational domain was set at 35 °C, and the 2-m high surface included within the 34 °C isotherm was defined as an indicator of cool air spreading. The effects of park shape and orientation were negligible in comparison with size effects. The number of buildings was better correlated with the cooled surface area than the typical urban parameters identified in the literature (i.e., building density, aspect ratio, or mean building height. Since the number of buildings is obviously related to the number of streets, this result suggests that the greater the number of streets around a park, the wider the area that cool air spreads.

  12. A directional passive air sampler for monitoring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air mass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tao, S.; Liu, Y.N.; Lang, C.; Wang, W.T.; Yuan, H.S.; Zhang, D.Y.; Qiu, W.X.; Liu, J.M.; Liu, Z.G.; Liu, S.Z.; Yi, R.; Ji, M.; Liu, X.X.

    2008-01-01

    A passive air sampler was developed for collecting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air mass from various directions. The airflow velocity within the sampler was assessed for its responses to ambient wind speed and direction. The sampler was examined for trapped particles, evaluated quantitatively for influence of airflow velocity and temperature on PAH uptake, examined for PAH uptake kinetics, calibrated against active sampling, and finally tested in the field. The airflow volume passing the sampler was linearly proportional to ambient wind speed and sensitive to wind direction. The uptake rate for an individual PAH was a function of airflow velocity, temperature and the octanol-air partitioning coefficient of the PAH. For all PAHs with more than two rings, the passive sampler operated in a linear uptake phase for three weeks. Different PAH concentrations were obtained in air masses from different directions in the field test. - A novel directional passive air sampler was developed and tested for monitoring PAHs in air masses from different directions

  13. An Assessment of Air Quality in the Surrounding Holy Places of Mecca, Saudi Arabia during Hajj

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khwaja, H. A.; Aburizaiza, O. S.; Siddique, A.; Hussain, M. M.; Khatib, F.; Zeb, J.; Blake, D. R.

    2014-12-01

    The associations of exposure to air pollution and adverse human health effects have been demonstrated in many epidemiologic studies. Hajj, an annual pilgrimage of Islam, draws millions of pilgrims from more than 200 countries for religious rituals in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The city is surrounded by mountains with a population of 1.7 million, which gets doubles or even more during Hajj. The city centers on the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-haram), connected with the network of tunnels. Main Hajj pilgrimage route for five days extends 20 km to the east and includes "Mina", "Arafat", and "Muzdalifah". A detailed study was conducted in Mecca, its tunnels, and surrounding holy places during Hajj (October 13-17, 2013). Spatial and temporal variations in total suspended particulate (TSP), PM10 , PM7 , PM2.5 , PM1 , ozone (O3), and black carbon (BC) levels along the route were recorded using portable monitors and GPS to assess the status of air quality. This is the first study to elucidate the exposure to air pollutants among pilgrims. Extremely high levels of all pollutants were observed during the intensive measuring periods. For example, the PM7 , PM2.5 , O3, and BC concentrations of up to 9,433 µg/m3, 484 µg/m3, 444 ppb, and 468 µg/m3, respectively, were observed. Results of this investigation revealed that most routes had on average exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for PM10 and PM2.5 . The reasons for the high air pollutants concentrations are most probably high volume of traffic, construction work, re-suspension of particles, and geographical conditions (arid regions). The pilgrim's longer trip duration lead to their highest whole trip exposure to air pollutants, which indicate that they are possibly subject to higher health risk. Better understanding of air pollution exposure and their determinants in the environments will contribute to the development of more appropriate exposure reductive strategies and have significant public health meanings.

  14. Air Quality and Control Measures Evaluation during the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing and its Surrounding Cities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Zhao

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution had become a vital concern for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing. In order to control air pollutant emissions and ensure better air quality during the Games, the Nanjing municipal government took a series of aggressive control measures to reduce pollutant emissions in Nanjing and its surrounding cities during the Youth Olympic Games. The Air Quality Index (AQI is an index of air quality which is used to inform the public about levels of air pollution and associated health risks. In this study, we use the AQI and air pollutant concentrations data to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of control measures. The results suggest that the emission reduction measures significantly improved air quality in Nanjing. In August 2014, the mean concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO and O3 were 42.44 μg·m−3, 59.01 μg·m−3, 11.12 μg·m−3, 31.09 μg·m−3, 0.76 mg·m−3 and 38.39 μg·m−3, respectively, and fell by 35.92%, 36.75%, 20.40%, 15.05%, 8.54% and 47.15%, respectively, compared to the prophase mean before the emission reduction. After the emission reduction, the mean concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3 increased by 20.81%, 41.84%, 22.84%, 21.16% and 60.93%, respectively, which is due to the cancellation of temporary atmospheric pollution control measures. The air pollutants diurnal variation curve during the emission reduction was lower than the other two periods, except for CO. In addition, the AQI of Nanjing and its surrounding cities showed a downward trend, compared with July 2014. The most of effective method to control air pollution is to implement the measures of regional cooperation and joint defense and control, and reduce local emissions during the polluted period, such as airborne dust, coal-burning, vehicle emissions, mobile sources and industrial production.

  15. Radon-222 as an indicator of continental air masses and air mass boundaries over ocean areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larson, R.E.; Bressan, D.J.

    1980-01-01

    Radon ( 222 Rn) has proven to be an excellent indicator of the continental nature of over-ocean air and air mass boundaries. Radon is almost exclusively of continental origin, and low-level real-time monitoring is possible with our improved radon measurement techniques. The transition from continental to maritime air in offshore and onshore winds is rather obvious and can easily be established near large islands or continents as an order-of-magnitude change in radon concentration from a few tens of picocuries per cubic meter or more to a few picocuries per cubic meter or less. Sharply changing radon concentrations are usually associated with frontal areas. Our data have offered insights into air movements, and hence transport of continental materials and pollutants over oceanic areas

  16. Comparison between polluted and clean air masses over Lake Michigan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alkezweeny, A.J.; Laulainen, N.S.

    1981-01-01

    Clean and polluted air masses, advected over Lake Michigan, were studied using instrumental aircraft during the summers of 1976 and 1978. The results show that regardless of the degree of pollution, the particle size distribution is bimodal. The concentrations of sulfate, nitrate and trace metals in a clean air mass are more than an order of magnitude lower than those in polluted air masses. Furthermore, these concentrations are comparable with those measured in remote areas of the world. In clean air the ratio of the total light scattering to Rayleigh scattering is very close to one, indicating very low concentrations of particulates in the optically active size classes

  17. Evaluation of the impact of general phosphate fertilizers factories company on the surrounding environment by determining natural radionuclides and some trace elements in air particulates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Masri, M. S.; Al-Kharfan, K.; Al-Hamwi, A.; Al-Shamali, K.

    2004-01-01

    Natural radionuclides and some trace element levels in air particulates of the areas surrounding the phosphate fertilizers factory in Homs have been determined Mean total air particulates concentration ranged from 31 μg/m3 in Kerba Al-Teen in Autumn period. While trace element concentrations in air particulates were relatively high in air particulates collected from AECS center and other sites situated north east of the factory; about 1.7 ng/m3 in AECS site and 1.7 ng/m3 in Abel for uranium and cadmium, respectively. In addition, radioactivity analysis of air particulates has shown low levels of polonium 210 and lead 210; a value of 2 mBq/m3 in Kerba Al-Teen has not been exceeded. However, air particulate, natural radionuclides and the studied trace elements concentrations in the surrounding areas were within the natural levels. Therefore, air emissions from the factory containing radioactive materials and trace elements are relatively low. This is due to strict control procedures on transport and loading processes of phosphate in addition to the high efficiency of filters used for air emissions from the phosphate fertilizers factory during the study period (2002). (author)

  18. Evaluation of the impact of general phosphate fertilizers factories company on the surrounding environment by determining natural radionuclides and some trace elements in air particulates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Masri, M. S.; Al-Kharfan, K.; Al-Hamwi, A.; Al-Shmali, K.; Abdul Haleem, M.

    2003-12-01

    Natural radionuclides and some trace element levels in air particulates of the areas surrounding the phosphate fertilizers factory in Homs have been determined mean total air particulates concentration ranged from 31μg/m 3 in Kerba Al-Teen in autumn period. While trace element concentrations in air particulates were relatively high in air particulates collected from AECS center and other sites situated north east of the factory: about 1.7 ng/m 3 in AECS site and 1.7 ng/m 3 in Abel for uranium and cadmium, respectively. In addition, radioactivity analysis of air particulates have shown low levels of polonium 210 and lead 210, a value of 2 mBg/m 3 in Kerba Al-Teen has not been exceeded. However, air particulate, natural radionuclides and the studied trace elements concentrations in the surrounding areas were within the natural levels. Therefore, air emissions from the factory containing radioactive materials and trace elements are relatively low. This is due to strict control procedures on transport and loading processes of phosphate in addition to the high efficiency of filters used for air emissions from the phosphate fertilizers factory during the study period (2002).(author)

  19. Preliminary assessment of the thermal effects of an annular air space surrounding an emplaced nuclear waste canister

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Davis, B.W.

    1979-01-01

    Modeling results have previously shown that the presence of a large air space (e.g., a repository room) within a nuclear waste repository is expected to cause a waste canister's temperature to remain cooler than it would otherwise be. Results presented herein show that an annular air space surrounding the waste canisters can have similar cooling effects under certain prescribable conditions; for a 16 ft x 1 ft diameter canister containing 650 PWR rods which initially generate a total of 4.61 kw, analysis will show that annular air spaces greater than 11 in will permit the canister surface to attain peak temperatures lower than that which would result from a zero-gap/perfect thermal contact. It was determined that the peak radial temperature gradient in the salt varies in proportion to the inverse of the drill hole radius. Thermal radiation is shown to be the dominant mode of heat transfer across an annular air space during the first two years after emplacement. Finally, a methodology is presented which will allow investigators to easily model radiation and convection heat transfer through air spaces by treating the space as a conduction element that possesses non-linear temperature dependent conductivity

  20. Radiation pattern of open ended waveguide in air core surrounded by annular plasma column

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, D.R.; Verma, J.S.

    1977-01-01

    Radiation pattern of open ended waveguide excited in circular symmetric mode (TM 01 ) in an air core having central conductor and surrounded by an annular plasma column is studied. The field distribution at the open end of the waveguide is considered to be equivalent to the vector sum of magnetic current rings of various radii, ranging from the outer radius of the inner conductor to the inner radius of the outer conductor of the waveguide at the open end. The radiation field is obtained as a vector sum of field components due to individual rings of current. Such a configuration gives rise to multiple narrow radiation beams away from the critical angle. (author)

  1. MAXIMUM AIR SUCTION INTO HORIZONTAL OPEN ENDED CYLINDRICAL LOUVERED PIPE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SAMEER RANJAN SAHU

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The main approach behind the present numerical investigation is to estimate the mass flow rate of air sucked into a horizontal open-ended louvered pipe from the surrounding atmosphere. The present numerical investigation has been performed by solving the conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy along with two equation based k-ɛ model for a louvered horizontal cylindrical pipe by finite volume method. It has been found from the numerical investigation that mass suction rate of air into the pipe increases with increase in louvered opening area and the number of nozzles used. Keeping other parameters fixed, for a given mass flow rate there exists an optimum protrusion of nozzle for highest mass suction into the pipe. It was also found from the numerical investigation that increasing the pipe diameter the suction mass flow rate of air was increased.

  2. Air Mass Origin in the Arctic and its Response to Future Warming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orbe, Clara; Newman, Paul A.; Waugh, Darryn W.; Holzer, Mark; Oman, Luke; Polvani, Lorenzo M.; Li, Feng

    2014-01-01

    We present the first climatology of air mass origin in the Arctic in terms of rigorously defined air mass fractions that partition air according to where it last contacted the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Results from a present-day climate integration of the GEOSCCM general circulation model reveal that the Arctic lower troposphere below 700 mb is dominated year round by air whose last PBL contact occurred poleward of 60degN, (Arctic air, or air of Arctic origin). By comparison, approx. 63% of the Arctic troposphere above 700 mb originates in the NH midlatitude PBL, (midlatitude air). Although seasonal changes in the total fraction of midlatitude air are small, there are dramatic changes in where that air last contacted the PBL, especially above 700 mb. Specifically, during winter air in the Arctic originates preferentially over the oceans, approx. 26% in the East Pacific, and approx. 20% in the Atlantic PBL. By comparison, during summer air in the Arctic last contacted the midlatitude PBL primarily over land, overwhelmingly so in Asia (approx. 40 %) and, to a lesser extent, in North America (approx. 24%). Seasonal changes in air-mass origin are interpreted in terms of seasonal variations in the large-scale ventilation of the midlatitude boundary layer and lower troposphere, namely changes in the midlatitude tropospheric jet and associated transient eddies during winter and large scale convective motions over midlatitudes during summer.

  3. Device for measuring mass of air. Einrichtung zur Luftmassenmessung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sass, W

    1989-09-28

    In a device for measuring the mass of air, particularly for vehicles with internal combustion engines, with a measurement bridge, in one branch of which an air flow resistance, particularly a hot film sensor, which has air flowing round it, is connected in series with a measuring resistance and in another branch of which a compensation resistance measuring the air temperature is connected in series with a fixed resistor, where the bridge differential voltage is measured in the zero branch of the measuring bridge and the resulting signal is used to control a transistor valve situated in the bridge supply path of a bridge supply source with an emitter connected to the bridge via the transistor base for bridge compensation and where the voltage at the measurement resistance after bridge compensation is evaluated as a measure of the air flow, the invention proposes that the transistor valve should be made as an npn transistor blocking for negative voltage peaks in the bridge supply path. This ensures that for netgative voltage peaks in the supply line, the transistor valve closes temporarily and overheating of the measurement bridge is prevented. Such overheating would lead to measurement of too great air mass flow and therefore to a dangerously too rich fuel/air mixture, for example (instead the negative voltage peaks give a safe temporary lean mixture).

  4. Impact of In Situ Stress Distribution Characteristics on Jointed Surrounding Rock Mass Stability of an Underground Cavern near a Hillslope Surface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bangxiang Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a series of numerical simulations are performed to analyze the in situ stress distribution characteristics of the rock mass near different slope angles hillslope surfaces, which are subjected to the vertical gravity stress and different horizontal lateral stresses and the influence which the in situ stress distribution characteristics of 45° hillslope to the integral stability of surrounding rock mass when an underground cavern is excavated considering three different horizontal distances from the underground cavern to the slope surface. It can be concluded from the numerical results that different slope angles and horizontal lateral stresses have a strong impact on the in situ stress distribution and the integral surrounding rock mass stability of the underground cavern when the horizontal distance from the underground cavern to the slope surface is approximately 100 m to 200 m. The relevant results would provide some important constructive suggestions to the engineering site selection and optimization of large-scale underground caverns in hydropower stations.

  5. The fabrication of plastic cages for suspension in mass air flow racks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nielsen, F H; Bailey, B

    1979-08-01

    A cage for suspension in mass air flow racks was constructed of plastic and used to house rats. Little or no difficulty was encountered with the mass air flow rack-suspended cage system during the 4 years it was used for the study of trace elements.

  6. Evaluating the effect of the space surrounding the condenser of a household refrigerator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bassiouny, Ramadan [Dept. of Mech. Power Eng. and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, Minia University, Minia 61111 (Egypt)

    2009-11-15

    The paper presents an analytical and computational modeling of the effect of the space surrounding the condenser of a household refrigerator on the rejected heat. The driving force for rejecting the heat carried by the refrigerant from the interior of a refrigerator is the temperature difference between the condenser outer surface and surrounding air. The variation of this difference, because of having an insufficient space, increasing the room air temperature, or blocking this space, is of interest to quantify its effect The results showed that having an enough surrounding space width (s > 200 mm) leads to a decrease in the temperature of the air flowing vertically around the condenser coil. Accordingly, this would significantly increase the amount of heat rejected. Moreover, blocking this space retards the buoyant flow up the condenser surface, and hence increases the air temperature around the condenser. This would also decrease the heat rejected from the condenser. Predicted temperature contours are displayed to visualize the air plumes' variation surrounding the condenser in all cases. (author)

  7. Landscape seasons and air mass dynamics in Latvia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krauklis, A.; Draveniece, A.

    2004-01-01

    Latvia is located in the middle of an area where the boreal and nemoral zones and the regions of oceanic and continental climate meet, and it was studied as a model territory of the most typical variation of boreo-nemoral ecotone. The subject of this study was seasonal dynamics of the state of landscapes and diachronous links between seasons. It was found that landscapes undergo 12 seasonal states or seasons during the annual cycle of insulation and air mass occurrence. Each season may be distinguished by a definite amount of solar radiation, distinctive state of heat and water balance, phenological state of vegetation, and a distinctive occurrence of different air mass types and their particular 'association'. During each season these variables show a particular combination of numerical values and a distinctive landscape pattern

  8. In Situ Observation of Hard Surrounding Rock Displacement at 2400-m-Deep Tunnels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Xia-Ting; Yao, Zhi-Bin; Li, Shao-Jun; Wu, Shi-Yong; Yang, Cheng-Xiang; Guo, Hao-Sen; Zhong, Shan

    2018-03-01

    This paper presents the results of in situ investigation of the internal displacement of hard surrounding rock masses within deep tunnels at China's Jinping Underground Laboratory Phase II. The displacement evolution of the surrounding rock during the entire excavation processes was monitored continuously using pre-installed continuous-recording multi-point extensometers. The evolution of excavation-damaged zones and fractures in rock masses were also observed using acoustic velocity testing and digital borehole cameras, respectively. The results show four kinds of displacement behaviours of the hard surrounding rock masses during the excavation process. The displacement in the inner region of the surrounding rock was found to be greater than that of the rock masses near the tunnel's side walls in some excavation stages. This leads to a multi-modal distribution characteristic of internal displacement for hard surrounding rock masses within deep tunnels. A further analysis of the evolution information on the damages and fractures inside the surrounding rock masses reveals the effects of excavation disturbances and local geological conditions. This recognition can be used as the reference for excavation and supporting design and stability evaluations of hard-rock tunnels under high-stress conditions.

  9. Total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF) - a tool to obtain information about different air masses and air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmeling, M.

    2000-01-01

    Aerosols are solid particles dissolved in the atmosphere and have strong influence in the earth climate. Their solid surfaces are the only atmospheric medium for condensation of water leading to cloud formation and ultimately to precipitation. Besides their role in cloud formation, the elemental composition of aerosols reveals useful information about air masses and their transport patterns as well as air pollution. The elemental composition can be considered like a fingerprint of an air mass telling the story about its origin and fate. The presence of Al, Ti and Fe for instance indicates a source located in a highly exposed soil or often desert region, whereas Ni, V and Pb can be traced back to anthropogenic activities like fuel combustion or industrial processes. Other important source regions are the oceans, which emit the main aerosol constituents Na, Cl, and S. The concentrations of these elements in the atmosphere are extremely low and long sampling times are necessary to gain reliable results with most of the common analysis techniques. In contrast to this total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF), as a technique capable to cope with tiny sample amounts, offers the unique possibility to reduce collection times to a minimum of minutes to hours. Such short sampling times in turn render it possible to monitor different air masses either passing through a ground based station or -in the ideal case- flown into by a small research aircraft. Different aerosol samples were taken by aircraft during the second aerosol characterization experiment (ACE-2) with sampling times ranging from 15 minutes up to one hour. These filter samples were analyzed by TXRF for trace elements subsequently. Together with background information about back trajectories and size distribution covering the time of sampling the presence of different air masses could be detected. In another project, short-term samples in the Chicago/Lake Michigan area are collected to study the air mass

  10. The influence of surface treatment on mass transfer between air and building material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kwiatkowski, Jerzy; Rode, Carsten; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard

    2008-01-01

    for the experiments: gypsum board and calcium silicate. The wallpaper and paint were used as finishing materials. Impact of the following parameters for changes of RH was studied: coating, temperature and air movement. The measurements showed that acryl paint (diffusion open) can significantly decrease mass uptake......The processes of mass transfer between air and building structure and in the material influence not only the conditions within the material but also inside the connected air spaces. The material which absorbs and desorbs water vapour can be used to moderate the amplitude of indoor relative humidity...... and therefore to participate in the improvement of the indoor air quality and energy saving. Many parameters influence water vapour exchange between indoor air and building material. The aim of this work is to present the change of mass transfer under different climatic and material conditions. The measurements...

  11. Water vapor mass balance method for determining air infiltration rates in houses

    Science.gov (United States)

    David R. DeWalle; Gordon M. Heisler

    1980-01-01

    A water vapor mass balance technique that includes the use of common humidity-control equipment can be used to determine average air infiltration rates in buildings. Only measurements of the humidity inside and outside the home, the mass of vapor exchanged by a humidifier/dehumidifier, and the volume of interior air space are needed. This method gives results that...

  12. Air mass origins influencing TTL chemical composition over West Africa during 2006 summer monsoon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. S. Law

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Trace gas and aerosol data collected in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL between 12–18.5 km by the M55 Geophysica aircraft as part of the SCOUT-AMMA campaign over West Africa during the summer monsoon in August 2006 have been analysed in terms of their air mass origins. Analysis of domain filling back trajectories arriving over West Africa, and in the specific region of the flights, showed that the M55 flights were generally representative of air masses arriving over West Africa during the first 2 weeks of August, 2006. Air originating from the mid-latitude lower stratosphere was under-sampled (in the mid-upper TTL whilst air masses uplifted from central Africa (into the lower TTL were over-sampled in the latter part of the campaign. Signatures of recent (previous 10 days origins were superimposed on the large-scale westward flow over West Africa. In the lower TTL, air masses were impacted by recent local deep convection over Africa at the level of main convective outflow (350 K, 200 hPa and on certain days up to 370 K (100 hPa. Estimates of the fraction of air masses influenced by local convection vary from 10 to 50% depending on the method applied and from day to day during the campaign. The analysis shows that flights on 7, 8 and 11 August were more influenced by local convection than on 4 and 13 August allowing separation of trace gas and aerosol measurements into "convective" and "non-convective" flights. Strong signatures, particularly in species with short lifetimes (relative to CO2 like CO, NO and fine-mode aerosols were seen during flights most influenced by convection up to 350–365 K. Observed profiles were also constantly perturbed by uplift (as high as 39% of air masses from the mid to lower troposphere over Asia, India, and oceanic regions resulting in import of clean oceanic (e.g. O3-poor or polluted air masses from Asia (high O3, CO, CO2 into West Africa. Thus, recent uplift of CO

  13. Dusty air masses transport between Amazon Basin and Caribbean Islands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Euphrasie-Clotilde, Lovely; Molinie, Jack; Prospero, Joseph; Feuillard, Tony; Brute, Francenor; Jeannot, Alexis

    2015-04-01

    Depend on the month, African desert dust affect different parts of the North Atlantic Ocean. From December to April, Saharan dust outbreaks are often reported over the amazon basin and from May to November over the Caribbean islands and the southern regions of USA. This annual oscillation of Saharan dust presence, related to the ITCZ position, is perturbed some time, during March. Indeed, over Guadeloupe, the air quality network observed between 2007 and 2012 several dust events during March. In this paper, using HISPLIT back trajectories, we analyzed air masses trajectories for March dust events observed in Guadeloupe, from 2007 to 2012.We observed that the high pressure positions over the Atlantic Ocean allow the transport of dusty air masses from southern region of West Africa to the Caribbean Sea with a path crossing close to coastal region of French Guyana. Complementary investigations including the relationship between PM10 concentrations recorded in two sites Pointe-a-Pitre in the Caribbean, and Cayenne in French Guyana, have been done. Moreover we focus on the mean delay observed between the times arrival. All the results show a link between pathway of dusty air masses present over amazon basin and over the Caribbean region during several event of March. The next step will be the comparison of mineral dust composition for this particular month.

  14. Spontaneous rupture of pedunculate gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor into the gastrocelic ligament presenting as a stalked mass surrounded by loculated hematoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hyun Soo; Ahn, Sung Eun; Park, Seong Jin; Moon, Sung Kyoung; Lim, Joo Won; Lee, Dong Ho; Kim, Yong Ho [Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-04-15

    Gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is one of the most common mesenchymal tumors of the stomach, which may be asymptomatic or cause symptoms such as pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, and obstruction. Hemoperitoneum due to spontaneous rupture of the tumor is an extremely rare complication. We described a case of a 52-year-old man with a large pedunculated GIST causing loculated hematoma within the gastrocolic ligament. The patient visited our hospital due to a 3 week history of epigastric pain. A computed tomography scan revealed a 10.3 x 7.5 x 9.4 cm sized mass that was growing exophytically from the greater curvature of the stomach and was surrounded by loculated hematoma within the gastrocolic ligament. Laparotomy revealed a large stalked gastric mass surrounded by loculated hematoma within the gastrocolic ligament and blood fluid in the peritoneal cavity. Pathologic examination confirmed a GIST, of the high risk group.

  15. Influence of the relative optical air mass on ultraviolet erythemal irradiance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antón, M.; Serrano, A.; Cancillo, M. L.; García, J. A.

    2009-12-01

    The main objective of this article is to analyze the relationship between the transmissivity for ultraviolet erythemal irradiance (UVER) and the relative optical air mass at Badajoz (Southwestern Spain). Thus, a power expression between both variables is developed, which analyses in detail how atmospheric transmission is influenced by the total ozone column (TOC) and the atmospheric clearness. The period of analysis extends from 2001 to 2005. The experimental results indicate that clearness conditions play an important role in the relationship between UVER transmissivity and the relative optical air mass, while the effect of TOC is much smaller for this data set. In addition, the results show that UVER transmissivity is more sensitive to changes in atmospheric clearness than to TOC variability. Changes in TOC values higher than 15% cause UVER trasnmissivity to vary between 14% and 22%, while changes between cloud-free and overcast conditions produce variations in UVER transmissivity between 68% and 74% depending on the relative optical air mass.

  16. Defining Winter and Identifying Synoptic Air Mass Change in the Northeast and Northern Plains U.S. since 1950

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapman, C. J.; Pennington, D.; Beitscher, M. R.; Godek, M. L.

    2017-12-01

    Understanding and forecasting the characteristics of winter weather change in the northern U.S. is vital to regional economy, agriculture, tourism and resident life. This is especially true in the Northeast and Northern Plains where substantial changes to the winter season have already been documented in the atmospheric science and biological literature. As there is no single established definition of `winter', this research attempts to identify the winter season in both regions utilizing a synoptic climatological approach with air mass frequencies. The Spatial Synoptic Classification is used to determine the daily air mass/ weather type conditions since 1950 at 40 locations across the two regions. Annual frequencies are first computed as a baseline reference. Then winter air mass frequencies and departures from normal are calculated to define the season along with the statistical significance. Once the synoptic winter is established, long-term regional changes to the season and significance are explored. As evident global changes have occurred after 1975, an Early period of years prior to 1975 and a Late set for all years following this date are compared. Early and Late record synoptic changes are then examined to assess any thermal and moisture condition changes of the regional winter air masses over time. Cold to moderately dry air masses dominate annually in both regions. Northeast winters are also characterized by cold to moderate dry air masses, with coastal locations experiencing more Moist Polar types. The Northern Plains winters are dominated by cold, dry air masses in the east and cold to moderate dry air masses in the west. Prior to 1975, Northeast winters are defined by an increase in cooler and wetter air masses. Dry Tropical air masses only occur in this region after 1975. Northern Plains winters are also characterized by more cold, dry air masses prior to 1975. More Dry Moderate and Moist Moderate air masses have occurred since 1975. These results

  17. The time series variations of tritium concentration in precipitation and its relationships to the rainfall-inducing air mass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimada, Jun

    1978-01-01

    The author measured the tritium concentration in precipitation of Tokyo for every ten-day period from August 1972 to May 1974. Judging from the daily synoptic weather chart, the rainfall-inducing air masses in Japan were classified into five types; polar maritime air mass (Pm), polar continental air mass (Pc), tropical maritime air mass (Tm), tropical continental air mass (Tc), and equatorial maritime air mass (Em). And the precipitation for every ten-day period sampled for tritium measurement were classified into these five types. Based on this classification, it is confirmed that there exist clear difference in the tritium concentration between the rainfall from the continental air mass and ones from the maritime air mass. It is characteristic that the tritium concentration in rainfall induced by equatorial maritime air mass such as typhoon in summer and early fall season is very low whereas the tritium concentration in rainfall and snowfall induced directly by the polar continental air mass in late winter season is very high. The regional difference of the tritium concentration in intermonthly precipitation could considerably be explained by this synoptic meteological classification of rainfall-inducing air mass. In spite of these regional difference of tritium concentration in precipitation, use of the tritium concentration of Tokyo as a representative value of Japan may be allowed because of the similarities of the changing pattern and annual mean tritium concentration. The time series variations of tritium concentration in precipitation of Tokyo from August 1972 to December 1977, Tsukuba from December 1976 to April 1978, and Nagaoka from April 1977 to March 1978 are listed. (author)

  18. Model test of anchoring effect on zonal disintegration in deep surrounding rock masses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xu-Guang; Zhang, Qiang-Yong; Wang, Yuan; Liu, De-Jun; Zhang, Ning

    2013-01-01

    The deep rock masses show a different mechanical behavior compared with the shallow rock masses. They are classified into alternating fractured and intact zones during the excavation, which is known as zonal disintegration. Such phenomenon is a great disaster and will induce the different excavation and anchoring methodology. In this study, a 3D geomechanics model test was conducted to research the anchoring effect of zonal disintegration. The model was constructed with anchoring in a half and nonanchoring in the other half, to compare with each other. The optical extensometer and optical sensor were adopted to measure the displacement and strain changing law in the model test. The displacement laws of the deep surrounding rocks were obtained and found to be nonmonotonic versus the distance to the periphery. Zonal disintegration occurs in the area without anchoring and did not occur in the model under anchoring condition. By contrasting the phenomenon, the anchor effect of restraining zonal disintegration was revealed. And the formation condition of zonal disintegration was decided. In the procedure of tunnel excavation, the anchor strain was found to be alternation in tension and compression. It indicates that anchor will show the nonmonotonic law during suppressing the zonal disintegration.

  19. Model Test of Anchoring Effect on Zonal Disintegration in Deep Surrounding Rock Masses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu-Guang Chen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The deep rock masses show a different mechanical behavior compared with the shallow rock masses. They are classified into alternating fractured and intact zones during the excavation, which is known as zonal disintegration. Such phenomenon is a great disaster and will induce the different excavation and anchoring methodology. In this study, a 3D geomechanics model test was conducted to research the anchoring effect of zonal disintegration. The model was constructed with anchoring in a half and nonanchoring in the other half, to compare with each other. The optical extensometer and optical sensor were adopted to measure the displacement and strain changing law in the model test. The displacement laws of the deep surrounding rocks were obtained and found to be nonmonotonic versus the distance to the periphery. Zonal disintegration occurs in the area without anchoring and did not occur in the model under anchoring condition. By contrasting the phenomenon, the anchor effect of restraining zonal disintegration was revealed. And the formation condition of zonal disintegration was decided. In the procedure of tunnel excavation, the anchor strain was found to be alternation in tension and compression. It indicates that anchor will show the nonmonotonic law during suppressing the zonal disintegration.

  20. On the Influence of Air Mass Origin on Low-Cloud Properties in the Southeast Atlantic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchs, Julia; Cermak, Jan; Andersen, Hendrik; Hollmann, Rainer; Schwarz, Katharina

    2017-10-01

    This study investigates the impact of air mass origin and dynamics on cloud property changes in the Southeast Atlantic (SEA) during the biomass burning season. The understanding of clouds and their determinants at different scales is important for constraining the Earth's radiative budget and thus prominent in climate system research. In this study, the thermodynamically stable SEA stratocumulus cover is observed not only as the result of local environmental conditions but also as connected to large-scale meteorology by the often neglected but important role of spatial origins of air masses entering this region. In order to assess to what extent cloud properties are impacted by aerosol concentration, air mass history, and meteorology, a Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory cluster analysis is conducted linking satellite observations of cloud properties (Spinning-Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager), information on aerosol species (Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate), and meteorological context (ERA-Interim reanalysis) to air mass clusters. It is found that a characteristic pattern of air mass origins connected to distinct synoptical conditions leads to marked cloud property changes in the southern part of the study area. Long-distance air masses are related to midlatitude weather disturbances that affect the cloud microphysics, especially in the southwestern subdomain of the study area. Changes in cloud effective radius are consistent with a boundary layer deepening and changes in lower tropospheric stability (LTS). In the southeastern subdomain cloud cover is controlled by a generally higher LTS, while air mass origin plays a minor role. This study leads to a better understanding of the dynamical drivers behind observed stratocumulus cloud properties in the SEA and frames potentially interesting conditions for aerosol-cloud interactions.

  1. Study on heat and mass transfer characteristics of humid air-flow in a fin bundle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Dong-Hwi [Air-Conditioner Research Laboratory, LG Electronics, Seoul 153-082 (Korea); Koyama, Shigeru; Kuwahara, Ken [Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Kwon, Jeong-Tae [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hoseo University, Asan, Chungnam 336-795 (Korea); Park, Byung-Duck [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Gyeongbuk 742-711 (Korea)

    2010-11-15

    This paper deals with the heat and mass transfer characteristics of humid air-flow under frosting conditions. A slit fin bundle was used for the simulation of fins of a heat exchanger. The effects of the cooling block temperature, air humidity and air velocity on the frosting characteristics were experimentally investigated. The frosted mass was affected considerably by the cooling block temperature and air humidity. However, the effect of air velocity on it was not so large. The pressure drop was affected remarkably by all experimental parameters in this study. Local heat flux distribution and frost thickness distribution on each fin were predicted from the measured fin temperatures and the mass and energy conservation equations on the frost surface and inside the frost layer. (author)

  2. Relationship between air mass type and emergency department visits for migraine headache across the Triangle region of North Carolina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elcik, Christopher; Fuhrmann, Christopher M.; Mercer, Andrew E.; Davis, Robert E.

    2017-12-01

    An estimated 240 million people worldwide suffer from migraines. Because migraines are often debilitating, understanding the mechanisms that trigger them is crucial for effective prevention and treatment. Synoptic air mass types and emergency department (ED) visits for migraine headaches were examined over a 7-year period within a major metropolitan area of North Carolina to identify potential relationships between large-scale meteorological conditions and the incidence of migraine headaches. Barometric pressure changes associated with transitional air masses, or changing weather patterns, were also analyzed for potential relationships. Bootstrapping analysis revealed that tropical air masses (moist and dry) resulted in the greatest number of migraine ED visits over the study period, whereas polar air masses led to fewer. Moist polar air masses in particular were found to correspond with the fewest number of migraine ED visits. On transitional air mass days, the number of migraine ED visits fell between those of tropical air mass days and polar air mass days. Transitional days characterized by pressure increases exhibited a greater number of migraine ED visits than days characterized by pressure decreases. However, no relationship was found between migraine ED visits and the magnitude of barometric pressure changes associated with transitional air masses.

  3. Gamma-ray dose rate increase at rainfall events and their air-mass origins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iyogi, Takashi; Hisamatsu, Shun'ichi; Inaba, Jiro

    2007-01-01

    The environmental γ-ray dose rate and precipitation rates were measured at our institute, in Rokkasho, Aomori, Japan. We analyzed 425 rainfall events in which the precipitation rate was over 0.5 mm from April through November during the years 2003 to 2005. Backward trajectories for 5 d starting from 1000 m above Rokkasho at the time of the maximum dose rate in a rainfall event, were calculated by using the HYSPLIT model of the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory. The trajectories for 5 d were classified by visual inspection according to the passage areas; Pacific Ocean, Asian Continent and Japan Islands. The increase of cumulative environmental γ-ray dose during a rainfall event was plotted against the precipitation in the event, and their relationship was separately examined according to the air-mass passage area, i.e. origin of the air-mass. Our results showed that the origin of air-mass was an important factor affecting the increase of environmental γ-ray dose rate by rainfall. (author)

  4. Air quality monitoring of the post-operative recovery room and locations surrounding operating theaters in a medical center in Taiwan.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chin-Sheng Tang

    Full Text Available To prevent surgical site infection (SSI, the airborne microbial concentration in operating theaters must be reduced. The air quality in operating theaters and nearby areas is also important to healthcare workers. Therefore, this study assessed air quality in the post-operative recovery room, locations surrounding the operating theater area, and operating theaters in a medical center. Temperature, relative humidity (RH, and carbon dioxide (CO2, suspended particulate matter (PM, and bacterial concentrations were monitored weekly over one year. Measurement results reveal clear differences in air quality in different operating theater areas. The post-operative recovery room had significantly higher CO2 and bacterial concentrations than other locations. Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., and Staphylococcus spp. bacteria often existed in the operating theater area. Furthermore, Acinetobacter spp. was the main pathogen in the post-operative recovery room (18% and traumatic surgery room (8%. The mixed effect models reveal a strong correlation between number of people in a space and high CO2 concentration after adjusting for sampling locations. In conclusion, air quality in the post-operative recovery room and operating theaters warrants attention, and merits long-term surveillance to protect both surgical patients and healthcare workers.

  5. Air quality monitoring of the post-operative recovery room and locations surrounding operating theaters in a medical center in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Chin-Sheng; Wan, Gwo-Hwa

    2013-01-01

    To prevent surgical site infection (SSI), the airborne microbial concentration in operating theaters must be reduced. The air quality in operating theaters and nearby areas is also important to healthcare workers. Therefore, this study assessed air quality in the post-operative recovery room, locations surrounding the operating theater area, and operating theaters in a medical center. Temperature, relative humidity (RH), and carbon dioxide (CO2), suspended particulate matter (PM), and bacterial concentrations were monitored weekly over one year. Measurement results reveal clear differences in air quality in different operating theater areas. The post-operative recovery room had significantly higher CO2 and bacterial concentrations than other locations. Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., and Staphylococcus spp. bacteria often existed in the operating theater area. Furthermore, Acinetobacter spp. was the main pathogen in the post-operative recovery room (18%) and traumatic surgery room (8%). The mixed effect models reveal a strong correlation between number of people in a space and high CO2 concentration after adjusting for sampling locations. In conclusion, air quality in the post-operative recovery room and operating theaters warrants attention, and merits long-term surveillance to protect both surgical patients and healthcare workers.

  6. Detailed evaluation of the natural circulation mass flow rate of water propelled by using an air injection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Rae-Joon; Ha, Kwang-Soon; Kim, Jae-Cheol; Hong, Seong-Wan; Kim, Sang-Baik

    2008-01-01

    One-dimensional (1D) air-water two-phase natural circulation flow in the thermohydraulic evaluation of reactor cooling mechanism by external self-induced flow - one-dimensional' (THERMES-1D) experiment has been verified and evaluated by using the RELAP5/MOD3 computer code. Experimental results on the 1D natural circulation mass flow rate of water propelled by using an air injection have been evaluated in detail. The RELAP5 results have shown that an increase in the air injection rate to 50% of the total heat flux leads to an increase in the water circulation mass flow rate. However, an increase in the air injection rate from 50 to 100% does not affect the water circulation mass flow rate, because of the inlet area condition. As the height increases in the air injection part, the void fraction increases. However, the void fraction in the upper part of the air injector maintains a constant value. An increase in the air injection mass flow rate leads to an increase in the local void fraction, but it has no influence on the local pressure. An increase in the coolant inlet area leads to an increase in the water circulation mass flow rate. However, the water outlet area does not have an influence on the water circulation mass flow rate. As the coolant outlet moves to a lower position, the water circulation mass flow rate decreases. (author)

  7. A groundwater mass flux model for screening the groundwater-to-indoor-air exposure pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McHugh, T.; Blanc, P.C. de; Connor, J. [Groundwater Services Inc, Houston, TX (United States)

    2003-07-01

    The potential for human exposure via volatilisation of groundwater contaminants into indoor air has been a focus of increasing concern in recent years. At a small number of sites, elevated indoor vapour concentrations have been measured within buildings overlying shallow groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents, causing public concern over the potential for similar problems at other corrective action sites. In addition, use of the screening-levelmodel developed by Johnson and Ettinger (1991) for the groundwater-to-indoor-air exposure pathway has suggested that low microgram per litre (ug/L)-range concentrations of either chlorinated or non-chlorinated volatile organic compounds dissolved in groundwater could result in indoor vapour concentrations in excess of applicable risk-based exposure limits. As an alternative screening tool, this paper presents a groundwater mass flux model for evaluation of transport to indoor air. The mass flux model is intended to serve as a highly conservative screening tool that over-predicts groundwater-to-indoor-air mass flux, yet still provides sufficient sensitivity to identify sites for which the groundwater-to-indoor air exposure pathway is not a concern. (orig.)

  8. Particle growth in an isoprene-rich forest: Influences of urban, wildfire, and biogenic air masses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunsch, Matthew J.; Schmidt, Stephanie A.; Gardner, Daniel J.; Bondy, Amy L.; May, Nathaniel W.; Bertman, Steven B.; Pratt, Kerri A.; Ault, Andrew P.

    2018-04-01

    Growth of freshly nucleated particles is an important source of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and has been studied within a variety of environments around the world. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the sources of the precursor gases leading to particle growth, particularly in isoprene-rich forests. In this study, particle growth events were observed from the 14 total events (31% of days) during summer measurements (June 24 - August 2, 2014) at the Program for Research on Oxidants PHotochemistry, Emissions, and Transport (PROPHET) tower within the forested University of Michigan Biological Station located in northern Michigan. Growth events were observed within long-range transported air masses from urban areas, air masses impacted by wildfires, as well as stagnant, forested/regional air masses. Growth events observed during urban-influenced air masses were prevalent, with presumably high oxidant levels, and began midday during periods of high solar radiation. This suggests that increased oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) likely contributed to the highest observed particle growth in this study (8 ± 2 nm h-1). Growth events during wildfire-influenced air masses were observed primarily at night and had slower growth rates (3 ± 1 nm h-1). These events were likely influenced by increased SO2, O3, and NO2 transported within the smoke plumes, suggesting a role of NO3 oxidation in the production of semi-volatile compounds. Forested/regional air mass growth events likely occurred due to the oxidation of regionally emitted BVOCs, including isoprene, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes, which facilitated multiday growth events also with slower rates (3 ± 2 nm h-1). Intense sulfur, carbon, and oxygen signals in individual particles down to 20 nm, analyzed by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDX), suggest that H2SO4 and secondary organic aerosol contributed to particle growth. Overall, aerosol

  9. Extensive Viable Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus Contamination in Air and Surrounding Environment in MERS Isolation Wards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sung-Han; Chang, So Young; Sung, Minki; Park, Ji Hoon; Bin Kim, Hong; Lee, Heeyoung; Choi, Jae-Phil; Choi, Won Suk; Min, Ji-Young

    2016-08-01

    The largest outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) outside the Middle East occurred in South Korea in 2015 and resulted in 186 laboratory-confirmed infections, including 36 (19%) deaths. Some hospitals were considered epicenters of infection and voluntarily shut down most of their operations after nearly half of all transmissions occurred in hospital settings. However, the ways that MERS-CoV is transmitted in healthcare settings are not well defined. We explored the possible contribution of contaminated hospital air and surfaces to MERS transmission by collecting air and swabbing environmental surfaces in 2 hospitals treating MERS-CoV patients. The samples were tested by viral culture with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using MERS-CoV Spike antibody, and electron microscopy (EM). The presence of MERS-CoV was confirmed by RT-PCR of viral cultures of 4 of 7 air samples from 2 patients' rooms, 1 patient's restroom, and 1 common corridor. In addition, MERS-CoV was detected in 15 of 68 surface swabs by viral cultures. IFA on the cultures of the air and swab samples revealed the presence of MERS-CoV. EM images also revealed intact particles of MERS-CoV in viral cultures of the air and swab samples. These data provide experimental evidence for extensive viable MERS-CoV contamination of the air and surrounding materials in MERS outbreak units. Thus, our findings call for epidemiologic investigation of the possible scenarios for contact and airborne transmission, and raise concern regarding the adequacy of current infection control procedures. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Summertime ozone formation in Xi'an and surrounding areas, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Feng

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the ozone (O3 formation in China's northwest city of Xi'an and surrounding areas is investigated using the Weather Research and Forecasting atmospheric chemistry (WRF-Chem model during the period from 22 to 24 August 2013, corresponding to a heavy air pollution episode with high concentrations of O3 and PM2.5. The model generally performs well compared to measurements in simulating the surface temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction, near-surface O3 and PM2.5 mass concentrations, and aerosol constituents. High aerosol concentrations in Xi'an and surrounding areas significantly decrease the photolysis frequencies and can reduce O3 concentrations by more than 50 µg m−3 (around 25 ppb on average. Sensitivity studies show that the O3 production regime in Xi'an and surrounding areas is complicated, varying from NOx to VOC (volatile organic compound-sensitive chemistry. The industrial emissions contribute the most to the O3 concentrations compared to biogenic and other anthropogenic sources, but neither individual anthropogenic emission nor biogenic emission plays a dominant role in the O3 formation. Under high O3 and PM2.5 concentrations, a 50 % reduction in all the anthropogenic emissions only decreases near-surface O3 concentrations by about 14 % during daytime. The complicated O3 production regime and high aerosol levels pose a challenge for O3 control strategies in Xi'an and surrounding areas. Further investigation regarding O3 control strategies will need to be performed, taking into consideration the rapid changes in anthropogenic emissions that are not reflected in the current emission inventories and the uncertainties in the meteorological field simulations.

  11. Mineralization of bacterial cell mass on a photocatalytic surface in air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacoby, W.A.; Maness, P.C.; Wolfrum, E.J.; Blake, D.M.; Fennell, J.A.

    1998-01-01

    Whole cells deposited on a titanium dioxide-coated surface have been oxidized in air to carbon dioxide via photocatalysis. This paper provides the first evidence that the organic matter in whole cells can be completely oxidized. Three experimental techniques were employed to monitor this reaction: scanning electron microscopy, 14 C radioisotope labeling experiments establish that the carbon content of E. coli is oxidized to form carbon dioxide with substantial closure of the mass balance. The batch reactor experiments corroborate the mass balance and provide a preliminary indication of the rate of the oxidation reaction. These results provide evidence that a photocatalytic surface used for disinfection can also be self-cleaning in an air-solid system

  12. New particle formation in air mass transported between two measurement sites in Northern Finland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Komppula

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This study covers four years of aerosol number size distribution data from Pallas and Värriö sites 250 km apart from each other in Northern Finland and compares new particle formation events between these sites. In air masses of eastern origin almost all events were observed to start earlier at the eastern station Värriö, whereas in air masses of western origin most of the events were observed to start earlier at the western station Pallas. This demonstrates that particle formation in a certain air mass type depends not only on the diurnal variation of the parameters causing the phenomenon (such as photochemistry but also on some properties carried by the air mass itself. The correlation in growth rates between the two sites was relatively good, which suggests that the amount of condensable vapour causing the growth must have been at about the same level in both sites. The condensation sink was frequently much higher at the downwind station. It seems that secondary particle formation related to biogenic sources dominate in many cases over the particle sinks during the air mass transport between the sites. Two cases of transport from Pallas to Värriö were further analysed with an aerosol dynamics model. The model was able to reproduce the observed nucleation events 250 km down-wind at Värriö but revealed some differences between the two cases. The simulated nucleation rates were in both cases similar but the organic concentration profiles that best reproduced the observations were different in the two cases indicating that divergent formation reactions may dominate under different conditions. The simulations also suggested that organic compounds were the main contributor to new particle growth, which offers a tentative hypothesis to the distinct features of new particles at the two sites: Air masses arriving from the Atlantic Ocean typically spent approximately only ten hours over land before arriving at Pallas, and thus the time for the

  13. climatology of air mass trajectories and aerosol optical thickness ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    George

    We present in this paper a climatological study of back trajectories of air masses ... obtained by inversion of photometric measurements of AERONET network. ... the arid Sahel region adjacent in the north to the Sahara ... the city a strategic position in the study of the .... atmospheric emergencies, diagnostic case studies and.

  14. Influence of drying air parameters on mass transfer characteristics of apple slices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beigi, Mohsen

    2016-10-01

    To efficiently design both new drying process and equipment and/or to improve the existing systems, accurate values of mass transfer characteristics are necessary. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of drying air parameters (i.e. temperature, velocity and relative humidity) on effective diffusivity and convective mass transfer coefficient of apple slices. The Dincer and Dost model was used to determine the mass transfer characteristics. The obtained Biot number indicated that the moisture transfer in the apple slices was controlled by both internal and external resistance. The effective diffusivity and mass transfer coefficient values obtained to be in the ranges of 7.13 × 10-11-7.66 × 10-10 and 1.46 × 10-7-3.39 × 10-7 m s-1, respectively and the both of them increased with increasing drying air temperature and velocity, and decreasing relative humidity. The validation of the model showed that the model predicted the experimental drying curves of the samples with a good accuracy.

  15. Microbial air quality in mass transport buses and work-related illness among bus drivers of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luksamijarulkul, Pipat; Sundhiyodhin, Viboonsri; Luksamijarulkul, Soavalug; Kaewboonchoo, Orawan

    2004-06-01

    The air quality in mass transport buses, especially air-conditioned buses may affect bus drivers who work full time. Bus numbers 16, 63, 67 and 166 of the Seventh Bus Zone of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority were randomly selected to investigate for microbial air quality. Nine air-conditioned buses and 2-4 open-air buses for each number of the bus (36 air-conditioned buses and 12 open-air buses) were included. Five points of in-bus air samples in each studied bus were collected by using the Millipore A ir Tester Totally, 180 and 60 air samples collected from air-conditioned buses and open-air buses were cultured for bacterial and fungal counts. The bus drivers who drove the studied buses were interviewed towards histories of work-related illness while working. The results revealed that the mean +/- SD of bacterial counts in the studied open-air buses ranged from 358.50 +/- 146.66 CFU/m3 to 506 +/- 137.62 CFU/m3; bus number 16 had the highest level. As well as the mean +/- SD of fungal counts which ranged from 93.33 +/- 44.83 CFU/m3 to 302 +/- 294.65 CFU/m3; bus number 166 had the highest level. Whereas, the mean +/- SD of bacterial counts in the studied air-conditioned buses ranged from 115.24 +/- 136.01 CFU/m3 to 244.69 +/- 234.85 CFU/m3; bus numbers 16 and 67 had the highest level. As well as the mean +/- SD of fungal counts which rangedfrom 18.84 +/- 39.42 CFU/m3 to 96.13 +/- 234.76 CFU/m3; bus number 166 had the highest level. When 180 and 60 studied air samples were analyzed in detail, it was found that 33.33% of the air samples from open-air buses and 6.11% of air samples from air-conditioned buses had a high level of bacterial counts (> 500 CFU/m3) while 6.67% of air samples from open-air buses and 2.78% of air samples from air-conditioned buses had a high level of fungal counts (> 500 CFU/m3). Data from the history of work-related illnesses among the studied bus drivers showed that 91.67% of open-air bus drivers and 57.28% of air-conditioned bus drivers had

  16. Comparison between zircaloy oxidation in steam and air surroundings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shawkat, M.E.; Hasaneln, H.; Ali, M.; Parlatan, Y.; Albasha, H.

    2013-01-01

    The available experimental data for Zircaloy oxidation in air were reviewed. The behavior of the oxidation kinetics at different temperature ranges was described. It was shown that maintaining the oxidation kinetics within the oxide pre-breakaway region can prevent elevated sheath temperatures due to the oxidation process during postulated accidents. The available correlations to model the oxidation kinetics for pre-breakaway region were reviewed and assessed. Zircaloy-air oxidation correlation based on Leistikow-Berg data was determined to be the most suitable correlation to model pre-breakaway kinetics and it was compared to Urbanic-Heidrick correlation which is widely used for Zircaloy oxidation in steam environment. The results showed that the energy release due to the Zircaloy-steam oxidation bounds the energy released due to Zircaloy-air oxidation up to a sheath temperature referred as the “crossover temperature”. Below this temperature, the impact of Zircaloy-air oxidation on fuel sheath temperature transient can be predicted conservatively using the Urbanic-Heidrick steam correlation. The crossover temperature was calculated for isothermal sheath heating as well as transient sheath heat-up assuming three linear heating rates of 0.6, 1.0, and 1.3 K/s. (author)

  17. Air mass flow estimation in turbocharged diesel engines from in-cylinder pressure measurement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Desantes, J.M.; Galindo, J.; Guardiola, C.; Dolz, V. [CMT - Motores Termicos, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia (Spain)

    2010-01-15

    Air mass flow determination is needed for the control of current internal combustion engines. Current methods are based on specific sensors (as hot wire anemometers) or indirect estimation through manifold pressure. With the availability of cylinder pressure sensors for engine control, methods based on them can be used for replacing or complementing standard methods. Present paper uses in cylinder pressure increase during the intake stroke for inferring the trapped air mass. The method is validated on two different turbocharged diesel engines and compared with the standard methods. (author)

  18. Biomass burning and urban air pollution over the Central Mexican Plateau

    Science.gov (United States)

    J. D. Crounse; P. F. DeCarlo; D. R. Blake; L. K. Emmons; T. L. Campos; E. C. Apel; A. D. Clarke; A. J. Weinheimer; D. C. McCabe; R. J. Yokelson; J. L. Jimenez; P. O. Wennberg

    2009-01-01

    Observations during the 2006 dry season of highly elevated concentrations of cyanides in the atmosphere above Mexico City (MC) and the surrounding plains demonstrate that biomass burning (BB) significantly impacted air quality in the region. We find that during the period of our measurements, fires contribute more than half of the organic aerosol mass and submicron...

  19. Aerosol particle measurements at three stationary sites in the megacity of Paris during summer 2009: meteorology and air mass origin dominate aerosol particle composition and size distribution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Freutel

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available During July 2009, a one-month measurement campaign was performed in the megacity of Paris. Amongst other measurement platforms, three stationary sites distributed over an area of 40 km in diameter in the greater Paris region enabled a detailed characterization of the aerosol particle and gas phase. Simulation results from the FLEXPART dispersion model were used to distinguish between different types of air masses sampled. It was found that the origin of air masses had a large influence on measured mass concentrations of the secondary species particulate sulphate, nitrate, ammonium, and oxygenated organic aerosol measured with the Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer in the submicron particle size range: particularly high concentrations of these species (about 4 μg m−3, 2 μg m−3, 2 μg m−3, and 7 μg m−3, respectively were measured when aged material was advected from continental Europe, while for air masses originating from the Atlantic, much lower mass concentrations of these species were observed (about 1 μg m−3, 0.2 μg m−3, 0.4 μg m−3, and 1–3 μg m−3, respectively. For the primary emission tracers hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol, black carbon, and NOx it was found that apart from diurnal source strength variations and proximity to emission sources, local meteorology had the largest influence on measured concentrations, with higher wind speeds leading to larger dilution and therefore smaller measured concentrations. Also the shape of particle size distributions was affected by wind speed and air mass origin. Quasi-Lagrangian measurements performed under connected flow conditions between the three stationary sites were used to estimate the influence of the Paris emission plume onto its surroundings, which was found to be rather small. Rough estimates for the impact of the Paris emission plume on the suburban areas can be

  20. Match properties of heat transfer and coupled heat and mass transfer processes in air-conditioning system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Tao; Liu Xiaohua; Zhang Lun; Jiang Yi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Investigates match properties of heat or mass transfer processes in HVAC system. ► Losses are caused by limited transfer ability, flow and parameter mismatching. ► Condition of flow matching is the same heat capacity of the fluids. ► Parameter matching is only reached along the saturation line in air–water system. ► Analytical solutions of heat and mass transfer resistance are derived. - Abstract: Sensible heat exchangers and coupled heat and mass transfer devices between humid air and water/desiccant are commonly used devices in air-conditioning systems. This paper focuses on the match properties of sensible heat transfer processes and coupled heat and mass transfer processes in an effort to understand the reasons for performance limitations in order to optimize system performance. Limited heat transfer capability and flow mismatching resulted in heat resistance of the sensible heat transfer process. Losses occurred during the heat and mass transfer processes due to limited transfer capability, flow mismatching, and parameter mismatching. Flow matching was achieved when the heat capacities of the fluids were identical, and parameter matching could only be reached along the saturation line in air–water systems or the iso-concentration line in air–desiccant systems. Analytical solutions of heat transfer resistance and mass transfer resistance were then derived. The heat and mass transfer process close to the saturation line is recommended, and heating sprayed water resulted in better humidification performance than heating inlet air in the air humidifier.

  1. The Frequency of Occurrence of Air Masses Over Twelve European Cities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-01-01

    cluster analysis technique to investigate the possibility of simplifying the European "",Oskar Essermanger, 1954, Neue Methode der Zerleang von...Masses, Streamlines, and the Boreal Forest," Geographical Bulletin, Vol 8 11 J. M. Davis, 1981, The Use of Cluster Analysis in the Identification and...Atmosphere and a Proposed Model for Frontal Analysis," Tellus, Vol 5 ’’N. S. McDonald, 1975, "Etgenvectur Analisis as an Aid to Air Mass Recognition

  2. Biomass burning and urban air pollution over the central Mexican Plateau [Discussions

    Science.gov (United States)

    J. D. Crounse; P. F. DeCarlo; D. R. Blake; L. K. Emmons; T. L. Campos; E. C. Apel; A. D. Clarke; A. J. Weinheimer; D. C. McCabe; R. J. Yokelson; J. L. Jimenez; P. O. Wennberg

    2009-01-01

    Observations during the 2006 dry season of highly elevated concentrations of cyanides in the atmosphere above Mexico City (MC) and the surrounding plains, demonstrate that biomass burning (BB) significantly impacted air quality in the region. We find that during the period of our measurements, fires contribute more than half of the organic aerosol mass and submicron...

  3. Characterising terrestrial influences on Antarctic air masses using Radon-222 measurements at King George Island

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, S. D.; Hong, S.-B.; Williams, A. G.; Crawford, J.; Griffiths, A. D.; Park, S.-J.

    2014-09-01

    We report on one year of high-precision direct hourly radon observations at King Sejong Station (King George Island) beginning in February 2013. Findings are compared with historic and ongoing radon measurements from other Antarctic sites. Monthly median concentrations reduced from 72 mBq m-3 in late-summer to 44 mBq m-3 in late winter and early spring. Monthly 10th percentiles, ranging from 29 to 49 mBq m-3, were typical of oceanic baseline values. Diurnal cycles were rarely evident and local influences were minor, consistent with regional radon flux estimates one tenth of the global average for ice-free land. The predominant fetch region for terrestrially influenced air masses was South America (47-53° S), with minor influences also attributed to aged Australian air masses and local sources. Plume dilution factors of 2.8-4.0 were estimated for the most terrestrially influenced (South American) air masses, and a seasonal cycle in terrestrial influence on tropospheric air descending at the pole was identified and characterised.

  4. Study of mass transfer at the air-water interface by an isotopic method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Merlivat, L.

    1975-01-01

    It is shown by analysing the hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes distribution in liquid and water vapor, that the processes taking place on a very small scale near the liquid can be investigated. The effect of molecular mass transfer is directly obtained without having to perform difficult measurements in the air in the immediate vicinity of the water surface. Experiments are carried out in the air-water tunnel especially designed for the simulation of ocean atmosphere energy exchanges. The wind velocities vary from 0.7 to 7m/sec. The experimental results obtained do not support the classical Reynolds' analogy between momentum and mass transfer down to the interface and the theory proposed by Sheppard, but they are in agreement with Sverdrup's, Kitaigorodskiy and Volkov's and Brutsaert's theories, all of which involve a layer just above the air-water interface through which mass transfer is dominated by molecular diffusion. The thickness of this layer in the two first theories is shown to decrease with increasing wind velocity. Direct application of Brutsaert's theory for roughness Reynolds numbers smaller than one is in good agreement with the experimental data obtained [fr

  5. Mass concentrations of BTEX inside air environment of buses in Changsha, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Xiaokai; Zhang, Guoqiang; Zhang, Quan [College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan (China); Chen, Hong [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan (China)

    2011-02-15

    In order to estimate the mass concentrations of benzene (B), toluene (T), ethylbenzene (E) and xylenes (X) inside air environment of buses and to analyze the influencing factors of the BTEX pollution levels, 22 public buses were investigated in Changsha, China. The interior air was collected through activated charcoal adsorption tubes and then the air samples were analyzed with thermally desorbed gas chromatograph. The mass concentrations ranged from 21.3 to 106.4 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for benzene, from 53.5 to 266.0 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for toluene, from 19.6 to 95.9 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for ethylbenzene and from 46.9 to 234.8 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for xylenes. Their mean values were 68.7, 179.7, 62.5 and 151.8 {mu}g/m{sup 3}, respectively. The rates of buses tested where the interior concentrations exceeded the limit levels of Chinese Indoor Air Quality Standard were 45.5% for toluene and 13.6% for xylenes. The BTEX levels increased when in-car temperature or relative humidity rose, and decreased when car age or travel distance increased. The BTEX concentrations were higher in leather trims buses than in non-leather trims ones, in air-conditioned buses than in non-air-conditioned ones, and in high-grade buses than in low-grade ones. According to the analysis of multiple linear regression equation, car age and in-car temperature were two most important factors influencing the BTEX pollution levels in the cabins of public buses. (author)

  6. Photochemical aging of aerosol particles in different air masses arriving at Baengnyeong Island, Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Eunha; Lee, Meehye; Brune, William H.; Lee, Taehyoung; Park, Taehyun; Ahn, Joonyoung; Shang, Xiaona

    2018-05-01

    Atmospheric aerosol particles are a serious health risk, especially in regions like East Asia. We investigated the photochemical aging of ambient aerosols using a potential aerosol mass (PAM) reactor at Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea during 4-12 August 2011. The size distributions and chemical compositions of aerosol particles were measured alternately every 6 min from the ambient air or through the highly oxidizing environment of a potential aerosol mass (PAM) reactor. Particle size and chemical composition were measured by using the combination of a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). Inside the PAM reactor, O3 and OH levels were equivalent to 4.6 days of integrated OH exposure at typical atmospheric conditions. Two types of air masses were distinguished on the basis of the chemical composition and the degree of aging: air transported from China, which was more aged with a higher sulfate concentration and O : C ratio, and the air transported across the Korean Peninsula, which was less aged with more organics than sulfate and a lower O : C ratio. For both episodes, the particulate sulfate mass concentration increased in the 200-400 nm size range when sampled through the PAM reactor. A decrease in organics was responsible for the loss of mass concentration in 100-200 nm particles when sampled through the PAM reactor for the organics-dominated episode. This loss was especially evident for the m/z 43 component, which represents less oxidized organics. The m/z 44 component, which represents further oxidized organics, increased with a shift toward larger sizes for both episodes. It is not possible to quantify the maximum possible organic mass concentration for either episode because only one OH exposure of 4.6 days was used, but it is clear that SO2 was a primary precursor of secondary aerosol in northeast Asia, especially during long-range transport from China. In addition

  7. Physical aerosol properties and their relation to air mass origin at Monte Cimone (Italy during the first MINATROC campaign

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Van Dingenen

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Aerosol physical properties were measured at the Monte Cimone Observatory (Italy from 1 June till 6 July 2000. The measurement site is located in the transition zone between the continental boundary layer and the free troposphere (FT, at the border between the Mediterranean area and Central Europe, and is exposed to a variety of air masses. Sub-μm number size distributions, aerosol hygroscopicity near 90% RH, refractory size distribution at 270°C and equivalent black carbon mass were continuously measured. Number size distributions and hygroscopic properties indicate that the site is exposed to aged continental air masses, however during daytime it is also affected by upslope winds. The mixing of this transported polluted boundary layer air masses with relatively clean FT air leads to frequent nucleation events around local noon. Night-time size distributions, including fine and coarse fractions for each air mass episode, have been parameterized by a 3-modal lognormal distribution. Number and volume concentrations in the sub-μm modes are strongly affected by the air mass origin, with highest levels in NW-European air masses, versus very clean, free tropospheric air coming from the N-European sector. During a brief but distinct dust episode, the coarse mode is clearly enhanced. The observed hygroscopic behavior of the aerosol is consistent with the chemical composition described by Putaud et al. (2004, but no closure between known chemical composition and measured hygroscopicity could be made because the hygroscopic properties of the water-soluble organic matter (WSOM are not known. The data suggest that WSOM is slightly-to-moderately hygroscopic (hygroscopic growth factor GF at 90% relative humidity between 1.05 and 1.51, and that this property may well depend on the air mass origin and history. External mixing of aerosol particles is observed in all air masses through the occurrence of two hygroscopicity modes (average GF of 1.22 and 1

  8. Energy saving avoiding the centrifugal motor-compressors air vents discharge to the surrounding atmosphere; Ahorro de energia evitando venteo de aire a la atmosfera en motocompresores centrifugos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Serrano, Alex [Compressor Controls Corporation, Houston, TX (United States)

    1996-12-31

    The motor-compressors are a key part of the industrial processes. The reliability and efficient operation of a compressor is critical. The surge phenomenon is a threat in the reliability of a compressor and therefore for the process. Surge, in a centrifugal compressor is defined as a dramatic flow and pressure drop, including back-flow. This is always a significant process disturbance. Continuous surge results into costly process shutdowns and mechanical damages. To prevent surge, and control the discharge pressure with simple or obsolete controls it is needed to vent air to the surrounding atmosphere. This form of control is very inefficient and costly. An advanced control with leading technology, besides providing an economical value preventing surge damages, offers substantial energy saving reducing or eliminating the venting of air to the atmosphere. [Espanol] Los motocompresores son un aparte clave de los procesos industriales. La confiable y eficiente operacion de un compresor es critica. El fenomeno de surge es una amenaza a la confiabilidad de un compresor y por lo tanto del proceso. El surge en un compresor centrifugo es definido como una dramatica caida de flujo y presion, incluyendo flujo inverso. Esto es siempre un significante disturbio del proceso. El surge continuo resulta en costosos paros de proceso y danos mecanicos. Para prevenir el surge y controlar la presion de descarga con controles simples u obsoletos, es necesario ventear aire a la atmosfera. Esta forma de control es muy ineficiente y costosa. Un control avanzado con tecnologia de punta ademas de proveer valor economico previniendo danos por surge, provee sustanciales ahorros de energia reduciendo o eliminando el venteo de aire a la atmosfera.

  9. Energy saving avoiding the centrifugal motor-compressors air vents discharge to the surrounding atmosphere; Ahorro de energia evitando venteo de aire a la atmosfera en motocompresores centrifugos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Serrano, Alex [Compressor Controls Corporation, Houston, TX (United States)

    1997-12-31

    The motor-compressors are a key part of the industrial processes. The reliability and efficient operation of a compressor is critical. The surge phenomenon is a threat in the reliability of a compressor and therefore for the process. Surge, in a centrifugal compressor is defined as a dramatic flow and pressure drop, including back-flow. This is always a significant process disturbance. Continuous surge results into costly process shutdowns and mechanical damages. To prevent surge, and control the discharge pressure with simple or obsolete controls it is needed to vent air to the surrounding atmosphere. This form of control is very inefficient and costly. An advanced control with leading technology, besides providing an economical value preventing surge damages, offers substantial energy saving reducing or eliminating the venting of air to the atmosphere. [Espanol] Los motocompresores son un aparte clave de los procesos industriales. La confiable y eficiente operacion de un compresor es critica. El fenomeno de surge es una amenaza a la confiabilidad de un compresor y por lo tanto del proceso. El surge en un compresor centrifugo es definido como una dramatica caida de flujo y presion, incluyendo flujo inverso. Esto es siempre un significante disturbio del proceso. El surge continuo resulta en costosos paros de proceso y danos mecanicos. Para prevenir el surge y controlar la presion de descarga con controles simples u obsoletos, es necesario ventear aire a la atmosfera. Esta forma de control es muy ineficiente y costosa. Un control avanzado con tecnologia de punta ademas de proveer valor economico previniendo danos por surge, provee sustanciales ahorros de energia reduciendo o eliminando el venteo de aire a la atmosfera.

  10. Hot-wire air flow meter for gasoline fuel-injection system. Calculation of air mass in cylinder during transient condition; Gasoline funsha system yo no netsusenshiki kuki ryuryokei. Kato untenji no cylinder juten kukiryo no keisan

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oyama, Y [Hitachi Car Engineering, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Nishimura, Y; Osuga, M; Yamauchi, T [Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    1997-10-01

    Air flow characteristics of hot-wire air flow meters for gasoline fuel-injection systems with supercharging and exhaust gas recycle during transient conditions were investigated to analyze a simple method for calculating air mass in cylinder. It was clarified that the air mass in cylinder could be calculated by compensating for the change of air mass in intake system by using aerodynamic models of intake system. 3 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

  11. Imperiling urban environment through varying air pollution rein in measures and mass transit policies - a case study of Lahore

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aziz, A.

    2015-01-01

    Gargantuan expansion of big cities has increased motor vehicular tremendously. Lahore, a primitive green city is now gripped with swelling motor vehicular air pollution. Mass public transport, a back bone of city transportation network, due to erroneous running significantly contributes toward motor vehicular air pollution. Policy initiatives of the Government to curb motor vehicular air pollution are merely focused upon reduction of air pollution at source by the use of technology and clean fuel programmes. The policies for introduction of mass transit remained imprecise which lead to rise in transportation demand and increase in surfeit emission; Half-baked policies normally stem out to get political popularity which imperils urban environment. The paper highlights inconsistent policy measures and unsound air pollution control strategies adopted in big cities of Pakistan. Furthermore it gives guidance for sustainable mass transit policy measures. (author)

  12. Bioaccumulation Potential Of Air Contaminants: Combining Biological Allometry, Chemical Equilibrium And Mass-Balances To Predict Accumulation Of Air Pollutants In Various Mammals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Veltman, Karin; McKone, Thomas E.; Huijbregts, Mark A.J.; Hendriks, A. Jan

    2009-03-01

    In the present study we develop and test a uniform model intended for single compartment analysis in the context of human and environmental risk assessment of airborne contaminants. The new aspects of the model are the integration of biological allometry with fugacity-based mass-balance theory to describe exchange of contaminants with air. The developed model is applicable to various mammalian species and a range of chemicals, while requiring few and typically well-known input parameters, such as the adult mass and composition of the species, and the octanol-water and air-water partition coefficient of the chemical. Accumulation of organic chemicals is typically considered to be a function of the chemical affinity forlipid components in tissues. Here, we use a generic description of chemical affinity for neutral and polar lipids and proteins to estimate blood-air partition coefficients (Kba) and tissue-air partition coefficients (Kta) for various mammals. This provides a more accurate prediction of blood-air partition coefficients, as proteins make up a large fraction of total blood components. The results show that 75percent of the modeled inhalation and exhalation rate constants are within a factor of 2 from independent empirical values for humans, rats and mice, and 87percent of the predicted blood-air partition coefficients are within a factor of 5 from empirical data. At steady-state, the bioaccumulation potential of air pollutants is shown to be mainly a function of the tissue-air partition coefficient and the biotransformation capacity of the species and depends weakly on the ventilation rate and the cardiac output of mammals.

  13. Influence of air mass source sector on variations in CO2 mixing ratio at a boreal site in northern Finland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aalto, T.; Hatakka, J.; Viisanen, Y.

    2003-01-01

    CO 2 mixing ratio in air masses coming from different source sectors was studied at Pallas measurement station in Lapland. Source sectors were defined using back trajectories and wind direction measurements. Air masses from the North and West sectors showed an annual variation of 17 ppm, possibly affected by a long range transported marine air. A larger variation of 20 ppm was observed in air masses from the more continental South and East sectors. During late autumn mixing ratios in air masses from the South sector were high in comparison with the other sectors. Different methods for a source sector definition were considered for the site, located in a contoured terrain. 52%-73% of wind direction-based source sector definitions agreed with trajectory- based definitions. However, the number of cases with reliable sector definitions may remain low when considering all observations. Different definition methods can cause differences of the order of 1 ppm in sectorially selected monthly mean CO 2 mixing ratios. (orig.)

  14. Monitoring an air pollution episode in Shenzhen by combining MODIS satellite images and the HYSPLIT model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lili; Liu, Yihong; Wang, Yunpeng

    2017-07-01

    Urban air pollution is influenced not only by local emission sources including industry and vehicles, but also greatly by regional atmospheric pollutant transportation from the surrounding areas, especially in developed city clusters, like the Pearl River Delta (PRD). Taking an air pollution episode in Shenzhen as an example, this paper investigates the occurrence and evolution of the pollution episode and identifies the transport pathways of air pollutants in Shenzhen by combining MODIS satellite images and HYSPLIT back trajectory analysis. Results show that this pollution episode is mainly caused by the local emission of pollutants in PRD and oceanic air masses under specific weather conditions.

  15. [Toxic fungi in Buenos Aires City and surroundings].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romano, Gonzalo M; Iannone, Leopoldo; Novas, María V; Carmarán, Cecilia; Romero, Andrea I; López, Silvia E; Lechner, Bernardo E

    2013-01-01

    In Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales,Universidad de Buenos Aires there is a service called Servicio de Identificación de Hongos Tóxicos, directed by researchers of the Program of Medicinal Plants and Fungi Involved in Biological Degradation (PROPLAME-PRHIDEB, CONICET) that assist hospitals and other health establishments, identifying the different samples of fungi and providing information about their toxicity, so that patients can receive the correct treatment. The objective of the present study was to analyze all the cases received from 1985 to 2012. This analysis permitted the confection of a table identifying the most common toxic species. The information gathered revealed that 47% of the patients were under 18 years of age and had eaten basidiomes; the remaining 53% were adults who insisted that they were able to distinguish edible from toxic mushrooms. Chlorophyllum molybdites turned out to be the main cause of fungal intoxication in Buenos Aires, which is commonly confused with Macrolepiota procera, an edible mushroom. In the second place Amanita phalloides was registered, an agaric known to cause severe symptoms after a long period of latency (6-10 hours), and which can lead to hepatic failure even requiring a transplant to prevent severe internal injuries or even death, is not early and correctly treated.

  16. Aerosol concentration measurements and correlations with air mass trajectories at the Pierre Auger Observatory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Micheletti, M. I.; Louedec, K.; Freire, M.; Vitale, P.; Piacentini, R. D.

    2017-06-01

    Aerosols play an important role in radiative transfer processes involved in different fields of study. In particular, their influence is crucial in the attenuation of light at astronomical and astrophysical observatories, and has to be taken into account in light transfer models employed to reconstruct the signals. The Andean Argentinean region is increasingly being considered as a good candidate to host such facilities, as well as the ones for solar-energy resources, and an adequate knowledge of aerosols characteristics there is needed, but it is not always possible due to the vast area involved and the scarce atmospheric data at ground. The aim of this work is to find correlations between aerosol data and particle trajectories that can give an insight into the origin and behaviour of aerosols in this zone and can be employed in situations in which one does not have local aerosol measurements. For this purpose, an aerosol spectrometer and dust monitor (Grimm 1.109) was installed at the Pierre Auger Observatory of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, to record aerosol concentrations in different size intervals, at surface level. These measurements are analysed and correlated with air mass trajectories obtained from HYSPLIT (NOAA) model calculations. High aerosol concentrations are registered predominantly when air masses have travelled mostly over continental areas, mainly from the NE direction, while low aerosol concentrations are found in correspondence with air masses coming from the Pacific Ocean, from the NW direction. Different size distribution patterns were found for the aerosols depending on their origin: marine or continental. This work shows for the first time the size distribution of aerosols registered at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The correlations found between mass and particle concentrations (total and for different size ranges) and HYSPLIT air mass trajectories, confirm that the latter can be employed as a useful tool to infer the sources, evolution

  17. Spatial variability of hailfalls in France: an analysis of air mass retro-trajectories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermida, Lucía; Merino, Andrés; Sánchez, José Luis; Berthet, Claude; Dessens, Jean; López, Laura; Fernández-González, Sergio; Gascón, Estíbaliz; García-Ortega, Eduardo

    2014-05-01

    Hail is the main meteorological risk in south-west France, with the strongest hailfalls being concentrated in just a few days. Specifically, this phenomenon occurs most often and with the greatest severity in the Midi-Pyrénées area. Previous studies have revealed the high spatial variability of hailfall in this part of France, even leading to different characteristics being recorded on hailpads that were relatively close together. For this reason, an analysis of the air mass trajectories was carried out at ground level and at altitude, which subsequently led to the formation of the hail recorded by these hailpads. It is already known that in the study zone, the trajectories of the storms usually stretch for long distances and are oriented towards the east, leading to hailstones with diameters in excess of 3 cm, and without any change in direction above 3 km. We analysed different days with hail precipitation where there was at least one stone with a diameter of 3 cm or larger. Using the simulations from these days, an analysis of the backward trajectories of the air masses was carried out. We used the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model) to determine the origin of the air masses, and tracked them toward each of the hailpads that were hit during the day studied. The height of the final points was the height of the impacted hailpads. Similarly, the backward trajectories for different heights were also established. Finally, the results show how storms that affect neighbouring hailpads come from very different air masses; and provide a deeper understanding of the high variability that affects the characteristics of hailfalls. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the Regional Government of Castile-León for its financial support through the project LE220A11-2. This study was supported by the following grants: GRANIMETRO (CGL2010-15930); MICROMETEO (IPT-310000-2010-22).

  18. ''Anomalous'' air showers from point sources: Mass limits and light curves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Domokos, G.; Elliott, B.; Kovesi-Domokos, S.

    1993-01-01

    We describe a method to obtain upper limits on the mass of the primaries of air showers associated with point sources. One also obtains the UHE pulse shape of a pulsar if its period is observed in the signal. As an example, we analyze the data obtained during a recent burst of Hercules-X1

  19. Evolution of charged species in propane/air flames: mass-spectrometric analysis and modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues, J M; Agneray, A; Jaffrezic, X; Bellenoue, M; Labuda, S; Leys, C; Chernukho, A P; Migoun, A N; Cenian, A; Savel'ev, A M; Titova, N S; Starik, A M

    2007-01-01

    Experimental and modelling studies of ion formation during combustion of propane/air mixtures are presented. The positive and negative ions mass/charge spectra in propane/air stoichiometric flame at atmospheric pressure are recorded in the range from 0 to 512 atomic mass units. The C 2 H 3 O + and HCO 2 - ions are found to be the most abundant ionic species in the flame front region. By increasing the distance from the flame front the ion composition changes significantly. In the burnt gas region the H 3 O + , NO + , CO 3 - , HCO 3 - ions are found to be the major charged species. To explain the experimental results the extended kinetic model describing the ion formation in flame and in the extraction system of the mass-spectrometer as well as ion-soot interaction is developed. It is shown that the ionic clusters, which are observed experimentally, form during the adiabatic expansion in the extraction system, and the presence of soot particles may change the total positive and negative ion concentrations in the gas phase

  20. An oxygen-rich dust disk surrounding an evolved star in the Red Rectangle

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Waters, LBFM; Waelkens, C; van Winckel, H; Molster, FJ; Tielens, AGGM; van Loon, JT; Morris, PW; Cami, J; Bouwman, J; de Koter, A; de Jong, T; de Graauw, T

    1998-01-01

    The Red Rectangle(1) is the prototype of a class of carbon-rich reflection nebulae surrounding low-mass stars in the final stages of evolution. The central star of this nebula has ejected most of its layers (during the red-giant phase), which now form the surrounding cloud, and is rapidly evolving

  1. Elemental characterization of air particulate matter in Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jasan, Raquel C.; Pla, Rita R.; Invernizzi, Rodrigo [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Centro Atomico Ezeiza. Grupo Tecnicas Analiticas Nucleares], E-mail: jasan@cae.cnea.gov.ar, E-mail: rpla@cae.cnea.gov.ar; Santos, Marina dos [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Centro Atomico Constituyentes. Lab. de Contaminacion del Aire], E-mail: mdossant@cnea.gov.ar

    2007-07-01

    Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, is surrounded by 24 neighboring districts forming the so-called Buenos Aires metropolitan area (AMBA) that holds a population of 14 million people. In this work, the atmospheric aerosol of this metropolitan area was characterized through the determination of mass concentration, black carbon and elemental concentrations, on PM10 and PM2.5 samples taken using a 'Gent' sampler. The sampling site was located at an urban area characterized by fast and heavy traffic and samples were collected each third day, along 24 hours, between October 2005 and February 2006. A number of elements (As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Th, Yb and Zn) were determined by Neutron Activation Analysis and their results, as well as those of gravimetric mass concentrations, were compared with historical data. Enrichment factors were calculated for both fractions, using Sc as reference element and Mason's crustal concentration values, showing enrichment for As, Br, Sb, Se and Zn. Although the number of analyzed filters is still small, a preliminary factor analysis was run on both fraction results and different source profiles were found. The attribution of the sources to soil, high temperature processes including refuse incineration, fuel combustion and others, metal processes, traffic and other anthropogenic ones is discussed. (author)

  2. Elemental characterization of air particulate matter in Buenos Aires, Argentina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jasan, Raquel C.; Pla, Rita R.; Invernizzi, Rodrigo; Santos, Marina dos

    2007-01-01

    Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, is surrounded by 24 neighboring districts forming the so-called Buenos Aires metropolitan area (AMBA) that holds a population of 14 million people. In this work, the atmospheric aerosol of this metropolitan area was characterized through the determination of mass concentration, black carbon and elemental concentrations, on PM10 and PM2.5 samples taken using a 'Gent' sampler. The sampling site was located at an urban area characterized by fast and heavy traffic and samples were collected each third day, along 24 hours, between October 2005 and February 2006. A number of elements (As, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Th, Yb and Zn) were determined by Neutron Activation Analysis and their results, as well as those of gravimetric mass concentrations, were compared with historical data. Enrichment factors were calculated for both fractions, using Sc as reference element and Mason's crustal concentration values, showing enrichment for As, Br, Sb, Se and Zn. Although the number of analyzed filters is still small, a preliminary factor analysis was run on both fraction results and different source profiles were found. The attribution of the sources to soil, high temperature processes including refuse incineration, fuel combustion and others, metal processes, traffic and other anthropogenic ones is discussed. (author)

  3. Variability of aerosol, gaseous pollutants and meteorological characteristics associated with changes in air mass origin at the SW Atlantic coast of Iberia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.-M. Diesch

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Measurements of the ambient aerosol were performed at the Southern coast of Spain, within the framework of the DOMINO (Diel Oxidant Mechanisms In relation to Nitrogen Oxides project. The field campaign took place from 20 November until 9 December 2008 at the atmospheric research station "El Arenosillo" (37°5'47.76" N, 6°44'6.94" W. As the monitoring station is located at the interface between a natural park, industrial cities (Huelva, Seville and the Atlantic Ocean, a variety of physical and chemical parameters of aerosols and gas phase could be characterized in dependency on the origin of air masses. Backwards trajectories were examined and compared with local meteorology to classify characteristic air mass types for several source regions. Aerosol number and mass as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon concentrations were measured in PM1 and size distributions were registered covering a size range from 7 nm up to 32 μm. The chemical composition of the non-refractory submicron aerosol (NR-PM1 was measured by means of an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS. Gas phase analyzers monitored various trace gases (O3, SO2, NO, NO2, CO2 and a weather station provided meteorological parameters.

    Lowest average submicron particle mass and number concentrations were found in air masses arriving from the Atlantic Ocean with values around 2 μg m−3 and 1000 cm−3. These mass concentrations were about two to four times lower than the values recorded in air masses of continental and urban origins. For some species PM1-fractions in marine air were significantly larger than in air masses originating from Huelva, a closely located city with extensive industrial activities. The largest fraction of sulfate (54% was detected in marine air masses and was to a high degree not neutralized. In addition, small concentrations of

  4. Variability of aerosol, gaseous pollutants and meteorological characteristics associated with changes in air mass origin at the SW Atlantic coast of Iberia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diesch, J.-M.; Drewnick, F.; Zorn, S. R.; von der Weiden-Reinmüller, S.-L.; Martinez, M.; Borrmann, S.

    2012-04-01

    Measurements of the ambient aerosol were performed at the Southern coast of Spain, within the framework of the DOMINO (Diel Oxidant Mechanisms In relation to Nitrogen Oxides) project. The field campaign took place from 20 November until 9 December 2008 at the atmospheric research station "El Arenosillo" (37°5'47.76" N, 6°44'6.94" W). As the monitoring station is located at the interface between a natural park, industrial cities (Huelva, Seville) and the Atlantic Ocean, a variety of physical and chemical parameters of aerosols and gas phase could be characterized in dependency on the origin of air masses. Backwards trajectories were examined and compared with local meteorology to classify characteristic air mass types for several source regions. Aerosol number and mass as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon concentrations were measured in PM1 and size distributions were registered covering a size range from 7 nm up to 32 μm. The chemical composition of the non-refractory submicron aerosol (NR-PM1) was measured by means of an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS). Gas phase analyzers monitored various trace gases (O3, SO2, NO, NO2, CO2) and a weather station provided meteorological parameters. Lowest average submicron particle mass and number concentrations were found in air masses arriving from the Atlantic Ocean with values around 2 μg m-3 and 1000 cm-3. These mass concentrations were about two to four times lower than the values recorded in air masses of continental and urban origins. For some species PM1-fractions in marine air were significantly larger than in air masses originating from Huelva, a closely located city with extensive industrial activities. The largest fraction of sulfate (54%) was detected in marine air masses and was to a high degree not neutralized. In addition, small concentrations of methanesulfonic acid (MSA), a product of biogenic dimethyl sulfate (DMS) emissions, could be identified in the particle phase

  5. A Comparison of the Red Green Blue (RGB) Air Mass Imagery and Hyperspectral Infrared Retrieved Profiles and NOAA G-IV Dropsondes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berndt, Emily; Folmer, Michael; Dunion, Jason

    2014-01-01

    RGB air mass imagery is derived from multiple channels or paired channel differences. The combination of channels and channel differences means the resulting imagery does not represent a quantity or physical parameter such as brightness temperature in conventional single channel imagery. Without a specific quantity to reference, forecasters are often confused as to what RGB products represent. Hyperspectral infrared retrieved profiles and NOAA G-IV dropsondes provide insight about the vertical structure of the air mass represented on the RGB air mass imagery and are a first step to validating the imagery.

  6. On the potential importance of transient air flow in advective radon entry into buildings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Narasimhan, T.N.; Tsang, Y.W.; Holman, H.Y.

    1990-01-01

    The authors have investigated, using a mathematical model, the temporal variations of air flux within the soil mass surrounding a basement in the presence of time dependent periodic variations of barometric pressure and a persistent under-pressure at the basement. The results of transient air flow show that for a homogeneous soil medium, the effects of barometric fluctuations are most significant in the cases where soil permeability to air is low and the fluctuation frequency is high. In these cases, the barometric fluctuation can greatly enhance the magnitude of fluxes as well as introduce flow direction reversals from surrounding soil into the basement. These large fluxes with direction reversals have strong implications in regard to advective transport of radon. The results suggest that the transient oscillations have to be accounted for in quantifying radon entry into buildings. In the actual field set up, the transient behavior will be further influenced by soil permeability heterogeneity, by soil moisture variations, and by the effects of multiple periodic components in the barometric pressure fluctuations

  7. Analysis of volatile compounds by open-air ionization mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meher, Anil Kumar; Chen, Yu-Chie

    2017-05-08

    This study demonstrates a simple method for rapid and in situ identification of volatile and endogenous compounds in culinary spice samples through mass spectrometry (MS). This method only requires a holder for solid spice sample (2-3 mm) that is placed close to a mass spectrometer inlet, which is applied with a high voltage. Volatile species responsible for the aroma of the spice samples can be readily detected by the mass spectrometer. Sample pretreatment is not required prior to MS analysis, and no solvent was used during MS analysis. The high voltage applied to the inlet of the mass spectrometer induces the ionization of volatile compounds released from the solid spice samples. Furthermore, moisture in the air also contributes to the ionization of volatile compounds. Dried spices including cinnamon and cloves are used as the model sample to demonstrate this straightforward MS analysis, which can be completed within few seconds. Furthermore, we also demonstrate the suitability of the current method for rapid screening of cinnamon quality through detection of the presence of a hepatotoxic agent, i.e. coumarin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Ecological Variation in Response to Mass-Flowering Oilseed Rape and Surrounding Landscape Composition by Members of a Cryptic Bumblebee Complex.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dara A Stanley

    Full Text Available The Bombus sensu stricto species complex is a widespread group of cryptic bumblebee species which are important pollinators of many crops and wild plants. These cryptic species have, until now, largely been grouped together in ecological studies, and so little is known about their individual colony densities, foraging ranges or habitat requirements, which can be influenced by land use at a landscape scale. We used mass-flowering oilseed rape fields as locations to sample bees of this complex, as well as the second most common visitor to oilseed rape B. lapidarius, and molecular RFLP methods to distinguish between the cryptic species. We then used microsatellite genotyping to identify sisters and estimate colony densities, and related both proportions of cryptic species and their colony densities to the composition of the landscape surrounding the fields. We found B. lucorum was the most common member of the complex present in oilseed rape followed by B. terrestris. B. cryptarum was also present in all but one site, with higher proportions found in the east of the study area. High numbers of bumblebee colonies were estimated to be using oilseed rape fields as a forage resource, with B. terrestris colony numbers higher than previous estimates from non-mass-flowering fields. We also found that the cryptic species responded differently to surrounding landscape composition: both relative proportions of B. cryptarum in samples and colony densities of B. lucorum were negatively associated with the amount of arable land in the landscape, while proportions and colony densities of other species did not respond to landscape variables at the scale measured. This suggests that the cryptic species have different ecological requirements (which may be scale-dependent and that oilseed rape can be an important forage resource for many colonies of bumblebees. Given this, we recommend sustainable management of this crop to benefit bumblebees.

  9. Variability of aerosol, gaseous pollutants and meteorological characteristics associated with continental, urban and marine air masses at the SW Atlantic coast of Iberia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diesch, J.-M.; Drewnick, F.; Zorn, S. R.; von der Weiden-Reinmüller, S.-L.; Martinez, M.; Borrmann, S.

    2011-12-01

    Measurements of the ambient aerosol were performed at the Southern coast of Spain, within the framework of the DOMINO (Diel Oxidant Mechanisms In relation to Nitrogen Oxides) project. The field campaign took place from 20 November until 9 December 2008 at the atmospheric research station "El Arenosillo" (37°5'47.76" N, 6°44'6.94" W). As the monitoring station is located at the interface between a natural park, industrial cities (Huelva, Seville) and the Atlantic Ocean a variety of physical and chemical parameters of aerosols and gas phase could be characterized in dependency on the origin of air masses. Backwards trajectories were examined and compared with local meteorology to classify characteristic air mass types for several source regions. Aerosol number and mass as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon concentrations were measured in PM1 and size distributions were registered covering a size range from 7 nm up to 32 μm. The chemical composition of the non-refractory submicron aerosol was measured by means of an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS). Gas phase analyzers monitored various trace gases (O3, SO2, NO, NO2, CO2) and a weather station provided meteorological parameters. Lowest average submicron particle mass and number concentrations were found in air masses arriving from the Atlantic Ocean with values around 2 μg m-3 and 1000 cm-3. These mass concentrations were about two to four times lower than the values recorded in air masses of continental and urban origins. For some species PM1-fractions in marine air were significantly larger than in air masses originating from Huelva, a closely located city with extensive industrial activities. The largest fraction of sulfate (54%) was detected in marine air masses and was to a high degree not neutralized. In addition small concentrations of methanesulfonic acid (MSA), a product of biogenic dimethyl sulfate (DMS) emissions could be identified in the particle phase. In all

  10. Southeast Atlantic Cloud Properties in a Multivariate Statistical Model - How Relevant is Air Mass History for Local Cloud Properties?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchs, Julia; Cermak, Jan; Andersen, Hendrik

    2017-04-01

    This study aims at untangling the impacts of external dynamics and local conditions on cloud properties in the Southeast Atlantic (SEA) by combining satellite and reanalysis data using multivariate statistics. The understanding of clouds and their determinants at different scales is important for constraining the Earth's radiative budget, and thus prominent in climate-system research. In this study, SEA stratocumulus cloud properties are observed not only as the result of local environmental conditions but also as affected by external dynamics and spatial origins of air masses entering the study area. In order to assess to what extent cloud properties are impacted by aerosol concentration, air mass history, and meteorology, a multivariate approach is conducted using satellite observations of aerosol and cloud properties (MODIS, SEVIRI), information on aerosol species composition (MACC) and meteorological context (ERA-Interim reanalysis). To account for the often-neglected but important role of air mass origin, information on air mass history based on HYSPLIT modeling is included in the statistical model. This multivariate approach is intended to lead to a better understanding of the physical processes behind observed stratocumulus cloud properties in the SEA.

  11. Evaluating heat-related mortality in Korea by objective classifications of 'air masses'

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kyselý, Jan; Huth, Radan; Kim, J.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 30, č. 10 (2010), s. 1484-1501 ISSN 0899-8418 R&D Projects: GA ČR GC205/07/J044 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30420517 Keywords : weather type classifications * air masses * biometeorology * human mortality * South Korea Subject RIV: DG - Athmosphere Sciences, Meteorology Impact factor: 2.479, year: 2010

  12. Mass spectrometry of solid samples in open air using combined laser ionization and ambient metastable ionization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, X.N.; Xie, Z.Q.; Gao, Y.; Hu, W.; Guo, L.B.; Jiang, L.; Lu, Y.F.

    2012-01-01

    Mass spectrometry of solid samples in open air was carried out using combined laser ionization and metastable ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LI-MI-TOFMS) in ambient environment for qualitative and semiquantitative (relative analyte information, not absolute information) analysis. Ambient metastable ionization using a direct analysis in realtime (DART) ion source was combined with laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LI-TOFMS) to study the effects of combining metastable and laser ionization. A series of metallic samples from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST 494, 495, 498, 499, and 500) and a pure carbon target were characterized using LI-TOFMS in open air. LI-MI-TOFMS was found to be superior to laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Laser pulse energies between 10 and 200 mJ at the second harmonic (532 nm) of an Nd:YAG laser were applied in the experiment to obtain a high degree of ionization in plasmas. Higher laser pulse energy improves signal intensities of trace elements (such as Fe, Cr, Mn, Ni, Ca, Al, and Ag). Data were analyzed by numerically calculating relative sensitivity coefficients (RSCs) and limit of detections (LODs) from mass spectrometry (MS) and LIBS spectra. Different parameters, such as boiling point, ionization potential, RSC, LOD, and atomic weight, were shown to analyze the ionization and MS detection processes in open air.

  13. Variability of Atmospheric Radon-222 and Secondary Aerosol Components in Accordance with Air Mass Transport Pathways at Jeju Island, Korea, during 2011-2014

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bu, Jun-Oh; Song, Jung-Min; Kim, Won-Hyung; Kang, Chang-Hee; Chambers, Scott D.; Williams, Alastair G.; Lee, Chulkyu

    2016-01-01

    Real-time monitoring of hourly atmospheric Radon-222 concentration and three daily monitoring of the secondary aerosol components of PM_1_0 were performed throughout 2011-2014 at Gosan station, Jeju Island, in order to characterize their background levels and temporal variation. The annual mean radon and PM_1_0 mass concentrations were 2326 ± 1198 mBq/m"3 and 37.1 ± 19.5 μg/m"3, respectively. Based on cluster analyses of air mass back trajectories, the frequencies of air masses originating from continental China, the Korean Peninsula, and North Pacific Ocean routes were 53, 28, and 19%, respectively. When the air masses were transported to Jeju Island from continental China, the concentrations of radon and secondary aerosol components (nss-SO_4"2"-, NO_3"-, NH_4"+) were relatively high: 2577 mBq/m"3 and 14.4 μg/m"3, respectively. In cases when the air masses have moved from the Korean Peninsula, the corresponding concentrations were 2247 mBq/m"3 and 11.4 μg/m"3, respectively. On the other hand, when the air masses came from the North Pacific Ocean, their radon and secondary aerosol concentrations decreased much further, 1372 mBq/m"3 and 10.5 μg/m"3, respectively. Consequently, the variability of atmospheric radon concentrations at Gosan station might be characterized by synoptic changes in air mass fetch as well as diurnal changes in atmospheric mixing depth.

  14. Air mass origins by back trajectory analysis for evaluating atmospheric 210Pb concentrations at Rokkasho, Aomori, Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akata, N.; Kawabata, H.; Hasegawa, H.; Kondo, K.; Chikuchi, Y.; Hisamatsu, S.; Inaba, J.; Sato, T.

    2009-01-01

    Atmospheric concentrations of 210 Pb change with various factors such as meso-scale meteorological conditions. We have already reported the biweekly atmospheric 210 Pb concentrations in Rokkasho, Japan for 5 years and found that they had clear seasonal variations: low concentrations in summer and high values in winter to spring. To study the reasons for the seasonal variations, the origins of the air mass flowing to Rokkasho were analyzed by 3-D backward air mass trajectory analysis. Routes of the calculated trajectories were classified into four regions: northeastern and southeastern Asian Continent, sea and other regions. The atmospheric 210 Pb concentrations were well correlated with the frequency of the routes through the northeastern Asian Continent. A non-linear multiple regression analysis of the 210 Pb concentrations and the relative frequencies of the four routes showed good fitting of the predicted values to the observed ones, and indicated that the atmospheric 210 Pb concentrations in Rokkasho depended on the frequency of the air mass from the northeastern Asian Continent. (author)

  15. Variability of Atmospheric Radon-222 and Secondary Aerosol Components in Accordance with Air Mass Transport Pathways at Jeju Island, Korea, during 2011-2014

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bu, Jun-Oh; Song, Jung-Min; Kim, Won-Hyung; Kang, Chang-Hee [Jeju National University, Jeju (Korea, Republic of); Chambers, Scott D.; Williams, Alastair G. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Kirrawee DC (Australia); Lee, Chulkyu [Korea Meteorological Administration, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-06-15

    Real-time monitoring of hourly atmospheric Radon-222 concentration and three daily monitoring of the secondary aerosol components of PM{sub 10} were performed throughout 2011-2014 at Gosan station, Jeju Island, in order to characterize their background levels and temporal variation. The annual mean radon and PM{sub 10} mass concentrations were 2326 ± 1198 mBq/m{sup 3} and 37.1 ± 19.5 μg/m{sup 3}, respectively. Based on cluster analyses of air mass back trajectories, the frequencies of air masses originating from continental China, the Korean Peninsula, and North Pacific Ocean routes were 53, 28, and 19%, respectively. When the air masses were transported to Jeju Island from continental China, the concentrations of radon and secondary aerosol components (nss-SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, NO{sub 3}{sup -}, NH{sub 4}{sup +}) were relatively high: 2577 mBq/m{sup 3} and 14.4 μg/m{sup 3}, respectively. In cases when the air masses have moved from the Korean Peninsula, the corresponding concentrations were 2247 mBq/m{sup 3} and 11.4 μg/m{sup 3}, respectively. On the other hand, when the air masses came from the North Pacific Ocean, their radon and secondary aerosol concentrations decreased much further, 1372 mBq/m{sup 3} and 10.5 μg/m{sup 3}, respectively. Consequently, the variability of atmospheric radon concentrations at Gosan station might be characterized by synoptic changes in air mass fetch as well as diurnal changes in atmospheric mixing depth.

  16. MicroCT Bone Densitometry: Context Sensitivity, Beam Hardening Correction and the Effect of Surrounding Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip L. Salmon

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The context-sensitivity of microCT bone densitometry due to beam hardening artefacts was assessed. Bones and teeth are scanned with varying thickness of surrounding media (water, alcohol, biological tissue and it is important to understand how this affects reconstructed attenuation (“density” of the mineralized tissue. Aluminium tubes and rods with thickness 0.127mm–5mm were scanned both in air or surrounded by up to 2cm of water. Scans were performed with different energy filters and degrees of software beam hardening correction (BHC. Also tested were the effects of signal-to-noise ratio, magnification and truncation. The thickness of an aluminium tube significantly affected its mean reconstructed attenuation. This effect of thickness could be reduced substantially by BHC for scans in air, but not for scans in water. Varying thickness of surrounding water also changed the mean attenuation of an aluminium tube. This artefact could be almost eliminated by an optimal BHC value. The “cupping” artefact of heterogeneous attenuation (elevated at outer surfaces could be corrected if aluminium was scanned in air, but in water BHC was much less effective. Scan truncation, changes to magnification and signal-to-noise ratio also caused artificial changes to measured attenuation. Measurement of bone mineral density by microCT is highly context sensitive. A surrounding layer of liquid or biological tissue reduces the ability of software BHC to remove bone density artefacts. Sample thickness, truncation, magnification and signal to noise ratio also affect reconstructed attenuation. Thus it is important for densitometry that sample and calibration phantom dimensions and mounting materials are standardised.

  17. Explaining the spatiotemporal variation of fine particle number concentrations over Beijing and surrounding areas in an air quality model with aerosol microphysics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Xueshun; Wang, Zifa; Li, Jie; Chen, Huansheng; Hu, Min; Yang, Wenyi; Wang, Zhe; Ge, Baozhu; Wang, Dawei

    2017-01-01

    In this study, a three-dimensional air quality model with detailed aerosol microphysics (NAQPMS + APM) was applied to simulate the fine particle number size distribution and to explain the spatiotemporal variation of fine particle number concentrations in different size ranges over Beijing and surrounding areas in the haze season (Jan 15 to Feb 13 in 2006). Comparison between observations and the simulation indicates that the model is able to reproduce the main features of the particle number size distribution. The high number concentration of total particles, up to 26600 cm −3 in observations and 39800 cm −3 in the simulation, indicates the severity of pollution in Beijing. We find that primary particles with secondary species coating and secondary particles together control the particle number size distribution. Secondary particles dominate particle number concentration in the nucleation mode. Primary and secondary particles together determine the temporal evolution and spatial pattern of particle number concentration in the Aitken mode. Primary particles dominate particle number concentration in the accumulation mode. Over Beijing and surrounding areas, secondary particles contribute at least 80% of particle number concentration in the nucleation mode but only 10–20% in the accumulation mode. Nucleation mode particles and accumulation mode particles are anti-phased with each other. Nucleation or primary emissions alone could not explain the formation of the particle number size distribution in Beijing. Nucleation has larger effects on ultrafine particles while primary particles emissions are efficient in producing large particles in the accumulation mode. Reduction in primary particle emissions does not always lead to a decrease in the number concentration of ultrafine particles. Measures to reduce fine particle pollution in terms of particle number concentration may be different from those addressing particle mass concentration. - Highlights:

  18. Protective air lock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, H.W.

    1976-01-01

    A device suitable for preventing escape and subsequent circulation of toxic gases is described. An enclosure is sealed by a surrounding air lock, and an automatic mechanism partially evacuates the enclosure and air lock. The enclosure ventilating mechanism can be disconnected so that a relatively undisturbed atmosphere is created in the enclosure

  19. Identification of β-SiC surrounded by relatable surrounding diamond ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    β-SiC is identified in the presence of a relatable surrounding diamond medium using subtle, but discernible Raman ... Change in the nature of the surrounding material structure and its .... intensity implies very low graphite content in thin film. In.

  20. Mass transfer characteristics of bisporus mushroom ( Agaricus bisporus) slices during convective hot air drying

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghanbarian, Davoud; Baraani Dastjerdi, Mojtaba; Torki-Harchegani, Mehdi

    2016-05-01

    An accurate understanding of moisture transfer parameters, including moisture diffusivity and moisture transfer coefficient, is essential for efficient mass transfer analysis and to design new dryers or improve existing drying equipments. The main objective of the present study was to carry out an experimental and theoretical investigation of mushroom slices drying and determine the mass transfer characteristics of the samples dried under different conditions. The mushroom slices with two thicknesses of 3 and 5 mm were dried at air temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 °C and air flow rates of 1 and 1.5 m s-1. The Dincer and Dost model was used to determine the moisture transfer parameters and predict the drying curves. It was observed that the entire drying process took place in the falling drying rate period. The obtained lag factor and Biot number indicated that the moisture transfer in the samples was controlled by both internal and external resistance. The effective moisture diffusivity and the moisture transfer coefficient increased with increasing air temperature, air flow rate and samples thickness and varied in the ranges of 6.5175 × 10-10 to 1.6726 × 10-9 m2 s-1 and 2.7715 × 10-7 to 3.5512 × 10-7 m s-1, respectively. The validation of the Dincer and Dost model indicated a good capability of the model to describe the drying curves of the mushroom slices.

  1. Mass and chemically speciated size distribution of Prague aerosol using an aerosol dryer - The influence of air mass origin

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Schwarz, Jaroslav; Štefancová, Lucia; Maenhaut, W.; Smolík, Jiří; Ždímal, Vladimír

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 437, OCT 15 (2012), s. 348-362 ISSN 0048-9697 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/09/2055; GA ČR GAP209/11/1342; GA MŠk ME 941 Grant - others:SRF GU(BE) 01S01306 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : atmospheric aerosols * mass size distribution * chemical composition Subject RIV: DI - Air Pollution ; Quality Impact factor: 3.258, year: 2012

  2. Liquid phase mass production of air-stable black phosphorus/phospholipids nanocomposite with ultralow tunneling barrier

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qiankun; Liu, Yinan; Lai, Jiawei; Qi, Shaomian; An, Chunhua; Lu, Yao; Duan, Xuexin; Pang, Wei; Zhang, Daihua; Sun, Dong; Chen, Jian-Hao; Liu, Jing

    2018-04-01

    Few-layer black phosphorus (FLBP), a recently discovered two-dimensional semiconductor, has attracted substantial attention in the scientific and technical communities due to its great potential in electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, reactivity of FLBP flakes with ambient species limits its direct applications. Among various methods to passivate FLBP in ambient environment, nanocomposites mixing FLBP flakes with stable matrix may be one of the most promising approaches for industry applications. Here, we report a simple one-step procedure to mass produce air-stable FLBP/phospholipids nanocomposite in liquid phase. The resultant nanocomposite is found to have ultralow tunneling barrier for charge carriers which can be described by an Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping mechanism. Devices made from such mass-produced FLBP/phospholipids nanocomposite show highly stable electrical conductivity and opto-electrical response in ambient conditions, indicating its promising applications in both electronic and optoelectronic applications. This method could also be generalized to the mass production of nanocomposites consisting of other air-sensitive 2D materials, such as FeSe, NbSe2, WTe2, etc.

  3. Some more evidence in the discussion of the ambiguities surrounding consumer perceived value and consumer satisfaction: A new perspective on the role of mass communication theories

    OpenAIRE

    Spais, George S.; Vasileiou, Konstantinos Z.

    2008-01-01

    The major objective of this study is to test two alternative models in order to investigate whether customer value and satisfaction represent two theoretically and empirically distinct concepts. We address the core research themes of our study using a survey. This paper contributes to marketing research by introducing a new parameter (the examination of the mass communication theories) at the growing discussion about the ambiguities surrounding marketing constructs, such as consumer perceived...

  4. Influence of inlet velocity of air and solid particle feed rate on holdup mass and heat transfer characteristics in cyclone heat exchanger

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mothilal, T.; Pitchandi, K.

    2015-01-01

    Present work elaborates the effect of inlet velocity of air and solid particle feed rate on holdup mass and heat transfer characteristics in a cyclone heat exchanger. The RNG k-ε turbulence model was adopted for modeling high turbulence flow and Discrete phase model (DPM) to track solid particles in a cyclone heat exchanger by ANSYS FLUENT software. The effect of inlet air velocity (5 to 25 m/s) and inlet solid particle feed rate of (0.2 to 2.5 g/s) at different particle diameter (300 to 500 μm) on holdup mass and heat transfer rate in cyclone heat exchanger was studied at air inlet temperature of 473 K. Results show that holdup mass and heat transfer rate increase with increase in inlet air velocity and inlet solid particle feed rate. Influence of solid particle feed rate on holdup mass has more significance. Experimental setup was built for high efficiency cyclone. Good agreement was found between experimental and simulation pressure drop. Empirical correlation was derived for dimensionless holdup mass and Nusselt number based on CFD data by regression technique. Correlation predicts dimensional holdup mass with +5% to -8% errors of experimental data and Nusselt number with +9% to -3%

  5. Influence of inlet velocity of air and solid particle feed rate on holdup mass and heat transfer characteristics in cyclone heat exchanger

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mothilal, T. [T. J. S. Engineering College, Gummidipoond (India); Pitchandi, K. [Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Sriperumbudur (India)

    2015-10-15

    Present work elaborates the effect of inlet velocity of air and solid particle feed rate on holdup mass and heat transfer characteristics in a cyclone heat exchanger. The RNG k-ε turbulence model was adopted for modeling high turbulence flow and Discrete phase model (DPM) to track solid particles in a cyclone heat exchanger by ANSYS FLUENT software. The effect of inlet air velocity (5 to 25 m/s) and inlet solid particle feed rate of (0.2 to 2.5 g/s) at different particle diameter (300 to 500 μm) on holdup mass and heat transfer rate in cyclone heat exchanger was studied at air inlet temperature of 473 K. Results show that holdup mass and heat transfer rate increase with increase in inlet air velocity and inlet solid particle feed rate. Influence of solid particle feed rate on holdup mass has more significance. Experimental setup was built for high efficiency cyclone. Good agreement was found between experimental and simulation pressure drop. Empirical correlation was derived for dimensionless holdup mass and Nusselt number based on CFD data by regression technique. Correlation predicts dimensional holdup mass with +5% to -8% errors of experimental data and Nusselt number with +9% to -3%.

  6. Atmospheric pollutants in Chiang Mai (Thailand) over a five-year period (2005-2009), their possible sources and relation to air mass movement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chantara, Somporn; Sillapapiromsuk, Sopittaporn; Wiriya, Wan

    2012-12-01

    Monitoring and analysis of the chemical composition of air pollutants were conducted over a five-year period (2005-2009) in the sub-urban area of Chiang Mai, Thailand. This study aims to determine the seasonal variation of atmospheric ion species and gases, examine their correlations, identify possible sources and assess major air-flow patterns to the receptor. The dominant gas and particulate pollutants were NH3 (43-58%) and SO42- (39-48%), respectively. The annual mean concentrations of NH3 (μg m-3) in descending order were 4.08 (2009) > 3.32 (2007) > 2.68 (2008) > 2.47 (2006) and 1.87 (2005), while those of SO42- (μg m-3) were 2.60 (2007) > 2.20 (2006) > 1.95 (2009) > 1.75 (2008) and 1.26 (2005). Concentrations of particulate ions were analyzed by principle component analysis to find out the possible sources of air pollutants in this area. The first component of each year had a high loading of SO42- and NH4+, which probably came from fuel combustion and agricultural activity, respectively. K+, a tracer of biomass burning, also contributed to the first or the second components of each year. Concentrations of NH4+ and SO42- were well correlated (r > 0.777, p Chiang Mai from 2005 to 2009 were analyzed using the hybrid single particle langrangian integrated trajectory (HYSPLIT) model and grouped by cluster analysis. The air mass data was analyzed for the dry season (n = 18; 100%). The trajectory of air mass in 2005 mainly originated locally (67%). In 2006, the recorded data showed that 56% of air mass was emitted from the western continental region of Thailand. In 2007, the percent ratios from the western and eastern continental areas were equal (39%). In 2008, 67% originated from the western continental area. In 2009, the recorded air mass mainly came from the western continental area (72%). In conclusion, the major trajectories of air mass from 2006 to 2009 originated from the southwest direction of the receptor, but in 2005, the air mass appeared to be locally

  7. Theory for added mass of a vibrating circular rod in a two-phase air-water fluid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kohgo, Osamu; Hara, Fumio

    1985-01-01

    It has been well known that there are added mass and attenuation effect due to surrounding fluid in a structure vibrating in the fluid, and those are different according to the density and viscosity of the fluid and the form of the structure. In this study, in order to clarify added mass, the model of the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid with discontinuous density distribution was made. That is, bubbles were assumed to be a bubble column without bending stiffness and mass, and potential analysis was applied to a two-dimensional fluid field composed of a round section beam and the bubble column, thus their relative motion was hydrodynamically analyzed, and the theory for evaluating added mass was developed. The added mass experimentally determined from the response gain of a single round section cantilever when it was oscillated steadily, uniformly and at random in the vapor-liquid two-phase fluid being stationary as a whole and the theoretical result were examined by comparison, and equivalent bubble diameter was considered, thereafter, the validity of the model was examined. (Kako, I.)

  8. Columnar aerosol optical and radiative properties according to season and air mass transport pattern over East Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noh, Young M; Müller, Detlef; Lee, Hanlim; Lee, Kwonho; Kim, Young Joon

    2012-08-01

    The column-integrated optical and radiative properties of aerosols in the downwind area of East Asia were investigated based on sun/sky radiometer measurements performed from February 2004 to June 2005 at Gwangju (35.23° N, 126.84° E) and Anmyeon (36.54° N, 126.33° E), Korea. The observed aerosol data were analyzed for differences among three seasons: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), and autumn/winter (September-February). The data were also categorized into five types depending on the air mass origin in arriving in the measurement sites: (a) from a northerly direction in spring (S(N)), (b) from a westerly direction in spring (S(W)), (c) cases with a low Ångström exponent (air mass origin. The forcing efficiency in summer was -131.7 and -125.6 W m(-2) at the surface in Gwangju and Anmyeon, respectively. These values are lower than those under the atmospheric conditions of spring and autumn/winter. The highest forcing efficiencies in autumn/winter were -214.3 and -255.9 W m(-2) at the surface in Gwangju and Anmyeon, respectively, when the air mass was transported from westerly directions.

  9. Assessment of airborne bacteria and noroviruses in air emission from a new highly-advanced hospital wastewater treatment plant

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Uhrbrand, Katrine; Schultz, Anna Charlotte; Koivisto, A. J.

    2017-01-01

    Exposure to bioaerosols can pose a health risk to workers at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and to habitants of their surroundings. The main objective of this study was to examine the presence of harmful microorganisms in the air emission from a new type of hospital WWTP employing advanced...... wastewater treatment technologies. Air particle measurements and sampling of inhalable bacteria, endotoxin and noroviruses (NoVs) were performed indoor at the WWTP and outside at the WWTP ventilation air exhaust, downwind of the air exhaust, and upwind of the WWTP. No significant differences were seen...... in particle and endotoxin concentrations between locations. Bacterial concentrations were comparable or significantly lower in the exhaust air than inside the WWTP and in the upwind reference. Bacterial isolates were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry...

  10. Relation of air mass history to nucleation events in Po Valley, Italy, using back trajectories analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Sogacheva

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we study the transport of air masses to San Pietro Capofiume (SPC in Po Valley, Italy, by means of back trajectories analysis. Our main aim is to investigate whether air masses originate over different regions on nucleation event days and on nonevent days, during three years when nucleation events have been continuously recorded at SPC. The results indicate that nucleation events occur frequently in air masses arriving from Central Europe, whereas event frequency is much lower in the air transported from southern directions and from the Atlantic Ocean. We also analyzed the behaviour of meteorological parameters during 96 h transport to SPC, and found that, on average, event trajectories undergo stronger subsidence during the last 12 h before the arrival at SPC than nonevent trajectories. This causes a reversal in the temperature and relative humidity (RH differences between event and nonevent trajectories: between 96 and 12 h back time, temperature is lower and RH is higher for event than nonevent trajectories and between 12 and 0 h vice versa. Boundary layer mixing is stronger along the event trajectories compared to nonevent trajectories. The absolute humidity (AH is similar for the event and nonevent trajectories between about 96 h and about 60 h back time, but after that, the event trajectories AH becomes lower due to stronger rain. We also studied transport of SO2 to SPC, and conclude that although sources in Po Valley most probably dominate the measured concentrations, certain Central and Eastern European sources also make a substantial contribution.

  11. Characterization of key aerosol, trace gas and meteorological properties and particle formation and growth processes dependent on air mass origins in coastal Southern Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diesch, J.; Drewnick, F.; Sinha, V.; Williams, J.; Borrmann, S.

    2011-12-01

    The chemical composition and concentration of aerosols at a certain site can vary depending on season, the air mass source region and distance from sources. Regardless of the environment, new particle formation (NPF) events are one of the major sources for ultrafine particles which are potentially hazardous to human health. Grown particles are optically active and efficient CCN resulting in important implications for visibility and climate (Zhang et al., 2004). The study presented here is intended to provide information about various aspects of continental, urban and marine air masses reflected by wind patterns of the air arriving at the measurement site. Additionally we will be focusing on NPF events associated with different types of air masses affecting their emergence and temporal evolution. Measurements of the ambient aerosol, various trace gases and meteorological parameters were performed within the framework of the DOMINO (Diel Oxidant Mechanisms In relation to Nitrogen Oxides) project. The field campaign took place from mid-November to mid-December 2008 at the atmospheric research station "El Arenosillo" located at the interface between a natural park, industrial cities (Huelva, Seville) and the Atlantic Ocean. Number and mass as well as PAH and black carbon concentrations were measured in PM1 and size distribution instruments covered the size range 6 nm up to 32 μm. The chemical composition of the non-refractory submicron aerosol was measured by means of an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS). In order to evaluate the characteristics of different air masses linking local and regional sources as well as NPF processes, characteristic air mass types were classified dependent on backwards trajectory pathways and local meteorology. Large nuclei mode concentrations in the number size distribution were found within continental and urban influenced air mass types due to frequently occurring NPF events. Exploring individual production and sink variables, sulfuric

  12. The effect of long-range air mass transport pathways on PM10 and NO2 concentrations at urban and rural background sites in Ireland: Quantification using clustering techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnelly, Aoife A; Broderick, Brian M; Misstear, Bruce D

    2015-01-01

    The specific aims of this paper are to: (i) quantify the effects of various long range transport pathways nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter with diameter less than 10μm (PM10) concentrations in Ireland and identify air mass movement corridors which may lead to incidences poor air quality for application in forecasting; (ii) compare the effects of such pathways at various sites; (iii) assess pathways associated with a period of decreased air quality in Ireland. The origin of and the regions traversed by an air mass 96h prior to reaching a receptor is modelled and k-means clustering is applied to create air-mass groups. Significant differences in air pollution levels were found between air mass cluster types at urban and rural sites. It was found that easterly or recirculated air masses lead to higher NO2 and PM10 levels with average NO2 levels varying between 124% and 239% of the seasonal mean and average PM10 levels varying between 103% and 199% of the seasonal mean at urban and rural sites. Easterly air masses are more frequent during winter months leading to higher overall concentrations. The span in relative concentrations between air mass clusters is highest at the rural site indicating that regional factors are controlling concentration levels. The methods used in this paper could be applied to assist in modelling and forecasting air quality based on long range transport pathways and forecast meteorology without the requirement for detailed emissions data over a large regional domain or the use of computationally demanding modelling techniques.

  13. Research on mass transfer and actual performance of the membrane regeneration air-conditioning system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xiu-Wei; Zhang, Xiao-Song; Chen, Qing

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Experimental research has been made on the membrane air-conditioning system. • We develop mass transfer models for the membrane regeneration process. • The paper exposes the actual performance of the system. • Increase of membrane pairs improves the performance. - Abstract: Absorption air-conditioning system has great advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection. To improve the performance of the traditional system, the membrane regeneration absorption system was proposed. Its COP could approach 6 by regenerating absorbent solution with the ion exchange membranes. However, the theoretical conclusion has not been supported by the experiment. This paper presents the experimental research of the membrane regeneration process. It has investigated the mass transfer process, energy efficiency and actual performance under different working conditions. Based on that, a mass transfer model has been developed and the influences of some key parameters have been exposed. It found the regeneration performance is mainly influenced by the current intensity. The calculation results with the model agree well the experimental data. The actual efficiency was lower than 50%, caused by energy loss in heat and electrochemical reactions. The actual COP is between 1 and 3, lower current intensity and more membrane pairs could improve it.

  14. INTERACTIONS OF THE INFRARED BUBBLE N4 WITH ITS SURROUNDINGS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Hong-Li; Li, Jin-Zeng; Yuan, Jing-Hua; Huang, Maohai; Huang, Ya-Fang; Zhang, Si-Ju [National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20A Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100012 (China); Wu, Yuefang [Department of Astronomy, Peking University, 100871 Beijing (China); Liu, Tie [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute 776, Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-348 (Korea, Republic of); Dubner, G.; Paron, S.; Ortega, M. E. [1Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE, CONICET-UBA), CC 67, Suc. 28, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Molinari, Sergio [Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali—IAPS, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica—INAF, via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, I-00133 Roma (Italy); Zavagno, Annie; Samal, Manash R., E-mail: hlliu@nao.cas.cn [Aix Marseille Universit, CNRS, LAM (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille) UMR 7326, F-13388, Marseille (France)

    2016-02-10

    The physical mechanisms that induce the transformation of a certain mass of gas in new stars are far from being well understood. Infrared bubbles associated with H ii regions have been considered to be good samples for investigating triggered star formation. In this paper we report on the investigation of the dust properties of the infrared bubble N4 around the H ii region G11.898+0.747, analyzing its interaction with its surroundings and star formation histories therein, with the aim of determining the possibility of star formation triggered by the expansion of the bubble. Using Herschel PACS and SPIRE images with a wide wavelength coverage, we reveal the dust properties over the entire bubble. Meanwhile, we are able to identify six dust clumps surrounding the bubble, with a mean size of 0.50 pc, temperature of about 22 K, mean column density of 1.7 × 10{sup 22} cm{sup −2}, mean volume density of about 4.4 × 10{sup 4} cm{sup −3}, and a mean mass of 320 M{sub ⊙}. In addition, from PAH emission seen at 8 μm, free–free emission detected at 20 cm, and a probability density function in special regions, we could identify clear signatures of the influence of the H ii region on the surroundings. There are hints of star formation, though further investigation is required to demonstrate that N4 is the triggering source.

  15. Transport Regimes of Air Masses Affecting the Tropospheric Composition of the Canadian and European Arctic During RACEPAC 2014 and NETCARE 2014/2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozem, H.; Hoor, P. M.; Koellner, F.; Kunkel, D.; Schneider, J.; Schulz, C.; Herber, A. B.; Borrmann, S.; Wendisch, M.; Ehrlich, A.; Leaitch, W. R.; Willis, M. D.; Burkart, J.; Thomas, J. L.; Abbatt, J.

    2015-12-01

    The Arctic is warming much faster than any other place in the world and undergoes a rapid change dominated by a changing climate in this region. The impact of polluted air masses traveling to the Arctic from various remote sources significantly contributes to the observed climate change, in contrast there are additional local emission sources contributing to the level of pollutants (trace gases and aerosol). Processes affecting the emission and transport of these pollutants are not well understood and need to be further investigated. We present aircraft based trace gas measurements in the Arctic during RACEPAC (2014) and NETCARE (2014 and 2015) with the Polar 6 aircraft of Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) covering an area from 134°W to 17°W and 68°N to 83°N. We focus on cloud, aerosol and general transport processes of polluted air masses into the high Arctic. Based on CO and CO2 measurements and kinematic 10-day back trajectories we analyze the transport regimes prevalent during spring (RACEPAC 2014 and NETCARE 2015) and summer (NETCARE 2014) in the observed region. Whereas the eastern part of the Canadian Arctic is affected by air masses with their origin in Asia, in the central and western parts of the Canadian and European Arctic air masses from North America are predominant at the time of the measurement. In general the more northern parts of the Arctic were relatively unaffected by pollution from mid-latitudes since air masses mostly travel within the polar dome, being quite isolated. Associated mixing ratios of CO and CO2 fit into the seasonal cycle observed at NOAA ground stations throughout the Arctic, but show a more mid-latitudinal characteristic at higher altitudes. The transition is remarkably sharp and allows for a chemical definition of the polar dome. At low altitudes, synoptic disturbances transport polluted air masses from mid-latitudes into regions of the polar dome. These air masses contribute to the Arctic pollution background, but also

  16. Particulate matter in the indoor air of classrooms—exploratory results from Munich and surrounding area

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fromme, H.; Twardella, D.; Dietrich, S.; Heitmann, D.; Schierl, R.; Liebl, B.; Rüden, H.

    Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated the association between particle mass (PM) concentration in outside air and the occurrence of health related problems and/or diseases. However, much less is known about indoor PM concentrations and associated health risks. In particular, data are needed on air quality in schools, since children are assumed to be more vulnerable to health hazards and spend a large part of their time in classrooms. On this background, we evaluated indoor air quality in 64 schools in the city of Munich and a neighbouring district outside the city boundary. In winter 2004-2005 in 92 classrooms, and in summer 2005 in 75 classrooms, data on indoor air climate parameters (temperature, relative humidity), carbon dioxide (CO 2) and various dust particle fractions (PM 10, PM 2.5) were collected; for the latter both gravimetrical and continuous measurements by laser aerosol spectrometer (LAS) were implemented. In the summer period, the particle number concentration (PNC), was determined using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). Additionally, data on room and building characteristics were collected by use of a standardized form. Only data collected during teaching hours were considered in analysis. For continuously measured parameters the daily median was used to describe the exposure level in a classroom. The median indoor CO 2 concentration in a classroom was 1603 ppm in winter and 405 ppm in summer. With LAS in winter, median PM concentrations of 19.8 μg m -3 (PM 2.5) and 91.5 μg m -3 (PM 10) were observed, in summer PM concentrations were significantly reduced (median PM 2.5=12.7 μg m -3, median PM 10=64.9 μg m -3). PM 2.5 concentrations determined by the gravimetric method were in general higher (median in winter: 36.7 μg m -3, median in summer: 20.2 μg m -3) but correlated strongly with the LAS-measured results. In explorative analysis, we identified a significant increase of LAS-measured PM 2.5 by 1.7 μg m -3 per increase

  17. Condensation of atmospheric moisture from tropical maritime air masses as a freshwater resource.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerard, R D; Worzel, J L

    1967-09-15

    A method is proposed whereby potable water may be obtained by condensing moisture from the atmosphere in suitable seashore or island areas. Deep, cold, offshore seawater is used as a source of cold and is pumped to condensers set up on shore to intercept the flow of highly humid, tropical, maritime air masses. This air, when cooled, condenses moisture, which is conducted away and stored for use as a water supply. Windmill-driven generators would supply low-cost power for the operation. Side benefits are derived by using the nutritious deep water to support aquiculture in nearby lagoons or to enhance the productivity of the outfall area. Additional benefits are derived from the condenser as an air-conditioning device for nearby residents. The islands of the Caribbean are used as an example of a location in the trade-winds belt where nearly optimum conditions for the operation of this system can be found.

  18. Air-mass flux measurement system using Doppler-shifted filtered Rayleigh scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirley, John A.; Winter, Michael

    1993-01-01

    An optical system has been investigated to measure mass flux distributions in the inlet of a high speed air-breathing propulsion system. Rayleigh scattered light from air is proportional to the number density of molecules and hence can be used to ascertain the gas density in a calibrated system. Velocity field measurements are achieved by spectrally filtering the elastically-scattered Doppler-shifted light with an absorbing molecular filter. A novel anamorphic optical collection system is used which allows optical rays from different scattering angles, that have different Doppler shifts, to be recorded separately. This is shown to obviate the need to tune the laser through the absorption to determine velocities, while retaining the ability to make spatially-resolved measurements along a line. By properly selecting the laser tuning and filter parameters, simultaneous density measurements can be made. These properties are discussed in the paper and experiments demonstrating the velocimetry capability are described.

  19. Development of a method to measure the concentration of 14C in the stack air of nuclear power plants by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stenstroem, K.; Erlandsson, B.; Hellborg, R.; Haakansson, K.; Wiebert, A.; Skog, G.

    1993-04-01

    C-14, a pure low-energetic beta-emitter, is produced through various nuclear reactions in nuclear power plants. Some of this C-14 is air-borne and is transported via the ventilation system through the stack of the power station and is integrated in living matter in the surroundings of the plant. The long half-life of the isotope (T1/2=5730 years) and the biological importance of carbon may lead to a not negligible contribution of the radiation dose for those living in the neighbourhood of nuclear power plants. C-14 has earlier been measured radiometrically with mainly two different methods, using proportional counters or liquid scintillators. In this report a new method is described, using an accelerator based technique. accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). This technique has at least three advantages over the radiometrical methods. It requires only a few litres of gas per sample, which is 100-1000 times less compared to the radiometrical methods. It is insensitive to the beta and gamma rays from other radioactive isotopes in the stack air. The measuring time with AMS, about 20 minutes per sample, is considerably shorter compared to the radiometrical methods, which demand several hours per sample. The integrity of the AMS method is high and it might be convenient for regulatory supervision. (22 refs.)

  20. Elemental composition of air masses under different altitudes in Azores, central north Atlantic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vieira, B.J.; Wolterbeek, H.Th.

    2012-01-01

    Between 8th July 2002 and 18th June 2004, aerosol samples were collected in Azores. Their inorganic composition was obtained by neutron activation analysis in order to study the differences of aerosols in two atmospheric altitudes of the central north Atlantic: (1) PICO-NARE observatory (Lower Free Troposphere-LFT) at Pico mountain summit (38,470 deg N, 28,404 deg W, 2,225 m a.s.l.) in Pico Island, Azores, where air masses from the surrounding continents (Africa, Europe, Central and North America) pass through, carrying aerosols with anthropogenic (Sb, Br, Mo, U, Se and Tb) and/or natural emissions (Fe, Co, La, Na, Sm, Cr, Zn, Hf, K and Th); (2) TERCEIRA-NARE station (Marine Boundary Layer) at Serreta (38,69 deg N, 27,36 deg W, 50 m a.s.l.), in Terceira Island, Azores, where natural aerosols (I, Cl, Na, Br and other soil related elements) are predominant. However, a combined interpretation of the data points out to a co-existence of the anthropogenic elements Sb and Mo, eventually with similar origins as the ones passing Pico Mountain summit. Very high concentrations and enrichment factors for Sb, Mo and Br in LFT, higher than the ones found in other areas, confirm atmospheric long-range transport mainly from the west boundary of north Atlantic; this may indicate eventual accumulation and persistence of those elements in the area due to the presence of Azores high pressures or the Hadley cells effect. A significant correlation between Fe and Yb and the enrichment of rare earth elements (La, Sm, Tb and Yb) and Th in LFT aerosols, both reflect a mineral dust intrusions from north Africa (Sahara and Sahel region). (author)

  1. Cluster Analysis of the Organic Peaks in Bulk Mass Spectra Obtained During the 2002 New England Air Quality Study with an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcolli, C.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Worsnop, D. R.; Bahreini, R.; de Gouw, J. A.; Warneke, C.; Goldan, P. D.; Kuster, W. C.; Williams, E. J.; Lerner, B. M.; Roberts, J. M.; Meagher, J. F.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Marchewka, M.; Bertman, S. B.; Middlebrook, A. M.

    2006-12-01

    We applied hierarchical cluster analysis to an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) bulk mass spectral dataset collected aboard the NOAA research vessel R. H. Brown during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study off the east coast of the United States. Emphasizing the organic peaks, the cluster analysis yielded a series of categories that are distinguishable with respect to their mass spectra and their occurrence as a function of time. The differences between the categories mainly arise from relative intensity changes rather than from the presence or absence of specific peaks. The most frequent category exhibits a strong signal at m/z 44 and represents oxidized organic matter probably originating from both anthropogenic as well as biogenic sources. On the basis of spectral and trace gas correlations, the second most common category with strong signals at m/z 29, 43, and 44 contains contributions from isoprene oxidation products. The third through the fifth most common categories have peak patterns characteristic of monoterpene oxidation products and were most frequently observed when air masses from monoterpene rich regions were sampled. Taken together, the second through the fifth most common categories represent on average 17% of the total organic mass that stems likely from biogenic sources during the ship's cruise. These numbers have to be viewed as lower limits since the most common category was attributed to anthropogenic sources for this calculation. The cluster analysis was also very effective in identifying a few contaminated mass spectra that were not removed during pre-processing. This study demonstrates that hierarchical clustering is a useful tool to analyze the complex patterns of the organic peaks in bulk aerosol mass spectra from a field study.

  2. Characterization of ion processes in a GC/DMS air quality monitor by integration of the instrument to a mass spectrometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limero, T F; Nazarov, E G; Menlyadiev, M; Eiceman, G A

    2015-02-07

    The air quality monitor (AQM), which included a portable gas chromatograph (GC) and a detector was interfaced to a mass spectrometer (MS) by introducing flow from the GC detector to the atmospheric pressure ion source of the MS. This small GC system, with a gas recirculation loop for carrier and detector make-up gases, comprised an inlet to preconcentrate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air, a thermal desorber before the GC column, a differential mobility spectrometer (DMS), and another DMS as an atmospheric pressure ionization source for the MS. Return flow to the internally recirculated air system of the AQM's DMS was replenished using purified air. Although ions and unreacted neutral vapors flowed from the detector through Viton® tubing into the source of the MS, ions were not detected in the MS without the auxillary ion source, (63)Ni as in the mobility detector. The GC-DMS-MS instrument provided a 3-D measurement platform (GC, DMS, and MS analysis) to explore the gas composition inside the GC-DMS recirculation loop and provide DMS-MS measurement of the components of a complex VOC mixture with performance significantly enhanced by mass-analysis, either with mass spectral scans or with an extracted ion chromatogram. This combination of a mobility spectrometer and a mass spectrometer was possible as vapors and ions are carried together through the DMS analyzer, thereby preserving the chromatographic separation efficiency. The critical benefit of this instrument concept is that all flows in and through the thoroughly integrated GC-DMS analyzer are kept intact allowing a full measure of the ion and vapor composition in the complete system. Performance has been evaluated using a synthetic air sample and a sample of airborne vapors in a laboratory. Capabilities and performance values are described using results from AQM-MS analysis of purified air, ambient air from a research laboratory in a chemistry building, and a sample of synthetic air of known composition

  3. Stability Evaluation on Surrounding Rocks of Underground Powerhouse Based on Microseismic Monitoring

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Dai

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available To study the stability of underground powerhouse at Houziyan hydropower station during excavation, a microseismic monitoring system is adopted. Based on the space-time distribution characteristics of microseismic events during excavation of the main powerhouse, the correlation between microseismic events and blasting construction is established; and the microseismic clustering areas of the underground powerhouse are identified and delineated. The FLAC3D code is used to simulate the deformation of main powerhouse. The simulated deformation characteristics are consistent with that recorded by microseismic monitoring. Finally, the correlation between the macroscopic deformation of surrounding rock mass and microseismic activities is also revealed. The results show that multiple faults between 1# and 3# bus tunnels are activated during excavation of floors V and VI of the main powerhouse. The comprehensive method combining microseismic monitoring with numerical simulation as well as routine monitoring can provide an effective way to evaluate the surrounding rock mass stability of underground caverns.

  4. Origin of polluted air masses in the Alps. An overview and first results for MONARPOP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaiser, August

    2009-01-01

    The contribution of ZAMG to MONAROP consists of special weather forecasts to control the SOCs sampling procedure and of the analysis of the specific transport processes for SOCs, which is still in progress. In this paper, air pollutant transport into the Alps is demonstrated by examples of inorganic pollutants: Measurements of NO x and ozone provide evidence for air pollutant transport by local wind systems (valley and slope winds), especially at low elevated sites of the Alps. In addition, trajectory analyses for the high elevation sites demonstrate the importance of large scale synoptic air pollutant transport. The effects of these transport processes with different spatial and temporal scales are governed by the physical and chemical properties of the particular pollutant. First results for the high alpine MONARPOP stations show that air masses from east Europe influence mostly Sonnblick (Austria), whereas the influence of the Po basin is strongest at Weissfluhjoch (Switzerland). - Effects of meteorological transport processes on air pollution in the Alps are demonstrated by examples of inorganic pollutants and first conclusions for SOCs are drawn.

  5. Masses of Formal Philosophy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Masses of Formal Philosophy is an outgrowth of Formal Philosophy. That book gathered the responses of some of the most prominent formal philosophers to five relatively open and broad questions initiating a discussion of metaphilosophical themes and problems surrounding the use of formal methods i...... in philosophy. Including contributions from a wide range of philosophers, Masses of Formal Philosophy contains important new responses to the original five questions.......Masses of Formal Philosophy is an outgrowth of Formal Philosophy. That book gathered the responses of some of the most prominent formal philosophers to five relatively open and broad questions initiating a discussion of metaphilosophical themes and problems surrounding the use of formal methods...

  6. Overview of aerosol properties associated with air masses sampled by the ATR-42 during the EUCAARI campaign (2008

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Crumeyrolle

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Within the frame of the European Aerosol Cloud Climate and Air Quality Interactions (EUCAARI project, the Météo-France aircraft ATR-42 performed 22 research flights over central Europe and the North Sea during the intensive observation period in May 2008. For the campaign, the ATR-42 was equipped to study the aerosol physical, chemical, hygroscopic and optical properties, as well as cloud microphysics. For the 22 research flights, retroplume analyses along the flight tracks were performed with FLEXPART in order to classify air masses into five sectors of origin, allowing for a qualitative evaluation of emission influence on the respective air parcel. This study shows that the extensive aerosol parameters (aerosol mass and number concentrations show vertical decreasing gradients and in some air masses maximum mass concentrations (mainly organics in an intermediate layer (1–3 km. The observed mass concentrations (in the boundary layer (BL: between 10 and 30 μg m−3; lower free troposphere (LFT: 0.8 and 14 μg m−3 are high especially in comparison with the 2015 European norms for PM2.5 (25 μg m−3 and with previous airborne studies performed over England (Morgan et al., 2009; McMeeking et al., 2012. Particle number size distributions show a larger fraction of particles in the accumulation size range in the LFT compared to BL. The chemical composition of submicron aerosol particles is dominated by organics in the BL, while ammonium sulphate dominates the submicron aerosols in the LFT, especially in the aerosol particles originated from north-eastern Europe (~ 80%, also experiencing nucleation events along the transport. As a consequence, first the particle CCN acting ability, shown by the CCN/CN ratio, and second the average values of the scattering cross sections of optically active particles (i.e. scattering coefficient divided by the optical active particle concentration are increased in the LFT compared to BL.

  7. Heat and mass transfer in air-fed pressurised suits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tesch, K.; Collins, M.W.; Karayiannis, T.G.; Atherton, M.A.; Edwards, P.

    2009-01-01

    Air-fed pressurised suits are used to protect workers against contamination and hazardous environments. The specific application here is the necessity for regular clean-up maintenance within the torus chamber of fusion reactors. The current design of suiting has been developed empirically. It is, therefore, very desirable to formulate a thermo-fluids model, which will be able to define optimum designs and operating parameters. Two factors indicate that the modelling should be as comprehensive as possible. Firstly, the overall thermo-fluids problem is three-dimensional and includes mass as well as heat transfer. The fluid field is complex, bounded on one side by the human body and on the other by what may be distensible, porous and multi-layer clothing. In this paper, we report firstly the modelling necessary for the additional mass and heat transport processes. This involves the use of Fick's and Fourier's laws and conjugate heat transfer. The results of an initial validation study are presented. Temperatures at the outlet of the suits were obtained experimentally and compared with those predicted by the overall CFD model. Realistic three-dimensional geometries were used for the suit and human body. Calculations were for turbulent flow with single- and two-component (species) models

  8. Toward a better understanding of the impact of mass transit air pollutants on human health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kumar, Pawan; Szulejko, Jan E; Adelodun, Adedeji A; Junaid, Muhammad Faisal; Uchimiya, Minori; Chambers, Scott

    2017-05-01

    Globally, modern mass transport systems whether by road, rail, water, or air generate airborne pollutants in both developing and developed nations. Air pollution is the primary human health concern originating from modern transportation, particularly in densely-populated urban areas. This review will specifically focus on the origin and the health impacts of carbonaceous traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP), including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and elemental carbon (EC). We conclude that the greatest current challenge regarding urban TRAP is understanding and evaluating the human health impacts well enough to set appropriate pollution control measures. Furthermore, we provide a detailed discussion regarding the effects of TRAP on local environments and pedestrian health in low and high traffic-density environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Finite element analysis of an inflatable torus considering air mass structural element

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gajbhiye, S. C.; Upadhyay, S. H.; Harsha, S. P.

    2014-01-01

    Inflatable structures, also known as gossamer structures, are at high boom in the current space technology due to their low mass and compact size comparing to the traditional spacecraft designing. Internal pressure becomes the major source of strength and rigidity, essentially stiffen the structure. However, inflatable space based membrane structure are at high risk to the vibration disturbance due to their low structural stiffness and material damping. Hence, the vibration modes of the structure should be known to a high degree of accuracy in order to provide better control authority. In the past, most of the studies conducted on the vibration analysis of gossamer structures used inaccurate or approximate theories in modeling the internal pressure. The toroidal shaped structure is one of the important key element in space application, helps to support the reflector in space application. This paper discusses the finite-element analysis of an inflated torus. The eigen-frequencies are obtained via three-dimensional small-strain elasticity theory, based on extremum energy principle. The two finite-element model (model-1 and model-2) have cases have been generated using a commercial finite-element package. The structure model-1 with shell element and model-2 with the combination of the mass of enclosed fluid (air) added to the shell elements have been taken for the study. The model-1 is computed with present analytical approach to understand the convergence rate and the accuracy. The convergence study is made available for the symmetric modes and anti-symmetric modes about the centroidal-axis plane, meeting the eigen-frequencies of an inflatable torus with the circular cross section. The structural model-2 is introduced with air mass element and analyzed its eigen-frequency with different aspect ratio and mode shape response using in-plane and out-plane loading condition are studied.

  10. Source attribution of Bornean air masses by back trajectory analysis during the OP3 project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. H. Robinson

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Atmospheric composition affects the radiative balance of the Earth through the creation of greenhouse gases and the formation of aerosols. The latter interact with incoming solar radiation, both directly and indirectly through their effects on cloud formation and lifetime. The tropics have a major influence on incoming sunlight however the tropical atmosphere is poorly characterised, especially outside Amazonia. The origins of air masses influencing a measurement site in a protected rainforest in Borneo, South East Asia, were assessed and the likely sources of a range of trace gases and particles were determined. This was conducted by interpreting in situ measurements made at the site in the context of ECMWF backwards air mass trajectories. Two different but complementary methods were employed to interpret the data: comparison of periods classified by cluster analysis of trajectories, and inspection of the dependence of mean measured values on geographical history of trajectories. Sources of aerosol particles, carbon monoxide and halocarbons were assessed. The likely source influences include: terrestrial organic biogenic emissions; long range transport of anthropogenic emissions; biomass burning; sulphurous emissions from marine phytoplankton, with a possible contribution from volcanoes; marine production of inorganic mineral aerosol; and marine production of halocarbons. Aerosol sub- and super-saturated water affinity was found to be dependent on source (and therefore composition, with more hygroscopic aerosol and higher numbers of cloud condensation nuclei measured in air masses of marine origin. The prevailing sector during the majority of measurements was south-easterly, which is from the direction of the coast closest to the site, with a significant influence inland from the south-west. This analysis shows that marine and terrestrial air masses have different dominant chemical sources. Comparison with the AMAZE-08 project in the Amazon

  11. Radon derived air mass fetch regions during the ACE-Asia campaign

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chambers, S.; Zahorowski, W.; Werczynski, S.; Wang, T.; Poon, S.; Kim, J.; Oh, S.-N.; Knag, H.; Uematsu, M.; Matsumoto, K.

    2003-01-01

    Seasonal variations in fetch regions for air masses exhibiting the greatest and least terrestrial influence at three sites in East Asia are discussed. Results are based on the first year of hourly atmospheric radon concentration observations made as part of the Asian Aerosol Characterisation Experiment (ACE-Asia). Fetch regions for Asian continental outflow to the Pacific Basin within the boundary layer are shown to be distinct from corresponding tropospheric outflow events. Analysis of the hourly radon time series in conjunction with back trajectory analysis indicates the presence of a large localised radon source in south eastern China

  12. Cluster Analysis of the Organic Peaks in Bulk Mass Spectra Obtained During the 2002 New England Air Quality Study with an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Marcolli

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available We applied hierarchical cluster analysis to an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS bulk mass spectral dataset collected aboard the NOAA research vessel R. H. Brown during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study off the east coast of the United States. Emphasizing the organic peaks, the cluster analysis yielded a series of categories that are distinguishable with respect to their mass spectra and their occurrence as a function of time. The differences between the categories mainly arise from relative intensity changes rather than from the presence or absence of specific peaks. The most frequent category exhibits a strong signal at m/z 44 and represents oxidized organic matter probably originating from both anthropogenic as well as biogenic sources. On the basis of spectral and trace gas correlations, the second most common category with strong signals at m/z 29, 43, and 44 contains contributions from isoprene oxidation products. The third through the fifth most common categories have peak patterns characteristic of monoterpene oxidation products and were most frequently observed when air masses from monoterpene rich regions were sampled. Taken together, the second through the fifth most common categories represent on average 17% of the total organic mass that stems likely from biogenic sources during the ship's cruise. These numbers have to be viewed as lower limits since the most common category was attributed to anthropogenic sources for this calculation. The cluster analysis was also very effective in identifying a few contaminated mass spectra that were not removed during pre-processing. This study demonstrates that hierarchical clustering is a useful tool to analyze the complex patterns of the organic peaks in bulk aerosol mass spectra from a field study.

  13. Seasonal and air mass trajectory effects on dissolved organic matter of bulk deposition at a coastal town in south-western Europe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Patrícia S M; Santos, Eduarda B H; Duarte, Armando C

    2013-01-01

    Rainwater contains a complex mixture of organic compounds which may influence climate, terrestrial and maritime ecosystems and thus human health. In this work, the characteristics of DOM of bulk deposition at a coastal town on the southwest of Europe were assessed by UV-visible and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopies and by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content. The seasonal and air mass trajectory effects on dissolved organic matter (DOM) of bulk deposition were evaluated. The absorbance at 250 nm (UV(250 nm)) and integrated fluorescence showed to be positively correlated with each other, and they were also positively correlated to the DOC in bulk deposition, which suggest that a constant fraction of DOM is likely to fluoresce. There was more chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) present in summer and autumn seasons than in winter and spring. Bulk deposition associated with terrestrial air masses contained a higher CDOM content than bulk deposition related to marine air masses, thus highlighting the contribution of terrestrial/anthropogenic sources.

  14. The effect of air velocity on heat stress at increased air temperature

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerg, B.; Wang, Xiaoshuai; Zhang, Guoqiang

    Increased air velocity is a frequently used method to reduce heat stress of farm animals housed in warm conditions. The main reason why the method works is that higher air velocity increases the convective heat release from the animals. Convective heat release from the animals is strongly related...... to the temperature difference between the surfaces of animals and the surrounding air, and this temperature difference declines when the air temperature approaches the animal body temperature. Consequently it can it by expected that the effect of air velocity decreases at increased air temperature. The literature...... on farm animals in warm conditions includes several thermal indices which incorporate the effect of air velocities. But, surprisingly none of them predicts a decreased influence of air velocity when the air temperature approaches the animal body temperature. This study reviewed published investigations...

  15. Evolutionary effects of mass loss in low-mass stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renzini, A.

    1981-01-01

    The effects of mass loss on the evolution of low-mass stars (actual mass smaller than 1.4 solar masses) are reviewed. The case of globular cluster stars is discussed in some detail, and it is shown that evolutionary theory sets quite precise limits to the mass-loss rate in population II red giants. The effects of mass loss on the final evolutionary stages of stars producing white dwarfs is also discussed. In particular, the interaction of the wind from the hot central star with the surrounding planetary nebula is considered. Finally, the problem of the origin of hydrogen-deficient stars is briefly discussed. (Auth.)

  16. An environmental pollution study of Indian metropolitan cities and industrial surroundings by INAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garg, A.N.; Chutke, N.L.; Ambulkar, M.N.

    1995-01-01

    The process of urbanization and industrialization during last two decades has resulted in increased level of air pollution causing hazards to human health. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) using short and long term irradiation has been employed for the determination of more than 30 elements in suspended particulate matter (SPM) from six metropolitan cities and three industrial surroundings. A comparison of mean elemental contents in dust particulates from commercial, industrial and residential zones of Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Cochin, Bombay and Nagpur cities has shown wide variation in toxic pollutant (As, Br, Cr, Cu, Hg and Sb) concentrations. Coastal areas have shown higher concentrations of Na, K, Cl and Br. Highly industrialized Bombay showed highest levels of Br, Cl, Cr, Fe, Mg, P, Rb and Sc. Mean elemental contents in fugitive and ambient dust of a cement factory and thermal power station (both in central India) are widely different. SPM levels in fugitive dust of the two industrial surroundings are higher by an order of magnitude compared to ambient air. Analysis of ambient air dust from a paper mill showed highest concentrations of Hg, Sb and Zn. Elemental data have been compared with those of Urban Particulate Matter (SRM 1648), Coal Fly Ash (SRM 1633a) and Vehicle Exhaust Particulate (NIES No. 8) which were analysed for quality control. An attempt has been made to attribute the elemental contents to possible sources of origin. (author) 26 refs.; 3 figs.; 3 tabs

  17. Relationships between summer air masses and mortality in Seoul: Comparison of weather-type classifications

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kyselý, Jan; Huth, Radan

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 35, 9-12 (2010), s. 536-543 ISSN 1474-7065 R&D Projects: GA ČR GC205/07/J044 Grant - others: Korea Research Foundation(KR) KRF-2006-C00005 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30420517 Keywords : Classification of weather types * Air masses * Biometeorology * Human mortality * East Asia Subject RIV: DG - Athmosphere Sciences, Meteorology Impact factor: 0.917, year: 2010

  18. Mass casualty tracking with air traffic control methodologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoskins, Jason D; Graham, Ross F; Robinson, Duane R; Lutz, Clifford C; Folio, Les R

    2009-06-01

    An intrahospital casualty throughput system modeled after air traffic control (ATC) tracking procedures was tested in mass casualty exercises. ATC uses a simple tactile process involving informational progress strips representing each aircraft, which are held in bays representing each stage of flight to prioritize and manage aircraft. These strips can be reordered within the bays to indicate a change in priority of aircraft sequence. In this study, a similar system was designed for patient tracking. We compared the ATC model and traditional casualty tracking methods of paper and clipboard in 18 four-hour casualty scenarios, each with 5 to 30 mock casualties. The experimental and control groups were alternated to maximize exposure and minimize training effects. Results were analyzed with Mann-Whitney statistical analysis with p value < 0.05 (two-sided). The ATC method had significantly (p = 0.017) fewer errors in critical patient data (eg, name, social security number, diagnosis). Specifically, the ATC method better tracked the mechanism of injury, working diagnosis, and disposition of patients. The ATC method also performed considerably better with patient accountability during mass casualty scenarios. Data strips were comparable with the control method in terms of ease of use. In addition, participants preferred the ATC method to the control (p = 0.003) and preferred using the ATC method (p = 0.003) to traditional methods in the future. The ATC model more effectively tracked patient data with fewer errors when compared with the clipboard method. Application of these principles can enhance trauma management and can have application in civilian and military trauma centers and emergency rooms.

  19. Urban Air Pollution in Taiwan before and after the Installation of a Mass Rapid Transit System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Pei-Hsiou; Wang, Gen-Shuh; Chen, Bing-Yu; Wan, Gwo-Hwa

    2016-09-01

    Urbanization causes air pollution in metropolitan areas, coupled with meteorological factors that affect air quality. Although previous studies focused on the relationships of urbanization, air pollution, and climate change in Western countries, this study evaluated long-term variations of air quality and meteorological factors in Taiwanese metropolitan areas (Taipei area, Taichung City, and Kaohsiung City) and a rural area (Hualien County) between 1993 and 2012. The influence of a mass rapid transit (MRT) system on air quality was also evaluated. Air pollutant concentrations and meteorology data were collected from Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (TEPA) air monitoring stations and Central Weather Bureau stations in the surveyed areas, respectively. Analyses indicate that levels of air pollution in metropolitan areas were greater than in the rural area. Kaohsiung City had the highest levels of O, SO, and particulate matter 2.5 or 10 µm in diameter (PM and PM). Clear downward trends for CO, NO, PM, PM, and especially SO concentrations were found in the surveyed areas, whereas O showed no decrease. Both O and PM concentrations showed similar bimodal seasonal distributions. Taiwan's air quality has improved significantly since 1993, indicating the effectiveness of promoting air pollution strategies and policies by the TEPA. Air pollution had an obvious improvement in Taipei area after the MRT system began operations in 1996. Because global climate may potentially affect urban air pollution in Taiwan, further study to clarify the mechanisms by which air pollution may affect human health and other biological effects is warranted. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  20. Features of air masses associated with the deposition of Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea by rain and snowfall.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteil, Caroline L; Bardin, Marc; Morris, Cindy E

    2014-11-01

    Clarifying the role of precipitation in microbial dissemination is essential for elucidating the processes involved in disease emergence and spread. The ecology of Pseudomonas syringae and its presence throughout the water cycle makes it an excellent model to address this issue. In this study, 90 samples of freshly fallen rain and snow collected from 2005-2011 in France were analyzed for microbiological composition. The conditions favorable for dissemination of P. syringae by this precipitation were investigated by (i) estimating the physical properties and backward trajectories of the air masses associated with each precipitation event and by (ii) characterizing precipitation chemistry, and genetic and phenotypic structures of populations. A parallel study with the fungus Botrytis cinerea was also performed for comparison. Results showed that (i) the relationship of P. syringae to precipitation as a dissemination vector is not the same for snowfall and rainfall, whereas it is the same for B. cinerea and (ii) the occurrence of P. syringae in precipitation can be linked to electrical conductivity and pH of water, the trajectory of the air mass associated with the precipitation and certain physical conditions of the air mass (i.e. temperature, solar radiation exposure, distance traveled), whereas these predictions are different for B. cinerea. These results are pertinent to understanding microbial survival, emission sources and atmospheric processes and how they influence microbial dissemination.

  1. New air Cherenkov light detectors to study mass composition of cosmic rays with energies above knee region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsunesada, Yoshiki, E-mail: tsunesada@cr.phys.titech.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan (Japan); Katsuya, Ryoichi, E-mail: katsuya@cr.phys.titech.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan (Japan); Mitsumori, Yu; Nakayama, Keisuke; Kakimoto, Fumio; Tokuno, Hisao [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550 Japan (Japan); Tajima, Norio [RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Miranda, Pedro; Salinas, Juan; Tavera, Wilfredo [Instituto de Investigaciones Físicas, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz (Bolivia, Plurinational State of)

    2014-11-01

    We have installed a hybrid detection system for air showers generated by cosmic rays with energies greater than 3×10{sup 15}eV at Mount Chacaltaya (5200 m above the sea level), in order to study the mass composition of cosmic rays above the knee region. This detection system comprises an air shower array with 49 scintillation counters in an area of 500 m×650 m, and seven new Cherenkov light detectors installed in a radial direction from the center of the air shower array with a separation of 50 m. It is known that the longitudinal development of a particle cascade in the atmosphere strongly depends on the type of the primary nucleus, and an air shower initiated by a heavier nucleus develops faster than that by a lighter primary of the same energy, because of the differences in the interaction cross-section and the energy per nucleon. This can be measured by detecting the Cherenkov radiation emitted from charged particles in air showers at higher altitudes. In this paper we describe the design and performance of our new non-imaging Cherenkov light detectors at Mount Chacaltaya that are operated in conjunction with the air shower array. The arrival directions and energies of air showers are determined by the shower array, and information about the primary masses is obtained from the Cherenkov light data including the time profiles and lateral distributions. The detector consists of photomultiplier tube (PMT), high-speed ADCs, other control modules, and data storage device. The Cherenkov light signals from an air shower are typically 10–100 ns long, and the waveforms are digitized with a sampling frequency of 1 GHz and recorded in situ without long-distance analog signal transfers. All the Cherenkov light detectors record their time-series data by receiving a triggering signal transmitted from the trigger module of the air shower array, which is fired by a coincidence of shower signals in four neighboring scintillation counters. The optical characteristics of the

  2. Air surveillance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patton, G.W.

    1995-06-01

    This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report summarizes the air surveillance and monitoring programs currently in operation at that Hanford Site. Atmospheric releases of pollutants from Hanford to the surrounding region are a potential source of human exposure. For that reason, both radioactive and nonradioactive materials in air are monitored at a number of locations. The influence of Hanford emissions on local radionuclide concentrations was evaluated by comparing concentrations measured at distant locations within the region to concentrations measured at the Site perimeter. This section discusses sample collection, analytical methods, and the results of the Hanford air surveillance program. A complete listing of all analytical results summarized in this section is reported separately by Bisping (1995).

  3. Air surveillance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patton, G.W.

    1995-01-01

    This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report summarizes the air surveillance and monitoring programs currently in operation at that Hanford Site. Atmospheric releases of pollutants from Hanford to the surrounding region are a potential source of human exposure. For that reason, both radioactive and nonradioactive materials in air are monitored at a number of locations. The influence of Hanford emissions on local radionuclide concentrations was evaluated by comparing concentrations measured at distant locations within the region to concentrations measured at the Site perimeter. This section discusses sample collection, analytical methods, and the results of the Hanford air surveillance program. A complete listing of all analytical results summarized in this section is reported separately by Bisping (1995)

  4. An anthropometric model to estimate neonatal fat mass using air displacement plethysmography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deierlein Andrea L

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Current validated neonatal body composition methods are limited/impractical for use outside of a clinical setting because they are labor intensive, time consuming, and require expensive equipment. The purpose of this study was to develop an anthropometric model to estimate neonatal fat mass (kg using an air displacement plethysmography (PEA POD® Infant Body Composition System as the criterion. Methods A total of 128 healthy term infants, 60 females and 68 males, from a multiethnic cohort were included in the analyses. Gender, race/ethnicity, gestational age, age (in days, anthropometric measurements of weight, length, abdominal circumference, skin-fold thicknesses (triceps, biceps, sub scapular, and thigh, and body composition by PEA POD® were collected within 1-3 days of birth. Backward stepwise linear regression was used to determine the model that best predicted neonatal fat mass. Results The statistical model that best predicted neonatal fat mass (kg was: -0.012 -0.064*gender + 0.024*day of measurement post-delivery -0.150*weight (kg + 0.055*weight (kg2 + 0.046*ethnicity + 0.020*sum of three skin-fold thicknesses (triceps, sub scapular, and thigh; R2 = 0.81, MSE = 0.08 kg. Conclusions Our anthropometric model explained 81% of the variance in neonatal fat mass. Future studies with a greater variety of neonatal anthropometric measurements may provide equations that explain more of the variance.

  5. Large panel design for containment air baffle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orr, R.S.

    1992-01-01

    The movable air baffle shield means in accordance with the present invention provides an efficient method of cooling the space surrounding the containment vessel while also providing the capability of being moved away from the containment vessel during inspection. The containment apparatus comprises a generally cylindrical sealed containment vessel for containing at least a portion of a nuclear power generation plant, a disparate shield building surrounding and housing the containment vessel therein and spaced outwardly thereof so as to form an air annulus in the space between the shield building and the containment vessel, a shield baffle means positioned in the air annulus around at least a portion of the sides of the containment vessel providing a coolant path between the baffle means and the containment vessel to permit cooling of the containment vessel by air, the shield baffle means being movable to afford access to the containment vessel. 9 figs

  6. Computer simulation of the interplay between fractal structures and surrounding heterogeneous multifractal distributions. Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Martin Martin, Miguel Angel; Reyes Castro, Miguel E.; Taguas Coejo, Fco. Javier

    2014-01-01

    In a large number of physical, biological and environmental processes interfaces with high irregular geometry appear separating media (phases) in which the heterogeneity of constituents is present. In this work the quantification of the interplay between irregular structures and surrounding heterogeneous distributions in the plane is made For a geometric set image and a mass distribution (measure) image supported in image, being image, the mass image gives account of the interplay between th...

  7. A regional high-resolution emission inventory of primary air pollutants in 2012 for Beijing and the surrounding five provinces of North China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Huanjia; Wu, Bobo; Liu, Shuhan; Shao, Panyang; Liu, Xiangyang; Zhu, Chuanyong; Wang, Yong; Wu, Yiming; Xue, Yifeng; Gao, Jiajia; Hao, Yan; Tian, Hezhong

    2018-05-01

    A high resolution regional emission inventory of typical primary air pollutants (PAPs) for the year 2012 in Beijing and the surrounding five provinces (BSFP) of North China is developed. It is compiled with the combination of bottom-up and top-down methods, based on city-level collected activity data and the latest updated specific emission factors for different sources. The considered sources are classified into 12 major categories and totally 36 subcategories with respect to their multi-dimensional characteristics, such as economic sector, combustion facility or industrial process, installed air pollution control devices, etc. Power plant sector is the dominant contributor of NOX emissions with an average contribution of 34.1%, while VOCs emissions are largely emitted from industrial process sources (33.9%). Whereas, other stationary combustion sources represent major sources of primary PM2.5, PM10 and BC emissions, accounting for 22.7%, 30.0% and 33.9% of the total emissions, respectively. Hebei province contributes over 34% of the regional total CO emissions because of huge volume of iron and steel production. By comparison, Shandong province ranks as the biggest contributor for NOX, PM10, PM2.5, SO2, VOCs and OC. Further, the BSFP regional total emissions are spatially distributed into grid cells with a high resolution of 9 km × 9 km using GIS tools and surrogate indexes, such regional population, gross domestic product (GDP) and the types of arable soils. The highest emission intensities are mainly located in Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan area, Jinan-Laiwu-Zibo area and several other cities such as Shijiazhuang, Handan, and Zhengzhou. Furthermore, in order to establish a simple method to estimate and forecast PAPs emissions with macroscopic provincial-level statistical parameters in China, multi-parameter regression equations are firstly developed to estimate emissions outside the BSFP region with routine statistics (e.g. population, total final coal consumption

  8. Measurement of the mass energy-absorption coefficient of air for x-rays in the range from 3 to 60 keV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhr, H; Büermann, L; Gerlach, M; Krumrey, M; Rabus, H

    2012-12-21

    For the first time the absolute photon mass energy-absorption coefficient of air in the energy range of 10 to 60 keV has been measured with relative standard uncertainties below 1%, considerably smaller than those of up to 2% assumed for calculated data. For monochromatized synchrotron radiation from the electron storage ring BESSY II both the radiant power and the fraction of power deposited in dry air were measured using a cryogenic electrical substitution radiometer and a free air ionization chamber, respectively. The measured absorption coefficients were compared with state-of-the art calculations and showed an average deviation of 2% from calculations by Seltzer. However, they agree within 1% with data calculated earlier by Hubbell. In the course of this work, an improvement of the data analysis of a previous experimental determination of the mass energy-absorption coefficient of air in the range of 3 to 10 keV was found to be possible and corrected values of this preceding study are given.

  9. Atlanta Rail Yard Study: Evaluation of local-scale air pollution ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intermodal rail yards are important nodes in the freight transportation network, where freight is organized and moved from one mode of transport to another, critical equipment is serviced, and freight is routed to its next destination. Rail yard environments are also areas with multiple sources of air pollutant emissions (e.g., heavy-duty vehicles, locomotives, cranes), which may affect local air quality in residential areas nearby. In order to understand emissions and related air quality impacts, two field studies took place over the time span of 2010-2012 to measure air pollution trends in close proximity to the Inman and Tilford rail yard complex in Atlanta, GA. One field study involved long-term stationary monitoring of black carbon, fine particles, and carbon dioxide at two stations nearby the rail yard. In addition, a second field study performed intensive mobile air monitoring for a one month period in the summer of 2012 at a roadway network surrounding the rail yard complex and measured a comprehensive array of pollutants. Real-time mobile particulate measurements included particle counts, extinction coefficient, black carbon via light-absorption and particle incandescence, and particle composition derived by aerosol mass spectrometry. Gas-phase measurements included oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and air toxics (e.g., benzene). Both sets of measurements determined detectable local influence from rail yard-related emissions.

  10. Aerosol composition in a stagnant air mass impacted by dense fogs: preliminary results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jacob, D.J.; Munger, J.W.; Waldman, J.M.; Hoffman, M.R.

    1984-01-01

    Over the last two winters, our research group has been investigating the chemical composition of fogwater and haze aerosol during wintertime stagnation episodes in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The valley is encompassed by mountain ranges. During the winter a strong subsidence inversion based below the natural boundaries of the valley restricts the ventilation of the air masses below the inversion. The residence time of an air parcel in the valley under these stagnation conditions is on the order of 8 days. Because the trapped air is very humid, stagnation episodes are associated with a persistent thick haze and frequent widespread nighttime fogs. During the winter 1982-1983 the authors sampled fog and haze at one site (Bakersfield); results from this preliminary study have been discussed in detail in a previous report. In the winter 1983-1984 the scale of the program was expanded in order to test hypotheses formulated as a result of first year data. The present paper first reports briefly on the 1982-1983 results and outlines the essential conclusions. They then describe the large-scale experiment conducted during the winter of 1983-1984, and discuss some preliminary fogwater data.

  11. Lovelock black holes surrounded by quintessence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Sushant G.; Maharaj, Sunil D.; Baboolal, Dharmanand; Lee, Tae-Hun

    2018-02-01

    Lovelock gravity consisting of the dimensionally continued Euler densities is a natural generalization of general relativity to higher dimensions such that equations of motion are still second order, and the theory is free of ghosts. A scalar field with a positive potential that yields an accelerating universe has been termed quintessence. We present exact black hole solutions in D-dimensional Lovelock gravity surrounded by quintessence matter and also perform a detailed thermodynamical study. Further, we find that the mass, entropy and temperature of the black hole are corrected due to the quintessence background. In particular, we find that a phase transition occurs with a divergence of the heat capacity at the critical horizon radius, and that specific heat becomes positive for r_h

  12. Neonatal Presentation of an Air-Filled Neck Mass that Enlarges with Valsalva: A Case Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Jasminkumar Bharatbhai; Kilbride, Howard; Paulson, Lorien

    2015-01-01

    Branchial cleft cysts are common causes of congenital neck masses in the pediatric population. However, neonatal presentation of branchial cleft cysts is uncommon, but recognizable secondary to acute respiratory distress from airway compression or complications secondary to infection. We report a 1-day-old infant presenting with an air-filled neck mass that enlarged with Valsalva and was not associated with respiratory distress. The infant was found to have a third branchial cleft cyst with an internal opening into the pyriform sinus. The cyst was conservatively managed with endoscopic surgical decompression and cauterization of the tract and opening. We review the embryology of branchial cleft cysts and current management. PMID:26495186

  13. Chemical composition of air masses transported from Asia to the U.S. West Coast during ITCT 2K2: Fossil fuel combustion versus biomass-burning signatures

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Gouw, J. A.; Cooper, O. R.; Warneke, C.; Hudson, P. K.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Holloway, J. S.; Hübler, G.; Nicks, D. K., Jr.; Nowak, J. B.; Parrish, D. D.; Ryerson, T. B.; Atlas, E. L.; Donnelly, S. G.; Schauffler, S. M.; Stroud, V.; Johnson, K.; Carmichael, G. R.; Streets, D. G.

    2004-12-01

    As part of the Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation experiment in 2002 (ITCT 2K2), a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) WP-3D research aircraft was used to study the long-range transport of Asian air masses toward the west coast of North America. During research flights on 5 and 17 May, strong enhancements of carbon monoxide (CO) and other species were observed in air masses that had been transported from Asia. The hydrocarbon composition of the air masses indicated that the highest CO levels were related to fossil fuel use. During the flights on 5 and 17 May and other days, the levels of several biomass-burning indicators increased with altitude. This was true for acetonitrile (CH3CN), methyl chloride (CH3Cl), the ratio of acetylene (C2H2) to propane (C3H8), and, on May 5, the percentage of particles measured by the particle analysis by laser mass spectrometry (PALMS) instrument that were attributed to biomass burning based on their carbon and potassium content. An ensemble of back-trajectories, calculated from the U.S. west coast over a range of latitudes and altitudes for the entire ITCT 2K2 period, showed that air masses from Southeast Asia and China were generally observed at higher altitudes than air from Japan and Korea. Emission inventories estimate the contribution of biomass burning to the total emissions to be low for Japan and Korea, higher for China, and the highest for Southeast Asia. Combined with the origin of the air masses versus altitude, this qualitatively explains the increase with altitude, averaged over the whole ITCT 2K2 period, of the different biomass-burning indicators.

  14. Large mass storage facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peskin, A.M.

    1978-01-01

    The report of a committee to study the questions surrounding possible acquisition of a large mass-storage device is presented. The current computing environment at BNL and justification for an online large mass storage device are briefly discussed. Possible devices to meet the requirements of large mass storage are surveyed, including future devices. The future computing needs of BNL are prognosticated. 2 figures, 4 tables

  15. Air trapping on computed tomography images of healthy individuals: effects of respiration and body mass index

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hashimoto, M.; Tate, E.; Watarai, J.; Sasaki, M.

    2006-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate the relationships of changes in the lung area during respiration and of individual body mass index (BMI) to air trapping on expiratory computed tomography (CT) in young non-smoking adults of either gender. Methods: The volunteers were 10 women and 10 men (mean age 25.7 years) who were healthy lifelong non-smokers. We obtained both end-inspiratory and end-expiratory CT images at three levels: the upper, middle and lower lung. The ratio of cross-sectional lung area upon expiration to cross-sectional lung area upon inspiration (lung area ratio) was determined for each lung at each of the three levels. In cases showing air trapping, we calculated the percentage of area of air in relation to the total lung area in each section. BMI was calculated for each participant. Results: Air trapping was present in dependent areas of the lungs of 6 women and 5 men. The mean percentage of area of air trapped was statistically greater for men (9.8 ± 9.2%) than for women (4.9 ± 5.2%). The mean lung area ratio was 0.52 ± 0 14 among volunteers with air trapping (66 sections) and 0.69 ± 0.12 among those without air trapping (54 sections) (p < 0.001). At each lung level, the mean lung area ratio was greater in individuals with air trapping than in those without. Mean BMI was also greater in these people (p = 0.009). Conclusion: Change in the respiratory lung area and BMI contribute to development of air trapping

  16. A study on the effects of system pressure on heat and mass transfer rates of an air cooler

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Hyung Ho

    2002-01-01

    In the present paper, the effects of inlet pressure on the heat and mass transfer rates of an air cooler are numerically predicted by a local analysis method. The pressures of the moist air vary from 2 to 4 bars. The psychometric properties such as dew point temperature, relative humidity and humidity ratio are employed to treat the condensing water vapor in the moist air when the surface temperatures are dropped below the dew point. The effects of the inlet pressures on the heat transfer rate, the dew point temperature, the rate of condensed water, the outlet temperature of air and cooling water are calculated. The condensation process of water vapor is discussed in detail. The results of present calculations are compared with the test data and shows good agreements

  17. Detonation of hydrogen-air mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.H.S.; Knystautas, R.; Benedick, W.B.

    1983-01-01

    The detonation of a hydrogen-air cloud subsequent to an accidental release of hydrogen into ambient surroundings cannot be totally ruled out in view of the relative sensitivity of the hydrogen-air system. The present paper investigates the key parameters involved in hydrogen-air detonations and attempts to establish quantitative correlations between those that have important practical implications. Thus, for example, the characteristic length scale lambda describing the cellular structure of a detonation front is measured for a broad range of hydrogen-air mixtures and is quantitatively correlated with the key dynamic detonation properties such as detonability, transmission and initiation

  18. Determination of the pollution with lead in the batteries factory in Al-Saffera (Aleppo) and surrounding area

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Oudat, M.; Al-Kharfan, K.; Al-Shamali, K.

    2007-10-01

    The study aimed to determine the lead concentrations in the ecosystem surrounding the batteries factory in Al-Saffera. The results showed that the lead levels were very high in both factory area and the surrounding agricultural area. Lead levels in air varied between 12 and 34 μg/m3 in the area outside the factory. The same trends were in both soil and plant samples, and normal washing does not decrease the lead level in plant samples to acceptable levels. Mean lead levels in blood was also high and ranged between 55 and 28 μg /dl for factory workers and village inhabitants respectively. In conclusion the authorities administration must take all necessary procedures to reduce the lead levels in the factory area and in the surrounding area.(Author)

  19. Determination of the pollution with lead in the batteries factory in Al-Saffera (Aleppo) and surrounding area

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Oudat, M; Al-Kharfan, K; Al-Shamali, K [Atomic Energy Commission, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic), Dept. of Protection and Safety

    2007-10-15

    The study aimed to determine the lead concentrations in the ecosystem surrounding the batteries factory in Al-Saffera. The results showed that the lead levels were very high in both factory area and the surrounding agricultural area. Lead levels in air varied between 12 and 34 {mu}g/m3 in the area outside the factory. The same trends were in both soil and plant samples, and normal washing does not decrease the lead level in plant samples to acceptable levels. Mean lead levels in blood was also high and ranged between 55 and 28 {mu}g /dl for factory workers and village inhabitants respectively. In conclusion the authorities administration must take all necessary procedures to reduce the lead levels in the factory area and in the surrounding area.(Author)

  20. Enhancing area surrounding breast carcinoma on MR mammography: comparison with pathological examination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goethem, M. van; Verslegers, I.; Biltjes, I.; Schepper, A. de; Schelfout, K.; Colpaert, C.; Kersschot, E.; Tjalma, W.A.; Weyler, J.

    2004-01-01

    The enhancing area surrounding breast carcinoma on MR mammography is correlated with findings from pathological examination. We studied 194 patients with breast cancer who underwent preoperative MR mammography. Of all malignant lesions presenting with an enhancing surrounding area on MR mammography, morphologic features including long spicules, a ductal pattern, diffuse enhancement or nodules were evaluated and compared with histopathological examination. A double breast coil was used; we performed a 3D FLASH sequence with contiguous coronal slices of 2 mm, before and after injection of 0.2 mmol/kg GD-DTPA, and subtraction images were obtained. In total, 297 malignant lesions were detected at MR mammography and 101 of them had one or more types of enhancing surrounding area. In 49 of the 53 cancers with long spicules and in 49 of the 55 cancers with surrounding ductal pattern of enhancement, pathological examination showed in situ and/or invasive carcinoma. Multiple nodules adjacent to the carcinoma were seen in 20 patients and corresponded with six cases of invasive and ten cases of ductal in situ carcinoma. A diffuse enhancing area next to a mass was seen in ten patients and consisted of carcinoma in all cases: seven in situ and three invasive carcinomas. Enhancing areas including long spicules, a ductal pattern, noduli, or diffuse enhancement surrounding a carcinoma corresponded with in situ or invasive extension of the carcinoma in 92.5, 89, 80 and 100% of cases, respectively. (orig.)

  1. The impact of mass flow and masking on the pressure drop of air filter in heavy-duty diesel engine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gorji-Bandpy Mofid

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD calculation approach to predict and evaluate the impact of the mass-flow inlet on the pressure drop of turbocharger`s air filtfer in heavy-duty diesel engine. The numerical computations were carried out using a commercial CFD program whereas the inlet area of the air filter consisted of several holes connected to a channel. After entering through the channel, the air passes among the holes and enters the air filter. The effect of masking holes and hydraulic diameter is studied and investigated on pressure drop. The results indicate that pressure drop increase with decreasing of hydraulic diameter and masking of the holes has considerable affect on the pressure drop.

  2. Crossett Hydrogen Sulfide Air Sampling Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    This report summarizes the results of the EPA’s hydrogen sulfide air monitoring conducted along Georgia Pacific’s wastewater treatment system and in surrounding Crossett, AR, neighborhoods in 2017.

  3. Some measurements of ambient air pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Memon, H.R.; Memon, A.A.; Behan, M.Y.

    1999-01-01

    Ambient air pollution arising from different sources in Karachi and its surroundings has been studied. The urban centres like Karachi are mostly confronted with eye-irritation, reduce visibility, heart-diseases, nervous disorder, smog and other unpleasant experiences. In this paper quantitative estimations of some air-pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, chlorine and particular matters are presented with their hazardous effects. The remedial measures for the control of major air emissions are also discussed. (author)

  4. Lovelock black holes surrounded by quintessence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghosh, Sushant G. [University of KwaZulu-Natal, Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, Durban (South Africa); Centre for Theoretical Physics, Multidisciplinary Centre for Advanced Research and Studies (MCARS), New Delhi (India); Maharaj, Sunil D.; Baboolal, Dharmanand; Lee, Tae-Hun [University of KwaZulu-Natal, Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, Durban (South Africa)

    2018-02-15

    Lovelock gravity consisting of the dimensionally continued Euler densities is a natural generalization of general relativity to higher dimensions such that equations of motion are still second order, and the theory is free of ghosts. A scalar field with a positive potential that yields an accelerating universe has been termed quintessence. We present exact black hole solutions in D-dimensional Lovelock gravity surrounded by quintessence matter and also perform a detailed thermodynamical study. Further, we find that the mass, entropy and temperature of the black hole are corrected due to the quintessence background. In particular, we find that a phase transition occurs with a divergence of the heat capacity at the critical horizon radius, and that specific heat becomes positive for r{sub h} < r{sub c} allowing the black hole to become thermodynamically stable. (orig.)

  5. Combined natural convection heat and mass transfer from vertical fin arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giri, A.; Narasimham, G.S.V.L.; Krishna Murthy, M.V.

    2003-01-01

    Natural convection transport processes play an important role in many applications like ice-storage air-conditioning. A mathematical formulation of natural convection heat and mass transfer over a shrouded vertical fin array is developed. The base plate is maintained at a temperature below the dew point of the surrounding moist air. Hence there occurs condensation of moisture on the base plate, while the fins may be partially or fully wet. A numerical study is performed by varying the parameters of the problem. The local and average Nusselt numbers decrease in streamwise direction and tend to approach fully developed values for sufficiently large values of the fin length. The results show that beyond a certain streamwise distance, further fin length does not improve the sensible and latent heat transfer performance, and that if dry fin analysis is used under moisture condensation conditions, the overall heat transfer will be underestimated by about 50% even at low buoyancy ratios

  6. International system of units traceable results of Hg mass concentration at saturation in air from a newly developed measurement procedure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quétel, Christophe R; Zampella, Mariavittoria; Brown, Richard J C; Ent, Hugo; Horvat, Milena; Paredes, Eduardo; Tunc, Murat

    2014-08-05

    Data most commonly used at present to calibrate measurements of mercury vapor concentrations in air come from a relationship known as the "Dumarey equation". It uses a fitting relationship to experimental results obtained nearly 30 years ago. The way these results relate to the international system of units (SI) is not known. This has caused difficulties for the specification and enforcement of limit values for mercury concentrations in air and in emissions to air as part of national or international legislation. Furthermore, there is a significant discrepancy (around 7% at room temperature) between the Dumarey data and data calculated from results of mercury vapor pressure measurements in the presence of only liquid mercury. As an attempt to solve some of these problems, a new measurement procedure is described for SI traceable results of gaseous Hg concentrations at saturation in milliliter samples of air. The aim was to propose a scheme as immune as possible to analytical biases. It was based on isotope dilution (ID) in the liquid phase with the (202)Hg enriched certified reference material ERM-AE640 and measurements of the mercury isotope ratios in ID blends, subsequent to a cold vapor generation step, by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The process developed involved a combination of interconnected valves and syringes operated by computer controlled pumps and ensured continuity under closed circuit conditions from the air sampling stage onward. Quantitative trapping of the gaseous mercury in the liquid phase was achieved with 11.5 μM KMnO4 in 2% HNO3. Mass concentrations at saturation found from five measurements under room temperature conditions were significantly higher (5.8% on average) than data calculated from the Dumarey equation, but in agreement (-1.2% lower on average) with data based on mercury vapor pressure measurement results. Relative expanded combined uncertainties were estimated following a model based approach. They ranged from 2

  7. Progress Toward a Global, EOS-Era Aerosol Air Mass Type Climatology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahn, Ralph A.

    2012-01-01

    The MISR and MODIS instruments aboard the NASA Earth Observing System's Terra Satellite have been collecting data containing information about the state of Earth's atmosphere and surface for over eleven years. Data from these instruments have been used to develop a global, monthly climatology of aerosol amount that is widely used as a constraint on climate models, including those used for the 2007 IPCC assessment report. The next frontier in assessing aerosol radiative forcing of climate is aerosol type, and in particular, the absorption properties of major aerosol air masses. This presentation will focus on the prospects for constraining aerosol type globally, and the steps we are taking to apply a combination of satellite and suborbital data to this challenge.

  8. Constraining Aerosol Optical Models Using Ground-Based, Collocated Particle Size and Mass Measurements in Variable Air Mass Regimes During the 7-SEAS/Dongsha Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Shaun W.; Hansell, Richard A.; Chow, Judith C.; Tsay, Si-Chee; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Ji, Qiang; Li, Can; Watson, John G.; Khlystov, Andrey

    2012-01-01

    During the spring of 2010, NASA Goddard's COMMIT ground-based mobile laboratory was stationed on Dongsha Island off the southwest coast of Taiwan, in preparation for the upcoming 2012 7-SEAS field campaign. The measurement period offered a unique opportunity for conducting detailed investigations of the optical properties of aerosols associated with different air mass regimes including background maritime and those contaminated by anthropogenic air pollution and mineral dust. What appears to be the first time for this region, a shortwave optical closure experiment for both scattering and absorption was attempted over a 12-day period during which aerosols exhibited the most change. Constraints to the optical model included combined SMPS and APS number concentration data for a continuum of fine and coarse-mode particle sizes up to PM2.5. We also take advantage of an IMPROVE chemical sampler to help constrain aerosol composition and mass partitioning of key elemental species including sea-salt, particulate organic matter, soil, non sea-salt sulphate, nitrate, and elemental carbon. Our results demonstrate that the observed aerosol scattering and absorption for these diverse air masses are reasonably captured by the model, where peak aerosol events and transitions between key aerosols types are evident. Signatures of heavy polluted aerosol composed mostly of ammonium and non sea-salt sulphate mixed with some dust with transitions to background sea-salt conditions are apparent in the absorption data, which is particularly reassuring owing to the large variability in the imaginary component of the refractive indices. Extinctive features at significantly smaller time scales than the one-day sample period of IMPROVE are more difficult to reproduce, as this requires further knowledge concerning the source apportionment of major chemical components in the model. Consistency between the measured and modeled optical parameters serves as an important link for advancing remote

  9. Smart Surroundings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Havinga, Paul J.M.; Jansen, P.G.; Lijding, M.E.M.; Scholten, Johan

    2004-01-01

    Ambient systems are networked embedded systems integrated with everyday environments and supporting people in their activities. These systems will create a Smart Surrounding for people to facilitate and enrich daily life and increase productivity at work. Such systems will be quite different from

  10. Parameter studies to determine sensitivity of slug impact loads to properties of core surrounding structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gvildys, J.

    1985-01-01

    A sensitivity study of the HCDA slug impact response of fast reactor primary containment to properties of core surrounding structures was performed. Parameters such as the strength of the radial shield material, mass, void, and compressibility properties of the gas plenum material, mass of core material, and mass and compressibility properties of the coolant were used as variables to determine the magnitude of the slug impact loads. The response of the reactor primary containment and the partition of energy were also given. A study was also performed using water as coolant to study the difference in slug impact loads

  11. Effects of Thermal Mass, Window Size, and Night-Time Ventilation on Peak Indoor Air Temperature in the Warm-Humid Climate of Ghana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Amos-Abanyie

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Most office buildings in the warm-humid sub-Saharan countries experience high cooling load because of the predominant use of sandcrete blocks which are of low thermal mass in construction and extensive use of glazing. Relatively, low night-time temperatures are not harnessed in cooling buildings because office openings remain closed after work hours. An optimization was performed through a sensitivity analysis-based simulation, using the Energy Plus (E+ simulation software to assess the effects of thermal mass, window size, and night ventilation on peak indoor air temperature (PIAT. An experimental system was designed based on the features of the most promising simulation model, constructed and monitored, and the experimental data used to validate the simulation model. The results show that an optimization of thermal mass and window size coupled with activation of night-time ventilation provides a synergistic effect to obtain reduced peak indoor air temperature. An expression that predicts, indoor maximum temperature has been derived for models of various thermal masses.

  12. Air pollution episodes in Stockholm regional background air due to sources in Europe and their effects on human population

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andersson, C. [Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Inst., Norrkoping (Sweden)], E-mail: camilla.andersson@smhi.se; Joensson, O. [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Applied Environmental Science; Forsberg, B. [Umea Univ. (Sweden), Occupational and Environmental Medicine; Johansson, C. [Environmental and Health Administration, Stockholm (Sweden)

    2013-09-01

    Using air quality measurements, we categorized air pollution according to source sectors in a rural background environment in southern Sweden based on hourly air-mass backward trajectories during 1997-2010. Concentrations of fine (PM{sub 2.5}) and sum of fine and coarse particulate matter (PM{sub 10}), accumulation mode particle number, black carbon and surface ozone were 4.0, 3.9, 4.5, 6.8 and 1.3 times higher, respectively, in air masses from the southeast as compared with those in air masses from the cleanest sector in the northwest, consistent with air-mass transport over areas with relatively high emissions of primary particulate matter (PM) and secondary PM precursors. The highest ultrafine particle numbers were associated with clean air from the northwest. We estimate that almost 7.8% and 0.6% higher premature human mortality is caused by PM{sub 2.5} and ozone exposure, respectively, when air originates from the southeast as compared with that when air originates from the northwest. Reductions of emissions in eastern Europe would reduce the highest air pollution concentrations and associated health risks. However, since air masses from the southwest are more frequent, emissions in the western part of Europe are more important for annual mean premature mortality. (orig.)

  13. Cairo city air quality research initiative part-i: A meteorological modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-AAl, M.M.

    2001-01-01

    The modified meteorological model Hotmac (Higher order turbulence model for atmospheric circulation) is a three-dimensional and finite grid model developed primarily for simospheric motions and based on solving the conservation equations of mass momentum, energy and turbulent kinetic energy. The model is used for studying air quality of cairo cty and its surrounding to treat a domain that includes an urbanized area for understanding problems of air pollution. The acquired terrain (elevation) data for Egypt was obtained. The local and upper level geostrophic data were provided by rawinsonde of wind speed and direction, temperature,relative humidity, water vapour, and pressure The potential temperature was obtained by a computer program. The meteorological data was obtained for helwan site, about 20 kilometer south of cairo city. Three mested grids were used, with grids resolutions of 2 6 and 18 kilometers to cover a domain of approximately 360 km that extended from the red Sea to the mediterranean Sea

  14. Fullerene Soot in Eastern China Air: Results from Soot Particle-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, J.; Ge, X.; Chen, M.; Zhang, Q.; Yu, H.; Sun, Y.; Worsnop, D. R.; Collier, S.

    2015-12-01

    In this work, we present for the first time, the observation and quantification of fullerenes in ambient airborne particulate using an Aerodyne Soot Particle - Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS) deployed during 2015 winter in suburban Nanjing, a megacity in eastern China. The laser desorption and electron impact ionization techniques employed by the SP-AMS allow us to differentiate various fullerenes from other aerosol components. Mass spectrum of the identified fullerene soot is consisted by a series of high molecular weight carbon clusters (up to m/z of 2000 in this study), almost identical to the spectral features of commercially available fullerene soot, both with C70 and C60 clusters as the first and second most abundant species. This type of soot was observed throughout the entire study period, with an average mass loading of 0.18 μg/m3, accounting for 6.4% of the black carbon mass, 1.2% of the total organic mass. Temporal variation and diurnal pattern of fullerene soot are overall similar to those of black carbon, but are clearly different in some periods. Combining the positive matrix factorization, back-trajectory and analyses of the meteorological parameters, we identified the petrochemical industrial plants situating upwind from the sampling site, as the major source of fullerene soot. In this regard, our findings imply the ubiquitous presence of fullerene soot in ambient air of industry-influenced area, especially the oil and gas production regions. This study also offers new insights into the characterization of fullerenes from other environmental samples via the advanced SP-AMS technique.

  15. Demands for improvement in working surroundings for older workers in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shizawa, Yasuhiro; Sakuda, Hiroshi; Ohashi, Tomoki

    2003-01-01

    Workers in three nuclear power plants belonging to Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. were asked to complete a questionnaire. According to the accident reports, workers aged 50 or older had more accidents than those in 30s or 40s. Moreover, it is predicted that the average age of workers in Japan will increase during the first half of the 21st century. Therefore, investigations into working surroundings in which older workers can better perform their work would be useful. To this end, a questionnaire addressing issues related to working surroundings was conducted among workers in nuclear power plants and the demands for improvement of working surroundings for older workers are summarized. The demands of 'better lighting', 'making things less heavy', and installation of an elevator' were correlated with age, indicating that younger people have a tendency not to notice these issues. Thus, if the authority deciding on improvements in working surroundings is not an older worker, it is especially important that lighting, the weights of objects to be moved, and methods of moving between floors is taken into account. Findings specific to nuclear power plants were also reported. For example, employees who worked in the non-radiation controlled area demanded the installation of air conditioning and those who worked in the radiation controlled area demanded the establishment of a rest area. Further, we have developed a guidebook entitled 'a guidebook supporting workers' cooperation among all generations' to promote cooperation between older and younger workers. (author)

  16. Transfer coefficients of energy in mass for X radiation-air: the kV relation and effective energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teixeira, G.J.; Sousa, C.H.S.; Peixoto, J.G.P.

    2014-01-01

    The objective was to determine, through specific software, the mass-energy transfer coefficients by X-ray beams in air between 30-150 kV. Were generated by the Spectrum Processor program, the spectra and calculated their mass coefficients. The results behaved numerically decreasing order, ranging between 0.3733 and 0.0439 cm 2 /g, inversely proportional to the voltage used and differing behavior of mono-energetic beams above 100 keV. Values align with literal definitions of the interaction of radiation with matter, being useful for dosimetry in diagnostic radiology, including for systems not using an ionization chamber. (author)

  17. Investigation of tungsten mass transfer in rarefied air oxygen and water vapors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evsikov, A.S.; Makeev, A.A.; Lyubimova, L.L.; Sinyavskij, V.V.

    1989-01-01

    The results of experimental investigations of oxygen and water vapor effect on the rate of tungsten evaporation are presented. Methods for carrying out an experiment are presented. The experiments are carried out at the 2600 degC tungsten wire temperature and the pressure of oxygen and water vapors (2x10 -3 -5) Pa. Registration of final products of mass transfer is carried out by the DRON-2.0 diffractometer using a detachable substrate. Empirical dependence taking into account oxygen and water vapor effect on the rate of tungsten evaporation is suggested. It is marked that air oxygen and water vapor increase evaporation rate uniformly the difference is observed only in final products of interaction

  18. How A Black Hole Lights Up Its Surroundings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohler, Susanna

    2017-10-01

    How do the supermassive black holes that live at the centers of galaxies influence their environments? New observations of a distant active galaxy offer clues about this interaction.Signs of CoevolutionPlot demonstrating the m-sigma relation, the empirical correlation between the stellar velocity dispersion of a galactic bulge and the mass of the supermassive black hole at its center. [Msigma]We know that the centers of active galaxies host supermassive black holes with masses of millions to billions of suns. One mystery surrounding these beasts is that they are observed to evolve simultaneously with their host galaxies for instance, an empirical relationship is seen between the growth of a black hole and the growth of its host galaxys bulge. This suggests that there must be a feedback mechanism through which the evolution of a black hole is linked to that of its host galaxy.One proposed source of this coupling is the powerful jets emitted from the poles of these supermassive black holes. These jets are thought to be produced as some of the material accreting onto the black hole is flung out, confined by surrounding gas and magnetic fields. Because the jets of hot gas and radiation extend outward through the host galaxy, they provide a means for the black hole to influence the gas and dust of its surroundings.In our current model of a radio-loud active galactic nuclei,a region of hot, ionized gas the narrow-line region lies beyond the sphere of influence of the supermassive black hole. [C.M. Urry and P. Padovani]Clues in the Narrow-Line RegionThe region of gas thought to sit just outside of the black holes sphere of influence (at a distance of perhaps a thousand to a few thousand light-years) is known as the narrow line region so named because we observe narrow emission lines from this gas. Given its hot, ionized state, this gas must somehow be being pummeled with energy. In the canonical picture, radiation from the black hole heats the gas directly in a process

  19. Calculation of the Chilling Requirement for Air Conditioning in the Excavation Roadway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yueping Qin

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available To effectively improve the climate conditions of the excavation roadway in coal mine, the calculation of the chilling requirement taking air conditioning measures is extremely necessary. The temperature field of the surrounding rock with moving boundary in the excavation roadway was numerically simulated by using finite volume method. The unstable heat transfer coefficient between the surrounding rock and air flow was obtained via the previous calculation. According to the coupling effects of the air flow inside and outside air duct, the differential calculation mathematical model of air flow temperature in the excavation roadway was established. The chilling requirement was calculated with the selfdeveloped computer program for forecasting the required cooling capacity of the excavation roadway. A good air conditioning effect had been observed after applying the calculated results to field trial, which indicated that the prediction method and calculation procedure were reliable.

  20. Ring waves as a mass transport mechanism in air-driven core-annular flows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camassa, Roberto; Forest, M Gregory; Lee, Long; Ogrosky, H Reed; Olander, Jeffrey

    2012-12-01

    Air-driven core-annular fluid flows occur in many situations, from lung airways to engineering applications. Here we study, experimentally and theoretically, flows where a viscous liquid film lining the inside of a tube is forced upwards against gravity by turbulent airflow up the center of the tube. We present results on the thickness and mean speed of the film and properties of the interfacial waves that develop from an instability of the air-liquid interface. We derive a long-wave asymptotic model and compare properties of its solutions with those of the experiments. Traveling wave solutions of this long-wave model exhibit evidence of different mass transport regimes: Past a certain threshold, sufficiently large-amplitude waves begin to trap cores of fluid which propagate upward at wave speeds. This theoretical result is then confirmed by a second set of experiments that show evidence of ring waves of annular fluid propagating over the underlying creeping flow. By tuning the parameters of the experiments, the strength of this phenomenon can be adjusted in a way that is predicted qualitatively by the model.

  1. Analytical Solution of Tunnel Surrounding Rock for Stress and Displacement Based on Lade–Duncan Criterion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MingZheng Zhu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The deformation and failure of tunnel surrounding rock is the result of tunnel excavation disturbance and rock stress release. When the local stress of surrounding rock exceeds the elastic limit of rock mass, the plastic analysis of surrounding rock must be carried out to judge the stability of tunnel. In this study, the Lade–Duncan yield criterion is used to calculate the analytic solutions for the surrounding rock in a tunnel, and the radius and displacement of the plastic zone are deduced using an equilibrium equation. The plastic zone radius and displacement based on Lade–Duncan criterion and Mohr–Coulomb criterion were compared by using single-factor analysis method under the different internal friction angles, in situ stresses, and support resistances. The results show that the solutions of the radius and displacement of plastic zone calculated by the Lade–Duncan criterion are close to those of Mohr–Coulomb criterion under the high internal friction angle and support resistance or low in situ rock stress; however, the radius and displacement of the plastic zone calculated by the Lade–Duncan criterion are larger under normal circumstances, and the Lade–Duncan criterion is more applicable to the stability analysis of the surrounding rock in a tunnel.

  2. Hawking radiation in a d-dimensional static spherically symmetric black hole surrounded by quintessence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Songbai; Wang Bin; Su Rukeng

    2008-01-01

    We present a solution of Einstein equations with quintessential matter surrounding a d-dimensional black hole, whose asymptotic structures are determined by the state of the quintessential matter. We examine the thermodynamics of this black hole and find that the mass of the black hole depends on the equation of state of the quintessence, while the first law is universal. Investigating the Hawking radiation in this black hole background, we observe that the Hawking radiation dominates on the brane in the low-energy regime. For different asymptotic structures caused by the equation of state of the quintessential matter surrounding the black hole, we learn that the influences by the state parameter of the quintessence on Hawking radiation are different

  3. Analysis of specific absorption rate and internal electric field in human biological tissues surrounding an air-core coil-type transcutaneous energy transmission transformer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiba, Kenji; Zulkifli, Nur Elina Binti; Ishioka, Yuji

    2017-06-01

    In this study, we analyzed the internal electric field E and specific absorption rate (SAR) of human biological tissues surrounding an air-core coil transcutaneous energy transmission transformer. Using an electromagnetic simulator, we created a model of human biological tissues consisting of a dry skin, wet skin, fat, muscle, and cortical bone. A primary coil was placed on the surface of the skin, and a secondary coil was located subcutaneously inside the body. The E and SAR values for the model representing a 34-year-old male subject were analyzed using electrical frequencies of 0.3-1.5 MHz. The transmitting power was 15 W, and the load resistance was 38.4 Ω. The results showed that the E values were below the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) limit for the general public exposure between the frequencies of 0.9 and 1.5 MHz, and SAR values were well below the limit prescribed by the ICNIRP for the general public exposure between the frequencies of 0.3 and 1.2 MHz.

  4. Air tamponade of the heart.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gołota, Janusz J; Orłowski, Tadeusz; Iwanowicz, Katarzyna; Snarska, Jadwiga

    2016-06-01

    Pneumopericardium is a rare disease defined as the presence of air or gas in the pericardial sac. Among the etiological factors, the following stand out: chest trauma, barotrauma, air-containing fistulas between the pericardium and the surrounding structures, secondary gas production by microorganisms growing in the pericardial sac, and iatrogenic factors. Until now, spontaneous pneumopericardium has been considered a harmless and temporary state, but a review of clinical cases indicates that the presence of air in the pericardium can lead to cardiac tamponade and life-threatening hemodynamic disturbances. We present the case of an 80-year-old patient with a chronic bronchopericardial fistula, who suffered from a cardiac arrest due to air tamponade of the heart.

  5. Influence of air mass origins on optical properties and PM concentrations measured at a high mountain station located in the southwestern Mediterranean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castañer, R.; Nicolás, J. F.; Crespo, J.; Yubero, E.; Galindo, N.; Caballero, S.; Pastor, C.

    2017-11-01

    The influence of air mass origins on aerosol optical properties and particulate matter (PM) concentrations measured from January 2014 to December 2015 at a high mountain station in the southwestern Mediterranean was analyzed. Mean values of extensive aerosol optical properties (scattering, backscattering and absorption coefficients) and PM mass fractions: σsp (30.7 ± 1.1 Mm- 1), σbsp (3.9 ± 0.1 Mm- 1), σap (2.4 ± 0.1 Mm- 1), PM10 (13.1 ± 0.6 μg·m- 3) and PM1 (4.0 ± 0.1 μg·m- 3) were in the range of values reported in most studies carried out at high altitude locations. Nevertheless, a significant variation of these concentrations according to the air mass origin has been noticed. Transport from North Africa (NAF back-trajectories) and regional recirculations (REG) were the two air mass types in which the highest values of PM concentrations and optical properties were registered. Alternatively, the lowest values were recorded under Atlantic advections. Noticeable differences between NAF and REG categories were observed when intensive optical properties of aerosols were analyzed. During NAF scenarios the lowest value of SAE (0.91 ± 0.06) was obtained as well as the greatest AAE value (1.30 ± 0.02), with daily levels higher than 1.90. This result suggests that OC and hematite compounds were relevant in the absorption process during NAF events. However, during REG episodes the AAE mean value declined to 1.18 ± 0.01, since the highest mean concentration of BC was recorded under this category, and the SAE value was maximum (1.70 ± 0.05) due to the smaller size of PM. It has also been documented that during the study period a great number of REG back-trajectories occurred just after the transport of air masses from North Africa. In these situations, AAE and SAE values showed slight variations due to the persistence of mineral dust in the local atmosphere.

  6. Size distributions of non-volatile particle residuals (Dp<800 nm at a rural site in Germany and relation to air mass origin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Tuch

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Atmospheric aerosol particle size distributions at a continental background site in Eastern Germany were examined for a one-year period. Particles were classified using a twin differential mobility particle sizer in a size range between 3 and 800 nm. As a novelty, every second measurement of this experiment involved the removal of volatile chemical compounds in a thermodenuder at 300°C. This concept allowed to quantify the number size distribution of non-volatile particle cores – primarily associated with elemental carbon, and to compare this to the original non-conditioned size distribution. As a byproduct of the volatility analysis, new particles originating from nucleation inside the thermodenuder can be observed, however, overwhelmingly at diameters below 6 nm. Within the measurement uncertainty, every particle down to particle sizes of 15 nm is concluded to contain a non-volatile core. The volume fraction of non-volatile particulate matter (non-conditioned diameter < 800 nm varied between 10 and 30% and was largely consistent with the experimentally determined mass fraction of elemental carbon. The average size of the non-volatile particle cores was estimated as a function of original non-conditioned size using a summation method, which showed that larger particles (>200 nm contained more non-volatile compounds than smaller particles (<50 nm, thus indicating a significantly different chemical composition. Two alternative air mass classification schemes based on either, synoptic chart analysis (Berliner Wetterkarte or back trajectories showed that the volume and number fraction of non-volatile cores depended less on air mass than the total particle number concentration. In all air masses, the non-volatile size distributions showed a more and a less volatile ("soot" mode, the latter being located at about 50 nm. During unstable conditions and in maritime air masses, smaller values were observed compared to stable or continental conditions

  7. Trace Elements Speciation of Submicron Particulate Matter (PM1) Collected in the Surroundings of Power Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zajusz-Zubek, Elwira; Kaczmarek, Konrad; Mainka, Anna

    2015-10-16

    This study reports the concentrations of PM1 trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb and Se) content in highly mobile (F1), mobile (F2), less mobile (F3) and not mobile (F4) fractions in samples that were collected in the surroundings of power plants in southern Poland. It also reports source identification by enrichment factors (EF) and a principal component analysis (PCA). There is limited availability of scientific data concerning the chemical composition of dust, including fractionation analyses of trace elements, in the surroundings of power plants. The present study offers important results in order to fill this data gap. The data collected in this study can be utilized to validate air quality models in this rapidly developing area. They are also crucial for comparisons with datasets from similar areas all over the world. Moreover, the identification of the bioavailability of selected carcinogenic and toxic elements in the future might be used as output data for potential biological and population research on risk assessment. This is important in the context of air pollution being hazardous to human health.

  8. Trace Elements Speciation of Submicron Particulate Matter (PM1 Collected in the Surroundings of Power Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elwira Zajusz-Zubek

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available This study reports the concentrations of PM1 trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb and Se content in highly mobile (F1, mobile (F2, less mobile (F3 and not mobile (F4 fractions in samples that were collected in the surroundings of power plants in southern Poland. It also reports source identification by enrichment factors (EF and a principal component analysis (PCA. There is limited availability of scientific data concerning the chemical composition of dust, including fractionation analyses of trace elements, in the surroundings of power plants. The present study offers important results in order to fill this data gap. The data collected in this study can be utilized to validate air quality models in this rapidly developing area. They are also crucial for comparisons with datasets from similar areas all over the world. Moreover, the identification of the bioavailability of selected carcinogenic and toxic elements in the future might be used as output data for potential biological and population research on risk assessment. This is important in the context of air pollution being hazardous to human health.

  9. Interrelationships Between Walkability, Air Pollution, Greenness, and Body Mass Index.

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Peter; Kioumourtzoglou, Marianthi-Anna; Hart, Jaime E; Banay, Rachel F; Kloog, Itai; Laden, Francine

    2017-11-01

    Recent studies have linked urban environmental factors and body mass index (BMI); however, such factors are often examined in isolation, ignoring correlations across exposures. Using data on Nurses' Health Study participants living in the Northeastern United States in 2006, we estimated associations between neighborhood walkability (a composite of population density, street connectivity, and business access), greenness (from satellite imagery), and ambient air pollution (from satellite-based spatiotemporally resolved PM2.5 predictions and weighted monthly average concentrations of NO2 from up to five nearest monitors) and self-reported BMI using generalized additive models, allowing for deviations from linearity using penalized splines. Among 23,435 women aged 60-87 years, we observed nonlinear associations between walkability and BMI and between PM2.5 and BMI in single-exposure models adjusted for age, race, and individual- and area-level socioeconomic status. When modeling all exposures simultaneously, only the association between walkability and BMI remained nonlinear and nonmonotonic. Increasing walkability was associated with increasing BMI at lower levels of walkability (walkability index walkability was linked to lower BMI in areas of higher walkability (walkability index >1.8). A 10 percentile increase in walkability, right above 1.8 was associated with a 0.84% decrease in log BMI. The relationship between walkability and BMI existed only among younger participants (walkability was nonlinearly linked to lower BMI independent of air pollution and greenness. Our findings highlight the importance of accounting for nonlinear confounding by interrelated urban environmental factors when investigating associations between the environment and BMI.

  10. Environmental impacts of coal mine and thermal power plant to the surroundings of Barapukuria, Dinajpur, Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, Md Nazir; Paul, Shitangsu Kumar; Hasan, Md Muyeed

    2015-04-01

    The study was carried out to analyse the environmental impacts of coal mine and coal-based thermal power plant to the surrounding environment of Barapukuria, Dinajpur. The analyses of coal, water, soil and fly ash were carried out using standard sample testing methods. This study found that coal mining industry and coal-based thermal power plant have brought some environmental and socio-economic challenges to the adjacent areas such as soil, water and air pollution, subsidence of agricultural land and livelihood insecurity of inhabitants. The pH values, heavy metal, organic carbon and exchangeable cations of coal water treated in the farmland soil suggest that coal mining deteriorated the surrounding water and soil quality. The SO4(2-) concentration in water samples was beyond the range of World Health Organisation standard. Some physico-chemical properties such as pH, conductivity, moisture content, bulk density, unburned carbon content, specific gravity, water holding capacity, liquid and plastic limit were investigated on coal fly ash of Barapukuria thermal power plant. Air quality data provided by the Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited were contradictory with the result of interview with the miners and local inhabitants. However, coal potentially contributes to the development of economy of Bangladesh but coal mining deteriorates the environment by polluting air, water and soil. In general, this study includes comprehensive baseline data for decision makers to evaluate the feasibility of coal power industry at Barapukuria and the coalmine itself.

  11. pH Control in Fog and Rain in East Asia: Temporal Advection of Clean Air Masses to Mt. Bamboo, Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Otto Klemm

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Fog and rain was collected during an 18-day period in January 2011 at Mt. Bamboo, northern Taiwan. Almost 300 hourly fog samples and 16 daily rain samples were taken. One single fog sample (pH 3.17 was influenced by local volcanic activity, otherwise the pH ranged from 3.23 to 6.41 in fog and from 3.59 to 6.31 in rain. All the respective air masses arrived from the northeast, but exhibited two distinct groups: Group_1 had high concentrations of all ions (median interquartile range of total ion concentrations 3200–6200 µeq.·L−1 and low pHs (median 3.52, the respective air masses had travelled over densely populated and industrialized regions of mainland China. Group_2 was from air masses with long travel times over the ocean and relatively low total ion concentrations (80–570 µeq.·L−1 and higher pHs (median 4.80. The cleanest samples are among the cleanest reported in the literature of worldwide fog and rain. In both groups, the pH was governed by the balance of sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and, in some cases, calcium. The variability of these ions was higher than the variability of 10−pH, which shows that the pH is a rather robust parameter in contrast to its drivers such as non-sea-salt sulfate.

  12. Counting systems characterization for air activity measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vijayakumar, B.; Balamurugan, M.; Ravi, P.M.

    2018-01-01

    Air activity measurements are carried out continuously at all the nuclear power plant (NPP) sites both during pre-operational phase and also during operation of nuclear facility. These measurements provide a trend line for the background air activity in the surrounding environments of an operating NPP. Any increase in air activity over the benchmark level becomes very handy to investigate the releases from the station and to give feedback to the operators of NPP about the prevailing air activity levels and their correlation to the plant releases. This paper compiles the results obtained for air filter samples using different counters operating in GM region and also plastic scintillators

  13. On Defining Mass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hecht, Eugene

    2011-01-01

    Though central to any pedagogical development of physics, the concept of mass is still not well understood. Properly defining mass has proven to be far more daunting than contemporary textbooks would have us believe. And yet today the origin of mass is one of the most aggressively pursued areas of research in all of physics. Much of the excitement surrounding the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is associated with discovering the mechanism responsible for the masses of the elementary particles. This paper will first briefly examine the leading definitions, pointing out their shortcomings. Then, utilizing relativity theory, it will propose—for consideration by the community of physicists—a conceptual definition of mass predicated on the more fundamental concept of energy, more fundamental in that everything that has mass has energy, yet not everything that has energy has mass.

  14. Assessment for hydrodynamic masses of HANARO flow tubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Jeong Soo; Cho, Yeong Garp; Kim, Doo Kie; Woo, Jong Sug; Park, Jin Ho

    2000-06-01

    The effect of hydrodynamic masses is investigated in dynamic characteristics and seismic response analyses of the submerged HANARO hexagonal flow tubes. Consistent hydrodynamic masses of the surrounding water are evaluated by the prepared program using the finite element method, in which arbitrary cross-sections of submerged structures and boundary conditions of the surrounding fluid can be considered. Also lumped hydrodynamic masses are calculated using simple formula applied to hexagonal flow tubes in the infinite fluid. Modal analyses and seismic response spectrum analyses were performed using hydrodynamic masses obtained by the finite element method and the simple formula. The results of modal analysis were verified by comparing the results measured from modal tests. And the displacement results of the seismic response spectrum analysis were assessed by comparing the consistent and the lumped hydrodynamic masses obtained by various methods. Finally practical criteria based on parametric studies are proposed as the lumped hydrodynamic masses for HANARO flow tubes

  15. Assessment for hydrodynamic masses of HANARO flow tubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryu, Jeong Soo; Cho, Yeong Garp; Kim, Doo Kie; Woo, Jong Sug; Park, Jin Ho

    2000-06-01

    The effect of hydrodynamic masses is investigated in dynamic characteristics and seismic response analyses of the submerged HANARO hexagonal flow tubes. Consistent hydrodynamic masses of the surrounding water are evaluated by the prepared program using the finite element method, in which arbitrary cross-sections of submerged structures and boundary conditions of the surrounding fluid can be considered. Also lumped hydrodynamic masses are calculated using simple formula applied to hexagonal flow tubes in the infinite fluid. Modal analyses and seismic response spectrum analyses were performed using hydrodynamic masses obtained by the finite element method and the simple formula. The results of modal analysis were verified by comparing the results measured from modal tests. And the displacement results of the seismic response spectrum analysis were assessed by comparing the consistent and the lumped hydrodynamic masses obtained by various methods. Finally practical criteria based on parametric studies are proposed as the lumped hydrodynamic masses for HANARO flow tubes.

  16. Emissions of Escherichia coli Carrying Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Resistance from Pig Farms to the Surrounding Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lili Gao

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The dissemination of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli from food-producing animals to the surrounding environment has attracted much attention. To determine the emissions of ESBL-producing E. coli from pig farms to the surrounding environment, fecal and environmental samples from six pig farms were collected. In total, 119 ESBL-producing E. coli were isolated from feces, air samples, water, sludge and soil samples. Antibiotic susceptibility testing showed that the ESBL-producing isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotics and isolates of different origin within the same farm showed similar resistance phenotypes. Both CTX-M and TEM ESBL-encoding genes were detected in these isolates. CTX-M-14 and CTX-M-15 were the predominant ESBL genes identified. ESBL producers from feces and environmental samples within the same farm carried similar CTX-M types. The results indicated that the ESBL-producing E. coli carrying multidrug resistance could readily disseminate to the surrounding environment.

  17. Measurement of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air by thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Xiao-Ming; Xu, Xiu-Xiu; Bian, Lei; Luo, Zong-Xiu; Chen, Zong-Mao

    2015-12-01

    Determination of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air is important to understand chemical communication between plants and insects and will aid the development of semiochemicals from plants for pest control. In this study, a thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) method was developed to measure ultra-trace levels of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air. The desorption parameters of TD, including sorbent tube material, tube desorption temperature, desorption time, and cold trap temperature, were selected and optimized. In GC-MS analysis, the selected ion monitoring mode was used for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. This method was sufficiently sensitive to detect part-per-trillion levels of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air. Laboratory and field evaluation revealed that the method presented high precision and accuracy. Field studies indicated that the background odor of tea plantations contained some common volatile plant compounds, such as (Z)-3-hexenol, methyl salicylate, and (E)-ocimene, at concentrations ranging from 1 to 3400 ng m(-3). In addition, the background odor in summer was more abundant in quality and quantity than in autumn. Relative to previous methods, the TD-GC-MS method is more sensitive, permitting accurate qualitative and quantitative measurements of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air.

  18. Mass balance for lead in the California South Coast Air Basin: An update

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lankey, R.L.; Davidson, C.I.; McMichael, F.C.

    1998-01-01

    A mass balance for lead for the year 1989 in the South Coast Air Basin has inputs to the atmosphere of 600 ± 190 kg/day and outputs of 580 ± 160 kg/day, showing rough agreement. Stationary sources are responsible for only about 5% of the total lead emissions. The bulk of the lead is emitted from vehicles using leaded gasoline (37%) and unleaded gasoline (15%), as well as from resuspension of previously deposited lead on roads (43%). Over half of the total emitted lead deposits on roads and nearby soil, while about one-third is carried out of the basin by wind. A small amount, less than 10%, is deposited on surfaces throughout the basin. These percentages are approximately the same as those in a mass balance for the same region calculated for 1972, when lead emissions from leaded gasoline were about a factor of 70 greater than leaded gas emissions in 1989. When the lead emissions re used as inputs o a simple continuously stirred flow reactor model for the basin, reasonable, agreement is obtained between calculated and measured concentrations

  19. Experiments on the Microenvironment and Breathing of a Person in Isothermal and Stratified Surroundings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Peter V.; Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Litewnicki, Michal

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates the characteristics of human exhalation. Experiments are performed on a breathing thermal manikin in a test room. The manikin is heated, and an artificial lung is used to generate varying air flows with specific flow rates and temperatures for breathing. Smoke visualisation...... is used to show the formation, movement and disappearance of the exhalation jets from both nose and mouth. The exhalation of breathing without ventilation in the room, and with stratified surroundings (displacement ventilation) is analysed....

  20. KINEMATIC STUDY OF THE AIR FLOW PRODUCED BY SOME SPRAYERS USED IN “TENDONE” VINEYARDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Pascuzzi

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available A computerized measuring system to analyse the vector field of the air velocities in a volume surrounding the fan of air assisted sprayers usually used in tendone vineyards was designed and built. The performance of three different sprayers was tested: the first, a traditional air-convection sprayer, the other two, suitably designed for treatments in tendone vineyards. The air flow which exited through the discharge diffusers and moving towards the target sucked air from the surrounding environment that enlarged the flow rate on the target. The available flow was that which reached the vegetative and productive area, placed in a horizontal position respectively at 1.8 m and 2.0 m from the ground plane. The pneumatic sprayer produced an air flow clearly directed towards the top of the vines.

  1. Non-proximate mass spectrometry using a heated 1-m long PTFE tube and an air-tight APCI ion source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Usmanov, Dilshadbek T.; Hiraoka, Kenzo; Wada, Hiroshi; Matsumura, Masaya; Sanada-Morimura, Sachiyo; Nonami, Hiroshi; Yamabe, Shinichi

    2017-01-01

    Direct and rapid trace-level gas analysis is highly needed in various fields such as safety and security, quality control, food analysis, and forensic medicine. In many cases, the real samples are bulky and are not accessible to the space-limited ion source of the mass spectrometer. In order to circumvent this problem, we developed an airtight atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) ion source equipped with a flexible 1-m-long, 2-mm-i.d. PTFE sniffing tube. The ambient air bearing sample gas was sucked into the heated PTFE tube (130 °C) and was transported to the air-tight ion source without using any extra pumping system or a Venturi device. Analytes were ionized by an ac corona discharge located at 1.5 mm from the inlet of the mass spectrometer. By using the airtight ion source, all the ionized gas in the ion source was introduced into the vacuum of the mass spectrometer via only the evacuation of the mass spectrometer (1.6 l min"−"1). Sub-pg limits of detection were obtained for carbaryl and trinitrotoluene. Owing to its flexibility and high sensitivity, the sniffing tube coupled with a mass spectrometer can be used as the stethoscope for the high-sensitive gas analysis. The experimental results obtained for drugs, hydrogen peroxide and small alkanes were discussed by DFT calculations. - Highlights: • Non-proximate mass spectrometry for the trace-level gas analysis was developed. • Using a 1-m long flexible PTFE tube, it can be applicable to complicated-shape real-world samples. • By atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the airtight ion source, sub-pg limits of detection were attained. • Adsorption of less-volatility compounds was negligible with the tube temperature at 130° C. • Novel experimental results obtained were fully examined by density functional theory calculations.

  2. Non-proximate mass spectrometry using a heated 1-m long PTFE tube and an air-tight APCI ion source

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Usmanov, Dilshadbek T. [Clean Energy Research Center, University of Yamanashi, Takeda-4, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400-8511 (Japan); Institute of Ion-Plasma and Laser Technologies, Durmon Yoli Street 33, 100125, Tashkent (Uzbekistan); Hiraoka, Kenzo, E-mail: hiraoka@yamanashi.ac.jp [Clean Energy Research Center, University of Yamanashi, Takeda-4, Kofu, Yamanashi, 400-8511 (Japan); Wada, Hiroshi [Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 496 Izumi, Chikugo, Fukuoka 833-0041 (Japan); Matsumura, Masaya; Sanada-Morimura, Sachiyo [Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Suya 2421, shiKo, Kumamoto 861-1192 (Japan); Nonami, Hiroshi [Plant Biophysics/Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 T Tarumi, 790-0905, Matsuyama (Japan); Yamabe, Shinichi, E-mail: yamabesh@gmail.com [Department of Material Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Takayama-cho, 8916-5, Ikoma, Nara, 630−0101 (Japan)

    2017-06-22

    Direct and rapid trace-level gas analysis is highly needed in various fields such as safety and security, quality control, food analysis, and forensic medicine. In many cases, the real samples are bulky and are not accessible to the space-limited ion source of the mass spectrometer. In order to circumvent this problem, we developed an airtight atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) ion source equipped with a flexible 1-m-long, 2-mm-i.d. PTFE sniffing tube. The ambient air bearing sample gas was sucked into the heated PTFE tube (130 °C) and was transported to the air-tight ion source without using any extra pumping system or a Venturi device. Analytes were ionized by an ac corona discharge located at 1.5 mm from the inlet of the mass spectrometer. By using the airtight ion source, all the ionized gas in the ion source was introduced into the vacuum of the mass spectrometer via only the evacuation of the mass spectrometer (1.6 l min{sup −1}). Sub-pg limits of detection were obtained for carbaryl and trinitrotoluene. Owing to its flexibility and high sensitivity, the sniffing tube coupled with a mass spectrometer can be used as the stethoscope for the high-sensitive gas analysis. The experimental results obtained for drugs, hydrogen peroxide and small alkanes were discussed by DFT calculations. - Highlights: • Non-proximate mass spectrometry for the trace-level gas analysis was developed. • Using a 1-m long flexible PTFE tube, it can be applicable to complicated-shape real-world samples. • By atmospheric pressure chemical ionization in the airtight ion source, sub-pg limits of detection were attained. • Adsorption of less-volatility compounds was negligible with the tube temperature at 130° C. • Novel experimental results obtained were fully examined by density functional theory calculations.

  3. Pressurized solid oxide fuel cell integral air accumular containment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillett, James E.; Zafred, Paolo R.; Basel, Richard A.

    2004-02-10

    A fuel cell generator apparatus contains at least one fuel cell subassembly module in a module housing, where the housing is surrounded by a pressure vessel such that there is an air accumulator space, where the apparatus is associated with an air compressor of a turbine/generator/air compressor system, where pressurized air from the compressor passes into the space and occupies the space and then flows to the fuel cells in the subassembly module, where the air accumulation space provides an accumulator to control any unreacted fuel gas that might flow from the module.

  4. A Method for Estimating Mass-Transfer Coefficients in a Biofilter from Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometer Data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Anders Michael; Nielsen, Lars Peter; Feilberg, Anders

    2009-01-01

    A membrane inlet mass spectrometer (MIMS) was used in combination with a developed computer model to study and improve management of a biofilter (BF) treating malodorous ventilation air from a meat rendering facility. The MIMS was used to determine percentage removal efficiencies (REs) of selected...... sulfur gases and to provide toluene retention profiles for the model to determine the air velocity and overall mass-transfer coefficient of toluene. The mass-transfer coefficient of toluene was used as a reference for determining the mass transfer of sulfur gases. By presenting the model to scenarios...... of a filter bed with a consortium of effective sulfur oxidizers, the most likely mechanism for incomplete removal of sulfur compounds from the exhaust air was elucidated. This was found to be insufficient mass transfer and not inadequate bacterial activity as anticipated by the manager of the BF. Thus...

  5. Impact of Particulate Matter Exposure and Surrounding “Greenness” on Chronic Absenteeism in Massachusetts Public Schools

    OpenAIRE

    MacNaughton, Piers; Eitland, Erika; Kloog, Itai; Schwartz, Joel; Allen, Joseph

    2017-01-01

    Chronic absenteeism is associated with poorer academic performance and higher attrition in kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12) schools. In prior research, students who were chronically absent generally had fewer employment opportunities and worse health after graduation. We examined the impact that environmental factors surrounding schools have on chronic absenteeism. We estimated the greenness (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)) and fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) wit...

  6. Mass transfer behavior of tritium from air to water through the water surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takata, Hiroki; Nishikawa, Masabumi; Kamimae, Kozo

    2005-01-01

    It is anticipated that a certain amount of tritiated water exists in the atmosphere of tritium handling facilities, and it is recognized that the hazardous potential of tritiated water is rather high. Then, it is important to grasp the behavior of tritiated water for preserving of the radiation safety. The mass transfer behavior of tritium from air to water through the water surface was discussed in this study. The evaporation rate of water and the condensation rate of water were experimentally examined from measurement of change of the weight of distilled water. The tritium transfer rate from the tritiated water in air to the distilled water was also experimentally examined by using a liquid scintillation counter. Experimental results about change of tritium level in a small beaker placed in the atmosphere with tritiated water showed that diffusion of tritium in water and gas flow in the atmosphere gives considerable effect on tritium transfer. The estimation method of the tritium transfer made in this study was applied to explain the data at The Japan Atomic Power Company second power station at Tsuruga and good agreement was obtained. (author)

  7. Air-sea fluxes and satellite-based estimation of water masses formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabia, Roberto; Klockmann, Marlene; Fernandez-Prieto, Diego; Donlon, Craig

    2015-04-01

    Recent work linking satellite-based measurements of sea surface salinity (SSS) and sea surface temperature (SST) with traditional physical oceanography has demonstrated the capability of generating routinely satellite-derived surface T-S diagrams [1] and analyze the distribution/dynamics of SSS and its relative surface density with respect to in-situ measurements. Even more recently [2,3], this framework has been extended by exploiting these T-S diagrams as a diagnostic tool to derive water masses formation rates and areas. A water mass describes a water body with physical properties distinct from the surrounding water, formed at the ocean surface under specific conditions which determine its temperature and salinity. The SST and SSS (and thus also density) at the ocean surface are largely determined by fluxes of heat and freshwater. The surface density flux is a function of the latter two and describes the change of the density of seawater at the surface. To obtain observations of water mass formation is of great interest, since they serve as indirect observations of the thermo-haline circulation. The SSS data which has become available through the SMOS [4] and Aquarius [5] satellite missions will provide the possibility of studying also the effect of temporally-varying SSS fields on water mass formation. In the present study, the formation of water masses as a function of SST and SSS is derived from the surface density flux by integrating the latter over a specific area and time period in bins of SST and SSS and then taking the derivative of the total density flux with respect to density. This study presents a test case using SMOS SSS, OSTIA SST, as well as Argo ISAS SST and SSS for comparison, heat fluxes from the NOCS Surface Flux Data Set v2.0, OAFlux evaporation and CMORPH precipitation. The study area, initially referred to the North Atlantic, is extended over two additional ocean basins and the study period covers the 2011-2012 timeframe. Yearly, seasonal

  8. Comparison of mass and energy balances for air blown and thermally ballasted fluidized bed gasifiers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lysenko, Steve; Sadaka, Samy; Brown, Robert C.

    2012-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the mass and energy balances for a conventional air blown fluidized bed gasifier and a ballasted fluidized bed gasifier developed at Iowa State University. The ballasted gasifier is an indirectly heated gasifier that uses a single reactor for both combustion and pyrolysis. Heat accumulated in high-temperature phase change material during the combustion phase is released during the pyrolysis phase to generate producer gas. Gas composition, tar and char contents, cold gas efficiency, carbon conversion, and hydrogen yield per unit biomass input were determined as part of these evaluation. During the pyrolysis phase of ballasted gasification, higher volumetric concentrations of hydrogen and methane were obtained than during air blown gasification. Hydrogen yield for ballasted gasification was 14 g kg −1 of biomass, which was about 20% higher than that obtained during air blown gasification. The higher heating value of the producer gas also reached higher levels during the ballasted pyrolysis phase than that of air blown gasification. Heating value for air blown gasification was 5.2 MJ m −3 whereas the heating value for the ballasted pyrolysis phase averaged 5.5 MJ m −3 , reaching a maximum of 8.0 MJ m −3 . The ballasted gasifier was expected to yield producer gas with average heating value as high as 15 MJ m −3 but excessive use of nitrogen to purge and cool the fuel feeder system greatly diluted the producer gas. Relatively simple redesign of the feeder system would greatly reduce the use of purge gas and may increase the heating values to about 17.5 MJ m −3 . Higher char production per kilogram of biomass was associated with the ballasted system, producing 140 g kg −1 of biomass compared to only 53 g kg −1 of biomass during air blown gasification. On the other hand, tar concentrations in the producer gas were 6.0 g m −3 for ballasted gasification compared to 11.7 g m −3 for air blown gasification. On

  9. Water spray interaction with air-steam mixtures under containment spray conditions: comparison of heat and mass transfer modelling with the TOSQAN spray tests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malet, J.; Lemaitre, P.; Porcheron, E.; Vendel, J.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: During the course of a hypothetical severe accident in a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), hydrogen can be produced by the reactor core oxidation and distributed into the reactor containment according to convection flows and water steam wall condensation. In order to mitigate the risk of detonation generated by a high local hydrogen concentration, spray systems are used in the containment. The TOSQAN programme has been created to simulate separate-effect tests representative of typical accidental thermal-hydraulic flow conditions in the reactor containment. The present work concerns the interaction of a water spray, used at the top of the containment in order to reduce the steam partial pressure, with air-steam mixtures. The main phenomena occurring when water spray is used are the mixing induced by spray entrainment and the condensation on droplets. In order to improve the latter phenomena, different levels of modelling can be used. The objective of this paper is to analyze experimental results obtained for water spray interaction with air-steam mixtures using different heat and mass transfer modelling. For this purpose, two modelling issues have been used: the first one is devoted for the determination of the gas thermodynamical properties, and the second one concerns the droplets characterization. In the first one, the gas thermodynamical analysis is performed using depressurization, gas temperature variation and humidity decrease during the spray injection. In this modelling, heat and mass transfer between the spray and the surrounding gas is treated in a global way by energy balance between the total amount of water and the gas. In the second one, droplets characterization is obtained by means of droplet size, temperature and velocities evolutions. In this modelling, the spray is considered as a single droplet falling with an initial velocity. Droplet interactions are neglected. Assessment of these two modelling is performed

  10. Modeling of coupled thermodynamic and geomechanical performance of underground compressed air energy storage in lined rock caverns

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rutqvist, Jonny; Kim, Hyung-Mok; Ryu, Dong-Woo; Synn, Joong-Ho; Song, Won-Kyong

    2012-06-01

    We applied coupled nonisothermal, multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical numerical modeling to study the coupled thermodynamic and geomechanical performance of underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) in concrete-lined rock caverns. The paper focuses on CAES in lined caverns at relatively shallow depth (e.g., 100 m depth) in which a typical CAES operational pressure of 5 to 8 MPa is significantly higher than both ambient fluid pressure and in situ stress. We simulated a storage operation that included cyclic compression and decompression of air in the cavern, and investigated how pressure, temperature and stress evolve over several months of operation. We analyzed two different lining options, both with a 50 cm thick low permeability concrete lining, but in one case with an internal synthetic seal such as steel or rubber. For our simulated CAES system, the thermodynamic analysis showed that 96.7% of the energy injected during compression could be recovered during subsequent decompression, while 3.3% of the energy was lost by heat conduction to the surrounding media. Our geomechanical analysis showed that tensile effective stresses as high as 8 MPa could develop in the lining as a result of the air pressure exerted on the inner surface of the lining, whereas thermal stresses were relatively smaller and compressive. With the option of an internal synthetic seal, the maximum effective tensile stress was reduced from 8 to 5 MPa, but was still in substantial tension. We performed one simulation in which the tensile tangential stresses resulted in radial cracks and air leakage though the lining. This air leakage, however, was minor (about 0.16% of the air mass loss from one daily compression) in terms of CAES operational efficiency, and did not significantly impact the overall energy balance of the system. However, despite being minor in terms of energy balance, the air leakage resulted in a distinct pressure increase in the surrounding rock that could be

  11. CityAir app: Mapping air-quality perception using people as sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castell, Nuria; Fredriksen, Mirjam; Cole-Hunter, Thomas; Robinson, Johanna; Keune, Hans; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Bartonova, Alena

    2016-04-01

    Outdoor air pollution is a major environmental health problem affecting all people in developed and developing countries alike. Ambient (outdoor) air pollution in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 3.7 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012. In modern society, people are expending an increasing amount of time in polluted urban environments, thus increasing their exposure and associated health responses. Some cities provide information about air pollution levels to their citizens using air quality monitoring networks. However, due to their high cost and maintenance, the density of the monitoring networks is very low and not capable to capture the high temporal and spatial variability of air pollution. Thus, the citizen lacks a specific answer to the question of "how the air quality is in our surroundings". In the framework of the EU-funded CITI-SENSE project the innovative concept of People as Sensors is being applied to the field of outdoor air pollution. This is being done in eight European cities, including Barcelona, Belgrade, Edinburgh, Haifa, Ljubljana, Oslo, Ostrava and Vienna. People as Sensors defines a measurement model, in which measurements are not only taken by hardware sensors, but in which also humans can contribute with their individual "measurements" such as their subjective perception of air quality and other personal observations. In order to collect the personal observations a mobile app, CityAir, has been developed. CityAir allows citizens to rate the air quality in their surroundings with colour at their current location: green if air quality is very good, yellow if air quality is good, orange if air quality is poor and red if air quality is very poor. The users have also the possibility of indicating the source of pollution (i.e. traffic, industry, wood burning) and writing a comment. The information is on-line and accessible for other app users, thus contributing to create an air-quality map based on citizens' perception

  12. Mass transport of soluble species through backfill into surrounding rock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Chul Hyung; Park, Hun Hwee

    1992-01-01

    Some soluble species may not be solubility-limited or congruent-released with the matrix species. For example, during the operation of the nuclear reactor, the fission products can be accumulated in the fuel-cladding gap, void, and grain boundaries of the fuel rods. In the waste package for spent-fuel placed in a geologic repository, the high solubility species of these fission products accumulated in the 'gap', e.g. cesium or iodine are expected to dissolve rapidly when ground water penetrates fuel rods. The time and space dependent mass transport for high solubility nuclides in the gap is analyzed, and its numerical illustrations are demonstrated. The approximate solution that is valid for all times is developed, and validated by comparison with an asymptotic solution and the solution obtained by the numerical inversion of Laplace transform covering the entire time span. (Author)

  13. Study of the air quality in the surroundings of an urban park: A micrometeorological approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sastre, Mariano; Yagüe, Carlos; Arrillaga, Jon A.; Román-Cascón, Carlos; Maqueda, Gregorio; Artíñano, Begoña; Díaz-Ramiro, Elías; Gómez-Moreno, Francisco J.; Barreiro, Marcos; Borge, Rafael; Narros, Adolfo; Pérez, Javier; Quaassdorff, Christina

    2017-04-01

    In this work we study the differences showed by two types of pollutants, particulate matter (PM) and NOx, by comparing ambient concentration measurements within an urban park versus the corresponding values nearby (but outside) it. The results are linked to both proximity to emission sources, such as road traffic, and the microscale atmospheric conditions. The work is motivated by the fact that poor air quality is a crucial issue of current cities. For some of them it is not uncommon to face this problem with occasional traffic restrictions when high concentrations of pollutants are reached. These events occur more frequently with specific large-scale atmospheric conditions, for example when a strong anticyclone is present. As the meteorological conditions may significantly influence the pollutants concentrations, the research project TECNAIRE-CM (Innovative technologies for the assessment and improvement of urban air quality) aims to provide new approaches to obtain proper descriptions of the urban pollution and its dynamics at different spatial and temporal scales, not only the synoptic scale. So far, a few field campaigns have been developed within TECNAIRE-CM at two locations in the city of Madrid, which are considered hot spots according to the air quality network records. Here we use the data from a field campaign carried out during summer 2016, which consider standard pollution and meteorological measurements, as well as sonic anemometer data. The latter help to include atmospheric turbulence as a significant agent for air quality characterization. The instrumentation was deployed at a location with considerable traffic density, but nearby a border of the main urban park of the city, so that its influence might be investigated. Supplementary data considered for this work correspond to permanent instrumentation within the park. With this extra information we can compare both measurements inside and outside the park. Therefore, we study the effect on wind

  14. Characterization of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, and polychlorinated naphthalenes in the environment surrounding secondary copper and aluminum metallurgical facilities in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jicheng; Zheng, Minghui; Liu, Wenbin; Nie, Zhiqiang; Li, Changliang; Liu, Guorui; Xiao, Ke

    2014-10-01

    Unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (UP-POPs) were determined in ambient air from around five secondary non-ferrous metal processing plants in China, to investigate the potential impacts of the emissions of these plants on their surrounding environments. The target compounds were polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs), and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). The PCDD/F, dl-PCB, and PCN concentrations in the ambient air downwind of the plants were 4.70-178, 8.23-7520 and 152-4190 pg/m(3), respectively, and the concentrations upwind of the plants were lower. Clear correlations were found between ambient air and stack gas concentrations of the PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, and PCNs among the five plants, respectively. Furthermore, the UP-POPs homolog and congener patterns in the ambient air were similar to the patterns in the stack gas samples. These results indicate that UP-POPs emissions from the plants investigated have obvious impacts on the environments surrounding the plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Coefficients of resistance to cold-air-drainage winds on a grass-covered slope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komoda, H.; Kobayashi, T.; Mori, M.; Kaneko, T.

    2006-01-01

    The cold-air-drainage (CAD) wind is one of the most familiar local winds in Japan. It is driven by the surplus of density, or the deficit of potential temperature produced by radiative cooling in the surface air layer on a slope, and is resisted by the ground surface and the surrounding atmosphere. The coefficients of resistance of the ground surface and the surrounding atmosphere change with the CAD wind speed. The observations made on a grass-covered slope of Mt. Kuju showed that the resistance exerted by the surrounding atmosphere was much larger than that by the ground surface, and the sum of two coefficients of resistance decreased by one order of magnitude when the CAD wind speed exceeded some critical value

  16. An Overview of Air Pollution Problem in Megacities and City Clusters in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, X.

    2007-05-01

    China has experienced the rapid economic growth in last twenty years. City clusters, which consist of one or several mega cities in close vicinity and many satellite cities and towns, are playing a leading role in Chinese economic growth, owing to their collective economic capacity and interdependency. However, accompanying with the economic boom, population growth and increased energy consumption, the air quality has been degrading in the past two decades. Air pollution in those areas is characterized by concurrent occurrence of high concentrations of multiple primary pollutants leading to form complex secondary pollution problem. After decades long efforts to control air pollution, both the government and scientific communities have realized that to control regional scale air pollution, regional efforts are needed. Field experiments covering the regions like Pearl River Delta region and Beijing City with surrounding areas are critical to understand the chemical and physical processes leading to the formation of regional scale air pollution. In order to formulate policy suggestions for air quality attainment during 2008 Beijing Olympic game and to propose objectives of air quality attainment in 2010 in Beijing, CAREBEIJING (Campaigns of Air Quality Research in Beijing and Surrounding Region) was organized by Peking University in 2006 to learn current air pollution situation of the region, and to identify the transport and transformation processes that lead to the impact of the surrounding area on air quality in Beijing. Same as the purpose for understanding the chemical and physical processes happened in regional scale, the fall and summer campaigns in 2004 and 2006 were carried out in Pearl River Delta. More than 16 domestic and foreign institutions were involved in these campaigns. The background, current status, problems, and some results of these campaigns will be introduced in this presentation.

  17. Dissipation of Impact Stress Waves within the Artificial Blasting Damage Zone in the Surrounding Rocks of Deep Roadway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianguo Ning

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Artificial explosions are commonly used to prevent rockburst in deep roadways. However, the dissipation of the impact stress wave within the artificial blasting damage zone (ABDZ of the rocks surrounding a deep roadway has not yet been clarified. The surrounding rocks were divided into the elastic zone, blasting damage zone, plastic zone, and anchorage zone in this research. Meanwhile, the ABDZ was divided into the pulverizing area, fractured area, and cracked area from the inside out. Besides, the model of the normal incidence of the impact stress waves in the ABDZ was established; the attenuation coefficient of the amplitude of the impact stress waves was obtained after it passed through the intact rock mass, and ABDZ, to the anchorage zone. In addition, a numerical simulation was used to study the dynamic response of the vertical stress and impact-induced vibration energy in the surrounding rocks. By doing so, the dissipation of the impact stress waves within the ABDZ of the surrounding rocks was revealed. As demonstrated in the field application, the establishment of the ABDZ in the surrounding rocks reduced the effect of the impact-induced vibration energy on the anchorage support system of the roadway.

  18. Effects of Co-Processing Sewage Sludge in the Cement Kiln on PAHs, Heavy Metals Emissions and the Surrounding Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Dong; Zhu, Tianle; Liu, Runwei; Li, Xinghua; Zhao, Yuan; Sun, Ye; Wang, Hongmei; Zhang, Fan; Zhao, Qinglin

    2018-04-08

    To understand the effects of co-processing sewage sludge in the cement kiln on non-criterion pollutants emissions and its surrounding environment, the flue gas from a cement kiln stack, ambient air and soil from the background/downwind sites were collected in the cement plant. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals of the samples were analyzed. The results show that PAHs in flue gas mainly exist in the gas phase and the low molecular weight PAHs are the predominant congener. The co-processing sewage sludge results in the increase in PAHs and heavy metals emissions, especially high molecular weight PAHs and low-volatile heavy metals such as Cd and Pb in the particle phase, while it does not change their compositions and distribution patterns significantly. The concentrations and their distributions of the PAHs and heavy metals between the emissions and ambient air have a positive correlation and the co-processing sewage sludge results in the increase of PAHs and heavy metals concentrations in the ambient air. The PAHs concentration level and their distribution in soil are proportional to those in the particle phase of flue gas, and the co-processing sewage sludge can accelerate the accumulation of the PAHs and heavy metals in the surrounding soil, especially high/middle molecular weight PAHs and low-volatile heavy metals.

  19. Vegetation and other development options for mitigating urban air pollution impacts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richard Baldauf; David J. Nowak

    2014-01-01

    While air pollution control devices and programs are the primary method of reducing emissions, urban air pollution can be further mitigated through planning and design strategies, including vegetation preservation and planting, building design and development, installing roadside and near-source structures, and modifying surrounding terrain features.

  20. Further studies of the effects of smoke from towns upon vegetation in the surrounding areas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crowther, C; Steuart, D W

    1914-01-01

    The relative degree of air pollution was measured in various parts of Leeds and in the surrounding semi-urban and rural areas to a distance in some directions of seven miles from the center of the city. Subsequently, an attempt was made to directly measure the effects of the pollution upon crops grown in various parts of the area investigated. Reasonably well controlled experiments were carried out to examine the effects on growth rate of grass and buckwheat. Results were suggestive but not conclusive. Attempts were made to determine which grasses do best in smoky regions by examining meadows while in flower. Many anecdotal reports are given of the negative effects of air pollution on specific crops, as well as the decreased vigor and hardiness of plants in general. 4 tables.

  1. Changes in unique hues induced by chromatic surrounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klauke, Susanne; Wachtler, Thomas

    2016-03-01

    A chromatic surround can have a strong influence on the perceived hue of a stimulus. We investigated whether chromatic induction has similar effects on the perception of colors that appear pure and unmixed (unique red, green, blue, and yellow) as on other colors. Subjects performed unique hue settings of stimuli in isoluminant surrounds of different chromaticities. Compared with the settings in a neutral gray surround, unique hue settings altered systematically with chromatic surrounds. The amount of induced hue shift depended on the difference between stimulus and surround hues, and was similar for unique hue settings as for settings of nonunique hues. Intraindividual variability in unique hue settings was roughly twice as high as for settings obtained in asymmetric matching experiments, which may reflect the presence of a reference stimulus in the matching task. Variabilities were also larger with chromatic surrounds than with neutral gray surrounds, for both unique hue settings and matching of nonunique hues. The results suggest that the neural representations underlying unique hue percepts are influenced by the same neural processing mechanisms as the percepts of other colors.

  2. The real-time gas mass filter system for the analysis of products from trichloroethylene-air mixture during electron beam irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hakoda, Teruyuki; Arai, Hidehiko; Hashimoto, Shoji

    2001-01-01

    The real-time gas mass filter system consisting of a mass filter and a capillary sampling tube was developed for the analysis of products during electron beam (EB) irradiation of trichloroethylene (TCE)-air mixture. Interesting trace substances in gases are analyzed by this gas mass filter system in real time. The gases at atmospheric pressure are introduced to the mass filter under vacuum through a capillary tube without packing. The system was calibrated with three different standard mono-gases which contain known concentrations of sulfur dioxide, benzene and chlorobenzene for each. And its detectable limits for each gas were in the range of 0.7-1 ppmv. Products of irradiated TCE-air mixture were analyzed with the system in real time. The concentrations of dichloroacetyl chloride and carbonyl chloride (COCl 2 ) increased by low dose irradiation when TCE was decomposed. These products decreased by higher dose irradiation and were identified as primary products. Trichloroethylene and these primary products were oxidized into CO 2 , Cl 2 , and HCl at 15 kGy. Carbonyl chloride was dissolved in NaOH aq for natural-oxidation into CO 3 2- and Cl - . The doses for the complete oxidation of TCE and the products were decreased from 15 to 7 kGy by the combination of the irradiation and the dissolution of the irradiated gas. The decomposition mechanism of TCE, especially formation of COCl 2 , was clarified from the change of the products as a function of dose. (author)

  3. Blooming Trees: Substructures and Surrounding Groups of Galaxy Clusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Heng; Diaferio, Antonaldo; Serra, Ana Laura; Baldi, Marco

    2018-06-01

    We develop the Blooming Tree Algorithm, a new technique that uses spectroscopic redshift data alone to identify the substructures and the surrounding groups of galaxy clusters, along with their member galaxies. Based on the estimated binding energy of galaxy pairs, the algorithm builds a binary tree that hierarchically arranges all of the galaxies in the field of view. The algorithm searches for buds, corresponding to gravitational potential minima on the binary tree branches; for each bud, the algorithm combines the number of galaxies, their velocity dispersion, and their average pairwise distance into a parameter that discriminates between the buds that do not correspond to any substructure or group, and thus eventually die, and the buds that correspond to substructures and groups, and thus bloom into the identified structures. We test our new algorithm with a sample of 300 mock redshift surveys of clusters in different dynamical states; the clusters are extracted from a large cosmological N-body simulation of a ΛCDM model. We limit our analysis to substructures and surrounding groups identified in the simulation with mass larger than 1013 h ‑1 M ⊙. With mock redshift surveys with 200 galaxies within 6 h ‑1 Mpc from the cluster center, the technique recovers 80% of the real substructures and 60% of the surrounding groups; in 57% of the identified structures, at least 60% of the member galaxies of the substructures and groups belong to the same real structure. These results improve by roughly a factor of two the performance of the best substructure identification algorithm currently available, the σ plateau algorithm, and suggest that our Blooming Tree Algorithm can be an invaluable tool for detecting substructures of galaxy clusters and investigating their complex dynamics.

  4. Analysis of air-, moisture- and solvent-sensitive chemical compounds by mass spectrometry using an inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosely, Jackie A; Stokes, Peter; Parker, David; Dyer, Philip W; Messinis, Antonis M

    2018-02-01

    A novel method has been developed that enables chemical compounds to be transferred from an inert atmosphere glove box and into the atmospheric pressure ion source of a mass spectrometer whilst retaining a controlled chemical environment. This innovative method is simple and cheap to implement on some commercially available mass spectrometers. We have termed this approach inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe ( iASAP) and demonstrate the benefit of this methodology for two air-/moisture-sensitive chemical compounds whose characterisation by mass spectrometry is now possible and easily achieved. The simplicity of the design means that moving between iASAP and standard ASAP is straightforward and quick, providing a highly flexible platform with rapid sample turnaround.

  5. Numerical analysis and experimental validation of heat transfer characteristic for flat-plate solar air collector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hung, Tzu-Chen; Huang, Tsung-Jie; Lee, Duen-Sheng; Lin, Chih-Hung; Pei, Bau-Shei; Li, Zeng-Yao

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Various types of solar air collectors are discussed. • CFD has been used to validate the characteristics of heat transfer. • Solar Ray Tracing has been successfully used for thermal radiation flux. - Abstract: This study combines both concepts of solar ventilation technology and solar air collector. This is a quite innovative and potential facility to effectively use thermal energy and reduce the accumulation of heat in the indoor space simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to create a prototype and implement the experiments. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach is employed to validate the characteristics of the flow and heat transfer. For the accuracy of numerical predictions, the method of Solar Ray Tracing was used for thermal radiation flux as boundary condition on the wall. The local heat transfer correlation was investigated to predict surrounding wind speed upon device cover. Three sorts of glasses and several aspect ratios of flow channels have been compared to conclude the optimal configuration. In addition, four important factors, such as the stagnant layer thickness, emissivity on the illustrated surface, mass flow rate and the height of the device, are also considered and discussed in detail. The result showed that the optimal design is dominated by the combination of an aspect ratio of 50 mm:10 mm, and appropriate mass flow rate to the height of the device. The present work on thermal energy collection can assist us in designing a powerful solar air collector in some potential applications.

  6. Community air monitoring for pesticides-part 2: multiresidue determination of pesticides in air by gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hengel, Matt; Lee, P

    2014-03-01

    Two multiresidue methods were developed to determine pesticides in air collected in California. Pesticides were trapped using XAD-4 resin and extracted with ethyl acetate. Based on an analytical method from the University of California Davis Trace Analytical Laboratory, pesticides were detected by analyzing the extract by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine chlorothalonil, chlorthal-dimethyl, cycloate, dicloran, dicofol, EPTC, ethalfluralin, iprodione, mefenoxam, metolachlor, PCNB, permethrin, pronamide, simazine, trifluralin, and vinclozolin. A GC with a flame photometric detector was used to determine chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxon, diazinon, diazinon oxon, dimethoate, dimethoate oxon, fonophos, fonophos oxon, malathion, malathion oxon, naled, and oxydemeton. Trapping efficiencies ranged from 78 to 92 % for low level (0.5 μg) and 37-104 % for high level (50 and 100 μg) recoveries. Little to no degradation of compounds occurred over 31 days; recoveries ranged from 78 to 113 %. In the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) method, pesticides were detected by analyzing the extract by GC-MS to determine chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, dichlorvos, dicofol, endosulfan 1, endosulfan sulfate, oxyfluorfen, permethrin, propargite, and trifluralin. A liquid chromatograph coupled to a MS was used to determine azinphos-methyl, chloropyrifos oxon, DEF, diazinon, diazinon oxon, dimethoate, dimethoate oxon, diuron, EPTC, malathion, malathion oxon, metolachlor, molinate, norflurazon, oryzalin, phosmet, propanil, simazine and thiobencarb. Trapping efficiencies for compounds determined by the CDFA method ranged from 10 to 113, 22 to 114, and 56 to 132 % for 10, 5, and 2 μg spikes, respectively. Storage tests yielded 70-170 % recovery for up to 28 days. These multiresidue methods represent flexible, sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective ways to determine residues of various pesticides in ambient air.

  7. Enhancement of combined heat and mass transfer in a vertical-tube heat and mass exchanger

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Webb, R.L.; Perez-Blanco, H.

    1986-01-01

    This paper studies enhancement of heat and mass transfer between a countercurrent, gravity-drained water film and air flowing in a vertical tube. The enhancement technique employed is spaced, transverse wires placed in the air boundary layer, near the air--water interface. Heat transfer correlations for turbulent, single-phase heat transfer in pipes having wall-attached spaced ribs are used to select the preferred wire diameter, and to predict the gas phase heat and mass transfer coefficients. Tests were run with two different radial placements of the rib roughness: (1) at the free surface of the liquid film, and (2) the base of the roughness displaced 0.51 mm into the air flow. The authors hypothesize that the best heat/mass transfer and friction performance will be obtained with the roughness at the surface of the water film. Experiments conducted with both roughness placements show that the authors' hypothesis is correct. The measured heat/mass transfer enhancement agreed very closely with the predicted values. A unique feature of the enhancement concept is that it does not require surface wetting of the enhancement device to provide enhancement

  8. Correlation of non-mass-like abnormal MR signal intensity with pathological findings surrounding pediatric osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masrouha, Karim Z.; Haidar, Rachid; Saghieh, Said; Musallam, Khaled M.; Samra, Alexis Bou; Tawil, Ayman; Chakhachiro, Zaher; Abdallah, Abeer; Khoury, Nabil J.; Saab, Raya; Muwakkit, Samar; Abboud, Miguel R.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this work was to determine the role of MRI in interpreting abnormal signals within bones and soft tissues adjacent to tumor bulk of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in a pediatric population by correlating MR findings with histopathology. Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria, which included (1) osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma, (2) MR studies no more than 2 months prior to surgery, (3) presence of abnormal MR signal surrounding the tumor bulk, (4) pathological material from resected tumor. The patients received standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Using grid maps on gross pathology specimens, the abnormal MR areas around the tumor were matched with the corresponding grid sections. Histopathology slides of these sections were then analyzed to determine the nature of the regions of interest. The MR/pathological correlation was evaluated using Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher's exact test. Twenty-seven patients had osteosarcoma and three patients had Ewing's sarcoma. Of the studied areas, 17.4% were positive for tumor (viable or necrotic). There was no statistically significant correlation between areas positive for tumor and age, gender, signal extent and intensity on MRI, or tissue type. There was, however, a statistically significant correlation between presence of tumor and the appearance of abnormal soft tissue signals. A feathery appearance correlated with tumor-negative areas whereas a bulky appearance correlated with tumor-positive regions. MR imaging is helpful in identifying the nature of abnormal signal areas surrounding bone sarcomas that are more likely to be tumor-free, particularly when the signal in the soft tissues surrounding the tumor is feathery and edema-like in appearance. (orig.)

  9. Effect of humidity and particle hygroscopicity on the mass loading capacity of high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, A.; Biswas, P.; Monson, P.R.; Novick, V.J.

    1993-01-01

    The effect of humidity, particle hygroscopicity, and size on the mass loading capacity of glass fiber high efficiency particulate air filters was studied. Above the deliquescent point, the pressure drop across the filter increased nonlinearly with areal loading density (mass collected/filtration area) of a NaCl aerosol, thus significantly reducing the mass loading capacity of the filter compared to dry hygroscopic or nonhygroscopic particle mass loadings. The specific cake resistance K 2 was computed for different test conditions and used as a measure of the mass loading capacity. K 2 was found to decrease with increasing humidity for nonhygroscopic aluminum oxide particles and for hygroscopic NaCl particles (at humidities below the deliquescent point). It is postulated that an increase in humidity leads to the formation of a more open particulate cake which lowers the pressure drop for a given mass loading. A formula for predicting K 2 for lognormally distributed aerosols (parameters obtained from impactor data) was derived. The resistance factor, R, calculated using this formula was compared to the theoretical R calculated using the Rudnick-Happel expression. For the nonhygroscopic aluminum oxide, the agreement was good but for the hygroscopic sodium chloride, due to large variation in the cake porosity estimates, the agreement was poor. 17 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs

  10. Measurement of spatial and temporal variation in volatile hazardous air pollutants in Tacoma, Washington, using a mobile membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davey, Nicholas G; Fitzpatrick, Cole T E; Etzkorn, Jacob M; Martinsen, Morten; Crampton, Robert S; Onstad, Gretchen D; Larson, Timothy V; Yost, Michael G; Krogh, Erik T; Gilroy, Michael; Himes, Kathy H; Saganić, Erik T; Simpson, Christopher D; Gill, Christopher G

    2014-09-19

    The objective of this study was to use membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS), implemented on a mobile platform, in order to provide real-time, fine-scale, temporally and spatially resolved measurements of several hazardous air pollutants. This work is important because there is now substantial evidence that fine-scale spatial and temporal variations of air pollutant concentrations are important determinants of exposure to air pollution and adverse health outcomes. The study took place in Tacoma, WA during periods of impaired air quality in the winter and summer of 2008 and 2009. Levels of fine particles were higher in winter compared to summer, and were spatially uniform across the study area. Concentrations of vapor phase pollutants measured by membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS), notably benzene and toluene, had relatively uniform spatial distributions at night, but exhibited substantial spatial variation during the day-daytime levels were up to 3-fold higher at traffic-impacted locations compared to a reference site. Although no direct side-by-side comparison was made between the MIMS system and traditional fixed site monitors, the MIMS system typically reported higher concentrations of specific VOCs, particularly benzene, ethylbenzene and naphthalene, compared to annual average concentrations obtained from SUMA canisters and gas chromatographic analysis at the fixed sites.

  11. Comparison of desiccant air conditioning systems with different indirect evaporative air coolers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pandelidis, Demis; Anisimov, Sergey; Worek, William M.; Drąg, Paweł

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A numerical study of desiccant air conditioning systems is presented. • The ε-NTU model is used for the analysis. • Different arrangements of the desiccant systems were compared. • The systems were compared under different operating conditions. - Abstract: This paper presents a numerical analysis of three desiccant air-conditioning systems equipped with different indirect evaporative air coolers: (1) the cross-flow Maisotsenko cycle heat and mass exchanger (HMX), (2) the regenerative counter-flow Maisotsenko cycle heat and mass exchanger and (3) the standard cross-flow evaporative air cooler. To analyze the desiccant wheel and the indirect evaporative air coolers, the modified ε-NTU-model was used. The simulations were performed under assumption that the desiccant wheel is regenerated with air heated to relatively low temperature values (50–60 °C), which can be produced with solar panels in typical moderate climatic conditions. It was established that the main advantage of the presented solutions is that they can provide comfort conditions even with less effective dehumidification. The different systems were compared under variable selected operational factors (i.e. inlet air temperature, humidity and regeneration air temperature). The analysis allowed establishing the advantages and disadvantages of presented solutions and allowed estimating their application potential.

  12. Exploring Land Use and Land Cover Effects on Air Quality in Central Alabama Using GIS and Remote Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen D. Superczynski

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Air pollution has been a major topic of debate in highly developed areas over the last quarter century and therefore mitigation of poor air quality for health and environmental reasons has been a primary focus for local governments. Particulate matter, especially finer particles (PM2.5, is detrimental to human health, and urban expansion is thought to be a contributing factor to enhanced levels of PM2.5. However, there is limited research on the connection between land use and land cover change (LULC and PM2.5 emissions. Using high resolution LANDSAT imagery from the past 12 years along with ground observations of PM2.5 mass concentrations in the Birmingham, AL region, we explore the links between the PM2.5 mass concentrations and LULC trends. Utilization of GIS allowed us to seamlessly analyze county-based patterns of LULC change and PM2.5 concentrations and display them in an easy to interpret manner. We found a moderate-to-strong correlation between PM2.5 observations and the urban area surrounding monitoring sites in 1998 and 2010. We also discuss factors such as local climate and topography and EPA imposed standards that can confound these comparisons. Finally, we determine the next steps that are required to fully quantify the cause and effect between LULC and air quality.

  13. Morphological Segregation in the Surroundings of Cosmic Voids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ricciardelli, Elena; Tamone, Amelie [Laboratoire d’Astrophysique, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1290 Sauverny (Switzerland); Cava, Antonio [Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Ch. des Maillettes, 1290 Versoix (Switzerland); Varela, Jesus, E-mail: elena.ricciardelli@epfl.ch [Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón (CEFCA), Plaza San Juan 1, E-44001 Teruel (Spain)

    2017-09-01

    We explore the morphology of galaxies living in the proximity of cosmic voids, using a sample of voids identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. At all stellar masses, void galaxies exhibit morphologies of a later type than galaxies in a control sample, which represent galaxies in an average density environment. We interpret this trend as a pure environmental effect, independent of the mass bias, due to a slower galaxy build-up in the rarefied regions of voids. We confirm previous findings about a clear segregation in galaxy morphology, with galaxies of a later type being found at smaller void-centric distances with respect to the early-type galaxies. We also show, for the first time, that the radius of the void has an impact on the evolutionary history of the galaxies that live within it or in its surroundings. In fact, an enhanced fraction of late-type galaxies is found in the proximity of voids larger than the median void radius. Likewise, an excess of early-type galaxies is observed within or around voids of a smaller size. A significant difference in galaxy properties in voids of different sizes is observed up to 2 R {sub void}, which we define as the region of influence of voids. The significance of this difference is greater than 3 σ for all the volume-complete samples considered here. The fraction of star-forming galaxies shows the same behavior as the late-type galaxies, but no significant difference in stellar mass is observed in the proximity of voids of different sizes.

  14. Air travel with known pneumocephalus following outpatient sinus surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willson, Thomas J; Grady, Conor; Braxton, Ernest; Weitzel, Erik

    2014-01-01

    Intracranial air is a common finding after many neurosurgical procedures and trauma to the head. In patients requiring transport via air to reach a destination there is risk of expansion of the intracranial air and development of neurological complications. Though relatively uncommon after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), pneumocephalus may be encountered. We describe one of our patients in whom intracranial air was introduced during FESS. Following the procedure she required commercial air transportation from our center to her home. A 45-min commercial flight to the destination was safely completed without the patient experiencing any neurological sequellae. This case highlights the controversy surrounding air travel with pneumocephalus and provides an example of safe commercial air travel after diagnosis of post-FESS pneumocephalus.

  15. Investigation of Interfacial Phenomena During Condensation of Humid Air on a Horizontal Substrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiwari Akhilesh

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The condensation phenomenon of humid air on solid substrates can occur in many applications, and it is known as one of the most difficult problem to deal with for the improvement of the quality of air in a closed environment. The present study was motivated by the investigation of the coupling between ventilation and condensation inside controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS, as it has an important role for higher plants growth in greenhouses and living conditions in manned spacecraft cabins, particularly in long duration space flights or in future space bases. It is well known that the enhancement of the gas exchange with leaves and the growth of plants are dependent on the organoleptic and/or the surrounding thermo-physical factors. Insufficient air movement around plants and condensation on plant leaves generally limit their growth by suppressing the gas diffusion in the leaf boundary-layer thereby decreasing photosynthetic and transpiration rates. Thus, the optimization of a CELSS will require the control of the airflow and concomitant gas/liquid transfer at the plant surfaces. The experimental and theoretical modeling of CELSS requires a comprehensive understanding of the micro to the macro levels of liquid gas phase transfer. Hence, an experimental set-up was developed at 1-g to evaluate the mass transfer coefficients due to condensation of humid air on specific geometries in well controlled environmental conditions. The goal was to establish correlations between the fluxes of mass and heat, the relative humidity and the mean flow for the development of theoretical models based on local transfer coefficients. The experiments were performed at ambient temperature, with a relative humidity between 35-70% and for a velocity range of 1.0-3.0 m.s−1.

  16. Identification of aerosol types over an urban site based on air-mass trajectory classification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawar, G. V.; Devara, P. C. S.; Aher, G. R.

    2015-10-01

    Columnar aerosol properties retrieved from MICROTOPS II Sun Photometer measurements during 2010-2013 over Pune (18°32‧N; 73°49‧E, 559 m amsl), a tropical urban station in India, are analyzed to identify aerosol types in the atmospheric column. Identification/classification is carried out on the basis of dominant airflow patterns, and the method of discrimination of aerosol types on the basis of relation between aerosol optical depth (AOD500 nm) and Ångström exponent (AE, α). Five potential advection pathways viz., NW/N, SW/S, N, SE/E and L have been identified over the observing site by employing the NOAA-HYSPLIT air mass back trajectory analysis. Based on AE against AOD500 nm scatter plot and advection pathways followed five major aerosol types viz., continental average (CA), marine continental average (MCA), urban/industrial and biomass burning (UB), desert dust (DD) and indeterminate or mixed type (MT) have been identified. In winter, sector SE/E, a representative of air masses traversed over Bay of Bengal and Eastern continental Indian region has relatively small AOD (τpλ = 0.43 ± 0.13) and high AE (α = 1.19 ± 0.15). These values imply the presence of accumulation/sub-micron size anthropogenic aerosols. During pre-monsoon, aerosols from the NW/N sector have high AOD (τpλ = 0.61 ± 0.21), and low AE (α = 0.54 ± 0.14) indicating an increase in the loading of coarse-mode particles over Pune. Dominance of UB type in winter season for all the years (i.e. 2010-2013) may be attributed to both local/transported aerosols. During pre-monsoon seasons, MT is the dominant aerosol type followed by UB and DD, while the background aerosols are insignificant.

  17. Anisotropic diffusion of volatile pollutants at air-water interface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li-ping Chen

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available The volatile pollutants that spill into natural waters cause water pollution. Air pollution arises from the water pollution because of volatilization. Mass exchange caused by turbulent fluctuation is stronger in the direction normal to the air-water interface than in other directions due to the large density difference between water and air. In order to explore the characteristics of anisotropic diffusion of the volatile pollutants at the air-water interface, the relationship between velocity gradient and mass transfer rate was established to calculate the turbulent mass diffusivity. A second-order accurate smooth transition differencing scheme (STDS was proposed to guarantee the boundedness for the flow and mass transfer at the air-water interface. Simulations and experiments were performed to study the trichloroethylene (C2HCl3 release. By comparing the anisotropic coupling diffusion model, isotropic coupling diffusion model, and non-coupling diffusion model, the features of the transport of volatile pollutants at the air-water interface were determined. The results show that the anisotropic coupling diffusion model is more accurate than the isotropic coupling diffusion model and non-coupling diffusion model. Mass transfer significantly increases with the increase of the air-water relative velocity at a low relative velocity. However, at a higher relative velocity, an increase in the relative velocity has no effect on mass transfer.

  18. Review of atomic mass formula

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tachibana, Takahiro [Waseda Univ., Tokyo (Japan). Advanced Research Center for Science and Engineering

    1997-07-01

    Wapstra and Audi`s Table is famous for evaluation of experimental data of atomic nuclear masses (1993/1995 version) which estimated about 2000 kinds of nuclei. The error of atomic mass of formula is 0.3 MeV-0.8 MeV. Four kinds of atomic mass formula: JM (Jaenecke and Masson), TUYY (Tachibana, Uno, Yamada and Yamada), FRDM (Moeller, Nix, Myers and Swiatecki) and ETFSI (Aboussir, Pearson, Dutta and Tondeur) and their properties (number of parameter and error etc.) were explained. An estimation method of theoretical error of mass formula was presented. It was estimated by the theoretical error of other surrounding nuclei. (S.Y.)

  19. New gravity anomaly map of Taiwan and its surrounding regions with some tectonic interpretations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doo, Wen-Bin; Lo, Chung-Liang; Hsu, Shu-Kun; Tsai, Ching-Hui; Huang, Yin-Sheng; Wang, Hsueh-Fen; Chiu, Shye-Donq; Ma, Yu-Fang; Liang, Chin-Wei

    2018-04-01

    In this study, we compiled recently collected (from 2005 to 2015) and previously reported (published and open access) gravity data, including land, shipborne and satellite-derived data, for Taiwan and its surrounding regions. Based on the cross-over error analysis, all data were adjusted; and, new Free-air gravity anomalies were obtained, shedding light on the tectonics of the region. To obtain the Bouguer gravity anomalies, the densities of land terrain and marine sediments were assumed to be 2.53 and 1.80 g/cm3, respectively. The updated gravity dataset was gridded with a spacing of one arc-minute. Several previously unnoticed gravity features are revealed by the new maps and can be used in a broad range of applications: (1) An isolated gravity high is located between the Shoushan and the Kaoping Canyon off southwest Taiwan. (2) Along the Luzon Arc, both Free-air and Bouguer gravity anomaly maps reveal a significant gravity discontinuity feature at the latitude of 21°20‧N. (3) In the southwestern Okinawa Trough, the NE-SW trending cross-back-arc volcanic trail (CBVT) marks the low-high gravity anomaly (both Free-air and Bouguer) boundary.

  20. The effect of a photocatalytic air purifier on indoor air quality quantified using different measuring methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolarik, Barbara; Wargocki, Pawel; Skorek-Osikowska, A.

    2010-01-01

    The effect on indoor air quality of an air purifier based on photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) was determined by different measuring techniques: sensory assessments of air quality made by human subjects, Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS) and chromatographic methods (Gas......, additional measurements were made with no pollution sources present in the office. All conditions were tested with the photocatalytic air purifier turned on and off. The results show that operation of the air purifier in the presence of pollutants emitted by building materials and furniture improves indoor...... Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography with UV detection). The experiment was conducted in a simulated office, ventilated with 0.6 h(-1), 2.5 h(-1) and 6 h(-1), in the presence of additional pollution sources (carpet, chipboard and linoleum). At the lowest air change rate...

  1. Aerosol composition and properties variation at the ground and over the column under different air masses advection in South Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavese, G; Lettino, A; Calvello, M; Esposito, F; Fiore, S

    2016-04-01

    Aerosol composition and properties variation under the advection of different air masses were investigated, as case studies, by contemporary measurements over the atmospheric column and at the ground in a semi-rural site in South Italy. The absence of local strong sources in this area allowed to characterize background aerosol and to compare particle mixing effects under various atmospheric circulation conditions. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ǻngström parameters from radiometric measurements allowed the detection and identification of polluted, dust, and volcanic atmospheric conditions. AODs were the input for a suitable model to evaluate the columnar aerosol composition, according to six main atmospheric components (water-soluble, soot, sea salt accumulation, sea salt coarse, mineral dus,t and biological). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of particulate sampled with a 13-stage impactor at the ground showed not only fingerprints typical of the different air masses but also the effects of transport and aging on atmospheric particles, suggesting processes that changed their chemical and optical properties. Background columnar aerosol was characterized by 72% of water-soluble and soot, in agreement with ground-based findings that highlighted 60% of contribution from anthropogenic carbonate particles and soot. In general, a good agreement between ground-based and columnar results was observed. Under the advection of trans-boundary air masses, water-soluble and soot were always present in columnar aerosol, whereas, in variable percentages, sea salt and mineral particles characterized both dust and volcanic conditions. At the ground, sulfates characterized the amorphous matrix produced in finer stages by the evaporation of solutions of organic and inorganic aerosols. Sulfates were also one of the key players involved in heterogeneous chemical reactions, producing complex secondary aerosol, as such clay-sulfate internally mixed particle externally mixed

  2. Direct detection of benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene at trace levels in ambient air by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization using a handheld mass spectrometer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Guangming; Gao, Liang; Duncan, Jason; Harper, Jason D; Sanders, Nathaniel L; Ouyang, Zheng; Cooks, R Graham

    2010-01-01

    The capabilities of a portable mass spectrometer for real-time monitoring of trace levels of benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene in air are illustrated. An atmospheric pressure interface was built to implement atmospheric pressure chemical ionization for direct analysis of gas-phase samples on a previously described miniature mass spectrometer (Gao et al. Anal. Chem.2006, 78, 5994-6002). Linear dynamic ranges, limits of detection and other analytical figures of merit were evaluated: for benzene, a limit of detection of 0.2 parts-per-billion was achieved for air samples without any sample preconcentration. The corresponding limits of detection for toluene and ethylbenzene were 0.5 parts-per-billion and 0.7 parts-per-billion, respectively. These detection limits are well below the compounds' permissible exposure levels, even in the presence of added complex mixtures of organics at levels exceeding the parts-per-million level. The linear dynamic ranges of benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene are limited to approximately two orders of magnitude by saturation of the detection electronics. 2010 American Society for Mass Spectrometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Multiple diagnostic approaches to palpable breast mass

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chin, Soo Yil; Kim, Kie Hwan; Moon, Nan Mo; Kim, Yong Kyu; Jang, Ja June [Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1985-12-15

    The combination of the various diagnostic methods of palpable breast mass has improved the diagnostic accuracy. From September 1983 to August 1985 pathologically proven 85 patients with palpable breast masses examined with x-ray mammography, ultrasonography, penumomammography and aspiration cytology at Korea Cancer Center Hospital were analyzed. The diagnostic accuracies of each methods were 77.6% of mammogram, 74.1% of ultrasonogram, 90.5% of penumomammogram and 92.4% of aspiration cytology. Pneumomammograms was accomplished without difficulty or complication and depicted more clearly delineated mass with various pathognomonic findings; air-ductal pattern in fibroadenoma (90.4%) and cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-halo in fibrocystic disease (14.2%), fibroadenoma (100%), cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-cystogram in cystic type of fibrocystic disease (100%) and vaculoar pattern or irregular air collection without retained peripheral gas in carcinoma.

  4. Multiple diagnostic approaches to palpable breast mass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chin, Soo Yil; Kim, Kie Hwan; Moon, Nan Mo; Kim, Yong Kyu; Jang, Ja June

    1985-01-01

    The combination of the various diagnostic methods of palpable breast mass has improved the diagnostic accuracy. From September 1983 to August 1985 pathologically proven 85 patients with palpable breast masses examined with x-ray mammography, ultrasonography, penumomammography and aspiration cytology at Korea Cancer Center Hospital were analyzed. The diagnostic accuracies of each methods were 77.6% of mammogram, 74.1% of ultrasonogram, 90.5% of penumomammogram and 92.4% of aspiration cytology. Pneumomammograms was accomplished without difficulty or complication and depicted more clearly delineated mass with various pathognomonic findings; air-ductal pattern in fibroadenoma (90.4%) and cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-halo in fibrocystic disease (14.2%), fibroadenoma (100%), cystosarcoma phylloides (100%), air-cystogram in cystic type of fibrocystic disease (100%) and vaculoar pattern or irregular air collection without retained peripheral gas in carcinoma

  5. Estructura vertical, temporal y espacial de las masas de aire extremas en la República Argentina en invierno Vertical, temporal and spatial structure of the extreme air masses in Argentine during winter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandra S Coronel

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Se identificó la masa de aire a través de la temperatura potencial adiabática equivalente (θae en 850 hPa, en Resistencia, Ezeiza y Comodoro Rivadavia, en los inviernos del período 1959/1991. Se definieron las masas extremas frías y cálidas a partir del primer y último quintil de θae en 850 hPa., respectivamente, y se analizó el primer día de ocurrencia de estas masas: evento frío y evento cálido. La selección de eventos extremos realizada es un discriminante estadísticamente significativo en el comportamiento de los parámetros de superficie como temperatura, presión y humedad en diferentes horas del día. En los días previos y posteriores a la ocurrencia del evento frío se identificó: en superficie un máximo de presión, un mínimo de temperatura que ocurre el día del evento y una mayor probabilidad de precipitación previa a la ocurrencia del evento. En la tropósfera se manifestó un máximo enfriamiento y estabilización de la masa de aire a partir del día del evento. Con referencia al evento cálido se pudo identificar: en superficie un mínimo de presión y un máximo de temperatura y una mayor probabilidad de precipitación posterior a la ocurrencia del evento. En la tropósfera se observó el máximo calentamiento el día del evento.Using the potential equivalent adiabatic temperature in 850 hPa at Resistencia, Ezeiza y Comodoro Rivadavia the air mass is identified. Extreme cold and warm air masses were defined, both identified using quantiles classification of θae at 850 hPa. The relationship of the values of θae at 850 hPa of extreme cold and warm air masses with surface parameters as temperature, pressure and humidity at different hours of the day is statistically significant using a discriminant analysis. The temporal evolution of the variables at surface as well as in the troposphere during the days before and after the occurrence of the cold event helped to identify that: on the surface a pressure maximum

  6. Forest Fragments Surrounded by Sugar Cane Are More Inhospitable to Terrestrial Amphibian Abundance Than Fragments Surrounded by Pasture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Eveline Ribeiro D’Anunciação

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, there has been increasing interest in matrix-type influence on forest fragments. Terrestrial amphibians are good bioindicators for this kind of research because of low vagility and high philopatry. This study compared richness, abundance, and species composition of terrestrial amphibians through pitfall traps in two sets of semideciduous seasonal forest fragments in southeastern Brazil, according to the predominant surrounding matrix (sugar cane and pasture. There were no differences in richness, but fragments surrounded by sugar cane had the lowest abundance of amphibians, whereas fragments surrounded by pastures had greater abundance. The most abundant species, Rhinella ornata, showed no biometric differences between fragment groups but like many other amphibians sampled showed very low numbers of individuals in fragments dominated by sugar cane fields. Our data indicate that the sugar cane matrix negatively influences the community of amphibians present in fragments surrounded by this type of land use.

  7. Characterization of NOx-Ox relationships during daytime interchange of air masses over a mountain pass in the Mexico City megalopolis

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Yee, J. S.; Torres-Jardón, R.; Barrera-Huertas, H.; Castro, T.; Peralta, O.; García, M.; Gutiérrez, W.; Robles, M.; Torres-Jaramillo, J. A.; Ortínez-Álvarez, A.; Ruiz-Suárez, L. G.

    2018-03-01

    The role of the Tenango del Aire mountain pass, located southeast of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA), in venting the city's air pollution has already been studied from a meteorological standpoint. To better understand the transport of gaseous air pollutants through the Tenango del Aire Pass (TAP), and its influence on the air quality of the MCMA, three mobile air quality monitoring units were deployed during a 31-day field campaign between February and March of 2011. Surface O3, NOx, and meteorological variables were continuously measured at the three sites. Vertical profiles of O3 and meteorological variables were also obtained at one of the sites using a tethered balloon. Days were classified as being under low pressure synoptic systems (LPS, 13 days), high pressure synoptic systems (HPS, 13 days), or as transition days (TR). The Mexican ozone standards at the Pass were not exceeded during LPS days, but were exceeded on almost all HPS days. A detailed analysis was performed using data from two typical days, one representative of LPS and the other of HPS. In both cases, morning vertical profiles of O3 showed a strong thermal inversion layer and near-surface O3 titration due to fresh NOx. In the LPS early morning, a single O3 layer of close to 45 ppb was observed from 150 to 700 magl. In the HPS early morning, 50 ppb was observed from 150 to 400 magl followed by a 400-m-thick layer with up to 80 ppb. These layers were the source of the morning increase of O3, with a simultaneous sharp decrease of NOx and CO as the mixing layer started to rise. During the LPS day, a southerly wind dominated throughout most of the daytime, with surface O3 lower than 60 ppb. The same was observed for the well-mixed midday and afternoon vertical profiles. Under HPS, northerly winds transported photochemically active air masses from the MCMA all morning, as observed by a smoother increase of Ox and O3, reaching 110 ppb of O3. Just after midday, the wind shifted back, carrying

  8. Light extinction by fine atmospheric particles in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire and its relationship to air mass transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slater, John F; Dibb, Jack E; Keim, Barry D; Talbot, Robert W

    2002-03-27

    Chemical, optical, and physical measurements of fine aerosols (aerodynamic diameter mass origin. Filter-based, 24-h integrated samples were collected and analyzed for major inorganic ions, as well as organic (OC), elemental (EC), and total carbon. Light scattering and light absorption coefficients were measured at 5-min intervals using an integrating nephelometer and a light absorption photometer. Fine particle number density was measured with a condensation particle counter. Air mass origins and transport patterns were investigated through the use of 3-day backward trajectories and a synoptic climate classification system. Two distinct transport regimes were observed: (1) flow from the north/northeast (N/NE) occurred during 9 out of 18 sample-days; and (2) flow from the west/southwest (W/SW) occurred 8 out of 18 sample-days. All measured and derived aerosol and meteorological parameters were separated into two categories based on these different flow scenarios. During W/SW flow, higher values of aerosol chemical concentration, absorption and scattering coefficients, number density, and haziness were observed compared to N/NE flow. The highest level of haziness was associated with the climate classification Frontal Atlantic Return, which brought polluted air into the region from the mid-Atlantic corridor. Fine particle mass scattering efficiencies of (NH4)2SO4 and OC were 5.35 +/- 0.42 m2 g(-1) and 1.56 +/- 0.40 m2 g(-1), respectively, when transport was out of the N/NE. When transport was from the W/SW the values were 4.94 +/- 0.68 m2 g(-1) for (NH4)2SO4 and 2.18 +/- 0.91 m2 g(-1) for OC. EC mass absorption efficiency when transport was from the N/NE was 9.66 +/- 1.06 m2 g(-1) and 10.80 +/- 1.76 m2 g(-1) when transport was from the W/SW. Results from this work can be used to predict visual air quality in the White Mountain National Forest based on a forecasted synoptic climate classification and its associated visibility.

  9. Collection of pheromone from atmosphere surrounding boll weevils,Anthonomus grandis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, J F; Benedict, J H; Payne, T L; Camp, B J; Vinson, S B

    1989-02-01

    An effluvial method was developed to collect the pheromone, grandlure from actively calling male boll weevils,Anthonomus grandis Boheman. The adsorbant, Porapak Q (ethylvinylbenzene-divinylbenzene), was utilized to trap and concentrate the pheromone. Captured pheromone was desorbed from columns packed with Porapak Q by elution withn-pentane and quantified by capillary column gas-liquid chromatography. In recovery studies with known amounts of synthetic grandlure, we found that the amount of each pheromone component collected was a function of collection duration, elution volume, and initial concentration. This effluvial method was capable of recovering as much as 94.9% of a known quantity (80 μg) of grandlure. The chromatograms were free of extraneous peaks. In studies of insect-produced pheromone, the effluvial method was used to collect pheromone from the air space surrounding male boll weevils as they fed on flower buds from CAMD-E cotton. The quantity and quality of boll-weevil-produced pheromone was determined for days 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of boll weevil adulthood. The maximum quantity of natural pheromone was produced on day 13 (4.2 μg/weevil) with a pheromone component ratio of 2.41∶2.29∶0.95∶1 for components I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The effluvial method described in this report is an efficient method to collect and quantify boll weevil pheromone from the atmosphere surrounding actively calling insects. Other applications of this method are suggested.

  10. Lab. experiments of mass transfer in the London clay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bourke, P.J.; Gilling, D.; Jefferies, N.L.; Lineham, T.R.; Lever, D.A.

    1989-01-01

    Aqueous phase mass transfer through the rocks surrounding a radioactive waste repository will take place by diffusion and convection. This paper presents a comprehensive set of measurements of the mass transfer characteristics for a single, naturally occurring, clay. These data are compared with the results predicted by mathematical models of mass transport in porous media, in order to build confidence in these models

  11. Enhancement of Afterimage Colors by Surrounding Contours

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takao Sato

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Presenting luminance contours surrounding the adapted areas in test phase enhances color afterimages in both duration and color appearance. The presence of surrounding contour is crucial to some color phenomenon such as van Lier's afterimage, but the contour-effect itself has not been seriously examined. In this paper, we compared the contour-effect to color afterimages and to actually colored patches to examine the nature of color information subserving color-aftereffect. In the experiment, observers were adapted for 1 sec to a small colored square (red, green, yellow, or blue presented on a gray background. Then, a test field either with or without surrounding contour was presented. Observers matched the color of a test-patch located near the afterimage to the color of afterimage. It was found that the saturation of negative afterimage was almost doubled by the presence of surrounding contours. There was no effect of luminance contrast or polarity of contours. In contrast, no enhancement of saturation by surrounding contours was observed for actually colored patches even though the colors of patches were equalized to that of afterimage without contours. This dissociation in the contour-effect demonstrates the crucial difference between the color information for aftereffects and for ordinary bottom-up color perception.

  12. Chromatic induction from surrounding stimuli under perceptual suppression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horiuchi, Koji; Kuriki, Ichiro; Tokunaga, Rumi; Matsumiya, Kazumichi; Shioiri, Satoshi

    2014-11-01

    The appearance of colors can be affected by their spatiotemporal context. The shift in color appearance according to the surrounding colors is called color induction or chromatic induction; in particular, the shift in opponent color of the surround is called chromatic contrast. To investigate whether chromatic induction occurs even when the chromatic surround is imperceptible, we measured chromatic induction during interocular suppression. A multicolor or uniform color field was presented as the surround stimulus, and a colored continuous flash suppression (CFS) stimulus was presented to the dominant eye of each subject. The subjects were asked to report the appearance of the test field only when the stationary surround stimulus is invisible by interocular suppression with CFS. The resulting shifts in color appearance due to chromatic induction were significant even under the conditions of interocular suppression for all surround stimuli. The magnitude of chromatic induction differed with the surround conditions, and this difference was preserved regardless of the viewing conditions. The chromatic induction effect was reduced by CFS, in proportion to the magnitude of chromatic induction under natural (i.e., no-CFS) viewing conditions. According to an analysis with linear model fitting, we revealed the presence of at least two kinds of subprocesses for chromatic induction that reside at higher and lower levels than the site of interocular suppression. One mechanism yields different degrees of chromatic induction based on the complexity of the surround, which is unaffected by interocular suppression, while the other mechanism changes its output with interocular suppression acting as a gain control. Our results imply that the total chromatic induction effect is achieved via a linear summation of outputs from mechanisms that reside at different levels of visual processing.

  13. Lead identification in soil surrounding a used lead acid battery smelter area in Banten, Indonesia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adventini, N; Santoso, M; Lestiani, D D; Syahfitri, W Y N; Rixson, L

    2017-01-01

    A used lead acid battery smelter generates particulates containing lead that can contaminate the surrounding environment area. Lead is a heavy metal which is harmful to health if it enters the human body through soil, air, or water. An identification of lead in soil samples surrounding formal and informal used lead acid battery smelters area in Banten, Indonesia using EDXRF has been carried out. The EDXRF accuracy and precision evaluated from marine sediment IAEA 457 gave a good agreement to the certified value. A number of 16 soil samples from formal and informal areas and 2 soil samples from control area were taken from surface and subsurface soils. The highest lead concentrations from both lead smelter were approximately 9 folds and 11 folds higher than the reference and control samples. The assessment of lead contamination in soils described in C f index was in category: moderately and strongly polluted by lead for formal and informal lead smelter. Daily lead intake of children in this study from all sites had exceeded the recommended dietary allowance. The HI values for adults and children living near both lead smelter areas were greater than the value of safety threshold 1. This study finding confirmed that there is a potential health risk for inhabitants surrounding the used lead acid battery smelter areas in Banten, Indonesia. (paper)

  14. Observations of Air Quality at the Edge of Kathmandu, Nepal, and the Diurnal Cycle of Air Pollution In and Around the Kathmandu Valley

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panday, A. K.; Prinn, R. G.; Regmi, R. P.

    2006-12-01

    The Kathmandu Valley is a bowl-shaped basin in the Nepal Himalaya, with a rapidly growing city surrounded by rice fields and steep terraced and forested mountain slopes. The valley's air quality is influenced by urban and rural emissions, nocturnal pooling of cold air, slope winds, and a daily exchange of air through mountain passes. To understand these processes and to inform air pollution policy in Nepal, we have carried out the most comprehensive study of air pollution in Nepal to date. During the 9-month dry season of 2004-2005, we carried out continuous measurements every minute of carbon monoxide, ozone, PM10, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, temperature, and humidity on the eastern edge of Kathmandu city, at a site that daily received air from both the city and rural areas. We recorded the diurnal cycle of the vertical temperature structure and stability with temperature loggers on towers and mountains. A sodar measured the mixed layer height and upper-level winds. 24-hour simultaneous bag sampling campaigns on mountain peaks, passes, the rural valley, and within the city provided glimpses of the spatial patterns of the diurnal cycle of CO -- a useful tracer of anthropogenic emissions. We measured winds on mountain passes and ozone on mountain peaks. At our main measurement site we found a daily-recurring pattern of CO and PM10, with an afternoon low showing rural background levels, even though the arriving air had traversed the city. This was followed by an evening peak starting at sunset, a second low late at night, and a morning peak enhanced by re-circulation. Pollutants emitted in the valley only traveled out of the valley between the late morning and sunset. During winter months, rush hour was outside of this period, enhancing the morning and evening peaks. Within the city, ozone dropped to zero at night. At mid-day we observed an ozone peak enhanced by photochemical production when the air mass that had been stagnant over the city swept

  15. The value of MR enteroclysis with air infusion in the diagnosis of small bowel disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shizheng; Ren Xiaojun; Zhang Qiaowei

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the value of MR enteroclysis with air infusion in the diagnosis of small bowel disease. Methods: Sixteen patients with suspected small bowel disease, but without acute inflammatory disease or bowel obstruction, received MR enteroclysis with air infusion. There were 12 males and 4 females, and their age ranged from 17 to 75 years. 10 patients had abdominal pain, 4 with melena or blood stool, and 2 with diarrhea. The longest course was 7 years, and the shortest 1 week. Before MR imaging, a nasoenteric catheter was inserted into the distal part of duodenum, and about 1000 ml of air was infused through the tube to distend the small bowel. 20 mg of IV anisodamine was given to reduce small-bowel peristalsis. All patients were imaged with fat-saturated Gd-DTPA enhanced coronal and axial T 1 -weighted spin-echo (SE) sequence and fast spoiled gradient echo (FSPGR) sequence. Comparison between the diagnosis of MRI and the results of surgery, pathology or clinic was performed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of MRI. Results: 5 cases were normal, 6 with Crohn disease, 2 with gastric intestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and 1 each of lymphoma, tuberculosis and irritable bowel syndrome. The lumen of normal small bowel in MR enteroclysis was no signal, the wall was outlined as middle signal by intraluminal air and surrounding air-distended bowel and was between 1-3 mm thick, and the diameter of the lumen was between 17-28 mm. Crohn disease showed segmental mural thickening, increased enhancement, luminal stricture, and even extraluminal inflammatory mass or fistula. Intestinal tuberculosis invaded the distal section of ileum, cecum, and the proximal ascending colon, the wall thickened and enhanced apparently, and cecum and proximal ascending colon shortened. GIST showed a mass that was iso-signal on T 1 WI, high signal on T 2 WI, and enhanced significantly after IV Gd-DTPA. 1 recurrent lymphoma of ileum showed mural thickening and increased

  16. Air and water cooled modulator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birx, Daniel L.; Arnold, Phillip A.; Ball, Don G.; Cook, Edward G.

    1995-01-01

    A compact high power magnetic compression apparatus and method for delivering high voltage pulses of short duration at a high repetition rate and high peak power output which does not require the use of environmentally unacceptable fluids such as chlorofluorocarbons either as a dielectric or as a coolant, and which discharges very little waste heat into the surrounding air. A first magnetic switch has cooling channels formed therethrough to facilitate the removal of excess heat. The first magnetic switch is mounted on a printed circuit board. A pulse transformer comprised of a plurality of discrete electrically insulated and magnetically coupled units is also mounted on said printed board and is electrically coupled to the first magnetic switch. The pulse transformer also has cooling means attached thereto for removing heat from the pulse transformer. A second magnetic switch also having cooling means for removing excess heat is electrically coupled to the pulse transformer. Thus, the present invention is able to provide high voltage pulses of short duration at a high repetition rate and high peak power output without the use of environmentally unacceptable fluids and without discharging significant waste heat into the surrounding air.

  17. A Model of Anisotropic Property of Seepage and Stress for Jointed Rock Mass

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pei-tao Wang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Joints often have important effects on seepage and elastic properties of jointed rock mass and therefore on the rock slope stability. In the present paper, a model for discrete jointed network is established using contact-free measurement technique and geometrical statistic method. A coupled mathematical model for characterizing anisotropic permeability tensor and stress tensor was presented and finally introduced to a finite element model. A case study of roadway stability at the Heishan Metal Mine in Hebei Province, China, was performed to investigate the influence of joints orientation on the anisotropic properties of seepage and elasticity of the surrounding rock mass around roadways in underground mining. In this work, the influence of the principal direction of the mechanical properties of the rock mass on associated stress field, seepage field, and damage zone of the surrounding rock mass was numerically studied. The numerical simulations indicate that flow velocity, water pressure, and stress field are greatly dependent on the principal direction of joint planes. It is found that the principal direction of joints is the most important factor controlling the failure mode of the surrounding rock mass around roadways.

  18. Natural hazards in Goma and the surrounding villages, East African Rift System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balagizi, Charles M.; Kies, Antoine; Kasereka, Marcellin M.; Tedesco, Dario; Yalire, Mathieu M.; McCausland, Wendy A.

    2018-01-01

    The city of Goma and its surrounding villages (Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC) are among the world’s most densely populated regions strongly affected by volcanic hazards. In 2002, Nyiragongo volcano erupted destroying 10–15% of Goma and forced a mass evacuation of the population. Hence, the ~ 1.5 million inhabitants of Goma and Gisenyi (Rwanda) continue to live with the threat of new lava flows and other eruptive hazards from this volcano. The current network of fractures extends from Nyiragongo summit to Goma and continues beneath Lake Kivu, which gives rise to the fear that an eruption could even produce an active vent within the center of Goma or within the lake. A sub-lacustrine volcanic eruption with vents in the floor of the main basin and/or Kabuno Bay of Lake Kivu could potentially release about 300 km3 of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 60 km3 of methane (CH4) dissolved in its deep waters that would be catastrophic to populations (~ 2.5 million people) along the lake shores. For the time being, ongoing hazards related to Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira volcanoes silently kill people and animals, slowly destroy the environment, and seriously harm the health of the population. They include mazuku (CO2-rich locations where people often die of asphyxiation), the highly fluoridated surface and ground waters, and other locally neglected hazards. The volcanic gas plume causes poor air quality and acid rain, which is commonly used for drinking water. Given the large number of people at risk and the continued movement of people to Goma and the surrounding villages, there is an urgent need for a thorough natural hazards assessment in the region. This paper presents a general view of natural hazards in the region around Goma based on field investigations, CO2 measurements in mazuku, and chemistry data for Lake Kivu, rivers and rainwater. The field investigations and the datasets are used in conjunction with extremely rich-historical (1897–2000) and

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2014-01-01

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

  20. Diffusion air effects on the soot axial distribution concentration in a premixed acetylene/air flame

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fassani, Fabio Luis; Santos, Alex Alisson Bandeira; Goldstein Junior, Leonardo [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica. Dept. de Engenharia Termica e de Fluidos]. E-mails: fassani@fem.unicamp.br; absantos@fem.unicamp.br; leonardo@fem.unicamp.br; Ferrari, Carlos Alberto [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica. Dept. de Eletronica Quantica]. E-mail: ferrari@ifi.unicamp.br

    2000-07-01

    Soot particles are produced during the high temperature pyrolysis or combustion of hydrocarbons. The emission of soot from a combustor, or from a flame, is determined by the competition between soot formation and its oxidation. Several factors affect these processes, including the type of fuel, the air-to-fuel ratio, flame temperature, pressure, and flow pattern. In this paper, the influence of the induced air diffusion on the soot axial distribution concentration in a premixed acetylene/air flame was studied. The flame was generated in a vertical axis burner in which the fuel - oxidant mixture flow was surrounded by a nitrogen discharge coming from the annular region between the burner tube and an external concentric tube. The nitrogen flow provided a shield that protected the flame from the diffusion of external air, enabling its control. The burner was mounted on a step-motor driven, vertical translation table. The use of several air-to-fuel ratios made possible to establish the sooting characteristics of this flame, by measuring soot concentration along the flame height with a non-intrusive laser light absorption technique. (author)

  1. Determination of 1-octanol-air partition coefficient using gaseous diffusion in the air boundary layer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ha, Yeonjeong; Kwon, Jung-Hwan

    2010-04-15

    Exact determination of the partition coefficient between 1-octanol and air (K(OA)) is very important because it is a key descriptor for describing the thermodynamic partitioning between the air and organic phases. In spite of its importance, the number and quality of experimental K(OA) values for hydrophobic organic chemicals are limited because of experimental difficulties. Thus, to measure K(OA) values, a high-throughput method was developed that used liquid-phase extraction with 1-octanol drop at the tip of a microsyringe needle. The concentration in the headspace surrounding the 1 muL octanol drop was equilibrated with liquid octanol containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The change in concentrations of PAHs in the octanol drop was measured to obtain mass transfer rate constants, and these rate constants were then converted into K(OA) values using a film diffusion model. Thirteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with log K(OA) between 5 and 12 were chosen for the proof of the principle. Experimental determination of log K(OA) was accomplished in 30 h for PAHs with their log K(OA) less than 11. The measured log K(OA) values were very close to those obtained by various experimental and estimation methods in the literature, suggesting that this new method can provide a fast and easy determination of log K(OA) values for many chemicals of environmental interests. In addition, the applicability of the method can be extended to determine Henry's law constant for compounds with low vapor pressure and to estimate gaseous transfer rate of semivolatile compounds for environmental fate modeling.

  2. Comparison of Socioeconomic Factors between Surrounding and Non-Surrounding Areas of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway before and after Its Construction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shicheng Li

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available As the world’s highest railway, and the longest highland railway, the Qinghai–Tibet Railway (QTR has been paid considerable attention by researchers. However, most attention has been paid to the ecological and environmental issues affecting it, and sustainable ecological, social, and economic development-related studies of the QTR are rare. In this study, by analyzing the passenger traffic, freight traffic, passenger-kilometers, and freight-kilometers of the QTR for the period 1982–2013 and the transport structure of the Tibetan Plateau (TP for 1990–2013, the evolutionary process of the transport system in the TP following the construction of the QTR has been revealed. Subsequently, by comparing Gross Domestic Product (GDP, population, industrial structure, and urbanization level at the county and 1 km scales between surrounding and non-surrounding areas of the QTR, the differences in socioeconomic performance before and after its construction were detected. The results show that (1 in the TP, the highway-dominated transport system will break up and an integrated and sustainable transport system will form; (2 at the county scale, the annual growth rates of GDP of counties surrounding the QTR were greater than those of non-surrounding counties for the period 2000–2010. At the 1 km scale, following the opening of the completed line, the GDP of surrounding areas had a greater growth rate than before; (3 analysis at the county and 1 km scales indicated that population was not aggregated into the surrounding areas of the QTR in the period 2000–2010; (4 in terms of industrial structure, the proportion of primary industry decreased continuously, while the proportion of secondary and tertiary industries increased overall in the period 1984–2012. The QTR had no obvious impact on changes in the urbanization level of its surrounding areas.

  3. The Impact of Temperatures on the Stability of Rocks Surrounding a Single Fracture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yan; Li, Ning; Dai, Jun

    2018-05-01

    Research on the influence of temperature and the accompanying stress on the stability of the rocks surrounding an underground tunnel has become ever more important. This paper constructs a geometric model of a single-fracture tunnel by combining a high-temperature underground tunnel as the object of study with an example that uses a high-temperature tunnel segment in the water diversion tunnel of a hydropower station in Xinjiang. Based on the relevant theoretical analysis, with the consideration of different working conditions, a numerical experimental analysis was conducted to determine the two-dimensional transient temperature field distribution of the tunnel rock mass by using a numerical analysis software. The experimental data was consistent with the measured data. The calculated results show the following: a. when the temperature difference is greater, the stress concentration is higher near the fracture of the surrounding rock; b. the degree of the stress concentration in the crack tip region is not positively correlated to the distance, and there is a sensitive region where the stress varies.

  4. SRS environmental air surveillance program 1954-2015: General trends

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abbott, K. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Jannik, T. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2016-06-02

    The radiological monitoring program at SRS was established under the DuPont Company in June 1951 and was used as a measurement of the effectiveness of plant controls and as an authoritative record of environmental conditions surrounding the plant. It also served as a method of demonstrating compliance with applicable federal regulations and guidance. This document serves as a general summary of changes made specifically to the environmental air monitoring program since its inception, and a discussion of the general trends seen in the air monitoring program at SRS from 1954 to 2015. Initially, the environmental air surveillance program focused not only on releases from SRS but also on fallout from various weapons testing performed through the end of 1978. Flypaper was used to measure the amount of fallout in the atmosphere during this period, and was present at each of the 10 monitoring stations. By 1959, all site stacks were included in the air monitoring program to determine their contribution to the airborne radioactivity onsite, and the number of air surveillance samplers rose to 18. This trend of an increased number of sampling locations continued to a peak of 35 sampling locations before shifting to a downward trend in the mid-1990s. In 1962, 4 outer-range samplers were placed in Savannah and Macon, GA, and in Greenville and Columbia, SC. Until 1976, air samplers were simply placed around the perimeter of the various operation locations (after 1959, this included stacks to determine their contribution to the airborne radioactivity), with the intent of creating as representative a distribution as possible of the air surrounding operations.

  5. Gravitational field mass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Penrose, R.

    1986-01-01

    The author's definition for the mass-momentum/angular momentum surrounded by a spacelike 2-surface with S/sup 2/ topology is presented. This definition is motivated by some ideas from twistor theory in relation to linearized gravitational theory. The status of this definition is examined in relation to many examples which have been worked out. The reason for introducing a slight modification of the original definition is also presented

  6. Numerical simulation for the influence of laser-induced plasmas addition on air mass capture of hypersonic inlet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Wei; Dou, Zhiguo; Li, Qian

    2012-03-01

    The theory of laser-induced plasmas addition to hypersonic airflow off a vehicle to increase air mass capture and improve the performance of hypersonic inlets at Mach numbers below the design value is explored. For hypersonic vehicles, when flying at mach numbers lower than the design one, we can increase the mass capture ratio of inlet through laser-induced plasmas injection to the hypersonic flow upstream of cowl lip to form a virtual cowl. Based on the theory, the model of interaction between laser-induced plasmas and hypersonic flow was established. The influence on the effect of increasing mass capture ratio was studied at different positions of laser-induced plasmas region for the external compression hypersonic inlet at Mach 5 while the design value is 6, the power of plasmas was in the range of 1-8mJ. The main results are as follows: 1. the best location of the plasma addition region is near the intersection of the nose shock of the vehicle with the continuation of the cowl line, and slightly below that line. In that case, the shock generated by the heating is close to the shock that is a reflection of the vehicle nose shock off the imaginary solid surface-extension of the cowl. 2. Plasma addition does increase mass capture, and the effect becomes stronger as more energy is added, the peak value appeared when the power of plasma was about 4mJ, when the plasma energy continues to get stronger, the mass capture will decline slowly.

  7. Proton Transfer Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Watson, Thomas B. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

    2016-03-01

    The Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometer (PTRMS) measures gas-phase compounds in ambient air and headspace samples before using chemical ionization to produce positively charged molecules, which are detected with a time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. This ionization method uses a gentle proton transfer reaction method between the molecule of interest and protonated water, or hydronium ion (H3O+), to produce limited fragmentation of the parent molecule. The ions produced are primarily positively charged with the mass of the parent ion, plus an additional proton. Ion concentration is determined by adding the number of ions counted at the molecular ion’s mass-to-charge ratio to the number of air molecules in the reaction chamber, which can be identified according to the pressure levels in the reaction chamber. The PTRMS allows many volatile organic compounds in ambient air to be detected at levels from 10–100 parts per trillion by volume (pptv). The response time is 1 to 10 seconds.

  8. Soil mercury levels in the area surrounding the Cerro Prieto geothermal complex, MEXICO.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pastrana-Corral, M A; Wakida, F T; García-Flores, E; Rodriguez-Mendivil, D D; Quiñonez-Plaza, A; Piñon-Colin, T D J

    2016-08-01

    Even though geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that is seen as cost-effective and environmentally friendly, emissions from geothermal plants can impact air, soil, and water in the vicinity of geothermal power plants. The Cerro Prieto geothermal complex is located 30 km southeast of the city of Mexicali in the Mexican state of Baja California. Its installed electricity generation capacity is 720 MW, being the largest geothermal complex in Mexico. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the emissions generated by the geothermal complex have increased the soil mercury concentration in the surrounding areas. Fifty-four surface soil samples were collected from the perimeter up to an approximate distance of 7660 m from the complex. Additionally, four soil depth profiles were performed in the vicinity of the complex. Mercury concentration in 69 % of the samples was higher than the mercury concentration found at the baseline sites. The mercury concentration ranged from 0.01 to 0.26 mg/kg. Our results show that the activities of the geothermal complex have led to an accumulation of mercury in the soil of the surrounding area. More studies are needed to determine the risk to human health and the ecosystems in the study area.

  9. Differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS and air mass factor concept for a multiply scattering vertically inhomogeneous medium: theoretical consideration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Rozanov

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS technique is widely used to retrieve amounts of atmospheric species from measurements of the direct solar light transmitted through the Earth's atmosphere as well as of the solar light scattered in the atmosphere or reflected from the Earth's surface. For the transmitted direct solar light the theoretical basis of the DOAS technique represented by the Beer-Lambert law is well studied. In contrast, scarcely investigated is the theoretical basis and validity range of the DOAS method for those cases where the contribution of the multiple scattering processes is not negligible. Our study is intended to fill this gap by means of a theoretical investigation of the applicability of the DOAS technique for the retrieval of amounts of atmospheric species from observations of the scattered solar light with a non-negligible contribution of the multiple scattering.

    Starting from the expansion of the intensity logarithm in the functional Taylor series we formulate the general form of the DOAS equation. The thereby introduced variational derivative of the intensity logarithm with respect to the variation of the gaseous absorption coefficient, which is often referred to as the weighting function, is demonstrated to be closely related to the air mass factor. Employing some approximations we show that the general DOAS equation can be rewritten in the form of the weighting function (WFDOAS, the modified (MDOAS, and the standard DOAS equations. For each of these forms a specific equation for the air mass factor follows which, in general, is not suitable for other forms of the DOAS equation. Furthermore, the validity range of the standard DOAS equation is quantitatively investigated using a suggested criterion of a weak absorption.

    The results presented in this study are intended to provide a basis for a better understanding of the applicability range of different forms of the DOAS equation as

  10. Conjugate heat and mass transfer in heat mass exchanger ducts

    CERN Document Server

    Zhang, Li-Zhi

    2013-01-01

    Conjugate Heat and Mass Transfer in Heat Mass Exchanger Ducts bridges the gap between fundamentals and recent discoveries, making it a valuable tool for anyone looking to expand their knowledge of heat exchangers. The first book on the market to cover conjugate heat and mass transfer in heat exchangers, author Li-Zhi Zhang goes beyond the basics to cover recent advancements in equipment for energy use and environmental control (such as heat and moisture recovery ventilators, hollow fiber membrane modules for humidification/dehumidification, membrane modules for air purification, desi

  11. The influence of continental air masses on the aerosols and nutrients deposition over the western North Pacific

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Jiangping; Wang, Bo; Chen, Ying; Ma, Qingwei

    2018-01-01

    The air masses transported from East Asia have a strong impact on the aerosol properties and deposition in the marine boundary layer of the western North Pacific (WNP) during winter and spring. We joined a cruise between 17 Mar. and 22 Apr. 2014 and investigated the changes of aerosol composition and size distribution over the remote WNP and marginal seas. Although the secondary aerosol species (SO42-, NO3- and NH4+) in remote WNP were influenced significantly by the continental transport, NH4+ concentrations were lower than 2.7 μg m-3 in most sampling days and not correlated with non-sea-salt (nss)-SO42- suggesting that the ocean could be a primary source of NH4+. Moderate Cl- depletion (23%) was observed in remote WNP, and the inverse relationship between Cl- depletion percentages and nss-K+ in aerosols suggested that the transport of biomass burning smoke from East Asia might be a vital extra source of Cl-. Both Asian dust and haze events were encountered during the cruise. Asian dust carried large amounts of crustal elements such as Al and Ti to the WNP, and the dusty Fe deposition may double its background concentration in seawater. Differently, a dramatic increase of dry deposition flux of dissolved particulate inorganic nitrogen was observed during the haze event. Our study reveals that the transport of different continental air masses may have distinct biogeochemical impacts on the WNP by increasing the fluxes of different nutrient elements and potentially changing the nutrient stoichiometry.

  12. Combining Experiments and Simulation of Gas Absorption for Teaching Mass Transfer Fundamentals: Removing CO2 from Air Using Water and NaOH

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, William M.; Jackson, Yaminah Z.; Morin, Michael T.; Ferraro, Giacomo P.

    2011-01-01

    Laboratory experiments and computer models for studying the mass transfer process of removing CO2 from air using water or dilute NaOH solution as absorbent are presented. Models tie experiment to theory and give a visual representation of concentration profiles and also illustrate the two-film theory and the relative importance of various…

  13. Analysis of air mass trajectories to explain observed variability of tritium in precipitation at the Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory, California, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser, Ate; Thaw, Melissa; Esser, Brad

    2018-01-01

    Understanding the behavior of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, in the environment is important to evaluate the exposure risk of anthropogenic releases, and for its application as a tracer in hydrology and oceanography. To understand and predict the variability of tritium in precipitation, HYSPLIT air mass trajectories were analyzed for 16 aggregate precipitation samples collected over a 2 year period at irregular intervals at a research site located at 2000 m elevation in the southern Sierra Nevada (California, USA). Attributing the variation in tritium to specific source areas confirms the hypothesis that higher latitude or inland sources bring higher tritium levels in precipitation than precipitation originating in the lower latitude Pacific Ocean. In this case, the source of precipitation accounts for 79% of the variation observed in tritium concentrations. Air mass trajectory analysis is a promising tool to improve the predictions of tritium in precipitation at unmonitored locations and thoroughly understand the processes controlling transport of tritium in the environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Monitoring program of surrounding of the NPP SE-EBO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dobis, L.; Kostial, J.

    1997-01-01

    The paper dealt with monitoring program of radiation control of surrounding of the NPP Bohunice, which has the aim: (1) to ensure the control of influence of work of the NPP Bohunice on the environment in their surrounding; (2) to ensure the back-ground for regular brief of control and supervisory organs about condition of the environment in surrounding of the NPP Bohunice; (3) to maintain the expected technical level of control of the NPP Bohunice and to exploit optimally the technical means; (4) to solicit permanently the data about the radioactivity of environment in surrounding of the NPP Bohunice for forming of files of the data; (5) to exploit purposefully the technical equipment, technical workers and to maintain their in permanent emergency and technical eligibility for the case of the breakdown; (6) to obtain permanently the files of the values for qualification of the reference levels. This program of monitoring includes the radiation control of surrounding of the NPP Bohunice, in the time of normal work of power-station's blocks, inclusively of all types of trouble-shooting and repairer works in surrounding of the NPP Bohunice, up to distance 20 km from power-station. The monitoring includes: outlets from the NPP Bohunice, monitoring of radiation characteristics in surrounding of the NPP Bohunice, (aerosols, fall-outs, soil), the links of food chains: (grass and fodder, milk, agriculture products), hydrosphere in surrounding (surface waters, drink water, bores of radiation control in complex of the NPP Bohunice, components of the hydrosphere), measurement of radiation from external sources (measurement of the dose rates, measurement of the doses [sk

  15. Inversion Build-Up and Cold-Air Outflow in a Small Alpine Sinkhole

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehner, Manuela; Whiteman, C. David; Dorninger, Manfred

    2017-06-01

    Semi-idealized model simulations are made of the nocturnal cold-air pool development in the approximately 1-km wide and 100-200-m deep Grünloch basin, Austria. The simulations show qualitatively good agreement with vertical temperature and wind profiles and surface measurements collected during a meteorological field expedition. A two-layer stable atmosphere forms in the basin, with a very strong inversion in the lowest part, below the approximate height of the lowest gap in the surrounding orography. The upper part of the stable layer is less strongly stratified and extends to the approximate height of the second-lowest gap. The basin atmosphere cools most strongly during the first few hours of the night, after which temperatures decrease only slowly. An outflow of air forms through the lowest gap in the surrounding orography. The outflow connects with a weak inflow of air through a gap on the opposite sidewall, forming a vertically and horizontally confined jet over the basin. Basin cooling shows strong sensitivity to surface-layer characteristics, highlighting the large impact of variations in vegetation and soil cover on cold-air pool development, as well as the importance of surface-layer parametrization in numerical simulations of cold-air-pool development.

  16. Sensitive and comprehensive detection of chemical warfare agents in air by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry with counterflow introduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seto, Yasuo; Sekiguchi, Hiroshi; Maruko, Hisashi; Yamashiro, Shigeharu; Sano, Yasuhiro; Takayama, Yasuo; Sekioka, Ryoji; Yamaguchi, Shintaro; Kishi, Shintaro; Satoh, Takafumi; Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki; Iura, Kazumitsu; Nagashima, Hisayuki; Nagoya, Tomoki; Tsuge, Kouichiro; Ohsawa, Isaac; Okumura, Akihiko; Takada, Yasuaki; Ezawa, Naoya; Watanabe, Susumu; Hashimoto, Hiroaki

    2014-05-06

    A highly sensitive and specific real-time field-deployable detection technology, based on counterflow air introduction atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, has been developed for a wide range of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) comprising gaseous (two blood agents, three choking agents), volatile (six nerve gases and one precursor agent, five blister agents), and nonvolatile (three lachrymators, three vomiting agents) agents in air. The approach can afford effective chemical ionization, in both positive and negative ion modes, for ion trap multiple-stage mass spectrometry (MS(n)). The volatile and nonvolatile CWAs tested provided characteristic ions, which were fragmented into MS(3) product ions in positive and negative ion modes. Portions of the fragment ions were assigned by laboratory hybrid mass spectrometry (MS) composed of linear ion trap and high-resolution mass spectrometers. Gaseous agents were detected by MS or MS(2) in negative ion mode. The limits of detection for a 1 s measurement were typically at or below the microgram per cubic meter level except for chloropicrin (submilligram per cubic meter). Matrix effects by gasoline vapor resulted in minimal false-positive signals for all the CWAs and some signal suppression in the case of mustard gas. The moisture level did influence the measurement of the CWAs.

  17. A study of photochemical againg of ambient air using Potential Aerosol Mass (PAM) chamber under the different sources and types of emissions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, T.; Son, J.; Kim, J.; Kim, S.; Sung, K.; Park, G.; Link, M.; Park, T.; Kim, K.; Kang, S.; Ban, J.; Kim, D. S.

    2016-12-01

    Recent research proposed that Secondary Aerosol (SA) is important class of predicting future climate change scenarios, health effect, and a general air quality. However, there has been lack of studies to investigate SA formation all over the world. This study tried to focus on understanding potential secondary aerosol formation and its local impact by the photochemical aging of inorganic and organic aerosols in the ambient air using the Potential Aerosol Mass (PAM) chamber under the different sources and types of emissions. PAM chamber manufactured by Aerodyne make an oxidizing environment that simulates oxidation processes on timescales of 12-15 hrs in the atmosphere. Chemical compositions of ambient aerosol and aerosol that was aged in the PAM chamber were alternately measured every 2-minutes using the High Resolution-Time of Flight-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). HR-ToF-AMS provides non-refractory aerosol mass concentrations including nitrate, sulfate, hydrocarbon-like and oxygenated organic aerosol in real time. This study includes a residence area of mixture of sources, a forest site of dominant source of biogenic VOCs, an underground parking lot of dominant vehicle emission, and laboratory experiment of vehicle emissions under different fuels and speeds using the chassis dynamometer. As a result, it was revealed that gasoline and LPG vehicle relatively made more potential SA than diesel vehicle.

  18. Hygroscopic growth of particles nebulized from water-soluble extracts of PM2.5 aerosols over the Bay of Bengal: Influence of heterogeneity in air masses and formation pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boreddy, S K R; Kawamura, Kimitaka; Bikkina, Srinivas; Sarin, M M

    2016-02-15

    Hygroscopic properties of water-soluble matter (WSM) extracted from fine-mode aerosols (PM2.5) in the marine atmospheric boundary layer of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) have been investigated during a cruise from 27th December 2008 to 30th January 2009. Hygroscopic growth factors were measured on particles generated from the WSM using an H-TDMA system with an initial dry size of 100 nm in the range of 5-95% relative humidity (RH). The measured hygroscopic growth of WSM at 90% RH, g(90%)WSM, were ranged from 1.11 to 1.74 (mean: 1.43 ± 0.19) over the northern BoB and 1.12 to 1.38 (mean: 1.25 ± 0.09) over the southern BoB. A key finding is that distinct hygroscopic growth factors are associated with the air masses from the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP), which are clearly distinguishable from those associated with air masses from Southeast Asia (SEA). We found higher (lower) g(90%)WSM over the northern (southern) BoB, which were associated with an IGP (SEA) air masses, probably due the formation of high hygroscopic salts such as (NH4)2SO4. On the other hand, biomass burning influenced SEA air masses confer the low hygroscopic salts such as K2SO4, MgSO4, and organic salts over the southern BoB. Interestingly, mass fractions of water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) showed negative and positive correlations with g(90%)WSM over the northern and southern BoB, respectively, suggesting that the mixing state of organic and inorganic fractions could play a major role on the g(90%)WSM over the BoB. Further, WSOM/SO4(2-) mass ratios suggest that SO4(2-) dominates the g(90%)WSM over the northern BoB whereas WSOM fractions were important over the southern BoB. The present study also suggests that aging process could significantly alter the hygroscopic growth of aerosol particles over the BoB, especially over the southern BoB. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Reevaluation of air surveillance station siting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbott, K.; Jannik, T.

    2016-01-01

    DOE Technical Standard HDBK-1216-2015 (DOE 2015) recommends evaluating air-monitoring station placement using the analytical method developed by Waite. The technique utilizes wind rose and population distribution data in order to determine a weighting factor for each directional sector surrounding a nuclear facility. Based on the available resources (number of stations) and a scaling factor, this weighting factor is used to determine the number of stations recommended to be placed in each sector considered. An assessment utilizing this method was performed in 2003 to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing SRS air-monitoring program. The resulting recommended distribution of air-monitoring stations was then compared to that of the existing site perimeter surveillance program. The assessment demonstrated that the distribution of air-monitoring stations at the time generally agreed with the results obtained using the Waite method; however, at the time new stations were established in Barnwell and in Williston in order to meet requirements of DOE guidance document EH-0173T.

  20. Reevaluation of air surveillance station siting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abbott, K. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL); Jannik, T. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

    2016-07-06

    DOE Technical Standard HDBK-1216-2015 (DOE 2015) recommends evaluating air-monitoring station placement using the analytical method developed by Waite. The technique utilizes wind rose and population distribution data in order to determine a weighting factor for each directional sector surrounding a nuclear facility. Based on the available resources (number of stations) and a scaling factor, this weighting factor is used to determine the number of stations recommended to be placed in each sector considered. An assessment utilizing this method was performed in 2003 to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing SRS air-monitoring program. The resulting recommended distribution of air-monitoring stations was then compared to that of the existing site perimeter surveillance program. The assessment demonstrated that the distribution of air-monitoring stations at the time generally agreed with the results obtained using the Waite method; however, at the time new stations were established in Barnwell and in Williston in order to meet requirements of DOE guidance document EH-0173T.

  1. Correlation of non-mass-like abnormal MR signal intensity with pathological findings surrounding pediatric osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Masrouha, Karim Z.; Haidar, Rachid; Saghieh, Said [American University of Beirut Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Beirut (Lebanon); Musallam, Khaled M. [American University of Beirut Medical Center, Internal Medicine Division of Hematology and Oncology, Beirut (Lebanon); Samra, Alexis Bou; Tawil, Ayman; Chakhachiro, Zaher [American University of Beirut Medical Center, Pathology, Beirut (Lebanon); Abdallah, Abeer; Khoury, Nabil J. [American University of Beirut Medical Center, Diagnostic Radiology, Beirut (Lebanon); Saab, Raya; Muwakkit, Samar; Abboud, Miguel R. [American University of Beirut Medical Center, Children' s Cancer Center of Lebanon, Beirut (Lebanon)

    2012-11-15

    The aim of this work was to determine the role of MRI in interpreting abnormal signals within bones and soft tissues adjacent to tumor bulk of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in a pediatric population by correlating MR findings with histopathology. Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria, which included (1) osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma, (2) MR studies no more than 2 months prior to surgery, (3) presence of abnormal MR signal surrounding the tumor bulk, (4) pathological material from resected tumor. The patients received standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Using grid maps on gross pathology specimens, the abnormal MR areas around the tumor were matched with the corresponding grid sections. Histopathology slides of these sections were then analyzed to determine the nature of the regions of interest. The MR/pathological correlation was evaluated using Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher's exact test. Twenty-seven patients had osteosarcoma and three patients had Ewing's sarcoma. Of the studied areas, 17.4% were positive for tumor (viable or necrotic). There was no statistically significant correlation between areas positive for tumor and age, gender, signal extent and intensity on MRI, or tissue type. There was, however, a statistically significant correlation between presence of tumor and the appearance of abnormal soft tissue signals. A feathery appearance correlated with tumor-negative areas whereas a bulky appearance correlated with tumor-positive regions. MR imaging is helpful in identifying the nature of abnormal signal areas surrounding bone sarcomas that are more likely to be tumor-free, particularly when the signal in the soft tissues surrounding the tumor is feathery and edema-like in appearance. (orig.)

  2. Real-time measurement of plutonium in air by direct-inlet surface ionization mass spectrometry. Status report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoffels, J.J.

    1980-04-01

    A new technique is being developed for monitoring low-level airborne plutonium on a real-time basis. The technique is based on surface ionization mass spectrometry of airborne particles. It will be capable of measuring plutonium concentrations below the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) level. A complete mass spectrometer was designed and constructed for this purpose. Major components which were developed and made operational for the instrument include an efficient inlet for directly sampling particles in air, a wide dynamic range ion detector and a minicomputer-based ion-burst measurement system. Calibration of the direct-inlet mass spectrometer (DIMS) was initiated to establish the instrument's response to plutonium dioxide as a function of concentration and particle size. This work revealed an important problem - bouncing of particles upon impact with the ionizing filament. Particle bounce results in a significant loss of measurement sensitivity. The feasibility of using an oven ionizer to overcome the particle bounce problem has been demonstrated. A rhenium oven ionizer was designed and constructed for the purpose of trapping particles which enter via the direct inlet. High-speed particles were trapped in the oven yielding a measurement sensitivity comparable to that for particles which are preloaded. Development of the Pu DIMS can now be completed by optimizing the oven design and calibrating the instrument's performance with UO 2 and CeO 2 particles as analogs to PuO 2 particles

  3. An investigation on the supersonic ejectors working with mixture of air and steam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shafaee, Maziar; Tavakol, Mohsen; Riazi, Rouzbeh; Sharifi, Navid

    2015-01-01

    This study evaluated the performance of an ejector using two streams of fluids as suction flow. Three motive flow pressures were considered when investigating ejector performance; the suction flow pressure was assumed to be constant. The suction flow consisted of a mixture of air and steam and the mass fraction of air in this mixture varied from 0 to 1. The ejector performance curves were analyzed for different mass fractions of air. The results indicate that variation of the mass fraction of air in the suction flow mixture had a significant effect on ejector performance. At all motive flow pressures, the ejector entertainment ratio increased as the mass fraction of air in the suction flow increased. The results also show that the sensitivity of ejector performance to variation in the mass fraction of air in the suction flow decreases at higher motive flow pressures. An increase in motive flow pressure caused the transition from supersonic to subsonic flow to occur at higher ejector discharge pressures

  4. An investigation on the supersonic ejectors working with mixture of air and steam

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shafaee, Maziar; Tavakol, Mohsen; Riazi, Rouzbeh [University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sharifi, Navid [Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-11-15

    This study evaluated the performance of an ejector using two streams of fluids as suction flow. Three motive flow pressures were considered when investigating ejector performance; the suction flow pressure was assumed to be constant. The suction flow consisted of a mixture of air and steam and the mass fraction of air in this mixture varied from 0 to 1. The ejector performance curves were analyzed for different mass fractions of air. The results indicate that variation of the mass fraction of air in the suction flow mixture had a significant effect on ejector performance. At all motive flow pressures, the ejector entertainment ratio increased as the mass fraction of air in the suction flow increased. The results also show that the sensitivity of ejector performance to variation in the mass fraction of air in the suction flow decreases at higher motive flow pressures. An increase in motive flow pressure caused the transition from supersonic to subsonic flow to occur at higher ejector discharge pressures.

  5. A Lagrangian model of air-mass photochemistry and mixing using a trajectory ensemble: the Cambridge Tropospheric Trajectory model of Chemistry And Transport (CiTTyCAT version 4.2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. A. M. Pugh

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A Lagrangian model of photochemistry and mixing is described (CiTTyCAT, stemming from the Cambridge Tropospheric Trajectory model of Chemistry And Transport, which is suitable for transport and chemistry studies throughout the troposphere. Over the last five years, the model has been developed in parallel at several different institutions and here those developments have been incorporated into one "community" model and documented for the first time. The key photochemical developments include a new scheme for biogenic volatile organic compounds and updated emissions schemes. The key physical development is to evolve composition following an ensemble of trajectories within neighbouring air-masses, including a simple scheme for mixing between them via an evolving "background profile", both within the boundary layer and free troposphere. The model runs along trajectories pre-calculated using winds and temperature from meteorological analyses. In addition, boundary layer height and precipitation rates, output from the analysis model, are interpolated to trajectory points and used as inputs to the mixing and wet deposition schemes. The model is most suitable in regimes when the effects of small-scale turbulent mixing are slow relative to advection by the resolved winds so that coherent air-masses form with distinct composition and strong gradients between them. Such air-masses can persist for many days while stretching, folding and thinning. Lagrangian models offer a useful framework for picking apart the processes of air-mass evolution over inter-continental distances, without being hindered by the numerical diffusion inherent to global Eulerian models. The model, including different box and trajectory modes, is described and some output for each of the modes is presented for evaluation. The model is available for download from a Subversion-controlled repository by contacting the corresponding authors.

  6. Elbow mass flow meter

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarland, A.R.; Rodgers, J.C.; Ortiz, C.A.; Nelson, D.C.

    1994-08-16

    The present invention includes a combination of an elbow pressure drop generator and a shunt-type mass flow sensor for providing an output which gives the mass flow rate of a gas that is nearly independent of the density of the gas. For air, the output is also approximately independent of humidity. 3 figs.

  7. Long-term persistence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in air, soil and sediment around an abandoned pentachlorophenol factory in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Cheng; Zheng, Minghui; Zhang Bing; Gao Lirong; Liu Lidan; Zhou Xin; Ma Xiaodong; Xiao Ke

    2012-01-01

    Air, soils and sediments surrounding an abandoned pentachlorophenol (PCP) factory were sampled to determine the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), unintentionally formed during PCP production. The mean concentration of PCDD/Fs in ambient air was one order of magnitude higher than that of the reference site. A trend of decreasing concentrations with increasing distance from the factory was observed, suggesting this site has a significant influence on the regional ambient air. As for soil samples collected within 3 km from the factory and sediment samples from the adjacent rivers, high levels of contamination were found with WHO-TEQ concentrations of 193 ± 211 pg/g and 667 ± 978 pg/g, respectively. The PCDD/F homologue profiles of all samples were consistent with those found in the technical product of PCP, with OCDD as the dominant congener. These results indicate PCDD/Fs in the historical contaminated site pose a long-term impact on surrounding environment. - Highlights: ► PCDD/Fs were investigated in various environmental compartments surrounding an abandoned pentachlorophenol (PCP) factory. ► High levels of PCDD/F contamination were found in ambient air, soils and the sediments around this factory. ► PCDD/F homologue profiles were consistent with PCDD/Fs in technical product of PCP. ► PCDD/Fs in this historical contaminated site pose a long-term impact on surrounding environment. - PCDD/Fs around an abandoned pentachlorophenol factory pose a long-term impact on surrounding environment.

  8. Quantification of topographic venting of boundary layer air to the free troposphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Henne

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Net vertical air mass export by thermally driven flows from the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL to the free troposphere (FT above deep Alpine valleys was investigated. The vertical export of pollutants above mountainous terrain is presently poorly represented in global chemistry transport models (GCTMs and needs to be quantified. Air mass budgets were calculated using aircraft observations obtained in deep Alpine valleys. The results show that on average 3 times the valley air mass is exported vertically per day under fair weather conditions. During daytime the type of valleys investigated in this study can act as an efficient 'air pump' that transports pollutants upward. The slope wind system within the valley plays an important role in redistributing pollutants. Nitrogen oxide emissions in mountainous regions are efficiently injected into the FT. This could enhance their ozone (O3 production efficiency and thus influences tropospheric pollution budgets. Once lifted to the FT above the Alps pollutants are transported horizontally by the synoptic flow and are subject to European pollution export. Forward trajectory studies show that under fair weather conditions two major pathways for air masses above the Alps dominate. Air masses moving north are mixed throughout the whole tropospheric column and further transported eastward towards Asia. Air masses moving south descend within the subtropical high pressure system above the Mediterranean.

  9. Air toxics concentrations, source identification, and health risks: An air pollution hot spot in southwest Memphis, TN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Chunrong; Foran, Jeffery

    2013-12-01

    Southwest Memphis is a residential region surrounded by fossil fuel burning, steel, refining, and food processing industries, and considerable mobile sources whose emissions may pose adverse health risks to local residents. This study characterizes cancer and non-cancer risks resulting from exposure to ambient air toxics in southwest Memphis. Air toxics samples were collected at a central location every 6 days from June 5, 2008 to January 8, 2010. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were collected in evacuated stainless-steel canisters and aldehydes by DNPH cartridges, and samples were analyzed for 73 target compounds. A total of 60 compounds were detected and 39 were found in over 86% of the samples. Mean concentrations of many compounds were higher than those measured in many industrial communities throughout the U.S. The cumulative cancer risk associated with exposure to 13 carcinogens found in southwest Memphis air was 2.3 × 10-4, four times higher than the national average of 5.0 × 10-5. Three risk drivers were identified: benzene, formaldehyde, and acrylonitrile, which contributed 43%, 19%, and 14% to the cumulative risk, respectively. This is the first field study to confirm acrylonitrile as a potential risk driver. Mobile, secondary, industrial, and background sources contributed 57%, 24%, 14%, and 5% of the risk, respectively. The results of this study indicate that southwest Memphis, a region of significant income, racial, and social disparities, is also a region under significant environmental stress compared with surrounding areas and communities.

  10. Modeling a cold-air drainage event with a wireless sensor network

    OpenAIRE

    Brian R. Zutta; Eric A. Graham; Philip W. Rundel

    2005-01-01

    A wireless network of sensors was used to characterize a cold-air drainage event in the canyon surrounding the James Reserve. The flow of cold air at night and the first hours of sunrise have major ecological consequences by limiting the vegetation types to those tolerant of freeze and thaw cycles. A network of wireless sensors provides the opportunity to track this event in real time and fully characterize the cold air flow down the canyon, which may last 1.5 hours, and the pooling of cold a...

  11. A comparison study of exploding a Cu wire in air, water, and solid powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ruoyu; Wu, Jiawei; Ding, Weidong; Zhou, Haibin; Qiu, Aici; Wang, Yanan

    2017-11-01

    In this paper, an experimental study on exploding a copper wire in air, water, incombustible powders, and energetic materials is performed. We examined the effects of the surrounding media on the explosion process and its related phenomena. Experiments were first carried out with copper wire explosions driven by microsecond timescale pulsed currents in air, water, and the half-half case. Then, the copper wires were exploded in air, water, SiO2 powders, quartz sand, NaCl powders, and energetic-material cylinders, respectively. Our experimental results indicated that the explosion process was significantly influenced by the surrounding media, resulting in noticeable differences in energy deposition, optical emission, and shock waves. In particular, incombustible powders could throttle the current flow completely when a fine wire was adopted. We also found that an air or incombustible-powder layer could drastically attenuate the shock wave generated by a wire explosion. As for energetic-material loads, obvious discrepancies were found in voltage/current waveforms from vaporization when compared with a wire explosion in air/water, which meant the metal vapor/liquid drops play a significant role in the ignition process.

  12. Modeling 3D conjugate heat and mass transfer for turbulent air drying of Chilean papaya in a direct contact dryer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemus-Mondaca, Roberto A.; Vega-Gálvez, Antonio; Zambra, Carlos E.; Moraga, Nelson O.

    2017-01-01

    A 3D model considering heat and mass transfer for food dehydration inside a direct contact dryer is studied. The k- ɛ model is used to describe turbulent air flow. The samples thermophysical properties as density, specific heat, and thermal conductivity are assumed to vary non-linearly with temperature. FVM, SIMPLE algorithm based on a FORTRAN code are used. Results unsteady velocity, temperature, moisture, kinetic energy and dissipation rate for the air flow are presented, whilst temperature and moisture values for the food also are presented. The validation procedure includes a comparison with experimental and numerical temperature and moisture content results obtained from experimental data, reaching a deviation 7-10 %. In addition, this turbulent k- ɛ model provided a better understanding of the transport phenomenon inside the dryer and sample.

  13. Stimulus size dependence of hue changes induced by chromatic surrounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kellner, Christian Johannes; Wachtler, Thomas

    2016-03-01

    A chromatic surround induces a change in the perceived hue of a stimulus. This shift in hue depends on the chromatic difference between the stimulus and the surround. We investigated how chromatic induction varies with stimulus size and whether the size dependence depends on the surround hue. Subjects performed asymmetric matching of color stimuli with different sizes in surrounds of different chromaticities. Generally, induced hue shifts decreased with increasing stimulus size. This decrease was quantitatively different for different surround hues. However, when size effects were normalized to an overall induction strength, the chromatic specificity was largely reduced. The separability of inducer chromaticity and stimulus size suggests that these effects are mediated by different neural mechanisms.

  14. Evaluation of chemical transport model predictions of primary organic aerosol for air masses classified by particle-component-based factor analysis

    OpenAIRE

    C. A. Stroud; M. D. Moran; P. A. Makar; S. Gong; W. Gong; J. Zhang; J. G. Slowik; J. P. D. Abbatt; G. Lu; J. R. Brook; C. Mihele; Q. Li; D. Sills; K. B. Strawbridge; M. L. McGuire

    2012-01-01

    Observations from the 2007 Border Air Quality and Meteorology Study (BAQS-Met 2007) in Southern Ontario, Canada, were used to evaluate predictions of primary organic aerosol (POA) and two other carbonaceous species, black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide (CO), made for this summertime period by Environment Canada's AURAMS regional chemical transport model. Particle component-based factor analysis was applied to aerosol mass spectrometer measurements made at one urban site (Windsor, ON) and two...

  15. The Potential of The Synergy of Sunphotometer and Lidar Data to Validate Vertical Profiles of The Aerosol Mass Concentration Estimated by An Air Quality Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siomos N.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Vertical profiles of the aerosol mass concentration derived by the Lidar/Radiometer Inversion Code (LIRIC, that uses combined sunphotometer and lidar data, were used in order to validate the aerosol mass concentration profiles estimated by the air quality model CAMx. Lidar and CIMEL measurements performed at the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece (40.5N, 22.9E from the period 2013-2014 were used in this study.

  16. Explaining preferences for home surroundings and locations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Hans Skifter

    2011-01-01

    This article is based on a survey carried out in Denmark that asked a random sample of the population about their preferences for home surroundings and locations. It shows that the characteristics of social surroundings are very important and can be divided into three independent dimensions......: avoiding social nuisances, preferring social homogeneity and living close to one’s social network and place of origin. The study shows that most people have many detailed preferences, whereas some have very few. This confirms an earlier theory that some people are very connected to certain places...... with given characteristics and thus do not have priorities regarding home surroundings and locations. For others, mostly young people and singles, home is just a place to sleep and relax, whereas life is lived elsewhere. For this group, there are only preferences for location and there are few specific...

  17. HIV behavioural surveillance among refugees and surrounding host ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We used a standardised behavioural surveillance survey (BSS), modified to be directly relevant to populations in conflict and post-conflict settings as well as to their surrounding host populations, to survey the populations of a refugee settlement in south-western Uganda and its surrounding area. Two-stage probability ...

  18. Simultaneous mass detection for direct inlet mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordon, R.L.

    1979-05-01

    The evolution of analytical techniques for application in trace analysis has led to interest in practical methods for real-time monitoring. Direct inlet mass spectrometry (DIMS) has been the subject of considerable activity in recent years. A DIMS instrument is described which consists of an inlet system designed to permit particles entrained in the inlet air stream to strike a hot, oxidized rhenium filament which serves as a surface ionization source. A mass analyzer and detection system then permits identification of the elemental composition of particulates which strike the filament

  19. Overview on the Air Pollution Issues of the City Clusters in China and its Control Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, X.

    2007-12-01

    Mega-cities in China, such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai are located in three large city clusters, Bo-Hai Bay surrounding area, Pearl River Delta (PRD) and Yangtze River Delta. Like the rest of the coastal regions in China, these mega-cities have been experiencing fast economic developments and consequently serious environmental pollution. Air pollution in those areas is characterized by concurrent occurrence of high concentrations of multiple primary pollutants and secondary pollutants, which lead to the development of "air pollution complex" (perhaps typically Chinese) problem. Several campaigns of field experiments covering the regions such as PRD and Beijing City with surrounding areas have been conducted critically to understand the chemical and physical processes leading to the formation of regional scale air pollution since 2004. Some policy-relevant suggestions for air quality attainment have been made after these campaigns, specially the attainment of air quality during 2008 Beijing Olympic game, which has been attracted as an important concern worldwide. A scientific field campaign was conducted during August of 2007 for testing the control strategies suggested for air quality attainment in 2008-Olympic. An overview of the results of PRD and Beijing Campaigns will be presented.

  20. The Air Blast Wave from a Nuclear Explosion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reines, Frederick

    The sudden, large scale release of energy in the explosion of a nuclear bomb in air gives rise, in addition to nuclear emanations such as neutrons and gamma rays, to an extremely hot, rapidly expanding mass of air.** The rapidly expanding air mass has an initial temperature in the vicinity of a few hundred thousand degrees and for this reason it glows in its early stages with an intensity of many suns. It is important that the energy density in this initial "ball of fire" is of the order of 3 × 103 times that found in a detonating piece of TNT and hence that the initial stages of the large scale air motion produced by a nuclear explosion has no counterpart in an ordinary. H. E. explosion. Further, the relatively low temperatures ˜2,000°C associated with the initial stages of an H. E. detonation implies that the thermal radiation which it emits is a relatively insignificant fraction of the total energy involves. This point is made more striking when it is remembered that the thermal energy emitted by a hot object varies directly with the temperature in the Rayleigh Jeans region appropriate to the present discussion. The expansion of the air mass heated by the nuclear reaction produces, in qualitatively the same manner as in an H.E. explosion or the bursting of a high pressure balloon, an intense sharp pressure pulse, a shock wave, in the atmosphere. As the pressure pulse spreads outward it weakens due to the combined effects of divergence and the thermodynamically irreversible nature of the shock wave. The air comprising such a pressure pulse or blast wave moves first radially outward and then back towards the center as the blast wave passes. Since a permanent outward displacement of an infinite mass of air would require unlimited energy, the net outward displacement of the air distant from an explosion must approach zero with increasing distance. As the distance from the explosion is diminished the net outward displacement due to irreversible shock heating of

  1. Thermal process of an air column

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, F.T.

    1994-01-01

    Thermal process of a hot air column is discussed based on laws of thermodynamics. The kinetic motion of the air mass in the column can be used as a power generator. Alternatively, the column can also function as a exhaust/cooler

  2. Analysis of Volatile Organic and Sulfur Compounds in Air Near a Pulp Paper Mill in North-Central Idaho

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, N. A. C.; Bundy, B. A.; Andrew, J. P.; Grimm, B. K.; Ketcherside, D.; Rivero-Zevallos, J. A.; Uhlorn, R. P.

    2017-12-01

    Lewiston, Idaho is a small city in the Snake River Valley bordering North-Central Idaho and Southeastern Washington, with a population of over 40,000 including the surrounding areas. One of the main industries and employers in the region is a kraft paper mill in North Lewiston, which results in odorous levels of sulfur air pollutants there. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has an air monitoring station in Lewiston but measures only air particulate matter (PM). Surprisingly, not much long-term data exists on this area for specific air constituents such as volatile organics, hazardous air pollutants, and sulfur compounds. One year-long study conducted in 2006-2007 by the Nez Perce Tribe found high formaldehyde levels in the area, and warranted further study in July of 2016-2017. Our ongoing study began in the fall of 2016 and investigates the seasonal air composition in the Lewiston area. Specifically, active air sampling via sorbent tubes and analysis by thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). was utilized to measure over 50 volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, and sulfurous compounds in ambient air (adapted from EPA Method TO-17). Seasonal, diurnal, and spatial variations in air composition were explored with weekly to monthly grab sampling. Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) were the primary sulfur compounds detected, and these varied considerably depending on time of day, season, location and meteorology. DMS was more prevalent in the summer months, while DMDS was more prevalent in the spring. Elevated concentrations of benzene and chloroform were found in the region during 2017, with average values of short term grab samples over three times the acceptable ambient concentrations in Idaho. These levels did not persist during longer term sampling of 12-hours, however further monitoring is needed to assess a potential health concern.

  3. Physics-Based Aeroelastic Analysis for Future Air Vehicle Concepts Using a Fully Nonlinear Methodology

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Strganac, Thomas W

    2007-01-01

    Future air vehicles will be highly flexible and will include deformable sub-systems resulting in new physical interactions between a vehicle's structure, the surrounding flowfleld, and the dynamics...

  4. MEMBRANE BIOTREATMENT OF VOC-LADEN AIR

    Science.gov (United States)

    The paper discusses membrane biotreatment of air laden with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Microporous flat-sheet and hollow-fiber membrane contactors were used to support air-liquid mass transfer interfaces. These modules were used in a two-step process to transfer VOCs fr...

  5. Wind field measurement in the nonprecipitous regions surrounding storms by an airborne pulsed Doppler lidar system, appendix A

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilbro, J. W.; Vaughan, W. W.

    1980-01-01

    Coherent Doppler lidar appears to hold great promise in contributing to the basic store of knowledge concerning flow field characteristics in the nonprecipitous regions surrounding severe storms. The Doppler lidar, through its ability to measure clear air returns, augments the conventional Doppler radar system, which is most useful in the precipitous regions of the storm. A brief description of the Doppler lidar severe storm measurement system is provided along with the technique to be used in performing the flow field measurements. The application of the lidar is addressed, and the planned measurement program is outlined.

  6. Highly sensitive determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after molecularly imprinted polymer extraction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Krupadam, Reddithota J.; Bhagat, Bhagyashree; Khan, Muntazir S. [National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur (India)

    2010-08-15

    A method based on solid-phase extraction with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been developed to determine five probable human carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Molecularly imprinted poly(vinylpyridine-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) was chosen as solid-phase extraction (SPE) material for PAHs. The conditions affecting extraction efficiency, for example surface properties, concentration of PAHs, and equilibration times were evaluated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, pre-concentration factors for MIP-SPE ranged between 80 and 93 for 10 mL ambient air dust leachate. PAHs recoveries from MIP-SPE after extraction from air dust were between 85% and 97% and calibration graphs of the PAHs showed a good linearity between 10 and 1000 ng L{sup -1} (r=0.99). The extraction efficiency of MIP for PAHs was compared with that of commercially available SPE materials - powdered activated carbon (PAC) and polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin (XAD) - and it was shown that the extraction capacity of the MIP was better than that of the other two SPE materials. Organic matter in air dust had no effect on MIP extraction, which produced a clean extract for GC-MS analysis. The detection limit of the method proposed in this article is 0.15 ng L{sup -1} for benzo[a]pyrene, which is a marker molecule of air pollution. The method has been applied to the determination of probable carcinogenic PAHs in air dust of industrial zones and satisfactory results were obtained. (orig.)

  7. Highly sensitive determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after molecularly imprinted polymer extraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krupadam, Reddithota J; Bhagat, Bhagyashree; Khan, Muntazir S

    2010-08-01

    A method based on solid--phase extraction with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been developed to determine five probable human carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air dust by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Molecularly imprinted poly(vinylpyridine-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) was chosen as solid-phase extraction (SPE) material for PAHs. The conditions affecting extraction efficiency, for example surface properties, concentration of PAHs, and equilibration times were evaluated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, pre-concentration factors for MIP-SPE ranged between 80 and 93 for 10 mL ambient air dust leachate. PAHs recoveries from MIP-SPE after extraction from air dust were between 85% and 97% and calibration graphs of the PAHs showed a good linearity between 10 and 1000 ng L(-1) (r = 0.99). The extraction efficiency of MIP for PAHs was compared with that of commercially available SPE materials--powdered activated carbon (PAC) and polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin (XAD)--and it was shown that the extraction capacity of the MIP was better than that of the other two SPE materials. Organic matter in air dust had no effect on MIP extraction, which produced a clean extract for GC-MS analysis. The detection limit of the method proposed in this article is 0.15 ng L(-1) for benzo[a]pyrene, which is a marker molecule of air pollution. The method has been applied to the determination of probable carcinogenic PAHs in air dust of industrial zones and satisfactory results were obtained.

  8. Circumstances surrounding aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schievink, W. I.; Karemaker, J. M.; Hageman, L. M.; van der Werf, D. J.

    1989-01-01

    The circumstances surrounding aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were investigated in a group of 500 consecutive patients admitted to a neurosurgical center. Subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred during stressful events in 42.8% of the patients, during nonstrenuous activities in 34.4%, and during rest or

  9. Influence of air pollution on cultivated plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spierings, F H.F.G.

    1958-01-01

    In an area, where tulips had been damaged, experimental plots with tulip varieties of different sensitivities to HF were laid out in the open and in greenhouses. It was proven that the injury decreased with increasing distance from the factory. In the same area irises were injured. But in this case the cause of the damage proved to be SO2 derived from the stove in the greenhouse. In an industrial area, where fruit trees were damaged last year, potatoes were injured in a very typical way. Varieties of this crop also showed differences in sensitivity to air pollution. During another period of 1958 air pollution of high intensity occurred in the same area, so that several crops were severely damaged. The damage of the fruit and vegetables turned out to be caused by HF. In several other areas of air pollution the cause of the damage proved to be HF or SO2. Shrubs surrounding the fields were able to prevent the spread of the gases to a small extent. In an area, where the concentration of HF in the atmosphere proved to be too low to cause damage, a conifer species, Chamaecyparis, showed a rather high content of F in the leaves. It is possible that this tree species, which keeps its green color during the whole year, continuously absorbs small quantities of fluorine and may become injured. In an area surrounding an enamel industry plants were damaged by HF. Several new cases of air pollution were investigated. In two of these, the cause of the damage to the plants proved to be hydrochloric acid.

  10. Influence of air pollutants (SO/sub 2/) upon transplanted lichen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schonbeck, H

    1968-01-01

    The subject of air pollution and its effects on lichens is addressed. Attention is focused on the effects of sulfur dioxide on Parmelia physodes in a heavily forested area surrounding an iron ore smelter at Biersdorf (Siegerland). The sulfur dioxide content of the air was determined in an intermittent manner at varying distances from the smelter. Depending upon the amount of sulfur dioxide, varying degrees of damage to the lichens were noted. At locations with the highest average concentrations, the lichens died.

  11. Impacts of emerging contaminants on surrounding aquatic environment from a youth festival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Jheng-Jie; Lee, Chon-Lin; Fang, Meng-Der; Tu, Bo-Wen; Liang, Yu-Jen

    2015-01-20

    The youth festival as we refer to Spring Scream, a large-scale pop music festival, is notorious for the problems of drug abuse and addiction. The origin, temporal magnitudes, potential risks and mass inputs of emerging contaminants (ECs) were investigated. Thirty targeted ECs were analyzed by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). Sampling strategy was designed to characterize EC behavior in different stages (before and after the youth festival), based on multivariate data analysis to explore the contributions of contaminants from normal condition to the youth festival. Wastewater influents and effluents were collected during the youth festival (approximately 600 000 pop music fans and youth participated). Surrounding river waters are also sampled to illustrate the touristic impacts during peak season and off-season. Seasonal variations were observed, with the highest concentrations in April (Spring Scream) and the lowest in October (off-season). Acetaminophen, diclofenac, codeine, ampicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin-H2O, and gemfibrozil have significant pollution risk quotients (RQs > 1), indicating ecotoxicological concerns. Principal component analysis (PCA) and weekly patterns provide a perspective in assessing the touristic impacts and address the dramatic changes in visitor population and drug consumption. The highest mass loads discharged into the aquatic ecosystem corresponded to illicit drugs/controlled substances such as ketamine and MDMA, indicating the high consumption of ecstasy during Spring Scream.

  12. Estimation of the ability to use a mass of air from a moving vehicle in wind turbine propulsion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam BAWORSKI

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available This work presents division and classification of wind turbines according to the location of the axis of rotation and generated power. The work introduces applications of the wind turbines in electric energy generation with their direct development. The paper discusses indicators and exploitation parameters that characterize particular types of wind rotators. Dimension and construction factors, as well as work parameters, have been analyzed in order to choose the optimal rotator in the road infrastructure application. The aim of the analysis was to conduct further investigation to restore a mass of air from passing vehicles.

  13. Air pollution: a smoking gun for cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wei; Qian, Chao-Nan; Zeng, Yi-Xin

    2014-04-01

    Once considered a taboo topic or stigma, cancer is the number one public health enemy in the world. Once a product of an almost untouchable industry, tobacco is indisputably recognized as a major cause of cancer and a target for anticancer efforts. With the emergence of new economic powers in the world, especially in highly populated countries such as China, air pollution has rapidly emerged as a smoking gun for cancer and has become a hot topic for public health debate because of the complex political, economic, scientific, and technologic issues surrounding the air pollution problem. This editorial and the referred articles published in this special issue of the Chinese Journal of Cancer discuss these fundamental questions. Does air pollution cause a wide spectrum of cancers? Should air pollution be considered a necessary evil accompanying economic transformation in developing countries? Is an explosion of cancer incidence coming to China and how soon will it arrive? What must be done to prevent this possible human catastrophe? Finally, the approaches for air pollution control are also discussed.

  14. Demonstration of AIRS Total Ozone Products to Operations to Enhance User Readiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berndt, Emily; Zavodsky, Bradley; Jedlovec, Gary

    2014-01-01

    Cyclogenesis is a key forecast challenge at operational forecasting centers such as WPC and OPC, so these centers have a particular interest in unique products that can identify key storm features. In some cases, explosively developing extratropical cyclones can produce hurricane force, non-convective winds along the East Coast and north Atlantic as well as the Pacific Ocean, with the potential to cause significant damage to life and property. Therefore, anticipating cyclogenesis for these types of storms is crucial for furthering the NOAA goal of a "Weather Ready Nation". Over the last few years, multispectral imagery (i.e. RGB) products have gained popularity among forecasters. The GOES-R satellite champion at WPC/OPC has regularly evaluated the Air Mass RGB products from GOES Sounder, MODIS, and SEVIRI to aid in forecasting cyclogenesis as part of ongoing collaborations with SPoRT within the framework of the GOES-R Proving Ground. WPC/OPC has used these products to identify regions of stratospheric air associated with tropopause folds that can lead to cyclogenesis and hurricane force winds. RGB products combine multiple channels or channel differences into multi-color imagery in which different colors represent a particular cloud or air mass type. Initial interaction and feedback from forecasters evaluating the legacy Air Mass RGBs revealed some uncertainty regarding what physical processes the qualitative RGB products represent and color interpretation. To enhance forecaster confidence and interpretation of the Air Mass RGB, NASA SPoRT has transitioned a total column ozone product from AIRS retrievals to the WPC/OPC. The use of legacy AIRS demonstrates future JPSS capabilities possible with CrIS or OMPS. Since stratospheric air can be identified by anomalous potential vorticity and warm, dry, ozone-rich air, hyperspectral infrared sounder ozone products can be used in conjunction with the Air Mass RGB for identifying the role of stratospheric air in explosive

  15. Evaluation of radiological impact of habitual atmospheric releases in the surroundings of the Juragua nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez Rodriguez, J.M.; Rosales, I.

    1993-01-01

    The considerations and fundamental data used to evaluate the individual doses to the population living within an area of 40 km in the surroundings of Juragua nuclear power plant are presented. Recognized dispersion models (Pasquill modified) and models of dose calculations due to continuous habitual air releases composed of gases and aerosols (47 radionuclides) are used for the calculations.The following ways are taken into account for evaluation: a)irradiation of the cloud, b)irradiation of contaminated ground, c)inhalation, d) ingestion of agro-products. The iso line maps of concentrations and fundamental doses for the site are shown

  16. A metric for characterizing the effectiveness of thermal mass in building materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talyor, Robert A.; Miner, Mark

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Proposes a metric for interior thermal mass materials (floors, walls, counters). • Simple, yet effective, metric composed of easily calculated ‘local’ and ‘global’ variables. • Like Energy Star, the proposed metric gives a single number to aid consumer choice. • The metric is calculated and compared for selected, readily available data. • Drywall, concrete flooring, and wood paneling are quite effective thermal mass. - Abstract: Building energy use represents approximately 25% of the average total global energy consumption (for both residential and commercial buildings). Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) – in most climates – embodies the single largest draw inside our buildings. In many countries around the world a concerted effort is being made towards retrofitting existing buildings to improve energy efficiency. Better windows, insulation, and ducting can make drastic differences in the energy consumption of a building HVAC system. Even with these improvements, HVAC systems are still required to compensate for daily and seasonal temperature swings of the surrounding environment. Thermal mass inside the thermal envelope can help to alleviate these swings. While it is possible to add specialty thermal mass products to buildings for this purpose, commercial uptake of these products is low. Common building interior building materials (e.g. flooring, walls, countertops) are often overlooked as thermal mass products, but herein we propose and analyze non-dimensional metrics for the ‘benefit’ of selected commonly available products. It was found that location-specific variables (climate, electricity price, material price, insolation) can have more than an order of magnitude influence in the calculated metrics for the same building material. Overall, this paper provides guidance on the most significant contributors to indoor thermal mass, and presents a builder- and consumer-friendly metric to inform decisions about

  17. 75 FR 55494 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Idaho; Interstate Transport of Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-13

    ... Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Idaho; Interstate Transport of Pollution AGENCY: Environmental Protection... purpose of the SIP is to provide the air pollution regulations, control strategies, and other means or... effect' resulting from an inversion that has a stagnant air pollution mass surrounded by the Oquirrh...

  18. Critique of the use of deposition velocity in modeling indoor air quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nazaroff, W.W.; Weschler, C.J.

    1993-01-01

    Among the potential fates of indoor air pollutants are a variety of physical and chemical interactions with indoor surfaces. In deterministic mathematical models of indoor air quality, these interactions are usually represented as a first-order loss process, with the loss rate coefficient given as the product of the surface-to-volume ratio of the room times a deposition velocity. In this paper, the validity of this representation of surface-loss mechanisms is critically evaluated. From a theoretical perspective, the idea of a deposition velocity is consistent with the following representation of an indoor air environment. Pollutants are well-mixed throughout a core region which is separated from room surfaces by boundary layers. Pollutants migrate through the boundary layers by a combination of diffusion (random motion resulting from collisions with surrounding gas molecules), advection (transport by net motion of the fluid), and, in some cases, other transport mechanisms. The rate of pollutant loss to a surface is governed by a combination of the rate of transport through the boundary layer and the rate of reaction at the surface. The deposition velocity expresses the pollutant flux density (mass or moles deposited per area per time) to the surface divided by the pollutant concentration in the core region. This concept has substantial value to the extent that the flux density is proportional to core concentration. Published results from experimental and modeling studies of fine particles, radon decay products, ozone, and nitrogen oxides are used as illustrations of both the strengths and weaknesses of deposition velocity as a parameter to indicate the rate of indoor air pollutant loss on surfaces. 66 refs., 5 tabs

  19. WIPP air-intake shaft disturbed-rock zone study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dale, T.; Hurtado, L.D.

    1996-01-01

    The disturbed-rock zone surrounding the air-intake shaft at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site was investigated to determine the extent and the permeability of the disturbed-rock zone as a function of radial distance from the 6.1 m diameter shaft, at different elevations within the Salado. Gas- and brine-permeability tests were performed in the bedded halite of the Salado formation at two levels within the air-intake shaft. The gas- and brine-permeability test results demonstrated that the radial distance to an undisturbed formation permeability of 1 x 10 -21 m 2 was less than 3.0 m

  20. Longitudinal bulk acoustic mass sensor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hales, Jan Harry; Teva, Jordi; Boisen, Anja

    2009-01-01

    A polycrystalline silicon longitudinal bulk acoustic cantilever is fabricated and operated in air at 51 MHz. A mass sensitivity of 100 Hz/fg (1 fg=10(-15) g) is obtained from the preliminary experiments where a minute mass is deposited on the device by means of focused ion beam. The total noise...

  1. A mixing method for traceable air velocity measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sillanpää, S; Heinonen, M

    2008-01-01

    A novel and quite simple method to establish a traceability link between air velocity and the national standards of mass and time is presented in this paper. The method is based on the humidification of flowing air before the blower of a wind tunnel with a known mass flow of water. Then air velocity can be calculated as a function of humidification water flow. The method is compared against a Pitot-tube-based velocity measurement in a wind tunnel at the MIKES. The results of these two different methods agreed well, with a maximum difference of 0.7%

  2. Evaluation of the instability problems in rock slopes surrounding historical Safranbolu by kinematic analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İnan Keskin

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Safranbolu which has high probability for slope-induced disasters is a very worthwhile settlement for our country and also for the world with its historical and cultural heritage. Finding out potential hazards that may affect the wealth of this world heritage city is very crucial. The historic Safranbolu is surrounded by very steep rock slopes, and occasionally instability occurs in the rock mass that forms these slopes. The rock blocks that are relaesed in various causes and shapes can damage the historic town living spaces by creating a source for the rock fallings and moving down the slope in these very steep slopes. The rock slopes were evaluated by kinematic analysis in order to reduce the mentioned damages and to reveal potential hazards. In the study, characteristics of mass that causes rock fallings are analysed, kinematic controlled instability types are determined considering the obtained data and characteristic of slopes.

  3. Nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - gas-particle partitioning, mass size distribution, and formation along transport in marine and continental background air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lammel, Gerhard; Mulder, Marie D.; Shahpoury, Pourya; Kukučka, Petr; Lišková, Hana; Přibylová, Petra; Prokeš, Roman; Wotawa, Gerhard

    2017-05-01

    Nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAH) are ubiquitous in polluted air but little is known about their abundance in background air. NPAHs were studied at one marine and one continental background site, i.e. a coastal site in the southern Aegean Sea (summer 2012) and a site in the central Great Hungarian Plain (summer 2013), together with the parent compounds, PAHs. A Lagrangian particle dispersion model was used to track air mass history. Based on Lagrangian particle statistics, the urban influence on samples was quantified for the first time as a fractional dose to which the collected volume of air had been exposed. At the remote marine site, the 3-4-ring NPAH (sum of 11 targeted species) concentration was 23.7 pg m-3 while the concentration of 4-ring PAHs (6 species) was 426 pg m-3. The most abundant NPAHs were 2-nitrofluoranthene (2NFLT) and 3-nitrophenanthrene. Urban fractional doses in the range of air are the lowest ever reported and remarkably lower, by more than 1 order of magnitude, than 1 decade before. Day-night variation of NPAHs at the continental site reflected shorter lifetime during the day, possibly because of photolysis of some NPAHs. The yields of formation of 2NFLT and 2-nitropyrene (2NPYR) in marine air seem to be close to the yields for OH-initiated photochemistry observed in laboratory experiments under high NOx conditions. Good agreement is found for the prediction of NPAH gas-particle partitioning using a multi-phase poly-parameter linear free-energy relationship. Sorption to soot is found to be less significant for gas-particle partitioning of NPAHs than for PAHs. The NPAH levels determined in the south-eastern outflow of Europe confirm intercontinental transport potential.

  4. Interactive Effect of Air-Water Ratio and Temperature on the Air ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Windows User

    KEYWORDS: Interactive effect, air-water ratio, temperature, volatile organic compounds, removal efficiency. [Received ... The rate of mass transfer of a VOC from wastewater to the ... where ΔHo is heat of evaporation of 1 mole of component.

  5. Air in vagina: significance in the staging of uterine cervical carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Seung Hyup; Choi, Byung Ihn; Kang, Soon Beom; Lee, Hyo Pyo; Han, Man Chung

    1994-01-01

    To evaluate the significance of vaginal air seen on CT scan in preoperative staging of uterine cervical carcinoma. A comparison was made between CT findings of vaginal fir and true vaginal involvement status in 85 patients with uterine cervical carcinoma. CT findings were analyzed in terms of the presence or absence of vaginal air, number of CT slices in which vaginal air was seen, shape of vaginal air, and relation of vaginal air to cervical mass. Vaginal air was present in 35 patients and was absent in 50. Although the mere presence of vaginal air or multiplicity of CT slices showing vaginal air did not signify the presence of vaginal involvement, vaginal air with irregular margin or vaginal air adjacent to uterine cervical mass was suggestive of vaginal involvement. These observation of vaginal air in interpreting CT may be helpful in the preoperative staging of uterine cervical carcinoma

  6. Air Distribution Systems and Cross-Infection Risk in the Hospital Sector

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Peter V.

    2012-01-01

    . A large amount of air is supplied to the room to ensure dilution of airborne infection. The paper discusses both the macroenvironment and the microenvironment. The macroenvironment is the conditions created by the air distribution system, and the microenvironment is the conditions created by the local...... flow around persons in combination with the surrounding conditions. Analyses of the flow in the room (macroenvironment) show a number of parameters that play an important role in minimising of airborne cross-infection. The air flow rate to the room must be high, and the air distribution pattern can......We protect ourselves from airborne cross-infection in our indoor environment by supplying fresh air to the room by natural or mechanical ventilation. The air is distributed in the room according to different principles as e.g. mixing ventilation, downward ventilation, displacement ventilation, etc...

  7. Meteorological utilization of measurements of the artificial radioactivity on the air and precipitation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Neuwirth, R

    1955-01-01

    German, French, and American measurements of the rainfall and air activity are being evaluated. For that purpose, trajectories from the experimental grounds for bomb tests in Nevada to Western Germany are drawn. By means of intermediate values, the test possibilities of air paths first only scheduled are given. The so-called deposit spaces and meridional circulations, which are significant particularly in divergence regions, prove to be of especial importance. The mechanism of activation of precipitation is discussed. A connexion between the activity of precipitation and air masses could only be found in individual cases. But it seems that semitropical air masses dispose of a higher specific activity in comparison with the polar air masses.

  8. Characterisation of a smartphone image sensor response to direct solar 305nm irradiation at high air masses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Igoe, D P; Amar, A; Parisi, A V; Turner, J

    2017-06-01

    This research reports the first time the sensitivity, properties and response of a smartphone image sensor that has been used to characterise the photobiologically important direct UVB solar irradiances at 305nm in clear sky conditions at high air masses. Solar images taken from Autumn to Spring were analysed using a custom Python script, written to develop and apply an adaptive threshold to mitigate the effects of both noise and hot-pixel aberrations in the images. The images were taken in an unobstructed area, observing from a solar zenith angle as high as 84° (air mass=9.6) to local solar maximum (up to a solar zenith angle of 23°) to fully develop the calibration model in temperatures that varied from 2°C to 24°C. The mean ozone thickness throughout all observations was 281±18 DU (to 2 standard deviations). A Langley Plot was used to confirm that there were constant atmospheric conditions throughout the observations. The quadratic calibration model developed has a strong correlation between the red colour channel from the smartphone with the Microtops measurements of the direct sun 305nm UV, with a coefficient of determination of 0.998 and very low standard errors. Validation of the model verified the robustness of the method and the model, with an average discrepancy of only 5% between smartphone derived and Microtops observed direct solar irradiances at 305nm. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using the smartphone image sensor as a means to measure photobiologically important solar UVB radiation. The use of ubiquitous portable technologies, such as smartphones and laptop computers to perform data collection and analysis of solar UVB observations is an example of how scientific investigations can be performed by citizen science based individuals and groups, communities and schools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Squeeze-Film Air Damping of a Five-Axis Electrostatic Bearing for Rotary Micromotors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shunyue; Han, Fengtian; Sun, Boqian; Li, Haixia

    2017-05-13

    Air-film damping, which dominates over other losses, plays a significant role in the dynamic response of many micro-fabricated devices with a movable mass suspended by various bearing mechanisms. Modeling the damping characteristics accurately will be greatly helpful to the bearing design, control, and test in various micromotor devices. This paper presents the simulated and experimental squeeze-film air damping results of an electrostatic bearing for use in a rotary high-speed micromotor. It is shown that the boundary condition to solve the three-dimensional Reynolds equation, which governs the squeeze-film damping in the air gap between the rotor and its surrounding stator sealed in a three-layer evacuated cavity, behaves with strong cross-axis coupling characteristics. To accurately characterize the damping effect, a set of multiphysics finite-element simulations are performed by computing both the rotor velocity and the distribution of the viscous damping force acting on the rotor. The damping characteristics varying with several key structure parameters are simulated and discussed to optimize the device structure for desirable rotor dynamics. An electrical measurement method is also proposed and applied to validate the numerical results of the damping coefficients experimentally. Given that the frequency response of the electric bearing is critically dependent on the damping coefficients at atmospheric pressure, a solution to the air-film damping measurement problem is presented by taking approximate curve fitting of multi-axis experimental frequency responses. The measured squeeze-film damping coefficients for the five-axis electric bearing agrees well with the numerical solutions. This indicates that numerical multiphysics simulation is an effective method to accurately examine the air-film damping effect for complex device geometry and arbitrary boundary condition. The accurate damping coefficients obtained by FEM simulation will greatly simplify the design

  10. Remediation of Chlorinated Solvent Plumes Using In-Situ Air Sparging—A 2-D Laboratory Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey A. Adams

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In-situ air sparging has evolved as an innovative technique for soil and groundwater remediation impacted with volatile organic compounds (VOCs, including chlorinated solvents. These may exist as non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL or dissolved in groundwater. This study assessed: (1 how air injection rate affects the mass removal of dissolved phase contamination, (2 the effect of induced groundwater flow on mass removal and air distribution during air injection, and (3 the effect of initial contaminant concentration on mass removal. Dissolved-phase chlorinated solvents can be effectively removed through the use of air sparging; however, rapid initial rates of contaminant removal are followed by a protracted period of lower removal rates, or a tailing effect. As the air flow rate increases, the rate of contaminant removal also increases, especially during the initial stages of air injection. Increased air injection rates will increase the density of air channel formation, resulting in a larger interfacial mass transfer area through which the dissolved contaminant can partition into the vapor phase. In cases of groundwater flow, increased rates of air injection lessened observed downward contaminant migration effect. The air channel network and increased air saturation reduced relative hydraulic conductivity, resulting in reduced groundwater flow and subsequent downgradient contaminant migration. Finally, when a higher initial TCE concentration was present, a slightly higher mass removal rate was observed due to higher volatilization-induced concentration gradients and subsequent diffusive flux. Once concentrations are reduced, a similar tailing effect occurs.

  11. Cholinergic enhancement reduces orientation-specific surround suppression but not visual crowding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna A. Kosovicheva

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Acetylcholine (ACh reduces the spatial spread of excitatory fMRI responses in early visual cortex and the receptive field sizes of V1 neurons. We investigated the perceptual consequences of these physiological effects of ACh with surround suppression and crowding, two tasks that involve spatial interactions between visual field locations. Surround suppression refers to the reduction in perceived stimulus contrast by a high-contrast surround stimulus. For grating stimuli, surround suppression is selective for the relative orientations of the center and surround, suggesting that it results from inhibitory interactions in early visual cortex. Crowding refers to impaired identification of a peripheral stimulus in the presence of flankers and is thought to result from excessive integration of visual features. We increased synaptic ACh levels by administering the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil to healthy human subjects in a placebo-controlled, double-blind design. In Exp. 1, we measured surround suppression of a central grating using a contrast discrimination task with three conditions: 1 surround grating with the same orientation as the center (parallel, 2 surround orthogonal to the center, or 3 no surround. Contrast discrimination thresholds were higher in the parallel than in the orthogonal condition, demonstrating orientation-specific surround suppression (OSSS. Cholinergic enhancement reduced thresholds only in the parallel condition, thereby reducing OSSS. In Exp. 2, subjects performed a crowding task in which they reported the identity of a peripheral letter flanked by letters on either side. We measured the critical spacing between the target and flanking letters that allowed reliable identification. Cholinergic enhancement had no effect on critical spacing. Our findings suggest that ACh reduces spatial interactions in tasks involving segmentation of visual field locations but that these effects may be limited to early visual cortical

  12. Measurement of Leaf Mass and Leaf Area of Oaks In A Mediterranean-climate Region For Biogenic Emission Estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlik, J.

    Given the key role played by biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) in tro- pospheric chemistry and regional air quality, it is critical to generate accurate BVOC emission inventories. Because several oak species have high BVOC emission rates, and oak trees are often of large stature with corresponding large leaf masses, oaks may be the most important genus of woody plants for BVOC emissions modeling in the natural landscapes of Mediterranean-climate regions. In California, BVOC emis- sions from oaks may mix with anthropogenic emissions from urban areas, leading to elevated levels of ozone. Data for leaf mass and leaf area for a stand of native blue oaks (Quercus douglasii) were obtained through harvest and leaf removal from 14 trees lo- cated in the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California. Trees ranged in height from 4.2 to 9.9 m, with trunk diameters at breast height of 14 to 85 cm. Mean leaf mass density was 730 g m-2 for the trees and had an overall value of 310 g m-2 for the site. Consideration of the surrounding grassland devoid of trees resulted in a value of about 150 g m-2, less than half of reported values for eastern U.S. oak woodlands, but close to a reported value for oaks found in St. Quercio, Italy. The mean value for leaf area index (LAI) for the trees at this site was 4.4 m2 m-2. LAI for the site was 1.8 m2 m-2, but this value was appropriate for the oak grove only; including the surrounding open grassland resulted in an overall LAI value of 0.9 m2 m-2 or less. A volumetric method worked well for estimating the leaf mass of the oak trees. Among allometric relationships investigated, trunk circumference, mean crown radius, and crown projec- tion were well correlated with leaf mass. Estimated emission of isoprene (mg C m-2 h-1) for the site based these leaf mass data and experimentally determined emission rate was similar to that reported for a Mediterranean oak woodland in France.

  13. Las masas de aire que afectan el sur de la provincia de Santa Fe y su relación con la precipitación diaria en enero Classification of air masses that affect the south of Santa Fe, their trajectories and the relationship between them to the the daily precipitation in January abstract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandra S. Coronel

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo es identificar las masas de aire que afectan el sur de Santa Fe durante los eneros de 1998-2006 y relacionarlas con la precipitación diaria, tomando como estación representativa a Zavalla (33º01´S, 60º53´O. La información diaria analizada es: temperaturas media, máxima y mínima, humedad relativa, heliofanía efectiva, presión atmosférica, precipitación y dirección de viento a las 8 y 14 horas local, campos de altura geopotencial en 1000 y 500 hPa, de temperatura en 1000 hPa y de humedad específica en 850 hPa del NCEP. Se aplica el algoritmo K-means y se identifican cuatro tipos de masas de aire: Cálida Seca (mCS: muy cálida; Cálida Húmeda (mCH: aumenta significativamente la humedad y la nubosidad respecto a mCS; Templada Seca (mTS: menores temperaturas mínimas; Templada Húmeda (mTH: muy húmeda, y bajas amplitudes térmicas diarias, asociada a condiciones previas al pasaje de frentes fríos. El 50% de días lluviosos ocurren durante mCH y el 32% con mTH, y el 93% de las más intensas acontecen durante el predominio de dichas masas. Las mTH tienen mayor eficiencia en la ocurrencia de precipitación pues en el 50% de los casos precipita, y para las mCH solo en el 27%.The aim of this work is to identify the air masses that affect the south of Santa Fe in January during 1998-2006 and to relate it to the daily precipitation, in Zavalla (33º01´S, 60º53´O. The analyzed daily information is: mean, maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, effective insolation, atmospheric pressure, precipitation and wind direction of the 8 and 14 hours. The fields of circulation and temperature in 1000 and 500 hPa, and specific humidity in 850 hPa, are calculated using NCEP Reanálisis data. Analysis of cluster k-means is applied and it determines four types of air masses: Warm Drought: a very warm air mass; Warm Humid: it increases the humidity and cloudiness, Moderate Dry: air mass with the smallest minimum

  14. Glacier mass balance in high-arctic areas with anomalous gravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharov, A.; Rieser, D.; Nikolskiy, D.

    2012-04-01

    All known glaciological models describing the evolution of Arctic land- and sea-ice masses in changing climate treat the Earth's gravity as horizontally constant, but it isn't. In the High Arctic, the strength of the gravitational field varies considerably across even short distances under the influence of a density gradient, and the magnitude of free air gravity anomalies attains 100 mGal and more. On long-term base, instantaneous deviations of gravity can have a noticeable effect on the regime and mass budget of glaciological objects. At best, the gravity-induced component of ice mass variations can be determined on topographically smooth, open and steady surfaces, like those of arctic planes, regular ice caps and landfast sea ice. The present research is devoted to studying gravity-driven impacts on glacier mass balance in the outer periphery of four Eurasian shelf seas with a very cold, dry climate and rather episodic character of winter precipitation. As main study objects we had chosen a dozen Russia's northernmost insular ice caps, tens to hundreds of square kilometres in extent, situated in a close vicinity of strong gravity anomalies and surrounded with extensive fields of fast and/or drift ice for most of the year. The supposition about gravitational forcing on glacioclimatic settings in the study region is based on the results of quantitative comparison and joint interpretation of existing glacier change maps and available data on the Arctic gravity field and solid precipitation. The overall mapping of medium-term (from decadal to half-centennial) changes in glacier volumes and quantification of mass balance characteristics in the study region was performed by comparing reference elevation models of study glaciers derived from Russian topographic maps 1:200,000 (CI = 20 or 40 m) representing the glacier state as in the 1950s-1980s with modern elevation data obtained from satellite radar interferometry and lidar altimetry. Free-air gravity anomalies were

  15. A nebula of gases from Io surrounding Jupiter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krimigis, Stamatios M; Mitchell, Donald G; Hamilton, Douglas C; Dandouras, Jannis; Armstrong, Thomas P; Bolton, Scott J; Cheng, Andrew F; Gloeckler, George; Hsieh, K C; Keath, Edwin P; Krupp, Norbert; Lagg, Andreas; Lanzerotti, Louis J; Livi, Stefano; Mauk, Barry H; McEntire, Richard W; Roelof, Edmond C; Wilken, Berend; Williams, Donald J

    2002-02-28

    Several planetary missions have reported the presence of substantial numbers of energetic ions and electrons surrounding Jupiter; relativistic electrons are observable up to several astronomical units (au) from the planet. A population of energetic (>30[?]keV) neutral particles also has been reported, but the instrumentation was not able to determine the mass or charge state of the particles, which were subsequently labelled energetic neutral atoms. Although images showing the presence of the trace element sodium were obtained, the source and identity of the neutral atoms---and their overall significance relative to the loss of charged particles from Jupiter's magnetosphere---were unknown. Here we report the discovery by the Cassini spacecraft of a fast (>103[?]km[?]s-1) and hot magnetospheric neutral wind extending more than 0.5[?]au from Jupiter, and the presence of energetic neutral atoms (both hot and cold) that have been accelerated by the electric field in the solar wind. We suggest that these atoms originate in volcanic gases from Io, undergo significant evolution through various electromagnetic interactions, escape Jupiter's magnetosphere and then populate the environment around the planet. Thus a 'nebula' is created that extends outwards over hundreds of jovian radii.

  16. Lidar derived properties of air-masses advected from Ukraine, Sahara and Carpathian mountains to Warsaw, Poland on 9 - 11 August 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janicka, Lucja; Szczepanik, Dominika; Borek, Karolina; Heese, Birgit; Stachlewska, Iwona S.

    2018-04-01

    The aerosol layers of different origin, suspended in the atmosphere on 9-11 August 2015 were observed with the PollyXT-UW lidar in Warsaw, Poland. The HYSPLIT ensemble backward trajectories indicate that the observed air-masses attribute to a few different sources, among others, possible transport paths from Ukraine, Slovakia, and Africa. In this paper, we attempt to analyse and discuss the properties of aerosol particles of different origin that were suspended over Warsaw during this event.

  17. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHRASEOLOGICAL UNITS WITH LEXICAL UNIT ВОЗДУХ/AIR/L’AIR IN RUSSIAN, ENGLISH AND FRENCH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lineva, E.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The perception and interpretation of the realia surrounding us is different among the representatives of different nations of the world. It manifests itself very clearly in phraseological units of the language as idioms accumulate the knowledge of the people and reflect culture, history, wisdom, beliefs, customs and traditions of the certain ethnic group. Comparative syntactic and grammatical analysis of phraseological units with the word воздух/air/l'air in the Russian, English and French languages represented in the article can reveal some aspects of the national mindset, linguistic and cultural peculiarities of the three nationalities.

  18. Mass transfer in a salt repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pigford, T.H.; Chambre, P.L.

    1985-05-01

    To meet regulatory requirements for radioactive waste in a salt repository it is necessary to predict the rates of corrosion of the waste container, the release rates of radionuclides from the waste package, and the cumulative release of radionuclides into the accessible environment. The mechanisms that may control these rates and an approach to predicting these rates from mass-transfer theory are described. This new mechanistic approach is suggested by three premises: (a) a brine inclusion originally in a salt crystal moves along grain boundaries after thermal-induced migration out of the crystal, (b) brine moves along a grain boundary under the influence of a pressure gradient, and (c) salt surrounding a heat-generating waste package will soon creep and consolidate as a monolithic medium surrounding and in contact with the waste package. After consolidation there may be very little migration of intergranular and intragranular brine to the waste package. The corrosion rate of the waste container may then be limited by the rate at which brine reaches the container and may be calculable from mass-transfer theory, and the rate at which dissolved radionuclides leave the waste package may be limited by molecular diffusion in intragranular brine and may be calculable from mass-transfer theory. If porous nonsalt interbeds intersect the waste-package borehole, the release rate of dissolved radionuclides to interbed brine may also be calculable from mass-transfer theory. The logic of these conclusions is described, as an aid in formulating the calculations that are to be made

  19. Modelling joint air defence doctrinal issues with a LinkZA-based integration of two C2 simulators – a case study

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Nel, JJ

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the integration between two command and control simulators in order to clarify doctrinal issues surrounding Joint Air Defence using as example the uncertainty of roles and responsibilities between the Air Defence Cell...

  20. Surveying Low-Mass Star Formation with the Submillimeter Array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunham, Michael

    2018-01-01

    Large astronomical surveys yield important statistical information that can’t be derived from single-object and small-number surveys. In this talk I will review two recent surveys in low-mass star formation undertaken by the Submillimeter Array (SMA): a millimeter continuum survey of disks surrounding variably accreting young stars, and a complete continuum and molecular line survey of all protostars in the nearby Perseus Molecular Cloud. I will highlight several new insights into the processes by which low-mass stars gain their mass that have resulted from the statistical power of these surveys.

  1. Characterizing ultrafine particles and other air pollutants in and around school buses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yifang; Zhang, Qunfang

    2014-03-01

    Increasing evidence has demonstrated toxic effects of ultrafine particles (UFP*, diameter emissions from idling school buses to air pollutant levels in and around school buses under different scenarios; 3. Retrofit tests to evaluate the performance of two retrofit systems, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) muffler and a crankcase filtration system (CFS), on reducing tailpipe emissions and in-cabin air pollutant concentrations under idling and driving conditions; and 4. High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air purifier tests to evaluate the effectiveness of in-cabin filtration. In total, 24 school buses were employed to cover a wide range of school buses commonly used in the United States. Real-time air quality measurements included particle number concentration (PNC), fine and UFP size distribution in the size range 7.6-289 nm, PM2.5 mass concentration, black carbon (BC) concentration, and carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. For in-cabin measurements, instruments were placed on a platform secured to the rear seats inside the school buses. For all other tests, a second set of instruments was deployed to simultaneously measure the ambient air pollutant levels. For tailpipe emission measurements, the exhaust was diluted and then measured by instruments identical to those used for the in-cabin measurements. The results show that when driving on roads, in-cabin PNC, fine and UFP size distribution, PM2.5, BC, and CO varied by engine age, window position, driving speed, driving route, and operating conditions. Emissions from idling school buses increased the PNC close to the tailpipe by a factor of up to 26.0. Under some circumstances, tailpipe emissions of idling school buses increased the in-cabin PNC by factors ranging from 1.2 to 5.8 in the 10-30 nm particle size range. Retrofit systems significantly reduced the tailpipe emissions of idling school buses. With both DOC and CFS installed, PNC in tailpipe emissions dropped by 20

  2. Longitudinal bulk a coustic mass sensor

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hales, Jan Harry; Teva, Jordi; Boisen, Anja

    2009-01-01

    Design, fabrication and characterization, in terms of mass sensitivity, is presented for a polycrystalline silicon longitudinal bulk acoustic cantilever. The device is operated in air at 51 MHz, resulting in a mass sensitivity of 100 HZ/fg (1 fg = 10{su−15 g). The initial characterization is cond...

  3. Development of portable mass spectrometer with electron cyclotron resonance ion source for detection of chemical warfare agents in air.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Urabe, Tatsuya; Takahashi, Kazuya; Kitagawa, Michiko; Sato, Takafumi; Kondo, Tomohide; Enomoto, Shuichi; Kidera, Masanori; Seto, Yasuo

    2014-01-01

    A portable mass spectrometer with an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (miniECRIS-MS) was developed. It was used for in situ monitoring of trace amounts of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in atmospheric air. Instrumental construction and parameters were optimized to realize a fast response, high sensitivity, and a small body size. Three types of CWAs, i.e., phosgene, mustard gas, and hydrogen cyanide were examined to check if the mass spectrometer was able to detect characteristic elements and atomic groups. From the results, it was found that CWAs were effectively ionized in the miniECRIS-MS, and their specific signals could be discerned over the background signals of air. In phosgene, the signals of the 35Cl+ and 37Cl+ ions were clearly observed with high dose-response relationships in the parts-per-billion level, which could lead to the quantitative on-site analysis of CWAs. A parts-per-million level of mustard gas, which was far lower than its lethal dosage (LCt50), was successfully detected with a high signal-stability of the plasma ion source. It was also found that the chemical forms of CWAs ionized in the plasma, i.e., monoatomic ions, fragment ions, and molecular ions, could be detected, thereby enabling the effective identification of the target CWAs. Despite the disadvantages associated with miniaturization, the overall performance (sensitivity and response time) of the miniECRIS-MS in detecting CWAs exceeded those of sector-type ECRIS-MS, showing its potential for on-site detection in the future. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Thermal conditions and perceived air quality in an air-conditioned auditorium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polednik, Bernard; Guz, Łukasz; Skwarczyński, Mariusz; Dudzińska, Marzenna R.

    2016-07-01

    The study reports measurements of indoor air temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), perceived air quality (PAQ) and CO2, fine aerosol particle number (PN) and mass (PM1) concentrations in an air conditioned auditorium. The measurements of these air physical parameters have been carried out in the unoccupied auditorium with the air conditioning system switched off (AC off mode) and in the unoccupied and occupied auditorium with the air conditioning system switched off during the night and switched on during the day (AC on/off mode). The average indoor air thermal parameters, CO2 concentration and the PAQ value (in decipols) were elevated, while average PM1 concentration was lower in the AC on/off mode. A statistically significant (p PAQ values and CO2 concentrations (r = 0.66 and r = 0.59, respectively) in that AC mode. A significant negative correlation has been observed between T and PN and PM1 concentrations (r = -0.38 and r = -0.49, respectively). In the AC off mode the above relations between T and the particle concentrations were not that unequivocal. These findings may be of importance as they indicate that in certain AC operation modes the indoor air quality deteriorates along with the variation of the indoor air microclimate and room occupation. This, in turn, may adversely affect the comfort and productivity of the users of air conditioned premises.

  5. Placental vascular responses are dependent on surrounding tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brøgger, Torbjørn Halle

    -depth understanding of the mechanism regulating blood flow and perfusion is necessary if we are to come up with new ideas for intervention and treatment. Method: From fresh born placentas stem villi arteries were carefully dissected. The artery branches were divided. The surrounding tissue was removed from one end...... and was left untouched in the other end. Then using wire myography they were investigated in terms of contractility and sensitivity to physiological relevant human-like agonists. Results: Sensitivity to PGF2α, Tx-analog, 5-HT and endothelin-1 was significantly lower in arteries with intact surrounding tissue...... compared to arteries stripped of the tissue. The maximal force development was also significantly lower in arteries with surrounding tissue, when they were depolarized high extracellular [K+] or stimulated with PGF2α or endotheline-1. Conclusion: The perivascular tissue significantly alters stem villi...

  6. Placental vascular responses are dependent on surrounding tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brøgger, Torbjørn Halle

    . Materials and methods. From fresh born placentas, stem villi arteries were carefully dissected. The artery branches were divided. The surrounding tissue was removed from one end and was left untouched in the other end.Then, using wire myography, they were investigated in terms of contractility...... and sensitivity to physiological relevant human-like agonists. Results. Sensitivity to PGF2α, Tx-analog, 5-HT and endothelin-1 was significantly lower in arteries with intact surrounding tissue compared to arteries stripped of the tissue. The maximal force development was also significantly lower in arteries...... with surrounding tissue when they were depolarized high extracellular [K+] or stimulated with PGF2α or endotheline-1. Conclusion. The perivascular tissue significantly alters stem villi arteries' sensitivity and force development in a suppressive way. This implicates a new aspect of blood flow regulation...

  7. Air and Surface Sampling Method for Assessing Exposures to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeBouf, Ryan F; Virji, Mohammed Abbas; Ranpara, Anand; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B

    2017-07-01

    This method was designed for sampling select quaternary ammonium (quat) compounds in air or on surfaces followed by analysis using ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Target quats were benzethonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium bromide, benzyldimethyldodecylammonium chloride, benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride, and benzyldimethylhexadecylammonium chloride. For air sampling, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filters are recommended for 15-min to 24-hour sampling. For surface sampling, Pro-wipe® 880 (PW) media was chosen. Samples were extracted in 60:40 acetonitrile:0.1% formic acid for 1 hour on an orbital shaker. Method detection limits range from 0.3 to 2 ng/ml depending on media and analyte. Matrix effects of media are minimized through the use of multiple reaction monitoring versus selected ion recording. Upper confidence limits on accuracy meet the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 25% criterion for PTFE and PW media for all analytes. Using PTFE and PW analyzed with multiple reaction monitoring, the method quantifies levels among the different quats compounds with high precision (detection limits to capture quats on air sampling filters with only a 15-min sample duration with a maximum assessed storage time of 103 days before sample extraction. This method will support future exposure assessment and quantitative epidemiologic studies to explore exposure-response relationships and establish levels of quats exposures associated with adverse health effects. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

  8. A synchronous surround increases the motion strength gain of motion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linares, Daniel; Nishida, Shin'ya

    2013-11-12

    Coherent motion detection is greatly enhanced by the synchronous presentation of a static surround (Linares, Motoyoshi, & Nishida, 2012). To further understand this contextual enhancement, here we measured the sensitivity to discriminate motion strength for several pedestal strengths with and without a surround. We found that the surround improved discrimination of low and medium motion strengths, but did not improve or even impaired discrimination of high motion strengths. We used motion strength discriminability to estimate the perceptual response function assuming additive noise and found that the surround increased the motion strength gain, rather than the response gain. Given that eye and body movements continuously introduce transients in the retinal image, it is possible that this strength gain occurs in natural vision.

  9. Development of a small air-cooled ``midnight sun'' thermophotovoltaic electric generator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraas, Lewis M.; Xiang, Huang Han; Hui, She; Ferguson, Luke; Samaras, John; Ballantyne, Russ; Seal, Michael; West, Ed

    1996-02-01

    A natural gas fired thermophotovoltaic generator using infrared-sensitive GaSb cells and a silicon carbide emitter is described. The emitter is designed to operate at 1400 °C. Twelve GaSb receivers surround the emitter. Each receiver contains a string of series connected cells. Special infrared filters are bonded to each cell. These filters transmit short wavelength useful IR to the cells while reflecting longer wavelength IR back to the emitter. Combustion air is supplied to the burner through a counterflow heat exchanger where the air is preheated by the exhaust from the burner. The unit is air cooled and designed to produce approximately 100 Watts of electric power.

  10. The influence of air temperature inversions on snowmelt and glacier mass-balance simulations, Ammassalik island, SE Greenland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mernild, Sebastian Haugard [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Liston, Glen [COLORADO STATE UNIV.

    2009-01-01

    In many applications, a realistic description of air temperature inversions is essential for accurate snow and glacier ice melt, and glacier mass-balance simulations. A physically based snow-evolution modeling system (SnowModel) was used to simulate eight years (1998/99 to 2005/06) of snow accumulation and snow and glacier ice ablation from numerous small coastal marginal glaciers on the SW-part of Ammassalik Island in SE Greenland. These glaciers are regularly influenced by inversions and sea breezes associated with the adjacent relatively low temperature and frequently ice-choked fjords and ocean. To account for the influence of these inversions on the spatiotemporal variation of air temperature and snow and glacier melt rates, temperature inversion routines were added to MircoMet, the meteorological distribution sub-model used in SnowModel. The inversions were observed and modeled to occur during 84% of the simulation period. Modeled inversions were defined not to occur during days with strong winds and high precipitation rates due to the potential of inversion break-up. Field observations showed inversions to extend from sea level to approximately 300 m a.s.l., and this inversion level was prescribed in the model simulations. Simulations with and without the inversion routines were compared. The inversion model produced air temperature distributions with warmer lower elevation areas and cooler higher elevation areas than without inversion routines due to the use of cold sea-breeze base temperature data from underneath the inversion. This yielded an up to 2 weeks earlier snowmelt in the lower areas and up to 1 to 3 weeks later snowmelt in the higher elevation areas of the simulation domain. Averaged mean annual modeled surface mass-balance for all glaciers (mainly located above the inversion layer) was -720 {+-} 620 mm w.eq. y{sup -1} for inversion simulations, and -880 {+-} 620 mm w.eq. y{sup -1} without the inversion routines, a difference of 160 mm w.eq. y

  11. Exploring the concept of compressed air energy storage (CAES) in lined rock caverns at shallow depth: A modeling study of air tightness and energy balance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, H.-M.; Rutqvist, J.; Ryu, D.-W.; Choi, B.-H.; Sunwoo, C.; Song, W.-K.

    2011-07-15

    This paper presents a numerical modeling study of coupled thermodynamic, multiphase fluid flow and heat transport associated with underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) in lined rock caverns. Specifically, we explored the concept of using concrete lined caverns at a relatively shallow depth for which constructing and operational costs may be reduced if air tightness and stability can be assured. Our analysis showed that the key parameter to assure long-term air tightness in such a system was the permeability of both the concrete lining and the surrounding rock. The analysis also indicated that a concrete lining with a permeability of less than 1×10{sup -18} m{sup 2} would result in an acceptable air leakage rate of less than 1%, with the operational pressure range between 5 and 8 MPa at a depth of 100 m. It was further noted that capillary retention properties and the initial liquid saturation of the lining were very important. Indeed, air leakage could be effectively prevented when the air-entry pressure of the concrete lining is higher than the operational air pressure and when the lining is kept moist at a relatively high liquid saturation. Our subsequent energy-balance analysis demonstrated that the energy loss for a daily compression and decompression cycle is governed by the air-pressure loss, as well as heat loss by conduction to the concrete liner and surrounding rock. For a sufficiently tight system, i.e., for a concrete permeability off less than 1×10{sup -18} m{sup 2}, heat loss by heat conduction tends to become proportionally more important. However, the energy loss by heat conduction can be minimized by keeping the air-injection temperature of compressed air closer to the ambient temperature of the underground storage cavern. In such a case, almost all the heat loss during compression is gained back during subsequent decompression. Finally, our numerical simulation study showed that CAES in shallow rock caverns is feasible from a leakage

  12. Air pollution effects on Quercus Ilex plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavone, P.; Salmeri, C.; Spampinato, G.; Fallico, R.; Ferrante, M.

    1996-01-01

    To test air pollution effects on natural forest vegetation, the soil chemistry and the floristic composition of two Quercus ilex L. woods in the Hyblean region (S-E Sicily), unequally exposed to air pollutants are compared. Acidification phenomena are investigated by the soil chemical changes between the trunk base areas, affected by stem flow water, and the surrounding soil, only influenced by canopy drip. Soil chemical changes, floristic poorness and direct damage to the Q. ilex leaves are only detected in the Climiti Mountains holm-oak woods, located near the Siracusa petrochemical complex, while they do not appear at Cava d'Ispica, sited far from any industry and seldom exposed to winds carrying pollutants

  13. Clear-air lidar dark band

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girolamo, Paolo Di; Scoccione, Andrea; Cacciani, Marco; Summa, Donato; Schween, Jan H.

    2018-04-01

    This paper illustrates measurements carried out by the Raman lidar BASIL in the frame of HOPE, revealing the presence of a clear-air dark band phenomenon (i.e. the appearance of a minimum in lidar backscatter echoes) in the upper portion of the convective boundary layer. The phenomenon is clearly distinguishable in the lidar backscatter echoes at 1064 nm. This phenomenon is attributed to the presence of lignite aerosol particles advected from the surrounding open pit mines in the vicinity of the measuring site.

  14. Study of air pollution with cement dust and its effect on plants cover in the surrounding area of Tartous cement factory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meslmani, Y.; Al-Oudat, M.; Al-Kharfan, K.

    2000-06-01

    Cement dust fall, concentration of total suspended particulate (TSP) and particulate less than 10 micron (PM10), were measured in different sites in the surrounding area of Tartus cement factory. The effects of cement dust emission on the growth of olive trees have been investigated. The results show that the dust fall, TSP and PM10 concentration were higher than The World Health Organization (WHO) standard at the factory site as well as in the surrounding area within 3 to 4 km in the diameter.The study shows that, the cement dust fall decreases the growth of olive trees by 34.5, 33 and 21% regarding the I, II, III sites respectively in comparison with the reference site. The branch length, branch weight, amount of chlorophyll and leaves quantity were decreased significantly. The mean weight of dust fall were 34.5, 26.4 and 10.9 g/m 2 on the leaves area at the site I, II, III respectively while the reference site has a value of 1.9 g/m 2 .(Author)

  15. Study of air pollution with cement dust and its effect on plants cover in the surrounding area of Tartous cement factory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meslmani, Y; Al-Oudat, M; Al-Kharfan, K [Atomic Energy Commission, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic). Dept. of Protection and Safety

    2000-06-01

    Cement dust fall, concentration of total suspended particulate (TSP) and particulate less than 10 micron (PM10), were measured in different sites in the surrounding area of Tartus cement factory. The effects of cement dust emission on the growth of olive trees have been investigated. The results show that the dust fall, TSP and PM10 concentration were higher than The World Health Organization (WHO) standard at the factory site as well as in the surrounding area within 3 to 4 km in the diameter.The study shows that, the cement dust fall decreases the growth of olive trees by 34.5, 33 and 21% regarding the I, II, III sites respectively in comparison with the reference site. The branch length, branch weight, amount of chlorophyll and leaves quantity were decreased significantly. The mean weight of dust fall were 34.5, 26.4 and 10.9 g/m{sup 2} on the leaves area at the site I, II, III respectively while the reference site has a value of 1.9 g/m{sup 2}.(Author)

  16. The dynamics of the fungal aerospores Alternaria sp. and Cladosporium sp. in Parisian atmospheric air, in France

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brezoczki, V. M.

    2016-08-01

    The bioallergens occurring naturally in the atmospheric air are microorganisms, pollen grains, plant seeds, leaf and stem scrap, or their protein molecules. The presence of various airborne fungal spores determines a high allergenic potential for public health. This effect is due to the high number of produced spores, which under favourable meteorological conditions (dry weather and wind) reach the surrounding air. This paper traces the dynamics of two types of fungi, Alternaria sp and Cladosporium sp, fungi which can be found outdoors, in the surrounding air, as well as indoors, inside houses (especially the conidia of Cladosporium sp). The effects of these fungal spores on human health are varies, ranging from seasonal allergies (hay fever, rhinitis, sinusitis etc.) to sever afflictions of the respiratory system, onset of asthma, disfunctionalities of the nervous systems, of the immune system, zymoses etc. The monitoring of the dynamics of the aerospores Alternaria sp and Cladosporium sp was carried out between 2010 and 2013, over a period of 42 weeks during one calendar year, from February to the end of September, in the surrounding air in the French capital, Paris. The regional and global climate and meteorological conditions are directly involved in the occurrence and development of fungi colonies, the transportation and dispersion of fungal spores in the atmospheric air, as well as in the creation of the environment required for the interaction of chemical and biological components in the air. Knowledge of the dynamics of the studied fungal aerospores, coupled with climate and meteorological changes, offers a series of information on the magnitude of the allergenic potential these airborne spores can determine. Legal regulations in this domain set the allergen risk threshold for the Alternaria sp aerospores at 3500 ÷ 7000 spores/m3 air/week, and for the Cladosporium sp aerospores at 56,000 spores/m3 air/week. Besides these regulations there exist a series of

  17. Comparison of PM collection efficiency of Gent and Airmatrics MiniVol portable air sampler

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Begum, Bilkis A.; Biswas, Swapan K.

    2005-01-01

    Gent PM sampler was developed as an integral part of several International Atomic Energy Agency sponsored coordinated research programmes (CRP) for collecting air particulate samples. On the other hand, the MiniVol Portable Air Sampler is a commercial ambient air sampler for particulate matter and non-reactive gases used by different agencies. Air quality management system requires comparable air quality data to be collected by different stake holders for assessment and regulatory purposes. In order to compare the characteristics of Gent sampler with the MiniVol Portable Air Sampler, the reproducibility of the sample mass collection efficiency were examined and the measured mass concentrations were compared. It was found that in case of PM 10 both samplers collect almost same fraction of PM 10 mass when the Gent sampler was operated at 16 litre per minute flow rate. But in case of fine fraction, Portable sampler collects 70% higher PM 2.5 mass concentration compared to the Gent PM 2.2 mass concentrations. This is because, the Gent sampler was typically operated at 16 to 17 lpm resulting in an estimated 50% cut point of 2.2 μm.(author)

  18. Inter-annual variability of air mass and acidified pollutants transboundary exchange in the north-eastern part of the EANET region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gromov, Sergey A.; Trifonova-Yakovleva, Alisa; Gromov, Sergey S.

    2016-04-01

    Anthropogenic emissions, be it exhaust gases or aerosols, stem from multitude of sources and may survive long-range transport within the air masses they were emitted into. So they follow regional and global transport pathways varying under different climatological regimes. Transboundary transfer of pollutants occurs this way and has a significant impact on the ecological situation of the territories neighbouring those of emission sources, as found in a few earlier studies examining the environmental monitoring data [1]. In this study, we employ a relatively facile though robust technique for estimating the transboundary air and concomitant pollutant fluxes using actual or climatological meteorological and air pollution monitoring data. Practically, we assume pollutant transfer being proportional to the horizontal transport of air enclosed in the lower troposphere and to the concentration of the pollutant of interest. The horizontal transport, in turn, is estimated using the mean layer wind direction and strength, or their descriptive statistics at the individual transects of the boundary of interest. The domain of our interest is the segment of Russian continental border in East Asia spanning from 88° E (southern Middle Siberia) to 135° E (Far East at Pacific shore). The data on atmospheric pollutants concentration are available from the Russian monitoring sites of the region-wide Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET, http://www.eanet.asia/) Mondy (Baikal area) and Primorskaya (near Vladivostok). The data comprises multi-year continuous measurement of gas-phase and particulate species abundances in air with at least biweekly sampling rate starting from 2000. In the first phase of our study, we used climatological dataset on winds derived from the aerological soundings at Russian stations along the continental border for the 10-year period (1961-1970) by the Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information - World Data Centre (RIHMI-WDC) [3

  19. Foreign Internal Defense. Does Air Force Special Operations Have What it Takes?,

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-12-01

    anything in the air or on the ground. However, while the desert conditions in areas of Peru and Chile are similarly without rain, their surrounding...example, during CABANAS 89, a joint/combined exercise, Honduran officials did not allow the use of CASA -212 aircraft in the. exercise because of...correctly understood while flying en route to Desert One on the Iranian hostage rescue mission. The experience is described by Col James H. Kyle, US Air Force

  20. Performance analysis of solar air heater with jet impingement on corrugated absorber plate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alsanossi M. Aboghrara

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the experimental investigation outlet temperature and efficiency, of Solar Air heater (SAH. The experimental test set up designed and fabricated to study the effect of jet impingement on the corrugated absorber plate, through circular jets in a duct flow of solar air heater, and compared with conventional solar air heater on flat plat absorber. Under effect of mass flow rate (ṁ of air and solar radiation on outlet air temperature, and efficiency, are analyzed. Results show the flow jet impingement on corrugated plat absorber is a strong function of heat transfer enhancement. The present investigation concludes that the mass flow rate of air substantially influences the heat transfer on solar air heaters. And the thermal efficiency of proposed design duct is observed almost 14% more as compare to the smooth duct. At solar radiation 500–1000 (W/M2, 308 K ambient temperature and 0.01–0.03 (Kg/S mass flow rate

  1. Science Laboratories and Indoor Air Quality in Schools. Technical Bulletin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Bruce W.

    Some of the issues surrounding the indoor air quality (IAQ) problems presented by science labs are discussed. Described are possible contaminants in labs, such as chemicals and biological organisms, and ways to lessen accidents arising from these sources are suggested. Some of the factors contributing to comfort, such as temperature levels, are…

  2. Cytoplasmic movement profiles of mouse surrounding nucleolus and not-surrounding nucleolus antral oocytes during meiotic resumption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bui, Thi Thu Hien; Belli, Martina; Fassina, Lorenzo; Vigone, Giulia; Merico, Valeria; Garagna, Silvia; Zuccotti, Maurizio

    2017-05-01

    Full-grown mouse antral oocytes are classified as surrounding nucleolus (SN) or not-surrounding nucleolus (NSN), depending on the respective presence or absence of a ring of Hoechst-positive chromatin surrounding the nucleolus. In culture, both types of oocytes resume meiosis and reach the metaphase II (MII) stage, but following insemination, NSN oocytes arrest at the two-cell stage whereas SN oocytes may develop to term. By coupling time-lapse bright-field microscopy with image analysis based on particle image velocimetry, we provide the first systematic measure of the changes to the cytoplasmic movement velocity (CMV) occurring during the germinal vesicle-to-MII (GV-to-MII) transition of these two types of oocytes. Compared to SN oocytes, NSN oocytes display a delayed GV-to-MII transition, which can be mostly explained by retarded germinal vesicle break down and first polar body extrusion. SN and NSN oocytes also exhibit significantly different CMV profiles at four main time-lapse intervals, although this difference was not predictive of SN or NSN oocyte origin because of the high variability in CMV. When CMV profile was analyzed through a trained artificial neural network, however, each single SN or NSN oocyte was blindly identified with a probability of 92.2% and 88.7%, respectively. Thus, the CMV profile recorded during meiotic resumption may be exploited as a cytological signature for the non-invasive assessment of the oocyte developmental potential, and could be informative for the analysis of the GV-to-MII transition of oocytes of other species. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Evaluation of Policy Influence on Long-Term Indoor Air Quality in Emperor Qin’s Terra-Cotta Museum, China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hua Li

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Long-term measurement results of indoor air quality (IAQ from 1989 to 2013 inside Pit No. 1, the largest display hall in Emperor Qin’s Terra-cotta Museum (QTM, were used to evaluate the effectiveness of measures for conservation environment improvement of antiques. By comparing the results of sampling campaigns in 2013 with databases in 1989, 2004–2005, 2006–2007 and 2011, seasonal and inter-annual variation in microclimate, aerosol chemical compositions and gaseous pollutant concentrations were incorporated in estimating the probable influences of the management of the surroundings, tourist flow, excavation and restoration tasks and renovation and/or new construction work on IAQ in the QTM. After the implementation of the environmental policies in 1990s, a significant decrease of indoor particulate matter mass for the QTM was quantified. The mass concentrations of summer TSP decreased from 540.0 μg∙m−3 in 1994 to 172.4 μg∙m−3 in 2004, as well as the winter TSP decreased from 380.0 μg∙m−3 in 1994 to 312.5 μg∙m−3 in 2005. The mass concentrations of summer PM2.5 decreased from 108.4 μg∙m−3 in 2004 to 65.7 μg∙m−3 in 2013, as well as the winter PM2.5 decreased from 242.3 μg∙m−3 in 2005 to 98.6 μg∙m−3 in 2013. However, it is noted that potential hazards due to the fluctuant microclimate conditions, gaseous and secondary particulate acidic species in indoor air should still be considered to ensure the long-term preservation and conservation of the museum’s artifact collection.

  4. Air pollution: what matters most? : Physical, chemical and oxidative properties of air pollution components related to toxic effects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steenhof, M.

    2015-01-01

    Numerous studies have been published on the adverse health effects associated with both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution. Air pollution is a heterogeneous, complex mixture of gases, liquids, and particulate matter (PM). Up to now, PM mass concentration has been the metric of choice to

  5. Surrounding Moving Obstacle Detection for Autonomous Driving Using Stereo Vision

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Sun

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Detection and tracking surrounding moving obstacles such as vehicles and pedestrians are crucial for the safety of mobile robotics and autonomous vehicles. This is especially the case in urban driving scenarios. This paper presents a novel framework for surrounding moving obstacles detection using binocular stereo vision. The contributions of our work are threefold. Firstly, a multiview feature matching scheme is presented for simultaneous stereo correspondence and motion correspondence searching. Secondly, the multiview geometry constraint derived from the relative camera positions in pairs of consecutive stereo views is exploited for surrounding moving obstacles detection. Thirdly, an adaptive particle filter is proposed for tracking of multiple moving obstacles in surrounding areas. Experimental results from real-world driving sequences demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed framework.

  6. Role of urbanization and air pollution in adolescent asthma: a mass screening in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, R S; Sung, F C; Huang, S L; Gou, Y L; Ko, Y C; Gou, H W; Shaw, C K

    2001-10-01

    The prevalence of asthma in school children in Taiwan is increasing. This study used mass screening among middle school children in Taiwan to determine the prevalence of asthma and related factors. Data were collected from parents using a self-reported questionnaire and from children using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) video questionnaire. Six study teams conducted the survey nationwide in 1995-1996, with the assistance of middle school nurses and teachers. Among the 1,018,031 students at 795 middle schools who returned questionnaires, 8.5% had a history of asthma (ranging in prevalence from 4.2% to 13% in 25 areas). The prevalence of asthma was higher in boys than in girls (10.0% vs 7%) and was highest in more urbanized areas (11.2%), followed by moderately urbanized areas (7.4%) and less urbanized and rural areas (6.5%). Controlling for age, family smoking, family incense burning, and parental education level, multivariate logistic regression models indicated that children living in an area with heavy air pollution were more likely to have asthma than those in an area with no or light pollution (odds ratio, OR = 2.01 and 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.94-2.09 based on parental ranking of pollution level, or OR = 1.30 and 95% CI = 1.18-1.42 based on pollution level reported by the Environmental Protection Administration). Adolescent asthma in Taiwan is most prevalent in the most urbanized areas and decreases in prevalence in less urbanized areas. This study also found that higher parental education level and higher area air pollution were associated with higher adolescent asthma prevalence.

  7. μ-PIV measurements of the ensemble flow fields surrounding a migrating semi-infinite bubble.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Eiichiro; Smith, Bradford J; Gaver, Donald P

    2009-08-01

    Microscale particle image velocimetry (μ-PIV) measurements of ensemble flow fields surrounding a steadily-migrating semi-infinite bubble through the novel adaptation of a computer controlled linear motor flow control system. The system was programmed to generate a square wave velocity input in order to produce accurate constant bubble propagation repeatedly and effectively through a fused glass capillary tube. We present a novel technique for re-positioning of the coordinate axis to the bubble tip frame of reference in each instantaneous field through the analysis of the sudden change of standard deviation of centerline velocity profiles across the bubble interface. Ensemble averages were then computed in this bubble tip frame of reference. Combined fluid systems of water/air, glycerol/air, and glycerol/Si-oil were used to investigate flows comparable to computational simulations described in Smith and Gaver (2008) and to past experimental observations of interfacial shape. Fluorescent particle images were also analyzed to measure the residual film thickness trailing behind the bubble. The flow fields and film thickness agree very well with the computational simulations as well as existing experimental and analytical results. Particle accumulation and migration associated with the flow patterns near the bubble tip after long experimental durations are discussed as potential sources of error in the experimental method.

  8. μ-PIV measurements of the ensemble flow fields surrounding a migrating semi-infinite bubble

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Eiichiro; Smith, Bradford J.; Gaver, Donald P.

    2012-01-01

    Microscale particle image velocimetry (μ-PIV) measurements of ensemble flow fields surrounding a steadily-migrating semi-infinite bubble through the novel adaptation of a computer controlled linear motor flow control system. The system was programmed to generate a square wave velocity input in order to produce accurate constant bubble propagation repeatedly and effectively through a fused glass capillary tube. We present a novel technique for re-positioning of the coordinate axis to the bubble tip frame of reference in each instantaneous field through the analysis of the sudden change of standard deviation of centerline velocity profiles across the bubble interface. Ensemble averages were then computed in this bubble tip frame of reference. Combined fluid systems of water/air, glycerol/air, and glycerol/Si-oil were used to investigate flows comparable to computational simulations described in Smith and Gaver (2008) and to past experimental observations of interfacial shape. Fluorescent particle images were also analyzed to measure the residual film thickness trailing behind the bubble. The flow fields and film thickness agree very well with the computational simulations as well as existing experimental and analytical results. Particle accumulation and migration associated with the flow patterns near the bubble tip after long experimental durations are discussed as potential sources of error in the experimental method. PMID:23049158

  9. Large mass storage facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peskin, Arnold M.

    1978-08-01

    This is the final report of a study group organized to investigate questions surrounding the acquisition of a large mass storage facility. The programatic justification for such a system at Brookhaven is reviewed. Several candidate commercial products are identified and discussed. A draft of a procurement specification is developed. Some thoughts on possible new directions for computing at Brookhaven are also offered, although this topic was addressed outside of the context of the group's deliberations. 2 figures, 3 tables.

  10. Evaluation of air flow rates through spargers for optimization of KNGR IRWST and SDVS design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, J. S.; Rha, I. S.; Jang, Y. S.; Koh, H. J.; Park, J. N.; Lee, S. W.

    1999-01-01

    In KNGR in the event of POSRVs actuation water, air and steam discharged from the RCS impose the dynamic loads on IRWST walls and submerged structures. The largest load is air clearing load. The main factors having an effect on the air clearing load are steam mass flux, the pressure and air volume in the POSRV discharge line. It is practically difficult to make the amount of air mass and its flow rates discharged through each sparger evenly distributed because several spargers are branched from one horizontal header. For an optimization of KNGR IRWST and SDVS design to minimize the T/H loads, the pressure in the discharge pipe and the air mass flow rates through spargers are evaluated using RELAP5/MOD3 code with changing the POSRV opening time and line and sparger arrangement. It is shown that as the opening time is the longer, the pressure in the discharge line is decreased and difference of the amount of air mass between spargers is reduced. And sparger headers with three spargers show better performance rather than those with six ones

  11. Mass concentration coupled with mass loading rate for evaluating PM_2_._5 pollution status in the atmosphere: A case study based on dairy barns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joo, HungSoo; Park, Kihong; Lee, Kwangyul; Ndegwa, Pius M.

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated particulate matter (PM) loading rates and concentrations in ambient air from naturally ventilated dairy barns and also the influences of pertinent meteorological factors, traffic, and animal activities on mass loading rates and mass concentrations. Generally, relationships between PM_2_._5 concentration and these parameters were significantly poorer than those between the PM loading rate and the same parameters. Although ambient air PM_2_._5 loading rates correlated well with PM_2_._5 emission rates, ambient air PM_2_._5 concentrations correlated poorly with PM_2_._5 concentrations in the barns. A comprehensive assessment of PM_2_._5 pollution in ambient air, therefore, requires both mass concentrations and mass loading rates. Emissions of PM_2_._5 correlated strongly and positively with wind speed, temperature, and solar radiation (R"2 = 0.84 to 0.99) and strongly but negatively with relative humidity (R"2 = 0.93). Animal activity exhibited only moderate effect on PM_2_._5 emissions, while traffic activity did not significantly affect PM_2_._5 emissions. - Highlights: • Sink PM_2_._5 loading rates correlate well with source PM_2_._5 emission rates. • Sink PM_2_._5 concentrations correlate poorly with source PM_2_._5 concentrations. • Mass loading rate complements mass concentration in appraising sink PM_2_._5 status. • PM_2_._5 emissions is dependent on wind speed, temp, solar strength, and RH. • Cow traffic activity affects PM_2_._5 emissions, while traffic activity does not. - Both PM mass loading rate and concentrations are required for comprehensive assessment of pollution potential of PM released into the atmosphere.

  12. Influence of Surrounding Colors in the Illuminant-Color Mode on Color Constancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuho Fukuda

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available On color constancy, we showed that brighter surrounding colors had greater influence than dim colors (Uchikawa, Kitazawa, MacLeod, Fukuda, 2010 APCV. Increasing luminance of a stimulus causes the change in appearance from the surface-color to the illuminant-color mode. However it is unknown whether the visual system considers such color appearance mode of surrounding colors to achieve color constancy. We investigated the influence of surrounding colors that appeared illuminant on color constancy. The stimulus was composed of a central test stimulus and surrounding six colors: bright and dim red, green and blue. The observers adjusted the chromaticity of the test stimulus to be appeared as an achromatic surface. The luminance balance of three bright surrounding colors was equalized with that of the optimal colors in three illuminant conditions, then, the luminance of one of the three bright colors was varied in the range beyond the critical luminance of color appearance mode transition. The results showed that increasing luminance of a bright surrounding color shifted the observers' achromatic setting toward its chromaticity, but this effect diminished for the surrounding color in the illuminant-color mode. These results suggest that the visual system considers color appearance mode of surrounding colors to accomplish color constancy.

  13. Optical and infrared study of the region surrounding Herbig-Haro objects 1 and 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strom, S.E.; Strom, K.M.; Grasdalen, G.L.; Sellgren, K.; Wolff, S.; Wyoming Univ., Laramie; Hawaii Univ., Honolulu)

    1985-01-01

    Optical and near-IR observations of the environs of H-H objects 1 and 2 provide the basis for identifying a recently discovered radio continuum as the star responsible for powering the highly collimated mass outflow traced by these objects. Polarimetric observations show that the source (designated as VLA 1), located at the midpoint between HH 1 and 2, illuminates a biconical reflection nebula. It is suggested that VLA 1 is probably surrounded by an optically thick disk viewed edge on; an optical jet emanates from the vicinity of HH 1 and is directed along the axis of the putative disk toward HH 1; its spectrum resembles that of HH 1 and other Herbig-Haro objects. 37 references

  14. Developing self-cleaning and air purifying transportation infrastructure components to minimize environmental impact of transportation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-01

    Creating transportation infrastructure, which can clean up itself and contaminated air surrounding it, can be a : groundbreaking approach in addressing environmental challenges of our time. This project has explored a possibility of : depositing coat...

  15. P1-13: Color Induction from Surround Color under Interocular Suppression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ichiro Kuriki

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available The effect of surround colors on color appearance is known to subserve color constancy in humans, but how multiple mechanisms in the visual system are involved in this effect is controversial. We used an interocular-suppression technique to examine how the effect occurs at the level higher than the interaction of binocular information. A test color chip (1.7 × 1.7 deg visual angle was presented in a static surround either with continuous-flash suppression in the dominant eye (CFS condition to make the surround inperceptible or without the suppression (no-CFS condition. The surround stimulus was either a Mondrian or a uniform field of the same mean chromaticity. Stimuli were simulated OSA color chips under red, white (D65, or green illuminant color and were presented on a CRT display. Unique yellows were measured by asking the subjects to judge whether the test stimulus appeared reddish or greenish. Two sizes of the surround stimuli (widths of 1 deg and 4 deg were used. Results showed significant shifts in unique yellow even under the CFS conditions, except for the 1 deg uniform-surround condition. Under the no-CFS condition, the shifts showed remarkable difference between subjects, except for the 4 deg Mondrian-surround condition. Interestingly, trends of the shifts showed high consistency within each subject, across conditions. These results indicate that mechanisms at both higher and lower levels than the neuronal site of interocular suppression are involved, and that the color shifts follow each subject's strategy in the higher-order mechanisms when only insufficient clues are available in the surround to estimate illuminant color.

  16. Confronting, Confirming, and Dispelling Myths Surrounding ERP-in-the-Cloud

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beaulieu, Tanya; C. Martin, Todd; Sarker, Saonee

    2015-01-01

    on the topic, there is substantial uncertainty surrounding the benefits and challenges of ERP cloud computing. Consequently, as often is the case with new technologies, popular myths surrounding the technology are used to make adoption and implementation decisions. As a first step toward providing an informed...... with stakeholders related to an ERP cloud-based solution. Our results dispel some of the myths, while supporting others, and highlight how ERP vendors work around the different types of challenges surrounding this technology. Our study also helps understand the benefits of ERP cloud computing, and informs about how...

  17. Assessment of air mass ventilation potential in and around Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Trombay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jana, R.; Vinod Kumar, A.

    2016-01-01

    Aim of the present study is quantification of airborne pollutant dispersion potential in and around Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Trombay, a coastal belt of Arabian sea. Apart from synoptic atmospheric circulation, there is local land-sea interactive breezes diurnally in the area for which air mass ventilation potential is assessed here. For this purpose, a micro-meteorological station was established at Mandala hill top representing Trombay area to measure 3 dimensional wind components, i.e. Zonal: u, meridional: v and vertical: w, using ultrasonic anemometer. Hourly wind speed and wind direction are derived in this study for a period of 1 year, January-December 2013. Accuracy of wind components measurement is 0.1 m/s. This covers low wind condition too, i.e. wind speed below 1 m/s. Hourly statistics of year-long as well as seasonal period of wind field and associated parameters reveals the uniqueness of wind field phenomenon at the site being situated in west coast. Seasonal Wind Roses captures various frequencies of wind speed and wind direction for the respective periods

  18. Origin of atmospheric aerosols at the Pierre Auger Observatory using studies of air mass trajectories in South America

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Boháčová, Martina; Chudoba, Jiří; Ebr, Jan; Mandát, Dušan; Nečesal, Petr; Nožka, Libor; Palatka, Miroslav; Pech, Miroslav; Prouza, Michael; Řídký, Jan; Schovánek, Petr; Trávníček, Petr; Vícha, Jakub

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 149, Nov (2014), 120-135 ISSN 0169-8095 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7AMB14AR005; GA MŠk(CZ) LG13007; GA TA ČR TA01010517 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : cosmic ray * aerosol * air masses * atmospheric effect * HYSPLIT * GDAS Subject RIV: BF - Elementary Particles and High Energy Physics Impact factor: 2.844, year: 2014 http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0169809514002300/1-s2.0-S0169809514002300-main.pdf?_tid=fcea4ea8-70b1-11e4-b4f3-00000aab0f6c&acdnat=1416487228_63c445b9d4c12eb5

  19. Investigating Local and Remote Terrestrial Influence on Air Masses at Contrasting Antarctic Sites Using Radon-222 and Back Trajectories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chambers, S. D.; Choi, T.; Park, S.-J.; Williams, A. G.; Hong, S.-B.; Tositti, L.; Griffiths, A. D.; Crawford, J.; Pereira, E.

    2017-12-01

    We report on the first summer of high-sensitivity radon measurements from a two-filter detector at Jang Bogo Station (Terra Nova Bay) and contrast them with simultaneous observations at King Sejong Station (King George Island). King Sejong radon concentrations were characteristic of a marine baseline station (0.02-0.3 Bq m-3), whereas Jang Bogo values were highly variable (0.06-5.2 Bq m-3), mainly due to emissions from exposed coastal ground (estimated mean flux 0.09-0.11 atoms cm-2 s-1) and shallow atmospheric mixing depths. For wind speeds of ≤3.5 m s-1 the influence of local radon emissions became increasingly more prominent at both sites. A cluster analysis of back trajectories from King Sejong (62°S) revealed a fairly even distribution between air masses that had passed recently over South America, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica, whereas at Jang Bogo (75°S) 80% of events had recently passed over the Ross Ice Shelf and West Antarctica, 12% were synoptically forced over Cape Adare, and 8% were associated with subsidence over the Antarctic interior and katabatic flow to the station. When cross-checked against radon concentrations, only half of the back trajectories ending at Jang Bogo that had indicated distant contact with nonpolar southern hemisphere continents within the past 10 days showed actual signs of terrestrial influence. A simple-to-implement technique based on high-pass filtered absolute humidity is developed to distinguish between predominantly katabatic, oceanic, and near-coastal air masses for characterization of trace gas and aerosol measurements at coastal East Antarctic sites.

  20. The entrainment of air by water jet impinging on a free surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soh, Wee King [University of Wollongong, School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronics Engineering, Northfields Ave, NSW (Australia); Khoo, Boo Cheong [National University of Singapore, Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering, 10 Kent Ridge Crescent (Singapore); Yuen, W.Y. Daniel [BlueScope Steel Research, Port Kembla, NSW (Australia)

    2005-09-01

    High-speed cine and video photographs were used to capture the flow patterns of a column of water jet impinging into a pool of water. The impact results in air entrainment into water in the form of a void with no mixing between the water in the jet and the surrounding water. Conservation of fluid momentum shows that the rate of increase of the height of the air void depends on the drag coefficient of the jet front. By neglecting the frictional losses, the application of energy conservation yields an expression that relates the maximum height of the air void with the properties of the water jet. (orig.)

  1. Simulation of heat and mass transfer processes in the experimental section of the air-condensing unit of Scientific Production Company "Turbocon"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artemov, V. I.; Minko, K. B.; Yan'kov, G. G.; Kiryukhin, A. V.

    2016-05-01

    A mathematical model was developed to be used for numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer processes in the experimental section of the air condenser (ESAC) created in the Scientific Production Company (SPC) "Turbocon" and mounted on the territory of the All-Russia Thermal Engineering Institute. The simulations were performed using the author's CFD code ANES. The verification of the models was carried out involving the experimental data obtained in the tests of ESAC. The operational capability of the proposed models to calculate the processes in steam-air mixture and cooling air and algorithms to take into account the maldistribution in the various rows of tube bundle was shown. Data on the influence of temperature and flow rate of the cooling air on the pressure in the upper header of ESAC, effective heat transfer coefficient, steam flow distribution by tube rows, and the dimensions of the ineffectively operating zones of tube bundle for two schemes of steam-air mixture flow (one-pass and two-pass ones) were presented. It was shown that the pressure behind the turbine (in the upper header) increases significantly at increase of the steam flow rate and reduction of the flow rate of cooling air and its temperature rise, and the maximum value of heat transfer coefficient is fully determined by the flow rate of cooling air. Furthermore, the steam flow rate corresponding to the maximum value of heat transfer coefficient substantially depends on the ambient temperature. The analysis of the effectiveness of the considered schemes of internal coolant flow was carried out, which showed that the two-pass scheme is more effective because it provides lower pressure in the upper header, despite the fact that its hydraulic resistance at fixed flow rate of steam-air mixture is considerably higher than at using the one-pass schema. This result is a consequence of the fact that, in the two-pass scheme, the condensation process involves the larger internal surface of tubes

  2. Miniature mass analyzer

    CERN Document Server

    Cuna, C; Lupsa, N; Cuna, S; Tuzson, B

    2003-01-01

    The paper presents the concept of different mass analyzers that were specifically designed as small dimension instruments able to detect with great sensitivity and accuracy the main environmental pollutants. The mass spectrometers are very suited instrument for chemical and isotopic analysis, needed in environmental surveillance. Usually, this is done by sampling the soil, air or water followed by laboratory analysis. To avoid drawbacks caused by sample alteration during the sampling process and transport, the 'in situ' analysis is preferred. Theoretically, any type of mass analyzer can be miniaturized, but some are more appropriate than others. Quadrupole mass filter and trap, magnetic sector, time-of-flight and ion cyclotron mass analyzers can be successfully shrunk, for each of them some performances being sacrificed but we must know which parameters are necessary to be kept unchanged. To satisfy the miniaturization criteria of the analyzer, it is necessary to use asymmetrical geometries, with ion beam obl...

  3. Detection of tritium in the air surrounding the heavy water reactors; Elementi detekcije tricijuma u vazduhu kod teskovodnih nuklearnih reaktora

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ninkovic, M; Matic-Vukmirovic, Z; Hadzisehovic, M [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

    1967-03-15

    This paper contains the study of the literature concerned with physical properties of the tritium, problems of detection control of the tritium level in the atmosphere in the vicinity of heavy water reactors. It is stated that a complete and efficient control of tritium activity, from radiation protection point of view can be achieved only by simultaneous triple measurements: direct measurement of tritium in the air by stationary or movable instruments; air sampling and measurement of activity by laboratory instrumentation; and measurement of tritium in the bio-material of the personnel who have inhaled air contaminated with tritium. Laboratory equipment was adapted for tritium detection in air samples. A method for measuring the specific tritium activity was developed and implemented. The tritium level and distribution in the air were measured during exchange of the fuel channel in the RA reactor. The obtained results indicate that tritium could be dangerous for the staff involved. Proucena je literatura u kojoj se tretiraju osnovne fizicke karakteristike tricijuma, kao i problemi detekcije i kontrole u vazduhu kod teskovodnih nuklearnih reaktora. Utvrdjeno je da kompletna i efikasna kontrola aktivnosti tricijuma, sa aspekta zastite od zracenja, moze biti ostvarena samo ako se vrse istovremeno trostruka merenja: merenje aktivnosti tricijuma u vazduhu direktno, prenosnim ili stacioniranim instrumentima; uzimanje uzoraka vazduha i merenje aktivnosti na laboratorijskoj aparaturi; i merenje aktivnosti tricijuma u biomaterijalu osoblja koje je udisalo vazduh kontaminiran tricijumom. Izvrsena je adaptacija laboratorijske aparature za potrebe detekcije tricijuma u uzorcima vazduha. Razradjen je i uhodan postupak merenja koncentracije aktivnosti tricijuma u uzorcima vazduha. Izvrsena su merenja i dobijeni su rezultati o nivou i raspodeli tricijuma u vazduhu pri operaciji zamene kanala sa gorivom na reaktoru RA u Vinci. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na opasnost koju po radno

  4. The contribution of waste water treatment plants to PBDEs in ambient air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martellini, Tania; Jones, Kevin C.; Sweetman, Andy; Giannoni, Martina; Pieri, Francesca; Cincinelli, Alessandra

    2012-01-01

    Air samples were collected at different sites in and around two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in central Italy to determine the concentrations, compositional profiles and contribution to ambient levels of eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The investigated WWTPs were selected as they treat industrial wastewater produced by local textile industries along with municipal wastewater. PBDE concentrations within the WWTPs were higher than those measured at reference sites located 4 and 5 km away with BDE-209 dominating the BDE congener composition in all air samples in 2008. Ambient PBDE concentrations measured in and around the WWTPs and estimates of emissions from aeration tanks suggest that WWTPs are sources of PBDEs to ambient air. Principal component analysis and Pearson correlations confirmed this result. The effect of distance from the plant and wind direction on atmospheric concentrations was also investigated. Although the primary fate of PBDEs in WWTPs will be partitioning to sewage sludge, this study suggests that plants can provide a measurable source of these compounds to local ambient air. - Highlights: ► Levels and distribution profiles of PBDEs in the atmosphere surrounding two WWTPs. ► Airborne polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the surrounding area of two WWTPs in Italy. ► To investigate WWTPs as sources of PBDEs to the atmosphere. ► Samples collected downwind respect to the plant showed BDE-209 as dominant congener. ► The effect of distance and wind direction on atmospheric concentrations was also investigated. - Waste water treatment plants as sources of PBDEs to the ambient air.

  5. Fluid-elastic instability in tube arrays subjected to air-water and steam-water cross-flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitra, D.; Dhir, V. K.; Catton, I.

    2009-10-01

    Flow induced vibrations in heat exchanger tubes have led to numerous accidents and economic losses in the past. Efforts have been made to systematically study the cause of these vibrations and develop remedial design criteria for their avoidance. In this research, experiments were systematically carried out with air-water and steam-water cross-flow over horizontal tubes. A normal square tube array of pitch-to-diameter ratio of 1.4 was used in the experiments. The tubes were suspended from piano wires and strain gauges were used to measure the vibrations. Tubes made of aluminum; stainless steel and brass were systematically tested by maintaining approximately the same stiffness in the tube-wire systems. Instability was clearly seen in single phase and two-phase flow and the critical flow velocity was found to be proportional to tube mass. The present study shows that fully flexible arrays become unstable at a lower flow velocity when compared to a single flexible tube surrounded by rigid tubes. It is also found that tubes are more stable in steam-water flow as compared to air-water flow. Nucleate boiling on the tube surface is also found to have a stabilizing effect on fluid-elastic instability.

  6. Air loads on solar panels during launch

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beltman, W.M.; van der Hoogt, Peter; Spiering, R.M.E.J.; Tijdeman, H.

    1996-01-01

    The dynamical behaviour of solar panels during launch is significantly affected by the thin layers of air trapped between the panels. For narrow gaps the air manifests itself not only as a considerable added mass, but its viscosity can result in a substantial amount of damping. A model has been

  7. Ecological mechanisms linking protected areas to surrounding lands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Andrew J; DeFries, Ruth

    2007-06-01

    Land use is expanding and intensifying in the unprotected lands surrounding many of the world's protected areas. The influence of this land use change on ecological processes is poorly understood. The goal of this paper is to draw on ecological theory to provide a synthetic framework for understanding how land use change around protected areas may alter ecological processes and biodiversity within protected areas and to provide a basis for identifying scientifically based management alternatives. We first present a conceptual model of protected areas embedded within larger ecosystems that often include surrounding human land use. Drawing on case studies in this Invited Feature, we then explore a comprehensive set of ecological mechanisms by which land use on surrounding lands may influence ecological processes and biodiversity within reserves. These mechanisms involve changes in ecosystem size, with implications for minimum dynamic area, species-area effect, and trophic structure; altered flows of materials and disturbances into and out of reserves; effects on crucial habitats for seasonal and migration movements and population source/sink dynamics; and exposure to humans through hunting, poaching, exotics species, and disease. These ecological mechanisms provide a basis for assessing the vulnerability of protected areas to land use. They also suggest criteria for designing regional management to sustain protected areas in the context of surrounding human land use. These design criteria include maximizing the area of functional habitats, identifying and maintaining ecological process zones, maintaining key migration and source habitats, and managing human proximity and edge effects.

  8. ICIS-Air Download Summary and Data Element Dictionary ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

  9. Air contamination during hemodialysis should be minimized.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stegmayr, Bernd

    2017-04-01

    During preparation of the hemodialysis (HD) extracorporeal circuit (ECC) a priming solution is used to remove air from the tubes and dialyzer. Ultra sound techniques have verified micro embolic signals (MES) in the ECC that may derive from clots or gas embolies. In vitro studies could clarify that embolies of air develop within the ECC and also pass the safety systems such as air traps and enter the venous line that goes into the patient. Clinical studies have confirmed the presence of MES within the ECC that pass into the return-venous-line during conventional HD without inducing an alarm. In addition, studies confirmed that such MES were present within the AV fistula and subclavian vein, but also detected within the carotid artery. Autopsy studies revealed the presence of gas embolies surrounded by clots within the lung but also brain and myocardial tissue. This review will focus on how the MES develop and measures of how the exposure can be limited. © 2016 International Society for Hemodialysis.

  10. Influence of air pollution on cultivated plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Spierings, F H.F.G.; Van Raay, A; Wolting, H G

    1968-01-01

    There are indications that the fluorine analyses of the leaf tips of tulips grown in glasshouses supply more reliable information about the intensity of HF air pollution than those of the tulips grown in the open. Tomato plants were fumigated just at the start of flowering with ethylene in concentrations of about 0.1-0.2 ppm during 14 days. The plants reacted mainly with flower drop; only a slight epinasty occurred. Continuous attention is paid to the air pollution of an aluminium factory causing leaf injury to trees and shrubs in the surroundings of the industry. Agricultural crops were not affected. Dust and soot deposits on fruit in orchards, originating respectively from the stacks of a cement factory and the stacks of heavy oil heated glasshouses were also investigated. The deposit of these materials caused a lower quality of the fruit, respectively at great distance and in the vicinity of the sources of the air pollution.

  11. Investigations into stress shell characteristics of surrounding rock in fully mechanized top-coal caving face

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xie, G.X.; Chang, J.C.; Yang, K. [Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan (China)

    2009-01-15

    A key issue in underground mining is to understand and master the evolving patterns of stress induced by mining, and to control and utilize the action of rock pressure. Numerical and physical modeling tests have been carried out to investigate the distribution patterns of stress in the rock surrounding a fully mechanized top-coal caving (FMTC) face. The results showed that a macro-stress shell composed of high stress exists in the rock surrounding an FMTC face. The stress of the shell is higher than its internal and external stress and the stresses at its skewback producing abutment pressure for the surrounding rock. The stress shell lies in the virgin coal and rock mass in the vicinity of the face and its sagging zone. The stress shell, which bears and transfers the loads of overlying strata, acts as the primary supporting system of forces, and is the corpus of characterizing three-dimensional and macro-rock pressure distribution of mining face. Its external and internal shape changes with the variations in the working face structure as the face advances. Within the low-stress zone inside the stress shell, another structure, i.e. voussoir beam, which only bears parts of the load from the lower-lying strata, will produce periodic pressures on the face instead of great dynamic pressure even if the beam ruptures and loses stability. The results show that the FMTC face is situated within the lower-stress zone, which is protected by the stress shell of the overlying surrounding rock. We give an explanation of lower occurrence of rock pressure on FMTC faces, and reveal the mechanical nature of the top coal of an FMTC face acting as a 'cushion'. The strata behaviors of the face and its neighboring gates are under control of the stress shell. Drastic rock pressure in mine may occur when the balance of the stress shell is destruction or the forces system of the stress shell transfers. Crown Copyright

  12. Aircraft observations of enhancement and depletion of black carbon mass in the springtime Arctic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. R. Spackman

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Understanding the processes controlling black carbon (BC in the Arctic is crucial for evaluating the impact of anthropogenic and natural sources of BC on Arctic climate. Vertical profiles of BC mass loadings were observed from the surface to near 7-km altitude in April 2008 using a Single-Particle Soot Photometer (SP2 during flights on the NOAA WP-3D research aircraft from Fairbanks, Alaska. These measurements were conducted during the NOAA-sponsored Aerosol, Radiation, and Cloud Processes affecting Arctic Climate (ARCPAC project. In the free troposphere, the Arctic air mass was influenced by long-range transport from biomass-burning and anthropogenic source regions at lower latitudes especially during the latter part of the campaign. Average BC mass mixing ratios peaked at about 150 ng BC (kg dry air −1 near 5.5 km altitude in the aged Arctic air mass and 250 ng kg−1 at 4.5 km in biomass-burning influenced air. BC mass loadings were enhanced by up to a factor of 5 in biomass-burning influenced air compared to the aged Arctic air mass. At the bottom of some of the profiles, positive vertical gradients in BC were observed over the sea-ice. The vertical profiles generally occurred in the vicinity of open leads in the sea-ice. In the aged Arctic air mass, BC mass loadings more than doubled with increasing altitude within the ABL and across the boundary layer transition while carbon monoxide (CO remained constant. This is evidence for depletion of BC mass in the ABL. BC mass loadings were positively correlated with O3 in ozone depletion events (ODEs for all the observations in the ABL. Since bromine catalytically destroys ozone in the ABL after being released as molecular bromine in regions of new sea-ice formation at the surface, the BC–O3 correlation suggests that BC particles were removed by a surface process such as dry deposition. We develop a box model to estimate the dry deposition flux of BC

  13. Lipidomic mass spectrometry and its application in neuroscience

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Mabel; Enriquez-Algeciras; Sanjoy; K; Bhattacharya

    2013-01-01

    Central and peripheral nervous systems are lipid rich tissues. Lipids, in the context of lipid-protein complexes, surround neurons and provide electrical insulation for transmission of signals allowing neurons to remain embedded within a conducting environment. Lipids play a key role in vesicle formation and fusion in synapses. They provide means of rapid signaling, cell motility and migration for astrocytes and other cell types that surround and play supporting roles neurons. Unlike many other signaling molecules, lipids are capable of multiple signaling events based on the different fragments generated from a single precursor during each event. Lipidomics, until recently suffered from two major disadvantages:(1) level of expertise required an overwhelming amount of chemical detail to correctly identify a vast number of different lipids which could be close in their chemical reactivity; and(2) high amount of purified compounds needed by analytical techniques to determine their structures. Advances in mass spectrometry have enabled overcoming these two limitations. Mass spectrometry offers a great degree of simplicity in identification and quantification of lipids directly extracted from complex biological mixtures. Mass spectrometers can be regarded to as mass analyzers. There are those that separate and analyze the product ion fragments in space(spatial) and those which separate product ions in time in the same space(temporal). Databases and standardized instrument parameters have further aided the capabilities of the spatial instruments while recent advances in bioinformatics have made the identification and quantification possible using temporal instruments.

  14. Ultrasensitive mass sensor fully integrated with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor circuitry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Forsén, Esko Sebastian; Abadal, G.; Ghatnekar-Nilsson, S.

    2005-01-01

    Nanomechanical resonators have been monolithically integrated on preprocessed complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chips. Fabricated resonator systems have been designed to have resonance frequencies up to 1.5 MHz. The systems have been characterized in ambient air and vacuum conditions...... and display ultrasensitive mass detection in air. A mass sensitivity of 4 ag/Hz has been determined in air by placing a single glycerine drop, having a measured weight of 57 fg, at the apex of a cantilever and subsequently measuring a frequency shift of 14.8 kHz. CMOS integration enables electrostatic...

  15. Quasars Probing Quasars: the Circumgalactic Medium Surrounding z ~ 2 Quasars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Marie; Quasars Probing Quasars survey

    2018-01-01

    Understanding the circumgalactic medium--the gaseous halo surrounding a galaxy, is an integral part to understanding galaxy evolution. The z ~ 2-3 universe is interesting as this is when the star formation rate and AGN activity peak. My thesis concludes the decade-long Quasars Probing Quasars survey designed for studying massive galaxy formation and quasar feedback. I use background quasar sightlines that pass close to foreground quasars to study the circumgalactic medium of quasar-host galaxies in absorption. My sample of 149 quasar pairs involve spectra taken with 17 different optical and near IR instruments. I present results on the statistical and physical properties of the circumgalactic medium. The circumgalactic medium is enriched even beyond the virial radius. The alpha/Fe abundance ratio is enhanced, suggesting enrichment from core-collapse supernovae. The cool gas mass within the virial radius is enough to fuel star formation for another Gyr, and may account for 1/3 of the baryonic budget of the galaxy halo. The ionization state increases with projected distance from the quasar, which implies the quasar does not dominate the ionizing radiation flux. However, detection of fluorescent Lyman-alpha emission and NV absorption imply these transverse absorbers are partially illuminated by the quasar. In one peculiar case, the absorbing clump has density >100 cm^-3 and sub-parsec size. The average absorption in the circumgalactic medium exhibits large velocity widths, and is asymmetric about the systemic redshift of the galaxies. The widths are consistent with gravitational motions and Hubble flow, and outflows are not required to explain them. The asymmetry can be explained if the ionizing radiation from the quasar is anisotropic or intermittent and the gas is not in inflow. My results pose challenges for cosmological hydrodynamic simulations to produce a substantial cool gas reservoir surrounding quasars, that is also enriched and shows extreme kinematics.

  16. Field Monitoring of Deformations and Internal Forces of Surrounding Rocks and Lining Structures in the Construction of the Gangkou Double-Arched Tunnel—A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qixiang Yan

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Double-arched tunnel is a special and complex underground structure which needs to be monitored carefully during construction. Taking the Gangkou tunnel as the engineering background, this paper presents a case study of field monitoring of a representative double-arched tunnel. Typical cross sections were chosen in each class of surrounding rock masses in the tunnel area and different types of sensors were embedded in designed locations, and the deformations and forces of both surrounding rocks and lining structures were monitored systematically. The dynamic evolution as well as the spatial distribution characteristics of the monitoring data including the internal displacements of surrounding rocks and the contact pressures between surrounding rocks and primary linings, the axial forces in rock bolts and the internal forces in both steel arches and secondary linings were analyzed. The monitoring and analysis results show that the deformations and forces of both surrounding rocks and lining structures are directly related to the construction procedures, geological conditions and locations in the double-arched tunnel. According to the results, some reasonable suggestions were provided for the improvement of the tunnel construction. This study will provide useful reference and guidance for the design, construction and monitoring of similar engineering projects in future.

  17. The nature of surround-induced depolarizing responses in goldfish cones

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kraaij, D. A.; Spekreijse, H.; Kamermans, M.

    2000-01-01

    Cones in the vertebrate retina project to horizontal and bipolar cells and the horizontal cells feedback negatively to cones. This organization forms the basis for the center/surround organization of the bipolar cells, a fundamental step in the visual signal processing. Although the surround

  18. Investigation of the readout electronics of DELPHI surround muon chamber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khovanskij, N.; Krumshtejn, Z.; Ol'shevskij, A.; Sadovskij, A.; Sedykh, Yu.; Molnar, J.; Sicho, P.; Tomsa, Z.

    1995-01-01

    The characteristics of the readout electronics of the DELPHI surround muon chambers with various AMPLEX chips (AMPLEX 16 and AMPLEX-SICAL) are presented. This electronics is studied in a cosmic rays test of the real surround muon chamber model. 4 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

  19. Black sea annual and inter-annual water mass variations from space

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yildiz, H.; Andersen, Ole Baltazar; Simav, M.

    2011-01-01

    influenced by the leakage of hydrological signals from the surrounding land. After applying the corresponding correction, we found a good agreement with water mass variations derived from steric-corrected satellite altimetry observations. Both GRACE and altimetry show significant annual water mass variations......This study evaluates the performance of two widely used GRACE solutions (CNES/GRGS RL02 and CSR RL04) in deriving annual and inter-annual water mass variations in the Black Sea for the period 2003–2007. It is demonstrated that the GRACE derived water mass variations in the Black Sea are heavily...

  20. Time-Dependent Damage Investigation of Rock Mass in an In Situ Experimental Tunnel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Quan; Cui, Jie; Chen, Jing

    2012-01-01

    In underground tunnels or caverns, time-dependent deformation or failure of rock mass, such as extending cracks, gradual rock falls, etc., are a costly irritant and a major safety concern if the time-dependent damage of surrounding rock is serious. To understand the damage evolution of rock mass in underground engineering, an in situ experimental testing was carried out in a large belowground tunnel with a scale of 28.5 m in width, 21 m in height and 352 m in length. The time-dependent damage of rock mass was detected in succession by an ultrasonic wave test after excavation. The testing results showed that the time-dependent damage of rock mass could last a long time, i.e., nearly 30 days. Regression analysis of damage factors defined by wave velocity, resulted in the time-dependent evolutional damage equation of rock mass, which corresponded with logarithmic format. A damage viscoelastic-plastic model was developed to describe the exposed time-dependent deterioration of rock mass by field test, such as convergence of time-dependent damage, deterioration of elastic modules and logarithmic format of damage factor. Furthermore, the remedial measures for damaged surrounding rock were discussed based on the measured results and the conception of damage compensation, which provides new clues for underground engineering design.

  1. The MUMBA campaign: measurements of urban, marine and biogenic air

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paton-Walsh, Clare; Guérette, Élise-Andrée; Kubistin, Dagmar; Humphries, Ruhi; Wilson, Stephen R.; Dominick, Doreena; Galbally, Ian; Buchholz, Rebecca; Bhujel, Mahendra; Chambers, Scott; Cheng, Min; Cope, Martin; Davy, Perry; Emmerson, Kathryn; Griffith, David W. T.; Griffiths, Alan; Keywood, Melita; Lawson, Sarah; Molloy, Suzie; Rea, Géraldine; Selleck, Paul; Shi, Xue; Simmons, Jack; Velazco, Voltaire

    2017-06-01

    The Measurements of Urban, Marine and Biogenic Air (MUMBA) campaign took place in Wollongong, New South Wales (a small coastal city approximately 80 km south of Sydney, Australia) from 21 December 2012 to 15 February 2013. Like many Australian cities, Wollongong is surrounded by dense eucalyptus forest, so the urban airshed is heavily influenced by biogenic emissions. Instruments were deployed during MUMBA to measure the gaseous and aerosol composition of the atmosphere with the aim of providing a detailed characterisation of the complex environment of the ocean-forest-urban interface that could be used to test the skill of atmospheric models. The gases measured included ozone, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and many of the most abundant volatile organic compounds. The aerosol characterisation included total particle counts above 3 nm, total cloud condensation nuclei counts, mass concentration, number concentration size distribution, aerosol chemical analyses and elemental analysis.The campaign captured varied meteorological conditions, including two extreme heat events, providing a potentially valuable test for models of future air quality in a warmer climate. There was also an episode when the site sampled clean marine air for many hours, providing a useful additional measure of the background concentrations of these trace gases within this poorly sampled region of the globe. In this paper we describe the campaign, the meteorology and the resulting observations of atmospheric composition in general terms in order to equip the reader with a sufficient understanding of the Wollongong regional influences to use the MUMBA datasets as a case study for testing a chemical transport model. The data are available from PANGAEA (pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.871982" target="_blank">http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.871982).

  2. An improved, automated whole air sampler and gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis system for volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerner, Brian M.; Gilman, Jessica B.; Aikin, Kenneth C.; Atlas, Elliot L.; Goldan, Paul D.; Graus, Martin; Hendershot, Roger; Isaacman-VanWertz, Gabriel A.; Koss, Abigail; Kuster, William C.; Lueb, Richard A.; McLaughlin, Richard J.; Peischl, Jeff; Sueper, Donna; Ryerson, Thomas B.; Tokarek, Travis W.; Warneke, Carsten; Yuan, Bin; de Gouw, Joost A.

    2017-01-01

    Volatile organic compounds were quantified during two aircraft-based field campaigns using highly automated, whole air samplers with expedited post-flight analysis via a new custom-built, field-deployable gas chromatography-mass spectrometry instrument. During flight, air samples were pressurized with a stainless steel bellows compressor into electropolished stainless steel canisters. The air samples were analyzed using a novel gas chromatograph system designed specifically for field use which eliminates the need for liquid nitrogen. Instead, a Stirling cooler is used for cryogenic sample pre-concentration at temperatures as low as -165 °C. The analysis system was fully automated on a 20 min cycle to allow for unattended processing of an entire flight of 72 sample canisters within 30 h, thereby reducing typical sample residence times in the canisters to less than 3 days. The new analytical system is capable of quantifying a wide suite of C2 to C10 organic compounds at part-per-trillion sensitivity. This paper describes the sampling and analysis systems, along with the data analysis procedures which include a new peak-fitting software package for rapid chromatographic data reduction. Instrument sensitivities, uncertainties and system artifacts are presented for 35 trace gas species in canister samples. Comparisons of reported mixing ratios from each field campaign with measurements from other instruments are also presented.

  3. Mass spectrometric analysis of small negative ions (e/m < 100) produced by Trichel pulse negative corona discharge fed by ozonised air

    OpenAIRE

    Skalny, J.D.; Horvath, G.; Mason, N.

    2007-01-01

    Mass spectrometric analysis of small negative ions (e/m < 100) produced by DC negative corona discharge in ozonised wet air both in flow and flow-stopped regimes was conducted at pressure of 30 kPa. The point-to-plain electrode system has been used. The yield of individual ions is strongly affected by trace concentrations of ozone in both regimes. Ozone concentration greater than 25 ppm is sufficient to completely suppress the appearance of O2- and a NO2- ion as well as theirs clusters in the...

  4. Numerical investigation of heating of a gold nanoparticle and the surrounding microenvironment by nanosecond laser pulses for nanomedicine applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sassaroli, E; Li, K C P; O'Neill, B E

    2009-01-01

    We have modeled, by finite element analysis, the process of heating of a spherical gold nanoparticle by nanosecond laser pulses and of heat transfer between the particle and the surrounding medium, with no mass transfer. In our analysis, we have included thermal conductivity changes, vapor formation, and changes of the dielectric properties as a function of temperature. We have shown that such changes significantly affect the temperature reached by the particle and surrounding microenvironment and therefore the thermal and dielectric properties of the medium need to be known for a correct determination of the temperature elevation. We have shown that for sufficiently low intensity and long pulses, it is possible to establish a quasi-steady temperature profile in the medium with no vapor formation. As the intensity is increased, a phase-change with vapor formation takes place around the gold nanoparticle. As phase-transition starts, an additional increase in the intensity does not significantly increase the temperature of the gold nanoparticle and surrounding environment. The temperature starts to rise again above a given intensity threshold which is particle and environment dependent. The aim of this study is to provide useful insights for the development of molecular targeting of gold nanoparticles for applications such as remote drug release of therapeutics and photothermal cancer therapy.

  5. Numerical investigation of heating of a gold nanoparticle and the surrounding microenvironment by nanosecond laser pulses for nanomedicine applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sassaroli, E; Li, K C P; O' Neill, B E [Department of Radiology, Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, TX, 77030 (United States)], E-mail: beoneill@tmhs.org

    2009-09-21

    We have modeled, by finite element analysis, the process of heating of a spherical gold nanoparticle by nanosecond laser pulses and of heat transfer between the particle and the surrounding medium, with no mass transfer. In our analysis, we have included thermal conductivity changes, vapor formation, and changes of the dielectric properties as a function of temperature. We have shown that such changes significantly affect the temperature reached by the particle and surrounding microenvironment and therefore the thermal and dielectric properties of the medium need to be known for a correct determination of the temperature elevation. We have shown that for sufficiently low intensity and long pulses, it is possible to establish a quasi-steady temperature profile in the medium with no vapor formation. As the intensity is increased, a phase-change with vapor formation takes place around the gold nanoparticle. As phase-transition starts, an additional increase in the intensity does not significantly increase the temperature of the gold nanoparticle and surrounding environment. The temperature starts to rise again above a given intensity threshold which is particle and environment dependent. The aim of this study is to provide useful insights for the development of molecular targeting of gold nanoparticles for applications such as remote drug release of therapeutics and photothermal cancer therapy.

  6. An experimental evaluation of multi-pass solar air heaters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Satcunanathan, S.; Persad, P.

    1980-12-01

    Three collectors of identical dimensions but operating in the single-pass, two-pass and three-pass modes were tested simultaneously under ambient conditions. It was found that the two-pass air heater was consistently better than the single-pass air heater over the day for the range of mass flow rates considered. It was also found that at a mass flow rate of 0.0095 kg s/sup -1/ m/sup -2/, the thermal performances of the two-pass and three-pass collectors were identical, but at higher flow rates the two-pass collector was superior to the three-pass collector, the superiority decreasing with increasing mass flow rate.

  7. Air to air fixed plate enthalpy heat exchanger, performance variation and energy analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nasif, Mohammad Shakir [Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Bandar Seri Iskandar (Malaysia); Alwaked, Rafat [Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar (Saudi Arabia); Behnia, Masud [University of Sydney, Sydney (Australia); Morrison, Graham [The University of New South Wales, Sydney (Australia)

    2013-11-15

    The thermal performance of a Z shape enthalpy heat exchanger utilising 70 gsm Kraft paper as the heat and moisture transfer surface has been investigated. Effects of different inlet air humidity ratio conditions on the heat exchanger effectiveness and on the energy recovered by the heat exchanger have been the main focus of this investigation. A typical air conditioning cooling coil which incorporates an enthalpy heat exchanger has been modelled for tropical climate. Under test conditions, results have shown that latent effectiveness and the moisture resistance coefficient have strong dependency on the inlet air humidity ratio. Moreover, the latent effectiveness has been found to be strongly dependent on the moisture resistance coefficient rather than the convective mass transfer coefficient. Finally, annual energy analysis for Singapore weather conditions have also shown that energy recovered under variable inlet air conditions is 15% less than that recovered under constant inlet air conditions for the same heat exchanger.

  8. On-line mass separator of superheavy atoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oganesyan, Yu.Ts.

    2002-01-01

    The concept is presented of an on-line Mass Analyzer of SuperHeavy Atoms (MASHA) dedicated to the separation and determination of the mass and decay properties of new elements and isotopes produced in heavy-ion induced reactions. The new nuclides with half-lives T 1/2 ≥ 1 s are transported to an ECR-source working at a frequency of 2.45 GHz and are separated by mass with a mass resolution of M/ΔM ∼ 1500. In the focal plane of the magnetic analyzer a front strip detector surrounded by side detectors will be placed to determine the mass according to the signals from the detected α-particles or fission fragments with efficiency of about 90 %. In comparison to other existing in-flight recoil separators, the present setup will be characterized by higher efficiency and high selectivity relative to background reaction products. The setup MASHA may be used also in the investigation of nuclear reactions of different type induced by stable and radioactive beams

  9. On-Line Mass Separator of Superheavy Atoms

    CERN Document Server

    Oganessian, Yu T

    2002-01-01

    The concept is presented of an on-line Mass Analyzer of SuperHeavy Atoms (MASHA) dedicated to the separation and determination of the mass and decay properties of new elements and isotopes produced in heavy-ion induced reactions. The new nuclides with half-lives T_{1/2}\\ge 1 s are transported to an ECR-source working at a frequency of 2.45 GHz and are separated by mass with a mass resolution of M/\\Delta M\\sim 1500. In the focal plane of the magnetic analyzer a front strip detector surrounded by side detectors will be placed to determine the mass according to the signals from the detected alpha-particles or fission fragments with efficiency of about 90 %. In comparison to other existing in-flight recoil separators, the present setup will be characterized by higher efficiency and high selectivity relative to background reaction products. The setup MASHA may be used also in the investigation of nuclear reactions of different type induced by stable and radioactive beams.

  10. Annular air space effects on nuclear waste canister temperatures in a deep geologic waste repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lowry, W.E.; Cheung, H.; Davis, B.W.

    1980-01-01

    Air spaces in a deep geologic repository for nuclear high level waste will have an important effect on the long-term performance of the waste package. The important temperature effects of an annular air gap surrounding a high level waste canister are determined through 3-D numerical modeling. Air gap properties and parameters specifically analyzed and presented are the air gap size, surfaces emissivity, presence of a sleeve, and initial thermal power generation rate; particular emphasis was placed on determining the effect of these variables have on the canister surface temperature. Finally a discussion based on modeling results is presented which specifically relates the results to NRC regulatory considerations

  11. Extensive severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus contamination in surrounding environment in patient rooms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, B-H; Kim, J Y; Kim, T; Kim, M-C; Kim, M J; Chong, Y-P; Lee, S-O; Choi, S-H; Kim, Y S; Woo, J H; Kim, S-H

    2018-01-31

    Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease in Korea and China. Although there is previous evidence of person-to-person transmission via direct contact with body fluids, the role of environmental contamination by SFTS virus (SFTSV) in healthcare settings has not been established. We therefore investigated the contamination of the healthcare environment by SFTSV. We investigated the possible contamination of hospital air and surfaces with SFTSV transmission by collecting air and swabbing environmental surface samples in two hospitals treating six SFTS patients between March and September 2017. The samples were tested using real-time RT-PCR for SFTS M and S segments. Of the six SFTS patients, four received mechanical ventilation and three died. Five rooms were occupied by those using mechanical ventilation or total plasma exchange therapy in isolation rooms without negative pressure and one room was occupied by a patient bedridden due to SFTS. SFTSV was detected in 14 (21%) of 67 swab samples. Five of 24 swab samples were obtained from fomites including stethoscopes, and 9 of 43 were obtained from fixed structures including doorknobs and bed guardrails. Some samples from fixed structures such as television monitors and sink tables were obtained in areas remote from the patients. SFTSV RNA was not detected in five air samples from three patients' rooms. Our data suggest that SFTSV contamination was extensive in surrounding environments in SFTS patients' rooms. Therefore, more strict isolation methods and disinfecting procedures should be considered when managing SFTS patients. Copyright © 2018 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Ventilation-air conditioning system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubokoya, Takashi.

    1991-01-01

    Heretofore, in ventilation-air conditioning systems in a nuclear power plant, exhaust gases from each of the ventilation-air conditioning systems of a reactor building, a turbine building, a waste processing building are joined and they are released into atmosphere from the top of a high main exhaustion stack. In order to build such a high main exhaustion stack, a considerable construction cost is required and, in addition, there is a worry of lacking balance with surrounding scenery. Then, in the present invention, exhaust gases are heated by waste heat in a turbine during their introduction from the ventilation-air conditioning facility in the building of a power plant to the main exhaust stack. With such a constitution, since the exhaust gases are heated and their temperature is elevated, they uprise by natural convection when they are released from the top of the main exhaustion stack to the atmosphere. Accordingly, they are released to a level higher than the conventional case in view of the volume of the blower which sends the exhaust gases under pressure, to diffuse them to the atmosphere more sufficiently compared with a conventional case. Further, the height of the main exhaustion stack can be reduced, enabling to minimize the cost for moving the blower. (T.M.)

  13. High-energy metal air batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ji-Guang; Xiao, Jie; Xu, Wu; Wang, Deyu; Williford, Ralph E.; Liu, Jun

    2013-07-09

    Disclosed herein are embodiments of lithium/air batteries and methods of making and using the same. Certain embodiments are pouch-cell batteries encased within an oxygen-permeable membrane packaging material that is less than 2% of the total battery weight. Some embodiments include a hybrid air electrode comprising carbon and an ion insertion material, wherein the mass ratio of ion insertion material to carbon is 0.2 to 0.8. The air electrode may include hydrophobic, porous fibers. In particular embodiments, the air electrode is soaked with an electrolyte comprising one or more solvents including dimethyl ether, and the dimethyl ether subsequently is evacuated from the soaked electrode. In other embodiments, the electrolyte comprises 10-20% crown ether by weight.

  14. Development and functional significance of dorsal air bags in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study describes the morphology and investigates the possible function of the air bags found on the nestlings of Monteiro's Hornbill Tockus monteiri. These air bags increased in size with age and mass of the nestling until 14 d of age, and then decreased in size. By 20 d of age, the air bags were absent. Histological ...

  15. Religion's relationship with social boundaries surrounding gender ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Religion's relationship with social boundaries surrounding gender. ... is associated with segregation, marginalization and differentiation between men and women. ... are necessary in the society it should not be mistaken for gender inequality.

  16. AIR POLLUITON INDEX PREDICTION USING MULTIPLE NEURAL NETWORKS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zainal Ahmad

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Air quality monitoring and forecasting tools are necessary for the purpose of taking precautionary measures against air pollution, such as reducing the effect of a predicted air pollution peak on the surrounding population and ecosystem. In this study a single Feed-forward Artificial Neural Network (FANN is shown to be able to predict the Air Pollution Index (API with a Mean Squared Error (MSE and coefficient determination, R2, of 0.1856 and 0.7950 respectively. However, due to the non-robust nature of single FANN, a selective combination of Multiple Neural Networks (MNN is introduced using backward elimination and a forward selection method. The results show that both selective combination methods can improve the robustness and performance of the API prediction with the MSE and R2 of 0.1614 and 0.8210 respectively. This clearly shows that it is possible to reduce the number of networks combined in MNN for API prediction, without losses of any information in terms of the performance of the final API prediction model.

  17. Numerical Investigation of the Influences of Wellbore Flow on Compressed Air Energy Storage in Aquifers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available With the blossoming of intermittent energy, compressed air energy storage (CAES has attracted much attention as a potential large-scale energy storage technology. Compared with caverns as storage vessels, compressed air energy storage in aquifers (CAESA has the advantages of wide availability and lower costs. The wellbore can play an important role as the energy transfer mechanism between the surroundings and the air in CAESA system. In this paper, we investigated the influences of the well screen length on CAESA system performance using an integrated wellbore-reservoir simulator (T2WELL/EOS3. The results showed that the well screen length can affect the distribution of the initial gas bubble and that a system with a fully penetrating wellbore can obtain acceptably stable pressurized air and better energy efficiencies. Subsequently, we investigated the impact of the energy storage scale and the target aquifer depth on the performance of a CAESA system using a fully penetrating wellbore. The simulation results demonstrated that larger energy storage scales exhibit better performances of CAESA systems. In addition, deeper target aquifer systems, which could decrease the energy loss by larger storage density and higher temperature in surrounding formation, can obtain better energy efficiencies.

  18. Vasculature surrounding a nodule: A novel lung cancer biomarker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaohua; Leader, Joseph K; Wang, Renwei; Wilson, David; Herman, James; Yuan, Jian-Min; Pu, Jiantao

    2017-12-01

    To investigate whether the vessels surrounding a nodule depicted on non-contrast, low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can discriminate benign and malignant screen detected nodules. We collected a dataset consisting of LDCT scans acquired on 100 subjects from the Pittsburgh Lung Screening study (PLuSS). Fifty subjects were diagnosed with lung cancer and 50 subjects had suspicious nodules later proven benign. For the lung cancer cases, the location of the malignant nodule in the LDCT scans was known; while for the benign cases, the largest nodule in the LDCT scan was used in the analysis. A computer algorithm was developed to identify surrounding vessels and quantify the number and volume of vessels that were connected or near the nodule. A nonparametric receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed based on a single nodule per subject to assess the discriminability of the surrounding vessels to provide a lung cancer diagnosis. Odds ratio (OR) were computed to determine the probability of a nodule being lung cancer based on the vessel features. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) for vessel count and vessel volume were 0.722 (95% CI=0.616-0.811, plung cancer group 9.7 (±9.6) compared to the non-lung cancer group 4.0 (±4.3) CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results showed that malignant nodules are often surrounded by more vessels compared to benign nodules, suggesting that the surrounding vessel characteristics could serve as lung cancer biomarker for indeterminate nodules detected during LDCT lung cancer screening using only the information collected during the initial visit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Air-sea heat flux control on the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass intensity and implications for its prediction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Junying; Shi, Jie; Guo, Xinyu; Gao, Huiwang; Yao, Xiaohong

    2018-01-01

    The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM), which occurs during summer in the central Yellow Sea, plays an important role in the hydrodynamic field, nutrient cycle and biological species. Based on water temperature observations during the summer from 1978 to 1998 in the western Yellow Sea, five specific YSCWM years were identified, including two strong years (1984 and 1985), two weak years (1989 and 1995) and one normal year (1992). Using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, the YSCWM formation processes in these five years were simulated and compared with observations. In general, the YSCWM began forming in spring, matured in summer and gradually disappeared in autumn of every year. The 8 °C isotherm was used to indicate the YSCWM boundary. The modelled YSCWM areas in the two strong years were approximately two times larger than those in the two weak years. Based on the simulations in the weak year of 1995, ten numerical experiments were performed to quantify the key factors influencing the YSCWM intensity by changing the initial water condition in the previous autumn, air-sea heat flux, wind, evaporation, precipitation and sea level pressure to those in the strong year of 1984, respectively. The results showed that the air-sea heat flux was the dominant factor influencing the YSCWM intensity, which contributed about 80% of the differences of the YSCWM average water temperature at a depth of 50 m. In addition, the air-sea heat flux in the previous winter had a determining effect, contributing more than 50% of the differences between the strong and weak YSCWM years. Finally, a simple formula for predicting the YSCWM intensity was established by using the key influencing factors, i.e., the sea surface temperature before the cooling season and the air-sea heat flux during the cooling season from the previous December to the current February. With this formula, instead of a complicated numerical model, we were able to roughly predict the YSCWM intensity for the

  20. Physico-chemical characterization of grain dust in storage air of Bangalore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, A K; Nag, D P; Kakde, Y; Babu, K R; Prdkash, M N; Rao, S R

    1998-06-01

    An Anderson personal cascade impactor was used to study the particle mass size distribution in the storage air of two major grain storage centers in Bangalore. Dust levels in storage air as well as the personal exposures of workers were determined along with a detailed study on the particle size distribution. Protein and carbohydrate content of the dust were also determined respectively in the phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and water extracts by using the standard analytical techniques. Personal exposures in both of the grain storage centers have been found to be much above the limit prescribed by ACGIH (1995-96). But the results of particle size analysis showed a higher particle mass distribution in the non-respirable size range. The mass median diameters (MMD) of the storage air particulate of both the centers were found to be beyond the respirable range. Presence of protein and carbohydrate in the storage air dust is indicative of the existence of glyco-proteins, mostly of membrane origin.

  1. Warm Dry Weather Conditions Cause of 2016 Fort McMurray Wild Forest Fire and Associated Air Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Azevedo, S. C.; Singh, R. P.; da Silva, E. A., Sr.

    2016-12-01

    The climate change is evident from the increasing temperature around the world, day to day life and increasing frequency of natural hazards. The warm and dry conditions are the cause of frequent forest fires around the globe. Forest fires severely affect the air quality and human health. Multi sensor satellites and dense network of ground stations provide information about vegetation health, meteorological, air quality and atmospheric parameters. We have carried out detailed analysis of satellite and ground data of wild forest fire that occurred in May 2016 in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. This wild forest fire destroyed 10 per cent of Fort McMurray's housing and forced more than 90,000 people to evacuate the surrounding areas. Our results show that the warm and dry conditions with low rainfall were the cause of Fort McMurray wild fire. The air quality parameters (particulate matter, CO, ozone, NO2, methane) and greenhouse gases measured from Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) satellite show enhanced levels soon after the forest fire. The emissions from the forest fire affected health of population living in surrounding areas up to 300 km radius.

  2. Passive air sampler as a tool for long-term air pollution monitoring: Part 1. Performance assessment for seasonal and spatial variations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klanova, Jana; Kohoutek, Jiri; Hamplova, Lenka; Urbanova, Petra; Holoubek, Ivan

    2006-01-01

    The potential of passive air sampling devices (polyurethane foam disks) to assess the influence of local sources on the quality of the surrounding environment was investigated. DEZA Valasske Mezirici, a coal tar and mixed tar oils processing plant, and Spolana Neratovice, a chemical factory with the history of high production of organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), were selected as the point sources of PAHs, and OCPs, respectively. Levels of PCBs, OCPs and PAHs were determined for all sampling sites and sampling periods. The study brought useful data about the air concentrations of POPs in the investigated regions. More important, it provided information on the transport and fate of POPs in the vicinity of local sources of contamination useful for the estimation of their influence. Very good capability of passive samplers to reflect temporal and spatial fluctuation in concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in the ambient air was confirmed which makes them applicable for monitoring on the local scale. - Passive air sampling techniques can indicate seasonal and spatial variations in the ambient concentrations of persistent organic compounds near point sources

  3. Tracking lichen community composition changes due to declining air quality over the last century: the Nash legacy in Southern California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennifer Riddell; Sarah Jovan; Pamela E. Padgett; Ken. Sweat

    2011-01-01

    Southern California's South Coast Air Basin includes the heavily urbanized Los Angeles and Orange counties, the inland urban and suburban areas, and the surrounding mountain ranges. Historically high air pollution makes the region a natural laboratory for investigating human impacts on natural systems. Regional lichen distribution records from the early 1900s...

  4. Impacts of urban land-surface forcing on ozone air quality in the Seoul metropolitan area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y.-H. Ryu

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Modified local meteorology owing to heterogeneities in the urban–rural surface can affect urban air quality. In this study, the impacts of urban land-surface forcing on ozone air quality during a high ozone (O3 episode in the Seoul metropolitan area, South Korea, are investigated using a high-resolution chemical transport model (CMAQ. Under fair weather conditions, the temperature excess (urban heat island significantly modifies boundary layer characteristics/structures and local circulations. The modified boundary layer and local circulations result in an increase in O3 levels in the urban area of 16 ppb in the nighttime and 13 ppb in the daytime. Enhanced turbulence in the deep urban boundary layer dilutes pollutants such as NOx, and this contributes to the elevated O3 levels through the reduced O3 destruction by NO in the NOx-rich environment. The advection of O3 precursors over the mountains near Seoul by the prevailing valley-breeze circulation in the mid- to late morning results in the build-up of O3 over the mountains in conjunction with biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC emissions there. As the prevailing local circulation in the afternoon changes to urban-breeze circulation, the O3-rich air masses over the mountains are advected over the urban area. The urban-breeze circulation exerts significant influences on not only the advection of O3 but also the chemical production of O3 under the circumstances in which both anthropogenic and biogenic (natural emissions play important roles in O3 formation. As the air masses that are characterized by low NOx and high BVOC levels and long OH chain length are advected over the urban area from the surroundings, the ozone production efficiency increases in the urban area. The relatively strong vertical mixing in the urban boundary layer embedded in the

  5. Childhood Suicide and Myths Surrounding It.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greene, Dorothea B.

    1994-01-01

    Dispels five misconceptions surrounding the suicide of children: that children under the age of six do not commit suicide; that suicide in latency years is extremely rare; that psychodynamically and developmentally true depression is not possible in childhood; that child cannot understand finality of death; and that children are cognitively and…

  6. Evaluation of the impact of the surrounding urban morphology on building energy consumption

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wong, Nyuk Hien; Chen, Yixing; Hajadi, Norwin; Sathyanarayanan, Haripriya; Manickavasagam, Yamini Vidya [Department of Building, National University of Singapore (Singapore); Jusuf, Steve Kardinal [Center for Sustainable Asian Cities, National University of Singapore (Singapore); Syafii, Nedyomukti Imam [Institute of High Performance Computing (Singapore)

    2011-01-15

    Empirical models of minimum (T{sub min}), average (T{sub avg}) and maximum (T{sub max}) air temperature for Singapore estate have been developed and validated based on a long-tem field measurement. There are three major urban elements, which influence the urban temperature at the local scale. Essentially, they are buildings, greenery and pavement. Other related parameters identified for the study, such as green plot ratio (GnPR), sky view factor (SVF), surrounding building density, the wall surface area, pavement area, albedo are also evaluated to give a better understanding on the likely impact of the modified urban morphology on energy consumption. The objective of this research is to assess and to compare how the air temperature variation of urban condition can affect the building energy consumption in tropical climate of Singapore. In order to achieve this goal, a series of numerical calculation and building simulation are utilized. A total of 32 cases, considering different urban morphologies, are identified and evaluated to give better a understanding on the implication of urban forms, with the reference to the effect of varying density, height and greenery density. The results show that GnPR, which related to the present of greenery, have the most significant impact on the energy consumption by reducing the temperature by up to 2 C. The results also strongly indicate an energy saving of 4.5% if the urban elements are addressed effectively. (author)

  7. Numerical analysis of heat and mass transfer for water recovery in an evaporative cooling tower

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyunsub; Son, Gihun

    2017-11-01

    Numerical analysis is performed for water recovery in an evaporative cooling tower using a condensing heat exchanger, which consists of a humid air channel and an ambient dry air channel. The humid air including water vapor produced in an evaporative cooling tower is cooled by the ambient dry air so that the water vapor is condensed and recovered to the liquid water. The conservation equations of mass, momentum, energy and vapor concentration in each fluid region and the energy equation in a solid region are simultaneously solved with the heat and mass transfer boundary conditions coupled to the effect of condensation on the channel surface of humid air. The present computation demonstrates the condensed water film distribution on the humid air channel, which is caused by the vapor mass transfer between the humid air and the colder water film surface, which is coupled to the indirect heat exchange with the ambient air. Computations are carried out to predict water recovery rate in parallel, counter and cross-flow type heat exchangers. The effects of air flow rate and channel interval on the water recovery rate are quantified.

  8. Comparison of Spheroidal Carbonaceous Particle Data with Modelled Atmospheric Black Carbon Concentration and Deposition and Air Mass Sources in Northern Europe, 1850–2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meri Ruppel

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCP are a well-defined fraction of black carbon (BC, produced only by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Their past concentrations have been studied using environmental archives, but, additionally, historical trends of BC concentration and deposition can be estimated by modelling. These models are based on BC emission inventories, but actual measurements of BC concentration and deposition play an essential role in their evaluation and validation. We use the chemistry transport model OsloCTM2 to model historical time series of BC concentration and deposition from energy and industrial sources and compare these to sedimentary measurements of SCPs obtained from lake sediments in Northern Europe from 1850 to 2010. To determine the origin of SCPs we generated back trajectories of air masses to the study sites. Generally, trends of SCP deposition and modelled results agree reasonably well, showing rapidly increasing values from 1950, to a peak in 1980, and a decrease towards the present. Empirical SCP data show differences in deposition magnitude between the sites that are not captured by the model but which may be explained by different air mass transport patterns. The results highlight the need for numerous observational records to reliably validate model results.

  9. Direct atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometry for the continuous real-time trace analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes in ambient air.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badjagbo, Koffi; Picard, Pierre; Moore, Serge; Sauvé, Sébastien

    2009-05-01

    Real-time monitoring of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in ambient air is essential for the early warning detection associated with the release of these hazardous chemicals and in estimating the potential exposure risks to humans and the environment. We have developed a tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method for continuous real-time determination of ambient trace levels of BTEX. The technique is based on the sampling of air via an atmospheric pressure inlet directly into the atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source. The method is linear over four orders of magnitude, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.996. Low limits of detection in the range 1-2 microg/m(3) are achieved for BTEX. The reliability of the method was confirmed through the evaluation of quality parameters such as repeatability and reproducibility (relative standard deviation below 8% and 10%, respectively) and accuracy (over 95%). The applicability of this method to real-world samples was evaluated through measurements of BTEX levels in real ambient air samples and results were compared with a reference GC-FID method. This direct APCI-MS/MS method is suitable for real-time analysis of BTEX in ambient air during regulation surveys as well as for the monitoring of industrial processes or emergency situations.

  10. Calibration of nozzle for air mass flow measurement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uher, Jan; Kanta, Lukáš

    2017-09-01

    The effort to make calibration measurement of mass flow through a nozzle was not satisfying. Traversing across the pipe radius with Pitot probe was done. The presence of overshoot behind the bend in the pipe was found. The overshoot led to an asymmetric velocity profile.

  11. Using gravimetric measurement for determination of the mass fraction PM10

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolae Chirilă

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we tried to determinate the air pollution level with mass fraction PM10 from Targu Mures area. For this purpose, determinations were made in University Petru Maior’s laboratory, using ADR 1200 S device and in Targu Mures Environmental Department’s laboratory. The results that we obtained show a low level of air pollution with mass fraction PM10 in Targu Mures area.

  12. User's manual for the FEHM application - A finite-element heat- and mass-transfer code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zyvoloski, G.A.; Robinson, B.A.; Dash, Z.V.; Trease, L.L.

    1997-07-01

    The use of this code is applicable to natural-state studies of geothermal systems and groundwater flow. A primary use of the FEHM application will be to assist in the understanding of flow fields and mass transport in the saturated and unsaturated zones below the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. The equations of heat and mass transfer for multiphase flow in porous and permeable media are solved in the FEHM application by using the finite-element method. The permeability and porosity of the medium are allowed to depend on pressure and temperature. The code also has provisions for movable air and water phases and noncoupled tracers; that is, tracer solutions that do not affect the heat- and mass-transfer solutions. The tracers can be passive or reactive. The code can simulate two-dimensional, two-dimensional radial, or three-dimensional geometries. In fact, FEHM is capable of describing flow that is dominated in many areas by fracture and fault flow, including the inherently three-dimensional flow that results from permeation to and from faults and fractures. The code can handle coupled heat and mass-transfer effects, such as boiling, dryout, and condensation that can occur in the near-field region surrounding the potential repository and the natural convection that occurs through Yucca Mountain due to seasonal temperature changes. This report outlines the uses and capabilities of the FEHM application, initialization of code variables, restart procedures, and error processing. The report describes all the data files, the input data, including individual input records or parameters, and the various output files. The system interface is described, including the software environment and installation instructions

  13. Heat pipe heat exchanger for heat recovery in air conditioning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abd El-Baky, Mostafa A.; Mohamed, Mousa M. [Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minufiya University, Shebin El-Kom (Egypt)

    2007-03-15

    The heat pipe heat exchangers are used in heat recovery applications to cool the incoming fresh air in air conditioning applications. Two streams of fresh and return air have been connected with heat pipe heat exchanger to investigate the thermal performance and effectiveness of heat recovery system. Ratios of mass flow rate between return and fresh air of 1, 1.5 and 2.3 have been adapted to validate the heat transfer and the temperature change of fresh air. Fresh air inlet temperature of 32-40{sup o}C has been controlled, while the inlet return air temperature is kept constant at about 26{sup o}C. The results showed that the temperature changes of fresh and return air are increased with the increase of inlet temperature of fresh air. The effectiveness and heat transfer for both evaporator and condenser sections are also increased to about 48%, when the inlet fresh air temperature is increased to 40{sup o}C. The effect of mass flow rate ratio on effectiveness is positive for evaporator side and negative for condenser side. The enthalpy ratio between the heat recovery and conventional air mixing is increased to about 85% with increasing fresh air inlet temperature. The optimum effectiveness of heat pipe heat exchanger is estimated and compared with the present experimental data. The results showed that the effectiveness is close to the optimum effectiveness at fresh air inlet temperature near the fluid operating temperature of heat pipes. (author)

  14. Study of air pollution in Buenos Aires city using neutron activation analysis and x-ray fluorescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pla, R.R.; Tafuri, V.; Custo, G.S.

    1994-01-01

    Buenos Aires city and its surroundings, has a huge population and very dense traffic. There are many possible pollution sources that can be identified, but other characteristics such as weather and location counteract some of these sources to the benefit of the atmosphere of the city. Although several groups have been working on these subjects, there is not enough information about which elements are present in Buenos Aires air. The aim of this project is to provide information about the elemental profile of the atmosphere of the city and to evaluate and to make an interpretation of the obtained data. Both XRF and INAA are going to be used for analyzing the air filter samples with the participation of the Meteorological Service in sampling and interpretation of the results. By choosing adequate sampling sites and times, differences between day/night, week day/weekend will be looked for. The influence of non-leaded petrols will be studied. Some work on air samples was done before the beginning of this contract to settle future working conditions. Some results from this study are presented only as preliminary ones. Sampling will begin during this April at two sites with different traffic density. For both XRF and NAA suitable standards will be prepared. Medium and long lived nuclides are going to be analyzed by INAA. Plans for 1993 are given as well as possible collaboration with other groups in the country. (author). 3 refs, 1 tab

  15. Methods, fluxes and sources of gas phase alkyl nitrates in the coastal air.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dirtu, Alin C; Buczyńska, Anna J; Godoi, Ana F L; Favoreto, Rodrigo; Bencs, László; Potgieter-Vermaak, Sanja S; Godoi, Ricardo H M; Van Grieken, René; Van Vaeck, Luc

    2014-10-01

    The daily and seasonal atmospheric concentrations, deposition fluxes and emission sources of a few C3-C9 gaseous alkyl nitrates (ANs) at the Belgian coast (De Haan) on the Southern North Sea were determined. An adapted sampler design for low- and high-volume air-sampling, optimized sample extraction and clean-up, as well as identification and quantification of ANs in air samples by means of gas chromatography mass spectrometry, are reported. The total concentrations of ANs ranged from 0.03 to 85 pptv and consisted primarily of the nitro-butane and nitro-pentane isomers. Air mass backward trajectories were calculated by the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to determine the influence of main air masses on AN levels in the air. The shorter chain ANs have been the most abundant in the Atlantic/Channel/UK air masses, while longer chain ANs prevailed in continental air. The overall mean N fluxes of the ANs were slightly higher for summer than those for winter-spring, although their contributions to the total nitrogen flux were low. High correlations between AN and HNO₂ levels were observed during winter/spring. During summer, the shorter chain ANs correlated well with precipitation. Source apportionment by means of principal component analysis indicated that most of the gas phase ANs could be attributed to traffic/combustion, secondary photochemical formation and biomass burning, although marine sources may also have been present and a contributing factor.

  16. Dry purification of aspirational air in coke-sorting systems with wet slaking of coke

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    T.F. Trembach; A.G. Klimenko [Giprokoks, the State Institute for the Design of Coke-Industry Enterprises, Kharkov (Ukraine)

    2009-07-15

    Coke transportation after wet slaking is accompanied by the release of dust in the production building and in the surrounding atmosphere. Wet methods are traditionally used to purify very humid air. Giprokoks has developed designs for highly efficient dry dust-removal methods in such conditions.

  17. Examination on Impact of Air Ions toward Human Social Disorder Behavior

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganesha-Tri-Chandrasa

    2000-01-01

    Air ions are something that people can not see and feel. However, they exist surrounding human life. Imbalance inhalation of air ions can affect central nervous system, and physically it will affect human activities and create social disorder behavior. Some investigations have proved the relation above and devices for anticipating ionization have been innovated and available on the market. Furthermore, it has been found that individual resistance against ionization is different between genders. Therefore it is important to study character and to anticipate effects of ions and ionization, in order to build more comfortable environment. (author)

  18. Thermal performances of vertical hybrid PV/T air collector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabet, I.; Touafek, K.; Bellel, N.; Khelifa, A.

    2016-11-01

    In this work, numerical analyses and the experimental validation of the thermal behavior of a vertical photovoltaic thermal air collector are investigated. The thermal model is developed using the energy balance equations of the PV/T air collector. Experimental tests are conducted to validate our mathematical model. The tests are performed in the southern Algerian region (Ghardaïa) under clear sky conditions. The prototype of the PV/T air collector is vertically erected and south oriented. The absorber upper plate temperature, glass cover temperature, air temperature in the inlet and outlet of the collector, ambient temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation are measured. The efficiency of the collector increases with increase in mass flow of air, but the increase in mass flow of air reduces the temperature of the system. The increase in efficiency of the PV/T air collector is due to the increase in the number of fins added. In the experiments, the air temperature difference between the inlet and the outlet of the PV/T air collector reaches 10 ° C on November 21, 2014, the interval time is between 10:00 and 14:00, and the temperature of the upper plate reaches 45 ° C at noon. The mathematical model describing the dynamic behavior of the typical PV/T air collector is evaluated by calculating the root mean square error and mean absolute percentage error. A good agreement between the experiment and the simulation results is obtained.

  19. Kentucky Department for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection permit application for air contaminant source: SRC-I demonstration plant, Newman, Kentucky. Appendix D. Impact assessment. [Demonstration plant at Newman, KY

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1980-11-21

    In appendix D, the air quality condition for various pollutants in the areas surrounding the proposed demonstration plant site is given with respect to attainment or non-attainment of US EPA regulations. The minimum pollutant emission rates for these regulated and for several other pollutants are given. Then the estimated emission rates from the proposed plant are given for a dozen pollutants which exceed these limits and therefore require an ambient air quality analysis. This involves taking into account the estimated emission of these pollutants from the proposed plant and from other sources in the surrounding area. Finally, background data from the surrounding area including meteorological data and sampling of regulated pollutants are given. (LTN)

  20. CLASH: COMPLETE LENSING ANALYSIS OF THE LARGEST COSMIC LENS MACS J0717.5+3745 AND SURROUNDING STRUCTURES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medezinski, Elinor; Lemze, Doron; Ford, Holland; Umetsu, Keiichi; Nonino, Mario; Merten, Julian; Mroczkowski, Tony; Zitrin, Adi; Broadhurst, Tom; Donahue, Megan; Sayers, Jack; Czakon, Nicole; Waizmann, Jean-Claude; Meneghetti, Massimo; Koekemoer, Anton; Coe, Dan; Postman, Marc; Molino, Alberto; Melchior, Peter; Grillo, Claudio

    2013-01-01

    The galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745 (z = 0.55) is the largest known cosmic lens, with complex internal structures seen in deep X-ray, Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, and dynamical observations. We perform a combined weak- and strong-lensing analysis with wide-field BVR c i'z' Subaru/Suprime-Cam observations and 16-band Hubble Space Telescope observations taken as part of the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble. We find consistent weak distortion and magnification measurements of background galaxies and combine these signals to construct an optimally estimated radial mass profile of the cluster and its surrounding large-scale structure out to 5 Mpc h –1 . We find consistency between strong-lensing and weak-lensing in the region where these independent data overlap, –1 . The two-dimensional weak-lensing map reveals a clear filamentary structure traced by distinct mass halos. We model the lensing shear field with nine halos, including the main cluster, corresponding to mass peaks detected above 2.5σ κ . The total mass of the cluster as determined by the different methods is M vir ≈ (2.8 ± 0.4) × 10 15 M ☉ . Although this is the most massive cluster known at z > 0.5, in terms of extreme value statistics, we conclude that the mass of MACS J0717.5+3745 by itself is not in serious tension with ΛCDM, representing only a ∼2σ departure above the maximum simulated halo mass at this redshift

  1. CLASH: COMPLETE LENSING ANALYSIS OF THE LARGEST COSMIC LENS MACS J0717.5+3745 AND SURROUNDING STRUCTURES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medezinski, Elinor; Lemze, Doron; Ford, Holland [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Umetsu, Keiichi [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Nonino, Mario [INAF/Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, via G.B. Tiepolo 11, I-34143 Trieste (Italy); Merten, Julian; Mroczkowski, Tony [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, MS 169-327, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Zitrin, Adi [Institut für Theoretische Astrophysik, Universität Heidelberg, Zentrum für Astronomie, Philosophenweg 12, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Broadhurst, Tom [Department of Theoretical Physics and History of Science, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, E-48080 Bilbao (Spain); Donahue, Megan [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States); Sayers, Jack; Czakon, Nicole [Division of Physics, Math, and Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Waizmann, Jean-Claude; Meneghetti, Massimo [Dipartimento di Astronomia, Universit' a di Bologna, via Ranzani 1, I-40127 Bologna (Italy); Koekemoer, Anton; Coe, Dan; Postman, Marc [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21208 (United States); Molino, Alberto [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), E-18080 Granada (Spain); Melchior, Peter [Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics and Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Grillo, Claudio, E-mail: elinor@pha.jhu.edu [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Mariesvej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); and others

    2013-11-01

    The galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745 (z = 0.55) is the largest known cosmic lens, with complex internal structures seen in deep X-ray, Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, and dynamical observations. We perform a combined weak- and strong-lensing analysis with wide-field BVR{sub c} i'z' Subaru/Suprime-Cam observations and 16-band Hubble Space Telescope observations taken as part of the Cluster Lensing And Supernova survey with Hubble. We find consistent weak distortion and magnification measurements of background galaxies and combine these signals to construct an optimally estimated radial mass profile of the cluster and its surrounding large-scale structure out to 5 Mpc h {sup –1}. We find consistency between strong-lensing and weak-lensing in the region where these independent data overlap, <500 kpc h {sup –1}. The two-dimensional weak-lensing map reveals a clear filamentary structure traced by distinct mass halos. We model the lensing shear field with nine halos, including the main cluster, corresponding to mass peaks detected above 2.5σ{sub κ}. The total mass of the cluster as determined by the different methods is M{sub vir} ≈ (2.8 ± 0.4) × 10{sup 15} M{sub ☉}. Although this is the most massive cluster known at z > 0.5, in terms of extreme value statistics, we conclude that the mass of MACS J0717.5+3745 by itself is not in serious tension with ΛCDM, representing only a ∼2σ departure above the maximum simulated halo mass at this redshift.

  2. Thermal starless ammonia core surrounded by CCS in the Orion a cloud

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tatematsu, Ken' ichi; Hirota, Tomoya; Umemoto, Tomofumi; Kandori, Ryo; Mizuno, Norikazu [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Ohashi, Satoshi [Department of Astronomy, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Choi, Minho; Kang, Miju [Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daedeokdaero 776, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-348 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jeong-Eun [School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Seocheon-Dong, Giheung-Gu, Yongin-Si, Gyeonggi-Do 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Yamamoto, Satoshi, E-mail: k.tatematsu@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: tomoya.hirota@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: umemoto.tomofumi@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: r.kandori@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: norikazu.mizuno@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: satoshi.ohashi@nao.ac.jp, E-mail: minho@kasi.re.kr, E-mail: mjkang@kasi.re.kr, E-mail: jeongeun.lee@khu.ac.kr, E-mail: yamamoto@taurus.phys.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

    2014-07-01

    We imaged two starless molecular cloud cores, TUKH083 and TUKH122, in the Orion A giant molecular cloud in the CCS and NH{sub 3} emission with the Very Large Array. TUKH122 contains one NH{sub 3} core 'TUKH122-n', which is elongated and has a smooth oval boundary. Where observed, the CCS emission surrounds the NH{sub 3} core. This configuration resembles that of the N{sub 2}H{sup +} and CCS distribution in the Taurus starless core L1544, a well-studied example of a dense prestellar core exhibiting infall motions. The linewidth of TUKH122-n is narrow (0.20 km s{sup –1}) in the NH{sub 3} emission line and therefore dominated by thermal motions. The smooth oval shape of the core boundary and narrow linewidth in N{sub 2}H{sup +} seem to imply that TUKH122-n is dynamically relaxed and quiescent. TUKH122-n is similar to L1544 in the kinetic temperature (10 K), linear size (0.03 pc), and virial mass (∼2 M {sub ☉}). Our results strongly suggest that TUKH122-n is on the verge of star formation. TUKH122-n is embedded in the 0.2 pc massive (virial mass ∼30 M {sub ☉}) turbulent parent core, while the L1544 NH{sub 3} core is embedded in the 0.2 pc less-massive (virial mass ∼10 M {sub ☉}) thermal parent core. TUKH083 shows complicated distribution in NH{sub 3}, but was not detected in CCS. The CCS emission toward TUKH083 appears to be extended, and is resolved out in our interferometric observations.

  3. Exploring the concept of compressed air energy storage (CAES) in lined rock caverns at shallow depth: A modeling study of air tightness and energy balance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hyung-Mok; Rutqvist, Jonny; Ryu, Dong-Woo; Choi, Byung-Hee; Sunwoo, Choon; Song, Won-Kyong

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We carried out coupled thermodynamic, multiphase fluid flow and heat transport analysis. ► Coupled behavior associated with underground lined caverns for CAES was investigated. ► Air leakage could be reduced by controlling the permeability of concrete lining. ► Heat loss during compression would be gained back at subsequent decompression phase. -- Abstract: This paper presents a numerical modeling study of coupled thermodynamic, multiphase fluid flow and heat transport associated with underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) in lined rock caverns. Specifically, we explored the concept of using concrete lined caverns at a relatively shallow depth for which constructing and operation costs may be reduced if air tightness and stability can be assured. Our analysis showed that the key parameter to assure long-term air tightness in such a system was the permeability of both the concrete lining and the surrounding rock. The analysis also indicated that a concrete lining with a permeability of less than 1 × 10 −18 m 2 would result in an acceptable air leakage rate of less than 1%, with the operation pressure range between 5 and 8 MPa at a depth of 100 m. It was further noted that capillary retention properties and the initial liquid saturation of the lining were very important. Indeed, air leakage could be effectively prevented when the air-entry pressure of the concrete lining is higher than the operation air pressure and when the lining is kept at relatively high moisture content. Our subsequent energy-balance analysis demonstrated that the energy loss for a daily compression and decompression cycle is governed by the air-pressure loss, as well as heat loss by conduction to the concrete liner and surrounding rock. For a sufficiently tight system, i.e., for a concrete permeability of less than 1 × 10 −18 m 2 , heat loss by heat conduction tends to become proportionally more important. However, the energy loss by heat conduction can be

  4. Mathematical model of one-man air revitalization system

    Science.gov (United States)

    1976-01-01

    A mathematical model was developed for simulating the steady state performance in electrochemical CO2 concentrators which utilize (NMe4)2 CO3 (aq.) electrolyte. This electrolyte, which accommodates a wide range of air relative humidity, is most suitable for one-man air revitalization systems. The model is based on the solution of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations derived from mass transport and rate equations for the processes which take place in the cell. The boundary conditions are obtained by solving the mass and energy transport equations. A shooting method is used to solve the differential equations.

  5. Experimental study of the overpressures generated by the detonation of spherical air-hydrocarbon gaseous mixtures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brossard, J.

    1978-01-01

    The characteristics of the pressure waves transmitted by detonation of gaseous mixtures to the surrounding air were measured by tests made near the ground level in 1 to 54 m 3 spherical balloons containing air-acetylene or air-ethylene mixtures. As concerns the peak overpressure Δp, a theoretical dimensional analysis in accordance with the experimental results shows that Δp can be expressed as a function of two independent variables, which are the radial distance R and the volume V of the balloon . A semi-empirical formula, including ground effects, is proposed and its present validity range is given. (author)

  6. Chemical Records in Snowpits from High Altitude Glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and Its Surroundings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yulan; Kang, Shichang; Zhang, Qianggong; Gao, Tanguang; Guo, Junming; Grigholm, Bjorn; Huang, Jie; Sillanpää, Mika; Li, Xiaofei; Du, Wentao; Li, Yang; Ge, Xinlei

    2016-01-01

    Glaciochemistry can provide important information about climatic change and environmental conditions, as well as for testing regional and global atmospheric trace transport models. In this study, δ18O and selected chemical constituents records in snowpits collected from eight glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas have been investigated. Drawing on the integrated data, our study summarized the seasonal and spatial characteristics of snow chemistry, and their potential sources. Distinct seasonal patterns of δ18O values in snowpits indicated more negative in the south TP controlled by Indian monsoon, and less negative in the north TP and Tien Shan. Overall increasing concentrations of microparticles and crustal ions from south to north indicated a strength of dust deposition on glaciers from semi-arid and arid regions. Principal component analysis and air mass trajectories suggested that chemical constituents were mainly attributable to crustal sources as demonstrated by the high concentrations of ions occurring during the non-monsoon seasons. Nevertheless, other sources, such as anthropogenic pollution, played an important role on chemical variations of glaciers near the human activity centers. This study concluded that air mass transport from different sources played important roles on the spatial distributions and seasonality of glaciochemistry. PMID:27186638

  7. Chemical Records in Snowpits from High Altitude Glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and Its Surroundings.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yulan Zhang

    Full Text Available Glaciochemistry can provide important information about climatic change and environmental conditions, as well as for testing regional and global atmospheric trace transport models. In this study, δ18O and selected chemical constituents records in snowpits collected from eight glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas have been investigated. Drawing on the integrated data, our study summarized the seasonal and spatial characteristics of snow chemistry, and their potential sources. Distinct seasonal patterns of δ18O values in snowpits indicated more negative in the south TP controlled by Indian monsoon, and less negative in the north TP and Tien Shan. Overall increasing concentrations of microparticles and crustal ions from south to north indicated a strength of dust deposition on glaciers from semi-arid and arid regions. Principal component analysis and air mass trajectories suggested that chemical constituents were mainly attributable to crustal sources as demonstrated by the high concentrations of ions occurring during the non-monsoon seasons. Nevertheless, other sources, such as anthropogenic pollution, played an important role on chemical variations of glaciers near the human activity centers. This study concluded that air mass transport from different sources played important roles on the spatial distributions and seasonality of glaciochemistry.

  8. Chemical Records in Snowpits from High Altitude Glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and Its Surroundings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yulan; Kang, Shichang; Zhang, Qianggong; Gao, Tanguang; Guo, Junming; Grigholm, Bjorn; Huang, Jie; Sillanpää, Mika; Li, Xiaofei; Du, Wentao; Li, Yang; Ge, Xinlei

    2016-01-01

    Glaciochemistry can provide important information about climatic change and environmental conditions, as well as for testing regional and global atmospheric trace transport models. In this study, δ18O and selected chemical constituents records in snowpits collected from eight glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas have been investigated. Drawing on the integrated data, our study summarized the seasonal and spatial characteristics of snow chemistry, and their potential sources. Distinct seasonal patterns of δ18O values in snowpits indicated more negative in the south TP controlled by Indian monsoon, and less negative in the north TP and Tien Shan. Overall increasing concentrations of microparticles and crustal ions from south to north indicated a strength of dust deposition on glaciers from semi-arid and arid regions. Principal component analysis and air mass trajectories suggested that chemical constituents were mainly attributable to crustal sources as demonstrated by the high concentrations of ions occurring during the non-monsoon seasons. Nevertheless, other sources, such as anthropogenic pollution, played an important role on chemical variations of glaciers near the human activity centers. This study concluded that air mass transport from different sources played important roles on the spatial distributions and seasonality of glaciochemistry.

  9. Modifications of center-surround, spot detection and dot-pattern selective operators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Petkov, Nicolai; Visser, Wicher T.

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes modifications of the models of center-surround and dot-pattern selective cells proposed previously. These modifications concern mainly the normalization of the difference of Gaussians (DoG) function used to model center-surround receptive fields, the normalization of

  10. The Effect of Adversary Unmanned Aerial Systems on the US Concept of Air Superiority

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-12-04

    The German V1 and V2 challenged the concept of Allied air superiority during WWII. The history surrounding the V-weapons parallels the current...weapons in World War II. The V1 and V2 represented a previously unseen threat to Allied air superiority. The Germans focused the weapons on Allied...bombing.” 33 Hitler and the German High Command hoped to begin a large-scale bombardment with both V-1 flying bombs and V-2 rockets in late 1943 or

  11. Chemical mass balance modeling for air quality analysis near a waste-to-energy facility in a complex urban area: Program design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wells, R.; Watson, J.

    1997-01-01

    This paper describes the design and implementation of an ambient monitoring and receptor modeling study to evaluate air quality impacts from a state-of-the-art municipal waste management facility in a major urban area. The Robbins Resource Recovery Facility (RRRF), located in the Chicago metropolitan area, processes municipal solid waste (MSW) to recover recyclables, process the residual waste to create refuse-derived fuel (RDF), and burns the RDF to reduce the residual waste volume and recover energy. The RRRF is cooperating with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the Illinois Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to analyze air quality and facility impacts in the plant vicinity. An ambient monitoring program began one year before plant operation and will continue for five years after startup. Because the impacts of the RRRF are projected to be very low, and because the Chicago area includes a complex mix of existing industrial, commercial, and residential activity, the ambient data will be analyzed using Version 7.0 of the USEPA s Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) model to estimate the extent of the RRRF's impact on air quality in the area. The first year of pre-operational ambient data is currently under analysis. This paper describes the study design considerations, ambient monitoring program, emission data acquisition, background source data needs, and data analysis procedures developed to conduct CMB modeling in a complex industrialized area

  12. Surrounding rock stress analysis of underground high level waste repository

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Wengang; Wang Ju; Wang Guangdi

    2006-01-01

    During decay of nuclear waste, enormous energy was released, which results in temperature change of surrounding rock of depository. Thermal stress was produced because thermal expansion of rock was controlled. Internal structure of surrounding rock was damaged and strength of rock was weakened. So, variation of stress was a dynamic process with the variation of temperature. BeiShan region of Gansu province was determined to be the depository field in the future, it is essential to make research on granite in this region. In the process of experiment, basic physical parameters of granite were analyzed preliminary with MTS. Long range temperature and stress filed was simulated considering the damage effect of surrounding rock, and rules of temperature and stress was achieved. (authors)

  13. Analysis of enantiomeric and non-enantiomeric monoterpenes in plant emissions using portable dynamic air sampling/solid-phase microextraction (PDAS-SPME) and chiral gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yassaa, Noureddine; Williams, Jonathan

    A portable dynamic air sampler (PDAS) using a porous polymer solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibre has been validated for the determination of biogenic enantiomeric and non-enantiomeric monoterpenes in air. These compounds were adsorbed in the field, and then thermally desorbed at 250 °C in a gas chromatograph injector port connected via a β-cyclodextrin capillary separating column to a mass spectrometer. The optimized method has been applied for investigating the emissions of enantiomeric monoterpenes from Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir), Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) and Lavandula lanata (Lavender) which were selected as representative of coniferous trees and aromatic plants, respectively. The enantiomers of α-pinene, sabinene, camphene, δ-3-carene, β-pinene, limonene, β-phellandrene, 4-carene and camphor were successfully determined in the emissions from the three plants. While Douglas-fir showed a strong predominance toward (-)-enantiomers, Rosemary and Lavender demonstrated a large variation in enantiomeric distribution of monoterpenes. The simplicity, rapidity and sensitivity of dynamic sampling with porous polymer coated SPME fibres coupled to chiral capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) makes this method potentially useful for in-field investigations of atmosphere-biosphere interactions and studies of optically explicit atmospheric chemistry.

  14. Large scale air monitoring: Biological indicators versus air particulate matter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rossbach, M.; Jayasekera, R.; Kniewald, G.

    2000-01-01

    Biological indicator organisms are widely used for monitoring and banking purposes since many years. Although the complexity of the interactions between bioorganisms and their environment is generally not easily comprehensible, environmental quality assessment using the bioindicator approach offers some convincing advantages compared to direct analysis of soil, water, or air. Direct measurement of air particulates is restricted to experienced laboratories with access to expensive sampling equipment. Additionally, the amount of material collected generally is just enough for one determination per sampling and no multidimensional characterization might be possible. Further, fluctuations in air masses have a pronounced effect on the results from air filter sampling. Combining the integrating property of bioindicators with the world wide availability and uniform matrix characteristics of air particulates as a prerequisite for global monitoring of air pollution will be discussed. A new approach for sampling urban dust using large volume filtering devices installed in air conditioners of large hotel buildings is assessed. A first experiment was initiated to collect air particulates (300 to 500 g each) from a number of hotels during a period of three to four months by successive vacuum cleaning of used inlet filters from high volume air conditioning installations reflecting average concentrations per three months in different large cities. This approach is expected to be upgraded and applied for global monitoring. Highly positive correlated elements were found in lichen such as K/S, Zn/P, the rare earth elements (REE) and a significant negative correlation between Fig and Cu was observed in these samples. The ratio of concentrations of elements in dust and Usnea spp. is highest for Cr, Zn, and Fe (400-200) and lowest for elements such as Ca, Rb, and Sr (20-10). (author)

  15. Identification of PM10 air pollution origins at a rural background site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reizer, Magdalena; Orza, José A. G.

    2018-01-01

    Trajectory cluster analysis and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) approach have been applied to investigate the origins of PM10 air pollution recorded at a rural background site in North-eastern Poland (Diabla Góra). Air mass back-trajectories used in this study have been computed with the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model for a 10-year period of 2006-2015. A cluster analysis grouped back-trajectories into 7 clusters. Most of the trajectories correspond to fast and moderately moving westerly and northerly flows (45% and 25% of the cases, respectively). However, significantly higher PM10 concentrations were observed for slow moving easterly (11%) and southerly (20%) air masses. The CWT analysis shows that high PM10 levels are observed at Diabla Góra site when air masses are originated and passed over the heavily industrialized areas in Central-Eastern Europe located to the south and south-east of the site.

  16. Effect of surrounding gas temperature on the morphological evolution of TiO2 nanoparticles generated by laser ablation in tubular furnace

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tsuji, Masayuki; Seto, Takafumi; Otani, Yoshio

    2012-01-01

    Titanium oxide nanoparticles are synthesized by laser ablation of Ti target in oxygen atmosphere under well-controlled temperature profiles in a tubular furnace. The size and the shape of generated nanoparticles are varied by changing the temperature of furnace. The mobility-based size distributions of generated air-borne nanoparticles are measured using a scanning mobility particle sizer, and the size distributions of primary particles are analyzed by a scanning electron microscope. When the particles are generated by laser ablation at the room temperature, the particles are agglomerates in gas phase with the average mobility diameter of 117 nm and the mean diameter of primary particles of 11 nm. The primary particle diameter increases from 11 to 24 nm by raising the furnace temperature up to 800 °C. Since the mass of Ti vapor ablated from a target is found to be constant regardless of the furnace temperature, this particle growth may be attributed to the reduction in nuclei number as a result of mild quenching at higher temperatures. As the temperature reaches higher than 1,000 °C, the mobility diameter suddenly drops and the primary particle diameter increases due to sintering, and at 1,200 °C the mobility diameter coincides with the primary particle diameter. Since the laser oven method offers an independent control of vapor concentration and the temperature of surrounding atmosphere, it is an effective tool to study the formation process of nanoparticles from primary particles with a given size.

  17. Neutron spectrum in small iron pile surrounded by lead reflector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimura, Itsuro; Hayashi, S.A.; Kobayashi, Katsuhei; Matsumura, Tetsuo; Nishihara, Hiroshi.

    1978-01-01

    In order to save the quantity of sample material, a possibility to assess group constants of a reactor material through measurement and analysis of neutron spectrum in a small sample pile surrounded by a reflector of heavy moderator, was investigated. As the sample and the reflector, we chose iron and lead, respectively. Although the time dispersion in moderation of neutrons was considerably prolonged by the lead reflector, this hardly interferes with the assessment of group constants. Theoretical calculation revealed that both the neutron flux spectrum and the sensitivity coefficient of group constants in an iron sphere, 35 cm in diameter surrounded by the lead reflector, 25 cm thick, were close to those of the bare iron sphere, 108 cm in diameter. The neutron spectra in a small iron pile surrounded by a lead reflector were experimentally obtained by the time-of-flight method with an electron linear accelerator and the result was compared with the predicted values. It could be confirmed that a small sample pile surrounded by a reflector, such as lead, was as useful as a much larger bulk pile for the assessment of group constants of a reactor material. (auth.)

  18. Smart Chips for Smart Surroundings -- 4S

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schuler, Eberhard; König, Ralf; Becker, Jürgen; Rauwerda, G.K.; van de Burgwal, M.D.; Smit, Gerardus Johannes Maria; Cardoso, João M.P.; Hübner, Michael

    2011-01-01

    The overall mission of the 4S project (Smart Chips for Smart Surroundings) was to define and develop efficient flexible, reconfigurable core building blocks, including the supporting tools, for future Ambient System Devices. Reconfigurability offers the needed flexibility and adaptability, it

  19. The role of size in synchronous air breathing of Hoplosternum littorale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sloman, Katherine A; Sloman, Richard D; De Boeck, Gudrun; Scott, Graham R; Iftikar, Fathima I; Wood, Chris M; Almeida-Val, Vera M F; Val, Adalberto L

    2009-01-01

    Synchronized air breathing may have evolved as a way of minimizing the predation risk known to be associated with air breathing in fish. Little is known about how the size of individuals affects synchronized air breathing and whether some individuals are required to surface earlier than necessary in support of conspecifics, while others delay air intake. Here, the air-breathing behavior of Hoplosternum littorale held in groups or in isolation was investigated in relation to body mass, oxygen tensions, and a variety of other physiological parameters (plasma lactate, hepatic glycogen, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and size of heart, branchial basket, liver, and air-breathing organ [ABO]). A mass-specific relationship with oxygen tension of first surfacing was seen when fish were held in isolation; smaller individuals surfaced at higher oxygen tensions. However, this relationship was lost when the same individuals were held in social groups of four, where synchronous air breathing was observed. In isolation, 62% of fish first surfaced at an oxygen tension lower than the calculated P(crit) (8.13 kPa), but in the group environment this was reduced to 38% of individuals. Higher oxygen tensions at first surfacing in the group environment were related to higher levels of activity rather than any of the physiological parameters measured. In fish held in isolation but denied access to the water surface for 12 h before behavioral testing, there was no mass-specific relationship with oxygen tension at first surfacing. Larger individuals with a greater capacity to store air in their ABOs may, therefore, remain in hypoxic waters for longer periods than smaller individuals when held in isolation unless prior access to the air is prevented. This study highlights how social interaction can affect air-breathing behaviors and the importance of considering both behavioral and physiological responses of fish to hypoxia to understand the survival mechanisms they employ.

  20. Performances of packed bed double pass solar air heater with different inclinations and transverse wire mesh with different intervals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sugantharaj Gnanadurai Sam Stanley

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Solar air heating is a technology in which the solar energy from the sun is captured by an absorbing medium and used to heat the air flowing through the heater. In this study, thermal performance of a double pass solar air heater has been investigated experimentally at different conditions. The experiments were conducted with different inclinations of the collector, with and without wire mesh vertically fixed at the second pass in transverse direction and with different mass flow rates. The effect of air mass flow rate, wire mesh pitch and collector inclination on temperature rise and thermal efficiency have been studied. Results show that efficiency increases with mass flow rate. For the same mass flow rate, the thermal efficiency increases with the decrease in the wire mesh pitch. The maximum daily average efficiency of air heater was 79.8% at 0.025 kg/s mass flow rate, 10 cm wire mesh gap and 9º collector inclination facing south. The highest collector efficiency was observed in solar air heaters with 10 cm wire mesh gap.

  1. Inhalation Exposure Input Parameters for the Biosphere Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    K. Rautenstrauch

    2004-09-10

    This analysis is one of 10 reports that support the Environmental Radiation Model for Yucca Mountain, Nevada (ERMYN) biosphere model. The ''Biosphere Model Report'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169460]) describes in detail the conceptual model as well as the mathematical model and its input parameters. This report documents development of input parameters for the biosphere model that are related to atmospheric mass loading and supports the use of the model to develop biosphere dose conversion factors (BDCFs). The biosphere model is one of a series of process models supporting the total system performance assessment (TSPA) for a Yucca Mountain repository. Inhalation Exposure Input Parameters for the Biosphere Model is one of five reports that develop input parameters for the biosphere model. A graphical representation of the documentation hierarchy for the ERMYN is presented in Figure 1-1. This figure shows the interrelationships among the products (i.e., analysis and model reports) developed for biosphere modeling, and the plan for development of the biosphere abstraction products for TSPA, as identified in the Technical Work Plan for Biosphere Modeling and Expert Support (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169573]). This analysis report defines and justifies values of mass loading for the biosphere model. Mass loading is the total mass concentration of resuspended particles (e.g., dust, ash) in a volume of air. Mass loading values are used in the air submodel of ERMYN to calculate concentrations of radionuclides in air inhaled by a receptor and concentrations in air surrounding crops. Concentrations in air to which the receptor is exposed are then used in the inhalation submodel to calculate the dose contribution to the receptor from inhalation of contaminated airborne particles. Concentrations in air surrounding plants are used in the plant submodel to calculate the concentrations of radionuclides in foodstuffs contributed from uptake by foliar interception.

  2. Inhalation Exposure Input Parameters for the Biosphere Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    K. Rautenstrauch

    2004-01-01

    This analysis is one of 10 reports that support the Environmental Radiation Model for Yucca Mountain, Nevada (ERMYN) biosphere model. The ''Biosphere Model Report'' (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169460]) describes in detail the conceptual model as well as the mathematical model and its input parameters. This report documents development of input parameters for the biosphere model that are related to atmospheric mass loading and supports the use of the model to develop biosphere dose conversion factors (BDCFs). The biosphere model is one of a series of process models supporting the total system performance assessment (TSPA) for a Yucca Mountain repository. Inhalation Exposure Input Parameters for the Biosphere Model is one of five reports that develop input parameters for the biosphere model. A graphical representation of the documentation hierarchy for the ERMYN is presented in Figure 1-1. This figure shows the interrelationships among the products (i.e., analysis and model reports) developed for biosphere modeling, and the plan for development of the biosphere abstraction products for TSPA, as identified in the Technical Work Plan for Biosphere Modeling and Expert Support (BSC 2004 [DIRS 169573]). This analysis report defines and justifies values of mass loading for the biosphere model. Mass loading is the total mass concentration of resuspended particles (e.g., dust, ash) in a volume of air. Mass loading values are used in the air submodel of ERMYN to calculate concentrations of radionuclides in air inhaled by a receptor and concentrations in air surrounding crops. Concentrations in air to which the receptor is exposed are then used in the inhalation submodel to calculate the dose contribution to the receptor from inhalation of contaminated airborne particles. Concentrations in air surrounding plants are used in the plant submodel to calculate the concentrations of radionuclides in foodstuffs contributed from uptake by foliar interception

  3. The interaction between liquid motion and mass transfer induced by single rising bubble via PIV/LIE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshimoto, Kenjo; Yamamoto, Manabu; Sone, Daiji; Saito, Takayuki

    2009-01-01

    Deep understanding of gas-liquid two phase flows is essential for safe operation and high efficiency of nuclear reactors, chemical reactors and so on. In this study, we focus on the process of mass transfer induced by a single rising bubble. The mass transfer process of a zigzag ascending single bubble is investigated via LIF (Laser Induced Fluorescence) and PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry). From these results, we discuss the relationship between the mass transfer and the surrounding liquid motion of the single bubble. We examined single CO 2 -bubbles of 2-3 mm in equivalent diameter, which shows zigzagging motion in rest water. To directly visualize the dynamic mass transfer of CO 2 from the bubble surface to the surrounding liquid, HPTS (8-hydroxypyrene-1, 3, 6-trisulfonic acid) was used as a fluorescent substance for LIF. From LIF results, it was observed that the CO 2 -rich regions were spread by advective flow in the rest water as horseshoe-like vortices. From LIF results combined with the PIV results, it was observed that the horseshoe-like vortices were transported by the fast upward flow (buoyancy driven flow). Especially, in the case of a larger-diameter bubble with large shape oscillations, the high turbulence intensity (in a strict sense, fluctuation intensity of the liquid-phase velocity) was observed. The CO 2 -rich regions spread over a wide range by the strong flow. As a result, it is considered that the high turbulence intensity which was caused by the shape oscillations enhances the mass transportation from the bubble to the surrounding liquid. (author)

  4. Regional Air Pollutions in Three Different Regions of Asia From a Transcontinental Transport Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pochanart, P.; Kanaya, Y.; Komazaki, Y.; Liu, Y.; Akimoto, H.

    2007-12-01

    Asia is known as one of the regions with the fastest rate of growing in industrialization and urbanization. As a result, the rapid increases of large-scale air pollution in Asia emerge as a serious concern at both domestic and international levels. Apart from the problems of air quality degradation, emission control, environmental risk, and health effect in a domestic level, evidences from scientific studies indicate that by the long-range transport, Asian air pollution is becoming a global problem. Observations and model studies confirm that air pollution from Asia could be transported to North America or farther. In this work, we investigate the Asian air pollutions, in particular ozone and some other atmospheric components such as carbon monoxide and black carbon, from the ground- based observations in the three different regions, namely 1) background region of Siberia and central Asia, 2) highly anthropogenic region in eastern China, and 3) the rim region of the Asia-Pacific. In a transcontinental transport perspective, these regions are regarded as the inflow region, source region, and outflow region of Asia, respectively. From the results, it is found that the influences from large-scale emission in East Asia are observed clearly in the source region, and to the significant extent in the outflow region. For the inflow region of Asia, our data in Siberia and Kyrgyzstan indicate that air masses in this region are mostly intact from large-scale anthropogenic emission, and remain much of the global background atmospheric pollution characteristic. When the air masses are transported to source region, the air pollutants level increased sharply and frequent episodes of extremely high pollutions have been observed. Our results show good correlation between the residence time of air masses over the source region in eastern China and the observed levels of air pollutants verifying the strong enhancements by anthropogenic emissions from industrialization and

  5. Is air pollution causing landslides in China?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ming; McSaveney, Mauri J.

    2018-01-01

    Air pollution in China often exceeds "unhealthy" levels, but Chinese air is not only a threat from being breathed: the pollutants may also be causing fatal landslides. Very acid rain from severe air pollution falls widely in southwest China, where coal is a major energy source. We discuss where acid rain may provide an unsuspected link between mining and the fatal 2009 Jiweishan landslide in southwest China; it may have reduced the strength of a thin, calcareous, black sapropelic shale in Jiweishan Mountain by removing cementing carbonate minerals and sapropel matrix. Mining beneath the potential slide mass may not have directly triggered the landslide, but collapse of abandoned adits drained a perched aquifer above a regional black-shale aquiclude. Inflow of acid, oxygenated water and nutrients into the aquiclude may have accelerated the reduction of strength of the weakest rocks and consequently led to rapid sliding of a large rock mass on a layer of weathered shale left composed largely of soft, and slippery talc.

  6. Modeling personal exposure to traffic related air pollutants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Montagne, D.R.

    2015-01-01

    The first part of this thesis is about the VE3SPA project. Land use regression (LUR) models are often used to predict the outdoor air pollution at the home address of study participants, to study long-term effects of air pollution. While several studies have documented that PM2.5 mass measured at a

  7. User`s manual for the FEHM application -- A finite-element heat- and mass-transfer code

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zyvoloski, G.A.; Robinson, B.A.; Dash, Z.V.; Trease, L.L.

    1997-07-01

    The use of this code is applicable to natural-state studies of geothermal systems and groundwater flow. A primary use of the FEHM application will be to assist in the understanding of flow fields and mass transport in the saturated and unsaturated zones below the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. The equations of heat and mass transfer for multiphase flow in porous and permeable media are solved in the FEHM application by using the finite-element method. The permeability and porosity of the medium are allowed to depend on pressure and temperature. The code also has provisions for movable air and water phases and noncoupled tracers; that is, tracer solutions that do not affect the heat- and mass-transfer solutions. The tracers can be passive or reactive. The code can simulate two-dimensional, two-dimensional radial, or three-dimensional geometries. In fact, FEHM is capable of describing flow that is dominated in many areas by fracture and fault flow, including the inherently three-dimensional flow that results from permeation to and from faults and fractures. The code can handle coupled heat and mass-transfer effects, such as boiling, dryout, and condensation that can occur in the near-field region surrounding the potential repository and the natural convection that occurs through Yucca Mountain due to seasonal temperature changes. This report outlines the uses and capabilities of the FEHM application, initialization of code variables, restart procedures, and error processing. The report describes all the data files, the input data, including individual input records or parameters, and the various output files. The system interface is described, including the software environment and installation instructions.

  8. Characterization of 222Rn entry into a basement structure surrounded by low permeability soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ward, D.C.

    1992-01-01

    An experimental facility has been developed to monitor the entry rate and concentration of 222 Rn in two basement type structures surrounded by soil having a permeability on the order of 1- -12 m 2 . A data acquisition system recorded environmental conditions outside and inside the structures, including basement air exchange rates, every 15 min. Indoor 222 Rn concentrations ranged from 400 to 1400 Bq m -3 . The observed 222 Rn entry rate is highly variable and has two primary components; a constant input rate caused by diffusion of 222 Rn through the concrete walls and floor, and a variable rate that depends upon indoor-soil pressure differentials of only a few pascals. Pressure differentials are dependent upon wind speed and wind direction. Stack effect was not significant. During a two week period, with relatively calm winds, diffusion through the concrete walls and floor plus the floor-wall joint accounted for more than 80% of the total 222 Rn entry

  9. A coupled surface/subsurface flow model accounting for air entrapment and air pressure counterflow

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Delfs, Jens Olaf; Wang, Wenqing; Kalbacher, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    wave) shallow flow and two-phase flow in a porous medium. The simultaneous mass transfer between the soil, overland, and atmosphere compartments is achieved by upgrading a fully established leakance concept for overland-soil liquid exchange to an air exchange flux between soil and atmosphere. In a new...... algorithm, leakances operate as a valve for gas pressure in a liquid-covered porous medium facilitating the simulation of air out-break events through the land surface. General criteria are stated to guarantee stability in a sequential iterative coupling algorithm and, in addition, for leakances to control...

  10. Application of high performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) for determination of chromium compounds in the air at the workplace.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stanislawska, Magdalena; Janasik, Beata; Wasowicz, Wojciech

    2013-12-15

    The toxicity and bioavailability of chromium species are highly dependable on the form or species, therefore determination of total chromium is insufficient for a complete toxicological evaluation and risk assessment. An analytical method for determination of soluble and insoluble Cr (III) and Cr (VI) compounds in welding fume at workplace air has been developed. The total chromium (Cr) was determined by using quadruple inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) equipped with a dynamic reaction cell (DRC(®)). Soluble trivalent and hexavalent chromium compounds were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). A high-speed, reversed-phase CR C8 column (PerkinElmer, Inc., Shelton, CT, USA) was used for the speciation of soluble Cr (III) and soluble Cr (VI). The separation was accomplished by interaction of the chromium species with the different components of the mobile phase. Cr (III) formed a complex with EDTA, i.e. retained on the column, while Cr (VI) existed in the solutions as dichromate. Alkaline extraction (2% KOH and 3% Na2CO3) and anion exchange column (PRP-X100, PEEK, Hamilton) were used for the separation of the total Cr (VI). The results of the determination of Cr (VI) were confirmed by the analysis of the certified reference material BCR CRM 545 (Cr (VI) in welding dust). The results obtained for the certified material (40.2±0.6 g kg(-1)) and the values recorded in the examined samples (40.7±0.6 g kg(-1)) were highly consistent. This analytical method was applied for the determination of chromium in the samples in the workplace air collected onto glass (Whatman, Ø 37 mm) and membrane filters (Sartorius, 0.8 μm, Ø 37 mm). High performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is a remarkably powerful and versatile technique for determination of chromium species in welding fume at workplace air. Crown Copyright © 2013 Published by

  11. Modelling the influence of peri-urban trees in the air quality of Madrid region (Spain)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alonso, Rocio; Vivanco, Marta G.; Gonzalez-Fernandez, Ignacio; Bermejo, Victoria; Palomino, Inmaculada; Garrido, Juan Luis; Elvira, Susana; Salvador, Pedro; Artinano, Begona

    2011-01-01

    Tropospheric ozone (O 3 ) is considered one of the most important air pollutants affecting human health. The role of peri-urban vegetation in modifying O 3 concentrations has been analyzed in the Madrid region (Spain) using the V200603par-rc1 version of the CHIMERE air quality model. The 3.7 version of the MM5 meteorological model was used to provide meteorological input data to the CHIMERE. The emissions were derived from the EMEP database for 2003. Land use data and the stomatal conductance model included in CHIMERE were modified according to the latest information available for the study area. Two cases were considered for the period April-September 2003: (1) actual land use and (2) a fictitious scenario where El Pardo peri-urban forest was converted to bare-soil. The results show that El Pardo forest constitutes a sink of O 3 since removing this green area increased O 3 levels over the modified area and over down-wind surrounding areas. - Highlights: → Role of peri-urban vegetation in modifying O 3 pollution in Madrid (Spain). → The CHIMERE air quality model was adapted to Mediterranean conditions. → Preserving the peri-urban forest lowers O 3 concentrations over the surrounding areas. → Evergreen broadleaf and deciduous forests removed more atmospheric O 3 than conifers. - Peri-urban forests contribute to ameliorate ozone air pollution.

  12. Verification and validation of an advanced model of heat and mass transfer in the protective clothing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Łapka, Piotr; Furmański, Piotr

    2018-04-01

    The paper presents verification and validation of an advanced numerical model of heat and moisture transfer in the multi-layer protective clothing and in components of the experimental stand subjected to either high surroundings temperature or high radiative heat flux emitted by hot objects. The developed model included conductive-radiative heat transfer in the hygroscopic porous fabrics and air gaps as well as conductive heat transfer in components of the stand. Additionally, water vapour diffusion in the pores and air spaces as well as phase transition of the bound water in the fabric fibres (sorption and desorption) were accounted for. All optical phenomena at internal or external walls were modelled and the thermal radiation was treated in the rigorous way, i.e., semi-transparent absorbing, emitting and scattering fabrics with the non-grey properties were assumed. The air was treated as transparent. Complex energy and mass balances as well as optical conditions at internal or external interfaces were formulated in order to find values of temperatures, vapour densities and radiation intensities at these interfaces. The obtained highly non-linear coupled system of discrete equations was solved by the Finite Volume based in-house iterative algorithm. The developed model passed discretisation convergence tests and was successfully verified against the results obtained applying commercial software for simplified cases. Then validation was carried out using experimental measurements collected during exposure of the protective clothing to high radiative heat flux emitted by the IR lamp. Satisfactory agreement of simulated and measured temporal variation of temperature at external and internal surfaces of the multi-layer clothing was attained.

  13. Impact of Particulate Matter Exposure and Surrounding "Greenness" on Chronic Absenteeism in Massachusetts Public Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacNaughton, Piers; Eitland, Erika; Kloog, Itai; Schwartz, Joel; Allen, Joseph

    2017-02-20

    Chronic absenteeism is associated with poorer academic performance and higher attrition in kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12) schools. In prior research, students who were chronically absent generally had fewer employment opportunities and worse health after graduation. We examined the impact that environmental factors surrounding schools have on chronic absenteeism. We estimated the greenness (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)) and fine particulate matter air pollution (PM 2.5 ) within 250 m and 1000 m respectively of each public school in Massachusetts during the 2012-2013 academic year using satellite-based data. We modeled chronic absenteeism rates in the same year as a function of PM 2.5 and NDVI, controlling for race and household income. Among the 1772 public schools in Massachusetts, a 0.15 increase in NDVI during the academic year was associated with a 2.6% ( p value absenteeism rates, and a 1 μg/m³ increase in PM 2.5 during the academic year was associated with a 1.58% ( p value absenteeism rates. Based on these percentage changes in chronic absenteeism, a 0.15 increase in NDVI and 1 μg/m³ increase in PM 2.5 correspond to 25,837 fewer students and 15,852 more students chronically absent each year in Massachusetts respectively. These environmental impacts on absenteeism reinforce the need to protect green spaces and reduce air pollution around schools.

  14. Air Pollution Modelling to Predict Maximum Ground Level Concentration for Dust from a Palm Oil Mill Stack

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regina A. A.

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The study is to model emission from a stack to estimate ground level concentration from a palm oil mill. The case study is a mill located in Kuala Langat, Selangor. Emission source is from boilers stacks. The exercise determines the estimate the ground level concentrations for dust to the surrounding areas through the utilization of modelling software. The surround area is relatively flat, an industrial area surrounded by factories and with palm oil plantations in the outskirts. The model utilized in the study was to gauge the worst-case scenario. Ambient air concentrations were garnered calculate the increase to localized conditions. Keywords: emission, modelling, palm oil mill, particulate, POME

  15. Objective and intentional errors on modern geographical maps of Serbia and surroundings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vemić Mirčeta

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyses the occurrence and the major causes of objective, as well as intentional errors that can be perceived in maps of Serbia and its surroundings over a period of more than one hundred years, when this branch of cartography has manifested visible growth and results. In this respect, the scope and the character of objective, unintentional errors, mostly due to a lack of proper technique and technology for gathering data, gradually decreased over time. These errors were the object of constant professional scrutiny and scientific research, and were not often repeated as a result. On the other hand, intentional errors, which were registered as being of mass proportions at the beginning of the above-mentioned period, mainly occurred as a result of a speculative approach to map making. Such errors, however, did not decrease, but constantly multiplied in terms of their scope and type. Parallel with the above-mentioned errors, in many maps one can perceive intentional errors committed with a view to clouding or distorting the real picture of the mapped phenomena, for the purpose of propaganda, manipulation and various misrepresentations in connection with the turbulent geopolitical events in Serbia and its surroundings over the past thirty years. These errors have rarely been discussed and written about within the scientific community, even though there have been frequent reactions in the press and in other media. This paper lays special emphasis on such intentional errors, which cause a lot of damage to the modern cartography of Serbia, in scientific, social, educational and cultural terms, as well as practical and economic terms, and in terms of use.

  16. A new method for calculation of an air quality index

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ilvessalo, P. [Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland). Air Quality Dept.

    1995-12-31

    Air quality measurement programs in Finnish towns have expanded during the last few years. As a result of this it is more and more difficult to make use of all the measured concentration data. Citizens of Finnish towns are nowadays taking more of an interest in the air quality of their surroundings. The need to describe air quality in a simplified form has increased. Air quality indices permit the presentation of air quality data in such a way that prevailing conditions are more easily understandable than when using concentration data as such. Using an air quality index always means that some of the information about concentrations of contaminants in the air will be lost. How much information is possible to extract from a single index number depends on the calculation method. A new method for the calculation of an air quality index has been developed. This index always indicates the overstepping of an air quality guideline level. The calculation of this air quality index is performed using the concentrations of all the contaminants measured. The index gives information both about the prevailing air quality and also the short-term trend. It can also warn about the expected exceeding of guidelines due to one or several contaminants. The new index is especially suitable for the real-time monitoring and notification of air quality values. The behaviour of the index was studied using material from a measurement period in the spring of 1994 in Kaepylae, Helsinki. Material from a pre-operational period in the town of Oulu was also available. (author)

  17. A new method for calculation of an air quality index

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ilvessalo, P [Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland). Air Quality Dept.

    1996-12-31

    Air quality measurement programs in Finnish towns have expanded during the last few years. As a result of this it is more and more difficult to make use of all the measured concentration data. Citizens of Finnish towns are nowadays taking more of an interest in the air quality of their surroundings. The need to describe air quality in a simplified form has increased. Air quality indices permit the presentation of air quality data in such a way that prevailing conditions are more easily understandable than when using concentration data as such. Using an air quality index always means that some of the information about concentrations of contaminants in the air will be lost. How much information is possible to extract from a single index number depends on the calculation method. A new method for the calculation of an air quality index has been developed. This index always indicates the overstepping of an air quality guideline level. The calculation of this air quality index is performed using the concentrations of all the contaminants measured. The index gives information both about the prevailing air quality and also the short-term trend. It can also warn about the expected exceeding of guidelines due to one or several contaminants. The new index is especially suitable for the real-time monitoring and notification of air quality values. The behaviour of the index was studied using material from a measurement period in the spring of 1994 in Kaepylae, Helsinki. Material from a pre-operational period in the town of Oulu was also available. (author)

  18. CFD simulation of air to air enthalpy heat exchanger

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Waked, Rafat; Nasif, Mohammad Shakir; Morrison, Graham; Behnia, Masud

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • A CFD model capable of modelling conjugate heat and mass transfer processes. • A mesh independence studies and a CFD model validation have been conducted. • Effects of flow direction on the effectiveness have been examined. • Performance parameters were sensible and latent effectiveness and pressure drop. - Abstract: A CFD model which supports conjugate heat and mass transfer problem representation across the membrane of air-to-air energy recovery heat exchangers has been developed. The model consists of one flow passage for the hot stream and another for the adjacent cold stream. Only half of each flow passage volume has been modelled on each side of the membrane surface. Three dimensional, steady state and laminar flow studies have been conducted using a commercial CFD package. The volumetric species transport model has been adopted to describe the H 2 O and air gas mixtures. Mesh dependency has been examined and followed by validation of the CFD model against published data. Furthermore, effects of flow direction at the inlet of the heat exchanger on its thermal effectiveness have been investigated. Simulation results are presented and analysed in terms of sensible effectiveness, latent effectiveness and pressure drop across the membrane heat exchanger. Results have shown that counter-flow configuration has greater sensitivity to the mesh centre perpendicular distance from the membrane when compared to the other two flow configurations (cross-/parallel-flow). However, the lateral mesh element length has shown minimal effect on the thermal effectiveness of the enthalpy heat exchanger. For the quasi-flow heat exchanger, a perpendicular flow direction to the inlets has been found to produce a higher performance in contrast to the non-perpendicular flow

  19. EMISSIONS OF ORGANIC AIR TOXICS FROM OPEN ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    A detailed literature search was performed to collect and collate available data reporting emissions of toxic organic substances into the air from open burning sources. Availability of data varied according to the source and the class of air toxics of interest. Volatile organic compound (VOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) data were available for many of the sources. Data on semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) that are not PAHs were available for several sources. Carbonyl and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) data were available for only a few sources. There were several sources for which no emissions data were available at all. Several observations were made including: 1) Biomass open burning sources typically emitted less VOCs than open burning sources with anthropogenic fuels on a mass emitted per mass burned basis, particularly those where polymers were concerned; 2) Biomass open burning sources typically emitted less SVOCs and PAHs than anthropogenic sources on a mass emitted per mass burned basis. Burning pools of crude oil and diesel fuel produced significant amounts of PAHs relative to other types of open burning. PAH emissions were highest when combustion of polymers was taking place; and 3) Based on very limited data, biomass open burning sources typically produced higher levels of carbonyls than anthropogenic sources on a mass emitted per mass burned basis, probably due to oxygenated structures r

  20. Bioventing and air sparging: a field research study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moore, B.J.; Armstrong, J.E.; Hardisty, P.E.; Dupont, R.R.

    1997-01-01

    A study was conducted at Gulf Canada Resources' Strachan Gas Plant in Alberta, in which bioventing and air sparging were used individually and in combination to remediate a free-phase natural gas condensate plume estimated to cover approximately 65,000 m 2 . The condensate was composed of light hydrocarbons. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and total xylenes (BTEX) made up a large portion of the dissolved plume. The objectives of the bioventing program were to: (1) study the use of biodegradation respiration rates and hydrocarbon vapour concentrations as indicators of soil clean-up progress, (2) study the effectiveness of bioventing during winter operations, (3) assess the degree of soil clean-up achievable through bioventing, and (4) evaluate the economics of bioventing. It was shown that bioventing is an economical in-situ remediation technique, costing about $10/m 3 . Air sparging involves the injection of air below the groundwater table to remove dissolved phased contaminants in-situ. The objectives of the air sparging program were to: (1) determine the zone of influence achievable through air sparging, (2) assess bioventing for treating hydrocarbon vapours introduced into the unsaturated zone during sparging, and (3) evaluate hydrocarbon mass removal effectiveness due to volatilization and biodegradation. It was shown that 90 per cent of the saturated zone hydrocarbon mass was removed during eight months of air sparging. 11 refs., 1 tab., 5 figs

  1. Cyclic organic peroxides identification and trace analysis by Raman microscopy and open-air chemical ionization mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pena-Quevedo, Alvaro Javier

    The persistent use of cyclic organic peroxides in explosive devices has increased the interest in study these compounds. Development of methodologies for the detection of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD) has become an urgent priority. However, differences in physical properties between cyclic organic peroxides make difficult the development of a general method for peroxide analysis and detection. Following this urgency, the first general technique for the analysis of any peroxide, regarding its structural differences is reported. Characterization and detection of TATP and HMTD was performed using an Open-Air Chemical Ionization High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer. The first spectrometric analysis for tetramethylene diperoxide dicarbamide (TMDD) and other nitrogen based peroxides using Raman Microscopy and Mass Spectrometry is reported. Analysis of cyclic peroxides by GC-MS was also conducted to compare results with OACI-HRTOF data. In the OACI mass spectrum, HMTD showed a clear signal at m/z 209 MH + and a small adduct peak at m/z 226 [M+NH4]+ that allowed its detection in commercial standard solutions and lab made standards. TMDD presented a molecular peak of m/z 237 MH+ and an adduct peak of m/z 254 [M+NH4]+. TATP showed a single peak at m/z 240 [M+NH4]+, while the peak of m/z 223 or 222 was completely absent. This evidence suggests that triperoxides are stabilized by the ammonium ion. TATP samples with deuterium enrichment were analyzed to compare results that could differentiate from HMTD. Raman microscopy was used as a complementary characterization method and was an essential tool for cyclic peroxides identification, particularly for those which could not be extensively purified. All samples were characterized by Raman spectroscopy to confirm the Mass Spectrometry results. Peroxide O-O vibrations were observed around 750-970 cm-1. D18-TATP studies had identified ketone triperoxide nu(O-O) vibration around

  2. Can an egg-dropping race enhance students' conceptual understanding of air resistance?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yeung Chung; Kwok, Ping Wai

    2009-03-01

    Children are familiar with situations in which air resistance plays an important role, such as parachuting. However, it is not known whether they have any understanding about the concept of air resistance, how air resistance affects falling objects, and the differential effect it has on different objects. The literature reveals that there are misconceptions even among undergraduate physics students about how air resistance is affected by the mass and size of falling objects. A study was carried out in Hong Kong to explore Grade 6 students' (aged 11-12) conceptions of air resistance with respect to falling objects of different size and mass, and whether the subjects showed any change in their conceptual understanding after participating in an egg-dropping race. The findings show that students had a wide range of conceptions, which could be characterized into different levels. Their conceptions seem rather robust, and more structured interventions are required to bring about changes in students' conceptual understanding of air resistance.

  3. Exergetic performance evaluation of a single pass baffled solar air heater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sabzpooshani, M.; Mohammadi, K.; Khorasanizadeh, H.

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the exergetic performance of a baffled type solar air heater has been evaluated theoretically. A detailed parametric study was done to investigate the effect of variation of fin and baffle parameters, number of glass covers, bottom insulation thickness and inlet air temperature at different mass flow rates on the exergy efficiency. The results indicated that attaching fins and baffles at low mass flow rates can lead to noticeable enhancement of the exergy efficiency. The results revealed that the trend of variation of the energy and exergy efficiencies are not the same and the exergy efficiency is the chief criterion for performance evaluation. Increasing the baffles width, reducing the distance between baffles and increasing the number of fins are effective at low mass flow rates, but at high mass flow rates the inverse trend is observable, such that exergy efficiency reduces sharply. The results showed that exergy efficiency increases with increasing the solar radiation intensity. By adding the second glass cover the exergy efficiency enhances at low mass flow rates. Increasing the insulation thickness over an optimum value doesn't improve the exergy efficiency. Increasing the inlet air temperature increases the exergy efficiency especially at high mass flow rates. - Highlights: • We study the exergetic performance of an upward type baffled solar air heater. • The effect of several design parameters on the performance is investigated. • Exergetic performance is very sensitive to the variation of baffles parameters. • Adding fins and baffles and increasing their parameters are efficient at low m . . • At high m . increment of baffles parameters causes decline of the exergy efficiency

  4. [Determination of short-chain chlorinated paraffins in ambient air using high-volume sampling combined with high resolutimi gas chromatography-electron capture negative ion-low resolution mass spectrometry].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Loimeng; Gao, Yuan; Hou, Xiaohong; Zhang, Haijun; Zhang, Yichi; Chen, Jiping

    2016-02-01

    An analytical method for quantifying short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in ambient air using high-volume sampling combined with high resolution gas chromatography-electron capture negative ion-low resolution mass spectrometry ( HRGC-ECNI-LRMS) was developed. An acidified silica gel column and a basic alumina column were used to optimize the cleanup procedures. The results showed a good linearity (R2>0. 99) between the total response factors and the degree of chlorination of SCCPs in the content range of 58. 1%-63. 3%. The limits of detection (S/N ≥3) and the limits of quantification (S/N ≥ 10) were 4. 2 and 12 µg, respectively. The method detection limit (MDL) for SCCPs was 0. 34 ng/m3 (n = 7). The recoveries of SCCPs in air samples were in the range of 81. 9% to 94. 2%. It is demonstrated that the method is suitable for the quantitative analysis of SCCPs in air samples.

  5. Passive samplers and community science in regional air quality measurement, education and communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeForest Hauser, Cindy; Buckley, Alexandra; Porter, Juliana

    2015-08-01

    Charlotte, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, was ranked in the top ten cities with the worst air quality for ozone in the United States by the American Lung Association from 2009 to 2011. Nearby counties that may experience similar air quality do not have state or county monitors. This study utilized NOx and ozone Ogawa passive samplers and community scientists to monitor air quality in five counties surrounding Charlotte and increase public engagement in air quality issues. Community scientists deployed samplers weekly at a residential site within each county. Samples were analyzed using spectrophotometry and ion chromatography. Elevated NOx concentrations were observed in four of the five counties relative to those with existing monitors. Ozone concentrations showed little county to county variation, except Iredell and Cabarrus which had higher concentrations than Rowan. Community involvement in this work led to an increase in local dissemination of the results, thus increasing air quality awareness. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. A review on air pollution and various dust models for open cast mines in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sangeeth, M.G.; Ahmed, Siraj; Bhagoria, J.L.; Pandit, G.G.

    2010-01-01

    Open cast coal mining continues to create significant environmental problems in India. In particular, this type of mining creates high rates of air pollution SPM, RPM, SO 2 and NO x . In these particulate matter i.e. SPM and RPM is major pollution in the open cast mines. It creates several heath hazards to mine workers and surrounding peoples and high environmental deterioration occurs. Several studies are carried out in the field of air pollution and air quality modeling of open cast projects and many researchers suggested several control measures for the air pollution control in mines. Different dust models FDM, ISC3 are available for prediction and transport of the pollutants. In this paper a review has been studied about air pollution in the open cast mines and dust dispersion models for open cast mines in India. (author)

  7. The effect of non-condensable gas on direct contact condensation of steam/air mixture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, H. C.; Park, S. K.; Kim, M. H.

    1998-01-01

    To investigate the effects of noncondensable gas on the direct contact film condensation of vapor mixture, a series of experiments has been carried out. The rectangular duct inclined 87.deg. to the horizontal plane was used for this experiment. The average heat transfer coefficient of the steam-air mixture was obtained at the atmospheric pressure with four main parameters, air-mass fraction, vapor velocity, film Reynolds number,and the degree of water film subcooling having an influence on the condensation heat transfer coefficient. With the analysis on 88 cases of experiments, a correlation of the average Nusselt number for direct contact film condensation of steam-air mixture at a vertical wall proposed as functions of film Reynolds number, mixture Reynolds number, air mass fraction, and Jacob number. The average heat transfer coefficient for steam-air mixture condensation decreased significantly while air mass fraction increases with the same inlet mixture velocity and inlet film temperature. The average heat transfer coefficients also decreased with the degree of film subcooling increasing and were scarcely affected by film Reynolds number below the mixture Reynolds number about 30,000

  8. The surrounding concrete structure of the containment as a safety component

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alex, H.; Kuntze, W.M.

    1978-01-01

    This paper will briefly discuss the containments of the various types of reactors in the Federal Republic of Germany and will try to show the importance of the surrounding concrete structures with respect to safety. It will be seen that the surrounding concrete structures serve in any case - as protection against external events - as secondary shielding and must therefore be considered as a passive safety feature. The design requirements for the surrounding concrete structures with respect to protection against external events and to physical protection generally supplement each other. Reference will be made to possible alternatives, which might result from studies of underground siting of nuclear power plants. Whether or not this type of construction can lead to additional safety can only be judged when the results of all these studies - some of which are still under way - are evaluated. The concluding part of this paper will deal with the responsibilities of the civil engineering supervisory authorities and the nuclear licensing authorities with respect to the surrounding concrete structures. (orig.) [de

  9. Assessment of the uncertainties in air mass and pollutants transboundary exchange over the continental part of the EANET region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gromov, Sergey S.; Trifonova-Yakovleva, Alisa; Gromov, Sergey A.

    2017-04-01

    In this study, we attempt to quantify the uncertainties in air mass exchange in the lower troposphere across two regions of the Russian border in Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East in 2000-2015. We use meteorological data from long-term air sound data (ASD) on mean layer winds [1] and from the ERA INTERIM re-analysis (EIR) project [2]. Using a transboundary exchange model, we estimate the total and net amounts of air crossing the boundary segments around Irkutsk (IR) and Vladivostok (VL) aerological stations. We compare transport terms derived (i) from the long-term wind statistics based on both ASD and EIR data, and (ii) from integrating 6h meteorological winds from EIR directly over the border segments cells. We find similar wind direction statistics in both meteorological datasets, however EIR favours stronger westerly winds at VL in summer, which results in more often air export from China to Russia in the Far East. There is less agreement on the wind strengths than wind directions between the datasets, with EIR often providing slower wind speeds. The resulting climatic (ASD) and directly (from EIR 6h terms) calculated non-equilibrium (net) transport terms are comparable in orders (tens of million km3/month), however may differ substantially in temporal evolution or/and magnitude. Thus, EIR net transport over the IR segment has similar annual dynamics but is higher by a factor of ˜ 4 (maxima of 3.6 vs. 12 of 106 km3/month in December, respectively). An opposite ratio is derived for the VL segment (average ˜ 6 vs. 13 of 106 km3/month), with a distinct seasonality in the ASD but not in the EIR data. We attribute this discrepancy to the variations in wind direction with altitude, which cannot be resolved in the model fed with the ASD data. Calculated transport in the boundary layer (BL, provided by the EIR) supports this inference. Thus, the BL net transport temporal dynamics differ substantially from that within the 3 km layer, owing to the BL diurnal

  10. Connectable solar air collectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oestergaard Jensen, S.; Bosanac, M.

    2002-02-01

    The project has proved that it is possible to manufacture solar air collector panels, which in an easy way can be connected into large collector arrays with integrated ducting without loss of efficiency. The developed connectable solar air collectors are based on the use of matrix absorbers in the form of perforated metal sheets. Three interconnected solar air collectors of the above type - each with an transparent area of approx. 3 m{sup 2} - was tested and compared with parallel tests on two single solar air collectors also with a transparent area of approx. 3 m{sup 2} One of the single solar air collectors has an identical absorber as the connectable solar air collectors while the absorber of the other single solar air collector was a fibre cloth. The efficiency of the three solar air collectors proved to be almost identical in the investigated range of mass flow rates and temperature differences. The solar air collectors further proved to be very efficient - as efficient as the second most efficient solar air collectors tested in the IEA task 19 project Solar Air Systems. Some problems remain although to be solved: the pressure drop across especially the connectable solar air collectors is too high - mainly across the inlets of the solar air collectors. It should, however, be possible to considerably reduce the pressure losses with a more aerodynamic design of the inlet and outlet of the solar air collectors; The connectable solar air collectors are easy connectable but the air tightness of the connections in the present form is not good enough. As leakage leads to lower efficiencies focus should be put on making the connections more air tight without loosing the easiness in connecting the solar air collectors. As a spin off of the project a simple and easy way to determine the efficiency of solar, air collectors for pre-heating of fresh air has been validated. The simple method of determining the efficiency has with success been compared with an advance method

  11. Consistent and robust determination of border ownership based on asymmetric surrounding contrast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Ko; Nishimura, Haruka; Shimizu, Ryohei; Kondo, Keiichi

    2012-09-01

    Determination of the figure region in an image is a fundamental step toward surface construction, shape coding, and object representation. Localized, asymmetric surround modulation, reported neurophysiologically in early-to-intermediate-level visual areas, has been proposed as a mechanism for figure-ground segregation. We investigated, computationally, whether such surround modulation is capable of yielding consistent and robust determination of figure side for various stimuli. Our surround modulation model showed a surprisingly high consistency among pseudorandom block stimuli, with greater consistency for stimuli that yielded higher accuracy of, and shorter reaction times in, human perception. Our analyses revealed that the localized, asymmetric organization of surrounds is crucial in the detection of the contrast imbalance that leads to the determination of the direction of figure with respect to the border. The model also exhibited robustness for gray-scaled natural images, with a mean correct rate of 67%, which was similar to that of figure-side determination in human perception through a small window and of machine-vision algorithms based on local processing. These results suggest a crucial role of surround modulation in the local processing of figure-ground segregation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Highly time-resolved chemical characterization of atmospheric submicron particles during 2008 Beijing Olympic Games using an Aerodyne High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    X.-F. Huang

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available As part of Campaigns of Air Quality Research in Beijing and Surrounding Region-2008 (CAREBeijing-2008, an Aerodyne High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS was deployed in urban Beijing to characterize submicron aerosol particles during the time of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (24 July to 20 September 2008. The campaign mean PM1 mass concentration was 63.1 ± 39.8 μg m−3; the mean composition consisted of organics (37.9%, sulfate (26.7%, ammonium (15.9%, nitrate (15.8%, black carbon (3.1%, and chloride (0.87%. The average size distributions of the species (except BC were all dominated by an accumulation mode peaking at about 600 nm in vacuum aerodynamic diameter, and organics was characterized by an additional smaller mode extending below 100 nm. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF analysis of the high resolution organic mass spectral dataset differentiated the organic aerosol into four components, i.e., hydrocarbon-like (HOA, cooking-related (COA, and two oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA-1 and OOA-2, which on average accounted for 18.1, 24.4, 33.7 and 23.7% of the total organic mass, respectively. The HOA was identified to be closely associated with primary combustion sources, while the COA mass spectrum and diurnal pattern showed similar characteristics to that measured for cooking emissions. The OOA components correspond to aged secondary organic aerosol. Although the two OOA components have similar elemental (O/C, H/C compositions, they display differences in mass spectra and time series which appear to correlate with the different source regions sampled during the campaign. Back trajectory clustering analysis indicated that the southerly air flows were associated with the highest PM1 pollution during the campaign. Aerosol particles in southern airmasses were especially rich in inorganic and oxidized organic species. Aerosol particles in northern airmasses

  13. Highly time-resolved chemical characterization of atmospheric submicron particles during 2008 Beijing Olympic Games using an Aerodyne High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, X.-F.; He, L.-Y.; Hu, M.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Sun, Y.; Zhang, Q.; Zhu, T.; Xue, L.; Zeng, L.-W.; Liu, X.-G.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Jayne, J. T.; Ng, N. L.; Worsnop, D. R.

    2010-09-01

    As part of Campaigns of Air Quality Research in Beijing and Surrounding Region-2008 (CAREBeijing-2008), an Aerodyne High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) was deployed in urban Beijing to characterize submicron aerosol particles during the time of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (24 July to 20 September 2008). The campaign mean PM1 mass concentration was 63.1 ± 39.8 μg m-3; the mean composition consisted of organics (37.9%), sulfate (26.7%), ammonium (15.9%), nitrate (15.8%), black carbon (3.1%), and chloride (0.87%). The average size distributions of the species (except BC) were all dominated by an accumulation mode peaking at about 600 nm in vacuum aerodynamic diameter, and organics was characterized by an additional smaller mode extending below 100 nm. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis of the high resolution organic mass spectral dataset differentiated the organic aerosol into four components, i.e., hydrocarbon-like (HOA), cooking-related (COA), and two oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA-1 and OOA-2), which on average accounted for 18.1, 24.4, 33.7 and 23.7% of the total organic mass, respectively. The HOA was identified to be closely associated with primary combustion sources, while the COA mass spectrum and diurnal pattern showed similar characteristics to that measured for cooking emissions. The OOA components correspond to aged secondary organic aerosol. Although the two OOA components have similar elemental (O/C, H/C) compositions, they display differences in mass spectra and time series which appear to correlate with the different source regions sampled during the campaign. Back trajectory clustering analysis indicated that the southerly air flows were associated with the highest PM1 pollution during the campaign. Aerosol particles in southern airmasses were especially rich in inorganic and oxidized organic species. Aerosol particles in northern airmasses contained a large fraction of primary HOA

  14. Enhanced sources of acoustic power surrounding AR 11429

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donea, Alina; Hanson, Christopher

    2013-01-01

    Multi-frequency power maps of the local acoustic oscillations show acoustic enhancements (''acoustic-power halos'') at high frequencies surrounding large active region. Computational seismic holography reveals a high-frequency ''acoustic-emission halo'', or ''seismic glory'' surrounding large active regions. In this study, we have applied computational seismic holography to map the seismic seismic source density surrounding AR 11429. Studies of HMI/SDO Doppler data, shows that the ''acoustic halos'' and the ''seismic glories'' are prominent at high frequencies 5–8 mHz. We investigate morphological properties of acoustic-power and acoustic emission halos around an active region to see if they are spatially correlated. Details about the local magnetic field from vectormagnetograms of AR 11429 are included. We identify a 15'' region of seismic deficit power (dark moat) shielding the white-light boundary of the active region. The size of the seismic moat is related to region of intermediate magnetic field strength. The acoustic moat is circled by the halo of enhanced seismic amplitude as well as enhanced seismic emission. Overall, the results suggest that features are related. However, if we narrow the frequency band to 5.5 – 6.5 mHz, we find that the seismic source density dominates over the local acoustic power, suggesting the existence of sources that emit more energy downward into the solar interior than upward toward the solar surface.

  15. Stress–strain state of adjacent rock mass under slice mining of steeply dipping ore bodies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baryshnikov, VD; Gakhova, LN

    2018-03-01

    Under analysis is the stress state of rock mass surrounding stopes in the initial cutting layer displaced in plan relative to the above-lying extracted layer in the overcut rock mass. The authors determine the boundaries of the post-limiting deformation zones during stoping advance using the Mohr–Coulomb criterion. The sequence of stoping to ensure better support conditions is proposed.

  16. Radio reconstruction of the mass of ultra-high cosmic rays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dorosti, Qader [Institut fuer Kernphysik (IKP), KIT (Germany)

    2015-07-01

    Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays can reveal the processes of the most violent sources in the Universe, which yet has to be determined. Interaction of cosmic rays with the Earth's atmosphere results in cascades of secondary particles, i.e. air showers. Many of such particles are electrons and positrons. The induced electrons and positrons interact with the geomagnetic field and induce radio emissions. Detection of air showers along with the detection of induced radio emissions can furnish a precise measurement of the direction, energy and mass of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The Auger Engineering Radio Array consists of 124 radio stations measuring radio emission from air showers, in order to reconstruct the energy, direction and mass of cosmic rays. In this contribution, we present a method which employs a reduced hyperbolic model to describe the shape of radio wave front. We have investigated that the parameters of the reduced hyperbolic model are sensitive to the mass of cosmic rays. The obtained results are presented in this talk.

  17. Recent Advances in Water Analysis with Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometers

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacAskill, John A.; Tsikata, Edem

    2014-01-01

    We report on progress made in developing a water sampling system for detection and analysis of volatile organic compounds in water with a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS). Two approaches are described herein. The first approach uses a custom water pre-concentrator for performing trap and purge of VOCs from water. The second approach uses a custom micro-volume, split-splitless injector that is compatible with air and water. These water sampling systems will enable a single GC-based instrument to analyze air and water samples for VOC content. As reduced mass, volume, and power is crucial for long-duration, manned space-exploration, these water sampling systems will demonstrate the ability of a GCMS to monitor both air and water quality of the astronaut environment, thereby reducing the amount of required instrumentation for long duration habitation. Laboratory prototypes of these water sampling systems have been constructed and tested with a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer as well as a thermal conductivity detector. Presented herein are details of these water sampling system with preliminary test results.

  18. From OMI to TROPOMI: entering the realm of air quality from space

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vries, J. de; Laan, E.C.; Levelt, P.F.; Oord, G.H.J. van den; Veefkind, J.P.; Dobber, M.R.; Aben, I.; Jongma, R.T.; Escudero-Sanz, I.; Court, A.J.

    2006-01-01

    The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA's AURA satellite is one of the first instruments measuring an extensive set of daily air quality parameters from space. This anwers to a growing interest in obtaining space data for the air we breath next to the higher altitude air masses. OMI combines

  19. Variations of caesium isotope concentrations in air and fallout at Dalat, South Vietnam, 1986-1991

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pham Zuy Hien; Nguyen Thanh Binh; Truong Y.; Vuong Thu Bac; Nguyen Trong Ngo.

    1993-01-01

    Monthly records of Cs-137 and Cs-134 concentrations in air and fallout at Dalat for the period 1986-1991 are presented and discussed. The concentration variations exhibit distinct maxima during December-January, when dry fallout dominated. These peaks are explained by the intrusion of more radioactive cold air masses from temperate northern latitudes during the development of large-scale anticyclones frequently observed in the most active winter monsoon period. High dry fallout velocities (about 10 cm/s) determined from this data clearly demonstrate one of the most relevant characteristics of cold air masses: behind the cold front, vertical air motion is descending

  20. Ambience control by air-curtains; Controle d'ambiance par rideaux d'air

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blanchet, F.X.; Gouriou, Y.; Gupta, S.; Pavageau, M.; Solliec, C. [Ecole des Mines de Nantes, UMR 6144 CNRS-EMN-Univ. de Nantes, Dept. Systemes Energetiques et Environnement, 44 (France); Cassin, C.; Maubert, P.; Rey, C. [Aix-Marseille-3 Univ. Paul Cezanne, IUT de Saint Jerome, Dept. GTE, 13 - Marseille (France)

    2005-08-01

    Air curtains are plane air jets blown across openings so as to isolate from each other two adjacent volumes. Such apparatus are commonly used in applications where it is sought to minimise heat or mass transfers between two areas while it is necessary to keep free the way for people or material from one area to the next one. Experimental facilities were designed to investigate various air-curtain arrangements with the aim to work out efficient solutions for energy saves or smoke confining in case of fire in a road tunnel. In the first stage, the emphasis was put on flow dynamics. The different configurations considered in this work include systems made of one or two curtains of single or double jets. They were specifically designed to perform measurements using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). (authors)