Behavior of impurity ion velocities during the pulsed poloidal current drive in the Madison symmetric torus reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakakita, Hajime; Craig, Darren; Anderson, Jay K.; Chapman, Brett E.; Den-Hartog, Daniel J.; Prager, Stewart C.; Biewer, Ted M.; Terry, Stephen D.

2003-01-01

We report on passive measurements of impurity ion velocities during the pulsed poloidal current drive (PPCD) in the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed-field pinch. During PPCD, the electron temperature increased and a sudden reduction of magnetic fluctuations was observed. For this change, we have studied whether plasma velocity is affected. Plasma rotation is observed to decrease during PPCD. From measurements of line intensities for several impurities at 10 poloidal chords, it is found that the impurity line emission shifts outward. The ion temperature of impurities is reasonably connected to that measured by charge exchange recombination spectroscopy from core to edge. (author)

Review of target studies for heavy ion fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindl, J.D.; Bangerter, R.D.; Mark, J.W.K.; Pan, Y.L.

1986-01-01

We present an updated set of gain curves for radiation driven ion beam targets. The improved target performance calculated with nuclear spin polarized fuel will also be discussed. We discuss the conditions required for efficient conversion to x-rays of ion beam energy. These requirements are compared with those obtained for lasers. Recent results on symmetry requirements for direct drive ion beam targets are presented

Can We Study Autonomous Driving Comfort in Moving-Base Driving Simulators? A Validation Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellem, Hanna; Klüver, Malte; Schrauf, Michael; Schöner, Hans-Peter; Hecht, Heiko; Krems, Josef F

2017-05-01

To lay the basis of studying autonomous driving comfort using driving simulators, we assessed the behavioral validity of two moving-base simulator configurations by contrasting them with a test-track setting. With increasing level of automation, driving comfort becomes increasingly important. Simulators provide a safe environment to study perceived comfort in autonomous driving. To date, however, no studies were conducted in relation to comfort in autonomous driving to determine the extent to which results from simulator studies can be transferred to on-road driving conditions. Participants ( N = 72) experienced six differently parameterized lane-change and deceleration maneuvers and subsequently rated the comfort of each scenario. One group of participants experienced the maneuvers on a test-track setting, whereas two other groups experienced them in one of two moving-base simulator configurations. We could demonstrate relative and absolute validity for one of the two simulator configurations. Subsequent analyses revealed that the validity of the simulator highly depends on the parameterization of the motion system. Moving-base simulation can be a useful research tool to study driving comfort in autonomous vehicles. However, our results point at a preference for subunity scaling factors for both lateral and longitudinal motion cues, which might be explained by an underestimation of speed in virtual environments. In line with previous studies, we recommend lateral- and longitudinal-motion scaling factors of approximately 50% to 60% in order to obtain valid results for both active and passive driving tasks.

A simultaneous description of fast wave e-TTMP and ion current drive effects on shear in a tokamak: theory and experiments in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatnagar, V.P.; Bosia, G.; Jacquinot, J.; Porcelli, F.

1993-01-01

A controlled local modification of the plasma-current profile, the safety factor q or shear (dq/dr) in a tokamak can lead to an improvement in its performance. For example, enhanced confinement in JET discharges with deep pellet injection is found to be associated with a reversal of the shear. Also, a significant control over the sawteeth behaviour in the JET tokamak has been found to occur when the shear at the q = 1 surface is modified by a dipolar-current driven by ICRF in the minority-ion heating regime. This could give a handle on the ejection of fast particles and hence on burn control in a reactor. The above sawtooth control may also be used to ease the ash removal in a reactor. When an ICRH antenna array is phased (Δφ ≠ 0 or π), the excited asymmetric k // -spectrum can drive non inductive currents by interaction of waves both with electrons (TTMP and e-Landau damping) and ions at minority (fundamental) or harmonic cyclotron resonances depending upon the scenario. Therefore, in any modeling of ICRF current drive, both (electron and ion) current drive mechanisms must be included simultaneously to correctly represent the non inductive current drive profile. To devise scenarios of shear control by minority current drive, that take advantage of the inherent electron current drive as well, we have developed a model based on earlier theories to calculate, for the first time, the two effects simultaneously. (author) 11 refs., 5 figs

Duopigatron ion source studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bacon, F.M.; Bickes, R.W. Jr.; O'Hagan, J.B.

1978-07-01

Ion source performance characteristics consisting of total ion current, ion energy distribution, mass distribution, and ion current density distribution were measured for several models of a duopigatron. Variations on the duopigatron design involved plasma expansion cup material and dimensions, secondary cathode material, and interelectrode spacings. Of the designs tested, the one with a copper and molybdenum secondary cathode and a mild steel plasma expansion cup proved to give the best results. The ion current density distribution was peaked at the center of the plasma expansion cup and fell off to 80 percent of the peak value at the cup wall for a cup 15.2 mm deep. A total ion current of 180 mA consisting of 60 to 70 percent atomic ions was produced with an arc current of 20 A and source pressure of 9.3 Pa. More shallow cups produced a larger beam current and a more sharply peaked ion current density distribution. Typical ion energy distributions were bell-shaped curves with a peak 10 to 20 V below anode potential and with ion energies extending 30 to 40 V on either side of the peak

Noninductive current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uckan, N.A.

1985-01-01

Various current drive mechanisms may be grouped into four classes: (1) injection of energetic particle beams; (2) launching of rf waves; (3) hybrid schemes, which are combinations of various rf schemes (rf plus beams, rf and/or beam plus ohmic heating, etc.); and (4) other schemes, some of which are specific to reactor plasma conditions requiring the presence of alpha particle or intense synchrotron radiation. Particle injection schemes include current drive by neutral beams and relativistic electron beams. The rf schemes include current drive by the lower hybrid (LH) waves, the electron waves, the waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies, etc. Only a few of these approaches, however, have been tested experimentally, with the broadest data base available for LH waves. Included in this report are (1) efficiency criteria for current drive, (2) current drive by neutral beam injection, (3) LH current drive, (4) electron cyclotron current drive, (5) current drive by ion cyclotron waves - minority species heating, and (6) current drive by other schemes (such as hybrids and low frequency waves)

Neutral beam current drive with balanced injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhartt, D.

1990-01-01

Current drive with fast ions has proved its capability to sustain a tokamak plasma free of externally induced electric fields in a stationary state. The suprathermal ion population within the toroidal plasma was created by quasi-tangential and uni-directional injection of high-energy neutral atoms, their ionisation and subsequent deceleration by collisions with the background plasma particles. In future large tokamaks of the NET/INTER-type, with reactor-relevant values of plasma density and temperature, this current drive scheme is expected to maintain the toroidal current at the plasma centre, as current drive by lower hybrid waves will be restricted to the outer plasma regions owing to strong wave damping. Adequate penetration of the neutral atoms through the dense plasma requires particle energies of several hundred kilovolts per nucleon since beam absorption scales roughly with the ratio beam energy over density. The realisation of such high-energy high-power neutral beams, based on negative ion technology, is now under study. (author) 7 refs., 2 figs

Exciplexes versus Loose Ion Pairs: How Does the Driving Force Impact the Initial Product Ratio of Photoinduced Charge Separation Reactions?

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Many donor–acceptor systems can undergo a photoinduced charge separation reaction, yielding loose ion pairs (LIPs). LIPs can be formed either directly via (distant) electron transfer (ET) or indirectly via the dissociation of an initially formed exciplex or tight ion pair. Establishing the prevalence of one of the reaction pathways is challenging because differentiating initially formed exciplexes from LIPs is difficult due to similar spectroscopic footprints. Hence, no comprehensive reaction model has been established for moderately polar solvents. Here, we employ an approach based on the time-resolved magnetic field effect (MFE) of the delayed exciplex luminescence to distinguish the two reaction channels. We focus on the effects of the driving force of ET and the solvent permittivity. We show that, surprisingly, the exciplex channel is significant even for an exergonic ET system with a free energy of ET of −0.58 eV and for the most polar solutions studied (butyronitrile). Our findings demonstrate that exciplexes play a crucial role even in polar solvents and at moderate driving forces, contrary to what is usually assumed. PMID:25243054

Implications of ITER requirements on R and D of RF heating and current drive systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bosia, G.; Agarici, G.; Beaumont, B.

2003-01-01

Heating and Current Drive (H and CD) systems have an essential role in ITER-FEAT operation, as all phases of ITER operation are driven and controlled by the auxiliary power flow. The RF (Electron Cyclotron and Ion Cyclotron) systems, planned to contribute for ∼ 60% of the total auxiliary power (72 MW), with Lower Hybrid used for the specialised function of current drive in the extended performance phase (20 MW), are at different level of technology development. All systems, need a significant development in order to meet ITER operation requirements In this paper these requirements are reviewed and CEA proposals for the development of the Ion cyclotron system presented. (author)

Studies on fast wave current drive in the JAERI tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimura, H.; Yamamoto, T.; Fujii, T.; Kawashima, H.; Tamai, H.; Saigusa, M.; Imai, T.; Hamamatsu, K.; Fukuyama, A.

1991-01-01

Fast wave electron heating experiment (FWEH) on JFT-2M and JT-60 and analysis of fast wave current drive (FWCD) ability on JT-60U are presented. In the JFT-2M, absorption of fast waves have been investigated by using a phased four-loop antenna array. The absorption of the fast waves has been studied for various plasma parameters by using combination of other additional heating methods such as electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and ion cyclotron heating. It is shown that the absorption efficiency estimated from various methods well correlates with one calculated theoretically in single pass damping. Interaction of the fast waves with fast electrons in combination with ECH has been examined through the measurement of non-thermal electron cyclotron emission (ECE). The observed ECE during FWEH is well explained by the theoretical model, which indicates generation of the appreciable energetic fast electrons by the fast waves. New four-loop array antennas have been employed to improve the absorption of unidirectionally-propagating waves. Characteristics of antenna loading resistance can be reproduced by a coupling calculation code. In JT-60, FWEH experiment in combination with lower hybrid current drive was performed. Power absorption efficiency of fast wave is substantially improved in combination with LHCD of relatively low power for both phasing modes. Bulk electron heating is observed with high-k // mode and coupling with fast electron is confirmed in hard X-ray emission with low-k // mode. The results are consistent with theoretical prediction based on 1.D full wave code. Synergetic effects between FWEH and LHCD are found. Coupling calculation indicates that eight-loop antenna is favourable for keeping high directivity in the required N // -range. Current drive efficiency is calculated with 1-D full wave code including trapped particle effects and higher harmonic ion cyclotron damping

On the NBI system for substantial current drive in a fusion power plant: Status and R and D needs for ion source and laser neutralizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franzen, P.; Fantz, U.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • NBI is a candidate for a cw tokamak DEMO due to its high current drive efficiency. • The plug-in efficiency must be improved from the present 20–30% to more than 50%. • A suitable candidate is a photo neutralizer with almost 100% neutralization efficiency; basic feasibility studies are underway. • Cw operation with a large availability puts rather high demands on source operation with some safety margins, especially for the components with high power density loads (source back plate and extraction system). • Alternatives to the present use of cesium are under exploitations. - Abstract: The requirements for the heating and current drive systems of a fusion power plant will strongly depend on the DEMO scenario. The paper discusses the R and D needs for a neutral beam injection system — being a candidate due to the highest current drive efficiency — for the most demanding scenario, a steady state tokamak DEMO. Most important issues are the improvement of the wall-plug efficiency from the present ∼25% to the required 50–60% by improving the neutralization efficiency with a laser neutralizer system and the improvement of the reliability of the ion source operation. The demands on and the potential of decreasing the ion source operation pressure, as well as decreasing the amount of co-extracted electrons and backstreaming ions are discussed using the ITER requirements and solutions as basis. A further concern is the necessity of cesium for which either the cesium management must be improved or alternatives to cesium for the production of negative ions have to be identified

Predictions of fast wave heating, current drive, and current drive antenna arrays for advanced tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batchelor, D.B.; Baity, F.W.; Carter, M.D.

1994-01-01

The objective of the advanced tokamak program is to optimize plasma performance leading to a compact tokamak reactor through active, steady state control of the current profile using non-inductive current drive and profile control. To achieve these objectives requires compatibility and flexibility in the use of available heating and current drive systems--ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF), neutral beams, and lower hybrid. For any advanced tokamak, the following are important challenges to effective use of fast waves in various roles of direct electron heating, minority ion heating, and current drive: (1) to employ the heating and current drive systems to give self-consistent pressure and current profiles leading to the desired advanced tokamak operating modes; (2) to minimize absorption of the fast waves by parasitic resonances, which limit current drive; (3) to optimize and control the spectrum of fast waves launched by the antenna array for the required mix of simultaneous heating and current drive. The authors have addressed these issues using theoretical and computational tools developed at a number of institutions by benchmarking the computations against available experimental data and applying them to the specific case of TPX

Comparison of Unsafe Driving Across Medical Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Sanghee; Ranchet, Maud; Tant, Mark; Akinwuntan, Abiodun E; Devos, Hannes

2017-09-01

To compare risks of unsafe driving in patients with medical conditions. This large population-based study included all patients who were referred for a fitness-to-drive evaluation at an official driving evaluation center in 2013 and 2014. Risks of unsafe driving included physician's fitness-to-drive recommendation, comprehensive fitness-to-drive decision, motor vehicle crash history, and traffic violation history. A total of 6584 patients were included in the study. Risks of unsafe driving were significantly different across medical conditions (Pdriving. Patients with psychiatric conditions or substance abuse did worse on most driving safety outcomes, despite their low representation in the total sample (359 [6%] and 46 [1%], respectively). The risk of unsafe driving varied greatly across medical conditions. Sensitization campaigns, education, and medical guidelines for physicians and driver licensing authorities are warranted to identify patients at risk, especially for those with psychiatric conditions and substance abuse problems. Copyright © 2017 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Large-Scale Battery System Development and User-Specific Driving Behavior Analysis for Emerging Electric-Drive Vehicles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yihe Sun

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Emerging green-energy transportation, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs and plug-in HEVs (PHEVs, has a great potential for reduction of fuel consumption and greenhouse emissions. The lithium-ion battery system used in these vehicles, however, is bulky, expensive and unreliable, and has been the primary roadblock for transportation electrification. Meanwhile, few studies have considered user-specific driving behavior and its significant impact on (PHEV fuel efficiency, battery system lifetime, and the environment. This paper presents a detailed investigation of battery system modeling and real-world user-specific driving behavior analysis for emerging electric-drive vehicles. The proposed model is fast to compute and accurate for analyzing battery system run-time and long-term cycle life with a focus on temperature dependent battery system capacity fading and variation. The proposed solution is validated against physical measurement using real-world user driving studies, and has been adopted to facilitate battery system design and optimization. Using the collected real-world hybrid vehicle and run-time driving data, we have also conducted detailed analytical studies of users’ specific driving patterns and their impacts on hybrid vehicle electric energy and fuel efficiency. This work provides a solid foundation for future energy control with emerging electric-drive applications.

Predictions of of fast wave heating, current drive, and current drive antenna arrays for advanced tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batchelor, D.B.; Baity, F.W.; Carter, M.D.

1995-01-01

The objective of the advanced tokamak program is to optimize plasma performance leading to a compact tokamak reactor through active, steady state control of the current profile using non-inductive current drive and profile control. To achieve this objective requires compatibility and flexibility in the use of available heating and current drive systems - ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF), neutral beams, and lower hybrid. For any advanced tokamak, the following are important challenges to effective use of fast waves in various role of direct electron heating, minority ion heating, and current drive: (1) to employ the heating and current drive systems to give self-consistent pressure and current profiles leading to the desired advanced tokamak operating modes; (2) to minimize absorption of the fast waves by parasitic resonances, which limit current drive; (3) to optimize and control the spectrum of fast waves launched by the antenna array for the required mix of simultaneous heating and current drive. The paper addresses these issues using theoretical and computational tools developed at a number of institutions by benchmarking the computations against available experimental data and applying them to the specific case of TPX. (author). 6 refs, 3 figs

Fast wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goree, J.; Ono, M.; Colestock, P.; Horton, R.; McNeill, D.; Park, H.

1985-07-01

Fast wave current drive is demonstrated in the Princeton ACT-I toroidal device. The fast Alfven wave, in the range of high ion-cyclotron harmonics, produced 40 A of current from 1 kW of rf power coupled into the plasma by fast wave loop antenna. This wave excites a steady current by damping on the energetic tail of the electron distribution function in the same way as lower-hybrid current drive, except that fast wave current drive is appropriate for higher plasma densities

Electronic drive and acquisition system for mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Rembrandt Thomas (Inventor); Mojarradi, Mohammad (Inventor); Chutjian, Ara (Inventor); Darrach, Murray R. (Inventor); MacAskill, John (Inventor); Tran, Tuan (Inventor); Burke, Gary R. (Inventor); Madzunkov, Stojan M. (Inventor); Blaes, Brent R. (Inventor); Thomas, John L. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The present invention discloses a mixed signal RF drive electronics board that offers small, low power, reliable, and customizable method for driving and generating mass spectra from a mass spectrometer, and for control of other functions such as electron ionizer, ion focusing, single-ion detection, multi-channel data accumulation and, if desired, front-end interfaces such as pumps, valves, heaters, and columns.

INTERACTION OF NEUTRAL BEAM INJECTED FAST IONS WITH ION CYCLOTRON RESONANCE FREQUENCY WAVES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

CHOI, M.; CHAN, V.S.; CHIU, S.C.; OMELCHENKO, Y.A.; SENTOKU, Y.; STJOH, H.E.

2003-01-01

OAK B202 INTERACTION OF NEUTRAL BEAM INJECTED FAST IONS WITH CYCLOTRON RESONANCE FREQUENCY WAVES. Existing tokamaks such as DIII-D and future experiments like ITER employ both NB injection (NBI) and ion-cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) for auxiliary heating and current drive. The presence of energetic particles produced by NBI can result in absorption of the Ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF) power. ICRF can also interact with the energetic beam ions to alter the characteristics of NBI momentum deposition and resultant impact on current drive and plasma rotation. To study the synergism between NBI and ICRF, a simple physical model for the slowing-down of NB injected fast ions is implemented in a Monte-Carlo rf orbit code. This paper presents the first results. The velocity space distributions of energetic ions generated by ICRF and NBI are calculated and compared. The change in mechanical momentum of the beam and an estimate of its impact on the NB-driven current are presented and compared with ONETWO simulation results

The power of cross-functional teams in driving total quality

Science.gov (United States)

Mcclung, Tim M.; Mcmaster, Tom J.

1992-01-01

Garrett Canada, a Division of Allied-Signal Aerospace Canada, has been a member of the Canadian aerospace industry for 40 years. Although Garrett Canada has always been a profitable division with a solid market share, the changing and turbulent business environment and globalization of the aerospace industry has created new demands and challenges. The marketplace is demanding faster introduction of new products, as well as shorter leadtimes for repairs and spares. It was recognized that reducing cycle times for new products and for ongoing production would not only satisfy our customers, it would also enhance our business performance through reduced inventories, lower past due, and more responsiveness to change. It was evident that drastic function changes were required if we were to maintain our position as a premier aerospace supplier. The challenge was to convert a stable, somewhat slow-paced work environment with strong functional boundaries into a boundaryless world class team functioning in a total quality environment and focused on customer satisfaction. Complete and uncompromised customer satisfaction has become our driving force, with Total Quality being our engine to continuously improve our processes and increase our speed. The way in which this transition has been brought about is the subject of this presentation.

Impact-parameter dependence of the total probability for electromagnetic electron-positron pair production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hencken, K.; Trautmann, D.; Baur, G.

1995-01-01

We calculate the impact-parameter-dependent total probability P total (b) for the electromagnetic production of electron-positron pairs in relativistic heavy-ion collisions in lowest order. We study expecially impact parameters smaller than the Compton wavelength of the electron, where the equivalent-photon approximation cannot be used. Calculations with and without a form factor for the heavy ions are done; the influence is found to be small. The lowest-order results are found to violate unitarity and are used for the calculation of multiple-pair production probabilities with the help of the approximate Poisson distribution already found in earlier publications

A study on the NB heating and current drive in fusion plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Seung Ho; In, S. R.; Lee, K. W.; Oh, B. H.; Jin, J. T.; Chang, D. H.; Chang, D. S.; Kim, T. S.; Song, W. S.

2013-03-01

Final destination of the project is to establish the research basis of heating and current drive for large tokamak, such as KSTAR, or next generation fusion reactor through the neutral beam injection (NBI). On the 1 st -stage to achieve the objectives: 1) Required capability of an ion source(with an output power of 2 MW neutral beam, a beam energy of 100 keV) which is a main component of KSTAR NBI-1 system was proven by the design, manufacturing, and performance test during the past three years. 2) Until the development of new ion source, the NB heating experiments were performed to achieve the NB heating of KSTAR plasma with more than 1.0 MW for the 2 nd -year and more than 1.5 MW for the 3 rd -year by using a prototype ion source upgraded for the 1 st -year. From these experiments, the heating power above the H-mode threshold was supplied to the H-mode operation of KSTAR plasma and contributed to the NB diagnostics, such as CES and MSE, by using the NB. Finally, the basis of NB heating and current drive for the KSTAR was prepared by the 1 st -stage research

Cooper Drive pedestrian study : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2006-07-01

The purpose of this report is to summarize the findings of the pedestrian study conducted for Cooper Drive from Nicholasville Road to Sports Center Drive on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington, KY. This study was initiated by the Universit...

Counter-diabatic driving for Dirac dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Qi-Zhen; Cheng, Xiao-Hang; Chen, Xi

2018-03-01

In this paper, we investigate the fast quantum control of Dirac equation dynamics by counter-diabatic driving, sharing the concept of shortcut to adiabaticity. We systematically calculate the counter-diabatic terms in different Dirac systems, like graphene and trapped ions. Specially, the fast and robust population inversion processes are achieved in Dirac system, taking into account the quantum simulation with trapped ions. In addition, the population transfer between two bands can be suppressed by counter-diabatic driving in graphene system, which might have potential applications in opt-electric devices.

Design study of primary ion provider for relativistic heavy ion collider electron beam ion source.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondo, K; Kanesue, T; Tamura, J; Okamura, M

2010-02-01

Brookhaven National Laboratory has developed the new preinjector system, electron beam ion source (EBIS) for relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration Space Radiation Laboratory. Design of primary ion provider is an essential problem since it is required to supply beams with different ion species to multiple users simultaneously. The laser ion source with a defocused laser can provide a low charge state and low emittance ion beam, and is a candidate for the primary ion source for RHIC-EBIS. We show a suitable design with appropriate drift length and solenoid, which helps to keep sufficient total charge number with longer pulse length. The whole design of primary ion source, as well as optics arrangement, solid targets configuration and heating about target, is presented.

Low-frequency current drive and helicity injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, V.S.; Miller, R.L.; Ohkawa, T.

1990-01-01

For ω much-lt Ω i , where Ω i is the ion cyclotron frequency, circularly polarized waves can drive current far exceeding the current resulting from linearly polarized waves. Further, the efficiency can be independent of plasma density. In some cases, this circular polarization may be interpreted in terms of helicity injection. For tokamak applications, where the wavenumber in the toroidal direction is a real quantity, wave helicity is injected only with finite E z waves, where z is the direction of the static magnetic field. The Alfven waves are possible current drive candidates but, in the cylindrical model considered, the compressional wave is weakly damped because E z =0, while the shear Alfven wave is totally absorbed at the surface because of finite E z . A mixture of the two modes is shown to drive an oscillatory surface current even though the efficiency is high and independent of density. A more promising current drive candidate is a fast wave that propagates to the plasma interior and is damped by the minority cyclotron resonance. Near the minority mode conversion region, the fast wave is left-handed circularly polarized and it has a small but finite E z component at high electron temperatures. The current drive efficiency, although not as high as that of the Alfven wave, is still good and independent of density, making it attractive for fusion reactors

Ion cyclotron and lower hybrid arrays applicable to current drive in fusion reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bosia, G.; Ragona, R. [Department of Physics, Università di Torino (Italy); Helou, W.; Goniche, M.; Hillaret, J. [CEA/DSM/IRFM F-13 108 St Paul Les Durance (France)

2014-02-12

This paper presents concepts for Ion Cyclotron and Lower Hybrid Current Drive arrays applicable to fusion reactors and based on periodically loaded line power division. It is shown that, in large arrays, such as the ones proposed for fusion reactor applications, these schemes can offer, in principle, a number of practical advantages, compared with currently adopted ones, such as in-blanket operation at significantly reduced power density, lay out suitable for water cooling, single ended or balanced power feed, simple and load independent impedance matching In addition, a remote and accurate real time measurement of the complex impedance of all array elements as well as detection, location, and measurement of the complex admittance of a single arc occurring anywhere in the structure is possible.

Modeling the Performance and Cost of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric-Drive Vehicles - SECOND EDITION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nelson, Paul A. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Gallagher, Kevin G. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Bloom, Ira D. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Dees, Dennis W. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2012-01-01

This report details the Battery Performance and Cost model (BatPaC) developed at Argonne National Laboratory for lithium-ion battery packs used in automotive transportation. The model designs the battery for a specified power, energy, and type of vehicle battery. The cost of the designed battery is then calculated by accounting for every step in the lithium-ion battery manufacturing process. The assumed annual production level directly affects each process step. The total cost to the original equipment manufacturer calculated by the model includes the materials, manufacturing, and warranty costs for a battery produced in the year 2020 (in 2010 US$). At the time this report is written, this calculation is the only publicly available model that performs a bottom-up lithium-ion battery design and cost calculation. Both the model and the report have been publicly peer-reviewed by battery experts assembled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This report and accompanying model include changes made in response to the comments received during the peer-review. The purpose of the report is to document the equations and assumptions from which the model has been created. A user of the model will be able to recreate the calculations and perhaps more importantly, understand the driving forces for the results. Instructions for use and an illustration of model results are also presented. Almost every variable in the calculation may be changed by the user to represent a system different from the default values pre-entered into the program. The distinct advantage of using a bottom-up cost and design model is that the entire power-to-energy space may be traversed to examine the correlation between performance and cost. The BatPaC model accounts for the physical limitations of the electrochemical processes within the battery. Thus, unrealistic designs are penalized in energy density and cost, unlike cost models based on linear extrapolations. Additionally, the consequences on

Drivers’ Age, Gender, Driving Experience, and Aggressiveness as Predictors of Aggressive Driving Behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perepjolkina Viktorija

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Recent years have seen a growing interest in the problem of aggressive driving. In the presentstudy two demographic variables (gender and age, two non-psychological driving-experiencerelated variables (annual mileage and legal driving experience in years and aggressiveness asa personality trait (including behavioural and affective components as psychological variableof individual differences were examined as potential predictors of aggressive driving. The aimof the study was to find out the best predictors of aggressive driving behaviour. The study wasbased on an online survey, and 228 vehicle drivers in Latvia participated in it. The questionnaireincluded eight-item Aggressive Driving Scale (Bone & Mowen, 2006, short Latvian versionof the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (AQ; Buss & Perry, 1992, and questions gainingdemographic and driving experience information. Gender, age and annual mileage predictedaggressive driving: being male, young and with higher annual driving exposure were associatedwith higher scores on aggressive driving. Dispositional aggressiveness due to anger componentwas a significant predictor of aggressive diving score. Physical aggression and hostility wereunrelated to aggressive driving. Altogether, the predictors explained a total of 28% of thevariance in aggressive driving behaviour. Findings show that dispositional aggressiveness,especially the anger component, as well as male gender, young age and higher annual mileagehas a predictive validity in relation to aggressive driving. There is a need to extend the scope ofpotential dispositional predictors pertinent to driving aggression.

Driving Behaviors in Iran: A Descriptive Study Among Drivers of Mashhad City in 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Bazzaz, Mojtaba Mousavi; Zarifian, Ahmadreza; Emadzadeh, Maryam; Vakili, Veda

2015-01-01

Background: Driver-related behaviors are substantial causes for motor vehicle accidents. It has been estimated that about 95% of all accidents are due to driver-related dangerous behaviors and approximately 60% of accidents are directly caused by driving behaviors. The aim of this study was to assess driving behaviors and its possible related factors among drivers in Mashhad city, Iran. Method: In a cross-sectional design, a total number of 514 drivers in Mashhad, Iran Surveyed. Manchester driver behavior questionnaire with 50 questions evaluated dangerous driving behaviors in 4 categories “aggressive violations”, “ordinary violations”, “errors” and “lapses”. Results: In this study, the median age of drivers was 31. Besides, 58.2% of men mentioned having a history of driving accident. Our study indicated smoking and alcohol drinking as risk factors of having more accidents. Hookah abuse is a predictor of aggressive violations and errors. Conclusion: This is the first study to assess the relation of personal car and its market value with the likelihood of having accidents. Due to major influences of driving fines, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and addiction on violations and errors, we recommend pivotal measures to be taken by road safety practitioners regarding driving surveillance. PMID:26153202

Negative ion sourcery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Os, C.F.A. van.

1989-01-01

The work described in this thesis is involved by current research programs in the field of nuclear-fusion. A brief introduction to fusion is given, anticipated problems related to current drive of the fusion plasma are pinpointed and probable suggestions to overcome these problems are described. One probable means for current drive is highlighted; Neutral Beam Injection (NBI). This is based on injecting a 1 MeV neutral hydrogen or deuterium beam into a fusion plasma. Negative ions are needed as primary particles because they can easily be neutralized at 1 MeV. The two current schemes for production of negative ions are described, volume production and negative surface ionization. The latter method is extensively studied in this thesis. (author). 171 refs.; 55 figs.; 7 tabs

Effects of chewing gum on driving performance as evaluated by the STISIM driving simulator

OpenAIRE

Yoo, Ingyu; Kim, Eun-Joo; Lee, Joo-Hyun

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of chewing gum on driving performance in a driving simulator. [Subjects] In total, 26 young licensed drivers participated. [Methods] The driving scenario was typical of an urban environment: a single-carriageway, two-way road consisting of a mix of curved and straight sections, with considerable levels of traffic, pedestrians, and parked cars. Mean distance driven above the speed limit, lane position, mean distance driven across...

Effect of calcium oxide on the efficiency of ferrous ion oxidation and total iron precipitation during ferrous ion oxidation in simulated acid mine drainage treatment with inoculation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fenwu; Zhou, Jun; Jin, Tongjun; Zhang, Shasha; Liu, Lanlan

2016-01-01

Calcium oxide was added into ferrous ion oxidation system in the presence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans at concentrations of 0-4.00 g/L. The pH, ferrous ion oxidation efficiency, total iron precipitation efficiency, and phase of the solid minerals harvested from different treatments were investigated during the ferrous ion oxidation process. In control check (CK) system, pH of the solution decreased from 2.81 to 2.25 when ferrous ions achieved complete oxidation after 72 h of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans incubation without the addition of calcium oxide, and total iron precipitation efficiency reached 20.2%. Efficiency of ferrous ion oxidation and total iron precipitation was significantly improved when the amount of calcium oxide added was ≤1.33 g/L, and the minerals harvested from systems were mainly a mixture of jarosite and schwertmannite. For example, the ferrous ion oxidation efficiency reached 100% at 60 h and total iron precipitation efficiency was increased to 32.1% at 72 h when 1.33 g/L of calcium oxide was added. However, ferrous ion oxidation and total iron precipitation for jarosite and schwertmannite formation were inhibited if the amount of calcium oxide added was above 2.67 g/L, and large amounts of calcium sulfate dihydrate were generated in systems.

Study on possibility of development of a laser multicharged ion source for a heavy ion fusion driver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barabash, L.Z.; Krechet, K.I.; Lapitskij, Yu.Ya.; Latyshev, S.V.; Shumshurov, A.V.

1983-01-01

The results of studying laser produced plasma ion sources for a heavy ion accelerating-storage complex used as a heavy ion fusion driver are presented. The following parameters were measured on an installation aimed for studying physical characteristics of heavy ion laser plasma for a lead target at laser radiation flux density of approximately 3x10 10 W/cm 2 : scattered ion charge composition, energy spectra and scattering angle distributions, ion currents, absolute number of ions in every charge state, plasma electron temperature. The ion current pulse duration varied from 3x10 -4 s at Z +1 to 2x10 -5 s at Z +10 . The maximum current amplitude of 2 mA corresponded to Z +7 charge. The scattering velocity increased with charge. The total number of ions that could be used for acceleration was approximately 5x10 13 for Z +2 and 5x10 12 for Z +6 per pulse. The ion laser source brightness was 2x10 11 A/cm 2 , the particle phase density was 10 18 (cmxrad) -1

Nonlinear waves in electron–positron–ion plasmas including charge ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The effects of the driving electric field, ion temperature, positron density, ion drift, Mach number and propagation angle are investigated. It is shown that depending on the driving electric field, ion temperature, positron density, ion drift, Mach number and propagation angle, the numerical solutions exhibit waveforms that are ...

Turbulent current drive mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

McDevitt, Christopher J.; Tang, Xian-Zhu; Guo, Zehua

2017-08-01

Mechanisms through which plasma microturbulence can drive a mean electron plasma current are derived. The efficiency through which these turbulent contributions can drive deviations from neoclassical predictions of the electron current profile is computed by employing a linearized Coulomb collision operator. It is found that a non-diffusive contribution to the electron momentum flux as well as an anomalous electron-ion momentum exchange term provide the most efficient means through which turbulence can modify the mean electron current for the cases considered. Such turbulent contributions appear as an effective EMF within Ohm's law and hence provide an ideal means for driving deviations from neoclassical predictions.

Why do drivers become safer over the first three months of driving? A longitudinal qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Marianne R; Thompson, Andrew R; Poulter, Damian R; Stride, Christopher B; Rowe, Richard

2018-08-01

Drivers are at high crash risk when they begin independent driving, with liability decreasing steeply over the first three months. Their behavioural development, and other changes underlying improved safety are not well understood. We adopted an innovative longitudinal qualitative design, with thirteen newly qualified drivers completing a total of 36 semi-structured interviews, one, two and three months after acquiring a full UK driving license. The interviews probed high-risk factors for new drivers, as well as allowing space for generating novel road safety issues. Analysis adopted a dual deductive and inductive interpretative thematic approach, identifying three super-ordinate themes: (1) Improvements in car control skills and situation awareness; (2) A reduction in the thrill of taking risks when driving against a background of generally increasing driving speed; (3) Early concerns about their social status in the eyes of other road users during the early stages of driving, which may put pressure on them to drive faster than they felt comfortable with. The study provides important new leads towards understanding how novice driving becomes safer over the first few months of driving, including how well-studied concepts of driving skill and style may change during development of independent driving, and bringing the less rigorously studied concept of social status into focus. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Current drive by neutral beams, rotating magnetic fields and helicity injection in compact toroids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farengo, R.; Arista, N.R.; Lifschitz, A.F.; Clemente, R.A.

2003-01-01

The use of neutral beams (NB) for current drive and heating in spheromaks, the relaxed states of flux core spheromaks (FCS) sustained by helicity injection and the effect of ion dynamics on rotating magnetic field (RMF) current drive in spherical tokamaks (ST) are studied. (author)

A study on the effects of fatigue driving and drunk driving on drivers' physical characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xingjian; Zhao, Xiaohua; Du, Hongji; Rong, Jian

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of fatigue driving and drunk driving on drivers' physical characteristics; to analyze the differences in drivers' physical characteristics affected by different kinds of fatigue; and to compare the differences in the effects of the 2 driving states, fatigue driving and drunk driving. Twenty-five participants' physical characteristics were collected under 5 controlled situations: normal, tired driving, drowsy driving, drowsiness + tired driving, and drunk driving. In this article, fatigue driving refers to tiredness and drowsiness and includes 3 situations: tired driving, drowsy driving, and drowsiness + tired driving. The drivers' physical characteristics were measured in terms of 9 parameters: systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR), eyesight, dynamic visual acuity (DVA), time for dark adaption (TDA), reaction time to sound (RTS), reaction time to light (RTL), deviation of depth perception (DDP), and time deviation of speed anticipation (TDSA). They were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures. Binary logistical regression analysis was used to explain the relationship between drivers' physical characteristics and the two driving states. Most of the drivers' physical characteristic parameters were found to be significantly different under the influence of different situations. Four indicators are significantly affected by fatigue driving during deep fatigue (in decreasing order of influence): HR, RTL, SBP and RTS. HR and RTL are significant in the logistical regression model of the drowsiness + tired driving situation and normal situations. Six indicators of the drivers' physical characteristics are significantly affected by drunk driving (in decreasing order of influence): SBP, RTL, DDP, eyesight, RTS, and TDSA. SBP and DDP have a significant effect in the logistical regression model of the drunk driving situation and the normal situation. Both fatigue driving and drunk driving

The effects of electron cyclotron heating and current drive on toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes in tokamak plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Sharapov, S. E.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Van Zeeland, M. A.; Bobkov, B.; Classen, I. G. J.; Ferreira, J.; Figueiredo, A.; Fitzgerald, M.; Galdon-Quiroga, J.; Gallart, D.; Geiger, B.; Gonzalez-Martin, J.; Johnson, T.; Lauber, P.; Mantsinen, M.; Nabais, F.; Nikolaeva, V.; Rodriguez-Ramos, M.; Sanchis-Sanchez, L.; Schneider, P. A.; Snicker, A.; Vallejos, P.; the AUG Team; the EUROfusion MST1 Team

2018-01-01

Dedicated studies performed for toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) in ASDEX-Upgrade (AUG) discharges with monotonic q-profiles have shown that electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) can make TAEs more unstable. In these AUG discharges, energetic ions driving TAEs were obtained by ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH). It was found that off-axis ECRH facilitated TAE instability, with TAEs appearing and disappearing on timescales of a few milliseconds when the ECRH power was switched on and off. On-axis ECRH had a much weaker effect on TAEs, and in AUG discharges performed with co- and counter-current electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), the effects of ECCD were found to be similar to those of ECRH. Fast ion distributions produced by ICRH were computed with the PION and SELFO codes. A significant increase in T e caused by ECRH applied off-axis is found to increase the fast ion slowing-down time and fast ion pressure causing a significant increase in the TAE drive by ICRH-accelerated ions. TAE stability calculations show that the rise in T e causes also an increase in TAE radiative damping and thermal ion Landau damping, but to a lesser extent than the fast ion drive. As a result of the competition between larger drive and damping effects caused by ECRH, TAEs become more unstable. It is concluded, that although ECRH effects on AE stability in present-day experiments may be quite significant, they are determined by the changes in the plasma profiles and are not particularly ECRH specific.

Neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devoto, R.S.

1986-01-01

The theory of neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks is reviewed. Experiments are discussed where neutral beams have been used to drive current directly and also indirectly through neoclassical effects. Application of the theory to an experimental test reactor is described. It is shown that neutral beams formed from negative ions accelerated to 500 to 700 keV are needed for this device

Neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devoto, R.S.

1987-01-01

The theory of neutral-beam current drive in tokamaks is reviewed. Experiments are discussed where neutral beams have been used to drive current directly and also indirectly through neoclassical effects. Application of the theory to an experimental test reactor is described. It is shown that neutral beams formed from negative ions accelerated to 500-700 keV are needed for this device

Modeling Driving Performance Using In-Vehicle Speech Data From a Naturalistic Driving Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Jonny; Charlton, Judith L; Koppel, Sjaan; Rudin-Brown, Christina M; Cross, Suzanne

2016-09-01

We aimed to (a) describe the development and application of an automated approach for processing in-vehicle speech data from a naturalistic driving study (NDS), (b) examine the influence of child passenger presence on driving performance, and (c) model this relationship using in-vehicle speech data. Parent drivers frequently engage in child-related secondary behaviors, but the impact on driving performance is unknown. Applying automated speech-processing techniques to NDS audio data would facilitate the analysis of in-vehicle driver-child interactions and their influence on driving performance. Speech activity detection and speaker diarization algorithms were applied to audio data from a Melbourne-based NDS involving 42 families. Multilevel models were developed to evaluate the effect of speech activity and the presence of child passengers on driving performance. Speech activity was significantly associated with velocity and steering angle variability. Child passenger presence alone was not associated with changes in driving performance. However, speech activity in the presence of two child passengers was associated with the most variability in driving performance. The effects of in-vehicle speech on driving performance in the presence of child passengers appear to be heterogeneous, and multiple factors may need to be considered in evaluating their impact. This goal can potentially be achieved within large-scale NDS through the automated processing of observational data, including speech. Speech-processing algorithms enable new perspectives on driving performance to be gained from existing NDS data, and variables that were once labor-intensive to process can be readily utilized in future research. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Current Drive in a Ponderomotive Potential with Sign Reversal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

N.J. Fisch; J.M. Rax; I.Y. Dodin

2003-07-30

Noninductive current drive can be accomplished through ponderomotive forces with high efficiency when the potential changes sign over the interaction region. The effect can practiced upon both ions and electrons. The current drive efficiencies, in principle, might be higher than those possible with conventional radio-frequency current-drive techniques, since different considerations come into play.

Current Drive in a Ponderomotive Potential with Sign Reversal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.; Rax, J.M.; Dodin, I.Y.

2003-01-01

Noninductive current drive can be accomplished through ponderomotive forces with high efficiency when the potential changes sign over the interaction region. The effect can practiced upon both ions and electrons. The current drive efficiencies, in principle, might be higher than those possible with conventional radio-frequency current-drive techniques, since different considerations come into play

New light on ion channel imaging by total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamura, Hisao; Suzuki, Yoshiaki; Imaizumi, Yuji

2015-05-01

Ion channels play pivotal roles in a wide variety of cellular functions; therefore, their physiological characteristics, pharmacological responses, and molecular structures have been extensively investigated. However, the mobility of an ion channel itself in the cell membrane has not been examined in as much detail. A total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope allows fluorophores to be imaged in a restricted region within an evanescent field of less than 200 nm from the interface of the coverslip and plasma membrane in living cells. Thus the TIRF microscope is useful for selectively visualizing the plasmalemmal surface and subplasmalemmal zone. In this review, we focused on a single-molecule analysis of the dynamic movement of ion channels in the plasma membrane using TIRF microscopy. We also described two single-molecule imaging techniques under TIRF microscopy: fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) for the identification of molecules that interact with ion channels, and subunit counting for the determination of subunit stoichiometry in a functional channel. TIRF imaging can also be used to analyze spatiotemporal Ca(2+) events in the subplasmalemma. Single-molecule analyses of ion channels and localized Ca(2+) signals based on TIRF imaging provide beneficial pharmacological and physiological information concerning the functions of ion channels. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on indigenous ion exchange resins: alkali metal ions-hydrogen ion exchange equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shankar, S.; Kumar, Surender; Venkataramani, B.

2001-01-01

With a view to select a suitable ion exchange resin for the removal of radionuclides (such as cesium, strontium etc.) from low level radioactive effluents, alkali metal ion -H' exchanges on nine indigenous gel- and macroporous-type and nuclear grade resins have been studied at a total ionic strength of 0.1 mol dm .3 (in the case ofCs' -H' exchange it was 0.05 mol dm .3 ). The expected theoretical capacities were not attained by all the resins for the alkali metal ions. The water content (moles/equiv.) of the fully swollen resins for different alkali metal ionic forms do not follow the usual sequence of greater the tendency of the cation to hydrate the higher the water uptake, but a reverse trend. The ion exchange isotherms (plots of equivalent fractions of the ion in resin phase, N M1 to that in solution, N M ) were not satisfactory and sorption of cations, for most of the resins, was possible only when the acidity of the solution was lowered. The variations of the selectivity coefficient, K, with N M show that the resins are highly cross linked and the selectivity sequence: Cs + >K + >Na + >Li + , obtained for all the resins indicate that hydrated ions were involved in the exchange process. However, the increase in the selectivity was not accompanied by the release of water, but unusual uptake of water, during the exchange process. The characteristics of macroporous resins were not significantly different from those of the gel-type resins. The results are discussed in terms of heterogeneity in the polymer net work, improper sulphonation process resulting in the formation of functional groups at inaccessible sites with weak acidic character and the overall lack of control in the preparation of different resins. (author)

Texting while driving: A study of 1211 U.S. adults with the Distracted Driving Survey

OpenAIRE

Gliklich, Emily; Guo, Rong; Bergmark, Regan W.

2016-01-01

Texting and other cell-phone related distracted driving is estimated to account for thousands of motor vehicle collisions each year but studies examining the specific cell phone reading and writing activities of drivers are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of cell-phone related distracted driving behaviors. A national, representative, anonymous panel of 1211 United States drivers was recruited in 2015 to complete the Distracted Driving Survey (DDS), an 11-ite...

An observational study of consumer use of fast-food restaurant drive-through lanes: implications for menu labelling policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberto, Christina A; Hoffnagle, Elena; Bragg, Marie A; Brownell, Kelly D

2010-11-01

Some versions of restaurant menu labelling legislation do not require energy information to be posted on menus for drive-through lanes. The present study was designed to quantify the number of customers who purchase fast food through drive-in windows as a means of informing legislative labelling efforts. This was an observational study. The study took place at two McDonald's and Burger King restaurants, and single Dairy Queen, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and Wendy's restaurants. The number of customers entering the chain restaurants and purchasing food via the drive-through lane were recorded. A total of 3549 patrons were observed. The percentage of customers who made their purchases at drive-throughs was fifty-seven. The overall average (57 %) is likely a conservative estimate because some fast-food restaurants have late-night hours when only the drive-throughs are open. Since nearly six in ten customers purchase food via the drive-through lanes, menu labelling legislation should mandate the inclusion of menu labels on drive-through menu boards to maximise the impact of this public health intervention.

Naturalistic Teenage Driving Study: Findings and Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Simons-Morton, Bruce G.; Klauer, Sheila G.; Ouimet, Marie Claude; Guo, Feng; Albert, Paul S.; Lee, Suzanne E.; Ehsani, Johnathon P.; Pradhan, Anuj K.; Dingus, Thomas A.

2015-01-01

Problem This paper summarizes the findings on novice teenage driving outcomes (e.g., crashes and risky driving behaviors) from the Naturalistic Teenage Driving Study. Method Survey and driving data from a data acquisition system (Global Positioning System, accelerometers, cameras) were collected from 42 newly-licensed teenage drivers and their parents during the first 18 months of teenage licensure; stress responsivity was also measured in teenagers. Result Overall teenage crash and near crash (CNC) rates declined over time, but were >4 times higher among teenagers than adults. Contributing factors to teenage CNC rates included secondary task engagement (e.g., distraction), kinematic risky driving, low stress responsivity, and risky social norms. Conclusion The data support the contention that the high novice teenage CNC risk is due both to inexperience and risky driving behavior, particularly kinematic risky driving and secondary task engagement. Practical Applications Graduated driver licensing policy and other prevention efforts should focus on kinematic risky driving, secondary task engagement, and risky social norms. PMID:26403899

Light ion source studies with a magnetically insulated extraction diode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckman, C.K.

1992-01-01

Light ion sources are currently being studied to assess their ability to drive an inertial confinement fusion reactor. The author has produced a high purity, 1MV, 300A/cm 2 lithium beam using a 200cm 2 extraction geometry, magnetically insulated ion diode. The lithium source was an AC glow discharge cleaned, LiF/Al film active anode. The active anode plasma was formed after 50KA of current was shunted through the anode film for 20ns. The stoichiometry of the resulting ion beam was 65% Li + , 20% Al +2 , and 15% H + . Without the glow discharge cleaning, the ion beam was over 55% hydrogen and only 20% Li + . At the time of the diode's design, extraction diodes were producing poor ion beams: their current efficiency was only 60-70%, and their extracted ion current was radially nonuniform. This diode was the first high efficiency extraction diode, and produced over 200KA of ions with 80-90% ion current efficiency. In addition, by varying the tilt of the applied magnetic field, it was possible to show that the ion current density could be made independent of radius. Since the author was unable to make a Li + beam with a passive anode, he installed an active anode that used an external current to vaporize a thin metal film on the anode surface. Poor beam purity was the most serious problem with active anodes. In order to remove impurities, especially the hydrogen contamination, the author cleaned the anodes with a glow discharge. Al film anodes were cleaned with a 110mA, 33W DC glow discharge, and the LiF/Al film anodes were cleaned with an equivalent AC discharge. The results obtained and a model for the mechanism behind the cleaning process are throughly discussed

Ion Concentration- and Voltage-Dependent Push and Pull Mechanisms of Potassium Channel Ion Conduction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kota Kasahara

Full Text Available The mechanism of ion conduction by potassium channels is one of the central issues in physiology. In particular, it is still unclear how the ion concentration and the membrane voltage drive ion conduction. We have investigated the dynamics of the ion conduction processes in the Kv1.2 pore domain, by molecular dynamics (MD simulations with several different voltages and ion concentrations. By focusing on the detailed ion movements through the pore including selectivity filter (SF and cavity, we found two major conduction mechanisms, called the III-IV-III and III-II-III mechanisms, and the balance between the ion concentration and the voltage determines the mechanism preference. In the III-IV-III mechanism, the outermost ion in the pore is pushed out by a new ion coming from the intracellular fluid, and four-ion states were transiently observed. In the III-II-III mechanism, the outermost ion is pulled out first, without pushing by incoming ions. Increases in the ion concentration and voltage accelerated ion conductions, but their mechanisms were different. The increase in the ion concentrations facilitated the III-IV-III conductions, while the higher voltages increased the III-II-III conductions, indicating that the pore domain of potassium channels permeates ions by using two different driving forces: a push by intracellular ions and a pull by voltage.

Electron heating and current drive by mode converted slow waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majeski, R.; Phillips, C.K.; Wilson, J.R.

1994-01-01

An approach to obtaining efficient single pass mode conversion at high parallel wave number from the fast magnetosonic wave to the slow ion Bernstein wave, in a two-ion species tokamak plasma, is described. The intent is to produce localized electron heating or current drive via the mode converted slow wave. In particular, this technique can be adapted to off-axis current drive for current profile control. Modeling for the case of deuterium-tritium plasmas in TFTR is presented

Electron heating and current drive by mode converted slow waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majeski, R.; Phillips, C.K.; Wilson, J.R.

1994-08-01

An approach to obtaining efficient single pass mode conversion at high parallel wavenumber from the fast magnetosonic wave to the slow ion Bernstein wave, in a two ion species tokamak plasma, is described. The intent is to produce localized electron heating or current drive via the mode converted slow wave. In particular, this technique can be adapted to off-axis current drive for current profile control. Modelling for the case of deuterium-tritium plasmas in TFTR is presented

Measuring device for control rod driving time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Kazuhiko; Hanabusa, Masatoshi.

1993-01-01

The present invention concerns a measuring device for control driving time having a function capable of measuring a selected control rod driving time and measuring an entire control rod driving time simultaneously. A calculation means and a store means for the selected rod control rod driving time, and a calculation means and a store means for the entire control rod driving time are disposed individually. Each of them measures the driving time and stores the data independent of each other based on a selected control rod insert ion signal and an entire control rod insertion signal. Even if insertion of selected and entire control rods overlaps, each of the control rod driving times can be measured reliably to provide an advantageous effect capable of more accurately conducting safety evaluation for the nuclear reactor based on the result of the measurement. (N.H.)

Two dimensional code for modeling of high ione cyclotron harmonic fast wave heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grekov, D.; Kasilov, S.; Kernbichler, W.

2016-01-01

A two dimensional numerical code for computation of the electromagnetic field of a fast magnetosonic wave in a tokamak at high harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency has been developed. The code computes the finite difference solution of Maxwell equations for separate toroidal harmonics making use of the toroidal symmetry of tokamak plasmas. The proper boundary conditions are prescribed at the realistic tokamak vessel. The currents in the RF antenna are specified externally and then used in Ampere law. The main poloidal tokamak magnetic field and the ''kinetic'' part of the dielectric permeability tensor are treated iteratively. The code has been verified against known analytical solutions and first calculations of current drive in the spherical torus are presented.

Conceptual design of a calorimeter and residual ion dump for the ITER negative ion injectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, M.

1998-01-01

A conceptual design for the ITER Negative Ion Injectors' Calorimeter and Residual Ion Dump systems has been carried out. The work was undertaken in support of detailed studies performed by the Russian Federation. Concepts for both systems incorporate actively water cooled hypervapotrons as the primary beam stopping elements. The Calorimeter drive has been based on the utilisation of a novel force translation system via magnetic coupling. The Residual Ion Dump necessitates the use of double sided hypervapotron elements in order to cater for the restricted space envelope defined by the Accelerator Grid hole pattern. (author)

Revisiting the total ion yield x-ray absorption spectra of liquid water microjets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saykally, Richard J; Cappa, Chris D.; Smith, Jared D.; Wilson, Kevin R.; Saykally, Richard J.

2008-01-01

Measurements of the total ion yield (TIY) x-ray absorption spectrum (XAS) of liquid water by Wilson et al. (2002 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 14 L221 and 2001 J. Phys. Chem. B 105 3346) have been revisited in light of new experimental and theoretical efforts by our group. Previously, the TIY spectrum was interpreted as a distinct measure of the electronic structure of the liquid water surface. However, our new results indicate that the previously obtained spectrum may have suffered from as yet unidentified experimental artifacts. Although computational results indicate that the liquid water surface should exhibit a TIY-XAS that is fundamentally distinguishable from the bulk liquid XAS, the new experimental results suggest that the observable TIY-XAS is actually nearly identical in appearance to the total electron yield (TEY-)XAS, which is a bulk probe. This surprising similarity between the observed TIY-XAS and TEY-XAS likely results from large contributions from x-ray induced electron stimulated desorption of ions, and does not necessarily indicate that the electronic structure of the bulk liquid and liquid surface are identical

Driving safety in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Zesiewicz, T A; Cimino, C R; Malek, A R; Gardner, N; Leaverton, P L; Dunne, P B; Hauser, R A

2002-12-10

In this study, 39 patients with PD and 25 control subjects without neurologic disease completed testing in a driving simulator. PD patients had more total collisions on the driving simulator than control subjects (t = -3.7, p < 0.01). In PD patients, collisions were associated with Hoehn and Yahr stage (chi(2) = 12.4, p = 0.006) and correlated with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score (r = 0.5, p < 0.01).

Ion Beam Propulsion Study

Science.gov (United States)

2008-01-01

The Ion Beam Propulsion Study was a joint high-level study between the Applied Physics Laboratory operated by NASA and ASRC Aerospace at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and Berkeley Scientific, Berkeley, California. The results were promising and suggested that work should continue if future funding becomes available. The application of ion thrusters for spacecraft propulsion is limited to quite modest ion sources with similarly modest ion beam parameters because of the mass penalty associated with the ion source and its power supply system. Also, the ion source technology has not been able to provide very high-power ion beams. Small ion beam propulsion systems were used with considerable success. Ion propulsion systems brought into practice use an onboard ion source to form an energetic ion beam, typically Xe+ ions, as the propellant. Such systems were used for steering and correction of telecommunication satellites and as the main thruster for the Deep Space 1 demonstration mission. In recent years, "giant" ion sources were developed for the controlled-fusion research effort worldwide, with beam parameters many orders of magnitude greater than the tiny ones of conventional space thruster application. The advent of such huge ion beam sources and the need for advanced propulsion systems for exploration of the solar system suggest a fresh look at ion beam propulsion, now with the giant fusion sources in mind.

The Effect of Storm Driver and Intensity on Magnetospheric Ion Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Keesee, Amy M.; Katus, Roxanne M.; Scime, Earl E.

2017-09-01

Energy deposited in the magnetosphere during geomagnetic storms drives ion heating and convection. Ions are also heated and transported via internal processes throughout the magnetosphere. Injection of the plasma sheet ions to the inner magnetosphere drives the ring current and, thus, the storm intensity. Understanding the ion dynamics is important to improving our ability to predict storm evolution. In this study, we perform superposed epoch analyses of ion temperatures during storms, comparing ion temperature evolution by storm driver and storm intensity. The ion temperatures are calculated using energetic neutral atom measurements from the Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral-Atom Spectrometers (TWINS) mission. The global view of these measurements provide both spatial and temporal information. We find that storms driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) tend to have higher ion temperatures throughout the main phase than storms driven by corotating interaction regions (CIRs) but that the temperatures increase during the recovery phase of CIR-driven storms. Ion temperatures during intense CME-driven storms have brief intervals of higher ion temperatures than those during moderate CME-driven storms but have otherwise comparable ion temperatures. The highest temperatures during CIR-driven storms are centered at 18 magnetic local time and occur on the dayside for moderate CME-driven storms. During the second half of the main phase, ion temperatures tend to decrease in the postmidnight to dawn sector for CIR storms, but an increase is observed for CME storms. This increase begins with a sharp peak in ion temperatures for intense CME storms, likely a signature of substorm activity that drives the increased ring current.

The relationship of dangerous driving with traffic offenses: A study on an adapted measure of dangerous driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliescu, Dragoş; Sârbescu, Paul

2013-03-01

Using data from three different samples and more than 1000 participants, the current study examines differences in dangerous driving in terms of age, gender, professional driving, as well as the relationship of dangerous driving with behavioral indicators (mileage) and criteria (traffic offenses). The study uses an adapted (Romanian) version of the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI, Dula and Ballard, 2003) and also reports data on the psychometric characteristics of this measure. Findings suggest that the Romanian version of the DDDI has sound psychometric properties. Dangerous driving is higher in males and occasional drivers, is not correlated with mileage and is significantly related with speeding as a traffic offense, both self-reported and objectively measured. The utility of predictive models including dangerous driving is not very large: logistic regression models have a significant fit to the data, but their misclassification rate (especially in terms of sensitivity) is unacceptable high. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design study of electron cyclotron resonance-ion plasma accelerator for heavy ion cancer therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, T.; Sugimoto, S.; Sasai, K.; Hattori, T.

2014-01-01

Electron Cyclotron Resonance-Ion Plasma Accelerator (ECR-IPAC) device, which theoretically can accelerate multiple charged ions to several hundred MeV with short acceleration length, has been proposed. The acceleration mechanism is based on the combination of two physical principles, plasma electron ion adiabatic ejection (PLEIADE) and Gyromagnetic Autoresonance (GYRAC). In this study, we have designed the proof of principle machine ECR-IPAC device and simulated the electromagnetic field distribution generating in the resonance cavity. ECR-IPAC device consisted of three parts, ECR ion source section, GYRAC section, and PLEIADE section. ECR ion source section and PLEIADE section were designed using several multi-turn solenoid coils and sextupole magnets, and GYRAC section was designed using 10 turns coil. The structure of ECR-IPAC device was the cylindrical shape, and the total length was 1024 mm and the maximum diameter was 580 mm. The magnetic field distribution, which maintains the stable acceleration of plasma, was generated on the acceleration center axis throughout three sections. In addition, the electric field for efficient acceleration of electrons was generated in the resonance cavity by supplying microwave of 2.45 GHz

Effects of chewing gum on driving performance as evaluated by the STISIM driving simulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Ingyu; Kim, Eun-Joo; Lee, Joo-Hyun

2015-06-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of chewing gum on driving performance in a driving simulator. [Subjects] In total, 26 young licensed drivers participated. [Methods] The driving scenario was typical of an urban environment: a single-carriageway, two-way road consisting of a mix of curved and straight sections, with considerable levels of traffic, pedestrians, and parked cars. Mean distance driven above the speed limit, lane position, mean distance driven across the center line, and mean distance driven off the road were used as estimates of brake, accelerator, and steering control. The results were compared with those of a non-chewing gum control condition. [Results] The driving performance while chewing gum was significantly better: the mean distance driven above the speed limit was 26.61% shorter, and the mean distance driven off the road was 31.99% shorter. Lane position and mean distance driven across the center line did not differ significantly between the two conditions. [Conclusion] Chewing gum appears to enhance driving performance during a sustained attention driving task.

Study of fast wave current drive in a KT-2 tokamak plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, B.G.; Hamamatsu, Kiyotaka

1996-02-01

Global analysis of fast wave current drive in a KT-2 tokamak plasma is performed by using the code, TASKW1, developed by JAERI and Okayama University (Dr. Fukuyama), which solves the kinetic wave equation in a one dimensional slab geometry. A phase-shifted antenna array is used to inject toroidal momentum to electrons. To find guidelines of optimum antenna design for efficient current drive, accessibility conditions are derived. The dependence of the current drive efficiency on launching conditions such as the total number of antennas, phase and spacing is investigated for two cases of wave frequency; f=30 MHz ( cH ) and f=225 MHz (=5f cH ). (author)

Study on evolution of gases from fluoropolymer films bombarded with heavy ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minamisawa, Renato Amaral; Zimmerman, Robert Lee; Budak, Satilmis; Ila, Daryush

2008-01-01

Ion beam bombardment provides a unique way of material modification by inducing a high degree of localized electronic excitation. The ion track, or affected volume along the ion path through the material is related to the total damage and possible structural changes. Here we study the evolution of gases emitted by poly(tetrafluorethylene-co-perfluoro-(propyl vinyl ether)) (PFA) fluoropolymer bombarded with MeV gold ions. The gas was monitored by a residual gas analyzer (RGA), as a function of the ion fluence. Micro-Raman, atomic force microscopy and optical absorption were used to analyze the chemical structure changes and sputtering yield

A Study on Guide Sign Validity in Driving Simulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Zhonghua

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The role of guide sign to inform road user about the information of network is important. How to design and locate guide sign to increase traffic operation efficiency is a key point for traffic engineers. Driving simulator is useful devised to study guide sign in the process and system control. For the purpose of studying guide signs using the tool of driving simulator, guide sign's validity in driving simulator was studied. Results of this experiment are the foundation of further study on guide sign. Simulator calibration procedure for guide sign was set up in this study. Legibility distance as measure of performance was used to evaluate the validity of guide sign in driving simulator. Thirty two participants were recruited. Results indicated legibility distance and speed were inversely related with the method of data mining. Legibility distance and text height of guide sign were positive related. When speed is 20km/h, 30km/h, 40km/h, magnifying power of text height is 4.3, 4.1, 3.8, while guide signs are absolute validity in driving simulator.

Influence of roadside infrastructure on driving behavior: driving simulator study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Horst, A.R.A. van der; Ridder, S. de

2007-01-01

This paper describes the results of a driving simulator study that focused on the influence of roadside infrastructure on speed choice and lateral placement of car drivers. A review of the RISER detailed accident database revealed that lateral positioning and speed of the vehicle were two of the

Application of a Pelletron accelerator to study total dose radiation effects on 50 GHz SiGe HBTs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Praveen, K.C.; Pushpa, N.; Naik, P.S. [Department of Studies in Physics, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore 570 006 (India); Cressler, John D. [School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Tripathi, Ambuj [Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi 110 067 (India); Gnana Prakash, A.P., E-mail: gnanaprakash@physics.uni-mysore.ac.in [Department of Studies in Physics, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore 570 006 (India)

2012-02-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Total dose effects of 50 MeV Li3+ ion on 50 GHz SiGe HBTs is investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ion irradiated results were compared with Co-60 gamma results. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 50 MeV Li ions create more damage in E-B spacer oxide when compared to Co-60 gamma radiation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Co-60 gamma radiation create more damage in STI oxide when compared to 50 MeV Li ions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Worst case total dose radiation effects can be studied using Pelletron accelerator facilities. - Abstract: We have investigated the effects of 50 MeV lithium ion irradiation on the DC electrical characteristics of first-generation silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors (50 GHz SiGe HBTs) in the dose range of 600 krad to 100 Mrad. The results of 50 MeV Li{sup 3+} ion irradiation on the SiGe HBTs are compared with 63 MeV proton and Co-60 gamma irradiation results in the same dose range in order to understand the damage induced by different LET species. The radiation response of emitter-base (EB) spacer oxide and shallow trench isolation (STI) oxide to different irradiation types are discussed in this paper. We have also focused on the efficacy in the application of a Pelletron accelerator to study total dose irradiation studies in SiGe HBTs.

Heavy ion studies with CMS HF calorimeter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damgov, I.; Genchev, V.; Kolosov, V.A.; Lokhtin, I.P.; Petrushanko, S.V.; Sarycheva, L.I.; Teplov, S.Yu.; Shmatov, S.V.; Zarubin, P.I.

2001-01-01

The capability of the very forward (HF) calorimeter of the CMS detector at LHC to be applied to specific studies with heavy ion beams is discussed. The simulated responses of the HF calorimeter to nucleus-nucleus collisions are used for the analysis of different problems: reconstruction of the total energy flow in the forward rapidity region, accuracy of determination of the impact parameter of collision, study of fluctuations of the hadronic-to-electromagnetic energy ratio, fast inelastic event selection

Nonlinear waves in electron-positron-ion plasmas including charge separation

Science.gov (United States)

Mugemana, A.; Moolla, S.; Lazarus, I. J.

2017-02-01

Nonlinear low-frequency electrostatic waves in a magnetized, three-component plasma consisting of hot electrons, hot positrons and warm ions have been investigated. The electrons and positrons are assumed to have Boltzmann density distributions while the motion of the ions are governed by fluid equations. The system is closed with the Poisson equation. This set of equations is numerically solved for the electric field. The effects of the driving electric field, ion temperature, positron density, ion drift, Mach number and propagation angle are investigated. It is shown that depending on the driving electric field, ion temperature, positron density, ion drift, Mach number and propagation angle, the numerical solutions exhibit waveforms that are sinusoidal, sawtooth and spiky. The introduction of the Poisson equation increased the Mach number required to generate the waveforms but the driving electric field E 0 was reduced. The results are compared with satellite observations.

Fast-wave current drive modelling for large non-circular tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batchelor, D.B.; Goldfinger, R.C.; Jaeger, E.F.; Carter, M.D.; Swain, D.W.; Ehst, D.; Karney, C.F.F.

1990-01-01

It is widely recognized that a key element in the development of an attractive tokamak reactor, and in the successful achievement of the mission of ITER, is the development of an efficient steady-state current drive technique. Fast waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies hold the promise to drive steady-state currents with the required efficiency and to effectively heat the plasma to ignition. Advantages over other heating and current drive techniques include low cost per watt and the ability to penetrate to the center of high-density plasmas. The primary issues that must be resolved are: can an antenna array be designed to radiate the required spectrum of waves and have adequate coupling properties? Will the rf power be efficiently absorbed by electrons in the desired velocity range without unacceptable parasitic damping by fuel ions or α particles? What will the efficiency of current drive be when toroidal effects such as trapped particles are included? Can a practical rf system be designed and integrated into the device? We have addressed these issues by performing extensive calculations with ORION, a 2-D code, and the ray tracing code RAYS, which calculate wave propagation, absorption and current drive in tokamak geometry, and with RIP, a 2-D code that self-consistently calculates current drive with MHD equilibrium. An important figure of merit in this context is the integrated, normalized current drive efficiency. The calculations that we present here emphasize the ITER device. We consider a low-frequency scenario such that no ion resonances appear in the machine, and a high-frequency scenario such that the deuterium second harmonic resonance is just outside the plasma and the tritium second harmonic is in the plasma, midway between the magnetic axis and the inside edge. In both cases electron currents are driven by combined TTMP and Landau damping of the fast waves

Current drive in a ponderomotive potential with sign reversal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisch, N.J.; Dodin, I.Y.; Rax, J.M.

2003-01-01

Noninductive current drive can be accomplished through ponderomotive forces with high efficiency when the potential changes sign over the interaction region. The effect, which operates somewhat like a Maxwell demon, can be practiced upon both ions and electrons. The current-drive efficiencies, in principle, might be higher than those possible with conventional rf current-drive techniques. It remains, however, for us to identify how the effect might be implemented in a magnetic fusion device in a practical manner

The essential theory of fast wave current drive with full wave method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yan; Gong Xueyu; Yang Lei; Yin Chenyan; Yin Lan

2007-01-01

The full wave numerical method is developed for analyzing fast wave current drive in the range of ion cyclotron waves in tokamak plasmas, taking into account finite larmor radius effects and parallel dispersion. the physical model, the dispersion relation on the assumption of Finite Larmor Radius (FLR) effects and the form of full wave be used for computer simulation are developed. All of the work will contribute to further study of fast wave current drive. (authors)

RAPD analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana transferred with total DNA of cabbage by ion beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bian Po; Yu Zengliang; Qin Guangyong; Huo Yuping; Wang Yan

2003-01-01

Two mutants were found among the Arabidopsis thaliana transferred with total DNA of cabbage. Variation of genome of T6 and its offspring were analyzed by RAPD-PCR with 40 random primers. The result from S168 primer was different from the CK, indicating that variation of genome can be made by total DNA transferring by use of ion beam, and this variation is hereditary. It is found that S 168-1850 is included within the gene of ABC transporter by aligning with genome of Arabidopsis thaliana in TAIT

The study towards high intensity high charge state laser ion sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, H Y; Jin, Q Y; Sha, S; Zhang, J J; Li, Z M; Liu, W; Sun, L T; Zhang, X Z; Zhao, H W

2014-02-01

As one of the candidate ion sources for a planned project, the High Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility, a laser ion source has been being intensively studied at the Institute of Modern Physics in the past two years. The charge state distributions of ions produced by irradiating a pulsed 3 J/8 ns Nd:YAG laser on solid targets of a wide range of elements (C, Al, Ti, Ni, Ag, Ta, and Pb) were measured with an electrostatic ion analyzer spectrometer, which indicates that highly charged ions could be generated from low-to-medium mass elements with the present laser system, while the charge state distributions for high mass elements were relatively low. The shot-to-shot stability of ion pulses was monitored with a Faraday cup for carbon target. The fluctuations within ±2.5% for the peak current and total charge and ±6% for pulse duration were demonstrated with the present setup of the laser ion source, the suppression of which is still possible.

Compensation of head-on beam-beam induced resonance driving terms and tune spread in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Fischer

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A head-on beam-beam compensation scheme was implemented for operation in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC at Brookhaven National Laboratory [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 264801 (2015PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.115.264801]. The compensation consists of electron lenses for the reduction of the beam-beam induced tune spread, and a lattice for the minimization of beam-beam generated resonance driving terms. We describe the implementations of the lattice and electron lenses, and report on measurements of lattice properties and the effect of the electron lenses on the hadron beam.

Fabrication and evaluation of 100 Ah cylindrical lithium ion battery for electric vehicle applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hyung, Yoo-Eup; Moon, Seong-In; Yum, Duk-Hyeng; Yun, Seong-Kyu

A total of 100 Ah class lithium ion cells with C/LiCoO 2 cell system for electric vehicles (EVs) was developed. EV-size lithium ion battery was developed by Sony, KERI/STC, SAFT, VARTA, Sanyo and Matsushita. GS battery and Hitachi have developed also stationary type large scale (70-80 Ah) lithium ion batteries. Lithium ion battery module for EVs was demonstrated by Sony/Nissan and KERI/STC in 1996. At present, the performance of developed EV-cells was up to 115 Wh/kg and 286 W/kg of specific power at 80% DOD. We assume our EV cells to have 248 and 242 km driving distance per one charge with DST-120 mode and ECE-15 mode, respectively. Finally, we performed safety/abuse tests of developed lithium ion cell.

Pilot Efficacy of a DriveFocus™ Intervention on the Driving Performance of Young Drivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana Alvarez

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 15 and 29 around the world. A need remains for evidence-based interventions that can improve the underlying skills of young drivers, including hazard perception and anticipation. This pilot study investigated the preliminary impact of a six session DriveFocus™ intervention on the ability of young novice drivers (mean age = 18.6, SD = 2.12 to detect (visual scanning, and respond (adjustment to stimuli to critical roadway information. Using a CDS-200 DriveSafety™ simulator, drives were recorded and sent to a blinded evaluator (occupational therapist, who scored the recorded drives for number and type (visual scanning and adjustment to stimuli of errors. We observed a statistically significant decline in the number of visual scanning [t(34 = 2.853, p = 0.007], adjustment to stimuli [t(34 = 3.481, p = 0.001], and total driving errors [t(34 = 3.481, p = 0.002], among baseline and post-test 2.

pH buffers for sea water media based on the total hydrogen ion concentration scale

Science.gov (United States)

Dickson, Andrew G.

1993-01-01

Published e.m.f. values measured using the cell ? where p° = 101.325 kPa, and BH + and B are the conjugate acid-base pairs of 2-aminopyridine, 2-amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol (tris), tetrahydro-1,4-isoxazine (morpholine), and 2-amino-2-methyl-1, 3-propanediol (bis), have been re-evaluated to assign pH values based on the "total" hydrogen ion concentration scale to equimolal ( m =0.04 mol kg -1) buffer solutions based on these compounds. These pH values are consistent with the best available equilibrium constants for acid-base processes in sea water and such pH buffers can be used as pH calibration standards to measure accurate values for oceanic pH on the "total" hydrogen ion pH scale. In addition, the published e.m.f. results for these various amine bases have been used to calculate their respective acidity constants on this pH scale.

Effect of total pressure on sulfur capture of Ca-ion exchanged coal; Kaatsu jokenka ni okeru Ca-tanjitan no datsuryu koka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, S.; Benjamin, G.; Abe, H.; Harano, A.; Takarada, T. [Gunma University, Gunma (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1996-10-28

In relation to coal gasification and combustion under high pressure as highly efficient coal utilization, the effect of total pressure and sintering on the SO2 capture ability of Ca-ion exchanged coal and other desulfurizing agents were studied. In experiment, specimens were filled into a small pressurized reactor to heat them under high-pressure N2 atmosphere. After the completion of combustion reaction of char at 850{degree}C, SO2, CO2 and CO gases were measured at an outlet while flowing SO2/N2. As the experimental result, all of the S content in Ca-ion exchanged coal was not absorbed by Ca content in coal during pyrolysis and combustion, resulting in discharge of 36% of the S content. Since Ca-ion exchanged coal is fast in combustion reaction, most of the S content was desulfurized by coal ash. The ash content yielded from Ca-ion exchanged coal was more excellent in SO2 capture ability than limestone even under higher pressure. In the case of CO2 partial pressure lower than equilibrium CO2 pressure for CaCO3 decomposition, the capture ability decreased with an increase in total pressure, while in higher CO2 partial pressure, it was improved. 1 ref., 7 figs., 2 tabs.

Plasma auxiliary heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

Heating and current drive systems must fulfil several roles in ITER operating scenarios: heating through the H-mode transition and to ignition; plasma burn control; current drive and current profile control in steady state scenarios; and control of MHD instabilities. They must also perform ancillary functions, such as assisting plasma start-up and wall conditioning. It is recognized that no one system can satisfy all of these requirements with the degree of flexibility that ITER will require. Four heating and current drive systems are therefore under consideration for ITER: electron cyclotron waves at a principal frequency of 170 GHz; fast waves operating in the range 40-70 MHz (ion cyclotron waves); lower hybrid waves at 5 GHz; and neutral beam injection using negative ion beam technology for operation at 1 MeV energy. It is likely that several of these systems will be employed in parallel. The systems have been chosen on the basis of the maturity of physics understanding and operating experience in current experiments and on the feasibility of applying the relevant technology to ITER. Here, the fundamental physics describing the interaction of these heating systems with the plasma is reviewed, the relevant experimental results in the exploitation of the heating and current drive capabilities of each system are discussed, key aspects of their application to ITER are outlined, and the major technological developments required in each area are summarized. (author)

Ion trap device

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Smith, Richard D.

2016-01-26

An ion trap device is disclosed. The device includes a series of electrodes that define an ion flow path. A radio frequency (RF) field is applied to the series of electrodes such that each electrode is phase shifted approximately 180 degrees from an adjacent electrode. A DC voltage is superimposed with the RF field to create a DC gradient to drive ions in the direction of the gradient. A second RF field or DC voltage is applied to selectively trap and release the ions from the device. Further, the device may be gridless and utilized at high pressure.

Dropout during a driving simulator study: A survival analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Matas, Nicole A; Nettelbeck, Ted; Burns, Nicholas R

2015-12-01

Simulator sickness is the occurrence of motion-sickness like symptoms that can occur during use of simulators and virtual reality technologies. This study investigated individual factors that contributed to simulator sickness and dropout while using a desktop driving simulator. Eighty-eight older adult drivers (mean age 72.82±5.42years) attempted a practice drive and two test drives. Participants also completed a battery of cognitive and visual assessments, provided information on their health and driving habits, and reported their experience of simulator sickness symptoms throughout the study. Fifty-two participants dropped out before completing the driving tasks. A time-dependent Cox Proportional Hazards model showed that female gender (HR=2.02), prior motion sickness history (HR=2.22), and Mini-SSQ score (HR=1.55) were associated with dropout. There were no differences between dropouts and completers on any of the cognitive abilities tests. Older adults are a high-risk group for simulator sickness. Within this group, female gender and prior motion sickness history are related to simulator dropout. Higher reported experience of symptoms of simulator sickness increased rates of dropout. The results highlight the importance of screening and monitoring of participants in driving simulation studies. Older adults, females, and those with a prior history of motion sickness may be especially at risk. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Assessment of driving-related performance in chronic whiplash using an advanced driving simulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Takasaki, Hiroshi; Treleaven, Julia; Johnston, Venerina; Rakotonirainy, Andry; Haines, Andrew; Jull, Gwendolen

2013-11-01

Driving is often nominated as problematic by individuals with chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD), yet driving-related performance has not been evaluated objectively. The purpose of this study was to test driving-related performance in persons with chronic WAD against healthy controls of similar age, gender and driving experience to determine if driving-related performance in the WAD group was sufficiently impaired to recommend fitness to drive assessment. Driving-related performance was assessed using an advanced driving simulator during three driving scenarios; freeway, residential and a central business district (CBD). Total driving duration was approximately 15min. Five driving tasks which could cause a collision (critical events) were included in the scenarios. In addition, the effect of divided attention (identify red dots projected onto side or rear view mirrors) was assessed three times in each scenario. Driving performance was measured using the simulator performance index (SPI) which is calculated from 12 measures. z-Scores for all SPI measures were calculated for each WAD subject based on mean values of the control subjects. The z-scores were then averaged for the WAD group. A z-score of ≤-2 indicated a driving failing grade in the simulator. The number of collisions over the five critical events was compared between the WAD and control groups as was reaction time and missed response ratio in identifying the red dots. Seventeen WAD and 26 control subjects commenced the driving assessment. Demographic data were comparable between the groups. All subjects completed the freeway scenario but four withdrew during the residential and eight during the CBD scenario because of motion sickness. All scenarios were completed by 14 WAD and 17 control subjects. Mean z-scores for the SPI over the three scenarios was statistically lower in the WAD group (-0.3±0.3; Pdriving. There were no differences in the reaction time and missed response ratio in divided

Adjustable speed drive study, part 1

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, A.

1989-08-01

Advances in speed control for motors in recent years, notably those in power electronics, have widened the range of application for several adjustable speed drive (ASD) types to include the smaller horsepower sizes. The dc motor drive, formerly in almost universal use for speed control, is being challenged by the high efficiency induction motor/pulse width modulation (PWM) drive; and for special small horsepower size applications, by the permanent magnet motor/PWM inverter drive or by the switched reluctance motor drive. The main characteristics of the several ASD types suitable for small horsepower size applications are discussed, as well as their unwanted side effects: poor power factor, harmonic distortion of the supply, acoustic noise, and electromagnetic interference. A procedure is recommended for determining which, if any, ASD to use.

Investigation of ion kinetic effects in direct-drive exploding-pusher implosions at the NIF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenberg, M. J., E-mail: mrosenbe@mit.edu; Zylstra, A. B.; Séguin, F. H.; Rinderknecht, H. G.; Frenje, J. A.; Gatu Johnson, M.; Sio, H.; Waugh, C. J.; Sinenian, N.; Li, C. K.; Petrasso, R. D. [Plasma Science and Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States); McKenty, P. W.; Hohenberger, M.; Radha, P. B.; Delettrez, J. A.; Glebov, V. Yu.; Betti, R.; Goncharov, V. N.; Knauer, J. P.; Sangster, T. C. [Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States); and others

2014-12-15

Measurements of yield, ion temperature, areal density (ρR), shell convergence, and bang time have been obtained in shock-driven, D{sub 2} and D{sup 3}He gas-filled “exploding-pusher” inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions at the National Ignition Facility to assess the impact of ion kinetic effects. These measurements probed the shock convergence phase of ICF implosions, a critical stage in hot-spot ignition experiments. The data complement previous studies of kinetic effects in shock-driven implosions. Ion temperature and fuel ρR inferred from fusion-product spectroscopy are used to estimate the ion-ion mean free path in the gas. A trend of decreasing yields relative to the predictions of 2D DRACO hydrodynamics simulations with increasing Knudsen number (the ratio of ion-ion mean free path to minimum shell radius) suggests that ion kinetic effects are increasingly impacting the hot fuel region, in general agreement with previous results. The long mean free path conditions giving rise to ion kinetic effects in the gas are often prevalent during the shock phase of both exploding pushers and ablatively driven implosions, including ignition-relevant implosions.

Do Adolescents with Specific Language Impairment Understand Driving Terminology?

Science.gov (United States)

Pandolfe, Jessica M.; Wittke, Kacie; Spaulding, Tammie J.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study examined if adolescents with specific language impairment (SLI) understand driving vocabulary as well as their typically developing (TD) peers. Method: A total of 16 adolescents with SLI and 16 TD comparison adolescents completed a receptive vocabulary task focused on driving terminology derived from statewide driver's manuals.…

Ion Heating During Local Helicity Injection Plasma Startup in the Pegasus ST

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, M. G.; Barr, J. L.; Bongard, M. W.; Fonck, R. J.; Hinson, E. T.; Perry, J. M.; Reusch, J. A.

2015-11-01

Plasmas in the Pegasus ST are initiated either through standard, MHD stable, inductive current drive or non-solenoidal local helicity injection (LHI) current drive with strong reconnection activity, providing a rich environment to study ion dynamics. During LHI discharges, a large amount of impurity ion heating has been observed, with the passively measured impurity Ti as high as 800 eV compared to Ti ~ 60 eV and Te ~ 175 eV during standard inductive current drive discharges. In addition, non-thermal ion velocity distributions are observed and appear to be strongest near the helicity injectors. The ion heating is hypothesized to be a result of large-scale magnetic reconnection activity, as the amount of heating scales with increasing fluctuation amplitude of the dominant, edge localized, n =1 MHD mode. An approximate temporal scaling of the heating with the amplitude of higher frequency magnetic fluctuations has also been observed, with large amounts of power spectral density present at several impurity ion cyclotron frequencies. Recent experiments have focused on investigating the impurity ion heating scaling with the ion charge to mass ratio as well as the reconnecting field strength. The ion charge to mass ratio was modified by observing different impurity charge states in similar LHI plasmas while the reconnecting field strength was modified by changing the amount of injected edge current. Work supported by US DOE grant DE-FG02-96ER54375.

On-road driving impairments and associated cognitive deficits after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Devos, Hannes; Tant, Mark; Akinwuntan, Abiodun E

2014-01-01

Little is known about the critical on-road driving skills that get affected after a stroke. The purpose of this study was to investigate the key on-road driving impairments and their associated cognitive deficits after a stroke. A second aim was to investigate if lateralization of stroke impacts results of the cognitive and on-road driving tests. In this cross-sectional study, 99 participants with a first-ever stroke who were actively driving prior to stroke underwent a cognitive battery and a standardized road test that evaluated 13 specific on-road driving skills. These on-road driving skills were mapped onto an existing, theoretical framework that categorized the on-road items into hierarchic clusters of operational, tactical, visuo-integrative, and mixed driving skills. The total score on the road test and the on-road decision, made by a certified fitness-to-drive expert, decided the main outcome. The critical on-road driving skills predicting the on-road decision were identified using logistic regression analysis. Linear regression analysis was employed to determine the cognitive impairments leading to poor total on-road scores. Analyses were repeated for right- and left-sided strokes. In all, 37 persons scored poorly on the road test. These participants performed worse in all hierarchic clusters of on-road driving. Performances on the operational cluster and the visuo-integrative cluster best predicted on-road decisions (R(2) = 0.60). 'Lane changing' and 'understanding, insight, and quality of traffic participation' were the critical skill deficits leading to poor performance on the road test (R(2) = 0.65). Divided attention was the main determinant of on-road scores in the total group (R(2) = 0.06). Participants with right-sided stroke performed worse on visual field, visual neglect, visual scanning, visuo-constructive skills, and divided attention compared with those with left-sided stroke. Divided attention was the main determinant of total on-road scores

What Are Normal Metal Ion Levels After Total Hip Arthroplasty? A Serologic Analysis of Four Bearing Surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Barlow, Brian T; Ortiz, Philippe A; Boles, John W; Lee, Yuo-Yu; Padgett, Douglas E; Westrich, Geoffrey H

2017-05-01

The recent experiences with adverse local tissue reactions have highlighted the need to establish what are normal serum levels of cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and titanium (Ti) after hip arthroplasty. Serum Co, Cr, and Ti levels were measured in 80 nonconsecutive patients with well-functioning unilateral total hip arthroplasty and compared among 4 bearing surfaces: ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC); ceramic-on-polyethylene (CoP); metal-on-polyethylene (MoP), and dual mobility (DM). The preoperative and most recent University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were compared among the different bearing surfaces. No significant difference was found among serum Co and Cr levels between the 4 bearing surface groups (P = .0609 and P = .1577). Secondary analysis comparing metal and ceramic femoral heads demonstrated that the metal group (MoP, modular dual mobility (Stryker Orthopedics, Mahwah, NJ) [metal]) had significant higher serum Co levels compared with the ceramic group (CoC, CoP, MDM [ceramic]) (1.05 mg/L ± 1.25 vs 0.59 mg/L ± 0.24; P = .0411). Spearman coefficient identified no correlation between metal ion levels and patient-reported outcome scores. No serum metal ion level differences were found among well-functioning total hip arthroplasty with modern bearing couples. Significantly higher serum Co levels were seen when comparing metal vs ceramic femoral heads in this study and warrants further investigation. Metal ion levels did not correlate with patient-reported outcome measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risky driving behavior and road traffic crashes among young Asian Australian drivers: findings from the DRIVE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Boufous, Soufiane; Ivers, Rebecca; Senserrick, Teresa; Norton, Robyn; Stevenson, Mark; Chen, Huei-Yang; Lam, Lawrence T

2010-06-01

To examine differences in risky driving behavior and likelihood of traffic crash according to the country of birth of recently licensed young drivers. The groups examined include those born in Australia, those born in Asia, and those born in other countries. The DRIVE study is a prospective cohort study of drivers aged 17-24 years holding their first-year provisional driver license in New South Wales, Australia. Information obtained from 20,822 participants who completed a baseline questionnaire was linked to police-reported traffic crashes. Self-reported risky driving behaviors and police-reported traffic crashes in young drivers. Young drivers who were born in Asian countries were less likely to report engaging in risky driving behaviors than their Australian-born counterparts. The proportion of participants reporting a high level of risky driving was 31.5 percent (95% confidence intervale [CI], 30.8-32.1) among Australian-born drivers compared to 25.6 percent (95% CI, 23.1-28.2) among Asian-born drivers and 30.4 percent (95% CI, 28.4-32.5) among those born in other regions. Asian-born participants had half the risk of a crash as a driver than their Australian-born counterparts (relative risk [RR] 0.55; 95% CI, 0.41-0.75) after adjusting for a number of demographic factors and driving and risk-taking behaviors. The comparative risk was even lower among those aged 17 years (RR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.29-0.75). Risk estimates for people born in other regions did not differ to those for Australian-born respondents. The study highlights the lower level of risky driving and significantly reduced crash risk for Australian drivers born in Asian countries relative to those born locally. Further research is needed to examine factors underlying this reduced risk and the impact of the length of residence in the host country.

Driving Pattern Analysis for Electric Vehicle (EV) Grid Integration Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Qiuwei; Nielsen, Arne Hejde; Østergaard, Jacob

2010-01-01

In order to facilitate the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into the Danish power system, the driving data in Denmark were analyzed to extract the information of driving distances and driving time periods which were used to represent the driving requirements and the EV unavailability...... from the driving time periods to show how many cars are available for charging and discharging in each time period. The obtained EV availability data are in one hour time periods and one quarter time periods for different study purposes. The EV availability data of one hour time period are to be used...

The Effect of High and Low Antiepileptic Drug Dosage on Simulated Driving Performance in Person's with Seizures: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander M. Crizzle

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Prior studies examining driving performance have not examined the effects of antiepileptic drugs (AED’s or their dosages in persons with epilepsy. AED’s are the primary form of treatment to control seizures, but they are shown to affect cognition, attention, and vision, all which may impair driving. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of high and low AED dosages on simulated driving performance in persons with seizures. Method: Patients (N = 11; mean age 42.1 ± 6.3; 55% female; 100% Caucasian were recruited from the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit and had their driving assessed on a simulator. Results: No differences emerged in total or specific types of driving errors between high and low AED dosages. However, high AED drug dosage was significantly associated with errors of lane maintenance (r = .67, p < .05 and gap acceptance (r = .66, p < .05. The findings suggest that higher AED dosages may adversely affect driving performance, irrespective of having a diagnosis of epilepsy, conversion disorder, or other medical conditions. Conclusion: Future studies with larger samples are required to examine whether AED dosage or seizure focus alone can impair driving performance in persons with and without seizures.

Comments on ICRH current drive in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fried, B.; Hellsten, T.; Moreau, D.

1989-01-01

To study current drive via the mode-converted slow wave during ICRH an assessment for which plasma compositions and wave number mode conversion from the magnetosonic wave to the slow wave can dominate is made. A simple slab model is used to investigate the competition between mode conversion and minority cyclotron absorption for a deuterium plasma with H + and 3 He 2+ minority species in JET. A 3 He 2+ minority should be more appropriate for mode conversion current drive than H + because the 3 He 2+ concentration can be chosen near its optimum for the ''Budden absorption'' without bringing the ion hybrid resonance and the cyclotron resonance so close that the minority absorption dominates. 3 He 2+ minority also allows operation at toroidal numbers which are characteristic of present JET antennae. (author)

Driving context influences drivers' decision to engage in visual-manual phone tasks: Evidence from a naturalistic driving study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tivesten, Emma; Dozza, Marco

2015-06-01

Visual-manual (VM) phone tasks (i.e., texting, dialing, reading) are associated with an increased crash/near-crash risk. This study investigated how the driving context influences drivers' decisions to engage in VM phone tasks in naturalistic driving. Video-recordings of 1,432 car trips were viewed to identify VM phone tasks and passenger presence. Video, vehicle signals, and map data were used to classify driving context (i.e., curvature, other vehicles) before and during the VM phone tasks (N=374). Vehicle signals (i.e., speed, yaw rate, forward radar) were available for all driving. VM phone tasks were more likely to be initiated while standing still, and less likely while driving at high speeds, or when a passenger was present. Lead vehicle presence did not influence how likely it was that a VM phone task was initiated, but the drivers adjusted their task timing to situations when the lead vehicle was increasing speed, resulting in increasing time headway. The drivers adjusted task timing until after making sharp turns and lane change maneuvers. In contrast to previous driving simulator studies, there was no evidence of drivers reducing speed as a consequence of VM phone task engagement. The results show that experienced drivers use information about current and upcoming driving context to decide when to engage in VM phone tasks. However, drivers may fail to sufficiently increase safety margins to allow time to respond to possible unpredictable events (e.g., lead vehicle braking). Advanced driver assistance systems should facilitate and possibly boost drivers' self-regulating behavior. For instance, they might recognize when appropriate adaptive behavior is missing and advise or alert accordingly. The results from this study could also inspire training programs for novice drivers, or locally classify roads in terms of the risk associated with secondary task engagement while driving. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ushigusa, Kenkichi

1999-03-01

Past ten years progress on Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) experiments have demonstrated the largest non-inductive current (3.6 MA, JT-60U), the longest current sustainment (2 hours, TRIAM-1M), non-inductive current drive at the highest density (n-bar e - 10 20 m -3 , ALCATOR-C) and the highest current drive efficiency (η CD = 3.5x10 19 m -2 A/W, JT-60). These results indicate that LHCD is one of the most promising methods to drive non-inductive current in the present tokamak plasmas. This paper presents recent experimental results on LHCD experiments. Basic theories of LH waves, the wave propagation and the current drive are briefly summarized. The main part of this paper describes several important results and their physical pictures on recent LHCD experiments; 1) the experimental set-up, 2) the current drive efficiency, 3) the control of current profile and MHD activities, 4) the global energy confinement, 5) the global power flow, 6) fast electron behavior, 7) interaction between LH waves and thermal/fast ions, 8) combination with other CD method. (author)

Study of ion exchange equilibrium and determination of heat of ion exchange by ion chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Kailu; Yang Wenying

1996-01-01

Ion chromatography using pellicularia ion exchange resins and dilute solution can be devoted to the study of ion exchange thermodynamics and kinetics. Ion exchange equilibrium equation was obtained, and examined by the experiments. Based on ion exchange equilibrium, the influence of eluent concentration and resin capacity on adjusted retention volumes was examined. The effect of temperature on adjusted retention volumes was investigated and heats of ion exchange of seven anions were determined by ion chromatography. The interaction between anions and skeleton structure of resins were observed

A Study of Ion-Ion Hybrid Instability in the Mixed Plasma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soo-Yong Kim

1987-12-01

Full Text Available There are more oxygen ions than hydrogen ions in the auroral field zone. We consider both analytic and numerical simulation study of the heating of hydrogen and oxygen ions by auroral electrons. With the low drift speed of electron beams, the ion-ion hybrid wave becomes unstable instead of the lower hybrid wave so that a preferential heating of oxygen ions occurs.

The Alabama VIP older driver study rationale and design: examining the relationship between vision impairment and driving using naturalistic driving techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Owsley, Cynthia; McGwin, Gerald; Antin, Jonathan F; Wood, Joanne M; Elgin, Jennifer

2018-02-07

Older drivers aged ≥70 years old have among the highest rates of motor vehicle collisions (MVC) compared to other age groups. Driving is a highly visual task, and older adults have a high prevalence of vision impairment compared to other ages. Most studies addressing visual risk factors for MVCs by older drivers utilize vehicle accident reports as the primary outcome, an approach with several methodological limitations. Naturalistic driving research methods overcome these challenges and involve installing a high-tech, unobtrusive data acquisition system (DAS) in an older driver's own vehicle. The DAS continuously records multi-channel video of driver and roadway, sensor-based kinematics, GPS location, and presence of nearby objects in front of the vehicle, providing an objective measure of driving exposure. In this naturalistic driving study, the purpose is to examine the relationship between vision and crashes and near-crashes, lane-keeping, turning at intersections, driving performance during secondary tasks demands, and the role of front-seat passengers. An additional aim is to compare results of the on-road driving evaluation by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist to objective indicators of driving performance derived from the naturalistic data. Drivers ≥70 years old are recruited from ophthalmology clinics and a previous population-based study of older drivers, with the goal of recruiting persons with wide ranging visual function. Target samples size is 195 drivers. At a baseline visit, the DAS is installed in the participant's vehicle and a battery of health and functional assessments are administered to the driver including visual-sensory and visual-cognitive tests. The DAS remains installed in the vehicle for six months while the participant goes about his/her normal driving with no imposed study restrictions. After six months, the driver returns for DAS de-installation, repeat vision testing, and an on-road driving evaluation by a certified

Linear step drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haniger, L.; Elger, R.; Kocandrle, L.; Zdebor, J.

1986-01-01

A linear step drive is described developed in Czechoslovak-Soviet cooperation and intended for driving WWER-1000 control rods. The functional principle is explained of the motor and the mechanical and electrical parts of the drive, power control, and the indicator of position are described. The motor has latches situated in the reactor at a distance of 3 m from magnetic armatures, it has a low structural height above the reactor cover, which suggests its suitability for seismic localities. Its magnetic circuits use counterpoles; the mechanical shocks at the completion of each step are damped using special design features. The position indicator is of a special design and evaluates motor position within ±1% of total travel. A drive diagram and the flow chart of both the control electronics and the position indicator are presented. (author) 4 figs

Driving Force Filtering and Driving Mechanism Analysis of Urban Agricultural Development in Weifang County, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SUI Fei-fei

2016-03-01

Full Text Available As an agricultural nation, the agricultural landscape is the basic appearance and existence in China, but the common existence often be neglected and contempted. As a new type of design and ideology, the development of urban agricultural landscape will greatly affect the texture and structure of the urban space. According to the urban agricultural production data and the socio-economic data of Weifang County, a set of evaluation index system that could analyze quantitatively the driving force of urban agricultural production changes and the internal drive mechanism was built. The original driving force indicators of economy, society, resources and environment from the time-series were chosen, and then 15 driving forces from the original driving forces by correlation analysis and principal component analysis were selected. The degree of influence was analyzed and the driving forces model by means of partial least squares(PLS was built. The results demonstrated that the factors greatly influenced the increase of urban agricultural output value in Weifang County were per capita net income of rural residents, agricultural machinery total power, effective irrigation area, centralized treatment rate of urban sewage, with the driving exponents 0.2509, 0.1019, 0.1655, 0.1332, respectively. The negative influence factor was the use amount of agricultural plastic film and the driving exponent was-0.2146. The research provides a reference for the development of urban agriculture, as well as a reference for the related study.

Does the brake response time of the right leg change after left total knee arthroplasty? A prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Carlos J; Barreiros, João; Cabri, Jan; Carita, Ana I; Friesecke, Christian; Loehr, Jochen F

2008-08-01

Patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty often ask when they can safely resume car driving. There is little evidence available on which physicians can rely when advising patients on this issue. In a prospective study we assessed the brake response time of 24 patients admitted to the clinic for left total knee arthroplasty preoperatively and then 10 days after surgery. On each measurement day the patients performed two tasks, a simple and a complex brake response time task in a car simulator. Ten days after left TKA the brake response time for the simple task had decreased by 3.6% (p=0.24), the reaction time by 3.1% (p=0.34) and the movement time by 6.6% (p=0.07). However, the performance improvement was not statistically significant. Task complexity increased brake response time at both time points. A 5.8% increase was significant (p=0.01) at 10 days after surgery. Based on our results, we suggest that patients who have undergone left total knee arthroplasty may resume car driving 10 days after surgery as long as they drive a car with automatic transmission.

Doppler-shift assisted fast ion spectroscopy: a case study for X-ray emission from 277 MeV/u Pb[81+] ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mokler, P.H.; Stoehlker, T.; Kozhuharov, C.; Moshammer, R.; Rymuza, P.; Stachura, Z.; Warczak, A.

1994-09-01

Utilizing the different information from spatially separated segments of high-granular photon detectors the measured (LAB) energy of photons emitted by fast moving ions can be corrected individually for the Doppler effect according to the particular observation angles of each detector segment. By a redundant fitting procedure the center of mass photon energy can be determined with high precision. This new Doppler-shift assisted spectroscopy is explained for the case study of 277.4 MeV/u Pb 82+ ions colliding with a N 2 -gas target at the heavy ion storage ring ESR. Spectroscopic information for hydrogenic Pb 81+ ions is given for the ground-state transitions, for the Balmer transitions, as well as for the total K-binding energy. (orig.)

Structure and size of ions electrochemically doped in conducting polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneto, Keiichi; Hata, Fumito; Uto, Sadahito

2018-05-01

Among electroactive polymers (EAPs) for softactuators, conducting polymers have been intensively studied because of the large strain and stress caused by a low voltage operation. A larger deformation is desirable to extend their cycle life by reducing the operation voltage, and this is advantageous for their potential use in wider applications. The deformation is generated by the insertion of ions by electrochemical oxidation; hence, the magnitude of the strain depends on the bulkiness of the ions in the electrolytes. It is important, therefore, to clarify the structure and size of the ions during the electrochemical cycle, in order to achieve better performance of actuation. Anion and cation sizes (radii) in polypyrrole (PPy) film have been estimated using the precise measurement of strain against the amount of charge injected during the electrochemical cycles, assuming isotropic deformation of the film. The anion size was estimated using an anion-drive film, which was electrodeposited in TBABF4/methyl benzoate. The film was electrochemically cycled in sodium electrolytes, and the strain was measured simultaneously using a laser displacement meter. The cation size was obtained using a cation-drive film, being electropolymerized in aqueous dodecylbenzene sulfonic (DBS) acid. The cation-drive film was cycled in chloride electrolytes and measured the strain. The Cl-, Br-, NO3- , BF4- , and ClO4- radii were found to be approximately 235, 245, 250, 270 and 290 pm, respectively. The radii of K+, Na+ and Li+ were approximately 230, 237 and 274 pm, respectively. The results were discussed and took the crystalline ion radius and hydrated ion radius (Stokes radius) into consideration. It was found that the structure and size of the anions were slightly larger than the crystalline ion radius. Contrary to the anions, the cation radii were close to the hydrated ion radius, being larger than the crystalline ion radius.

Texting while driving: A study of 1211 U.S. adults with the Distracted Driving Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emily Gliklich

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Texting and other cell-phone related distracted driving is estimated to account for thousands of motor vehicle collisions each year but studies examining the specific cell phone reading and writing activities of drivers are limited. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of cell-phone related distracted driving behaviors. A national, representative, anonymous panel of 1211 United States drivers was recruited in 2015 to complete the Distracted Driving Survey (DDS, an 11-item validated questionnaire examining cell phone reading and writing activities and at what speeds they occur. Higher DDS scores reflect more distraction. DDS scores were analyzed by demographic data and self-reported crash rate. Nearly 60% of respondents reported a cell phone reading or writing activity within the prior 30 days, with reading texts (48%, writing texts (33% and viewing maps (43% most frequently reported. Only 4.9% of respondents had enrolled in a program aimed at reducing cell phone related distracted driving. DDS scores were significantly correlated to crash rate (p < 0.0001, with every one point increase associated with an additional 7% risk of a crash (p < 0.0001. DDS scores were inversely correlated to age (p < 0.0001. The DDS demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94. High rates of cell phone-related distraction are reported here in a national sample. Distraction is associated with crash rates and occurs across all age groups, but is highest in younger drivers. The DDS can be used to evaluate the impact of public health programs aimed at reducing cell-phone related distracted driving.

Electric Drive Study

Science.gov (United States)

1987-03-01

compound promises to reduce weight of future permanent magnet motors by 20 to 30 percent; a similar reduction is expected in size (approximately 20...drive systems. The AC permanent magnet (brushless DC motor) is rapidly evolving and will replace most electrically excited machines. Permanent magnet motors using

Driver Behavior During Overtaking Maneuvers from the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Rong; Kusano, Kristofer D; Gabler, Hampton C

2015-01-01

Lane changes with the intention to overtake the vehicle in front are especially challenging scenarios for forward collision warning (FCW) designs. These overtaking maneuvers can occur at high relative vehicle speeds and often involve no brake and/or turn signal application. Therefore, overtaking presents the potential of erroneously triggering the FCW. A better understanding of driver behavior during lane change events can improve designs of this human-machine interface and increase driver acceptance of FCW. The objective of this study was to aid FCW design by characterizing driver behavior during lane change events using naturalistic driving study data. The analysis was based on data from the 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, collected by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. The 100-Car study contains approximately 1.2 million vehicle miles of driving and 43,000 h of data collected from 108 primary drivers. In order to identify overtaking maneuvers from a large sample of driving data, an algorithm to automatically identify overtaking events was developed. The lead vehicle and minimum time to collision (TTC) at the start of lane change events was identified using radar processing techniques developed in a previous study. The lane change identification algorithm was validated against video analysis, which manually identified 1,425 lane change events from approximately 126 full trips. Forty-five drivers with valid time series data were selected from the 100-Car study. From the sample of drivers, our algorithm identified 326,238 lane change events. A total of 90,639 lane change events were found to involve a closing lead vehicle. Lane change events were evenly distributed between left side and right side lane changes. The characterization of lane change frequency and minimum TTC was divided into 10 mph speed bins for vehicle travel speeds between 10 and 90 mph. For all lane change events with a closing lead vehicle, the results showed that drivers change

Partial and total electronic stopping cross sections of atoms for a singly charged helium ion, Part 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, T.; Nishikori, M.; Yamato, N.

1991-08-01

Partial and total electronic stopping cross sections of atoms with Z (55 ≤ Z ≤ 92) for a He + ion are tabulated as the second part of NIFS-DATA-11 (1991) on the basis of the wave-packet theory. (author)

Usefulness of indirect alcohol biomarkers for predicting recidivism of drunk-driving among previously convicted drunk-driving offenders: results from the recidivism of alcohol-impaired driving (ROAD) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Maenhout, Thomas M; Poll, Anneleen; Vermassen, Tijl; De Buyzere, Marc L; Delanghe, Joris R

2014-01-01

In several European countries, drivers under the influence (DUI), suspected of chronic alcohol abuse are referred for medical and psychological examination. This study (the ROAD study, or Recidivism Of Alcohol-impaired Driving) investigated the usefulness of indirect alcohol biomarkers for predicting drunk-driving recidivism in previously convicted drunk-driving offenders. The ROAD study is a prospective study (2009-13) that was performed on 517 randomly selected drivers in Belgium. They were convicted for drunk-driving for which their licence was confiscated. The initial post-arrest blood samples were collected and analysed for percentage carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT), transaminsase activities [alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST)], gamma-glutamyltransferase (γGT) and red cell mean corpuscular volume (MCV). The observation time for each driver was 3 years and dynamic. A logistic regression analysis revealed that ln(%CDT) (P drunk-driving. The ROAD index (which includes ln(%CDT), ln(γGT), -ln(ALT) and the sex of the driver) was calculated and had a significantly higher area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (0.71) than the individual biomarkers for drunk-driving recidivism. Drivers with a high risk of recidivating (ROAD index ≥ 25%; third tertile) could be distinguished from drivers with an intermediate risk (16% ≤ ROAD index drunk-driving. The association with gamma-glutamyltransferase, alanine amino transferase and the sex of the driver could have additional value for identifying drunk-drivers at intermediate risk of recidivism. Non-specific indirect alcohol markers, such as alanine amino transferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate amino transferase and red cell mean corpuscular volume have minimal added value to % carbohydrate-deficient transferrin for distinguishing drunk drivers with a low or high risk of recidivism. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Stable operating regimes in NET with respect to Alfven wave instabilities during neutral beam current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhartt, D.

1989-01-01

Supra-thermal ions can contribute to the steady-state current in future large tokamak machines like NET or ITER. The fast-ion population is generated by collisional slowing-down of high-energy ions which were injected as neutral atoms in quasi-tangential direction and ionized by plasma interactions. Depending on the initial beam shape these fast ions can excite microinstabilities of the Alfven-wave type which are driven by the gradients in velocity-space. The ensuring plasma turbulence is expected to slow down the fast ions very quickly. This effect reduces the current drive efficiency which otherwise is comparable to that of other current drive schemes like lower hybrid waves where the toroidal current is carried by high-energy resonant electrons. (author) 3 refs., 1 fig

Predictors of Long-Term Risky Driving Behavior in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Jessica A; Jakubovski, Ewgeni; Reed, Margot O; Bloch, Michael H

2017-10-01

This study examines predictors of later risky driving behavior in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Stepwise logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to explore baseline predictors of risky driving behavior for adolescents who completed the 8-year follow-up assessment in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA). Stepwise logistic regression analysis explained 19% of the total variance in risky driving behavior. Increased likelihood of risky driving behavior was associated with parental history of conduct disorder, low parental monitoring and supervision, and increased age. ROC analysis identified discriminative predictors for adolescents older and younger than 16 years of age at follow-up. The most discriminative predictors of later risky driving behavior were parental stress at baseline (for children 16 years or older) and increased child-rated parental protectiveness (for children less than 16 years old). Risky driving behavior was significantly predicted by baseline characteristics for the MTA cohort. Aspects of parenting behavior (or the child's perception of them), including parental stress levels, parental protectiveness, and parental levels of monitoring and supervision, were most informative in predicting these outcomes. Our results suggest that interventions to reduce high-risk behaviors in these high-risk children with ADHD might involve targeted parenting interventions.

Threshold photoelectron spectroscopy and photoionization total ion yield spectroscopy of simple organic acids, aldehydes, ketones and amines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yencha, Andrew J; Malins, Andrew E R; Siggel-King, Michele R F; Eypper, Marie; King, George C

2009-01-01

We have initiated a research program to investigate the ionization behavior of some simple organic molecules containing the carboxyl group (R 2 C=O), where R could be H, OH, NH 2 , or CH 3 or other aliphatic or aromatic carbon groups, using threshold photoelectron spectroscopy and photoionization total ion yield spectroscopy. We report here on the simplest organic acid, formic acid, and two simple aldehydes: acetaldehyde and the simplest unsaturated aldehyde, 2-propenal (acrolein). The objective of this study was to characterize the valence cationic states of these molecules with vibrational structural resolution.

Exploring a model linking social physique anxiety, drive for muscularity, drive for thinness and self-esteem among adolescent boys and girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunet, Jennifer; Sabiston, Catherine M; Dorsch, Kim D; McCreary, Donald R

2010-03-01

This study examined gender differences on body image measures, and tested a model where self-esteem influences social physique anxiety (SPA), which in turn influences drive for muscularity and drive for thinness in a sample of adolescents (N=329; 58% boys). Multi-group invariance analyses indicated that the measurement and structural models were partially invariant for boys and girls, allowing for gender comparisons. Results indicated that boys reported significantly lower drive for thinness and SPA, and higher drive for muscularity and self-esteem compared to girls. The measurement and structural models were an adequate fit for the total sample. Findings supported the proposed sequence in which self-esteem significantly influenced SPA, and SPA significantly influenced the drives for muscularity and thinness. Interventions aimed at decreasing SPA, by promoting self-esteem, may be helpful in decreasing adolescent boys' and girls' drive for muscularity and thinness. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Induction Linac Driver For A 0.44 MJ Heavy-Ion Direct Drive Target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidl, P.A.; Lee, E.P.; Bangerter, R.O.; Faltens, A.

2010-01-01

The conceptual design of a heavy ion fusion driver system is described, including all major components. Particular issues emerging from this exercise are identified and discussed. The most important conclusion of our study is that due to stringent requirements on ion pulse phase space, we are unable to find a credible accelerator design that meets the requirements of the example target. Either the target design must be modified to accept larger ion ranges and larger focal spot sizes, or we must consider other target options.

Design study of a negative-ion based NBI system for JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akino, Noboru; Araki, Masanori; Ebisawa, Noboru

1994-03-01

A high energy negative-ion based NBI system for JT-60U has been designed. The objective of the NBI system is to demonstrate mega-ampere level NB current drive and plasma core heating in a reactor-grade high density plasma. This is the first negative-ion based NBI system in the world. The required specifications of the NBI system are; a beam energy of 500 keV, an injection power of 10 MW, a beam pulse duration of 10 sec with a duty cycle of 1/60 and a beam species of deuterium or hydrogen. The neutral beam power of 10 MW is injected tangentially using one beam-line with two large negative-ion sources. The construction of the NBI system has been started, and will be operational in 1996. (author)

Lower hybrid current drive in tokamak plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ushigusa, Kenkichi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan). Naka Fusion Research Establishment

1999-03-01

Past ten years progress on Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) experiments have demonstrated the largest non-inductive current (3.6 MA, JT-60U), the longest current sustainment (2 hours, TRIAM-1M), non-inductive current drive at the highest density (n-bar{sub e} - 10{sup 20}m{sup -3}, ALCATOR-C) and the highest current drive efficiency ({eta}{sub CD} = 3.5x10{sup 19} m{sup -2}A/W, JT-60). These results indicate that LHCD is one of the most promising methods to drive non-inductive current in the present tokamak plasmas. This paper presents recent experimental results on LHCD experiments. Basic theories of LH waves, the wave propagation and the current drive are briefly summarized. The main part of this paper describes several important results and their physical pictures on recent LHCD experiments; 1) the experimental set-up, 2) the current drive efficiency, 3) the control of current profile and MHD activities, 4) the global energy confinement, 5) the global power flow, 6) fast electron behavior, 7) interaction between LH waves and thermal/fast ions, 8) combination with other CD method. (author)

The relationship between attentional bias toward safety and driving behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Tingting; Qu, Weina; Zhang, Kan; Ge, Yan

2016-11-01

As implicit cognitive processes garner more and more importance, studies in the fields of healthy psychology and organizational safety research have focused on attentional bias, a kind of selective allocation of attentional resources in the early stage of cognitive processing. However, few studies have explored the role of attentional bias on driving behavior. This study assessed drivers' attentional bias towards safety-related words (ABS) using the dot-probe paradigm and self-reported daily driving behaviors. The results revealed significant negative correlations between attentional bias scores and several indicators of dangerous driving. Drivers with fewer dangerous driving behaviors showed greater ABS. We also built a significant linear regression model between ABS and the total DDDI score, as well as ABS and the number of accidents. Finally, we discussed the possible mechanism underlying these associations and several limitations of our study. This study opens up a new topic for the exploration of implicit processes in driving safety research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-rated Driving and Driving Safety in Older Adults

OpenAIRE

Ross, Lesley A.; Dodson, Joan; Edwards, Jerri D.; Ackerman, Michelle L.; Ball, Karlene

2012-01-01

Many U.S. states rely on older adults to self-regulate their driving and determine when driving is no longer a safe option. However, the relationship of older adults’ self-rated driving in terms of actual driving competency outcomes is unclear. The current study investigates self-rated driving in terms of (1) systematic differences between older adults with high (good/excellent) versus low (poor/fair/average) self-ratings, and (2) the predictive nature of self-rated driving to adverse driving...

Ion Bernstein wave heating research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Masayuki.

1992-03-01

Ion Bernstein wave heating (IBWH) utilizes the ion Bernstein wave (IBW), a hot plasma wave, to carry the radio frequency (rf) power to heat tokamak reactor core. Earlier wave accessibility studies have shown that this finite-Larmor-radius (FLR) mode should penetrate into a hot dense reactor plasma core without significant attenuation. Moreover, the IBW's low phase velocity (ω/k perpendicular ∼ V Ti much-lt V α ) greatly reduces the otherwise serious wave absorption by the 3.5 MeV fusion α-particles. In addition, the property of IBW's that k perpendicular ρ i ∼ 1 makes localized bulk ion heating possible at the ion cyclotron harmonic layers. Such bulk ion heating can prove useful in optimizing fusion reactivity. In another vein, with proper selection of parameters, IBW's can be made subject to strong localized electron Landau damping near the major ion cyclotron harmonic resonance layers. This property can be useful, for example, for rf current drive in the reactor plasma core. This paper discusses this research

A Case–Control Study Investigating Simulated Driving Errors in Ischemic Stroke and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megan A. Hird

2018-02-01

Full Text Available BackgroundStroke can affect a variety of cognitive, perceptual, and motor abilities that are important for safe driving. Results of studies assessing post-stroke driving ability are quite variable in the areas and degree of driving impairment among patients. This highlights the need to consider clinical characteristics, including stroke subtype, when assessing driving performance.MethodsWe compared the simulated driving performance of 30 chronic stroke patients (>3 months, including 15 patients with ischemic stroke (IS and 15 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH, and 20 age-matched controls. A preliminary analysis was performed, subdividing IS patients into right (n = 8 and left (n = 6 hemispheric lesions and SAH patients into middle cerebral artery (MCA, n = 5 and anterior communicating artery (n = 6 territory. A secondary analysis was conducted to investigate the cognitive correlates of driving.ResultsNine patients (30% exhibited impaired simulated driving performance, including four patients with IS (26.7% and five patients with SAH (33.3%. Both patients with IS (2.3 vs. 0.3, U = 76, p < 0.05 and SAH (1.5 vs. 0.3, U = 45, p < 0.001 exhibited difficulty with lane maintenance (% distance out of lane compared to controls. In addition, patients with IS exhibited difficulty with speed maintenance (% distance over speed limit; 8.9 vs. 4.1, U = 81, p < 0.05, whereas SAH patients exhibited difficulty with turning performance (total turning errors; 5.4 vs. 1.6, U = 39.5, p < 0.001. The Trail Making Test (TMT and Useful Field of View test were significantly associated with lane maintenance among patients with IS (rs > 0.6, p < 0.05. No cognitive tests showed utility among patients with SAH.ConclusionBoth IS and SAH exhibited difficulty with lane maintenance. Patients with IS additionally exhibited difficulty with speed maintenance, whereas SAH patients exhibited difficulty with turning

Comb-drive GaN micro-mirror on a GaN-on-silicon platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yongjin; Sasaki, Takashi; Wu, Tong; Hu, Fangren; Hane, Kazuhiro

2011-01-01

We report here a double-sided process for the fabrication of a comb-drive GaN micro-mirror on a GaN-on-silicon platform. A silicon substrate is first patterned from the backside and removed by deep reactive ion etching, resulting in totally suspended GaN slabs. GaN microstructures including the torsion bars, movable combs and mirror plate are then defined on a freestanding GaN slab by the backside alignment technique and generated by fast atom beam etching with Cl 2 gas. Although the fabricated comb-drive GaN micro-mirrors are deflected by the residual stress in GaN thin films, they can operate on a high resistivity silicon substrate without introducing any additional isolation layer. The optical rotation angles are experimentally characterized in the rotation experiments. This work opens the possibility of producing GaN optical micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) devices on a GaN-on-silicon platform.

On the Role of Ionospheric Ions in Sawtooth Events

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, E. J.; Nowrouzi, N.; Kistler, L. M.; Cai, X.; Frey, H. U.

2018-01-01

Simulations have suggested that feedback of heavy ions originating in the ionosphere is an important mechanism for driving sawtooth injections. However, this feedback may only be necessary for events driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), whereas in events driven by streaming interaction regions (SIRs), solar wind variability may suffice to drive these injections. Here we present case studies of two sawtooth events for which in situ data are available in both the magnetotail (Cluster) and the nightside auroral region (FAST), as well as global auroral images (IMAGE). One event, on 1 October 2001, was driven by a CME; the other, on 24 October 2002, was driven by an SIR. The available data do not support the hypothesis that heavy ion feedback is necessary to drive either event. This result is consistent with simulations of the SIR-driven event but disagrees with simulation results for a different CME-driven event. We also find that in an overwhelming majority of the sawtooth injections for which Cluster tail data are available, the O+ observed in the tail comes from the cusp rather than the nightside auroral region, which further casts doubt on the hypothesis that ionospheric heavy ion feedback is the cause of sawtooth injections.

Heating, current drive and energetic particles studies on JET in preparation of ITER operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noterdaeme, J.-M.; Budny, R.; Cardinali, A.

2003-01-01

This paper summarizes the recent work on JET in the three areas of heating, current drive and energetic particles. The achievements have extended the possibilities of JET, have a direct connection to ITER operation and provide new and interesting physics. Toroidal rotation profiles of plasmas heated far off axis with little or no refueling or momentum input are hollow with only small differences on whether the power deposition is located on the low field side or on the high field side. With LH current drive the magnetic shear was varied from slightly positive to negative. The improved coupling (through the use of plasma shaping and CD 4 ) allowed up to 3.4 MW of P LH in ITB plasmas with more than 15MW of combined NBI and ICRF heating. The q profile with negative magnetic shear and the ITB could be maintained for the duration of the high heating pulse (8s). Fast ions have been produced in JET with ICRF to simulate alpha particles: by using third harmonic 4 He heating, beam injected 4 He at 120 kV were accelerated to energies above 2 MeV, taking advantage of the unique capability of JET to use NBI with 4 He and to confine MeV class ions. ICRF heating was used to replicate the dynamics of alpha heating and the control of an equivalent Q=10 'burn' was simulated. (author)

Simulation study on ion extraction from ECR ion sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, S.; Kitagawa, A.; Yamada, S.

1993-07-01

In order to study beam optics of NIRS-ECR ion source used in HIMAC, EGUN code has been modified to make it capable of modeling ion extraction from a plasma. Two versions of the modified code are worked out with two different methods in which 1-D and 2-D sheath theories are used respectively. Convergence problem of the strong nonlinear self-consistent equations is investigated. Simulations on NIRS-ECR ion source and HYPER-ECR ion source (in INS, Univ. of Tokyo) are presented in this paper, exhibiting an agreement with the experimental results. Some preliminary suggestions on the upgrading the extraction systems of these sources are also proposed. (author)

Simulation study on ion extraction from ECR ion sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, S.; Kitagawa, A.; Yamada, S.

1993-07-01

In order to study beam optics of NIRS-ECR ion source used in HIMAC, EGUN code has been modified to make it capable of modeling ion extraction from a plasma. Two versions of the modified code are worked out with two different methods in which 1-D and 2-D sheath theories are used respectively. Convergence problem of the strong nonlinear self-consistent equations is investigated. Simulations on NIRS-ECR ion source and HYPER-ECR ion source (in INS, Univ. of Tokyo) are presented in this paper, exhibiting an agreement with the experimental results. Some preliminary suggestions on the upgrading the extraction systems of these sources are also proposed. (author).

Numerical Simulation of Ion Transport in a Nano-Electrospray Ion Source at Atmospheric Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei; Bajic, Steve; John, Benzi; Emerson, David R.

2018-03-01

Understanding ion transport properties from the ion source to the mass spectrometer (MS) is essential for optimizing device performance. Numerical simulation helps in understanding of ion transport properties and, furthermore, facilitates instrument design. In contrast to previously reported numerical studies, ion transport simulations in a continuous injection mode whilst considering realistic space-charge effects have been carried out. The flow field was solved using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations, and a particle-in-cell (PIC) method was applied to solve a time-dependent electric field with local charge density. A series of ion transport simulations were carried out at different cone gas flow rates, ion source currents, and capillary voltages. A force evaluation analysis reveals that the electric force, the drag force, and the Brownian force are the three dominant forces acting on the ions. Both the experimental and simulation results indicate that cone gas flow rates of ≤250 slph (standard liter per hour) are important for high ion transmission efficiency, as higher cone gas flow rates reduce the ion signal significantly. The simulation results also show that the ion transmission efficiency reduces exponentially with an increased ion source current. Additionally, the ion loss due to space-charge effects has been found to be predominant at a higher ion source current, a lower capillary voltage, and a stronger cone gas counterflow. The interaction of the ion driving force, ion opposing force, and ion dispersion is discussed to illustrate ion transport mechanism in the ion source at atmospheric pressure. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Linear electric machines, drives, and MAGLEVs handbook

CERN Document Server

Boldea, Ion

2013-01-01

Based on author Ion Boldea's 40 years of experience and the latest research, Linear Electric Machines, Drives, and Maglevs Handbook provides a practical and comprehensive resource on the steady improvement in this field. The book presents in-depth reviews of basic concepts and detailed explorations of complex subjects, including classifications and practical topologies, with sample results based on an up-to-date survey of the field. Packed with case studies, this state-of-the-art handbook covers topics such as modeling, steady state, and transients as well as control, design, and testing of li

Engineering study for the treatment of spent ion exchange resin resulting from nuclear process applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Place, B.G.

1990-09-01

This document is an engineering study of spent ion exchange resin treatment processes with the purpose of identifying one or more suitable treatment technologies. Classifications of waste considered include all classes of low-level waste (LLW), mixed LLW, transuranic (TRU) waste, and mixed TRU waste. A total of 29 process alternatives have been evaluated. Evaluation parameters have included economic parameters (both total life-cycle costs and capital costs), demonstrated operability, environmental permitting, operational availability, waste volume reduction, programmatic consistency, and multiple utilization. The results of this study suggest that there are a number of alternative process configurations that are suitable for the treatment of spent ion exchange resin. The determinative evaluation parameters were economic variables (total life-cycle cost or capital cost) and waste volume reduction. Immobilization processes are generally poor in volume reduction. Thermal volume reduction processes tend to have high capital costs. There are immobilization processes and thermal volume reduction processes that can treat all classifications of spent ion exchange resin likely to be encountered. 40 refs., 19 figs., 17 tabs

Studying Equilibrium in the Chemical Reaction between Ferric and Iodide Ions in Solution Using a Simple and Inexpensive Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolaychuk, Pavel Anatolyevich; Kuvaeva, Alyona Olegovna

2016-01-01

A laboratory experiment on the study of the chemical equilibrium based on the reaction between ferric and iodide ions in solution with the formation of ferrous ions, free iodine, and triiodide ions is developed. The total concentration of iodide and triiodide ions in the reaction mixture during the reaction is determined by the argentometric…

Landscape heritage objects' effect on driving: a combined driving simulator and questionnaire study.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonson, Hans; Ahlström, Christer; Mårdh, Selina; Blomqvist, Göran; Wiklund, Mats

2014-01-01

According to the literature, landscape (panoramas, heritage objects e.g. landmarks) affects people in various ways. Data are primarily developed by asking people (interviews, photo sessions, focus groups) about their preferences, but to a lesser degree by measuring how the body reacts to such objects. Personal experience while driving a car through a landscape is even more rare. In this paper we study how different types of objects in the landscape affect drivers during their drive. A high-fidelity moving-base driving simulator was used to measure choice of speed and lateral position in combination with stress (heart rate measure) and eye tracking. The data were supplemented with questionnaires. Eighteen test drivers (8 men and 10 women) with a mean age of 37 were recruited. The test drivers were exposed to different new and old types of landscape objects such as 19th century church, wind turbine, 17th century milestone and bus stop, placed at different distances from the road driven. The findings are in some respect contradictory, but it was concluded that that 33% of the test drivers felt stressed during the drive. All test drivers said that they had felt calm at times during the drive but the reason for this was only to a minor degree connected with old and modern objects. The open landscape was experienced as conducive to acceleration. Most objects were, to a small degree, experienced (subjective data) as having a speed-reducing effect, much in line with the simulator data (objective data). Objects close to the road affected the drivers' choice of' lateral position. No significant differences could be observed concerning the test drivers' gaze between old or modern objects, but a significant difference was observed between the test drivers' gaze between road stretches with faraway objects and stretches without objects. No meaningful, significant differences were found for the drivers' stress levels as measured by heart rate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All

The impact of sleep disorders on driving safety-findings from the Second Strategic Highway Research Program naturalistic driving study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shu-Yuan; Perez, Miguel A; Lau, Nathan

2018-04-01

This study investigated the association between driving safety and seven sleep disorders amongst 3541 participants of the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) naturalistic driving study. SHRP 2 collected naturalistic driving data from participants between 16 and 98 years old by instrumenting participants' vehicles. The analyses used logistic regression to determine the likelihood of crash or near-crash involvement, Poisson log-linear regression to assess crash or near-crash rate, and ordinal logistic regression to assess driver maneuver appropriateness and crash or near-crash severity. These analyses did not account for any medical treatments for the sleep disorders. Females with restless legs syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease (RLS/WED), drivers with insomnia or narcolepsy, are associated with significantly higher risk of crash or near-crash. Drivers with shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) are associated with significantly increased crash or near-crash rate. Females with RLS/WED or sleep apnea and drivers with SWSD are associated with less safe driver maneuver and drivers with periodic limb movement disorder are associated with more severe events. The four analyses provide no evidence of safety decrements associated with migraine. This study is the first examination on the association between seven sleep disorders and different measures of driving risk using large-scale naturalistic driving study data. The results corroborate much of the existing simulator and epidemiological research related to sleep-disorder patients and their driving safety, but add ecological validity to those findings. These results contribute to the empirical basis for medical professionals, policy makers, and employers in making decisions to aid individuals with sleep disorders in balancing safety and personal mobility.

Total binding energy of heavy positive ions including density treatment of Darwin and Breit corrections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, S.H.; Grout, P.J.; March, N.H.

1987-01-01

Previous work on the relativistic Thomas-Fermi treatment of total energies of neutral atoms is first generalised to heavy positive ions. To facilitate quantitative contact with the numerical predictions of Dirac-Fock theory, Darwin and Breit corrections are expressed in terms of electron density, and computed using input again from relativistic Thomas-Fermi theory. These corrections significantly improve the agreement between the two seemingly very different theories. (author)

Gender differences in psychosocial predictors of texting while driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Struckman-Johnson, Cindy; Gaster, Samuel; Struckman-Johnson, Dave; Johnson, Melissa; May-Shinagle, Gabby

2015-01-01

A sample of 158 male and 357 female college students at a midwestern university participated in an on-line study of psychosocial motives for texting while driving. Men and women did not differ in self-reported ratings of how often they texted while driving. However, more women sent texts of less than a sentence while more men sent texts of 1-5 sentences. More women than men said they would quit texting while driving due to police warnings, receiving information about texting dangers, being shown graphic pictures of texting accidents, and being in a car accident. A hierarchical regression for men's data revealed that lower levels of feeling distracted by texting while driving (20% of the variance), higher levels of cell phone dependence (11.5% of the variance), risky behavioral tendencies (6.5% of the variance) and impulsivity (2.3%) of the variance) were significantly associated with more texting while driving (total model variance=42%). A separate regression for women revealed that higher levels of cell phone dependence (10.4% of the variance), risky behavioral tendencies (9.9% of the variance), texting distractibility (6.2%), crash risk estimates (2.2% of the variance) and driving confidence (1.3% of the variance) were significantly associated with more texting while driving (total model variance=31%.) Friendship potential and need for intimacy were not related to men's or women's texting while driving. Implications of the results for gender-specific prevention strategies are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast wave current drive on ITER in the presence of energetic alphas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mau, T.K.

1989-01-01

The impact of energetic alpha particle wave absorption on the range of frequencies for efficient fast wave current drive in an ITER-like fusion reactor core is investigated. The energetic alpha damping decrement is calculated, using an exact slowing down distribution function, and compared to electron and fuel ion damping over a wide range of frequencies. A combination of strong alpha damping and edge electron absorption in the higher ion harmonic regime limits efficient core fast wave current drive to the lower harmonics (1=2.3). However, high frequency fast waves may be employed to generate current in the outer plasma region. 11 refs., 7 figs

Drive Electric Vermont Case Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wagner, Fred [Energetics Incorporated, Columbia, MD (United States); Roberts, Dave [Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), Burlington, VT (United States); Francfort, Jim [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); White, Sera [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2016-03-01

Currently in the United States, the heavy majority of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales have been in highly conducive, selected, metropolitan areas; opposed to more broad distribution across the country. The U.S. Department of Energy’s EV Everywhere Grand Challenge is looking carefully at the barriers and opportunities that exist to enable small and midsize communities to partake in the PEV market and benefit from the economic and environmental advantages of PEVs. In order to gain insight into these challenges and barriers, DOE selected a success story (i.e., Drive Electric Vermont) as the subject of this case study, as the state of Vermont is tied with Detroit, Michigan in having the highest percentage of 2014 (most recent complete data) PEV registrations for cold weather U.S. cities and has seen more than a sixfold increase in charging stations over the last three years. The overall objective of this case study was to use the lessons learned from Drive Electric Vermont to determine what activities are most effective at encouraging acquisitions of PEVs and deployment of charging infrastructure in small to midsize communities, prioritizing and sequencing their implementation, identifying robust means for extrapolation, and applying this understanding to other small to midsize communities across the nation. The Drive Electric Vermont Program was formed in 2012 with a goal of increasing the use of electrified transportation in Vermont through policy development, education and outreach, and infrastructure development. The Drive Electric Vermont Program can be broadly broken into four components: (1) strategic planning/leadership, (2) stakeholder/partnership development, (3) education and outreach, and (4) incentives. The early phases of the program focused heavily on strategic planning, and stakeholder and partnership development, followed by a transition to education and outreach activities, charging infrastructure development, and grant and incentive programs

Total quality drives nuclear plant improvements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richey, R.B.

1991-01-01

Total quality (TQ) at Carolina Power and Light (CP and L) is fulfilling a 1985 vision of Sherwood H. Smith, Jr., CP and L's chairman, president, and chief executive officer. The TQ concept has provided a way for employees to align their creative energies toward meeting the business needs of the company. Throughout CP and L, TQ has been recognized as the vehicle for reducing operating costs and improving customer satisfaction. Within the nuclear organization, application of the TQ process has helped to improve communications, resolve challenges, and provide more consistent work practices among CP and L's three nuclear plants. Total quality was introduced from the top down, with initial benefits coming from team interactions. Senior management at CP and L defined the corporate expectations and outlined the training requirements for implementing TQ. Management staffs at each organizational level became steering committees for TQ team activities within their departments. Teams of employees most knowledgeable about a given work area were empowered to solve problems or overcome obstacles related to that work area. Employees learned to become better team players and to appreciate the quality of decisions reached through group consensus. Now, formalized methods that started TQ are becoming part of the day-to-day work ethic

Progress towards polar-drive ignition for the NIF

Science.gov (United States)

McCrory, R. L.; Betti, R.; Boehly, T. R.; Casey, D. T.; Collins, T. J. B.; Craxton, R. S.; Delettrez, J. A.; Edgell, D. H.; Epstein, R.; Frenje, J. A.; Froula, D. H.; Gatu-Johnson, M.; Glebov, V. Yu.; Goncharov, V. N.; Harding, D. R.; Hohenberger, M.; Hu, S. X.; Igumenshchev, I. V.; Kessler, T. J.; Knauer, J. P.; Li, C. K.; Marozas, J. A.; Marshall, F. J.; McKenty, P. W.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Michel, D. T.; Myatt, J. F.; Nilson, P. M.; Padalino, S. J.; Petrasso, R. D.; Radha, P. B.; Regan, S. P.; Sangster, T. C.; Séguin, F. H.; Seka, W.; Short, R. W.; Shvydky, A.; Skupsky, S.; Soures, J. M.; Stoeckl, C.; Theobald, W.; Yaakobi, B.; Zuegel, J. D.

2013-11-01

The University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) performs direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research. LLE's Omega Laser Facility is used to study direct-drive ICF ignition concepts, developing an understanding of the underlying physics that feeds into the design of ignition targets for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The baseline symmetric-illumination, direct-drive-ignition target design consists of a 1.5 MJ multiple-picket laser pulse that generates four shock waves (similar to the NIF baseline indirect-drive design) and is predicted to produce a one-dimensional (1D) gain of 48. LLE has developed the polar-drive (PD) illumination concept (for NIF beams in the x-ray-drive configuration) to allow the pursuit of direct-drive ignition without significant reconfiguration of the beam paths on the NIF. Some less-invasive changes in the NIF infrastructure will be required, including new phase plates, polarization rotators, and a PD-specific beam-smoothing front end. A suite of PD ignition designs with implosion velocities from 3.5 to 4.3 × 107 cm s-1 are predicted to have significant 2D gains (Collins et al 2012 Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 57 155). Verification of the physics basis of these simulations is a major thrust of direct-drive implosion experiments on both OMEGA and the NIF. Many physics issues are being examined with symmetric beam irradiation on OMEGA, varying the implosion parameters over a wide region of design space. Cryogenic deuterium-tritium target experiments with symmetric irradiation have produced areal densities of ˜0.3 g cm-2, ion temperatures over 3 keV, and neutron yields in excess of 20% of the ‘clean’ 1D predicted value. The inferred Lawson criterion figure of merit (Betti R. et al 2010 Phys. Plasmas 17 058102) has increased from 1.7 atm s (IAEA 2010) to 2.6 atm s.

High-efficiency toroidal current drive using low-phase-velocity kinetic Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puri, S.

1991-09-01

A method for obtaining efficient current drive in Tokamaks using low-phase-velocity (v ρ = ω/K parallel ∝ 0.1v te ) kinetic Alfen wave is proposed. The wave momentum, imparted primarily to the trapped electrons by Landau damping, is stored as the canonical angular momentum via the Ware pinch. In steady state, collisions restore the pinched electrons to their original phase-space configuration, in the process releasing the stored canonical angular momentum to the background ions and electrons in proportion to the respective collision frequencies. Despite the loss of a part of the original impulse to the plasma ions, well over half the wave momentum is ultimately delivered to the bulk-plasma electrons, resulting in an efficient current drive. A normalized current-drive efficiency γ = R 0 20 > I/P ∝ 2 would be feasible using the subthermal kinetic-Alfen-wave current drive in a Tokamak of reactor parameters. Optimum antenna loading conditions are described. The problem of accessibility is discussed. In an elongated, high-β plasma with a density dependence n e ∝ (1-ρ 2 ) Χn , accessibility is restricted to ρ > or approx. 3/(4A Χn ), where A is the aspect ratio. For current drive at still lower values of ρ, operation in conjunction with fast-wave current drive is suggested. (orig.)

Numerical simulation of plasma processes driven by transverse ion heating

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Nagendra; Chan, C. B.

1993-01-01

The plasma processes driven by transverse ion heating in a diverging flux tube are investigated with numerical simulation. The heating is found to drive a host of plasma processes, in addition to the well-known phenomenon of ion conics. The downward electric field near the reverse shock generates a doublestreaming situation consisting of two upflowing ion populations with different average flow velocities. The electric field in the reverse shock region is modulated by the ion-ion instability driven by the multistreaming ions. The oscillating fields in this region have the possibility of heating electrons. These results from the simulations are compared with results from a previous study based on a hydrodynamical model. Effects of spatial resolutions provided by simulations on the evolution of the plasma are discussed.

Universal trend for heavy-ion total reaction cross sections at energies above the Coulomb barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavares, O.A.P.; Medeiros, E.L.; Morcelle, V.

2010-06-01

Heavy-ion total reaction cross section measurements for more than one thousand one hundred reaction cases covering 61 target nuclei in the range 6 Li- 238 U, and 158 projectile nuclei from 2 H up to 84 Kr (mostly exotic ones) have been analysed in a systematic way by using an empirical, three-parameter formula which is applicable to cases for projectile kinetic energies above the Coulomb barrier. The analysis has shown that the average total nuclear binding energy per nucleon of the interacting nuclei and their radii are the chief quantities which describe the cross section patterns. A great number of cross section data (87%) has been quite satisfactorily reproduced by the proposed formula, therefore total reaction cross section predictions for new, not yet experimentally investigated reaction cases can be obtained within 25 percent (or much less) of uncertainty (author)

Rotating field current drive in spherical plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brotherton-Ratcliffe, D.; Storer, R.G.

1988-01-01

The technique of driving a steady Hall current in plasmas using a rotating magnetic field is studied both numerically and analytically in the approximation of negligible ion flow. A spherical plasma bounded by an insulating wall and immersed in a uniform magnetic field which has both a rotating component (for current drive) and a constant ''vertical'' component (for MHD equilibrium) is considered. The problem is formulated in terms of an expansion of field quantities in vector spherical harmonics. The numerical code SPHERE solves the resulting pseudo-harmonic equations by a multiple shooting technique. The results presented, in addition to being relevant to non-inductive current drive generally, have a direct relevance to the rotamak experiments. For the case of no applied vertical field the steady state toroidal current driven by the rotating field per unit volume of plasma is several times less than in the long cylinder limit for a plasma of the same density, resistivity and radius. The application of a vertical field, which for certain parameter regimes gives rise to a compact torus configuration, improves the current drive dramatically and in many cases gives ''better'' current drive than the long cylinder limit. This result is also predicted by a second order perturbation analysis of the pseudo-harmonic equations. A steady state toroidal field is observed which appears consistent with experimental observations in rotamaks regarding magnitude and spatial dependence. This is an advance over previous analytical theory which predicted an oppositely directed toroidal field of undefined magnitude. (author)

The light ion pulsed power induction accelerator for ETF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazarakis, M.G.; Olson, R.E.; Olson, C.L.; Smith, D.L.; Bennett, L.F.

1994-01-01

Our Engineering Test Facility (ETF) driver concept is based on HERMES III and RHEPP technologies. Actually, it is a scaled-down version of the LMF design incorporating repetition rate capabilities of up to 10 Hz CW. The preconceptual design presented here provides 200-TW peak power to the ETF target during 10 ns, equal to 2-MJ total ion beam energy. Linear inductive voltage addition driving a self-magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) is utilized to generate the 36-MV peak voltage needed for lithium ion beams. The ∼ 3-MA ion current is achieved by utilizing many accelerating modules in parallel. Since the current per module is relatively modest (∼300 kA), two-stage or one-stage extraction diodes can be utilized for the generation of singly charged lithium ions. The accelerating modules are arranged symmetrically around the fusion chamber in order to provide uniform irradiation onto the ETF target. In addition, the modules are fired in a programmed sequence in order to generate the optimum power pulse shape onto the target. This design utilizes RHEPP accelerator modules as the principal power source

Report of the heavy-ion fusion task group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawyer, G.A.; Booth, L.A.; Henderson, D.B.; Jameson, R.A.; Kindel, J.M.; Knapp, E.A.; Pollock, R.; Talbert, W.L.; Thode, L.E.; Williams, J.M.

1980-02-01

An assessment of heavy-ion fusion has been completed. Energetic heavy ions, for example 10-GeV uranium, provided by an rf linac or an induction linac, are used as alternatives to laser light to drive inertial confinement fusion pellets. The assessment has covered accelerator technology, transport of heavy-ion beams, target interaction physics, civilian power issues, and military applications. It is concluded that particle accelerators promise to be efficient pellet drivers, but that there are formidable technical problems to be solved. It is recommended that a moderate level research program on heavy-ion fusion be pursued and that LASL should continue to work on critical issues in accelerator development, beam transport, reactor systems studies, and target physics over the next few years

Aqueous photochemical reactions of chloride, bromide, and iodide ions in a diode-array spectrophotometer. Autoinhibition in the photolysis of iodide ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalmár, József; Dóka, Éva; Lente, Gábor; Fábián, István

2014-03-28

The aqueous photoreactions of three halide ions (chloride, bromide and iodide) were studied using a diode array spectrophotometer to drive and detect the process at the same time. The concentration and pH dependences of the halogen formation rates were studied in detail. The experimental data were interpreted by improving earlier models where the cage complex of a halogen atom and an electron has a central role. The triiodide ion was shown to exert a strong inhibiting effect on the reaction sequence leading to its own formation. An assumed chemical reaction between the triiodide ion and the cage complex interpreted the strong autoinhibition effect. It is shown that there is a real danger of unwanted interference from the photoreactions of halide ions when halide salts are used as supporting electrolytes in spectrophotometric experiments using a relatively high intensity UV light source.

Hostility, driving anger, and dangerous driving: the emerging role of hemispheric preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Gidron, Yori; Gaygısız, Esma; Lajunen, Timo

2014-12-01

Various studies have implicated psychosocial variables (e.g., hostility) in risk of dangerous driving and traffic accidents. However, whether these variables are related to more basic neurobiological factors, and whether such associations have implications for the modification of psychosocial risk factors in the context of driving, have not been examined in depth. This study examined the relationship between hemispheric preference (HP), hostility and self-reported dangerous driving, and the ability to affect driving anger via hemisphere activating cognitive exercises (HACE). In Study 1, 254 Turkish students completed questionnaires of hostility, HP and driving behavior. In Study 2, we conducted a "proof of concept" experimental study, and tested effects of left, right and neutral HACE on driving anger, by exposing N=650 Turkish students to written scenarios including either logical (left hemisphere), visuo-spatial (right hemisphere) or "mild doses" of both types of contents (control). In Study 1, left-HP was associated with higher hostility and with more dangerous driving, and hostility mediated the relationship between L-HP and reported driving behavior. In Study 2, only right-HACE led to immediate significant reductions in self-reported driving anger. Left-HP is related to hostility and to dangerous driving, and it may be possible to partly reduce driving anger by right-HACE. Future studies must replicate these findings with objective measures, more enduring interventions and longer follow-ups. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Electron cyclotron resonance ion source for high currents of mono- and multicharged ion and general purpose unlimited lifetime application on implantation devices

Science.gov (United States)

Bieth, C.; Bouly, J. L.; Curdy, J. C.; Kantas, S.; Sortais, P.; Sole, P.; Vieux-Rochaz, J. L.

2000-02-01

The electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources were originally developed for high energy physic applications. They are used as injectors on linear accelerators and cyclotrons to further increase the particle energy via high charge state ions. This ECR technology is well suited for sources placed on a high voltage platform where ac power available is limited by insulated transformers. The PANTECHNIK family of ion source with its wide range of ion beam (various charge states with various beam currents) offers new possibilities and perspectives in the field of ion implantation. In addition to all these possibilities, the PANTECHNIK ion sources have many other advantages like: a very long lifetime without maintenance expense, good stability, efficiency of ionization close to 100% (this improves the lifetime of the pumping system and other equipment), the possibility of producing ion beams with different energies, and a very good reproducibility. The main characteristics of sources like Nanogan or SuperNanogan will be recalled. We will especially present the results obtained with the new Microgan 10 GHz source that can be optimized for the production of high currents of monocharged ion, including reactive gas like BF3 (2 mA e of B+) or medium currents of low charge state like 0.5 mA e of Ar4+. The latest results obtained with Microgan 10 GHz show that it is possible to drive the source up to 30 mA e of total current, with an emittance of 150 π mm mrad at 40 kV and also to maintain the production of multicharged ions like Ar8+.

Study on mobile phone use while driving in a sample of Iranian drivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Arvin, Ramin; Khademi, Mostafa; Razi-Ardakani, Hesamoddin

2017-06-01

The use of cell phone is a significant source of driver distraction. Phone use while driving can impair a number of factors critical for safe driving which can cause serious traffic safety problems. The objective of this paper was to investigate the frequency of using cell phones while driving in Iran's roads through an observational survey with a random sample of drivers, to recognize contributing factors to cell phone usage and to understand the magnitude of the problem. A total of 1794 observations were collected from 12 sites at controlled intersections, entrance and exit points of highways. The cell phone use rate among drivers (talking or texting) was estimated at 10% which is significantly higher than that in other countries such as Australia, USA and Canada. Rate of cell phone use among younger drivers (14.15%) was higher in comparison with other groups. In order to identify factors affecting cell phone use while driving, a binary logit model is estimated. Variables which significantly contribute to the rate of using cell phone were found to be the age of driver, number of passengers, presence of kids under the age of 8, time of observation, vehicle price and type of car.

Brake response time before and after total knee arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niederseer David

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the numbers of total knee arthroplasty (TKA are increasing, there is only a small number of studies investigating driving safety after TKA. The parameter 'Brake Response Time (BRT' is one of the most important criteria for driving safety and was therefore chosen for investigation. The present study was conducted to test the hypotheses that patients with right- or left-sided TKA show a significant increase in BRT from pre-operative (pre-op, 1 day before surgery to post-operative (post-op, 2 weeks post surgery, and a significant decrease in BRT from post-op to the follow-up investigation (FU, 8 weeks post surgery. Additionally, it was hypothesized that the BRT of patients after TKA is significantly higher than that of healthy controls. Methods 31 of 70 consecutive patients (mean age 65.7 +/- 10.2 years receiving TKA were tested for their BRT pre-op, post-op and at FU. BRT was assessed using a custom-made driving simulator. We used normative BRT data from 31 healthy controls for comparison. Results There were no significant increases between pre-op and post-op BRT values for patients who had undergone left- or right-sided TKA. Even the proportion of patients above a BRT threshold of 700 ms was not significantly increased postop. Controls had a BRT which was significantly better than the BRT of patients with right- or left-sided TKA at all three time points. Conclusion The present study showed a small and insignificant postoperative increase in the BRT of patients who had undergone right- or left-sided TKA. Therefore, we believe it is not justified to impair the patient's quality of social and occupational life post-surgery by imposing restrictions on driving motor vehicles beyond an interval of two weeks after surgery.

Analytic properties of the relativistic Thomas-Fermi equation and the total energy of atomic ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

March, N.H.; Senatore, G.

1985-06-01

The analytic properties of solutions of the relativistic Thomas-Fermi equation which tend to zero at infinity are first examined, the neutral atom solution being a member of this class. A new length is shown to enter the theory, proportional to the square root of the fine structure constant. This information is used to develop a perturbation expansion around the neutral atom solution, corresponding to positive atomic ions with finite but large radii. The limiting law relating ionic radius to the degree of ionization is thereby displayed in functional form, and solved explicitly to lowest order in the fine structure constant. To embrace this knowledge of heavy positive ions, as well as results from the one-electron Dirac equation, a proposal is then advanced as to the analytic form of the relativistic total energy E(Z,N) of an atomic ion with nuclear charge Ze and total number of electrons N. The fact that, for N>1, the nucleus is known only to bind Z+n electrons, where n is 1 or 2, indicates non-analyticity in the complex Z plane, represented by a circle of radius Z approx.= N. Such non-analyticity is also a property of the non-relativistic energy derived from the many-electron Schroedinger equation. The relativistic theory, however, must also embody a second type of non-analyticity associated with the known property for N=1 that the Dirac equation predicts electron-positron pair production when the electronic binding energy becomes equal to twice the electron rest mass energy. This corresponds to a second circle of non-analyticity in E(Z,N), and hence to a Taylor-Laurent expansion of this quantity in the atomic number Z. The relation of this expansion to the Layzer-Bahcall series is finally discussed. (author)

Transmission line component testing for the ITER Ion Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive System

Science.gov (United States)

Goulding, Richard; Bell, G. L.; Deibele, C. E.; McCarthy, M. P.; Rasmussen, D. A.; Swain, D. W.; Barber, G. C.; Barbier, C. N.; Cambell, I. H.; Moon, R. L.; Pesavento, P. V.; Fredd, E.; Greenough, N.; Kung, C.

2014-10-01

High power RF testing is underway to evaluate transmission line components for the ITER Ion Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive System. The transmission line has a characteristic impedance Z0 = 50 Ω and a nominal outer diameter of 305 mm. It is specified to carry up to 6 MW at VSWR = 1.5 for 3600 s pulses, with transient voltages up to 40 kV. The transmission line is actively cooled, with turbulent gas flow (N2) used to transfer heat from the inner to outer conductor, which is water cooled. High voltage and high current testing of components has been performed using resonant lines generating steady state voltages of 35 kV and transient voltages up to 60 kV. A resonant ring, which has operated with circulating power of 6 MW for 1 hr pulses, is being used to test high power, low VSWR operation. Components tested to date include gas barriers, straight sections of various lengths, and 90 degree elbows. Designs tested include gas barriers fabricated from quartz and aluminum nitride, and transmission lines with quartz and alumina inner conductor supports. The latest results will be presented. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy.

The effect of touch-key size on the usability of In-Vehicle Information Systems and driving safety during simulated driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Heejin; Kwon, Sunghyuk; Heo, Jiyoon; Lee, Hojin; Chung, Min K

2014-05-01

Investigating the effect of touch-key size on usability of In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVISs) is one of the most important research issues since it is closely related to safety issues besides its usability. This study investigated the effects of the touch-key size of IVISs with respect to safety issues (the standard deviation of lane position, the speed variation, the total glance time, the mean glance time, the mean time between glances, and the mean number of glances) and the usability of IVISs (the task completion time, error rate, subjective preference, and NASA-TLX) through a driving simulation. A total of 30 drivers participated in the task of entering 5-digit numbers with various touch-key sizes while performing simulated driving. The size of the touch-key was 7.5 mm, 12.5 mm, 17.5 mm, 22.5 mm and 27.5 mm, and the speed of driving was set to 0 km/h (stationary state), 50 km/h and 100 km/h. As a result, both the driving safety and the usability of the IVISs increased as the touch-key size increased up to a certain size (17.5 mm in this study), at which they reached asymptotes. We performed Fitts' law analysis of our data, and this revealed that the data from the dual task experiment did not follow Fitts' law. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

The Study of Self Driven Cars With Special Reference to Google Drive And Maruti Celerio In High Speed Internet Connectivity

OpenAIRE

Vijay Laxmi Kalyani; Pinky

2017-01-01

The automobile industries in India growing very rapidly. Nowadays automobile companies are working on self drive car but the Indian roads not competable to driven self driving car on the roads therefore new Aerodrive Celerio self driving car is the best solution to overcome this problem. Maruti Celerio self driving car is totally made up wires and automatic features. It is a crude feature. In India it is developed by small startup called fisheyebox is the first. The basic concept of car is...

Kinematics and Dynamics of Roller Chain Drives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fuglede, Niels

There are two main subjects of this work: Kinematic and dynamic modeling and analysis of roller chain drives. In the kinematic analysis we contribute first with a complete treatment of the roller chain drive modeled as a four-bar mechanism. This includes a general, exact and approximate analysis...... which is useful for predicting the characteristic loading of the roller chain drive. As a completely novel contribution, a kinematic model and analysis is presented which includes both spans and sprockets in a simple chain drive system. A general procedure for determination of the total wrapping length...... is presented, which also allows for exact sprocket center positions for a chain with a given number of links. Results show that the total chain wrapping length varies periodically with the tooth frequency. These results are of practical importance to both the design, installation and operation of roller chain...

Universal trend for heavy-ion total reaction cross sections at energies above the Coulomb barrier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavares, O.A.P.; Medeiros, E.L., E-mail: emil@cbpf.b [Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas (CBPF), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Morcelle, V. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (IF/USP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

2010-06-15

Heavy-ion total reaction cross section measurements for more than one thousand one hundred reaction cases covering 61 target nuclei in the range {sup 6}Li-{sup 238}U, and 158 projectile nuclei from {sup 2}H up to {sup 84}Kr (mostly exotic ones) have been analysed in a systematic way by using an empirical, three-parameter formula which is applicable to cases for projectile kinetic energies above the Coulomb barrier. The analysis has shown that the average total nuclear binding energy per nucleon of the interacting nuclei and their radii are the chief quantities which describe the cross section patterns. A great number of cross section data (87%) has been quite satisfactorily reproduced by the proposed formula, therefore total reaction cross section predictions for new, not yet experimentally investigated reaction cases can be obtained within 25 percent (or much less) of uncertainty (author)

Educational Biofeedback Driving Simulator as a Drink-Driving Prevention Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Howat, Peter; And Others

1991-01-01

Used experimental driving simulator as basis for strategy to encourage a reduction in drunk driving prevalence using adult male subjects (n=36) who participated in a study group and controls (n=36). Results indicated study group subjects significantly decreased their drunk driving compared to the control group. (ABL)

Alkali metal ion-proton exchange equilibria and water sorption studies on nafon 117 membrane and dowex 50 W exchange resins: effect of long storage or aging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramkumar, Jayshree; Venkataramani, B.

2004-09-01

Alkali metal ion -H + exchanges on Nafion 117 membrane treated differently, Dowex 50 W x 4 and Dowex 50 W x 8 resins have been studied at a total ionic strength of 0.1 mol dm -3 . The water sorption isotherms of these exchangers in different ionic forms generated over the entire range of water activity, have been analysed by the D'Arcy and Watt equation (DWE). Water sorption studies have shown that the physical structure of the exchangers have changed due to long -storage or aging, resulting in poorer water sorption and even formation of pores in the case of Dowex 50 W x 8 resin. As a result, the counter ions in the exchangers are not hydrated and the water is present in a free form, albeit structured, in the resin phase. The selectivity sequence for the alkali metal ions with reference to the H + (Li + + + ) for the exchangers used in the present study is in accordance with that reported in the literature for the ionomers having sulphonic acid as the functional group. In view of the absence of hydration of the cations in the resin phase, the driving force for the selectivity of the cation, namely, the net gain in entropy, is expected to come from the loss of structured water during the exchange process. Pre treating the Nafion 117 membrane with boiling acid solution activates the clustered region of the membrane in the H + form, while pretreatment with boiling water expands the non-ionic domain (the region connecting the clusters). These modifications influence the state of water present in the Nafion 117 membrane and the ion exchange equilibria. As a result of long storage or aging, the ion exchangers lose their elasticity or swelling characteristics. The results obtained in the present study indicate that in aged materials, the ionogenic groups are existing as isolated ion -pairs rather than in a clustered morphology. (author)

Bootstrap and fast wave current drive for tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.

1991-09-01

Using the multi-species neoclassical treatment of Hirshman and Sigmar we study steady state bootstrap equilibria with seed currents provided by low frequency (ICRF) fast waves and with additional surface current density driven by lower hybrid waves. This study applies to reactor plasmas of arbitrary aspect ratio. IN one limit the bootstrap component can supply nearly the total equilibrium current with minimal driving power ( o = 18 MA needs P FW = 15 MW, P LH = 75 MW). A computational survey of bootstrap fraction and current drive efficiency is presented. 11 refs., 8 figs

Study of the Effects of Alcohol on Drivers and Driving Performance on Straight Road

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaohua Zhao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Drinking driving is responsible for a high proportion of traffic accidents. To study the effects of alcohol on drivers and driving performance, 25 drivers’ subjective feelings and driving performance data in different blood-alcohol concentration (BAC levels were collected with simulated driving experiment. The investigation results revealed that alcohol affected drivers in many aspects, including attitude, judgment, vigilance, perception, reaction, and controlling. The analysis of accident rate showed that higher BAC level would lead to higher accident rate. The statistical analysis results of driving performance indicated that average speed, speed standard deviation, and lane position standard deviation were significantly higher under the influence of alcohol. They also had a statistically significant linear trend as the function of BAC level. The discrimination of drinking driving based on driving performance was performed with Fisher discrimination method. The results showed that drinking driving with higher BAC level was easier to discriminate from normal driving. Also, the results indicated that the three significant indicators on straight roadway could be used in the discrimination of drinking driving state. The conclusions can provide references for the study of drinking driving and the identification of driving state and then contribute to traffic safety.

Factors associated with driving in teens with autism spectrum disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Patty; Kao, Trudy; Curry, Allison E; Durbin, Dennis R

2012-01-01

To compare the characteristics of driving and nondriving teens and explore the driving outcomes for teens with higher functioning autism spectrum disorders. Parents of teens aged 15 to 18 years with a parent-reported diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder enrolled in Interactive Autism Network, an online research registry, were eligible for this cross-sectional study. An online survey was used for data collection. A total of 297 parents completed the survey. Sixty-three percent of teens currently drive or plan to drive. Twenty-nine percent of the teens who are age-eligible to drive currently drive. Compared with age-eligible but nondriving teens, a greater proportion of driving teens were in full-time regular education (p public transportation. Driving predictors included individualized education plans with driving goals, indicators of functional status (classroom placement, college aspiration, and job experience), and parent experience with teaching teens to drive. Twelve percent of teens received driving citations, and 12% of teens had been involved in a motor vehicle crash. Although a significant proportion of teens with higher functioning autism spectrum disorders were driving or learning to drive, the fact that most driving teens' individualized education plans did not include driving goals suggests an area of opportunity for improvement in transition planning. Driving teens were more frequently in regular education settings with college aspirations, which could help schools identify potential drivers.

Study of the processes of ion pairs formation by the method of ion-ion coincidence: I2 and chlorine-containing hydrocarbons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golovin, A.V.

1991-01-01

A method of ion-ion coincidences was suggested to study the process of ion pairs formation during molecule photoionization. The principle of action of ion-ion coincidence method is based on recording of only the negative and positive ions that formed as a result of a molecule decomposition. The flowsheet of the facility of ion-ion coincidences was presented. The processes of ion pairs formation in iodine, chloroform, propyl-, n-propenyl-, tert.butyl- and benzyl-chlorides were studied. A simple model permitting to evaluate the dependence of quantum yield of ion pair formation on excitation energy was suggested

Observations of the Evolution of Ion Outflow During a Sawtooth Event

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, E. J.; Nowrouzi, N.; Kistler, L. M.; Cai, X.; Frey, H. U.

2015-12-01

Sawtooth oscillations are one of several convection modes known to exist in the magnetosphere. Recent simulations have suggested that O+^+ ions transported from the high-latitude ionosphere to the magnetotail can drive sawtooth events. We present observational case studies of sawtooth events using data from FAST near the noon-midnight meridional plane, Cluster in the magnetotail, GOES and LANL energetic particle sensors at geosynchronous orbit, and ACE solar wind data to investigate the evolution of ion outflow during sawtooth events and the question of whether O+^+ outflow from one tooth helps to drive subsequent teeth. We find that oxygen enters the tail from the lobes after each tooth onset, the oxygen fraction in the magnetotail often increases after a tooth onset, and that the oxygen fraction of outflowing ions increases after a tooth event both in the cusp and on the nightside. However, a significant amount of low energy oxygen (≲1 keV) can end up in the dayside inner magnetosphere.

Ion heat transport studies in JET

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mantica, P; Angioni, C; Baiocchi, B

2011-01-01

Detailed experimental studies of ion heat transport have been carried out in JET exploiting the upgrade of active charge exchange spectroscopy and the availability of multi-frequency ion cyclotron resonance heating with 3He minority. The determination of ion temperature gradient (ITG) threshold a...

An international crowdsourcing study into people's statements on fully automated driving

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bazilinskyy, P.; Kyriakidis, M.; de Winter, J.C.F.; Ahram, Tareq; Karwowski, Waldemar; Schmorrow, Dylan

2015-01-01

Fully automated driving can potentially provide enormous benefits to society. However, it has been unclear whether people will appreciate such far-reaching technology. This study investigated anonymous textual comments regarding fully automated driving, based on data extracted from three online

Fast-ion transport studies using FIDA spectroscopy at the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geiger, Benedikt

2013-01-01

A good confinement of fast-ions, i.e. ions with energies above the thermal energy, is essential for the success of fusion devices as it determines, amongst others, the plasma performance and the heating and current drive efficiencies. In case of a turbulent or magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) active background plasma, various mechanisms have to be considered in order to estimate the spatial distribution of the fast-ions: the slowing down and radial diffusion by Coulomb collisions on electrons and ions, the effect of potential fluctuations and the effect of perturbations of the magnetic field structure. These can lead to a broadening of the fast-ion distribution function which is not yet completely understood. At the fusion experiment ASDEX Upgrade, the fast-ions are generated by heating sources such as neutral beam injection (NBI). Their transport properties can be studied by a fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) spectroscopy diagnostic which has been built in the framework of this thesis. Through charge exchange reactions with neutrals, fast-ions can receive a bound electron and emit Balmer alpha line radiation. This so-called FIDA radiation can be measured with large Doppler shifts and is localized along the NBI path where a high density of neutrals is present. The FIDA diagnostic uses radially distributed lines of sight that intersect, in the horizontal and in the vertical plane, the path of a 2.5 MW NBI heating source. Thereby different parts of the fast-ion phase space above 25 keV can be analyzed. To interpret the FIDA radiation quantitatively, a forward modelling code has been implemented, tested and further developed. The code calculates, based on theoretical fast-ion distribution functions, synthetic FIDA spectra that can be compared to the measurement. In MHD-quiescent plasmas, the possible effect of turbulence on the fast-ion transport has been investigated with the FIDA diagnostic. The measurements obtained under different experimental conditions, such as during on- and

Current drive by neutral beams, rotating magnetic fields and helicity injection in compact toroids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farengo, R.

2002-01-01

A Monte-Carlo code is used to study neutral beam current drive in Spheromaks. The exact particle trajectories are followed in the self-consistent equilibria calculated including the beam current. Reducing Z(eff) does not increase the current drive efficiency because the reduction of the stopping cross section is compensated by an increase in the electron canceling current. Significant changes in the safety factor profile can be produced with relatively low beam currents. Minimum dissipation states of a flux core spheromak sustained by helicity injection are presented. Helicity balance is used as a constraint and the resistivity is considered to be non-uniform. Two types of relaxed states are found; one has a central core of open flux surrounded by a toroidal region of closed flux surfaces and the other has the open flux wrapped around the closed flux surfaces. Non-uniform resistivity effects can be very important due to the changes they produce in the safety factor profile. A hybrid, fluid electrons particle ions, code is employed to study ion dynamics in FRCs sustained by rotating magnetic fields. (author)

Older drivers with cognitive impairment: Perceived changes in driving skills, driving-related discomfort and self-regulation of driving

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meng, A.; Siren, A.; Teasdale, Thomas William

2013-01-01

The results of a previous study indicate that in general, older drivers who recognise cognitive problems show realistic self-assessment of changes in their driving skills and that driving-related discomfort may function as an indirect monitoring of driving ability, contributing to their safe...... drivers may recognise cognitive problems, they tend not to recognise changes to their driving, which may reflect reluctance to acknowledge the impact of cognitive impairment on their driving. Furthermore, the results suggest that driving-related discomfort plays an important role in the self......-regulation of driving among cognitively impaired older drivers. However, it is less clear what triggers driving-related discomfort among cognitively impaired older drivers indicating that it may be a less reliable aspect of their self-monitoring of driving ability....

Safety Education in Driving. 2nd Revision.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

Intended for driving instruction students, this publication contains instructional materials for safety education. It contains six sections on facts and figures; defensive driving; safety devices; restraints; emergency situations; and other highway users. Each section consists of reading material followed by an activity or activities. A total of…

Heavy ion fusion targets; issues for fast ignition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bangerter, Roger O.

2014-01-01

During the last 36 years researchers have suggested and evaluated a large number of target designs for heavy ion inertial fusion. The different target designs can be classified according to their mode of ignition, their method of implosion, and their size. Ignition modes include hot-spot ignition and fast ignition. Methods of implosion include direct drive and indirect drive. Historically there has been significant work on indirectly driven targets with hot-spot ignition. Recently there has been increasing interest in directly driven targets with ion driven fast ignition. In principle, fast ignition might lead to improved target performance. On the other hand, fast ignition imposes stringent requirements on accelerators and beam physics. Furthermore, fast ignition magnifies the importance of a number of traditional target physics issues associated with ion beam energy deposition and fuel preheat. This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the various classes of targets. It will also discuss some issues that must be resolved to assess the feasibility of ion fast ignition

Digitally synthesized high purity, high-voltage radio frequency drive electronics for mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, R. T.; MacAskill, J. A.; Mojarradi, M.; Chutjian, A.; Darrach, M. R.; Madzunkov, S. M.; Shortt, B. J.

2008-09-01

Reported herein is development of a quadrupole mass spectrometer controller (MSC) with integrated radio frequency (rf) power supply and mass spectrometer drive electronics. Advances have been made in terms of the physical size and power consumption of the MSC, while simultaneously making improvements in frequency stability, total harmonic distortion, and spectral purity. The rf power supply portion of the MSC is based on a series-resonant LC tank, where the capacitive load is the mass spectrometer itself, and the inductor is a solenoid or toroid, with various core materials. The MSC drive electronics is based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA), with serial peripheral interface for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converter support, and RS232/RS422 communications interfaces. The MSC offers spectral quality comparable to, or exceeding, that of conventional rf power supplies used in commercially available mass spectrometers; and as well an inherent flexibility, via the FPGA implementation, for a variety of tasks that includes proportional-integral derivative closed-loop feedback and control of rf, rf amplitude, and mass spectrometer sensitivity. Also provided are dc offsets and resonant dipole excitation for mass selective accumulation in applications involving quadrupole ion traps; rf phase locking and phase shifting for external loading of a quadrupole ion trap; and multichannel scaling of acquired mass spectra. The functionality of the MSC is task specific, and is easily modified by simply loading FPGA registers or reprogramming FPGA firmware.

Digitally synthesized high purity, high-voltage radio frequency drive electronics for mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, R T; MacAskill, J A; Mojarradi, M; Chutjian, A; Darrach, M R; Madzunkov, S M; Shortt, B J

2008-09-01

Reported herein is development of a quadrupole mass spectrometer controller (MSC) with integrated radio frequency (rf) power supply and mass spectrometer drive electronics. Advances have been made in terms of the physical size and power consumption of the MSC, while simultaneously making improvements in frequency stability, total harmonic distortion, and spectral purity. The rf power supply portion of the MSC is based on a series-resonant LC tank, where the capacitive load is the mass spectrometer itself, and the inductor is a solenoid or toroid, with various core materials. The MSC drive electronics is based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA), with serial peripheral interface for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converter support, and RS232/RS422 communications interfaces. The MSC offers spectral quality comparable to, or exceeding, that of conventional rf power supplies used in commercially available mass spectrometers; and as well an inherent flexibility, via the FPGA implementation, for a variety of tasks that includes proportional-integral derivative closed-loop feedback and control of rf, rf amplitude, and mass spectrometer sensitivity. Also provided are dc offsets and resonant dipole excitation for mass selective accumulation in applications involving quadrupole ion traps; rf phase locking and phase shifting for external loading of a quadrupole ion trap; and multichannel scaling of acquired mass spectra. The functionality of the MSC is task specific, and is easily modified by simply loading FPGA registers or reprogramming FPGA firmware.

Simulation study on ion extraction from electron cyclotron resonance ion sources

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, S.; Kitagawa, A.; Yamada, S.

1994-04-01

In order to study beam optics of NIRS-ECR ion source used in the HIMAC project, the EGUN code has been modified to make it capable of modeling ion extraction from a plasma. Two versions of the modified code are worked out with two different methods in which 1D and 2D sheath theories are used, respectively. Convergence problem of the strong nonlinear self-consistent equations is investigated. Simulations on NIRS-ECR ion source and HYPER-ECR ion source are presented in this paper, exhibiting an agreement with the experiment results.

A qualitative study of college students' perceptions of risky driving and social influences.

Science.gov (United States)

Watters, Samantha E; Beck, Kenneth H

2016-01-01

Young adults and teens are documented as the riskiest drivers on the road, and newer issues such as texting and driving are a growing concern. This study sought to determine the risk perceptions of young adults regarding various driving behaviors, their past experiences, how their social circles are structured, and how this might affect their driving. This study conducted qualitative research with 25 college undergraduate students to determine their peer and social influences regarding distracted driving. Data were analyzed and related to the health belief model and past research on social influence. Though most participants felt that their behaviors were set after learning to drive, they were, in fact, quite susceptible to the influence of those in their social circles (e.g., fear of judgment and accountability) and, more broadly, to social norms. Texting and driving was the largest and most topical distracted driving issue and was also identified as very difficult to stop due to perceived barriers and the idea that intervening is rude. Participants identified low perceived susceptibility and severity (perceived threat) for a number of risky driving behaviors, including texting and driving. Training is needed to encourage people to intervene and speak up regarding behaviors other than drinking and driving, and cues to action and campaigns should target intervention to increase self-efficacy, as well as norms, susceptibility, and common rationalizations for risky behavior.

Design of a portable artificial heart drive system based on efficiency analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitamura, T

1986-11-01

This paper discusses a computer simulation of a pneumatic portable piston-type artificial heart drive system with a linear d-c-motor. The purpose of the design is to obtain an artificial heart drive system with high efficiency and small dimensions to enhance portability. The design employs two factors contributing the total efficiency of the drive system. First, the dimensions of the pneumatic actuator were optimized under a cost function of the total efficiency. Second, the motor performance was studied in terms of efficiency. More than 50 percent of the input energy of the actuator with practical loads is consumed in the armature circuit in all linear d-c-motors with brushes. An optimal design is: the piston cross-sectional area of 10.5 cm2 cylinder longitudinal length of 10 cm. The total efficiency could be up to 25 percent by improving the gasket to reduce the frictional force.

Epidemiology of Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving: A Study from a South Indian City.

Science.gov (United States)

Majgi, Sumanth Mallikarjuna; AiswaryaLakshmi, A S

2018-01-01

Using cell phones while driving contribute to distractions which can potentially cause minor or major road traffic injuries and also stress among other drivers. With this background, the study was done to ascertain the proportion of handheld cell phone use while driving among road users in Mysore city and also patterns of the use by the day of week, type of road, and type of vehicle. The study was conducted in Mysore, Karnataka, India. Four stretches of roads were observed thrice daily for 1 week. The total number of vehicles passing through the stretch and the number and characteristics of drivers using hand-held cell was noted. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to ascertain the significance of the difference in proportions. The overall proportion of cell phone users was calculated as 1.41/100 vehicles. The observed use of handheld cell phones was 1.78 times higher on nonbusy roads than busy roads ( Χ 2 = 25.79, P phone users were driving a two wheeler, the proportion being 50.5% in busy roads, and 67% in nonbusy roads. There was no difference in the proportion of cell phone use by time of the day or across different days of the week. The proportion of drivers who use cell phones is found to be relatively lower, and use of cell phones was higher on nonbusy roads.

Effects of Lane Width, Lane Position and Edge Shoulder Width on Driving Behavior in Underground Urban Expressways: A Driving Simulator Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuo Liu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This study tested the effects of lane width, lane position and edge shoulder width on driving behavior for a three-lane underground urban expressway. A driving simulator was used with 24 volunteer test subjects. Five lane widths (2.85, 3.00, 3.25, 3.50, and 3.75 m and three shoulder widths (0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 m were studied. Driving speed, lane deviation and subjective perception of driving behavior were collected as performance measures. The results show that lane and shoulder width have significant effects on driving speed. Average driving speed increases from 60.01 km/h in the narrowest lane to 88.05 km/h in the widest lane. While both narrower lanes and shoulders result in reduced speed and lateral lane deviation, the effect of lane width is greater than that of shoulder width. When the lane and shoulder are narrow, drivers in the left or right lane tend to shy away from the tunnel wall, even encroaching into the neighboring middle lane. As the lane or shoulder gets wider, drivers tend to stay in the middle of the lane. An interesting finding is that although few participants acknowledged that lane position had any great bearing on their driving behaviors, the observed driving speed is statistically higher in the left lane than in the other two lanes when the lane width is narrow (in 2.85, 3 and 3.25 m lanes. These findings provided support for amending the current design specifications of urban underground roads, such as the relationship between design speed and lane width, speed limit, and combination form of lanes.

Older driver fitness-to-drive evaluation using naturalistic driving data.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Feng; Fang, Youjia; Antin, Jonathan F

2015-09-01

As our driving population continues to age, it is becoming increasingly important to find a small set of easily administered fitness metrics that can meaningfully and reliably identify at-risk seniors requiring more in-depth evaluation of their driving skills and weaknesses. Sixty driver assessment metrics related to fitness-to-drive were examined for 20 seniors who were followed for a year using the naturalistic driving paradigm. Principal component analysis and negative binomial regression modeling approaches were used to develop parsimonious models relating the most highly predictive of the driver assessment metrics to the safety-related outcomes observed in the naturalistic driving data. This study provides important confirmation using naturalistic driving methods of the relationship between contrast sensitivity and crash-related events. The results of this study provide crucial information on the continuing journey to identify metrics and protocols that could be applied to determine seniors' fitness to drive. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Post and during event effect of cell phone talking and texting on driving performance--a driving simulator study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, Raju; Codjoe, Julius; Ishak, Sherif; McCarter, Kevin S

2015-01-01

A number of studies have been done in the field of driver distraction, specifically on the use of cell phone for either conversation or texting while driving. Researchers have focused on the driving performance of drivers when they were actually engaged in the task; that is, during the texting or phone conversation event. However, it is still unknown whether the impact of cell phone usages ceases immediately after the end of task. The primary objective of this article is to analyze the post-event effect of cell phone usage (texting and conversation) in order to verify whether the distracting effect lingers after the actual event has ceased. This study utilizes a driving simulator study of 36 participants to test whether a significant decrease in driver performance occurs during cell phone usage and after usage. Surrogate measures used to represent lateral and longitudinal control of the vehicle were standard deviation (SD) of lane position and mean velocity, respectively. RESULTS suggest that there was no significant decrease in driver performance (both lateral and longitudinal control) during and after the cell phone conversation. For the texting event, there were significant decreases in driver performance in both the longitudinal and lateral control of the vehicle during the actual texting task. The diminished longitudinal control ceased immediately after the texting event but the diminished lateral control lingered for an average of 3.38 s. The number of text messages exchanged did not affect the magnitude or duration of the diminished lateral control. The result indicates that the distraction and subsequent elevated crash risk of texting while driving linger even after the texting event has ceased. This finding has safety and policy implications in reducing distracted driving.

Accelerator and Ion Beam Tradeoffs for Studies of Warm Dense Matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnard, J.J.; Briggs, R.J.; Callahan, D.A.; Davidson, R.C.; Friedman, A.; Grisham, L.; Lee, E.P.; Lee, R.W.; Logan, B.G.; Olson, C.L.; Rose, D.V.; Santhanam, P.; Sessler, A.M.; Staples, J.W.; Tabak, M.; Welch, D.R.; Wurtele, J.S.; Yu, S.S.

2006-01-01

One approach for heating a target to ''Warm Dense Matter'' conditions (similar, for example, to the interiors of giant planets or certain stages in inertial confinement fusion targets), is to use intense ion beams as the heating source (see refs.[6] and [7] and references therein for motivation and accelerator concepts). By consideration of ion beam phase-space constraints, both at the injector, and at the final focus, and consideration of simple equations of state and relations for ion stopping, approximate conditions at the target foil may be calculated. Thus, target temperature and pressure may be calculated as a function of ion mass, ion energy, pulse duration, velocity tilt, and other accelerator parameters. We connect some of these basic parameters to help search the extensive parameter space including ion mass, ion energy, total charge in beam pulse, beam emittance, target thickness and density

Scrolling and driving: how an MP3 player and its aftermarket controller affect driving performance and visual behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, John D; Roberts, Shannon C; Hoffman, Joshua D; Angell, Linda S

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess how scrolling through playlists on an MP3 player or its aftermarket controller affects driving performance and to examine how drivers adapt device use to driving demands. Drivers use increasingly complex infotainment devices that can undermine driving performance. The goal activation hypothesis suggests that drivers might fail to compensate for these demands, particularly with long tasks and large search set sizes. A total of 50 participants searched for songs in playlists of varying lengths using either an MP3 player or an aftermarket controller while negotiating road segments with traffic and construction in a medium-fidelity driving simulator. Searching through long playlists (580 songs) resulted in poor driving performance and required more long glances (longer than 2 s) to the device compared with other playlist lengths. The aftermarket controller also led to more long glances compared with the MP3 player. Drivers did not adequately adapt their behavior to roadway demand, as evident in their degraded driving performance. No significant performance differences were found between short playlists, the radio-tuning task, and the no-task condition. Selecting songs from long playlists undermined driving performance, and drivers did not sufficiently adapt their use of the device to the roadway demands, consistent with the goal activation hypothesis. The aftermarket controller degraded rather than enhanced performance. Infotainment systems should support drivers in managing distraction. Aftermarket controllers can have the unintended effect of making devices carried into the car less compatible with driving.These results can motivate development of new interfaces as alternatives to scrolling lists.

A Study on the Ion Beam Extraction using Duo-PiGatron Ion source for Vertical Type Ion Beam Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Bom Sok; Lee, Chan young; Lee, Jae Sang [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

In Korea Multipurpose Accelerator Complex (KOMAC), we have started ion beam service in the new beam utilization building since March this year. For various ion beam irradiation services, we are developed implanters such as metal (150keV/1mA), gaseous (200keV/5mA) and high current ion beam facility (20keV/150mA). One of the new one is a vertical type ion beam facility without acceleration tube (60keV/20mA) which is easy to install the sample. After the installation is complete, it is where you are studying the optimal ion beam extraction process. Detailed experimental results will be presented. Vertical Type Ion Beam Facility without acceleration tube of 60keV 20mA class was installed. We successfully extracted 60keV 20mA using Duo- PiGatron Ion source for Vertical Type Ion Beam Facility. Use the BPM and Faraday-cup, is being studied the optimum conditions of ion beam extraction.

In-situ TEM studies of microstructure evolution under ion irradiation for nuclear engineering applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaoumi, D.

2011-01-01

One of the difficulties of studying processes occurring under irradiation (in a reactor environment) is the lack of kinetics information since usually samples are examined ex situ (i.e. after irradiation) so that only snapshots of the process are available. Given the dynamic nature of the phenomena, direct in situ observation is invaluable for better understanding the mechanisms, kinetics and driving forces of the processes involved. This can be done using in situ ion irradiation in a TEM at the IVEM facility at Argonne National Laboratory which, in the USA, is a unique facility. To predict the in reactor behavior of alloys, it is essential to understand the basic mechanisms of radiation damage formation (loop density, defect interactions) and accumulation (loop evolution, precipitation or dissolution of second phases etc.). In-situ Ion-irradiation in a TEM has proven a very good tool for that purpose as it allows for the direct determination of the formation and evolution of irradiation-induced damage and the spatial correlation of the defect structures with the pre-existing microstructure (including lath boundaries, network dislocations and carbides) as a function of dose, dose rate, temperature and ion type. Using this technique, different aspects of microstructure evolution under irradiation were studied, such as defect cluster formation and evolution as a function of dose in advanced Ferritic/Martensitic (F/M) steels, the irradiation stability of precipitates in Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steels, and irradiation-induced grain-growth. Such studies will be reported in this presentation

Determination of the total concentration and speciation of metal ions in river, estuarine and seawater samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Alberti, Giancarla; Biesuz, Raffaela; Pesavento, Maria

2008-12-01

Different natural water samples were investigated to determine the total concentration and the distribution of species for Cu(II), Pb(II), Al(III) and U(VI). The proposed method, named resin titration (RT), was developed in our laboratory to investigate the distribution of species for metal ions in complex matrices. It is a competition method, in which a complexing resin competes with natural ligands present in the sample to combine with the metal ions. In the present paper, river, estuarine and seawater samples, collected during a cruise in Adriatic Sea, were investigated. For each sample, two RTs were performed, using different complexing resins: the iminodiacetic Chelex 100 and the carboxylic Amberlite CG50. In this way, it was possible to detect different class of ligands. Satisfactory results have been obtained and are commented on critically. They were summarized by principal component analysis (PCA) and the correlations with physicochemical parameters allowed one to follow the evolution of the metals along the considered transect. It should be pointed out that, according to our findings, the ligands responsible for metal ions complexation are not the major components of the water system, since they form considerably weaker complexes.

Subjective responses of mental workload during real time driving: A pilot field study

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, N. I. A.; Dawal, S. Z. M.; Yusoff, N.

2017-06-01

This study evaluated drivers’ mental workload in real time driving to identify the driving situation’s complexity influences in an attempt to further design on a complete experimental study. Three driving settings were prepared: Session A (simple situation); Session B (moderately complex situation); Session C (very complex situation). To determine the mental workload, the NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) was administered to four drivers after each experimental driving session. The results showed that the Own Performance (OP) was the highest for session A (highway), while Physical Demand (PD) recorded the highest mean workload score across the session B (rural road) and C (city road). Based on the overall results of the study, it can be concluded that the highway is less demanding compared to rural and city road. It can be highlighted in this study that in the rural and city road driving situation, the timing must be set correctly to assure the relevant traffic density. Thus, the sensitivity of the timing must be considered in the future experiment. A larger number of experience drivers must be used in evaluating the driving situations to provide results that can be used to draw more realistic experiments and conclusions.

Comparing Expert and Novice Driving Behavior in a Driving Simulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiran B. Ekanayake

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a study focused on comparing driving behavior of expert and novice drivers in a mid-range driving simulator with the intention of evaluating the validity of driving simulators for driver training. For the investigation, measurements of performance, psychophysiological measurements, and self-reported user experience under different conditions of driving tracks and driving sessions were analyzed. We calculated correlations between quantitative and qualitative measures to enhance the reliability of the findings. The experiment was conducted involving 14 experienced drivers and 17 novice drivers. The results indicate that driving behaviors of expert and novice drivers differ from each other in several ways but it heavily depends on the characteristics of the task. Moreover, our belief is that the analytical framework proposed in this paper can be used as a tool for selecting appropriate driving tasks as well as for evaluating driving performance in driving simulators.

Cognitive problems, self-rated changes in driving skills, driving-related discomfort and self-regulation of driving in old drivers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meng, Annette; Siren, Anu Kristiina

2012-01-01

Ageing in general is associated with functional decline that may have an adverse effect on driving. Nevertheless, older drivers have been found to show good judgement and to self-regulate their driving, which may enable them to continue driving safely despite functional decline. The process...... of the self-monitoring of driving ability and the awareness of functional decline, and its association with the self-regulation of driving is, however, not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to examine the perceived changes in driving skills, the discomfort experienced in driving, and the self......-related discomfort is an important factor affecting the self-regulation of driving. Finally, the findings indicate that driving-related discomfort functions as an indirect self-monitoring of driving ability and may contribute to the safe driving performance of Danish older drivers....

Study of a new mechanism of reaction between heavy ions: the quasi-fission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ngo, Christian.

1975-01-01

A new type of deep inelastic reaction between two heavy ions (quasi-fission) has been discovered and studied when the product Z 1 Z 2 between the two ion atomic numbers is greater than or approximately equal to 1500. This mechanism is mainly binary, the total kinetic energy of the products is the one expected for a binary fission giving the same products, most of the products have masses very close to the initial masses, the angular distribution of the light products is peaked slightly forwards the projectile grazing angle (when the bombarding energy is not too much above the interaction barrier), at last, the total cross section for this process is a large part of the total reaction cross section. These results have been interpreted on the one hand using a static model and on the other hand using a dynamic model. An interaction potential between the two heavy ions has been derived using the energy density formalism within the framework of the sudden approximation. It has been shown that the nuclear part satisfies a scaling law which allows to factorize it in one term which depends on the two ion masses and another term which is independent of the system (universal function). Using the critical distance notion, the static calculations reproduce the quasi-fission cross sections. With regards to the dynamical calculations, the previously described potential has been introduced within the framework of Deubler and Dietrich's model. It is a classical dynamical calculation including dissipative terms. The vibration degrees of freedom of each ion have been explicitely taken into account. This calculation nicely reproduces both the energy loss in the relative motion, the focusing effect of the angular distribution, and the quasi-fission cross sections [fr

Driving Simulator Development and Performance Study

OpenAIRE

Juto, Erik

2010-01-01

The driving simulator is a vital tool for much of the research performed at theSwedish National Road and Transport Institute (VTI). Currently VTI posses three driving simulators, two high fidelity simulators developed and constructed by VTI, and a medium fidelity simulator from the German company Dr.-Ing. Reiner Foerst GmbH. The two high fidelity simulators run the same simulation software, developed at VTI. The medium fidelity simulator runs a proprietary simulation software. At VTI there is...

Towards fully non-inductive current drive operation in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litaudon, X.; Crisanti, F.; Alper, B.

2002-01-01

Quasi-steady operation has been achieved at JET in the high-confinement regime with internal transport barriers (ITBs). The ITB has been maintained up to 11 s. This duration, much larger than the energy confinement time, is already approaching a current resistive time. The high-performance phase is limited only by plant constraints. The radial profiles of the thermal electron and ion pressures have steep gradients typically at mid-plasma radius. A large fraction of non-inductive current (above 80%) is sustained throughout the high-performance phase with a poloidal beta exceeding unity. The safety factor profile plays an important role in sustaining the ITB characteristics. In this regime where the self-generated bootstrap current (up to 1.0 MA) represents 50% of the total current, the resistive evolution of the non-monotonic q-profile is slowed down by using off-axis lower-hybrid current drive. (author)

Towards fully non-inductive current drive operation in JET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Litaudon, X.; Crisanti, F.; Alper, B.

2002-01-01

Quasi steady operation has been achieved at JET in the high confinement regime with Internal Transport Barriers, ITBs. The ITBs' performances are maintained up to 11 s. This duration, much larger than the energy confinement time, is already approaching a current resistive time. The high performance phase is limited only by plant constraints. The radial profiles of the thermal electron and ion pressures have steep gradients typically at mid-plasma radius. A large fraction of non-inductive current (above 80%) is sustained throughout the high performance phase with a poloidal beta exceeding unity. The safety factor profile plays an important role in sustaining the ITB characteristics. In this regime where the self-generated bootstrap current (up to LOMA) represents 50% of the total current, the resistive evolution of the non-monotonic q-profile is slowed down by using off-axis lower hybrid current drive. (authors)

Towards fully non-inductive current drive operation in JET

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Litaudon, X. [Association Euratom-CEA Cadarache, Dept. de Recherches sur la Fusion Controlee, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Crisanti, F. [Association Euratom-ENEA sulla Fusione, Centro Ricerche Frascati (Italy); Alper, B. [Euratom-UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon (United Kingdom)] [and others

2002-01-01

Quasi steady operation has been achieved at JET in the high confinement regime with Internal Transport Barriers, ITBs. The ITBs' performances are maintained up to 11 s. This duration, much larger than the energy confinement time, is already approaching a current resistive time. The high performance phase is limited only by plant constraints. The radial profiles of the thermal electron and ion pressures have steep gradients typically at mid-plasma radius. A large fraction of non-inductive current (above 80%) is sustained throughout the high performance phase with a poloidal beta exceeding unity. The safety factor profile plays an important role in sustaining the ITB characteristics. In this regime where the self-generated bootstrap current (up to LOMA) represents 50% of the total current, the resistive evolution of the non-monotonic q-profile is slowed down by using off-axis lower hybrid current drive. (authors)

A pilot study of the effects of atomoxetine on driving performance in adults with ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Barkley, Russell A; Anderson, Deborah L; Kruesi, Markus

2007-02-01

There is a high risk of vehicular crashes, traffic citations, and poorer driving performance in adults with ADHD. This pilot study examines the value of a new nonstimulant (atomoxetine) for improving the driving performance of adults with ADHD. Atomoxetine (1.2 mg/kg daily for 3 weeks) and a placebo are studied on 18 adults with ADHD (M age = 37 years) using ratings of ADHD symptoms, impairment, and safe driving behavior; a virtual reality driving simulator; and ratings of simulator performance. Atomoxetine improves self-ratings of ADHD symptoms, impairments, safe driving behavior, and simulator driving performance. No effects of atomoxetine are evident on others' ratings of driving behavior or on the simulator. Practice effects on the simulator may have obscured those drug effects. The authors find a mixed pattern of results such that atomoxetine warrants further study for its effects on driving in this high-risk population.

Self-rated driving and driving safety in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Lesley A; Dodson, Joan E; Edwards, Jerri D; Ackerman, Michelle L; Ball, Karlene

2012-09-01

Many U.S. states rely on older adults to self-regulate their driving and determine when driving is no longer a safe option. However, the relationship of older adults' self-rated driving in terms of actual driving competency outcomes is unclear. The current study investigates self-rated driving in terms of (1) systematic differences between older adults with high (good/excellent) versus low (poor/fair/average) self-ratings, and (2) the predictive nature of self-rated driving to adverse driving outcomes in older adults (n=350; mean age 73.9, SD=5.25, range 65-91). Adverse driving outcomes included self-reported incidences of (1) being pulled over by the police, (2) receiving a citation, (3) receiving a recommendation to cease or limit driving, (4) crashes, and (5) state-reported crashes. Results found that older drivers with low self-ratings reported more medical conditions, less driving frequency, and had been given more suggestions to stop/limit their driving; there were no other significant differences between low and high self-raters. Logistic regression revealed older drivers were more likely to have a state-reported crash and receive a suggestion to stop or limit driving. Men were more likely to report all adverse driving outcomes except for receiving a suggestion to stop or limit driving. Regarding self-rated driving, older adults with high ratings were 66% less likely (OR=0.34, 95% CI=0.14-0.85) to have received suggestions to limit or stop driving after accounting for demographics, health and driving frequency. Self-ratings were not predictive of other driving outcomes (being pulled over by the police, receiving a citation, self-reported crashes, or state-reported crashes, ps>0.05). Most older drivers (85.14%) rated themselves as either good or excellent drivers regardless of their actual previous citation or crash rates. Self-rated driving is likely not related to actual driving proficiency as indicated by previous crash involvement in older adults

Determination of human and Sprague-Dawley rat trimethylseleonium ion and total selenium urine concentrations from endogenous body selenium pool by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blotcky, A.J.; Claassen, J.P.; Rack, E.P.

1992-01-01

This study determined trimethylselenonium ion [TMSe,(CH 3 ) 3 Se + ] and total organic selenium cationic species urinary excretion values for healthy human subjects and Sprague-Dawley rats fed regular diets. The only source of TMSe was from the endogenous selenium body pool. Total selenium concentration in urine was determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. TMSe and total selenium cationic species concentrations and percent of total selenium urine excretion were determined by chemical neutron activation analysis and coupled anion-cation exchange chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography, respectively. Within experimental error, mean values for TMSe and cationic species as percent selenium were comparable for both human subjects and Sprague-Dawley rats. This study suggested that TMSe excreated in urine by healthy human subjects and Sprague-Dawley rats fed a normal diet is not a minor but a general metabolite of selenium ingested in a normal diet. (author) 27 refs.; 1 fig.; 2 tabs

Aggression, emotional self-regulation, attentional bias, and cognitive inhibition predict risky driving behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Sani, Susan Raouf Hadadi; Tabibi, Zahra; Fadardi, Javad Salehi; Stavrinos, Despina

2017-12-01

The present study explored whether aggression, emotional regulation, cognitive inhibition, and attentional bias towards emotional stimuli were related to risky driving behavior (driving errors, and driving violations). A total of 117 applicants for taxi driver positions (89% male, M age=36.59years, SD=9.39, age range 24-62years) participated in the study. Measures included the Ahwaz Aggression Inventory, the Difficulties in emotion regulation Questionnaire, the emotional Stroop task, the Go/No-go task, and the Driving Behavior Questionnaire. Correlation and regression analyses showed that aggression and emotional regulation predicted risky driving behavior. Difficulties in emotion regulation, the obstinacy and revengeful component of aggression, attentional bias toward emotional stimuli, and cognitive inhibition predicted driving errors. Aggression was the only significant predictive factor for driving violations. In conclusion, aggression and difficulties in regulating emotions may exacerbate risky driving behaviors. Deficits in cognitive inhibition and attentional bias toward negative emotional stimuli can increase driving errors. Predisposition to aggression has strong effect on making one vulnerable to violation of traffic rules and crashes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ion cyclotron system design for KSTAR tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, B. G.; Hwang, C. K.; Jeong, S. H.; Yoony, J. S.; Bae, Y. D.; Kwak, J. G.; Ju, M. H.

1998-05-01

The KSTAR (Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) tokamak (R=1.8 m, a=0.5 m, k=2, b=3.5T, I=2MA, t=300 s) is being constructed to do long-pulse, high-b, advanced-operating-mode fusion physics experiments. The ion cyclotron (IC) system (in conjunction with an 8-MW neutral beam and a 1.5-MW lower hybrid system) will provide heating and current drive capability for the machine. The IC system will deliver 6 MW of RF power to the plasma in the 25 to 60 MHz frequency range, using a single four-strap antenna mounted in a midplane port. It will be used for ion heating, fast-wave current drive (FWCD), and mode-conversion current drive (MCCD). The phasing between current straps in the antenna will be adjustable quickly during operation to provide the capability of changing the current-drive efficiency. This report describes the design of the IC system hardware: the electrical characteristics of the antenna and the matching system, the requirements on the power sources, and electrical analyses of the launcher. (author). 7 refs., 2 tabs., 40 figs

Ion cyclotron system design for KSTAR tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, B. G.; Hwang, C. K.; Jeong, S. H.; Yoony, J. S.; Bae, Y. D.; Kwak, J. G.; Ju, M. H

1998-05-01

The KSTAR (Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) tokamak (R=1.8 m, a=0.5 m, k=2, b=3.5T, I=2MA, t=300 s) is being constructed to do long-pulse, high-b, advanced-operating-mode fusion physics experiments. The ion cyclotron (IC) system (in conjunction with an 8-MW neutral beam and a 1.5-MW lower hybrid system) will provide heating and current drive capability for the machine. The IC system will deliver 6 MW of RF power to the plasma in the 25 to 60 MHz frequency range, using a single four-strap antenna mounted in a midplane port. It will be used for ion heating, fast-wave current drive (FWCD), and mode-conversion current drive (MCCD). The phasing between current straps in the antenna will be adjustable quickly during operation to provide the capability of changing the current-drive efficiency. This report describes the design of the IC system hardware: the electrical characteristics of the antenna and the matching system, the requirements on the power sources, and electrical analyses of the launcher. (author). 7 refs., 2 tabs., 40 figs.

Test-retest reliability of the driving habits questionnaire in older self-driving adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Chiang-Soon; Chun, Byung-Yoon; Chung, Hyun-Sook

2015-11-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the test-retest reliability of the Driving Habits Questionnaire in community-dwelling older self-drivers. [Subjects and Methods] Seventy-four participants were recruited by convenience sampling from local rehabilitation centers. This was a cross-sectional study design that used two clinical measures: the Driving Habits Questionnaire and Mini-mental State Examination. To examine the test-retest reliability of the Driving Habits Questionnaire, the clinical tool was measured twice, five days apart. [Results] The Driving Habits Questionnaire showed good reliability for older community-dwelling self-drivers. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the four domains of dependence (0.572), difficulty (0.871), crashes and citations (0.689), and driving space (0.961) of the Driving Habits Questionnaire indicated good or high internal consistency. Driving difficulty correlated significantly with self-reported crashes and citations and driving space. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that the Driving Habits Questionnaire is a reliable measure of self-reported interview-based driving behavior in the community-dwelling elderly.

Highly automated driving, secondary task performance, and driver state.

Science.gov (United States)

Merat, Natasha; Jamson, A Hamish; Lai, Frank C H; Carsten, Oliver

2012-10-01

A driving simulator study compared the effect of changes in workload on performance in manual and highly automated driving. Changes in driver state were also observed by examining variations in blink patterns. With the addition of a greater number of advanced driver assistance systems in vehicles, the driver's role is likely to alter in the future from an operator in manual driving to a supervisor of highly automated cars. Understanding the implications of such advancements on drivers and road safety is important. A total of 50 participants were recruited for this study and drove the simulator in both manual and highly automated mode. As well as comparing the effect of adjustments in driving-related workload on performance, the effect of a secondary Twenty Questions Task was also investigated. In the absence of the secondary task, drivers' response to critical incidents was similar in manual and highly automated driving conditions. The worst performance was observed when drivers were required to regain control of driving in the automated mode while distracted by the secondary task. Blink frequency patterns were more consistent for manual than automated driving but were generally suppressed during conditions of high workload. Highly automated driving did not have a deleterious effect on driver performance, when attention was not diverted to the distracting secondary task. As the number of systems implemented in cars increases, an understanding of the implications of such automation on drivers' situation awareness, workload, and ability to remain engaged with the driving task is important.

Inertial Fusion Driven By Intense Heavy-Ion Beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharp, W.M.; Friedman, A.; Grote, D.P.; Barnard, J.J.; Cohen, R.H.; Dorf, M.A.; Lund, S.M.; Perkins, L.J.; Terry, M.R.; Logan, B.G.; Bieniosek, F.M.; Faltens, A.; Henestroza, E.; Jung, J.Y.; Kwan, J.W.; Lee, E.P.; Lidia, S.M.; Ni, P.A.; Reginato, L.L.; Roy, P.K.; Seidl, P.A.; Takakuwa, J.H.; Vay, J.-L.; Waldron, W.L.; Davidson, R.C.; Gilson, E.P.; Kaganovich, I.D.; Qin, H.; Startsev, E.; Haber, I.; Kishek, R.A.; Koniges, A.E.

2011-01-01

Intense heavy-ion beams have long been considered a promising driver option for inertial-fusion energy production. This paper briefly compares inertial confinement fusion (ICF) to the more-familiar magnetic-confinement approach and presents some advantages of using beams of heavy ions to drive ICF instead of lasers. Key design choices in heavy-ion fusion (HIF) facilities are discussed, particularly the type of accelerator. We then review experiments carried out at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) over the past thirty years to understand various aspects of HIF driver physics. A brief review follows of present HIF research in the US and abroad, focusing on a new facility, NDCX-II, being built at LBNL to study the physics of warm dense matter heated by ions, as well as aspects of HIF target physics. Future research directions are briefly summarized.

Utilization of ion source 'SUPERSHYPIE' in the study of low energy ion-atom and ion-molecule collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazin, V.; Boduch, P.; Chesnel, J.Y.; Fremont, F.; Lecler, D.; Pacquet, J. Y.; Gaubert, G.; Leroy, R.

1999-01-01

Modifications in the ECR 4M ion source are described, which conducted to realization of the advanced source 'SUPERSHYPIE'. The Ar 8+ ion collision with Cs(6s,6p) were studied by photon spectroscopy at low energy, where the process is dominated by simple electron capture. Results obtained with 'SUPERSHYPIE' source are presented. The source was utilized also in ion-molecule collisions (CO, H 2 ) to study the spectra of recoil ions and Auger electron spectra in the Ar 17+ He collisions. The excellent performances of 'SUPERSHYPIE' in high charge production and concerning its accurate and fine control and stability are illustrated and underlined as compared with those of ECR 4M source

Does automatic transmission improve driving behavior in older drivers?

Science.gov (United States)

Selander, Helena; Bolin, Ingrid; Falkmer, Torbjörn

2012-01-01

Most older drivers continue to drive as they age. To maintain safe and independent transport, mobility is important for all individuals, but especially for older drivers. The objective of this study was to investigate whether automatic transmission, compared with manual transmission, may improve the driving behavior of older drivers. In total, 31 older drivers (mean age 75.2 years) and 32 younger drivers - used as a control group (mean age 39.2 years) - were assessed twice on the same fixed route; once in a car with manual transmission and once in a car with automatic transmission. The cars were otherwise identical. The driving behavior was assessed with the Ryd On-Road Assessment driving protocol. Time to completion of left turns (right-hand side driving) and the impact of a distraction task were measured. The older group had more driving errors than the younger group, in both the manual and the automatic transmission car. However, and contrary to the younger drivers, automatic transmission improved the older participants' driving behavior as demonstrated by safer speed adjustment in urban areas, greater maneuvering skills, safer lane position and driving in accordance with the speed regulations. Switching to automatic transmission may be recommended for older drivers as a means to maintain safe driving and thereby the quality of their transport mobility. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A qualitative exploration of driving stress and driving discourtesy.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott-Parker, B; Jones, C M; Rune, K; Tucker, J

2018-05-31

Driving courtesy, and conversely driving discourtesy, recently has been of great interest in the public domain. In addition, there has been increasing recognition of the negative impact of stress upon the individual's health and wellbeing, with a plethora of interventions aimed at minimising stress more generally. The research literature regarding driving dis/courtesy, in comparison, is scant, with a handful of studies examining the dis/courteous driving behaviour of road users, and the relationship between driving discourtesy and driving stress. To examine courteous and discourteous driving experiences, and to explore the impact of stress associated with such driving experiences. Thirty-eight drivers (20 females) from the Sunshine Coast region volunteered to participate in one of four 1-1.5 h focus groups. Content analysis used the verbatim utterances captured via an Mp3 device. Three themes pertaining to stressful and discourteous interactions were identified. Theme one pertained to the driving context: road infrastructure (eg, roundabouts, roadwork), vehicles (eg, features), location (eg, country vs city, unfamiliar areas), and temporal aspects (eg, holidays). Theme two pertained to other road users: their behaviour (eg, tailgating, merging), and unknown factors (eg, illicit and licit drug use). Theme three pertained to the self as road user: their own behaviours (eg, deliberate intimidation), and their emotions (eg, angry reaction to other drivers, being in control). Driving dis/courtesy and driving stress is a complex phenomenon, suggesting complex intervention efforts are required. Driving discourtesy was reported as being highly stressful, therefore intervention efforts which encourage driving courtesy and which foster emotional capacity to cope with stressful circumstances appear warranted. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

HARMONIC DRIVE SELECTION

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Piotr FOLĘGA

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The variety of types and sizes currently in production harmonic drive is a problem in their rational choice. Properly selected harmonic drive must meet certain requirements during operation, and achieve the anticipated service life. The paper discusses the problems associated with the selection of the harmonic drive. It also presents the algorithm correct choice of harmonic drive. The main objective of this study was to develop a computer program that allows the correct choice of harmonic drive by developed algorithm.

Acetabular bone density and metal ions after metal-on-metal versus metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty; short-term results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zijlstra, Wierd P.; van der Veen, Hugo C.; van den Akker-Scheek, Inge; Zee, Mark J. M.; Bulstra, Sjoerd K.; van Raay, Jos J. A. M.

Information on periprosthetic acetabular bone density is lacking for metal-on-metal total hip arthroplasties. These bearings use cobalt-chromium instead of titanium acetabular components, which could lead to stress shielding and hence periprosthetic bone loss. Cobalt and chromium ions have

Risky Driving Behaviours among Medical Students in Erbil, Iraq

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Nazar P. Shabila

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study aimed to assess risky driving behaviours among medical students in Erbil, Iraq, and to explore the relationship between risky driving behaviours and perceptions of risky driving. Methods: This self-administered questionnaire-based survey was conducted from January to May 2014 among a random sample of 400 medical students at Hawler Medical University in Erbil. The questionnaire was designed to assess the frequency of engagement in 21 risky driving behaviours, the perceived risk of each behaviour and the preference for each behaviour as ranked on a 5-point scale. Results: A total of 386 students responded to the survey (response rate: 96.5%. Of these, 211 reported that they currently drove a vehicle (54.7%. Drivers most frequently engaged in the following behaviours: playing loud music (35.9%, speeding (30.4%, allowing front seat passengers to not wear seat belts (27.9% and using mobile phones (27.7%. Least frequent driving behaviours included not stopping at a red light (3.9%, driving while sleepy (4.4%, driving after a mild to moderate intake of alcohol (4.5% and drunk driving (6.4%. Mean risky driving behaviour scores were significantly higher among males (P 20-year-olds (P = 0.028. There was a significant positive relationship between the preference for risky behaviours and risky driving behaviours (beta = 0.44; P <0.001. Conclusion: Medical students in Erbil reported high frequencies of several serious risky driving behaviours. The preference for risky behaviours was found to be an important predictor of risky driving behaviours among medical students in Erbil.

Epidemiology of Handheld Cell Phone Use While Driving: A Study from a South Indian City

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Sumanth Mallikarjuna Majgi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Using cell phones while driving contribute to distractions which can potentially cause minor or major road traffic injuries and also stress among other drivers. With this background, the study was done to ascertain the proportion of handheld cell phone use while driving among road users in Mysore city and also patterns of the use by the day of week, type of road, and type of vehicle. Methods: The study was conducted in Mysore, Karnataka, India. Four stretches of roads were observed thrice daily for 1 week. The total number of vehicles passing through the stretch and the number and characteristics of drivers using hand-held cell was noted. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to ascertain the significance of the difference in proportions. Results: The overall proportion of cell phone users was calculated as 1.41/100 vehicles. The observed use of handheld cell phones was 1.78 times higher on nonbusy roads than busy roads (Χ2 = 25.79, P < 0.0001. More than 50% of the handheld phone users were driving a two wheeler, the proportion being 50.5% in busy roads, and 67% in nonbusy roads. There was no difference in the proportion of cell phone use by time of the day or across different days of the week. Conclusions: The proportion of drivers who use cell phones is found to be relatively lower, and use of cell phones was higher on nonbusy roads.

Study of Ca-ATMP precipitation in the presence of magnesium ion.

Science.gov (United States)

Tantayakom, V; Fogler, H Scott; de Moraes, F F; Bualuang, M; Chavadej, S; Malakul, P

2004-03-16

ATMP (aminotri(methylenephosphonic acid)), a phosphonate scale inhibitor used in the petroleum industry, was used as a model scale inhibitor in this study. One of the goals of this work was to determine the range of conditions under which Mg ions, which are formed in reservoir formations containing dolomite, modulate the formation of Ca-ATMP precipitate as a scale inhibitor. The results revealed that the amount of ATMP precipitated decreased with addition of Mg ions in solution at all values of the solution pH. Furthermore, an increase in both the solution pH and the concentration of the divalent cations in solution resulted in a change of the molar ratio of (Ca + Mg) to ATMP in the precipitates. At a low solution pH (pH 1.5), Mg ions had little effect on the composition of the Ca-ATMP precipitate. However, at higher values of the solution pH (pH 4 and 7), the Ca to ATMP molar ratio in the precipitates decreased with increasing concentration of the Mg. Here it was found that Mg ions replaced Ca ions on available reactive sites of ATMP molecules. These results determined the limits of the Mg ion concentration, which affects the precipitation of Ca-ATMP, Mg-ATMP, and (Ca + Mg)-ATMP. The dissolution of the scale inhibitors was studied using a rotating disk reactor. These experiments showed that the total divalent cation molar ratio (Ca + Mg) to ATMP in the precipitates is the primary factor that controls the rate of dissolution (release) of the phosphonate precipitates. The phosphonate precipitate dissolution rates decreased as the molar ratio of divalent cations to ATMP in the precipitates increased.

Effect of driving voltage polarity on dynamic response characteristics of electrowetting liquid lens

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Xie; Ning, Zhang; Rong-Qing, Xu

2018-05-01

A test device is developed for studying the dynamic process of an electrowetting liquid lens. By analyzing the light signals through the liquid lens, the dynamical properties of the lens are investigated. In our experiment, three types of pulse, i.e., sine, bipolar pulse, and single pulse signals, are employed to drive the liquid lens, and the dynamic characteristics of the lens are subsequently analyzed. The results show that the positive and negative polarities of the driving voltage can cause a significant difference in the response of the liquid lens; meanwhile, the lens’s response to the negative polarity of the driving voltage is clearer. We use the theory of charge restraint to explain this phenomenon, and it is concluded that the negative ions are more easily restrained by a dielectric layer. This work gives direct guidance for practical applications based on an electrowetting liquid lens.

Progress towards polar-drive ignition for the NIF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCrory, R.L.; Betti, R.; Boehly, T.R.; Collins, T.J.B.; Craxton, R.S.; Delettrez, J.A.; Edgell, D.H.; Epstein, R.; Froula, D.H.; Glebov, V.Yu.; Goncharov, V.N.; Harding, D.R.; Hohenberger, M.; Hu, S.X.; Igumenshchev, I.V.; Kessler, T.J.; Knauer, J.P.; Casey, D.T.; Frenje, J.A.; Gatu-Johnson, M.

2013-01-01

The University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) performs direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research. LLE's Omega Laser Facility is used to study direct-drive ICF ignition concepts, developing an understanding of the underlying physics that feeds into the design of ignition targets for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The baseline symmetric-illumination, direct-drive–ignition target design consists of a 1.5 MJ multiple-picket laser pulse that generates four shock waves (similar to the NIF baseline indirect-drive design) and is predicted to produce a one-dimensional (1D) gain of 48. LLE has developed the polar-drive (PD) illumination concept (for NIF beams in the x-ray–drive configuration) to allow the pursuit of direct-drive ignition without significant reconfiguration of the beam paths on the NIF. Some less-invasive changes in the NIF infrastructure will be required, including new phase plates, polarization rotators, and a PD-specific beam-smoothing front end. A suite of PD ignition designs with implosion velocities from 3.5 to 4.3 × 10 7 cm s −1 are predicted to have significant 2D gains (Collins et al 2012 Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 57 155). Verification of the physics basis of these simulations is a major thrust of direct-drive implosion experiments on both OMEGA and the NIF. Many physics issues are being examined with symmetric beam irradiation on OMEGA, varying the implosion parameters over a wide region of design space. Cryogenic deuterium–tritium target experiments with symmetric irradiation have produced areal densities of ∼0.3 g cm −2 , ion temperatures over 3 keV, and neutron yields in excess of 20% of the ‘clean’ 1D predicted value. The inferred Lawson criterion figure of merit (Betti R. et al 2010 Phys. Plasmas 17 058102) has increased from 1.7 atm s (IAEA 2010) to 2.6 atm s. (paper)

Lithium-Ion Battery Cell Cycling and Usage Analysis in a Heavy-Duty Truck Field Study

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Pontus Svens

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents results from a field test performed on commercial power-optimized lithium-ion battery cells cycled on three heavy-duty trucks. The goal with this study was to age battery cells in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV environment and find suitable methods for identifying cell ageing. The battery cells were cycled on in-house developed equipment intended for testing on conventional vehicles by emulating an HEV environment. A hybrid strategy that allows battery usage to vary within certain limits depending on driving patterns was used. This concept allows unobtrusive and low-cost testing of battery cells under realistic conditions. Each truck was equipped with one cell cycling equipment and two battery cells. One cell per vehicle was cycled during the test period while a reference cell on each vehicle experienced the same environmental conditions without being cycled. Differential voltage analysis and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to identify ageing of the tested battery cells. Analysis of driving patterns and battery usage was performed from collected vehicle data and battery cell data.

Atomic physics for fusion plasma spectroscopy; a soft x-ray study of molybdenum ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fournier, K.B.

1996-01-01

Understanding the radiative patterns of the ions of heavy atoms (Z approx-gt 18) is crucial to fusion experiments. The present thesis applies ab initio, relativistic calculations of atomic data to modeling the emission of molybdenum (Z = 42) ions in magnetically confined fusion plasmas. The models are compared to observations made in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak (Plasma Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade. Experimental confirmation of these models allows confidence in calculations of the total molybdenum concentration and quantitative estimates of the total power lost from the plasmas due to molybdenum line radiation. Charge states in the plasma core (Mo 33+ to Mo 29+ ) emit strong x-ray and XUV spectra which allow benchmarking of models for the spatial distribution of highly stripped molybdenum ions; the models only achieve agreement with observations when the rates of indirect ionization and recombination processes are included in the calculation of the charge state distribution of the central molybdenum ions. The total concentration of molybdenum in the core of the plasma is found, and the total power radiated from the plasma core is computed. Observations of line emission from more highly charged molybdenum ions (Mo 36+ to Mo 34+ ) are presented. open-quotes Bulkclose quotes molybdenum charge states (Mo 25+ to Mo 23+ ) emit complicated XUV spectra from a position in the plasma near C-Mod's half radius; spatial profiles of these ions' emission are analyzed. Models for the line-emission spectra of adjacent ions (Mo 28+ to Mo 26+ ) are offered, and the accuracy and limits of ab initio energy level calculations are discussed. open-quotes Edgeclose quotes charge states (Mo 22+ to Mo 15 ) extend to the last closed magnetic flux surface of the C-Mod plasma. The strongest features from these charge states are emitted in a narrow band from ∼70 Angstrom

On Current Drive and Wave Induced Bootstrap Current in Toroidal Plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellsten, T.; Johnson, T.

2008-01-01

A comprehensive treatment of wave-particle interactions in toroidal plasmas including collisional relaxation, applicable to heating or anomalous wave induced transport, has been obtained by using Monte Carlo operators satisfying quasi-neutrality. This approach enables a self-consistent treatment of wave-particle interactions applicable to the banana regime in the neoclassical theory. It allows an extension into a regime with large temperature and density gradients, losses and transport of particles by wave-particle interactions making the method applicable to transport barriers. It is found that at large gradients the relationship between radial electric field, parallel velocity, temperature and density gradient in the neoclassical theory is modified such that coefficient in front of the logarithmic ion temperature gradient, which in the standard neoclassical theory is small and counteracts the electric field caused by the density gradient, now changes sign and contributes to the built up of the radial electric field. The possibility to drive current by absorbing the waves on trapped particles has been studied and how the wave-particle interactions affect the bootstrap current. Two new current drive mechanisms are studied: current drive by wave induced bootstrap current and selective detrapping into passing orbits by directed waves.

Study on the effect of driving cycles on energy efficiency of electric vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ji Fenzhu; Xu Licong [School of Transportation Science and Engineering of Beihang Univ., BJ (China); Wu Zhixin [Tianjin Qing Yuan Electric Vehicle Corp. Ltd., TJ (China)

2009-07-01

The energy usage efficiency of electric vehicles (EVS) and evaluation index of electromotor efficiency were studied. The idea of ''interval usage percentage of energy efficiency'' and ''exertion degree of energy efficiency'' of electromotor was brought forward. The effect of driving cycles on the distribution of running status of electromotor and its efficiency was investigated. The electromotor efficiency and the variety trend of average driving force at different driving cycles were discussed. Based on several typical domestic and foreign driving cycles, the exertion degree of energy efficiency and the whole efficiency of power train on some types of EVS were analyzed and calculated. The result indicates that there is a difference of 9.64% in exertion degree of energy efficiency of electromotor at different driving cycles. The efficiency distribution of electromotor and control system is different, and the average driving force is different, too. That cause the great variety in driving range. The idiographic reference data are provided to the establishment of driving cycles' criterion of EVS in our country. (orig.)

Psychological predictors of eco-driving: A longitudinal study

OpenAIRE

Lauper Elisabeth; Moser Stephanie; Fischer Maja; Matthies Ellen; Kaufmann-Hayoz Ruth

2015-01-01

Eco-driving has well-known positive effects on fuel economy and greenhouse-gas emissions. Moreover, eco-driving reduces road-traffic noise, which is a serious threat to the health and well-being of many people. We investigated the psychological predictors of the adoption of eco-driving from the perspective of road-traffic noise abatement. The data came from 890 car drivers who participated in a longitudinal survey over four months. Specifically, we tested the effects of the intention to preve...

Stressful task increases drive for thinness and bulimia: a laboratory study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra eSassaroli

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The scientific literature has suggested that stress undergirds the development of eating disorders (ED. Therefore, this study explored whether laboratory induced stress increases self-reported drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms measured via self-report. The relationship between control, perfectionism, stress, and cognition related to ED was examined using correlational methodology. 86 participants completed an experimental task using a personal computer. All individuals completed a battery of tests before and after the stressful task. Analyses showed a significant statistical increase in average scores on the drive for thinness and bulimia measured before and after a stressful task, and path analysis revealed two different cognitive models for the mechanism leading to drive for thinness and bulimia. These findings suggest that stress is an important factor in the development of the drive for thinness and bulimia.

Progress of neutral beam R and D for plasma heating and current drive at JAERI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohara, Y.

1995-01-01

Recent progress and future plans regarding development of a high power negative ion source at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) are described. The neutral beam injection system, which is expected to play an important role not only in plasma heating but also in the plasma current drive in the fusion reactor, requires a high power negative ion source which can produce negative deuterium ion beams with current of order 20A at energy above 1MeV. In order to realize such a high power negative ion beam, intensive research and development has been carried out at JAERI since 1984. The negative hydrogen ion beam current of 10A achieved in recent years almost equals the value required for the fusion reactor. With regard to the negative ion acceleration, a high current negative ion beam of 0.2A has been accelerated up to 350keV electrostatically. On the basis of this recent progress, two development plans have been initiated as an intermediate step towards the fusion reactor. One is to develop a 500keV, 10MW negative ion based neutral beam injection system for JT-60U to demonstrate the neutral beam current drive in a high density plasma. The other is to develop a 1MeV, 1A ion source to demonstrate high current negative ion acceleration up to 1MeV. On the basis of this research and development, an efficient and reactor relevant neutral beam injection system will be developed for an experimental fusion reactor such as the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. ((orig.))

Total yield and escape depth of electrons from heavy ion solid interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frischkorn, H.J.; Burkhard, M.; Groenveld, K.O.; Hofmann, D.; Koschar, P.; Latz, R.; Schader, J.

1983-01-01

At high projectile energies ( aboutMeV/U) several mechanisms for electron production are discussed as e.g. direct ionization collisions, recoil particle cascades, collective electron emission. Results are presented of total electron yield (#betta#) measurements over a wide projectile energy E /SUB p/ range (40 keV/U< E /SUB p/ /M <12 MeV/U) and a wide projectile Z /SUB p/ range (1<2 /SUB p-/ <92) of both monoionic and molecular projectiles and of different target thicknesses. From the target thickness dependence of #betta# the mean free path lambda of electrons in carbon can be calculated. The data are discussed in the frame of current theories. Significant deviations from calculated values and predicted dependencies are found, in particular for projectile velocities v /SUB p/ close to the Fermi velocity v /SUB F/ of target electrons and for molecular projectile ions

Studies of the hydroxyborohydride and triborohydride ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, J.

1977-10-01

Results of the following studies are reported: chemical synthesis of hydroxytrihydroborate and peroxynitrite; the reduction of organic compounds with the hydroxyborohydride ion; and a kinetic study of the hydrolysis of the octahydrotriborate ions

The counter ion: expanding excipient functionality

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Shireesh Apte

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Excipients have increasingly become 'enablers' of drug delivery and efficacy rather than passive bystanders. Advances in pharmaceutical technology have enabled the ability to deliver specific counter ions (in the form of the counter ion containing excipient and the API simultaneously to preselected targets in the body. This, coupled with a near universal mechanism of columbic interactions that determine the [API- counter ion] efficacy, can be harnessed to exploit this hitherto unavailable or unrecognized enabling mechanism. New excipients may be assembled by a near inexhaustible supply of different permutations of counter ions and their judicious use in specific situations could potentially drive a renaissance in excipient innovation (and drug delivery and efficacy despite regulatory stagnation.

Dimensions of driving anger and their relationships with aberrant driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tingru; Chan, Alan H S; Zhang, Wei

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between driving anger and aberrant driving behaviours. An internet-based questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of Chinese drivers, with driving anger measured by a 14-item short Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the aberrant driving behaviours measured by a 23-item Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). The results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the three-factor model (hostile gesture, arrival-blocking and safety-blocking) of the DAS fitted the driving anger data well. The Exploratory Factor Analysis on DBQ data differentiated four types of aberrant driving, viz. emotional violation, error, deliberate violation and maintaining progress violation. For the anger-aberration relation, it was found that only "arrival-blocking" anger was a significant positive predictor for all four types of aberrant driving behaviours. The "safety-blocking" anger revealed a negative impact on deliberate violations, a finding different from previously established positive anger-aberration relation. These results suggest that drivers with different patterns of driving anger would show different behavioural tendencies and as a result intervention strategies may be differentially effective for drivers of different profiles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Distance-Adaptive Refueling Recommendation Algorithm for Self-Driving Travel

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Quanli Xu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Taking the maximum vehicle driving distance, the distances from gas stations, the route length, and the number of refueling gas stations as the decision conditions, recommendation rules and an early refueling service warning mechanism for gas stations along a self-driving travel route were constructed by using the algorithm presented in this research, based on the spatial clustering characteristics of gas stations and the urgency of refueling. Meanwhile, by combining ArcEngine and Matlab capabilities, a scenario simulation system of refueling for self-driving travel was developed by using c#.net in order to validate and test the accuracy and applicability of the algorithm. A total of nine testing schemes with four simulation scenarios were designed and executed using this algorithm, and all of the simulation results were consistent with expectations. The refueling recommendation algorithm proposed in this study can automatically adapt to changes in the route length of self-driving travel, the maximum driving distance of the vehicle, and the distance from gas stations, which could provide variable refueling recommendation strategies according to differing gas station layouts along the route. Therefore, the results of this study could provide a scientific reference for the reasonable planning and timely supply of vehicle refueling during self-driving travel.

Stochastic resonance on Newman-Watts networks of Hodgkin-Huxley neurons with local periodic driving

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozer, Mahmut [Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 67100 Zonguldak (Turkey)], E-mail: mahmutozer2002@yahoo.com; Perc, Matjaz [University of Maribor, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Physics, Koroska cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor (Slovenia); Uzuntarla, Muhammet [Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 67100 Zonguldak (Turkey)

2009-03-02

We study the phenomenon of stochastic resonance on Newman-Watts small-world networks consisting of biophysically realistic Hodgkin-Huxley neurons with a tunable intensity of intrinsic noise via voltage-gated ion channels embedded in neuronal membranes. Importantly thereby, the subthreshold periodic driving is introduced to a single neuron of the network, thus acting as a pacemaker trying to impose its rhythm on the whole ensemble. We show that there exists an optimal intensity of intrinsic ion channel noise by which the outreach of the pacemaker extends optimally across the whole network. This stochastic resonance phenomenon can be further amplified via fine-tuning of the small-world network structure, and depends significantly also on the coupling strength among neurons and the driving frequency of the pacemaker. In particular, we demonstrate that the noise-induced transmission of weak localized rhythmic activity peaks when the pacemaker frequency matches the intrinsic frequency of subthreshold oscillations. The implications of our findings for weak signal detection and information propagation across neural networks are discussed.

Study and realisation of an ion source obtained by electronic bombardment - experimentation with phosphorus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, Philippe

1979-01-01

This research thesis reports the study and development of an ion source by electronic bombardment. In order to solve some practical difficulties (cathode destruction, source instability, and so on), the design of each component has been very careful, notably for the electron gun. The author first briefly discusses the exiting ionisation processes, gives a list of ion which can be produced, with a focus on phosphorus for which the ionisation cross section is defined and assessed. After an assessment of different ionisation processes, and an indication of performance of the best existing sources, the author explains the choice for a totally different process. In the second part, he describes the experimental device, and particularly the electron gun as its design has been an important part of this research work. The source operation is described and its characteristics and performance are studied. Finally, the author outlines that some improvements are still possible to obtain a totally exploitable source [fr

Study of the negative ion extraction mechanism from a double-ion plasma in negative ion sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, I.; Nishioka, S.; Hatayama, A.; Miyamoto, K.

2015-01-01

We have developed a 2D3V-PIC model of the extraction region, aiming to clarify the basic extraction mechanism of H − ions from the double-ion plasma in H − negative ion sources. The result shows the same tendency of the H − ion density n H − as that observed in the experiments, i.e.,n H − in the upstream region away from the plasma meniscus (H − emitting surface) has been reduced by applying the extraction voltage. At the same time, relatively slow temporal oscillation of the electric potential compared with the electron plasma frequency has been observed in the extraction region. Results of the systematic study using a 1D3V-PIC model with the uniform magnetic field confirm the result that the electrostatic oscillation is identified to be lower hybrid wave. The effect of this oscillation on the H − transport will be studied in the future

Study of the negative ion extraction mechanism from a double-ion plasma in negative ion sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goto, I.; Nishioka, S.; Hatayama, A. [Graduate school of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522 (Japan); Miyamoto, K. [Naruto University of Education, 748 Nakashima, Takashima, Naruto-cho, Naruto-shi, Tokushima 772-8502 (Japan)

2015-04-08

We have developed a 2D3V-PIC model of the extraction region, aiming to clarify the basic extraction mechanism of H{sup −} ions from the double-ion plasma in H{sup −} negative ion sources. The result shows the same tendency of the H{sup −} ion density n{sub H{sup −}} as that observed in the experiments, i.e.,n{sub H{sup −}} in the upstream region away from the plasma meniscus (H{sup −} emitting surface) has been reduced by applying the extraction voltage. At the same time, relatively slow temporal oscillation of the electric potential compared with the electron plasma frequency has been observed in the extraction region. Results of the systematic study using a 1D3V-PIC model with the uniform magnetic field confirm the result that the electrostatic oscillation is identified to be lower hybrid wave. The effect of this oscillation on the H{sup −} transport will be studied in the future.

Extended driving impairs nocturnal driving performances.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Sagaspe

Full Text Available Though fatigue and sleepiness at the wheel are well-known risk factors for traffic accidents, many drivers combine extended driving and sleep deprivation. Fatigue-related accidents occur mainly at night but there is no experimental data available to determine if the duration of prior driving affects driving performance at night. Participants drove in 3 nocturnal driving sessions (3-5 am, 1-5 am and 9 pm-5 am on open highway. Fourteen young healthy men (mean age [+/-SD] = 23.4 [+/-1.7] years participated Inappropriate line crossings (ILC in the last hour of driving of each session, sleep variables, self-perceived fatigue and sleepiness were measured. Compared to the short (3-5 am driving session, the incidence rate ratio of inappropriate line crossings increased by 2.6 (95% CI, 1.1 to 6.0; P<.05 for the intermediate (1-5 am driving session and by 4.0 (CI, 1.7 to 9.4; P<.001 for the long (9 pm-5 am driving session. Compared to the reference session (9-10 pm, the incidence rate ratio of inappropriate line crossings were 6.0 (95% CI, 2.3 to 15.5; P<.001, 15.4 (CI, 4.6 to 51.5; P<.001 and 24.3 (CI, 7.4 to 79.5; P<.001, respectively, for the three different durations of driving. Self-rated fatigue and sleepiness scores were both positively correlated to driving impairment in the intermediate and long duration sessions (P<.05 and increased significantly during the nocturnal driving sessions compared to the reference session (P<.01. At night, extended driving impairs driving performances and therefore should be limited.

Prediction of ion-exchange column breakthrough curves by constant-pattern wave approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, I-Hsien; Kuan, Yu-Chung; Chern, Jia-Ming

2008-03-21

The release of heavy metals from industrial wastewaters represents one of major threats to environment. Compared with chemical precipitation method, fixed-bed ion-exchange process can effectively remove heavy metals from wastewaters and generate no hazardous sludge. In order to design and operate fixed-bed ion-exchange processes successfully, it is very important to understand the column dynamics. In this study, the column experiments for Cu2+/H+, Zn2+/H+, and Cd2+/H+ systems using Amberlite IR-120 were performed to measure the breakthrough curves under varying operating conditions. The experimental results showed that total cation concentration in the mobile-phase played a key role on the breakthrough curves; a higher feed concentration resulted in an earlier breakthrough. Furthermore, the column dynamics was also predicted by self-sharpening and constant-pattern wave models. The self-sharpening wave model assuming local ion-exchange equilibrium could provide a simple and quick estimation for the breakthrough volume, but the predicted breakthrough curves did not match the experimental data very well. On the contrary, the constant-pattern wave model using a constant driving force model for finite ion-exchange rate provided a better fit to the experimental data. The obtained liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient was correlated to the flow velocity and other operating parameters; the breakthrough curves under varying operating conditions could thus be predicted by the constant-pattern wave model using the correlation.

Study of the Energy Conversion Process in the Electro-Hydrostatic Drive of a Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiesław Grzesikiewicz

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In the paper, we describe a study of an electro-hydrostatic hybrid drive of a utility van intended for city traffic. In this hybrid drive, the electric drive is periodically accompanied by hydrostatic drive, especially during acceleration and regenerative braking of the vehicle. We present a mathematical model of the hybrid drive as a set of dynamics and regulation equations of the van traveling at a given speed. On this basis, we construct a computer program which we use to simulate the processes of energy conversion in the electro-hydrostatic drive. The main goal of the numerical simulation is to assess the possibility of reducing energy intensity of the electric drive through such a support of the hydrostatic drive. The obtained results indicate that it is possible to reduce the load on elements of the electric system and, therefore, improve energy conversion.

Observation of magnetohydrodynamics instabilities in ion Bernstein wave and lower-hybrid-current driving synergetic discharges on HT-7 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao Jianshan; Luo Jiarong; Shen Biao; Zhao Junyu; Hu Liqun; Zhu Yubao; Xu Guosheng; Asif, M.; Gao Xiang; Wan Baonian

2004-01-01

The normalized performance indicated by the product of β N H 89 >2 was achieved by a combination of the lower hybrid current driving (LHCD) and the ion Bernstein wave (IBW) heating in the HT-7 tokamak. More than 80% of the plasma current was sustained by the LHCD and the bootstrap current. Large edge pressure gradients were observed. The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instabilities were often driven to terminate the discharge or reduce the discharge performance, when the IBW resonant layer was near the rational surface. The resonant layer of the safety factor q=2 is located at 0.6 a with a=27 cm being the minor radius. The width of magnetic island (the poloidal mode number m=2) was about 2 cm. The plasma energy was reduced quickly by 30% by MHD instabilities. The behaviour of MHD instabilities is reported. A large sawtooth activity (m=1) was observed before inducing MHD (m=2)

USING OF NON-CONVENTIONAL FUELS IN HYBRID VEHICLE DRIVES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dalibor Barta

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Electric or hybrid vehicles are becoming increasingly common on roads. While electric vehicles are still more or less intended for city traffic, hybrid vehicles allow normal use due to wider driving range. The use of internal combustion engines in hybrid drives is still an inspiration to find the way to reduce the produc-tion of emissions. Numbers of alternative energy resources were studied as a substitution of conventional fuels for hybrid vehicles drives worldwide. The paper deals with the possibility of using alternative fuels as CNG, LPG and LNG in combination with hybrid drive of a midibus with the capacity of 20 passengers. Various aspects and techniques of hybrid vehicles from energy management system, propulsion system and using of various alternative fuels are explored in this paper. Other related fields of hybrid vehicles such as changes of vehicle weight or influence of electric energy sources on the total vehicle emission production are also included.

Ion Acceleration by Double Layers with Multi-Component Ion Species

Science.gov (United States)

Good, Timothy; Aguirre, Evan; Scime, Earl; West Virginia University Team

2017-10-01

Current-free double layers (CFDL) models have been proposed to explain observations of magnetic field-aligned ion acceleration in plasmas expanding into divergent magnetic field regions. More recently, experimental studies of the Bohm sheath criterion in multiple ion species plasma reveal an equilibration of Bohm speeds at the sheath-presheath boundary for a grounded plate in a multipole-confined filament discharge. We aim to test this ion velocity effect for CFDL acceleration. We report high resolution ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) measurements using laser induced fluorescence downstream of a CFDL in a helicon plasma. Combinations of argon-helium, argon-krypton, and argon-xenon gases are ionized and measurements of argon or xenon IVDFs are investigated to determine whether ion acceleration is enhanced (or diminished) by the presence of lighter (or heavier) ions in the mix. We find that the predominant effect is a reduction of ion acceleration consistent with increased drag arising from increased gas pressure under all conditions, including constant total gas pressure, equal plasma densities of different ions, and very different plasma densities of different ions. These results suggest that the physics responsible for acceleration of multiple ion species in simple sheaths is not responsible for the ion acceleration observed in these expanding plasmas. Department of Physics, Gettysburg College.

Effect of sleep deprivation on driving safety in housestaff.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcus, C L; Loughlin, G M

1996-12-01

Sleep deprivation is known to affect driving safety. Housestaff (HS) are routinely sleep-deprived when on call. We hypothesized that this would affect their driving. We therefore administered questionnaires regarding driving to 70 pediatric HS, who were on call every fourth night, and to 85 faculty members (FAC), who were rarely disturbed at night. HS were questioned about events during their residency, and FAC were questioned about events during the preceding three years. There was an 87% response rate for each group. HS slept 2.7 +/- 0.9 (SD) hours when on call vs 7.2 +/- 0.8 hours when not on call (p < 0.001). 44% of HS had fallen asleep when stopped at a light, vs 12.5% FAC (p < 0.001). 23% of HS had fallen asleep while driving vs. 8% FAC (ns). A total of 49% of HS had fallen asleep at the wheel; 90% of these events occurred post-call. In contrast, only 13% of FAC had fallen asleep at the wheel (p < 0.001). HS had received a total of 25 traffic citations for moving violations vs. 15 for FAC and were involved in 20 motor vehicle accidents vs. 11 for FAC. One traffic citation clearly resulted from HS falling asleep at the wheel vs. none for FAC. We conclude that HS frequently fall asleep when driving post-call. We speculate that current HS work schedules may place some HS at risk for injury to themselves and others. Further study, using prospectively objective measures is indicated.

Dependence of J/ψ suppression in heavy ion collisions on total transverse energy, nucleon numbers and J/ψ transverse momentum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ftacnik, J.; Lichard, P.

1989-01-01

We present a set of semiquantitative predictions for the behaviour of J/ψ suppression in heavy ion collisions as a function of the total transverse energy, nucleon numbers of colliding ions and the J/ψ transverse momentum. These predictions are based on the assumption that all of J/ψ suppression is due to J/ψ and χ disintegrations in collisions with hadrons in a dense hadronic gas formed in the heavy ion collisions. The hydrodynamic evolution of the hadron gas is taken into account. The onset of the quark-gluon plasma formation should manifest itself by clear qualitative deviations from J/ψ suppression calculated in this way, in particular as thresholds or kinks in the E T -dependence, or as a threshold for J/ψ suppression as a function of the atomic number of the target, expected at Cu or below. (orig.)

Motorcycle emissions and fuel consumption in urban and rural driving conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, K S; Wang, W C; Chen, H M; Lin, C F; Hsu, H C; Kao, J H; Hu, M T

2003-08-01

This work reports sampling of motorcycle on-road driving cycles in actual urban and rural environments and the development of representative driving cycles using the principle of least total variance in individual regions. Based on the representative driving cycles in individual regions, emission factors for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)=NO+NO(2)) and carbon dioxide (CO(2)), as well as fuel consumption, were determined using a chassis dynamometer. The measurement results show that the representative driving cycles are almost identical in the three largest cities in Taiwan, but they differ significantly from the rural driving cycle. Irrespective of driving conditions, emission factors differ insignificantly between the urban and rural regions at a 95% confidence level. However, the fuel consumption in urban centers is approximately 30% higher than in the rural regions, with driving conditions in the former usually poor compared to the latter. Two-stroke motorcycles generally have considerably higher HC emissions and quite lower NO(x) emissions than those of four-stroke motorcycles. Comparisons with other studies suggest that factors such as road characteristics, traffic volume, vehicle type, driving conditions and driver behavior may affect motorcycle emission levels in real traffic situations.

Motorcycle emissions and fuel consumption in urban and rural driving conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, K.S.; Wang, W.C.; Chen, H.M.; Lin, C.F.; Hsu, H.C.; Kao, J.H.; Hu, M.T.

2003-01-01

This work reports sampling of motorcycle on-road driving cycles in actual urban and rural environments and the development of representative driving cycles using the principle of least total variance in individual regions. Based on the representative driving cycles in individual regions, emission factors for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NO x =NO+NO 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), as well as fuel consumption, were determined using a chassis dynamometer. The measurement results show that the representative driving cycles are almost identical in the three largest cities in Taiwan, but they differ significantly from the rural driving cycle. Irrespective of driving conditions, emission factors differ insignificantly between the urban and rural regions at a 95% confidence level. However, the fuel consumption in urban centers is approximately 30% higher than in the rural regions, with driving conditions in the former usually poor compared to the latter. Two-stroke motorcycles generally have considerably higher HC emissions and quite lower NO x emissions than those of four-stroke motorcycles. Comparisons with other studies suggest that factors such as road characteristics, traffic volume, vehicle type, driving conditions and driver behavior may affect motorcycle emission levels in real traffic situations

Anomalous Ion Heating, Intrinsic and Induced Rotation in the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, M. G.; Barr, J. L.; Bongard, M. W.; Fonck, R. J.; Hinson, E. T.; Perry, J. M.; Redd, A. J.; Thome, K. E.

2014-10-01

Pegasus plasmas are initiated through either standard, MHD stable, inductive current drive or non-solenoidal local helicity injection (LHI) current drive with strong reconnection activity, providing a rich environment to study ion dynamics. During LHI discharges, a large amount of anomalous impurity ion heating has been observed, with Ti ~ 800 eV but Te < 100 eV. The ion heating is hypothesized to be a result of large-scale magnetic reconnection activity, as the amount of heating scales with increasing fluctuation amplitude of the dominant, edge localized, n = 1 MHD mode. Chordal Ti spatial profiles indicate centrally peaked temperatures, suggesting a region of good confinement near the plasma core surrounded by a stochastic region. LHI plasmas are observed to rotate, perhaps due to an inward radial current generated by the stochastization of the plasma edge by the injected current streams. H-mode plasmas are initiated using a combination of high-field side fueling and Ohmic current drive. This regime shows a significant increase in rotation shear compared to L-mode plasmas. In addition, these plasmas have been observed to rotate in the counter-Ip direction without any external momentum sources. The intrinsic rotation direction is consistent with predictions from the saturated Ohmic confinement regime. Work supported by US DOE Grant DE-FG02-96ER54375.

Evaluation of Model Based State of Charge Estimation Methods for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongyue Zou

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Four model-based State of Charge (SOC estimation methods for lithium-ion (Li-ion batteries are studied and evaluated in this paper. Different from existing literatures, this work evaluates different aspects of the SOC estimation, such as the estimation error distribution, the estimation rise time, the estimation time consumption, etc. The equivalent model of the battery is introduced and the state function of the model is deduced. The four model-based SOC estimation methods are analyzed first. Simulations and experiments are then established to evaluate the four methods. The urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS current profiles are applied to simulate the drive situations of an electrified vehicle, and a genetic algorithm is utilized to identify the model parameters to find the optimal parameters of the model of the Li-ion battery. The simulations with and without disturbance are carried out and the results are analyzed. A battery test workbench is established and a Li-ion battery is applied to test the hardware in a loop experiment. Experimental results are plotted and analyzed according to the four aspects to evaluate the four model-based SOC estimation methods.

Seat-belt wearing and driving behavior: an instrumented-vehicle study.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, W

1994-04-01

Less-than-expected fatality reductions after seat-belt legislation has been introduced in a jurisdiction may be explained in terms of selective recruitment of parts of the driving population and/or behavioral adaptation by beginning belt users. The present investigation has compared the relative merits of these two hypotheses at the level of individual driver behavior. In the initial study the driving behavior of groups of habitual wearers and nonwearers of the belt was compared. Nonwearers made two trips, one with the belt on and one without the belt. Habitual wearers drove belted only. The main part of the experiment was a 105 km freeway route. Two additional tasks of a somewhat more critical nature, a double lane-change manoeuvre and the performance of a braking manoeuvre in front of a fixed obstacle, were performed after the freeway trips. Factor analysis on 39 variables describing driving behavior on the road and during the additional tasks resulted in five factors. One of these, the factor describing the distribution of driving speed on the freeway, differentiated between nonwearers and wearers (thus yielding support for the selective recruitment hypothesis) as well as between wearing and not wearing the belt by the same drivers (thus yielding support for the behavioral adaptation hypothesis). In the follow-up study the original wearers and nonwearers were assigned to one of four experimental treatments: (i) the promise by the experimenter of a considerable incentive for not having a culpable motor vehicle accident over a period of a year. Half the habitual wearer subjects were assigned to this condition. The expectation was that this group would become more careful in their driving; (ii) a control group, consisting of the remaining habitual wearers; (iii) the agreement between the experimenter and the subject that the latter would buckle up in everyday driving for the year to come--half the habitual nonwearer subjects were assigned to this condition; (iv) a

Risk of injury by driving with alcohol and other drugs. Driving under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines DRUID, Deliverable 2.3.5.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hels, T. Bernhoft, I.M. Lyckegaard, A. Houwing, S. Hagenzieker, M.P. Legrand, S.-A. Isalberti, C. Van der Linden, T. & Verstraete, A.

2011-01-01

The objective of this deliverable is to assess the risk of driving with alcohol, illicit drugs and medicines in various European countries. In total nine countries participated in the study on relative risk of serious injury/fatality while positive for psychoactive substances. Six countries

PTAC driving safety survey results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lloyd, E. [Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada, Calgary, AB (Canada)

2005-07-01

The results of a survey conducted by the Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada were presented. The survey identified ways in which companies in the oil and gas industry can reduce the potential for vehicle incidents, as well as improve fleet management techniques. Respondents provided a list of over 60 relevant technologies with high potential for application. Top driving safety challenges included adverse weather and road conditions, as well as driver attitude and awareness. Driver speed and fatigue were also seen as significant challenges, as well as encounters with wildlife and road conditions. Poor site conditions were also identified as a challenge, along with poor hazard recognition training, and lack of experience. A total of 157 representatives responded, whose fleets collectively drive approximately 136,500,000 km per year. The fleets totalled 15,800 vehicles. Respondents' affiliations with the oil and gas industry were included, as well as ownership classifications and company fleet sizes. Total annual fleet kilometers were presented, as well as the number of incidents per company per year, along with the number of respondents' animal strikes per year. tabs, figs.

Predictive validity of driving-simulator assessments following traumatic brain injury: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lew, Henry L; Poole, John H; Lee, Eun Ha; Jaffe, David L; Huang, Hsiu-Chen; Brodd, Edward

2005-03-01

To evaluate whether driving simulator and road test evaluations can predict long-term driving performance, we conducted a prospective study on 11 patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Sixteen healthy subjects were also tested to provide normative values on the simulator at baseline. At their initial evaluation (time-1), subjects' driving skills were measured during a 30-minute simulator trial using an automated 12-measure Simulator Performance Index (SPI), while a trained observer also rated their performance using a Driving Performance Inventory (DPI). In addition, patients were evaluated on the road by a certified driving evaluator. Ten months later (time-2), family members observed patients driving for at least 3 hours over 4 weeks and rated their driving performance using the DPI. At time-1, patients were significantly impaired on automated SPI measures of driving skill, including: speed and steering control, accidents, and vigilance to a divided-attention task. These simulator indices significantly predicted the following aspects of observed driving performance at time-2: handling of automobile controls, regulation of vehicle speed and direction, higher-order judgment and self-control, as well as a trend-level association with car accidents. Automated measures of simulator skill (SPI) were more sensitive and accurate than observational measures of simulator skill (DPI) in predicting actual driving performance. To our surprise, the road test results at time-1 showed no significant relation to driving performance at time-2. Simulator-based assessment of patients with brain injuries can provide ecologically valid measures that, in some cases, may be more sensitive than a traditional road test as predictors of long-term driving performance in the community.

Method and device for ion mobility separations

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Smith, Richard D.

2017-07-11

Methods and devices for ion separations or manipulations in gas phase are disclosed. The device includes a single non-planar surface. Arrays of electrodes are coupled to the surface. A combination of RF and DC voltages are applied to the arrays of electrodes to create confining and driving fields that move ions through the device. The DC voltages are static DC voltages or time-dependent DC potentials or waveforms.

Ion cyclotron resonance study of reactions of ions with hydrogen atoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karpas, Z.; Anicich, V.; Huntress, W.T. Jr.

1979-01-01

Reactions of H 2 + , HeH + , and CO 2 + ions with hydrogen atoms, and the reactions of D 2 + , CO 2 + , CO + , N 2 + and HCN + with deuterium atoms, were studied using ion cyclotron resonance techniques. These reactions proceed predominantly via a charge transfer mechanism. The rate constants measured are: 6.4, 9.1, 1.1, 5.0, 0.84, 0.90, 1.2, and 0.37 x 10 -10 cm 3 /sec, respectively. Hydrocarbon ions of the types CH/sub n/ + and C 2 H/sub n/ + , where n=2--4, do not react with H or D atoms

Novice drivers' risky driving behavior, risk perception, and crash risk: findings from the DRIVE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivers, Rebecca; Senserrick, Teresa; Boufous, Soufiane; Stevenson, Mark; Chen, Huei-Yang; Woodward, Mark; Norton, Robyn

2009-09-01

We explored the risky driving behaviors and risk perceptions of a cohort of young novice drivers and sought to determine their associations with crash risk. Provisional drivers aged 17 to 24 (n = 20 822) completed a detailed questionnaire that included measures of risk perception and behaviors; 2 years following recruitment, survey data were linked to licensing and police-reported crash data. Poisson regression models that adjusted for multiple confounders were created to explore crash risk. High scores on questionnaire items for risky driving were associated with a 50% increased crash risk (adjusted relative risk = 1.51; 95% confidence interval = 1.25, 1.81). High scores for risk perception (poorer perceptions of safety) were also associated with increased crash risk in univariate and multivariate models; however, significance was not sustained after adjustment for risky driving. The overrepresentation of youths in crashes involving casualties is a significant public health issue. Risky driving behavior is strongly linked to crash risk among young drivers and overrides the importance of risk perceptions. Systemwide intervention, including licensing reform, is warranted.

Preventing distracted driving among college students: Addressing smartphone use.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassani, Sahar; Kelly, Erin H; Smith, Jennifer; Thorpe, Sara; Sozzer, Fatima H; Atchley, Paul; Sullivan, Elroy; Larson, Dean; Vogel, Lawrence C

2017-02-01

Based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Association's (NHTSA) Report, fatalities due to distracted driving are on the rise and the highest proportion of fatalities by age group is the 20-29 year old category. To date little has been done to educate college students about the dangers of distracted driving and engage these students in promoting a safe driving culture. Intervening among college students has the potential for making real-time behavior change, can foster a lifetime of safe driving habits among these students, and can help contribute to a culture of safe driving that can be created and sustained through positive messages from peers. The goals of this study were to develop, implement and evaluate a distracted driving presentation for college students to change knowledge, attitude and behavior on distracted driving. A 30-min, multi-media presentation on distracted driving was presented to 19 colleges and universities, totaling 444 college students (mean age 23.7±7.0 years of age, 61% females, 39% males). Students completed three surveys: prior to the workshop (interview 1), immediately after the workshop (interview 2), and 3 months following the workshop (interview 3). We assessed changes between interview 1 and interview 2 and found 15 of the 15 attitude-knowledge based questions significantly improved after the course. In addition, we assessed changes from interviews 1 and 3, and found 11 of the 15 attitude-knowledge based questions maintained their significance. Responses to behavior related questions at three months were also compared to baseline, and significant improvements were found for 12 of the 14 questions. While this study was successful in improving the short-term attitude-knowledge and behaviors on distracted driving, work is needed to sustain (and evaluate) long-term effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measurements of fast ion spatial dynamics during magnetic activity in the RFP

Science.gov (United States)

Goetz, J. A.; Anderson, J. K.; Bonofiglo, P.; Kim, J.; McConnell, R.; Magee, R. M.

2017-10-01

Fast ions in the RFP are only weakly affected by a stochastic magnetic field and behave nearly classically in concentration too low to excite Alfvenic activity. At high fast ion concentration sourced by H-NBI in 300kA RFP discharges, a substantial drop in core-localized high pitch fast ions is observed during bursts of coupled EPM and IAE (magnetic island-induced Alfven eigenmode) activity (100-200kHz) through neutral particle analysis. Sourcing instead fast deuterium with NBI, the DD fusion products can measure the dynamics of the fast ion density profile. Both a collimated neutron detector and a new 3MeV fusion proton detector loaned by TriAlpha Energy measure the fast ion density profile with 5cm spatial resolution and 100 μs temporal resolution. In D-NBI, the bursting EPM is excited at slightly lower frequency and the IAE activity is nearly absent, likely due to an isotope effect and loss of wave-particle interaction. In these cases, neutral particle analysis shows little change in the core-localized high pitch fast ion content, and the fusion product profile indicates little change in the fast ion density profile, leaving unexplained the mechanism removing EPM drive. We measure a substantial redistribution of the fast ion profile due to strong lower-frequency ( 30kHz) MHD activity that accompanies the current profile relaxation in the RFP. Profile flattening is strongest in low bulk density discharges, which often occur with a total increase in global neutron flux from acceleration of the beam ions. Work supported by US DoE.

Model for ICRF fast wave current drive in self-consistent MHD equilibria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonoli, P.T.; Englade, R.C.; Porkolab, M.; Fenstermacher, M.E.

1993-01-01

Recently, a model for fast wave current drive in the ion cyclotron radio frequency (ICRF) range was incorporated into the current drive and MHD equilibrium code ACCOME. The ACCOME model combines a free boundary solution of the Grad Shafranov equation with the calculation of driven currents due to neutral beam injection, lower hybrid (LH) waves, bootstrap effects, and ICRF fast waves. The equilibrium and current drive packages iterate between each other to obtain an MHD equilibrium which is consistent with the profiles of driven current density. The ICRF current drive package combines a toroidal full-wave code (FISIC) with a parameterization of the current drive efficiency obtained from an adjoint solution of the Fokker Planck equation. The electron absorption calculation in the full-wave code properly accounts for the combined effects of electron Landau damping (ELD) and transit time magnetic pumping (TTMP), assuming a Maxwellian (or bi-Maxwellian) electron distribution function. Furthermore, the current drive efficiency includes the effects of particle trapping, momentum conserving corrections to the background Fokker Planck collision operator, and toroidally induced variations in the parallel wavenumbers of the injected ICRF waves. This model has been used to carry out detailed studies of advanced physics scenarios in the proposed Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX). Results are shown, for example, which demonstrate the possibility of achieving stable equilibria at high beta and high bootstrap current fraction in TPX. Model results are also shown for the proposed ITER device

JT-60 negative ion beam NBI apparatus. Present state of its construction and initial experimental results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuriyama, Masaaki [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan). Naka Fusion Research Establishment

1997-02-01

The NBI (Neutral Beam Injection) apparatus used for negative ion at first in the world, has an aim to actually prove heating and electric current drive with high density plasma at the JT-60 and to constitute physical and technical bases for selection and design of heating apparatus of ITER (International Thermal Nuclear Fusion Experimental Reactor). Construction of 500 KeV negative ion NBI apparatus for the JT-60 started to operate on 1993 was completed at March, 1996. On the way, at a preliminary test on forming and acceleration of the negative ion beam using a portion of this apparatus, 400 KeV and 13.5 A/D of the highest deuterium negative ion beam acceleration in the world was obtained successfully, which gave a bright forecasting of the plasma heating and electric current drive experiment using the negative ion NBI apparatus. After March, 1996, some plans to begin beam incident experiment at the JT-60 using the negative ion NBI apparatus and to execute the heating and electric current drive experiment at the JT-60 under intending increase of beam output are progressed. (G.K.)

Potential for chlorate interference in ion chromatographic determination of total nitrogen in natural waters following alkaline persulfate digestion.

Science.gov (United States)

Halstead, J A; Edwards, J; Soracco, R J; Armstrong, R W

1999-10-01

Determination of total nitrogen in aqueous samples after thermal potassium peroxydisulfate (persulfate) digestion is a commonly used alternative to the tedious Kjeldahl procedure. When ion chromatography is used to quantify the nitrate formed during digestion, there is a potential for interference from a chlorate peak if the digested sample initially contained chloride in concentrations close to or greater than the concentration of nitrogen. It was determined that this interference can be avoided either by using chromatographic conditions which cleanly resolve the nitrate and chlorate peaks (e.g., the Dionex AG9-HG column) or by using digestion reagent concentrations chosen to maintain a high pH throughout the digestion. The second alternative is not a viable option for investigators using a single digestion for both total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) analysis.

Examining physiological responses across different driving maneuvers during an on-road driving task: a pilot study comparing older and younger drivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Koppel, S; Kuo, J; Berecki-Gisolf, J; Boag, R; Hue, Y-X; Charlton, J L

2015-01-01

This pilot study aimed to investigate physiological responses during an on-road driving task for older and younger drivers. Five older drivers (mean age = 74.60 years [2.97]) and 5 younger drivers (mean age = 30.00 years [3.08]) completed a series of cognitive assessments (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA], Mini Mental Status Examination [MMSE]; Trail Making Test [Trails A and Trails B]) and an on-road driving task along a predetermined, standardized urban route in their own vehicle. Driving performance was observed and scored by a single trained observer using a standardized procedure, where driving behaviors (appropriate and inappropriate) were scored for intersection negotiation, lane changing, and merging. During the on-road driving task, participants' heart rate (HR) was monitored with an unobtrusive physiological monitor. Younger drivers performed significantly better on all cognitive assessments compared to older drivers (MoCA: t(8) = 3.882, P task revealed a high level of appropriate overall driving behavior (M = 87%, SD = 7.62, range = 73-95%), including intersection negotiation (M = 89%, SD = 8.37%), lane changing (M = 100%), and merging (M = 53%, SD = 28.28%). The overall proportion of appropriate driving behavior did not significantly differ across age groups (younger drivers: M = 87.6%, SD = 9.04; older drivers: M = 87.0%, SD = 6.96; t(8) = 0.118, P =.91). Although older drivers scored lower than younger drivers on the cognitive assessments, there was no indication of cognitive overload among older drivers based on HR response to the on-road driving task. The results provide preliminary evidence that mild age-related cognitive impairment may not pose a motor vehicle crash hazard for the wider older driver population. To maintain safe mobility of the aging population, further research into the specific crash risk factors in the older driver population is warranted.

Radiative electron capture studied in relativistic heavy-ion--atom collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoehlker, T.; Kozhuharov, C.; Mokler, P.H.; Warczak, A.; Bosch, F.; Geissel, H.; Moshammer, R.; Scheidenberger, C.; Eichler, J.; Ichihara, A.; Shirai, T.; Stachura, Z.; Rymuza, P.

1995-01-01

The process of radiative electron capture (REC) in relativistic collisions of high-Z ions with low-Z gaseous and solid targets is studied experimentally and theoretically. The observed x-ray spectra are analyzed with respect to photon angular distributions as well as to total K-REC cross sections. The experimental results for angle-differential cross sections are well reproduced by exact relativistic calculations which yield significant deviations from standard sin 2 θ distributions. Total cross sections for K-REC are shown to follow a simple scaling rule obtained from exact relativistic calculations as well as from a nonrelativistic dipole approximation. The agreement between these different theoretical approaches must be regarded as fortuitous, but it lends support to the use of the nonrelativistic approach for practical purposes

Eco-driving behavior tendency among Indonesian people: a preliminary study

Science.gov (United States)

Zuraida, Rida; Widjaja, Dimitrius

2017-12-01

Eco-driving behavior can be triggered by many aspects such as economic and environmental awareness. In Indonesia this issue received less attention from citizen, whereas it has significant roles in reducing greenhouse gas emission. This paper initiated a study about eco-driving tendency behavior among Indonesian people, the objective is to see whether current behavior support or not, and does the differences between gender and age exist. Adopted on-line study method using an online form questionnaire„ 27 questions developed consist of 8 items related to individual data, 19 items related to perception and driving behavior. The respond measures using 5 scale option answers (i.e. strongly disagree, disagree, quite agree, agree, and strongly agree). Based on average respondents’ answers, can be concluded that the tendency of behavior somewhat supports to in line with eco-driving behavior. After Q15 and Q18 omitted based on Pearson-product moment correlation, further analysis results showed that most of respondents categorized into mild tendency behavior (109 respondents). However, a mild tendency among female respondents are higher than male, and the strong tendency of males is higher than female respondents. Based on gender, there are no significant tendency behavior differences between male and female (p-value = 0, 320), and also among age groups (30y, 31-40y, 41-50y, and >50y), even though age >50 have a lower tendency to the behavior compare to other groups.

Do aggressive driving and negative emotional driving mediate the link between impulsiveness and risky driving among young Italian drivers?

Science.gov (United States)

Smorti, Martina; Guarnieri, Silvia

2016-01-01

The present study examined the contribution of impulsiveness and aggressive and negative emotional driving to the prediction of traffic violations and accidents taking into account potential mediation effects. Three hundred and four young drivers completed self-report measures assessing impulsiveness, aggressive and negative emotional driving, driving violations, and accidents. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the direct and indirect effects of impulsiveness on violations and accidents among young drivers through aggressive and negative emotional driving. Impulsiveness only indirectly influenced drivers' violations on the road via both the behavioral and emotional states of the driver. On the contrary, impulsiveness was neither directly nor indirectly associated with traffic accidents. Therefore, impulsiveness modulates young drivers' behavioral and emotional states while driving, which in turn influences risky driving.

Kinetic theory of rf current drive and helicity injection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mett, R.R.

1992-01-01

Current drive and helicity injection by plasma waves are examined with the use of kinetic theory. The Vlasov equation yields a general current drive formula that contains resonant and nonresonant (ponderomotivelike) contributions. Standard quasilinear current drive is described by the former, while helicity current drive may be contained in the latter. Since direct analytical comparison of the sizes of the two terms is, in general, difficult, a new approach is taken. Solution of the drift-kinetic equation shows that the standard Landau damping/transit time magnetic pumping quasilinear diffusion coefficient is the only contribution to steady-state current drive to leading order in ε=ρ L /l, where ρ L is the Larmor radius and l is the inhomogeneity scale length. All nonresonant contributions, including the helicity, appear at higher order, after averages are taken over a flux surface, over azimuth, and over time. Consequently, at wave frequencies well below the electron cyclotron frequency, a wave helicity flux perpendicular to the magnetic field does not influence the parallel motion of electrons to leading order and therefore will not drive a significant current. Any current associated with a wave helicity flux is then either ion current (and thus inefficient) or electron current stemming from effects not included in the drift-kinetic treatment, such as cyclotron, collisional, or nonlinear (i.e., not quasilinear)

Dynamic Eco-Driving Speed Guidance at Signalized Intersections: Multivehicle Driving Simulator Based Experimental Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Variations in vehicle fuel consumption and gas emissions are usually associated with changes in cruise speed and the aggressiveness of drivers’ acceleration/deceleration, especially at traffic signals. In an attempt to enhance vehicle fuel efficiency on arterials, this study developed a dynamic eco-driving speed guidance strategy (DESGS using real-time signal timing and vehicle positioning information in a connected vehicle (CV environment. DESGS mainly aims to optimize the fuel/emission speed profiles for vehicles approaching signalized intersections. An optimization-based rolling horizon and a dynamic programming approach were proposed to track the optimal guided velocity for individual vehicles along the travel segment. In addition, a vehicle specific power (VSP based approach was integrated into DESGS to estimate the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. To evaluate the effectiveness of the overall strategy, 15 experienced drivers were recruited to participate in interactive speed guidance experiments using multivehicle driving simulators. It was found that compared to vehicles without speed guidance, those with DESGS had a significantly reduced number of stops and approximately 25% less fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Effects of alprazolam on driving ability, memory functioning and psychomotor performance: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Verster, Joris C; Volkerts, Edmund R; Verbaten, Marinus N

2002-08-01

Alprazolam is prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorder. Most users are presumably involved in daily activities such as driving. However, the effects of alprazolam on driving ability have never been investigated. This study was conducted to determine the effects of alprazolam (1 mg) on driving ability, memory and psychomotor performance. Twenty healthy volunteers participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. One hour after oral administration, subjects performed a standardized driving test on a primary highway during normal traffic. They were instructed to drive with a constant speed (90 km/h) while maintaining a steady lateral position within the right traffic lane. Primary performance measures were the Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP) and the Standard Deviation of Speed (SDS). After the driving test, subjective driving quality, mental effort, and mental activation during driving were assessed. A laboratory test battery was performed 2.5 h after treatment administration, comprising the Sternberg Memory Scanning Test, a Continuous Tracking Test, and a Divided Attention Test. Relative to placebo, alprazolam caused serious driving impairment, as expressed by a significantly increased SDLP (F(1,19) = 97.3, p driving quality (F(1,19) = 16.4, p driving (F(1,19) = 26.4, p drive an automobile or operate potentially dangerous machinery.

Transport of negative hydrogen and deuterium ions in RF-driven ion sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutser, R; Wuenderlich, D; Fantz, U

2010-01-01

Negative hydrogen ion sources are major components of neutral beam injection systems for plasma heating in future large-scale fusion experiments such as ITER. In order to fulfill the requirements of the ITER neutral beam injection, a high-performance, large-area RF-driven ion source for negative ions is being developed at the MPI fuer Plasmaphysik. Negative hydrogen ions are mainly generated on a converter surface by impinging neutral particles and positive ions under the influence of magnetic fields and the plasma sheath potential. The 3D transport code TrajAn has been applied in order to obtain the total and spatially resolved extraction probabilities for H - and D - ions under identical plasma parameters and the realistic magnetic field topology of the ion source. A comparison of the isotopes shows a lower total extraction probability in the case of deuterium ions, caused by a different transport effect. The transport calculation shows that distortions of the spatial distributions of ion birth and extraction by the magnetic electron suppression field are present for both negative hydrogen and deuterium ions.

Chinese carless young drivers' self-reported driving behavior and simulated driving performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Jiang, Zuhua; Zheng, Dongpeng; Man, Dong; Xu, Xunnan

2013-01-01

Carless young drivers refers to those drivers aged between 18 and 25 years who have a driver's license but seldom have opportunities to practice their driving skills because they do not have their own cars. Due to China's lower private car ownership, many young drivers become carless young drivers after licensure, and the safety issue associated with them has raised great concern in China. This study aims to provide initial insight into the self-reported driving behaviors and simulated driving performance of Chinese carless young drivers. Thirty-three carless young drivers and 32 young drivers with their own cars (as a comparison group) participated in this study. A modified Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) with a 4-factor structure (errors, violations, attention lapses, and memory lapses) was used to study carless young drivers' self-reported driving behaviors. A simulated driving experiment using a low-cost, fixed-base driving simulator was conducted to measure their simulated driving performance (errors, violations, attention lapses, driving maintenance, reaction time, and accidents). Self-reported DBQ outcomes showed that carless young drivers reported similar errors, more attention lapses, fewer memory lapses, and significantly fewer violation behaviors relative to young drivers with their own cars, whereas simulated driving results revealed that they committed significantly more errors, attention lapses, and violation behaviors than the comparison group. Carless young drivers had a lower ability to maintain the stability of speed and lane position, drove more cautiously approaching and passing through red traffic lights, and committed more accidents during simulated driving. A tendency to speed was not found among carless young drivers; their average speed and speeding frequency were all much lower than that of the comparison group. Lifetime mileage was the only significant predictor of carless young drivers' self-reported violations, simulated violations

Driving behaviors and on-duty road accidents: a French case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fort, Emmanuel; Chiron, Mireille; Davezies, Philippe; Bergeret, Alain; Charbotel, Barbara

2013-01-01

A case-control study was carried out to identify driving behaviors associated with the risk of on-duty road accident and to compare driving behaviors according to the type of journey (on duty, commuting, and private) for on-duty road accident victims. Cases were recruited from the Rhône Road Trauma Registry between January 2004 and October 2005 and were on duty at the time of the accident. Control subjects were recruited from the electoral rolls of the case subjects' constituencies of residence. Cases' and controls' driving behavior data were collected by self-administered questionnaire. A logistic regression was performed to identify behavioral risk factors for on-duty road accidents, taking into account age, sex, place of residence, road accident risk exposure, socio-occupational category, and type of road user. A second analysis focused specifically on the case subjects, comparing their self-assessed usual behaviors according to the type of journey. Significant factors for multivariate analysis of on-duty road accidents were female gender, history of on-duty road accidents during the previous 10 years, severe time pressure at work, and driving a vehicle not belonging to the driver. On-duty road accident victims reported behavioral risk factors more frequently in relation to driving for work than driving for private reasons or commuting: nonsystematic seat belt use, cell phone use at least once daily while driving, and history of accidents with injury during the previous 10 years. This study provides knowledge on behavioral risk factors for on-duty road accidents and differences in behavior according to the type of journey for subjects who have been on-duty road accident victims. These results will be useful for the design of on-duty road risk prevention.

The impact of therapeutic opioid agonists on driving-related psychomotor skills assessed by a driving simulator or an on-road driving task: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferreira, Diana H; Boland, Jason W; Phillips, Jane L; Lam, Lawrence; Currow, David C

2018-04-01

Driving cessation is associated with poor health-related outcomes. People with chronic diseases are often prescribed long-term opioid agonists that have the potential to impair driving. Studies evaluating the impact of opioids on driving-related psychomotor skills report contradictory results likely due to heterogeneous designs, assessment tools and study populations. A better understanding of the effects of regular therapeutic opioid agonists on driving can help to inform the balance between individual's independence and community safety. To identify the literature assessing the impact of regular therapeutic opioid agonists on driving-related psychomotor skills for people with chronic pain or chronic breathlessness. Systematic review reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis statement; PROSPERO Registration CRD42017055909. Six electronic databases and grey literature were systematically searched up to January, 2017. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) empirical studies reporting data on driving simulation, on-the-road driving tasks or driving outcomes; (2) people with chronic pain or chronic breathlessness; and (3) taking regular therapeutic opioid agonists. Critical appraisal used the National Institutes of Health's quality assessment tools. From 3809 records screened, three studies matched the inclusion criteria. All reported data on people with chronic non-malignant pain. No significant impact of regular therapeutic opioid agonists on people's driving-related psychomotor skills was reported. One study reported more intense pain significantly worsened driving performance. This systematic review does not identify impaired simulated driving performance when people take regular therapeutic opioid agonists for symptom control, although more prospective studies are needed.

Electron and ion kinetics in a micro hollow cathode discharge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, G J; Iza, F; Lee, J K [Electronics and Electrical Engineering Department, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, 790-784 (Korea, Republic of)

2006-10-21

Electron and ion kinetics in a micro hollow cathode discharge are investigated by means of two-dimensional axisymmetric particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision simulations. Argon discharges at 10 and 300 Torr are studied for various driving currents. Electron and ion energy probability functions (IEPF) are shown at various times and locations to study the spatio-temporal behaviour of the discharge. The electron energy probability function (EEPF) evolves from the Druyvesteyn type in the early stages of the discharge into a two (or three) temperature distribution when steady state is reached. In steady state, secondary electrons accelerated across the cathode fall populate the high energy tail of the EEPF while the low energy region is populated by trapped electrons. The IEPF evolves from a Maxwellian in the negative glow (bulk) to a two temperature distribution on the cathode surface. The overpopulation of low energy ions near the cathode surface is attributed to a larger collision cross section for low energy ions and ionization within the cathode fall.

Electron and ion kinetics in a micro hollow cathode discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, G J; Iza, F; Lee, J K

2006-01-01

Electron and ion kinetics in a micro hollow cathode discharge are investigated by means of two-dimensional axisymmetric particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision simulations. Argon discharges at 10 and 300 Torr are studied for various driving currents. Electron and ion energy probability functions (IEPF) are shown at various times and locations to study the spatio-temporal behaviour of the discharge. The electron energy probability function (EEPF) evolves from the Druyvesteyn type in the early stages of the discharge into a two (or three) temperature distribution when steady state is reached. In steady state, secondary electrons accelerated across the cathode fall populate the high energy tail of the EEPF while the low energy region is populated by trapped electrons. The IEPF evolves from a Maxwellian in the negative glow (bulk) to a two temperature distribution on the cathode surface. The overpopulation of low energy ions near the cathode surface is attributed to a larger collision cross section for low energy ions and ionization within the cathode fall

H1 antihistamines and driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Popescu, Florin Dan

2008-01-01

Driving performances depend on cognitive, psychomotor and perception functions. The CNS adverse effects of some H1 antihistamines can alter the patient ability to drive. Data from studies using standardized objective cognitive and psychomotor tests (Choice Reaction Time, Critical Flicker Fusion. Digital Symbol Substitution Test), functional brain imaging (Positron Emission Tomography, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), neurophysiological studies (Multiple Sleep Latency Test, auditory and visual evoked potentials), experimental simulated driving (driving simulators) and real driving studies (the Highway Driving Test, with the evaluation of the Standard Deviation Lateral Position, and the Car Following Test, with the measurement of the Brake Reaction Time) must be discussed in order to classify a H1 antihistamine as a true non-sedating one.

Studies of gas phase ion/molecule reactions by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleingeld, J.C.

1984-01-01

An important field in which Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance has useful applications is that of gas phase ion chemistry, the subject of this thesis. First, the general picture of ion-molecule reactions in the gas phase is discussed. Next, some positive ion-molecule reactions are described, whereas the remaining chapters deal with negative ion-molecule reactions. Most of these studies have been performed using the FT-ICR method. Reactions involving H 3 O - and NH 4 - ions are described whereas the other chapters deal with larger organic complexes. (Auth.)

Drinking-driving fatalities and consumption of beer, wine and spirits.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Robert E; Zalcman, Rosely Flam; Asbridge, Mark; Suurvali, Helen; Giesbrecht, Norman

2006-07-01

Drinking-driving is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in Canada. The purpose of this paper was to examine factors that influenced drinking driver deaths in Ontario. We examined the impact of per capita consumption of total alcohol, and of beer, wine and spirits separately, on drinking-driving deaths in Ontario from 1962 to 1996, as well as the impact of the introduction of Canada's per se law and the founding of People to Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (PRIDE - MADD) Canada. We utilised time-series analyses with autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling. As total alcohol consumption increased, drinking driving fatalities increased. The introduction of Canada's per se law, and of PRIDE-MADD Canada, acted to reduce drinking driving death rates. Among the specific beverage types, only consumption of beer had a significant impact on drinking driver deaths. Several factors were identified that acted to increase and decrease drinking driver death rates. Of particular interest was the observation of the impact of beer consumption on these death rates. In North America, beer is taxed at a lower rate than other alcoholic beverages. The role of taxation policies as determinants of drinking-driving deaths is discussed.

A laboratory driving simulation for assessment of driving behavior in adults with ADHD: a controlled study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleardi Megan

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is now estimated that attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD afflicts at least 4% of adults in the United States and is associated with high levels of morbidity and functional impairment. One key area of dysfunction associated with ADHD is impaired motor vehicle operation. Our goal was to examine the association between ADHD and specific driving outcomes in a sample of adults using a driving simulator. Methods Subjects were 20 adults with full DSM-IV ADHD and 21 controls without ADHD of equal gender distribution. However, the mean age of subjects with ADHD was somewhat older. All analyses were adjusted for age and gender. All subjects participated in a driving simulation that lasted for one hour and consisted of a short training period, a high stimulus segment and a low stimulus segment with two distinct monotonous periods. Results In the second monotonous period within the low stimulus environment, ADHD subjects were significantly more likely than controls to collide with an obstacle suddenly appearing from the periphery, adjusting for age and gender. Conclusion Adults with ADHD were more likely than controls to collide with an obstacle during a driving simulation suggesting that deficits in directed attention may underlie driving impairments in this population.

A 2-100 keV, UHV ion impact spectrometer for ion-solid interaction studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berg, J.A. Van den; Armour, D.G.; Verheij, L.K.

1978-01-01

A 2 to 100 keV ion accelerator has been constructed as part of an ion impact spectrometer in which a number of analytical techniques have been combined to allow a comprehensive study of the interaction of low- and medium-energy ions with solids to be carried out under carefully controlled conditions. The overall requirements of the ion beam system in terms of ion species, beam purity, uniformity, energy spread and intensity were dictated by the interest in carrying out low-energy ion scattering, Rutherford back-scattering and thermal desorption experiments. The accelerator design utilises the principle of low-energy extraction and mass analysis, and post-acceleration up to the required high energy. The ions are produced in a duoplasmatron ion source and a parallel beam is obtained after mass selection, utilising a quadrupole triplet lens in conjunction with a 60 0 stigmatic focusing magnetic analyser. Proton and rare gas ion beams of 1 to 100 nA are routinely obtained on target. The 54 cm diameter, UHV target chamber is pumped by a 270 1 s -1 turbo-molecular pump in conjunction with an in-line titanium sublimator, and typical base pressures of 1 to 4 x 10 -11 Torr are achieved. The target is supported in a precision, three-axis goniometer and the detection system, at present comprising a 90 mm mean diameter hemispherical energy analyser and channel electron multiplier, is mounted on a two-axis manipulator. Preliminary measurements using the system have employed the low-energy ion scattering technique to study the oxidation of a Ni(110) surface. (author)

Polarization Studies in Fast-Ion Beam Spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trabert, E

2001-01-01

In a historical review, the observations and the insight gained from polarization studies of fast ions interacting with solid targets are presented. These began with J. Macek's recognition of zero-field quantum beats in beam-foil spectroscopy as indicating alignment, and D.G. Ellis' density operator analysis that suggested the observability of orientation when using tilted foils. Lastly H. Winter's studies of the ion-beam surface interaction at grazing incidence yielded the means to produce a high degree of nuclear orientation in ion beams

Older drivers' self-assessed driving skills, driving-related stress and self-regulation in traffic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siren, Anu Kristiina; Meng, Annette

2013-01-01

Previous research on older drivers has indicated connections between self-rated driving ability, confidence in their own driving, driving-related stress, and self-regulatory behaviour. However, more systematic associations between older drivers' perceptions on their own driving and self......-regulation or driver stress and self-regulation behaviour, and possible gender differences in these, have not been obtained in previous studies. The aim of the present study was to gain a better understanding of older drivers' self-regulatory driving and the motivators behind this behaviour, by placing this behaviour...... and avoidance than situations related to infrastructure, and women were more likely to report discomfort and avoidance of driving situations. The results suggest that older drivers generally show good self-judgement of changes in their driving skills and acknowledge the different types of skills comprised...

Medications and impaired driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Hetland, Amanda; Carr, David B

2014-04-01

To describe the association of specific medication classes with driving outcomes and provide clinical recommendations. The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published from January 1973 to June 2013 on classes of medications associated with driving impairment. The search included outcome terms such as automobile driving, motor vehicle crash, driving simulator, and road tests. Only English-language articles that contained findings from observational or interventional designs with ≥ 10 participants were included in this review. Cross-sectional studies, case series, and case reports were excluded. Driving is an important task and activity for the majority of adults. Some commonly prescribed medications have been associated with driving impairment measured by road performance, driving simulation, and/or motor vehicle crashes. This review of 30 studies identified findings with barbiturates, benzodiazepines, hypnotics, antidepressants, opioid and nonsteroidal analgesics, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antiparkinsonian agents, skeletal muscle relaxants, antihistamines, anticholinergic medications, and hypoglycemic agents. Additional studies of medication impact on sedation, sleep latency, and psychomotor function, as well as the role of alcohol, are also discussed. Psychotropic agents and those with central nervous system side effects were associated with measures of impaired driving performance. It is difficult to determine if such associations are actually a result of medication use or the medical diagnosis itself. Regardless, clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of impaired driving with specific classes of medications, educate their patients, and/or consider safer alternatives.

An ion cooling and state characterization apparatus for studies of molecular ion dissociative interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Shihu; Vane, C R; Bannister, M E; Havener, C C; Meyer, F W; Krause, H F; Hettich, R L; Goeringer, D E; Van Berkel, G J

2009-01-01

An experimental capability is being developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Multi-Charged Ion Research Facility (ORNL MIRF) to enable stored cooling and state characterization of molecular ions of essentially any mass. Ions selected from a variety of available sources are injected from the side into a 1.5 meter long electrostatic mirror trap, where excited internal states are cooled by radiative cooling. An electron beam target located near the middle of the ion-trap region, coupled with neutral fragment imaging detector systems at each end of the trap, permits state-specific studies of electron-molecular ion dissociation.

On the microscopic fluctuations driving the NMR relaxation of quadrupolar ions in water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carof, Antoine; Salanne, Mathieu; Rotenberg, Benjamin, E-mail: benjamin.rotenberg@upmc.fr [Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, CNRS, Laboratoire PHENIX, Case 51, 4 Place Jussieu, F-75005 Paris (France); Charpentier, Thibault [CEA, IRAMIS, NIMBE, LSDRM, UMR CEA-CNRS 3685, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)

2015-11-21

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxation is sensitive to the local structure and dynamics around the probed nuclei. The Electric Field Gradient (EFG) is the key microscopic quantity to understand the NMR relaxation of quadrupolar ions, such as {sup 7}Li{sup +}, {sup 23}Na{sup +}, {sup 25}Mg{sup 2+}, {sup 35}Cl{sup −}, {sup 39}K{sup +}, or {sup 133}Cs{sup +}. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the statistical and dynamical properties of the EFG experienced by alkaline, alkaline Earth, and chloride ions at infinite dilution in water. Specifically, we analyze the effect of the ionic charge and size on the distribution of the EFG tensor and on the multi-step decay of its auto-correlation function. The main contribution to the NMR relaxation time arises from the slowest mode, with a characteristic time on the picosecond time scale. The first solvation shell of the ion plays a dominant role in the fluctuations of the EFG, all the more that the ion radius is small and its charge is large. We propose an analysis based on a simplified charge distribution around the ion, which demonstrates that the auto-correlation of the EFG, hence the NMR relaxation time, reflects primarily the collective translational motion of water molecules in the first solvation shell of the cations. Our findings provide a microscopic route to the quantitative interpretation of NMR relaxation measurements and open the way to the design of improved analytical theories for NMR relaxation for small ionic solutes, which should focus on water density fluctuations around the ion.

How accurately do drivers evaluate their own driving behavior? An on-road observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Amado, Sonia; Arıkan, Elvan; Kaça, Gülin; Koyuncu, Mehmet; Turkan, B Nilay

2014-02-01

Self-assessment of driving skills became a noteworthy research subject in traffic psychology, since by knowing one's strenghts and weaknesses, drivers can take an efficient compensatory action to moderate risk and to ensure safety in hazardous environments. The current study aims to investigate drivers' self-conception of their own driving skills and behavior in relation to expert evaluations of their actual driving, by using naturalistic and systematic observation method during actual on-road driving session and to assess the different aspects of driving via comprehensive scales sensitive to different specific aspects of driving. 19-63 years old male participants (N=158) attended an on-road driving session lasting approximately 80min (45km). During the driving session, drivers' errors and violations were recorded by an expert observer. At the end of the driving session, observers completed the driver evaluation questionnaire, while drivers completed the driving self-evaluation questionnaire and Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ). Low to moderate correlations between driver and observer evaluations of driving skills and behavior, mainly on errors and violations of speed and traffic lights was found. Furthermore, the robust finding that drivers evaluate their driving performance as better than the expert was replicated. Over-positive appraisal was higher among drivers with higher error/violation score and with the ones that were evaluated by the expert as "unsafe". We suggest that the traffic environment might be regulated by increasing feedback indicators of errors and violations, which in turn might increase the insight into driving performance. Improving self-awareness by training and feedback sessions might play a key role for reducing the probability of risk in their driving activity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability of the magnetosonic wave in a cometary multi-ion plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Sreekala, G.; Varghese, Anu; Jayakumar, Neethu; Michael, Manesh; Sebastian, Sijo; Venugopal, Chandu

2017-05-01

A generalized dispersion relation of the magnetosonic wave in a four component plasma consisting of electrons and hydrogen ions of solar origin and positively and negatively charged oxygen ions of cometary origin has been derived by using the Vlasov-Maxwell kinetic model. Parallel to the magnetic field, the hydrogen and electron components are modeled by a drifting Maxwellian distribution; perpendicular to the magnetic field, we use a loss cone type distribution obtained by the subtraction of two Maxwellian distributions having different temperatures. The effect of change in the drift velocity of streaming components and number densities and temperatures of each species in driving the instability has been analyzed both analytically and numerically. For typical parameters at comet Halley, we find that both positively and negatively charged oxygen ions can drive the wave unstable.

The use of adaptation to reduce simulator sickness in driving assessment and research.

Science.gov (United States)

Domeyer, Joshua E; Cassavaugh, Nicholas D; Backs, Richard W

2013-04-01

The technical advancement of driving simulators has decreased their cost and increased both their accuracy and fidelity. This makes them a useful tool for examining driving behavior in risky or unique situations. With the approaching increase of older licensed drivers due to aging of the baby boomers, driving simulators will be important for conducting driving research and evaluations for older adults. With these simulator technologies, some people may experience significant effects of a unique form of motion sickness, known as simulator sickness. These effects may be more pronounced in older adults. The present study examined the feasibility of an intervention to attenuate symptoms of simulator sickness in drivers participating in a study of a driving evaluation protocol. Prior to beginning the experiment, the experimental groups did not differ in subjective simulator sickness scores as indicated by Revised Simulator Sickness Questionnaire scores (all p>0.5). Participants who experienced a two-day delay between an initial acclimation to the driving simulator and the driving session experienced fewer simulator sickness symptoms as indicated by RSSQ total severity scores than participants who did not receive a two-day delay (F(1,88)=4.54, p=.036, partial η(2)=.049). These findings have implications for improving client well-being and potentially increasing acceptance of driving simulation for driving evaluations and for driving safety research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-altitude ion heating with downflowing and upflowing ions

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Y.; Knudsen, D. J.; Burchill, J. K.; Howarth, A. D.; Yau, A. W.; James, G.; Miles, D.; Cogger, L. L.; Perry, G. W.

2017-12-01

Mechanisms that energize ions at the initial stage of ion upflow are still not well understood. We statistically investigate ionospheric ion energization and field-aligned motion at very low altitudes (330-730 km) using simultaneous plasma, magnetic field, wave electric field and optical data from the e-POP satellite. The high-time-resolution (10 ms) dataset enables us to study the micro-structures of ion heating and field-aligned ion motion. The ion temperature and field-aligned bulk flow velocity are derived from 2-D ion distribution functions measured by the SEI instrument. From March 2015 to March 2016, we've found 17 orbits (in total 24 ion heating periods) with clear ion heating signatures passing across the dayside cleft or the nightside auroral regions. Most of these events have consistent ion heating and flow velocity characteristics observed from both the SEI and IRM instruments. The perpendicular ion temperature goes up to 4.5 eV within a 2 km-wide region in some cases, in which the Radio Receiver Instrument (RRI) sees broadband extremely low frequency (BBELF) waves, demonstrating significant wave-ion heating down to as low as 350 km. The e-POP Fast Auroral Imager (FAI) and Magnetic Field (MGF) instruments show that many events are associated with active aurora and are within downward current regions. Contrary to what would be expected from mirror-force acceleration of heated ions, the majority of these heating events (17 out of 24) are associated with the core ion downflow rather than upflow. These statistical results provide us with new sights into ion heating and field-aligned flow processes at very low altitudes.

Exercise dependence and the drive for muscularity in male bodybuilders, power lifters, and fitness lifters.

Science.gov (United States)

Hale, Bruce D; Roth, Andrew D; DeLong, Ryan E; Briggs, Michael S

2010-06-01

Researchers have hypothesized differences in exercise dependence and drive for muscularity between bodybuilders and power lifters, while others have not found the predicted differences. This study assessed 146 weight lifters (bodybuilders, n=59; power lifters, n=47; fitness lifters, n=40) on the Exercise Dependence Scale, Bodybuilding Dependence Scale, and the Drive for Muscularity Scale. Results showed that bodybuilders and power lifters were significantly higher than fitness lifters on EDS Total, 7 EDS scales, and the 3 BDS scales. In contrast, power lifters were found to be significantly higher on DMS Total and DMS Behavior scales than bodybuilders. The regression results suggest that exercise dependence may be directly related to the drive for muscularity. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear response and bistability of driven ion acoustic waves

Science.gov (United States)

Akbari-Moghanjoughi, M.

2017-08-01

The hydrodynamic model is used to obtain a generalized pseudoforce equation through which the nonlinear response of periodically driven ion acoustic waves is studied in an electron-ion plasma with isothermal and adiabatic ion fluids. The pseudotime series, corresponding to different driving frequencies, indicates that nonlinearity effects appear more strongly for smaller frequency values. The existence of extra harmonic resonances in the nonlinear amplitude spectrum is a clear indication of the interaction of an external force with harmonic components of the nonlinear ion acoustic waves. It is shown that many plasma parameters significantly and differently affect the nonlinear resonance spectrum of ion acoustic excitations. A heuristic but accurate model for the foldover effect is used which quite satisfactorily predicts the bistability of driven plasma oscillations. It is remarked that the characteristic resonance peak of isothermal ion plasma oscillations appears at lower frequencies but is stronger compared to that of adiabatic ions. Comparison of the exact numerical results for fully nonlinear and approximate (weakly nonlinear) models indicates that a weakly nonlinear model exaggerates the hysteresis and jump phenomenon for higher values of the external force amplitude.

Review of lower hybrid wave heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gormezano, C.

1986-01-01

Interaction of Lower Hybrid waves and plasmas is a very versatile method which has proven to be effective in a large range of applications: bulk ion heating, bulk electron heating, non inductive current drive. If the ratio between the mean velocity of HF induced fast particles and the thermal velocity of the bulk population is relatively small, effective bulk ion heating or bulk electron heating can occur via collisional transfer. If the above ratio is too large, fast ions, which have mainly a perpendicular energy, are poorly confined. Moreover they can be harmful for the discharge (impurities, etc...) since they are lost on the walls. In contrast, HF induced fast electrons gain essentially a parallel momentum from the wave. If unidirectional waves are launched, the dissymetry in electron distribution result in the obtention of an effective non inductive current

Construction of negative-ion based NBI for JT-60U

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawai, Mikito; Akino, Noboru; Ebisawa, Noboru

2001-11-01

The world's first negative-ion based neutral beam injector (N-NBI) system has been developed for studies of non-inductive current drive and plasma core heating with high energy neutral beam injection in higher density plasma. Construction of the N-NBI system for JT-60U was completed in March 1996. The system is composed of a beamline with two ion sources, a set of ion source power supplies, control system and auxiliary sub-system such as cooling water, refrigeration and vacuum system. In July 2001, deuterium neutral beam injection of 400keV and 5.8MW into JT-60U plasma was achieved. In order to increase both beam power and energy we have to go on more improvement of the N-NBI. (author)

Effect of ion cyclotron acceleration on frequency chirping beam-driven instabilities in NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruskov, E.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Darrow, D.; Medley, S.; Gorelenkov, N.

2006-01-01

The fast-ion distribution function in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is modified from shot to shot while keeping the total injected power at ∼2 MW. Deuterium beams of different energy and tangency radius are injected into helium L-mode plasmas, producing a rich set of instabilities, including TAE modes, 50-100∼kHz instabilities with rapid frequency sweeps or chirps, and strong, low frequency (10-20 kHz) fishbones. The experiment was motivated by a theory that attributes frequency chirping to the formation of holes and clumps in phase space. In the theory, increasing the effective collision frequency of the fast ions that drive the instability can suppress frequency chirping. In the experiment, high-power (∼3 MW) harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating accelerates the fast ions in an attempt to alter the effective collision frequency. Steady-frequency TAE modes excited early in the discharge are affected by the HHFW heating but there is no evidence that the chirping of 20-100 kHz modes is suppressed. (author)

Effect of Ion Cyclotron Acceleration on Frequency Chirping Beam-Driven Instabilities in NSTX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruskov, E.; Heidbrink, W.W.; Fredrickson, E.D.; Darrow, D.; Medley, S.; Gorelenkov, N.

2006-01-01

The fast-ion distribution function in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) is modified from shot to shot while keeping the total injected power at ∼2 MW. Deuterium beams of different energy and tangency radius are injected into helium L-mode plasmas, producing a rich set of instabilities, including TAE modes, 50-100∼kHz instabilities with rapid frequency sweeps or chirps, and strong, low frequency (10-20 kHz) fishbones. The experiment was motivated by a theory that attributes frequency chirping to the formation of holes and clumps in phase space. In the theory, increasing the effective collision frequency of the fast ions that drive the instability can suppress frequency chirping. In the experiment, high-power (∼3 MW) harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating accelerates the fast ions in an attempt to alter the effective collision frequency. Steady-frequency TAE modes excited early in the discharge are affected by the HHFW heating but there is no evidence that the chirping of 20-100 kHz modes is suppressed. (author)

Ion beam studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, J.H.; Chivers, D.J.; Gard, G.A.; Temple, W.

1977-04-01

A description of techniques for the production of intense beams of heavy ions is given. A table of recommended operational procedures for most elements is included. The ionisation of boron is considered in some detail because of its particular importance as a dopant for ion implantation. (author)

Glaucoma and Driving: On-Road Driving Characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Joanne M.; Black, Alex A.; Mallon, Kerry; Thomas, Ravi; Owsley, Cynthia

2016-01-01

Purpose To comprehensively investigate the types of driving errors and locations that are most problematic for older drivers with glaucoma compared to those without glaucoma using a standardized on-road assessment. Methods Participants included 75 drivers with glaucoma (mean = 73.2±6.0 years) with mild to moderate field loss (better-eye MD = -1.21 dB; worse-eye MD = -7.75 dB) and 70 age-matched controls without glaucoma (mean = 72.6 ± 5.0 years). On-road driving performance was assessed in a dual-brake vehicle by an occupational therapist using a standardized scoring system which assessed the types of driving errors and the locations where they were made and the number of critical errors that required an instructor intervention. Driving safety was rated on a 10-point scale. Self-reported driving ability and difficulties were recorded using the Driving Habits Questionnaire. Results Drivers with glaucoma were rated as significantly less safe, made more driving errors, and had almost double the rate of critical errors than those without glaucoma. Driving errors involved lane positioning and planning/approach, and were significantly more likely to occur at traffic lights and yield/give-way intersections. There were few between group differences in self-reported driving ability. Conclusions Older drivers with glaucoma with even mild to moderate field loss exhibit impairments in driving ability, particularly during complex driving situations that involve tactical problems with lane-position, planning ahead and observation. These results, together with the fact that these drivers self-report their driving to be relatively good, reinforce the need for evidence-based on-road assessments for evaluating driving fitness. PMID:27472221

Glaucoma and Driving: On-Road Driving Characteristics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanne M Wood

Full Text Available To comprehensively investigate the types of driving errors and locations that are most problematic for older drivers with glaucoma compared to those without glaucoma using a standardized on-road assessment.Participants included 75 drivers with glaucoma (mean = 73.2±6.0 years with mild to moderate field loss (better-eye MD = -1.21 dB; worse-eye MD = -7.75 dB and 70 age-matched controls without glaucoma (mean = 72.6 ± 5.0 years. On-road driving performance was assessed in a dual-brake vehicle by an occupational therapist using a standardized scoring system which assessed the types of driving errors and the locations where they were made and the number of critical errors that required an instructor intervention. Driving safety was rated on a 10-point scale. Self-reported driving ability and difficulties were recorded using the Driving Habits Questionnaire.Drivers with glaucoma were rated as significantly less safe, made more driving errors, and had almost double the rate of critical errors than those without glaucoma. Driving errors involved lane positioning and planning/approach, and were significantly more likely to occur at traffic lights and yield/give-way intersections. There were few between group differences in self-reported driving ability.Older drivers with glaucoma with even mild to moderate field loss exhibit impairments in driving ability, particularly during complex driving situations that involve tactical problems with lane-position, planning ahead and observation. These results, together with the fact that these drivers self-report their driving to be relatively good, reinforce the need for evidence-based on-road assessments for evaluating driving fitness.

Glaucoma and Driving: On-Road Driving Characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Joanne M; Black, Alex A; Mallon, Kerry; Thomas, Ravi; Owsley, Cynthia

2016-01-01

To comprehensively investigate the types of driving errors and locations that are most problematic for older drivers with glaucoma compared to those without glaucoma using a standardized on-road assessment. Participants included 75 drivers with glaucoma (mean = 73.2±6.0 years) with mild to moderate field loss (better-eye MD = -1.21 dB; worse-eye MD = -7.75 dB) and 70 age-matched controls without glaucoma (mean = 72.6 ± 5.0 years). On-road driving performance was assessed in a dual-brake vehicle by an occupational therapist using a standardized scoring system which assessed the types of driving errors and the locations where they were made and the number of critical errors that required an instructor intervention. Driving safety was rated on a 10-point scale. Self-reported driving ability and difficulties were recorded using the Driving Habits Questionnaire. Drivers with glaucoma were rated as significantly less safe, made more driving errors, and had almost double the rate of critical errors than those without glaucoma. Driving errors involved lane positioning and planning/approach, and were significantly more likely to occur at traffic lights and yield/give-way intersections. There were few between group differences in self-reported driving ability. Older drivers with glaucoma with even mild to moderate field loss exhibit impairments in driving ability, particularly during complex driving situations that involve tactical problems with lane-position, planning ahead and observation. These results, together with the fact that these drivers self-report their driving to be relatively good, reinforce the need for evidence-based on-road assessments for evaluating driving fitness.

Sputtering of solid deuterium by He-ions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, Jørgen; Stenum, B.; Pedrys, R.

2001-01-01

Sputtering of solid deuterium by bombardment of 3He+ and 4He+ ions was studied. Some features are similar to hydrogen ion bombardment of solid deuterium, but for the He-ions a significant contribution of elastic processes to the total yield can be identified. The thin-film enhancement is more pro...... pronounced than that for hydrogen projectiles in the same energy range....

Assessing video games to improve driving skills: a literature review and observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sue, Damian; Ray, Pradeep; Talaei-Khoei, Amir; Jonnagaddala, Jitendra; Vichitvanichphong, Suchada

2014-08-07

For individuals, especially older adults, playing video games is a promising tool for improving their driving skills. The ease of use, wide availability, and interactivity of gaming consoles make them an attractive simulation tool. The objective of this study was to look at the feasibility and effects of installing video game consoles in the homes of individuals looking to improve their driving skills. A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effect of playing video games on improving driving skills. An observatory study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of using an Xbox 360 Kinect console for improving driving skills. Twenty-nine articles, which discuss the implementation of video games in improving driving skills were found in literature. On our study, it was found the Xbox 360 with Kinect is capable of improving physical and mental activities. Xbox Video games were introduced to engage players in physical, visual and cognitive activities including endurance, postural sway, reaction time, eyesight, eye movement, attention and concentration, difficulties with orientation, and semantic fluency. However, manual dexterity, visuo-spatial perception and binocular vision could not be addressed by these games. It was observed that Xbox Kinect (by incorporating Kinect sensor facilities) combines physical, visual and cognitive engagement of players. These results were consistent with those from the literature review. From the research that has been carried out, we can conclude that video game consoles are a viable solution for improving user's physical and mental state. In future we propose to carry a thorough evaluation of the effects of video games on driving skills in elderly people.

Benzodiazepines, opioids and driving: an overview of the experimental research.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Stefanie Y

2011-05-01

Road crashes contribute significantly to the total burden of injury in Australia, with the risk of injury being associated with the presence of drugs and/or alcohol in the driver's blood. Increasingly, some of the most commonly detected drugs include prescription medicines, the most notable of these being benzodiazepines and opioids. However, there is a paucity of experimental research into the effects of prescribed psychoactive drugs on driving behaviours. This paper provides an overview of experimental studies investigating the effects of prescribed doses of benzodiazepines and opioids on driving ability, and points to future directions for research. There is growing epidemiological evidence linking the therapeutic use of benzodiazepines and opioids to an increased crash risk. However, the current experimental literature remains unclear. Limitations to study methodologies have resulted in inconsistent findings. Limited experimental evidence exists to inform policy and guidelines regarding fitness-to-drive for patients taking prescribed benzodiazepines and opioids. Further experimental research is required to elucidate the effects of these medications on driving, under varying conditions and in different medical contexts. This will ensure that doctors prescribing benzodiazepines and opioids are well informed, and can appropriately advise patients of the risks associated with driving whilst taking these medications. © 2011 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Neutralized ion beam modification of cellulose membranes for study of ion charge effect on ion-beam-induced DNA transfer

Science.gov (United States)

Prakrajang, K.; Sangwijit, K.; Anuntalabhochai, S.; Wanichapichart, P.; Yu, L. D.

2012-02-01

Low-energy ion beam biotechnology (IBBT) has recently been rapidly developed worldwide. Ion-beam-induced DNA transfer is one of the important applications of IBBT. However, mechanisms involved in this application are not yet well understood. In this study plasma-neutralized ion beam was applied to investigate ion charge effect on induction of DNA transfer. Argon ion beam at 7.5 keV was neutralized by RF-driven plasma in the beam path and then bombarded cellulose membranes which were used as the mimetic plant cell envelope. Electrical properties such as impedance and capacitance of the membranes were measured after the bombardment. An in vitro experiment on plasmid DNA transfer through the cellulose membrane was followed up. The results showed that the ion charge input played an important role in the impedance and capacitance changes which would affect DNA transfer. Generally speaking, neutral particle beam bombardment of biologic cells was more effective in inducing DNA transfer than charged ion beam bombardment.

An explorative study of the relationship between lifestyle and driving behaviour among young drivers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Mette

2004-01-01

The high accident risk among young drivers is a well-known and well-documented fact in most countries, including Denmark. Lifestyle has proven to be related to driving behaviour as well as accident risk among young drivers. However, the underlying process through which the relationship between...... the lifestyle and the driving behaviour is established is not yet fully understood. Using focus group interviews divided by sex and education this study explores the psychosocial function of driving as well as the process through which a relationship between lifestyle and driving behaviour is established....... Twenty-nine young drivers living in the Copenhagen area participated in the study. Data were analysed using a modified version of the Editing Analysis Style. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved....

Radiative electron capture studied in relativistic heavy-ion atom collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoehlker, T.; Kozhuharov, C.; Mokler, P.H.; Warczak, A.; Bosch, F.; Geissel, H.; Moshammer, R.; Scheidenberger, C.; Eichler, J.; Shirai, T.; Stachura, Z.; Rymuza, P.

1994-08-01

The process of Radiative Electron Capture (REC) in relativistic collisions of high-Z ions with low-Z gaseous and solid targets is studied experimentally and theoretically. The observed X-ray spectra are analysed with respect to photon angular distributions as well as to total K-REC cross sections. The experimental results for angle-differential cross sections are well-reproduced by exact relativistic calculations which yield significant deviations from standard sin 2 θ distributions. Total cross sections for K-REC are shown to follow a simple scaling rule obtained from exact relativistic calculations as well as from a non-relativistic dipole approximation. The agreement between these different theoretical approaches must be regarded as fortuitous, but it lends support to the use of the non-relativistic approach for practical purposes. (orig.)

Assessing drivers' response during automated driver support system failures with non-driving tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Sijun; Neyens, David M

2017-06-01

With the increase in automated driver support systems, drivers are shifting from operating their vehicles to supervising their automation. As a result, it is important to understand how drivers interact with these automated systems and evaluate their effect on driver responses to safety critical events. This study aimed to identify how drivers responded when experiencing a safety critical event in automated vehicles while also engaged in non-driving tasks. In total 48 participants were included in this driving simulator study with two levels of automated driving: (a) driving with no automation and (b) driving with adaptive cruise control (ACC) and lane keeping (LK) systems engaged; and also two levels of a non-driving task (a) watching a movie or (b) no non-driving task. In addition to driving performance measures, non-driving task performance and the mean glance duration for the non-driving task were compared between the two levels of automated driving. Drivers using the automated systems responded worse than those manually driving in terms of reaction time, lane departure duration, and maximum steering wheel angle to an induced lane departure event. These results also found that non-driving tasks further impaired driver responses to a safety critical event in the automated system condition. In the automated driving condition, driver responses to the safety critical events were slower, especially when engaged in a non-driving task. Traditional driver performance variables may not necessarily effectively and accurately evaluate driver responses to events when supervising autonomous vehicle systems. Thus, it is important to develop and use appropriate variables to quantify drivers' performance under these conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Near-term hybrid vehicle program, phase 1. Appendix B: Design trade-off studies. [various hybrid/electric power train configurations and electrical and mechanical drive-line components

Science.gov (United States)

1979-01-01

The relative attractiveness of various hybrid/electric power train configurations and electrical and mechanical drive-line components was studied. The initial screening was concerned primarily with total vehicle weight and economic factors and identified the hybrid power train combinations which warranted detailed evaluation over various driving cycles. This was done using a second-by-second vehicle simulation program which permitted the calculations of fuel economy, electricity usage, and emissions as a function of distance traveled in urban and highway driving. Power train arrangement possibilities were examined in terms of their effect on vehicle handling, safety, serviceability, and passenger comfort. A dc electric drive system utilizing a separately excited motor with field control and battery switching was selected for the near term hybrid vehicle. Hybrid vehicle simulations showed that for the first 30 mi (the electric range of the vehicle) in urban driving, the fuel economy was 80 mpg using a gasoline engine and 100 mpg using a diesel engine. In urban driving the hybrid would save about 75% of the fuel used by the conventional vehicle and in combined urban/highway driving the fuel saving is about 50%.

In Patients With Cirrhosis, Driving Simulator Performance Is Associated With Real-life Driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauridsen, Mette M; Thacker, Leroy R; White, Melanie B; Unser, Ariel; Sterling, Richard K; Stravitz, Richard T; Matherly, Scott; Puri, Puneet; Sanyal, Arun J; Gavis, Edith A; Luketic, Velimir; Siddiqui, Muhammad S; Heuman, Douglas M; Fuchs, Michael; Bajaj, Jasmohan S

2016-05-01

Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) has been linked to higher real-life rates of automobile crashes and poor performance in driving simulation studies, but the link between driving simulator performance and real-life automobile crashes has not been clearly established. Furthermore, not all patients with MHE are unsafe drivers, but it is unclear how to distinguish them from unsafe drivers. We investigated the link between performance on driving simulators and real-life automobile accidents and traffic violations. We also aimed to identify features of unsafe drivers with cirrhosis and evaluated changes in simulated driving skills and MHE status after 1 year. We performed a study of outpatients with cirrhosis (n = 205; median 55 years old; median model for end-stage liver disease score, 9.5; none with overt hepatic encephalopathy or alcohol or illicit drug use within previous 6 months) seen at the Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center, from November 2008 through April 2014. All participants were given paper-pencil tests to diagnose MHE (98 had MHE; 48%), and 163 patients completed a standardized driving simulation. Data were collected on traffic violations and automobile accidents from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and from participants' self-assessments when they entered the study, and from 73 participants 1 year later. Participants also completed a questionnaire about alcohol use and cessation patterns. The driving simulator measured crashes, run-time, road center and edge excursions, and illegal turns during navigation; before and after each driving simulation session, patients were asked to rate their overall driving skills. Drivers were classified as safe or unsafe based on crashes and violations reported on official driving records; simulation results were compared with real-life driving records. Multivariable regression analyses of real-life crashes and violations was performed using data on

Full-wave simulations of current profiles for fast magnetosonic wave current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitrieva, M.V.; Eriksson, L.-G.; Gambier, D.J.

1992-12-01

Numerical simulations of current drive in tokamaks by fast waves (FWCD) have been performed in the range of the ion cyclotron and at lower frequencies via 3-Dimensional numerical code ICTOR. Trapped particles effects were taken into account in the calculation of the fast wave current drive efficiency and the bootstrap current generation. The global efficiency of FWCD if found to be γ∼ 0.1 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for the Joint European Torus tokamak (JET) parameters at a central electron temperature of ∼ 10 kev. The efficiency of FWCD for reactor-like plasmas is found to be γ∼0.3 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for ∼ 100% of FWCD and γ∼ 1 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 for FWCD and ∼ 65% of bootstrap in a total current of ∼ 25MA at a 25kev central temperature with a density of ∼10 20 m -3 and major radius R ∼ 8m. Non-inductive current density profiles are studied. Broad FWCD current profiles are obtained for flat reactor temperature and density profiles with bootstrap current concentrated at the plasma edge. The possibility of a steady-state reactor on full wave (FW) with a large fraction of bootstrap current is discussed. It appears to be impractical to rely on such an external current driven (CD) scheme for a reactor as long a γ is less than 2 x 10 20 AW -1 m -2 . (Author)

Automotive Lithium-ion Cell Manufacturing: Regional Cost Structures and Supply Chain Considerations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donald Chung, Emma Elgqvist, and Shriram Santhanagopalan

2016-04-01

Manufacturing capacity for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) — which power many consumer electronics and are increasingly used to power electric vehicles — is heavily concentrated in East Asia. To illuminate the factors that drive regional competitiveness in automotive LIB cell production, this study models cell manufacturing cost and minimum sustainable price, and examines development of LIB supply chains and current LIB market conditions. The study shows that factors driving the cost competitiveness of LIB manufacturing locations are mostly built—supply chain developments and competition, access to materials, and production expertise. Some regional costs — including cost of capital, labor, and materials — are significant and should be considered.

Fluence measurements applied to 5-20 MeV/amu ion beam dosimetry by simultaneous use of a total-absorption calorimeter and a Faraday cup

CERN Document Server

Kojima, T; Takizawa, H; Tachibana, H; Tanaka, R

1998-01-01

A Faraday cup was fabricated for measuring the beam current of a few tens MeV/amu ion beams of the TIARA AVF cyclotron. It has been applied as a beam monitor for studying the characteristics of film dosimeters that are well-established for high doses of sup 6 sup 0 Co gamma-rays and 1 to 10 MeV electrons. A total absorption calorimeter designed to measure energy fluence has also been tested for estimating the uncertainty in fluence measurement of 5-20 MeV/amu ion beams, by simultaneous use of the calorimeter and the Faraday cup in a broad uniform fluence field. The estimated fluence was evaluated on the basis of nominal particle energy values derived from the cyclotron acceleration parameters. The average ratio of the measured fluence values to the estimated values is 1.024, and the average precision is within +-2% at a 68% confidence level, for most of the ion beams with a range of kinetic energy per nucleon, 5-20 MeV/amu, at an integrated charge above 5 nC/cm sup 2.

Gender roles, sex and the expression of driving anger.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullman, M J M; Paxion, J; Stephens, A N

2017-09-01

The present study investigated the validity of the 25-item Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX) as well as the role of sex and gender-roles in relation to the expression of driving anger in a sample of 378 French drivers (males=38%, M=32.9years old). Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the four-factor structure of the 25-item DAX (Adaptive/Constructive Expression; Use of the Vehicle to Express Anger; Verbal Aggressive Expression and Personal Physical Aggressive Expression) and two of the three aggressive factors were found to have significant positive relationships with driving anger, while adaptive/constructive expression was negatively related to driving anger. Use of the vehicle to express anger was not significantly related to crash involvement, but was significantly related to all other crash-related conditions (traffic tickets, loss of concentration, loss of control of the vehicle, near crash). The presence of feminine traits, but not sex, was predictive of adaptive/constructive behaviours, while masculine traits predicted more frequent verbal aggressive expression, use of the vehicle to express anger, personal physical aggressive expression and total aggressive expression. This finding may account for the inconsistent relationship found between driving anger and sex in previous research. This research also found that the 25-item DAX is a valid tool to measure the expression of driving anger and that the endorsement of masculine traits are related to more aggressive forms of driving anger expression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A meta-analysis of the effects of texting on driving.

Science.gov (United States)

Caird, Jeff K; Johnston, Kate A; Willness, Chelsea R; Asbridge, Mark; Steel, Piers

2014-10-01

Text messaging while driving is considered dangerous and known to produce injuries and fatalities. However, the effects of text messaging on driving performance have not been synthesized or summarily estimated. All available experimental studies that measured the effects of text messaging on driving were identified through database searches using variants of "driving" and "texting" without restriction on year of publication through March 2014. Of the 1476 abstracts reviewed, 82 met general inclusion criteria. Of these, 28 studies were found to sufficiently compare reading or typing text messages while driving with a control or baseline condition. Independent variables (text-messaging tasks) were coded as typing, reading, or a combination of both. Dependent variables included eye movements, stimulus detection, reaction time, collisions, lane positioning, speed and headway. Statistics were extracted from studies to compute effect sizes (rc). A total sample of 977 participants from 28 experimental studies yielded 234 effect size estimates of the relationships among independent and dependent variables. Typing and reading text messages while driving adversely affected eye movements, stimulus detection, reaction time, collisions, lane positioning, speed and headway. Typing text messages alone produced similar decrements as typing and reading, whereas reading alone had smaller decrements over fewer dependent variables. Typing and reading text messages affects drivers' capability to adequately direct attention to the roadway, respond to important traffic events, control a vehicle within a lane and maintain speed and headway. This meta-analysis provides convergent evidence that texting compromises the safety of the driver, passengers and other road users. Combined efforts, including legislation, enforcement, blocking technologies, parent modeling, social media, social norms and education, will be required to prevent continued deaths and injuries from texting and driving

Ball lightning dynamics and stability at moderate ion densities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrow, R

2017-01-01

A general mechanism is presented for the dynamics and structure of ball lightning and for the maintenance of the ball lightning structure for several seconds. Results are obtained using a spherical geometry for air at atmospheric pressure, by solving the continuity equations for electrons, positive ions and negative ions coupled with Poisson’s equation. A lightning strike can generate conditions in the lightning channel with a majority of positive nitrogen ions, and a minority of negative oxygen ions and electrons. The calculations are initiated with electrons included; however, at the moderate ion densities chosen the electrons are rapidly lost to form negative ions, and after 1 µ s their influence on the ion dynamics is negligible. Further development after 1 µ s is followed using a simpler set of equations involving only positive ions and negative ions, but including ion diffusion. The space-charge electric field generated by the majority positive ions drives them from the centre of the distribution and drives the minority negative ions and electrons towards the centre of the distribution. In the central region the positive and negative ion distributions eventually overlap exactly and their space-charge fields cancel resulting in zero electric field, and the plasma ball formed is quite stable for a number of seconds. The formation of such plasma balls is not critically dependent on the initial diameter of the ion distributions, or the initial density of minority negative ions. The ion densities decrease relatively slowly due to mutual neutralization of positive and negative ions. The radiation from this neutralization process involving positive nitrogen ions and negative oxygen ions is not sufficient to account for the reported luminosity of ball lightning and some other source of luminosity is shown to be required; the plasma ball model used could readily incorporate other ions in order to account for the luminosity and range of colours reported for ball

Study on Pressure drop for Ion Exchanger in Jordan Research and Training Reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ki-jung; Choi, Jungwoon; Kim, Seong-Hoon; Chi, Dae-Young; Park, Cheol [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR) is currently being constructed and commissioned in the JUST (Jordan University of Science and Technology) site. The main fluid systems relevant to the JRTR have been proceeding at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. In order to achieve the purpose of the pool water purification, two filters and two ion exchangers which can be to remove suspended solids and ionic impurities in the in-taken pool water have been designed. For the reliable design of this system pump, it is important to predict the pressure drop of the system equipment including the ion exchanger. In this study, the pressure drop in the ion exchanger of PWMS is predicted by using the well-known model and the results provided from manufacturing company. And, the calculated results are compared to the actual data which is measured from the ion exchanger during the PWMS commissioning. The predicted pressure drop is dominated by the resin bed as a portion of about 85% for total pressure drop. The predicted pressure drop is compared to the measured pressure drop of the ion exchanger which is installed in the JRTR, the data above 5 kg/s agree within 5% in the entire range.

Multicenter Study of Carbon-Ion Radiation Therapy for Mucosal Melanoma of the Head and Neck: Subanalysis of the Japan Carbon-Ion Radiation Oncology Study Group (J-CROS) Study (1402 HN)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koto, Masashi, E-mail: koto.masashi@qst.go.jp [Hospital of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Chiba (Japan); Demizu, Yusuke [Department of Radiology, Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center, Tatsuno (Japan); Saitoh, Jun-ichi [Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi (Japan); Suefuji, Hiroaki [Ion Beam Therapy Center, SAGA-HIMAT Foundation, Tosu (Japan); Tsuji, Hiroshi [Hospital of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Chiba (Japan); Okimoto, Tomoaki [Department of Radiology, Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center, Tatsuno (Japan); Ohno, Tatsuya [Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi (Japan); Shioyama, Yoshiyuki [Ion Beam Therapy Center, SAGA-HIMAT Foundation, Tosu (Japan); Takagi, Ryo [Hospital of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Chiba (Japan); Nemoto, Kenji [Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata (Japan); Nakano, Takashi [Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center, Maebashi (Japan); Kamada, Tadashi [Hospital of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Sciences and Technology, Chiba (Japan)

2017-04-01

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of carbon-ion radiation therapy (RT) for mucosal melanoma of the head and neck (MMHN) in the Japan Carbon-Ion Radiation Oncology Study Group study. Methods and Materials: Patients with MMHN with N0-1M0 status who were treated with carbon-ion RT at 4 institutions in Japan between November 2003 and December 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Two hundred sixty patients (male, 111; female, 149; median age, 68 years) with histologically proven MMHN were enrolled. Results: Primary sites included the nasal cavity in 178 patients, paranasal sinuses in 43, oral cavity in 27, and pharynx in 12. Eighty-six patients had T3 tumors, 147 had T4a tumors, and 27 had T4b tumors. Two hundred fifty-one patients were diagnosed with N0 disease, and 9 with N1 disease. The median total dose and number of fractions were 57.6 Gy RBE (relative biological effectiveness) and 16, respectively. Chemotherapy including dimethyl traizeno imidazole carboxamide was used concurrently in 129 patients. The median follow-up duration was 22 months (range, 1-132 months). The 2-year overall survival and local control rates were 69.4% and 83.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that gross tumor volume and concurrent chemotherapy were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. Grade 3 and grade 4 late morbidities were observed in 27 and 7 patients (5 developed ipsilateral blindness, 1 mucosal ulcer, and 1 second malignant disease in the irradiated volume), respectively. No patients developed grade 5 late morbidities. Conclusion: Carbon-ion RT is a promising treatment option for MMHN.

Stable isotope ratiometer-multiple ion detector (SIRMID) unit for quantitative and qualitative stable isotope studies by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, P.D.; Haumann, J.R.; Hachey, D.L.

1975-01-01

A stable isotope ratiometer-multiple ion detector (SIRMID) unit which can drive existing gas chromatograph-quadrupole or magnetic sector mass spectrometers to monitor up to six ions in turn is described. Each of the three pairs of ions can be selected for quantitation; thus three different or successive components can be analyzed in a single GC run. A background subtraction option permits the ion intensity in the absence of sample to be subtracted automatically during sample measurement. Displays of accumulated counts and isotope ratio are updated twice per second during the measurement and can be printed out at its conclusion. All six ions can be monitored in the analog mode by parallel outputs to a multipen recorder. Experience gained in the construction of this prototype indicates that SIRMID units could be commercially available for $10K, or about 1 / 3 rd to 1 / 6 th of the cost of even an inexpensive computer system. (U.S.)

Health-related quality of life after carbon-ion radiotherapy for prostate cancer. A 3-year prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katoh, Hiroyuki; Tsuji, Hiroshi; Ishikawa, Hitoshi

2014-01-01

To assess 3-year health-related quality of life of patients treated with carbon ion radiotherapy for prostate cancer. A total of 213 patients received carbon-ion radiotherapy at a total dose of 66 Gy equivalent in 20 fractions over 5 weeks, and neoadjuvant and adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy were administered for high-risk patients for at least 12 months. A health-related quality of life assessment was carried out at four time-points (immediately before the initiation of carbon-ion radiotherapy, immediately after, 12 and 36 months after completion of carbon-ion radiotherapy) using Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General and for Prostate Cancer Patients. The evaluable response rates among all responses were more than 94%. Overall, a significant decrease in the scores of the health-related quality of life 12 months after carbon-ion radiotherapy returned to their baseline levels at 36 months. Additionally, no significant decrease was observed in the scores at any of the assessment time-points compared with their baseline scores in the group of carbon-ion radiotherapy without androgen deprivation therapy; however, the presence of morbidity and biochemical failure significantly worsened the scores, and the decreases in the scores did not improve even at 36 months after carbon-ion radiotherapy. An assessment based on a subjective scoring system shows a significant decrease in health-related quality of life at 12 months after carbon-ion radiation therapy, which tends to return to baseline levels at 36 months. The presence of morbidity and bio-chemical failure significantly worsen health-related quality of life scores. Further controlled studies focusing on health-related quality of life assessment in patients with prostate cancer are warranted. (author)

Interannual variability of the stratospheric wave driving during northern winter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. M. Kelder

2007-05-01

Full Text Available The strength of the stratospheric wave driving during northern winter is often quantified by the January–February mean poleward eddy heat flux at 100 hPa, averaged over 40°–80° N (or a similar area and period. Despite the dynamical and chemical relevance of the wave driving, the causes for its variability are still not well understood. In this study, ERA-40 reanalysis data for the period 1979–2002 are used to examine several factors that significantly affect the interannual variability of the wave driving. The total poleward heat flux at 100 hPa is poorly correlated with that in the troposphere, suggesting a decoupling between 100 hPa and the troposphere. However, the individual zonal wave-1 and wave-2 contributions to the wave driving at 100 hPa do exhibit a significant coupling with the troposphere, predominantly their stationary components. The stationary wave-1 contribution to the total wave driving significantly depends on the latitude of the stationary wave-1 source in the troposphere. The results suggest that this dependence is associated with the varying ability of stationary wave-1 activity to enter the tropospheric waveguide at mid-latitudes. The wave driving anomalies are separated into three parts: one part due to anomalies in the zonal correlation coefficient between the eddy temperature and eddy meridional wind, another part due to anomalies in the zonal eddy temperature amplitude, and a third part due to anomalies in the zonal eddy meridional wind amplitude. It is found that year-to-year variability in the zonal correlation coefficient between the eddy temperature and the eddy meridional wind is the most dominant factor in explaining the year-to-year variability of the poleward eddy heat flux.

The driving factors behind coal demand in China from 1997 to 2012: An empirical study of input-output structural decomposition analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Ya; Zhang, Wanying

2016-01-01

With the rapid development of economy, especially the constant progress in industrialisation and urbanisation, China's energy consumption has increased annually. Coal consumption, which accounts for about 70% of total energy consumption, is of particular concern. Hence, it is crucial to study the driving factors behind coal demand in China. This work uses an input-output structural decomposition analysis (I-O SDA) model to decompose the increments of coal demand in China from 1997 to 2012 into the sum of the weighted average for eight driving factors from three aspects, including: domestic demand, foreign trade and industrial upgrading. Results show that: during the research period, the demand for coal increases by 153.3%, which is increased by 185.4% and 76.4% respectively due to the driving forces of domestic demand and foreign trade; in addition, industrial upgrading can effectively restrain the growth in coal demand with a contribution rate of −108.6%. On this basis, we mainly studied the driving factors of coal demand in six high energy-consuming industries, namely the electrical power, energy processing, metals, mining, building materials and chemical industries. Finally, we proposed targeted policy suggestions for the realisation of energy conservation and emissions reduction in China. - Highlights: •The driving factors behind coal demand in China from 1997 to 2012 are studied. •An input-output structural decomposition analysis is developed. •A fresh perspective of domestic demand, foreign trade, and industrial upgrading is employed. •The influences of these affecting factors on China's coal demand from six high energy-consuming industries are investigated. •Targeted policy suggestions for energy conservation and emissions reduction are suggested.

Phenomenological understanding of dewetting and embedding of noble metal nanoparticles in thin films induced by ion irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prakash, Jai, E-mail: jai.gupta1983@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, MMH College (Ch. Charan Singh University Meerut), Ghaiziabad 201001 (India); Chemical Physics of Materials, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus de la Plaine, CP 243, B-1050 Bruxelles (Belgium); Tripathi, A. [Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asif Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India); Gautam, Sanjeev; Chae, K.H.; Song, Jonghan [Advanced Analysis Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136–791 (Korea, Republic of); Rigato, V. [INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Via Romea. 4, 35020 Legnaro, Padova (Italy); Tripathi, Jalaj [Department of Chemistry, MMH College (Ch. Charan Singh University Meerut), Ghaiziabad 201001 (India); Asokan, K. [Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asif Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India)

2014-10-15

The present experimental work provides the phenomenological approach to understand the dewetting in thin noble metal films with subsequent formation of nanoparticles (NPs) and embedding of NPs induced by ion irradiation. Au/polyethyleneterepthlate (PET) bilayers were irradiated with 150 keV Ar ions at varying fluences and were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM). Thin Au film begins to dewet from the substrate after irradiation and subsequent irradiation results in spherical nanoparticles on the surface that at a fluence of 5 × 10{sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2} become embedded into the substrate. In addition to dewetting in thin films, synthesis and embedding of metal NPs by ion irradiation, the present article explores fundamental thermodynamic principles that govern these events systematically under the effect of irradiation. The results are explained on the basis of ion induced sputtering, thermal spike inducing local melting and of thermodynamic driving forces by minimization of the system free energy where contributions of surface and interfacial energies are considered with subsequent ion induced viscous flow in substrate. - Highlights: • Phenomenological interpretation of dewetting and embedding of metal NPs in thin film. • Exploring fundamental thermodynamic principles under influence of ion irradiation. • Ion induced surface/interface microstructural changes using SEM/X-TEM. • Ion induced sputtering, thermal spike induced local melting. • Thermodynamic driving forces relate to surface and interfacial energies.

Lithium ion beam driven hohlraums for PBFA II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dukart, R.J.

1994-01-01

In our light ion inertial confinement fusion (ICF) program, fusion capsules are driven with an intense x-ray radiation field produced when an intense beam of ions penetrates a radiation case and deposits energy in a foam x-ray conversion region. A first step in the program is to generate and measure these intense fields on the Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator II (PBFA II). Our goal is to generate a 100-eV radiation temperature in lithium ion beam driven hohlraums, the radiation environment which will provide the initial drive temperature for ion beam driven implosion systems designed to achieve high gain. In this paper, we describe the design of such hohlraum targets and their predicted performance on PBFA II as we provide increasing ion beam intensities

Influence of deep RIE tolerances on comb-drive actuator performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Bangtao; Miao, Jianmin

2007-01-01

This paper analyses the various etching tolerances and profiles of comb-drive microstructures by using deep reactive ion etching (RIE) and studies their influence on the actuator's performance. The comb-drive actuators studied in this paper are fabricated with the silicon-on-glass (SOG) wafer process using deep RIE and wafer bonding, which present very high-aspect-ratio and high-strength microstructures. However, the deep RIE process generates some tolerances and varies the dimension and profile of comb fingers and flexures due to the process limitations. We have analysed the different etching tolerances and studied their influence on the actuator's performance, in terms of the electrostatic force, flexure stiffness, actuator's displacement, air damping and quality factor of the actuator. The analysis shows that the comb fingers with a positive slope profile generated a larger electrostatic force, and the flexures with a negative profile induced the loss of the actuator's stiffness. The combination of these two profiles leads to a great increase in the actuator's displacement and decrease in the quality factor. The measured results of the SOG fabricated actuators have demonstrated the influence of deep RIE tolerance on the actuator's performance

Effects of personality on risky driving behavior and accident involvement for Chinese drivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jiaoyan; Du, Feng; Qu, Weina; Gong, Zhun; Sun, Xianghong

2013-01-01

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of injury-related fatalities in China and pose the most serious threat to driving safety. Driver personality is considered as an effective predictor for risky driving behavior and accident liability. Previous studies have focused on the relationship between personality and risky driving behavior, but only a few of them have explored the effects of personality variables on accident involvement. In addition, few studies have examined the effects of personality on Chinese drivers' risky driving and accident involvement. The present study aimed to examine the effects of personality variables on Chinese drivers' unsafe driving behaviors and accident involvement. Two hundred and twenty-four Chinese drivers aged 20 to 50 were required to complete questionnaires assessing their personality traits (anger, sensation-seeking, altruism, and normlessness), risky driving behaviors (aggressive violations, ordinary violations), and accident involvement (all accidents, serious accidents, at-fault accidents). Multivariate regression analyses, adjusting for gender, age, and overall mileage, were conducted to identify the personality traits related to risky driving behaviors and accident involvement. Participants' personality traits were found to be significantly correlated with both risky driving behavior and accident involvement. Specifically, the traits of anger and normlessness were effective predictors for aggressive violations. The traits of anger, sensation-seeking, normlessness, and altruism were effective predictors for ordinary violations. Moreover, altruism and normlessness were significant predictors for the total number of accidents participants had during the past 3 years. Consistent with previous studies, the present study revealed that personality traits play an important role in predicting Chinese drivers' risky driving behaviors. In addition, Chinese drivers' personality characteristics were also associated with accident

Economic Viability Study of an On-Road Wireless Charging System with a Generic Driving Range Estimation Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aditya Shekhar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The economic viability of on-road wireless charging of electric vehicles (EVs strongly depends on the choice of the inductive power transfer (IPT system configuration (static or dynamic charging, charging power level and the percentage of road coverage of dynamic charging. In this paper, a case study is carried out to determine the expected investment costs involved in installing the on-road charging infrastructure for an electric bus fleet. Firstly, a generic methodology is described to determine the driving range of any EV (including electric buses with any gross mass and frontal area. A dynamic power consumption model is developed for the EV, taking into account the rolling friction, acceleration, deceleration, aerodynamic drag, regenerative braking and Li-ion battery behavior. Based on the simulation results, the linear dependence of the battery state of charge (SoC on the distance traveled is proven. Further, the impact of different IPT system parameters on driving range is incorporated. Economic implications of a combination of different IPT system parameters are explored for achieving the required driving range of 400 km, and the cost optimized solution is presented for the case study of an electric bus fleet. It is shown that the choice of charging power level and road coverage are interrelated in the economic context. The economic viability of reducing the capacity of the on-board battery as a trade-off between higher transport efficiency and larger on-road charging infrastructure is presented. Finally, important considerations, like the number of average running buses, scheduled stoppage time and on-board battery size, that make on-road charging an attractive option are explored. The cost break-up of various system components of the on-road charging scheme is estimated, and the final project cost and parameters are summarized. The specific cost of the wireless on-road charging system is found to be more expensive than the conventional

Study of polyethyleneimine- and amidoxime-functionalized hybrid biomass of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis for adsorption of uranium (VI) ion.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayramoglu, Gulay; Akbulut, Aydin; Arica, M Yakup

2015-11-01

This study investigates the potential application of the polyethyleneimine- (PEI) and amidoxime-modified Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis biomasses for the removal of uranium ion in batch mode using the native biomass as a control system. The uranium ion adsorption was also characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra, zeta potential analysis, and surface area measurement studies. The effects of pH, biomass amount, contact time, initial uranium ion concentration, and ionic strength were evaluated by using native and modified algal biomass preparations. The uranium ion removal was rapid, with more than 70% of total adsorption taking place in 40 min, and equilibrium was established within 60 min. From the experimental data, it was found that the amount of adsorption uranium ion on the algal preparations decreased in the following series: amidoxime-modified algal biomass > PEI-modified algal biomass > native algal biomass. Maximum adsorption capacities of amidoxime- and PEI-modified, and native algal biomasses were found to be 366.8, 279.5, and 194.6 mg/g, respectively, in batchwise studies. The adsorption rate of U(VI) ion by amidoxime-modified algal biomass was higher than those of the native and PEI-modified counterparts. The adsorption processes on all the algal biomass preparations followed by the Dubinin-Radushkevitch (D-R) and Temkin isotherms and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The thermodynamic parameters were determined at four different temperatures (i.e., 15, 25, 35, and 45 °C) using the thermodynamics constant of the Temkin isotherm model. The ΔH° and ΔG° values of U(VI) ion adsorption on algal preparations show endothermic heat of adsorption; higher temperatures favor the process. The native and modified algal biomass preparations were regenerated using 10 mM HNO3. These results show that amidoxime-modified algal biomass can be a potential candidate for effective removal of U(VI) ion from

Toking and Driving: Characteristics of Canadian University Students Who Drive after Cannabis Use--An Exploratory Pilot Study

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Benedikt; Rodopoulos, Jenny; Rehm, Jurgen; Ivsins, Andrew

2006-01-01

Cannabis use is increasingly prevalent among young adults in Canada. Due to cannabis' impairment effects, driving under the influence of cannabis has recently developed into a traffic-safety concern, yet little is known about the specific circumstances and factors characterizing this behavior among young people. In this study, we interviewed a…

Numerical studies of acceleration of thorium ions by a laser pulse of ultra-relativistic intensity

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Domanski Jaroslaw

2018-01-01

Full Text Available One of the key scientific projects of ELI-Nuclear Physics is to study the production of extremely neutron-rich nuclides by a new reaction mechanism called fission-fusion using laser-accelerated thorium (232Th ions. This research is of crucial importance for understanding the nature of the creation of heavy elements in the Universe; however, they require Th ion beams of very high beam fluencies and intensities which are inaccessible in conventional accelerators. This contribution is a first attempt to investigate the possibility of the generation of intense Th ion beams by a fs laser pulse of ultra-relativistic intensity. The investigation was performed with the use of fully electromagnetic relativistic particle-in-cell code. A sub-μm thorium target was irradiated by a circularly polarized 20-fs laser pulse of intensity up to 1023 W/cm2, predicted to be attainable at ELI-NP. At the laser intensity ~ 1023 W/cm2 and an optimum target thickness, the maximum energies of Th ions approach 9.3 GeV, the ion beam intensity is > 1020 W/cm2 and the total ion fluence reaches values ~ 1019 ions/cm2. The last two values are much higher than attainable in conventional accelerators and are fairly promising for the planned ELI-NP experiment.

Effects of drive current rise-time and initial load density distribution on Z-pinch characteristics

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Duan Yao-Yong; Guo Yong-Hui; Wang Wen-Sheng; Qiu Ai-Ci

2005-01-01

A two-dimensional, three-temperature radiation magneto-hydrodynamics model is applied to the investigation of evolutional trends in x-ray radiation power, energy, peak plasma temperature and density as functions of drive current rise-time and initial load density distribution by using the typical experimental parameters of tungsten wire-array Z-pinch on the Qiangguang-Ⅰ generator. The numerical results show that as the drive current rise-time is shortened, x-ray radiation peak power, energy, peak plasma density and peak ion temperature increase approximately linearly, but among them the x-ray radiation peak power increases more quickly. As the initial plasma density distribution in the radial direction becomes gradually flattened, the peak radiation power and the peak ion-temperature almost exponentially increase, while the radiation energy and the peak plasma density change only a little. The main effect of shortening drive current rise-time is to enhance compression of plasma, and the effect of flattening initial load density distribution in the radial direction is to raise the plasma temperature. Both of the approaches elevate the x-ray peak radiation power.

Study on the behaviour of inorganic ion exchangers in the treatment of medium active effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, B.A.; Hooper, E.W.; Monckton, N.P.

1986-07-01

This report summarises some of the results from an ongoing experimental programme of work for the Department of the Environment on the potential use of inorganic ion exchangers for the treatment of medium active waste streams. The effect of irradiation up to a total dose of 10 M Gy on the absorption of fission products and actinides over a range of experimental conditions by selected ion exchangers is described. The ion exchangers tested were polyantimonic acid, hydrous titanium oxide, manganese dioxide, potassium copper hexacyanoferrate II, titanium phosphate and zirconium phosphate. Manganese dioxide and potassium copper hexacyanoferrate II were unaffected by irradiation. Polyantimonic acid showed a decreasing performance with increasing total dose. Zirconium phosphate, titanium phosphate and oxide showed a decreasing performance up to a total dose of 2.19 M Gy with an apparent recovery in performance on increasing the total dose to 10 M Gy. The effect of conditioning time on some of the irradiated absorbers could have influenced the uptake data above 1.25 M Gy. (author)

Wave Driven Fast Ion Loss in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fredrickson, E.D.; Cheng, C.Z.; Darrow, D.; Fu, G.; Gorelenkov, N.N.; Kramer, G.; Medley, S.S.; Menard, J.; Roquemore, L.; Stutman, D.; White, R.B.

2003-01-01

The study of fast ion instabilities in conventional aspect ratio tokamaks is motivated in large part by their potential to negatively impact the ignition threshold in fusion reactors by causing fast ion losses. Spherical tokamak's (ST), with intrinsically low magnetic fields, are particularly susceptible to fast ion driven instabilities. The 3.5 MeV alpha's from the D-T [deuterium-tritium] fusion reaction in proposed ST reactors will have velocities much higher than the Alfven speed. The Larmor radius of the fusion alphas, normalized to the plasma size, will also be larger than for conventional aspect ratio tokamak reactors. The resulting longer wavelengths of the *AE instabilities will be more effective in driving fast ion loss. The change in magnetic topology also influences the mode structure, as in the case of the Compressional Alfven Eigenmodes (CAE) seen on NSTX

ICRF heating and current drive experiments on TFTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, J.H.; Hosea, J.C.; Phillips, C.K.

1996-01-01

Recent experiments in the Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) at TFTR have focused on the RF physics relevant to advanced tokamak D-T reactors. Experiments performed either tested confinement in reactor relevant plasmas or tested specific ICRF heating scenarios under consideration for reactors. H-minority heating was used to supply identical heating sources for matched D-T and D only L-mode plasmas to determine the species scaling for energy confinement. Second harmonic tritium heating was performed with only thermal tritium ions in an L-mode target plasma, verifying a possible start-up scenario for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). Direct electron heating in Enhanced Reverse Shear (ERS) plasmas has been found to delay the back transition out of the ERS state. D-T mode conversion of the fast magnetosonic wave to an Ion Berstein Wave (IBW) for off-axis heating and current drive has been successfully demonstrated for the first time. Parasitic Li 7 cyclotron damping limited the fraction of the power going to the electrons to less than 30%. Similar parasitic damping by Be 9 could be problematic in ITER. Doppler shifted fundamental resonance heating of beam ions and alpha particles has also been observed

Accuracy of Self-Evaluation in Adults with ADHD: Evidence from a Driving Study

Science.gov (United States)

Knouse, Laura E.; Bagwell, Catherine L.; Barkley, Russell A.; Murphy, Kevin R.

2005-01-01

Research on children with ADHD indicates an association with inaccuracy of self-appraisal. This study examines the accuracy of self-evaluations in clinic-referred adults diagnosed with ADHD. Self-assessments and performance measures of driving in naturalistic settings and on a virtual-reality driving simulator are used to assess accuracy of…

Ion pair formation in the vacuum ultraviolet region of NO studied by negative ion imaging spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hikosaka, Y.; Kaneyasu, T.; Shigemasa, E.

2007-01-01

The pair formation of positive and negative fragment ions has been studied in the vacuum ultraviolet region of NO, with negative ion imaging spectroscopy. The negative ion yield curve obtained in the photon energy region of 19-25 eV exhibits many structures which are absent from the photoabsorption spectrum in the same region. The partial yields and asymmetry parameters associated with the dissociations into individual ion pair limits have been extracted from the negative ion images observed. On the basis of these quantities, the assignments for the structures exhibited on the negative ion yield curve are given and the dynamical properties on the ion pair dissociation are discussed

Ejection of Coulomb Crystals from a Linear Paul Ion Trap for Ion-Molecule Reaction Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, K A E; Pollum, L L; Petralia, L S; Tauschinsky, A; Rennick, C J; Softley, T P; Heazlewood, B R

2015-12-17

Coulomb crystals are being increasingly employed as a highly localized source of cold ions for the study of ion-molecule chemical reactions. To extend the scope of reactions that can be studied in Coulomb crystals-from simple reactions involving laser-cooled atomic ions, to more complex systems where molecular reactants give rise to multiple product channels-sensitive product detection methodologies are required. The use of a digital ion trap (DIT) and a new damped cosine trap (DCT) are described, which facilitate the ejection of Coulomb-crystallized ions onto an external detector for the recording of time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectra. This enables the examination of reaction dynamics and kinetics between Coulomb-crystallized ions and neutral molecules: ionic products are typically cotrapped, thus ejecting the crystal onto an external detector reveals the masses, identities, and quantities of all ionic species at a selected point in the reaction. Two reaction systems are examined: the reaction of Ca(+) with deuterated isotopologues of water, and the charge exchange between cotrapped Xe(+) with deuterated isotopologues of ammonia. These reactions are examples of two distinct types of experiment, the first involving direct reaction of the laser-cooled ions, and the second involving reaction of sympathetically-cooled heavy ions to form a mixture of light product ions. Extensive simulations are conducted to interpret experimental results and calculate optimal operating parameters, facilitating a comparison between the DIT and DCT approaches. The simulations also demonstrate a correlation between crystal shape and image shape on the detector, suggesting a possible means for determining crystal geometry for nonfluorescing ions.

Numerical modeling of lower hybrid heating and current drive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valeo, E.J.; Eder, D.C.

1986-03-01

The generation of currents in toroidal plasma by application of waves in the lower hybrid frequency range involves the interplay of several physical phenomena which include: wave propagation in toroidal geometry, absorption via wave-particle resonances, the quasilinear generation of strongly nonequilibrium electron and ion distribution functions, and the self-consistent evolution of the current density in such a nonequilibrium plasma. We describe a code, LHMOD, which we have developed to treat these aspects of current drive and heating in tokamaks. We present results obtained by applying the code to a computation of current ramp-up and to an investigation of the possible importance of minority hydrogen absorption in a deuterium plasma as the ''density limit'' to current drive is approached

Identifying Method of Drunk Driving Based on Driving Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaohua Zhao

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Drunk driving is one of the leading causes contributing to traffic crashes. There are numerous issues that need to be resolved with the current method of identifying drunk driving. Driving behavior, with the characteristic of real-time, was extensively researched to identify impaired driving behaviors. In this paper, the drives with BACs above 0.05% were defined as drunk driving state. A detailed comparison was made between normal driving and drunk driving. The experiment in driving simulator was designed to collect the driving performance data of the groups. According to the characteristics analysis for the effect of alcohol on driving performance, seven significant indicators were extracted and the drunk driving was identified by the Fisher Discriminant Method. The discriminant function demonstrated a high accuracy of classification. The optimal critical score to differentiate normal from drinking state was found to be 0. The evaluation result verifies the accuracy of classification method.

Fast-ion transport in qmin>2, high-β steady-state scenarios on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holcomb, C. T.; Heidbrink, W. W.; Collins, C.; Ferron, J. R.; Van Zeeland, M. A.; Garofalo, A. M.; Bass, E. M.; Luce, T. C.; Pace, D. C.; Solomon, W. M.; Mueller, D.; Grierson, B.; Podesta, M.; Gong, X.; Ren, Q.; Park, J. M.; Kim, K.; Turco, F.

2015-01-01

Results from experiments on DIII-D [J. L. Luxon, Fusion Sci. Technol. 48, 828 (2005)] aimed at developing high β steady-state operating scenarios with high-q min confirm that fast-ion transport is a critical issue for advanced tokamak development using neutral beam injection current drive. In DIII-D, greater than 11 MW of neutral beam heating power is applied with the intent of maximizing β N and the noninductive current drive. However, in scenarios with q min >2 that target the typical range of q 95 = 5–7 used in next-step steady-state reactor models, Alfvén eigenmodes cause greater fast-ion transport than classical models predict. This enhanced transport reduces the absorbed neutral beam heating power and current drive and limits the achievable β N . In contrast, similar plasmas except with q min just above 1 have approximately classical fast-ion transport. Experiments that take q min >3 plasmas to higher β P with q 95 = 11–12 for testing long pulse operation exhibit regimes of better than expected thermal confinement. Compared to the standard high-q min scenario, the high β P cases have shorter slowing-down time and lower ∇β fast , and this reduces the drive for Alfvénic modes, yielding nearly classical fast-ion transport, high values of normalized confinement, β N , and noninductive current fraction. These results suggest DIII-D might obtain better performance in lower-q 95 , high-q min plasmas using broader neutral beam heating profiles and increased direct electron heating power to lower the drive for Alfvén eigenmodes

Perception of the Risks Associated with Impaired Driving and Effects on Driving Behavior

OpenAIRE

Georges Dionne; Claude Fluet; Denise Desjardins

2006-01-01

This research studies the perception of the risks associated with impaired driving-probability of being apprehended or of having an accident-and the relation between the perception of risks and driving behavior. The most important determinants of perceptual biases are age, an accumulation of violations in the year preceding the survey, being a non-drinker, knowledge of the legal alcohol limit for driving, opinion about zero tolerance for impaired driving, and family income. Perceptual biases ...

Naturalistic driving observations of manual and visual-manual interactions with navigation systems and mobile phones while driving.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Christoph, M. Nes, N. van & Knapper, A.

2014-01-01

This paper discusses a naturalistic driving study on the use of mobile phones and navigation systems while driving. Manual interactions with these devices while driving can cause distraction from the driving task and reduce traffic safety. In this study 21 subjects were observed for 5 weeks. Their

Tailored ion energy distributions on plasma electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Economou, Demetre J.

2013-01-01

As microelectronic device features continue to shrink approaching atomic dimensions, control of the ion energy distribution on the substrate during plasma etching and deposition becomes increasingly critical. The ion energy should be high enough to drive ion-assisted etching, but not too high to cause substrate damage or loss of selectivity. In many cases, a nearly monoenergetic ion energy distribution (IED) is desired to achieve highly selective etching. In this work, the author briefly reviews: (1) the fundamentals of development of the ion energy distribution in the sheath and (2) methods to control the IED on plasma electrodes. Such methods include the application of “tailored” voltage waveforms on an electrode in continuous wave plasmas, or the application of synchronous bias on a “boundary electrode” during a specified time window in the afterglow of pulsed plasmas

Unlicensed driving and other related health risk behaviors: a study of Montana high school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanna, Christian L; Laflamme, Lucie; Elling, Berty; Möller, Jette

2013-05-01

Health risk behaviors tend to cluster in young people, not least among young drivers. Less is known about the health risk profile of young unlicensed drivers. This study investigates health risk behaviors among young unlicensed drivers compared to both their licensed and driving peers, and their non-driving peers. High school students participating in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System in Montana (US) and age-eligible to have a driver's license were studied (n=5985), categorized according to their self-reported car driving and license practice (licensed driving, unlicensed driving, and non-driving). Ten health risk behaviors, of which four were related to car riding/driving, were considered. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compile sex-specific odds ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) of adopting those behaviors using licensed drivers as a reference and adjusting for age and race/ethnicity. Health risk behaviors tended to be more common among unlicensed drivers than other groups, although some behaviors were prevalent in all groups (i.e., alcohol use and lack of seat belt use). As a consequence, for both male and female students, there was a significant association between unlicensed driving and most health risk behaviors, except for being involved in a physical fight and riding with a drinking driver among female students. Young unlicensed drivers are more likely than licensed drivers to adopt several health risk behaviors both in car driving/riding or otherwise, in particular alcohol use and cigarette smoking. This challenges any simplistic approach as unlicensed driving in youth is not an isolated act suggesting public health and traffic safety initiatives. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of continuous driving time and rest time on commercial drivers' driving performance and recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lianzhen; Pei, Yulong

2014-09-01

This real road driving study was conducted to investigate the effects of driving time and rest time on the driving performance and recovery of commercial coach drivers. Thirty-three commercial coach drivers participated in the study, and were divided into three groups according to driving time: (a) 2 h, (b) 3 h, and (c) 4 h. The Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) was used to assess the subjective fatigue level of the drivers. One-way ANOVA was employed to analyze the variation in driving performance. The statistical analysis revealed that driving time had a significant effect on the subjective fatigue and driving performance measures among the three groups. After 2 h of driving, both the subjective fatigue and driving performance measures began to deteriorate. After 4 h of driving, all of the driving performance indicators changed significantly except for depth perception. A certain amount of rest time eliminated the negative effects of fatigue. A 15-minute rest allowed drivers to recover from a two-hour driving task. This needed to be prolonged to 30 min for driving tasks of 3 to 4 h of continuous driving. Drivers' attention, reactions, operating ability, and perceptions are all affected in turn after over 2 h of continuous driving. Drivers should take a certain amount of rest to recover from the fatigue effects before they continue driving. Copyright © 2014 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implications of driving patterns on well-to-wheel performance of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Raykin, Leon; MacLean, Heather L; Roorda, Matthew J

2012-06-05

This study examines how driving patterns (distance and conditions) and the electricity generation supply interact to impact well-to-wheel (WTW) energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The WTW performance of a PHEV is compared with that of a similar (nonplug-in) gasoline hybrid electric vehicle and internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). Driving PHEVs for short distances between recharging generally results in lower WTW total and fossil energy use and GHG emissions per kilometer compared to driving long distances, but the extent of the reductions depends on the electricity supply. For example, the shortest driving pattern in this study with hydroelectricity uses 81% less fossil energy than the longest driving pattern. However, the shortest driving pattern with coal-based electricity uses only 28% less fossil energy. Similar trends are observed in reductions relative to the nonplug-in vehicles. Irrespective of the electricity supply, PHEVs result in greater reductions in WTW energy use and GHG emissions relative to ICEVs for city than highway driving conditions. PHEVs charging from coal facilities only reduce WTW energy use and GHG emissions relative to ICEVs for certain favorable driving conditions. The study results have implications for environmentally beneficial PHEV adoption and usage patterns.

Sequential Dependencies in Driving

Science.gov (United States)

Doshi, Anup; Tran, Cuong; Wilder, Matthew H.; Mozer, Michael C.; Trivedi, Mohan M.

2012-01-01

The effect of recent experience on current behavior has been studied extensively in simple laboratory tasks. We explore the nature of sequential effects in the more naturalistic setting of automobile driving. Driving is a safety-critical task in which delayed response times may have severe consequences. Using a realistic driving simulator, we find…

Augmented Reality Head-Up-Display for Advanced Driver Assistance System: A Driving Simulation Study

OpenAIRE

HALIT, Lynda; KEMENY, Andras; GARBAYA, Samir; MERIENNE, Frédéric; MICHELIN, Sylvain; ALBAUT, Valentin

2014-01-01

Research and technological advance in the field of Augmented Reality (AR) is growing rapidly (Mas, 2011). One of the new application domains is the automobile industry, linked to the necessary men machine aspects of Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS). Relevant road traffic as well as useful navigation or path planning information may be displayed using partially or totally the windshield surface thanks to these emerging technologies. However, the way road traffic, signs or vehicle inf...

Augmented Reality Head-Up-Display for Advanced Driver Assistance System: A Driving Simulation Study

OpenAIRE

HALIT , Lynda; Kemeny , Andras; Mohellebi , Hakim; GARBAYA , Samir; Merienne , Frédéric; Michelin , Sylvain; ALBAUT , Valentin

2014-01-01

International audience; Research and technological advance in the field of Augmented Reality (AR) is growing rapidly (Mas, 2011). One of the new application domains is the automobile industry, linked to the necessary men machine aspects of Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS). Relevant road traffic as well as useful navigation or path planning information may be displayed using partially or totally the windshield surface thanks to these emerging technologies. However, the way road traff...

Fast wave current drive in neutral beam heated plasmas on DIII-D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petty, C.C.; Forest, C.B.; Pinsker, R.I.

1997-04-01

The physics of non-inductive current drive and current profile control using the fast magnetosonic wave has been demonstrated on the DIII-D tokamak. In non-sawtoothing discharges formed by neutral beam injection (NBI), the radial profile of the fast wave current drive (FWCD) was determined by the response of the loop voltage profile to co, counter, and symmetric antenna phasings, and was found to be in good agreement with theoretical models. The application of counter FWCD increased the magnetic shear reversal of the plasma and delayed the onset of sawteeth, compared to co FWCD. The partial absorption of fast waves by energetic beam ions at high harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency was also evident from a build up of fast particle pressure near the magnetic axis and a correlated increase in the neutron rate. The anomalous fast particle pressure and neutron rate increased with increasing NBI power and peaked when a harmonic of the deuterium cyclotron frequency passed through the center of the plasma. The experimental FWCD efficiency was highest at 2 T where the interaction between the fast waves and the beam ions was weakest; as the magnetic field strength was lowered, the FWCD efficiency decreased to approximately half of the maximum theoretical value

Absolute measurement of the total ion-drag force on a single plasma-confined microparticle at the void edge under microgravity conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beckers, J.; Trienekens, D.J.M.; Kroesen, G.M.W.

2013-01-01

We present an absolute measurement of the total ion-drag force on one single microparticle at the edge of the dust free region in low pressure complex plasmas: the void. In order to do so, the particle confinement position was monitored as a function of the gas pressure for two particle sizes under

The influence of ions on atmospheric aerosol processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enghoff, Martin

2008-01-01

Considering the big climate changes of the recent centuries and the predictions of future changes, it becomes increasingly important to understand what mechanisms drive climate. One such mechanism, that has been held responsible for changes in cloud cover during the last 25 years, for the Little...... Ice Age, the Medieval Warmth, and other climate phenomena going further back in time, is that of Ion Induced Nucleation { the ability of ions to enhance the formation of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Several nucleation events that cannot be explained with the standard theory of homogeneous...... nucleation have been speculated to be caused by ions. Correlations between ionisation sources and climate parameters have been put forth, and experiments with extreme gas or ion concentrations have shown an eect of the ions. The relevance of Ion Induced Nucleation is, however, still undergoing debate [1, p...

Identification of common features of vehicle motion under drowsy/distracted driving: A case study in Wuhan, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhijun; Wu, Chaozhong; Zhong, Ming; Lyu, Nengchao; Huang, Zhen

2015-08-01

Drowsy/distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of traffic crash. Only certain particular drowsy/distracted driving behaviors have been studied by previous studies, which are mainly based on dedicated sensor devices such as bio and visual sensors. The objective of this study is to extract the common features for identifying drowsy/distracted driving through a set of common vehicle motion parameters. An intelligent vehicle was used to collect vehicle motion parameters. Fifty licensed drivers (37 males and 13 females, M=32.5 years, SD=6.2) were recruited to carry out road experiments in Wuhan, China and collecting vehicle motion data under four driving scenarios including talking, watching roadside, drinking and under the influence of drowsiness. For the first scenario, the drivers were exposed to a set of questions and asked to repeat a few sentences that had been proved valid in inducing driving distraction. Watching roadside, drinking and driving under drowsiness were assessed by an observer and self-reporting from the drivers. The common features of vehicle motions under four types of drowsy/distracted driving were analyzed using descriptive statistics and then Wilcoxon rank sum test. The results indicated that there was a significant difference of lateral acceleration rates and yaw rate acceleration between "normal driving" and drowsy/distracted driving. Study results also shown that, under drowsy/distracted driving, the lateral acceleration rates and yaw rate acceleration were significantly larger from the normal driving. The lateral acceleration rates were shown to suddenly increase or decrease by more than 2.0m/s(3) and the yaw rate acceleration by more than 2.5°/s(2). The standard deviation of acceleration rate (SDA) and standard deviation of yaw rate acceleration (SDY) were identified to as the common features of vehicle motion for distinguishing the drowsy/distracted driving from the normal driving. In order to identify a time window for

A Study of Torque Vectoring and Traction Control for an All-Wheel Drive Electric Vehicle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maharun Mui’nuddin

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Common vehicle always experience energy loss during cornering manoeuver. Thus, to ensure it did not happened especially at high speed, a study of torque vectoring and traction control need to be made since it can increase the traction control of tyres during cornering at high speed. The study of torque vectoring and traction control for an all-wheel drive electric vehicle was conducted by modelling an all-wheel drive electric vehicle (EV in ADAMS/Car software. In addition, an optimal control algorithm will be developed for best performance to minimize energy losses using MATLAB/Simulink software. Furthermore, to prove the effectiveness of the all-wheel drive electric, the torque and traction control simulation of the all-wheel drive electric vehicle will be compared with uncontrolled electric vehicle model. According to the result, torque vectoring and traction control of in-wheel motor in all wheel drive EV can help to increase the performance of the electric vehicle during cornering manoeuver. In conclusion, this study of torque vectoring and traction control for an all-wheel drive electric vehicle will help researchers to improve the design of the future electric vehicle in term of the vehicle performance during cornering manoeuvre.

Driving Competence in Mild Dementia with Lewy Bodies: In Search of Cognitive Predictors Using Driving Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie Yamin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Driving is a multifactorial behaviour drawing on multiple cognitive, sensory, and physical systems. Dementia is a progressive and degenerative neurological condition that impacts the cognitive processes necessary for safe driving. While a number of studies have examined driving among individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, less is known about the impact of Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB on driving safety. The present study compared simulated driving performance of 15 older drivers with mild DLB with that of 21 neurologically healthy control drivers. DLB drivers showed poorer performance on all indicators of simulated driving including an increased number of collisions in the simulator and poorer composite indicators of overall driving performance. A measure of global cognitive function (i.e., the Mini Mental State Exam was found to be related to the overall driving performance. In addition, measures of attention (i.e., Useful Field of View, UFOV and space processing (Visual Object and Space Perception, VOSP, Test correlated significantly with a rater’s assessment of driving performance.

Real-time control of ion density and ion energy in chlorine inductively coupled plasma etch processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.-H.; Leou, K.-C.; Lin Chaung; Lin, T.-L.; Tseng, C.-W.; Tsai, C.-H.

2003-01-01

In this study, we have experimentally demonstrated the real-time closed-loop control of both ion density and ion energy in a chlorine inductively coupled plasma etcher. To measure positive ion density, the trace rare gases-optical emission spectroscopy is used to measure the chlorine positive ion density. An rf voltage probe is adopted to measure the root-mean-square rf voltage on the electrostatic chuck which is linearly dependent on sheath voltage. One actuator is a 13.56 MHz rf generator to drive the inductive coil seated on a ceramic window. The second actuator is also a 13.56 MHz rf generator to power the electrostatic chuck. The closed-loop controller is designed to compensate for process drift, process disturbance, and pilot wafer effect and to minimize steady-state error of plasma parameters. This controller has been used to control the etch process of unpatterned polysilicon. The experimental results showed that the closed-loop control had a better repeatability of plasma parameters compared with open-loop control. The closed-loop control can eliminate the process disturbance resulting from reflected power. In addition, experimental results also demonstrated that closed-loop control has a better reproducibility in etch rate as compared with open-loop control

Teen Driving Risk and Prevention: Naturalistic Driving Research Contributions and Challenges

OpenAIRE

Simons-Morton, Bruce G.; Ehsani, Johnathon P.; Gershon, Pnina; Klauer, Sheila G.; Dingus, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

Naturalistic driving (ND) methods may be particularly useful for research on young driver crash risk. Novices are not safe drivers initially, but tend to improve rapidly, although the pace of learning is highly variable. However, knowledge is lacking about how best to reduce the learning curve and the variability in the development of safe driving judgment. A great deal has been learned from recent naturalistic driving (ND) studies that have included young drivers, providing objective informa...

Older drivers and rapid deceleration events: Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Keay, Lisa; Munoz, Beatriz; Duncan, Donald D; Hahn, Daniel; Baldwin, Kevin; Turano, Kathleen A; Munro, Cynthia A; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; West, Sheila K

2013-09-01

Drivers who rapidly change speed while driving may be more at risk for a crash. We sought to determine the relationship of demographic, vision, and cognitive variables with episodes of rapid decelerations during five days of normal driving in a cohort of older drivers. In the Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study, 1425 older drivers aged 67-87 were recruited from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration's rolls for licensees in Salisbury, Maryland. Participants had several measures of vision tested: visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual fields, and the attentional visual field. Participants were also tested for various domains of cognitive function including executive function, attention, psychomotor speed, and visual search. A custom created driving monitoring system (DMS) was used to capture rapid deceleration events (RDEs), defined as at least 350 milli-g deceleration, during a five day period of monitoring. The rate of RDE per mile driven was modeled using a negative binomial regression model with an offset of the logarithm of the number of miles driven. We found that 30% of older drivers had one or more RDE during a five day period, and of those, about 1/3 had four or more. The rate of RDE per mile driven was highest for those drivers drivingRDE's were more likely to have better scores in cognitive tests of psychomotor speed and visual search, and have faster brake reaction time. Further, greater average speed and maximum speed per driving segment was protective against RDE events. In conclusion, contrary to our hypothesis, older drivers who perform rapid decelerations tend to be more "fit", with better measures of vision and cognition compared to those who do not have events of rapid deceleration. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A prospective study of loss of consciousness in epilepsy using virtual reality driving simulation and other video games.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Li; Morland, Thomas B; Schmits, Kristen; Rawson, Elizabeth; Narasimhan, Poojitha; Motelow, Joshua E; Purcaro, Michael J; Peng, Kathy; Raouf, Saned; Desalvo, Matthew N; Oh, Taemin; Wilkerson, Jerome; Bod, Jessica; Srinivasan, Aditya; Kurashvili, Pimen; Anaya, Joseph; Manza, Peter; Danielson, Nathan; Ransom, Christopher B; Huh, Linda; Elrich, Susan; Padin-Rosado, Jose; Naidu, Yamini; Detyniecki, Kamil; Hamid, Hamada; Farooque, Pue; Astur, Robert; Xiao, Bo; Duckrow, Robert B; Blumenfeld, Hal

2010-07-01

Patients with epilepsy are at risk of traffic accidents when they have seizures while driving. However, driving is an essential part of normal daily life in many communities, and depriving patients of driving privileges can have profound consequences for their economic and social well-being. In the current study, we collected ictal performance data from a driving simulator and two other video games in patients undergoing continuous video/EEG monitoring. We captured 22 seizures in 13 patients and found that driving impairment during seizures differed in terms of both magnitude and character, depending on the seizure type. Our study documents the feasibility of a prospective study of driving and other behaviors during seizures through the use of computer-based tasks. This methodology may be applied to further describe differential driving impairment in specific types of seizures and to gain data on anatomical networks disrupted in seizures that impair consciousness and driving safety. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Turning a Poor Ion Channel into a Good Pump

Science.gov (United States)

Astumian, Dean

2003-05-01

We consider a membrane protein that can exist in two configurations, either one of which acts as a poor ion channel, allowing ions to slowly leak across the membrane from high to low elctrochemical potential. We show that random external fluctuations can provide the energy to turn this poor channel into a good pump that drives ion transport from low to high electrochemical potential. We discuss this result in terms of a gambling analogy, and point to possible implications for fields as far ranging as population biology, economics, and actuarial science.

Photoionization and ion cyclotron resonance studies of the ion chemistry of ethylene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Corderman, R. R.; Williamson, A. D.; Lebreton, P. R.; Buttrill, S. E., Jr.; Beauchamp, J. L.

1976-01-01

The formation of the ethylene oxide molecular ion and its subsequent ion-molecule reactions leading to the products C2H5O(+) and C3H5O(+) have been studied using time-resolved photoionization mass spectroscopy, ion cyclotron resonance spectroscopy, and photoelectron spectroscopy. An examination of the effects of internal energy on reactivity shows that the ratio of C3H5O(+) to C2H5O(+) increases by an order of magnitude with a single quantum of vibrational energy. The formation of (C2H4O/+/)-asterisk in a collision-induced isomerization is found which yields a ring-opened structure by C-C bond cleavage. The relaxed ring-opened C2H4O(+) ion reacts with neutral ethylene oxide by CH2(+) transfer to yield an intermediate product ion C3H6O(+) which gives C3H5O(+) by loss of H.

Synergism of thiocyanate ions and microinterfacial surface as driving forces for heavy multi-metals extraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Cadar

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A comprehensive study has been carried out to evaluate the extraction of heavy metals mixture (Co2+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Ni2+ from aqueous media by Winsor II non-ionic microemulsion, containing polyoxyethylene (4 lauryl ether as non-ionic surfactant and butyl acetate as organic phase. The extraction mechanism is based on the formation of thiocyanate complexes of metals and their transfer from aqueous to microemulsion phase, either towards the interfacial film of surfactant (Co2+ or into the core of micelles (Cr3+, Cu2+, Ni2+. The value of the distribution coefficient for Co2+ was higher than for the other studied metals and its extraction efficiency was not dependent on the working conditions, showing a maximum value (99.99% in all cases. By using successive extractions, chromium, nickel and copper ions that remained in the aqueous phase after first extraction were transported into the microemulsion phase, leading to an increase in the extraction efficiency up to 99.99% for chromium and copper, and 85% for nickel. Based on pH influence, a selective extraction of Co2+ and Cr3+ can be achieved, since the cobalt ions were completely extracted into the microemulsion phase at pH = 1, and the chromium ions still remained in the aqueous phase. Keywords: Nonionic microemulsion, Thiocyanate complexes of heavy metals, Simultaneous heavy metals extraction, Microinterfacial effect, Synergism

Introducing a multivariate model for predicting driving performance: the role of driving anger and personal characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Roidl, Ernst; Siebert, Felix Wilhelm; Oehl, Michael; Höger, Rainer

2013-12-01

Maladaptive driving is an important source of self-inflicted accidents and this driving style could include high speeds, speeding violations, and poor lateral control of the vehicle. The literature suggests that certain groups of drivers, such as novice drivers, males, highly motivated drivers, and those who frequently experience anger in traffic, tend to exhibit more maladaptive driving patterns compared to other drivers. Remarkably, no coherent framework is currently available to describe the relationships and distinct influences of these factors. We conducted two studies with the aim of creating a multivariate model that combines the aforementioned factors, describes their relationships, and predicts driving performance more precisely. The studies employed different techniques to elicit emotion and different tracks designed to explore the driving behaviors of participants in potentially anger-provoking situations. Study 1 induced emotions with short film clips. Study 2 confronted the participants with potentially anger-inducing traffic situations during the simulated drive. In both studies, participants who experienced high levels of anger drove faster and exhibited greater longitudinal and lateral acceleration. Furthermore, multiple linear regressions and path-models revealed that highly motivated male drivers displayed the same behavior independent of their emotional state. The results indicate that anger and specific risk characteristics lead to maladaptive changes in important driving parameters and that drivers with these specific risk factors are prone to experience more anger while driving, which further worsens their driving performance. Driver trainings and anger management courses will profit from these findings because they help to improve the validity of assessments of anger related driving behavior. © 2013.

75 MeV boron ion irradiation studies on Si PIN photodiodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prabhakara Rao, Y.P.; Praveen, K.C. [Department of Studies in Physics, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore 570006 (India); Rejeena Rani, Y. [Integrated Circuits Division, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bangalore 560013, Karnataka (India); Tripathi, Ambuj [Inter University Accelerator Centre, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067 (India); Gnana Prakash, A.P., E-mail: gnanap@hotmail.com [Department of Studies in Physics, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore 570006 (India)

2013-12-01

The highly sensitive silicon PIN photodiodes were fabricated to use in radiation environments. The Si PIN photodiodes are coated with 150 nm silicon dioxide (SiO{sub 2}) as anti-reflective (AR) coating. The presence of AR coating on the performance of irradiated PIN photodiodes is studied up to a total dose of 10 Mrad. The effects of 75 MeV boron (B{sup 5+}) ions and {sup 60}Co gamma radiation on the I–V, C–V and spectral responses of PIN photodiodes were studied systematically to understand the radiation tolerance of the devices. The 75 MeV B{sup 5+} irradiation results are compared with {sup 60}Co gamma irradiated results in the same dose range for 1 mm × 1 mm and 10 mm × 10 mm active area PIN photodiodes. The irradiation results show that the ion irradiated PIN photodiodes show more degradation when compared {sup 60}Co gamma irradiated devices. The irradiation results are presented in this paper and the possible mechanism behind the degradation of photodiodes is also discussed in the paper.

Total inelastic cross sections for potassium ion--atom collisions: Oscillations in the velocity dependence and correlation with molecular structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aquilanti, V.; Casavecchia, P.

1976-01-01

Electronic excitation leading to light emission in the wavelength range 350--800 nm has been studied by a crossed ion--atom beam technique for (K + , K) collisions, and the results are interpreted in terms of properties of the potential energy curves for the molecular ion K + 2 . The investigated velocity range is (1.3--12) x10 6 cm s -1 . The total cross section for the process K + (3p 6 1 S 0 ) +K(4s 2 S 1 / 2 ) →K + (3p 6 1 S 0 ) +K(4p 2 P 3 / 2 , 1 / 2 ) increases from threshold up to approx.10 -15 cm 2 at a velocity of approx.4.5x10 6 cm s -1 , and shows an oscillatory structure. The magnitude and over-all velocity dependence are attributed to a Σ--Pi curve crossing, and the oscillations to an interference effect, which is treated as an inelastic ''glory'' phenomenon. Cross sections for production of each of the fine structure components of K(4p), 2 P 3 / 2 , and 2 P 1 / 2 , have also been measured. Their ratio, which in the investigated velocity range is different from the statistical value, shows additional oscillations, which are discussed in terms of long range interference between alternate semiclassical paths

The Drive-Wise Project: Driving Simulator Training increases real driving performance in healthy older drivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gianclaudio eCasutt

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Age-related cognitive decline is often associated with unsafe driving behavior. We hypothesized that 10 active training sessions in a driving simulator increase cognitive and on-road driving performance. In addition, driving simulator training should outperform cognitive training.Methods: Ninety-one healthy active drivers (62 – 87 years were randomly assigned to either (1 a driving simulator training group, (2 an attention training group (vigilance and selective attention, or (3 a control group. The main outcome variables were on-road driving and cognitive performance. Seventy-seven participants (85% completed the training and were included in the analyses. Training gains were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis with planned comparisons.Results: The driving simulator training group showed an improvement in on-road driving performance compared to the attention training group. In addition, both training groups increased cognitive performance compared to the control group. Conclusion: Driving simulator training offers the potential to enhance driving skills in older drivers. Compared to the attention training, the simulator training seems to be a more powerful program for increasing older drivers’ safety on the road.

Awareness of driving while sleepy and road traffic accidents: prospective study in GAZEL cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabi, Hermann; Guéguen, Alice; Chiron, Mireille; Lafont, Sylviane; Zins, Marie; Lagarde, Emmanuel

2006-07-08

To examine the association between self assessed driving while sleepy and the risk of serious road traffic accidents (RTAs). Prospective cohort study. France. 13 299 of the 19 894 living members of the GAZEL cohort, workers and recent retirees of a French national utility company followed up since 1989. Frequency of driving while sleepy in the previous 12 months, reported in 2001; rate ratios for serious RTAs in 2001-3, estimated by using generalised linear Poisson regression models with time dependent covariates. The risk of serious RTAs increased proportionally with the frequency of self reported driving while sleepy. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, driving behaviour variables, work conditions, retirement, medical conditions and treatments, depressive symptoms, and sleep disorders, the adjusted rate ratios of serious RTAs for participants who reported driving while sleepy in the previous 12 months "a few times" or "once a month or more often" were 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 2.0) and 2.9 (1.3 to 6.3) respectively compared with those who reported not driving while sleepy over the same period. These associations were not explained by any reported sleep disorders. Self assessed driving while sleepy was a powerful predictor of serious RTAs, suggesting that drivers' awareness of their sleepiness while driving is not sufficient to prevent them from having RTAs. Messages on prevention should therefore focus on convincing sleepy drivers to stop driving and sleep before resuming their journey.

Release of metal ions from fixed orthodontic appliance: an in vitro study in continuous flow system.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikulewicz, Marcin; Chojnacka, Katarzyna; Wołowiec, Paulina

2014-01-01

To evaluate the release of metal ions from fixed orthodontic appliances. A new system for in vitro testing of dental materials was constructed and consisted of a thermostatic glass reactor that enabled immersion of the studied material. Experimental conditions reflected the human oral cavity, with a temperature of 37°C and a saliva flow rate of 0.5mL/min. The simulated fixed orthodontic appliance made of stainless steel was evaluated. Sampling was performed at several time points during the 28-day study, and the metal ion concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The total mass of released metal ions from the appliance during 4 weeks of the experiment was as follows nickel 18.7 μg, chromium 5.47 μg, copper 31.3 μg. The estimated doses of nickel, chromium, and copper determined by extrapolation of experimental data released during the treatment period were far below the toxic dose to humans. This shows that orthodontic treatment might not be a significant source of exposure to these metal ions.

CLIC Drive Beam Phase Stabilisation

CERN Document Server

Gerbershagen, Alexander; Schulte, Daniel

The thesis presents phase stability studies for the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) and focuses in particular on CLIC Drive Beam longitudinal phase stabilisation. This topic constitutes one of the main feasibility challenges for CLIC construction and is an essential component of the current CLIC stabilisation campaign. The studies are divided into two large interrelated sections: the simulation studies for the CLIC Drive Beam stability, and measurements, data analysis and simulations of the CLIC Test Facility (CTF3) Drive Beam phase errors. A dedicated software tool has been developed for a step-by-step analysis of the error propagation through the CLIC Drive Beam. It uses realistic RF potential and beam loading amplitude functions for the Drive and Main Beam accelerating structures, complete models of the recombination scheme and compressor chicane as well as of further CLIC Drive Beam modules. The tool has been tested extensively and its functionality has been verified. The phase error propagation at CLIC h...

Driving styles among young novice drivers--the contribution of parental driving styles and personal characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Gila; Taubman-Ben-Ari, Orit

2010-03-01

As part of the effort to ascertain why young drivers are more at risk for car crashes, attention has recently turned to the effects of family, including the intergenerational transmission of driving styles from parents to offspring. The current study sought to further understanding of the nature and aspects of the family influence with the help of Bowen's family systems theory. In Phase 1 of the prospective study, 130 young driving students completed questionnaires tapping personal and personality measures, and their parents completed driving-related instruments. In Phase 2, a year after the young drivers had obtained their driver's license, they were administered the same questionnaires their parents had previously completed. The results show significant correlations between the parents' driving styles and those of their offspring a year after licensure. Furthermore, differentiation of self and self-efficacy in newly acquired driving skills were found to moderate or heighten the similarity between the driving styles of parents and their offspring. For young drivers reporting anxiety in Phase 1, this was associated with a reported anxious driving style a year later. Among young female drivers, anxiety was also associated with a reckless and careless style. Higher sensation seeking was related to higher reckless driving among young male drivers. The findings are discussed in the context of adolescence and the role of the study variables in the development and intergenerational transmission of driving styles. In addition to its theoretical contribution to the realms of intergenerational transmission in general, and young drivers in particular, the study may have practical implications for both family therapy and the design of driving interventions. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of Drive Level on the Fundamental Vibrator Signal

OpenAIRE

Noorlandt, R.P.; Drijkoningen, G.G.; Faber, C.A.M.

2013-01-01

In this abstract we show the influence of vibrator drive level on the signal it produces. For that purpose a field survey was carried out using an INOVA's AHV-IV vehicle with a modified 266kN (60.000 lbf) vibrator. A single linear sweep was repeated at 10 different drive levels ranging from 5 to 90% at two locations. Each drive level was repeated 10 times and each run was repeated twice per location. In total 400 sweeps were carried out. From this data set we conclude that; the vibrator signa...

Electrical drives for direct drive renewable energy systems

CERN Document Server

Mueller, Markus

2013-01-01

Wind turbine gearboxes present major reliability issues, leading to great interest in the current development of gearless direct-drive wind energy systems. Offering high reliability, high efficiency and low maintenance, developments in these direct-drive systems point the way to the next generation of wind power, and Electrical drives for direct drive renewable energy systems is an authoritative guide to their design, development and operation. Part one outlines electrical drive technology, beginning with an overview of electrical generators for direct drive systems. Principles of electrical design for permanent magnet generators are discussed, followed by electrical, thermal and structural generator design and systems integration. A review of power electronic converter technology and power electronic converter systems for direct drive renewable energy applications is then conducted. Part two then focuses on wind and marine applications, beginning with a commercial overview of wind turbine drive systems and a...

Experimental study on the scram of electromagnetic movable coil control rod drive mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Changlong; Bo Hanliang; Jiang Shengyao; Zhang Hongchao; Ma Cang; Wang Jinhua; Qin Benke

2006-01-01

Electromagnetic movable coil control rod drive mechanism is a new type drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is experimentally studied to gain the characteristic of scram time. Further more, the reason of the different scram phenomena is analyzed and the disciplinarian of scram is also summarized. On the base of series experiments it can be concluded that scram time of AC break is longer than that of DC break and the residual current of coil's can distinctly influence the scram time. The scram time of AC break is 300-700 ms longer than that of DC break. (authors)

Anisotropic distribution function of minority tail ions generated by strong ion-cyclotron resonance heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, C.S.; Colestock, P.

1989-05-01

The highly anisotropic particle distribution function of minority tail ions driven by ion-cyclotron resonance heating at the fundamental harmonic is calculated in a two-dimensional velocity space. It is assumed that the heating is strong enough to drive most of the resonant ions above the in-electron critical slowing-down energy. Simple analytic expressions for the tail distribution are obtained fro the case when the Doppler effect is sufficiently large to flatten the sharp pitch angle dependence in the bounce averaged qualilinear heating coefficient, D/sub b/, and for the case when D/sub b/ is assumed to be constant in pitch angle and energy. It is found that a simple constant-D/sub b/ solution can be used instead of the more complicated sharp-D/sub b/ solution for many analytic purposes. 4 refs., 4 figs

Study on surface modification of M2 steel induced by Cu ions and Al ions implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Chao; Liu Zhengmin

2001-01-01

Changes of surface hardness and wear resistances in M2 type steel implanted by Cu Al ions were reported. The dependence of surface strengthening on ion species and dose was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) for microhardness and wear resistances measurement. It is shown that both hardness and wear resistance increases apparently after ion implantation. XRD analysis indicates that different phases formed after Al Cu ions implanted. It is also suggested that Cu, Al ions have different role in surface strengthening

Using driving simulators to assess driving safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Linda Ng; Lee, John D

2010-05-01

Changes in drivers, vehicles, and roadways pose substantial challenges to the transportation safety community. Crash records and naturalistic driving data are useful for examining the influence of past or existing technology on drivers, and the associations between risk factors and crashes. However, they are limited because causation cannot be established and technology not yet installed in production vehicles cannot be assessed. Driving simulators have become an increasingly widespread tool to understand evolving and novel technologies. The ability to manipulate independent variables in a randomized, controlled setting also provides the added benefit of identifying causal links. This paper introduces a special issue on simulator-based safety studies. The special issue comprises 25 papers that demonstrate the use of driving simulators to address pressing transportation safety problems and includes topics as diverse as neurological dysfunction, work zone design, and driver distraction. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current challenges in autonomous driving

Science.gov (United States)

Barabás, I.; Todoruţ, A.; Cordoş, N.; Molea, A.

2017-10-01

Nowadays the automotive industry makes a quantum shift to a future, where the driver will have smaller and smaller role in driving his or her vehicle ending up being totally excluded. In this paper, we have investigated the different levels of driving automatization, the prospective effects of these new technologies on the environment and traffic safety, the importance of regulations and their current state, the moral aspects of introducing these technologies and the possible scenarios of deploying the autonomous vehicles. We have found that the self-driving technologies are facing many challenges: a) They must make decisions faster in very diverse conditions which can include many moral dilemmas as well; b) They have an important potential in reducing the environmental pollution by optimizing their routes, driving styles by communicating with other vehicles, infrastructures and their environment; c) There is a considerable gap between the self-drive technology level and the current regulations; fortunately, this gap shows a continuously decreasing trend; d) In case of many types of imminent accidents management there are many concerns about the ability of making the right decision. Considering that this field has an extraordinary speed of development, our study is up to date at the submission deadline. Self-driving technologies become increasingly sophisticated and technically accessible, and in some cases, they can be deployed for commercial vehicles as well. According to the current stage of research and development, it is still unclear how the self-driving technologies will be able to handle extreme and unexpected events including their moral aspects. Since most of the traffic accidents are caused by human error or omission, it is expected that the emergence of the autonomous technologies will reduce these accidents in their number and gravity, but the very few currently available test results have not been able to scientifically underpin this issue yet. The

Efficiency trends in electric machines and drives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mecrow, B.C.; Jack, A.G.

2008-01-01

Almost all electricity in the UK is generated by rotating electrical generators, and approximately half of it is used to drive electrical motors. This means that efficiency improvements to electrical machines can have a very large impact on energy consumption. The key challenges to increased efficiency in systems driven by electrical machines lie in three areas: to extend the application of variable-speed electric drives into new areas through reduction of power electronic and control costs; to integrate the drive and the driven load to maximise system efficiency; and to increase the efficiency of the electrical drive itself. In the short to medium term, efficiency gains within electrical machines will result from the development of new materials and construction techniques. Approximately a quarter of new electrical machines are driven by variable-speed drives. These are a less mature product than electrical machines and should see larger efficiency gains over the next 50 years. Advances will occur, with new types of power electronic devices that reduce switching and conduction loss. With variable-speed drives, there is complete freedom to vary the speed of the driven load. Replacing fixed-speed machines with variable-speed drives for a high proportion of industrial loads could mean a 15-30% energy saving. This could save the UK 15 billion kWh of electricity per year which, when combined with motor and drive efficiency gains, would amount to a total annual saving of 24 billion kWh

Combined RF current drive and bootstrap current in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, S. D.; Bers, A.; Ram, A. K.

1999-01-01

By calculating radio frequency current drive (RFCD) and the bootstrap current in a consistent kinetic manner, we find synergistic effects in the total noninductive current density in tokamaks [1]. We include quasilinear diffusion in the Drift Kinetic Equation (DKE) in order to generalize neoclassical theory to highly non-Maxwellian electron distributions due to RFCD. The parallel plasma current is evaluated numerically with the help of the FASTEP Fokker-Planck code [2]. Current drive efficiency is found to be significantly affected by neoclassical effects, even in cases where only circulating electrons interact with the waves. Predictions of the current drive efficiency are made for lower hybrid and electron cyclotron wave current drive scenarios in the presence of bootstrap current

Predicting psychopharmacological drug effects on actual driving performance (SDLP) from psychometric tests measuring driving-related skills

OpenAIRE

Verster, Joris C.; Roth, Thomas

2011-01-01

Rationale There are various methods to examine driving ability. Comparisons between these methods and their relationship with actual on-road driving is often not determined. Objective The objective of this study was to determine whether laboratory tests measuring driving-related skills could adequately predict on-the-road driving performance during normal traffic. Methods Ninety-six healthy volunteers performed a standardized on-the-road driving test. Subjects were instructed to drive with a ...

Studies on ion scattering and sputtering processes relevant to ion beam sputter deposition of multicomponent thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auciello, O.; Ameen, M.S.; Kingon, A.I.

1989-01-01

Results from computer simulation and experiments on ion scattering and sputtering processes in ion beam sputter deposition of high Tc superconducting and ferroelectric thin films are presented. It is demonstrated that scattering of neutralized ions from the targets can result in undesirable erosion of, and inert gas incorporation in, the growing films, depending on the ion/target atom ass ratio and ion beam angle of incidence/target/substrate geometry. The studies indicate that sputtering Kr + or Xe + ions is preferable to the most commonly used Ar + ions, since the undesirable phenomena mentioned above are minimized for the first two ions. These results are used to determine optimum sputter deposition geometry and ion beam parameters for growing multicomponent oxide thin films by ion beam sputter-deposition. 10 refs., 5 figs

[Driving forces of carbon emission from energy consumption in China old industrial cities: a case study of Shenyang City, Northeast China].

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Wan-Xia; Geng, Yong; Xue, Bing

2012-10-01

To quantitatively analyze the effects of anthropogenic factors on regional environmental quality is a hot topic in the field of sustainable development research. Taking the typical old industrial city Shenyang in Northeast China as a case, and by using the IPCC method for calculating carbon emission from energy consumption, this paper estimated the carbon emission from energy consumption in the city in 1978-2009, and a time series analysis on the anthropogenic factors driving this carbon emission was made by the STIRPAT model based upon Kaya equation and ridge regression. In 1978-2009, the carbon emission in the city had a slow increase first, slow decrease then, and a rapid increase thereafter. The total carbon emission in 2009 was 4.6 times of that in 1978. Population growth was the main factor driving the growth of the emission, and there existed an equal-proportional variation between the population growth and the carbon emission growth. Urbanization was another main driving factor followed by population growth, and the per capita GDP was positively correlated with the carbon emission. Kuznets curve did not exist for the relationship between economic development and carbon emission in Shenyang. Energy source intensity reduction (representing technology improvement) was the main factor driving the reduction of the total carbon emission.

Field-ion microscope studies of the defect structure of the primary state of damage of irradiated metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidman, D.N.

1975-01-01

A review is presented of field ion microscope applications in studies of point defect distribution in irradiated metals. FIM results on the primary state of radiation damage in neutron and ion-irradiated iridium and tungsten, at both room-temperature and 78 0 K, showed that it consists of: (1) isolated vacancies; (2) depleted zones; (3) compact vacancy clusters of voids; and (4) dislocation loops. The fraction of vacancies stored in the dislocation loops represented a small fraction of the total vacancy concentration; in the case of tungsten it was approximately 10 percent. These FIM observations provide a simple explanation of the low yield-factor, determined by transmission electron microscopy, for a number of ion-irradiated metals

On the annealing behaviour of dysprosium ion implanted nickel: a combined study using Rutherford backscattering, transmission electron microscopy, and total current spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chadderton, L.T.; Johnson, E.

1977-01-01

Despite continuing improvements in applications of the analytical method of Rutherford backscattering (RBS) to solid state physics it is recognized that more complete information can be obtained if other techniques - for example transmission electron microscopy (TEM) - are employed simultaneously. Experiments are described in which a combined RBS and TEM study of the annealing of nickel, rendered amorphous by implantation of 20 keV dysprosium ions is supplemented with a completely new technique - total current spectroscopy (TCS). In TCS low energy electrons (0-15 eV) are used to probe the damaged nickel. Observations have been made during annealing of both the reappearance of the bulk band structure of the metal and of a 'surface peak' which is highly sensitive to the recovery process. Changes in the height of the surface peak reveal three sharp annealing stages, the first two being preceded by reverse annealing which correlates well with RBS and TEM results. The first annealing stage - following the amorphous to crystalline transition - may be associated with electronic effects in the vicinity of the Curie point. Changes in the position of the surface peak allow one to trace the diffusion of dysprosium to the surface. Quantum mechanical resonances at the damage/crystal interface have also been followed throughout annealing. The initially amorphous layer (approximately 2.2nm) increases in thickness slightly during recovery. (Auth.)

Weak effect of ion cyclotron acceleration on rapidly chirping beam-driven instabilities in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidbrink, W W; Ruskov, E; Fredrickson, E D; Gorelenkov, N; Medley, S S; Berk, H L; Harvey, R W

2006-01-01

The fast-ion distribution function in the National Spherical Torus Experiment is modified from shot to shot while keeping the total injected power at ∼2 MW. Deuterium beams of different energy and tangency radius are injected into helium L-mode plasmas, producing a rich set of instabilities, including compressional Alfven eigenmodes, toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE), 50-100 kHz instabilities with rapid frequency sweeps or chirps, and strong, low frequency (10-20 kHz) fishbones. The experiment was motivated by a theory that attributes frequency chirping to the formation of holes and clumps in phase-space. In the theory, increasing the effective collision frequency of the fast ions that drive the instability can suppress frequency chirping. In the experiment, high-power (∼<3 MW) high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating accelerates the fast ions in an attempt to alter the nonlinear dynamics. Steady-frequency TAE modes diminish during the HHFW heating but there is little evidence that frequency chirping is suppressed

Weak effect of ion cyclotron acceleration on rapidly chirping beam-driven instabilities in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heidbrink, W W [University of California, Irvine, California (United States); Ruskov, E [University of California, Irvine, California (United States); Fredrickson, E D [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey (United States); Gorelenkov, N [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey (United States); Medley, S S [Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey (United States); Berk, H L [University of Texas, Austin, Texas (United States); Harvey, R W [CompX, Del Mar, California (United States)

2006-09-15

The fast-ion distribution function in the National Spherical Torus Experiment is modified from shot to shot while keeping the total injected power at {approx}2 MW. Deuterium beams of different energy and tangency radius are injected into helium L-mode plasmas, producing a rich set of instabilities, including compressional Alfven eigenmodes, toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE), 50-100 kHz instabilities with rapid frequency sweeps or chirps, and strong, low frequency (10-20 kHz) fishbones. The experiment was motivated by a theory that attributes frequency chirping to the formation of holes and clumps in phase-space. In the theory, increasing the effective collision frequency of the fast ions that drive the instability can suppress frequency chirping. In the experiment, high-power ({approx}<3 MW) high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating accelerates the fast ions in an attempt to alter the nonlinear dynamics. Steady-frequency TAE modes diminish during the HHFW heating but there is little evidence that frequency chirping is suppressed.

Weak effect of ion cyclotron acceleration on rapidly chirping beam-driven instabilities in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

W W,Heidbrink; E,Ruskov; E D,Fredrickson; N,Gorelenkov; S S,Medley; H L,Berk; R W,Harvey

2006-09-01

The fast-ion distribution function in the National Spherical Torus Experiment is modified from shot to shot while keeping the total injected power at ~2 MW. Deuterium beams of different energy and tangency radius are injected into helium L-mode plasmas, producing a rich set of instabilities, including compressional Alfven eigenmodes, toroidicity-induced Alfven eigenmodes (TAE), 50–100 kHz instabilities with rapid frequency sweeps or chirps, and strong, low frequency (10–20 kHz) fishbones. The experiment was motivated by a theory that attributes frequency chirping to the formation of holes and clumps in phase-space. In the theory, increasing the effective collision frequency of the fast ions that drive the instability can suppress frequency chirping. In the experiment, high-power (≤3MW) high harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating accelerates the fast ions in an attempt to alter the nonlinear dynamics. Steady-frequency TAE modes diminish during the HHFW heating but there is little evidence that frequency chirping is suppressed.

Comprehensive Peptide Ion Structure Studies Using Ion Mobility Techniques: Part 3. Relating Solution-Phase to Gas-Phase Structures.