Numerical calculation of particle collection efficiency in an ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Theoretical and numerical research has been previously done on ESPs to predict the efficiency ... Lagrangian simulations of particle transport in wire–plate ESP were .... The collection efficiency can be defined as the ratio of the number of ...

Case study: dairies utilizing ultra-high stocking density grazing in Pennsylvania and New York

Science.gov (United States)

Ultra-high stocking density (UHSD) grazing has gained interest in the forage industry. Proponents of UHSD emphasize increased forage use efficiency and soil improvement by grazing mature forage with stocking densities up to 560,425 kg ha**-1 of beef cattle on small paddocks with rest periods of up t...

Platelet collection efficiencies of three different platelet-rich plasma preparation systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Aydin, Fatma; Pancar Yuksel, Esra; Albayrak, Davut

2015-06-01

Different systems have been used for the preparation of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), but platelet collection efficiencies of these systems are not clear. To evaluate the platelet collection efficiencies of three different PRP preparation systems. Blood samples were obtained from the same 16 volunteers for each system. The samples were centrifuged and PRP was prepared by three systems. The ratio of the total number of platelets in PRP to the total number of platelets of the venous blood sample of the patient expressed in percentage was named as platelet collection efficiency and calculated for each system. Mean platelet collection efficiencies were 66.6 (min: 56.9, max: 76.9), 58.3 (min: 27.3, max: 102.8), 50.8 (min: 27.2, max: 73) for top and bottom bag system, system using citrated tube, and the system using tube with Ficoll and cell extraction kit, respectively. Statistically significant difference was found only between the platelet collection efficiencies of systems using the tube with ficoll and cell extraction kit and the top and bottom bag system (p = 0.002). All three systems could be used for PRP preparation, but top and bottom bag system offers a slight advantage over the system using Ficoll and cell extraction kit regarding the platelet collection efficiency.

Live Ultra-High Definition from the International Space Station

Science.gov (United States)

Grubbs, Rodney; George, Sandy

2017-01-01

The first ever live downlink of Ultra-High Definition (UHD) video from the International Space Station (ISS) was the highlight of a 'Super Session' at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in April 2017. The Ultra-High Definition video downlink from the ISS all the way to the Las Vegas Convention Center required considerable planning, pushed the limits of conventional video distribution from a space-craft, and was the first use of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) from a space-craft. The live event at NAB will serve as a pathfinder for more routine downlinks of UHD as well as use of HEVC for conventional HD downlinks to save bandwidth. HEVC may also enable live Virtual Reality video downlinks from the ISS. This paper will describe the overall work flow and routing of the UHD video, how audio was synchronized even though the video and audio were received many seconds apart from each other, and how the demonstration paves the way for not only more efficient video distribution from the ISS, but also serves as a pathfinder for more complex video distribution from deep space. The paper will also describe how a 'live' event was staged when the UHD coming from the ISS had a latency of 10+ seconds. Finally, the paper will discuss how NASA is leveraging commercial technologies for use on-orbit vs. creating technology as was required during the Apollo Moon Program and early space age.

Ultra-High Efficiency and Low-Emissions Combustion Technology for Manufacturing Industries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atreya, Arvind

2013-04-15

-dimensional parameters controlling RFC in furnaces were identified. These are: (i) The Boltzmann number; (ii) The Damkohler number, (iii) The dimensionless Arrhenius number, and (iv) The equivalence ratio. Together they define the parameter space where RFC is possible. It was also found that the Damkohler number must be small for RFC to exist and that the Boltzmann number expands the RFC domain. The experimental data obtained during the course of this work agrees well with the predictions made by the theoretical analysis. Interestingly, the equivalence ratio dependence shows that it is easier to establish RFC for rich mixtures than for lean mixtures. This was also experimentally observed. Identifying the parameter space for RFC is necessary for controlling the RFC furnace operation. It is hoped that future work will enable the methodology developed here to be applied to the operation of real furnaces, with consequent improvement in efficiency and pollutant reduction. To reiterate, the new furnace combustion technology developed enables intense radiation from combustion products and has many benefits: (i) Ultra-High Efficiency and Low-Emissions; (ii) Uniform and intense radiation to substantially increase productivity; (iii) Oxygen-free atmosphere to reduce dross/scale formation; (iv) Provides multi-fuel capability; and (v) Enables carbon sequestration if pure oxygen is used for combustion.

Vehicle routing for the eco-efficient collection of household plastic waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Bing, Xiaoyun; de Keizer, Marlies; Bloemhof-Ruwaard, Jacqueline M; van der Vorst, Jack G A J

2014-04-01

Plastic waste is a special category of municipal solid waste. Plastic waste collection is featured with various alternatives of collection methods (curbside/drop-off) and separation methods (source-/post-separation). In the Netherlands, the collection routes of plastic waste are the same as those of other waste, although plastic is different than other waste in terms of volume to weight ratio. This paper aims for redesigning the collection routes and compares the collection options of plastic waste using eco-efficiency as performance indicator. Eco-efficiency concerns the trade-off between environmental impacts, social issues and costs. The collection problem is modeled as a vehicle routing problem. A tabu search heuristic is used to improve the routes. Collection alternatives are compared by a scenario study approach. Real distances between locations are calculated with MapPoint. The scenario study is conducted based on real case data of the Dutch municipality Wageningen. Scenarios are designed according to the collection alternatives with different assumptions in collection method, vehicle type, collection frequency and collection points, etc. Results show that the current collection routes can be improved in terms of eco-efficiency performance by using our method. The source-separation drop-off collection scenario has the best performance for plastic collection assuming householders take the waste to the drop-off points in a sustainable manner. The model also shows to be an efficient decision support tool to investigate the impacts of future changes such as alternative vehicle type and different response rates. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring the efficiency of zakat collection process using data envelopment analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Hamzah, Ahmad Aizuddin; Krishnan, Anath Rau

2016-10-01

It is really necessary for each zakat institution in the nation to timely measure and understand their efficiency in collecting zakat for the sake of continuous betterment. Pusat Zakat Sabah, Malaysia which has kicked off its operation in early of 2007, is not excused from this obligation as well. However, measuring the collection efficiency is not a very easy task as it usually incorporates the consideration of multiple inputs or/and outputs. This paper sequentially employed three data envelopment analysis models, namely Charnes-Cooper-Rhodes (CCR) primal model, CCR dual model, and slack based model to quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of zakat collection in Sabah across the year of 2007 up to 2015 by treating each year as a decision making unit. The three models were developed based on two inputs (i.e. number of zakat branches and number of staff) and one output (i.e. total collection). The causes for not achieving efficiency and the suggestions on how the efficiency in each year could have been improved were disclosed.

Advanced Photon Source accelerator ultrahigh vacuum guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, C.; Noonan, J.

1994-03-01

In this document the authors summarize the following: (1) an overview of basic concepts of ultrahigh vacuum needed for the APS project, (2) a description of vacuum design and calculations for major parts of APS, including linac, linac waveguide, low energy undulator test line, positron accumulator ring (PAR), booster synchrotron ring, storage ring, and insertion devices, and (3) cleaning procedures of ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) components presently used at APS

Design Strategies for Ultra-high Efficiency Photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Warmann, Emily Cathryn

While concentrator photovoltaic cells have shown significant improvements in efficiency in the past ten years, once these cells are integrated into concentrating optics, connected to a power conditioning system and deployed in the field, the overall module efficiency drops to only 34 to 36%. This efficiency is impressive compared to conventional flat plate modules, but it is far short of the theoretical limits for solar energy conversion. Designing a system capable of achieving ultra high efficiency of 50% or greater cannot be achieved by refinement and iteration of current design approaches. This thesis takes a systems approach to designing a photovoltaic system capable of 50% efficient performance using conventional diode-based solar cells. The effort began with an exploration of the limiting efficiency of spectrum splitting ensembles with 2 to 20 sub cells in different electrical configurations. Incorporating realistic non-ideal performance with the computationally simple detailed balance approach resulted in practical limits that are useful to identify specific cell performance requirements. This effort quantified the relative benefit of additional cells and concentration for system efficiency, which will help in designing practical optical systems. Efforts to improve the quality of the solar cells themselves focused on the development of tunable lattice constant epitaxial templates. Initially intended to enable lattice matched multijunction solar cells, these templates would enable increased flexibility in band gap selection for spectrum splitting ensembles and enhanced radiative quality relative to metamorphic growth. The III-V material family is commonly used for multijunction solar cells both for its high radiative quality and for the ease of integrating multiple band gaps into one monolithic growth. The band gap flexibility is limited by the lattice constant of available growth templates. The virtual substrate consists of a thin III-V film with the desired

High-power 355 nm ultraviolet lasers operating at ultrahigh repetition rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, H; Liu, Q; Yan, P; Gong, M

2013-01-01

In this letter, we demonstrate a novel 355 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser operating at ultrahigh repetition rate from 300 kHz to 1 MHz. The hybrid fiber-MOPA–bulk amplifiers based IR source exhibits a high average power of 105 W with near-diffraction-limited beam quality, narrow linewidth and high polarization extinction ratio. Two-cascaded LBO crystals are employed for high efficiency frequency tripling, and a maximum 43.7 W of average UV power is achieved at 400 kHz, corresponding to a conversion efficiency as high as 41.6%. The pulse duration of the UV pulse can be tuned from 5 to 10 ns with good pulse peak stability (better than 2.2% (RMS)). (letter)

Ultrahigh-pressure transitions in solid hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, H.; Hemley, R.J.

1994-01-01

During the past five years, major progress has been made in the experimental study of solid hydrogen at ultrahigh pressures as a result of developments in diamond-cell technology. Pressures at which metallization has been predicted to occur have been reached (250--300 Gigapascals). Detailed studies of the dynamic, structural, and electronic properties of dense hydrogen reveal a system unexpectedly rich in physical phenomena, exhibiting a variety of transitions at ultrahigh pressures. This colloquium explores the study of dense hydrogen as an archetypal problem in condensed-matter physics

Ultra-High-Efficiency Apodized Grating Coupler Using a Fully Etched Photonic Crystal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yunhong; Peucheret, Christophe; Ou, Haiyan

2013-01-01

We demonstrate an apodized fiber-to-chip grating coupler using fully etched photonic crystal holes on the silicon-on-insulator platform. An ultra-high coupling efficiency of 1.65 dB (68%) with 3 dB bandwidth of 60 nm is experimentally demonstrated.......We demonstrate an apodized fiber-to-chip grating coupler using fully etched photonic crystal holes on the silicon-on-insulator platform. An ultra-high coupling efficiency of 1.65 dB (68%) with 3 dB bandwidth of 60 nm is experimentally demonstrated....

Inform: Efficient Information-Theoretic Analysis of Collective Behaviors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas G. Moore

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The study of collective behavior has traditionally relied on a variety of different methodological tools ranging from more theoretical methods such as population or game-theoretic models to empirical ones like Monte Carlo or multi-agent simulations. An approach that is increasingly being explored is the use of information theory as a methodological framework to study the flow of information and the statistical properties of collectives of interacting agents. While a few general purpose toolkits exist, most of the existing software for information theoretic analysis of collective systems is limited in scope. We introduce Inform, an open-source framework for efficient information theoretic analysis that exploits the computational power of a C library while simplifying its use through a variety of wrappers for common higher-level scripting languages. We focus on two such wrappers here: PyInform (Python and rinform (R. Inform and its wrappers are cross-platform and general-purpose. They include classical information-theoretic measures, measures of information dynamics and information-based methods to study the statistical behavior of collective systems, and expose a lower-level API that allow users to construct measures of their own. We describe the architecture of the Inform framework, study its computational efficiency and use it to analyze three different case studies of collective behavior: biochemical information storage in regenerating planaria, nest-site selection in the ant Temnothorax rugatulus, and collective decision making in multi-agent simulations.

Comparison of the solar collection efficiencies of various vinyl house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, K H; Shin, H N; Lee, D S; Shin, D H; Suh, K B

1982-01-01

Three plastic film solar dryers covered with different film layers were constructed by modifying a farm vinyl house and studying their performance. The collection efficiency and temperature raising of type C which was covered with double layers of transparent PE and black PVC film was most efficient, followed by B (which was covered with a double layer of transparent PE film) and type A (which was covered with single layer transparent PE film). The inside temperature of type C averaged 18/sup 0/C higher than ambient temperature and its collection efficiency was 31.5% with air flow rate of 3.8 m/sup 3//min. The solar energy collection efficiency of type C was increased in proportion to air flow rate up to 60.2% at 11.3 m/sup 3//min. In a demonstration drying test of red pepper in type C, drying capacity per unit area was 2.5 times higher than that of conventional solar drying on straw mat and drying time shortened to about half.

Routes to Ultrahigh Efficiency Photovoltaic and Photoelectrochemical Devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eisler, Carissa; Lloyd, John; Flowers, Cris; Darbe, Sunita; Warmann, Emily; Verlage, Erik; Fountaine, Kate; Hu, Shu; Lewis, Nathan; Atwater, Harry

2014-10-15

We discuss ‘full spectrum’ photovoltaic modules that leverage low-cost III-V compound semiconductor cells, efficient optics and unconventional fabrication/assembly methods, and discuss advances in photoelectrochemical water-splitting with high efficiency.

Study on reactor building structure using ultrahigh strength materials, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishimura, Kikuo; Odajima, Masahiro; Irino, Kazuo; Hashiba, Toshio.

1991-01-01

This study was promoted to be aimed at realization of the optimal nuclear reactor building structure of the future. As the first step, the study regarding ultrahigh strength reinforced concrete (abbr. RC) shear wall was selected. As the result of various tests, the application of ultrahigh strength RC shear walls was verified. The tests conducted were relevant to; ultrahigh strength concrete material tests; pure shear tests of RC flat panels; and bending shear tests and its simulation analysis of RC shear walls. (author)

Digital voice recording: An efficient alternative for data collection

Science.gov (United States)

Mark A. Rumble; Thomas M. Juntti; Thomas W. Bonnot; Joshua J. Millspaugh

2009-01-01

Study designs are usually constrained by logistical and budgetary considerations that can affect the depth and breadth of the research. Little attention has been paid to increasing the efficiency of data recording. Digital voice recording and translation may offer improved efficiency of field personnel. Using this technology, we increased our data collection by 55...

Study of application technology of ultra-high speed computer to the elucidation of complex phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekiguchi, Tomotsugu

1996-01-01

The basic design of numerical information library in the decentralized computer network was explained at the first step of constructing the application technology of ultra-high speed computer to the elucidation of complex phenomena. Establishment of the system makes possible to construct the efficient application environment of ultra-high speed computer system to be scalable with the different computing systems. We named the system Ninf (Network Information Library for High Performance Computing). The summary of application technology of library was described as follows: the application technology of library under the distributed environment, numeric constants, retrieval of value, library of special functions, computing library, Ninf library interface, Ninf remote library and registration. By the system, user is able to use the program concentrating the analyzing technology of numerical value with high precision, reliability and speed. (S.Y.)

Fully etched apodized grating coupler on the SOI platform with −058 dB coupling efficiency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yunhong; Peucheret, Christophe; Ou, Haiyan

2014-01-01

We design and fabricate an ultrahigh coupling efficiency (CE) fully etched apodized grating coupler on the silicon- on-insulator (SOI) platform using subwavelength photonic crystals and bonded aluminum mirror. Fabrication error sensitivity andcoupling angle dependence are experimentally investiga......We design and fabricate an ultrahigh coupling efficiency (CE) fully etched apodized grating coupler on the silicon- on-insulator (SOI) platform using subwavelength photonic crystals and bonded aluminum mirror. Fabrication error sensitivity andcoupling angle dependence are experimentally...

Propagation of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stanev, Todor [Bartol Research Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)], E-mail: stanev@bartol.udel.edu

2009-06-15

We briefly describe the energy loss processes of ultrahigh-energy protons, heavier nuclei and {gamma}-rays in interactions with the universal photon fields of the Universe. We then discuss the modification of the accelerated cosmic-ray energy spectrum in propagation by the energy loss processes and the charged cosmic-ray scattering in the extragalactic magnetic fields. The energy lost by the ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays goes into {gamma}-rays and neutrinos that carry additional information about the sources of highest energy particles. The new experimental results of the HiRes and the Auger collaborations are discussed in view of the predictions from propagation calculations.

Ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, C.T.; Schramm, D.N.

1985-01-01

We analyze the evolution of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray spectrum upon traversing the 2.7 0 K microwave background with respect to pion photoproduction, pair-production reactions, and cosmological effects. Our approach employs exact transport equations which manifestly conserve nucleon number and embody the laboratory details of these reactions. A spectrum enhancement appears around 6 x 10 19 eV due to the ''pile-up'' of energy-degraded nucleons, and a ''dip'' occurs around 10 19 eV due to combined effects. Both of these features appear in the observational spectrum. We analyze the resulting neutrino spectrum and the effects of cosmological source distributions. We present a complete model of the ultrahigh-energy spectrum and anisotropy in reasonable agreement with observation and which predicts an observable electron-neutrino spectrum

Bayesian Multiresolution Variable Selection for Ultra-High Dimensional Neuroimaging Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yize; Kang, Jian; Long, Qi

2018-01-01

Ultra-high dimensional variable selection has become increasingly important in analysis of neuroimaging data. For example, in the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) study, neuroscientists are interested in identifying important biomarkers for early detection of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using high resolution brain images that include hundreds of thousands voxels. However, most existing methods are not feasible for solving this problem due to their extensive computational costs. In this work, we propose a novel multiresolution variable selection procedure under a Bayesian probit regression framework. It recursively uses posterior samples for coarser-scale variable selection to guide the posterior inference on finer-scale variable selection, leading to very efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms. The proposed algorithms are computationally feasible for ultra-high dimensional data. Also, our model incorporates two levels of structural information into variable selection using Ising priors: the spatial dependence between voxels and the functional connectivity between anatomical brain regions. Applied to the resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) data in the ABIDE study, our methods identify voxel-level imaging biomarkers highly predictive of the ASD, which are biologically meaningful and interpretable. Extensive simulations also show that our methods achieve better performance in variable selection compared to existing methods.

Simple Methods to Approximate CPC Shape to Preserve Collection Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Jafrancesco

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The compound parabolic concentrator (CPC is the most efficient reflective geometry to collect light to an exit port. Anyway, to allow its actual use in solar plants or photovoltaic concentration systems, a tradeoff between system efficiency and cost reduction, the two key issues for sunlight exploitation, must be found. In this work, we analyze various methods to model an approximated CPC aimed to be simpler and more cost-effective than the ideal one, as well as to preserve the system efficiency. The manufacturing easiness arises from the use of truncated conic surfaces only, which can be realized by cheap machining techniques. We compare different configurations on the basis of their collection efficiency, evaluated by means of nonsequential ray-tracing software. Moreover, due to the fact that some configurations are beam dependent and for a closer approximation of a real case, the input beam is simulated as nonsymmetric, with a nonconstant irradiance on the CPC internal surface.

Some problems of physics of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaev, P.S.

1999-01-01

Nearest 15-20 years will be years of flourishing of experimental researches into the energy of cosmic rays at > or ∼ 10 15 eV and of new discoveries in the physics of elementary particles of ultrahigh energies. Unsolved problems of modern physics of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays, which are relevant to the problems of elementary particles physics, are reviewed

Stretchers and compressors for ultra-high power laser systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yakovlev, I V [Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhnii Novgorod (Russian Federation)

2014-05-30

This review is concerned with pulse stretchers and compressors as key components of ultra-high power laser facilities that take advantage of chirped-pulse amplification. The potentialities, characteristics, configurations and methods for the matching and alignment of these devices are examined, with particular attention to the history of the optics of ultra-short, ultra-intense pulses before and after 1985, when the chirped-pulse amplification method was proposed, which drastically changed the view of the feasibility of creating ultra-high power laser sources. The review is intended primarily for young scientists and experts who begin to address the amplification and compression of chirped pulses, experts in laser optics and all who are interested in scientific achievements in the field of ultra-high power laser systems. (review)

Low loss hollow optical-waveguide connection from atmospheric pressure to ultra-high vacuum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ermolov, A.; Mak, K. F.; Tani, F.; Hölzer, P.; Travers, J. C. [Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Günther-Scharowsky-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Russell, P. St. J. [Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Günther-Scharowsky-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Department of Physics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Günther-Scharowsky-Str. 1, 91058 Erlangen (Germany)

2013-12-23

A technique for optically accessing ultra-high vacuum environments, via a photonic-crystal fiber with a long small hollow core, is described. The small core and the long bore enable a pressure ratio of over 10{sup 8} to be maintained between two environments, while permitting efficient and unimpeded delivery of light, including ultrashort optical pulses. This delivery can be either passive or can encompass nonlinear optical processes such as optical pulse compression, deep UV generation, supercontinuum generation, or other useful phenomena.

Research and Application of WCF Technology in Data Acquisition of Ultra-high Speed Packaging Machine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Jie

2016-01-01

Full Text Available By introducing WCF technology on data acquisition of ultra-high speed packaging machine, data acquisition system reads dates of machine in polling mode through the WCF client, which can achieve accurate data collection, and effectively isolate the data acquisition system and the machine control system. It enhances the security of data interaction between systems, but also reduces the coupling degree between systems.

A selective overview of feature screening for ultrahigh-dimensional data.

Science.gov (United States)

JingYuan, Liu; Wei, Zhong; RunZe, L I

2015-10-01

High-dimensional data have frequently been collected in many scientific areas including genomewide association study, biomedical imaging, tomography, tumor classifications, and finance. Analysis of high-dimensional data poses many challenges for statisticians. Feature selection and variable selection are fundamental for high-dimensional data analysis. The sparsity principle, which assumes that only a small number of predictors contribute to the response, is frequently adopted and deemed useful in the analysis of high-dimensional data. Following this general principle, a large number of variable selection approaches via penalized least squares or likelihood have been developed in the recent literature to estimate a sparse model and select significant variables simultaneously. While the penalized variable selection methods have been successfully applied in many high-dimensional analyses, modern applications in areas such as genomics and proteomics push the dimensionality of data to an even larger scale, where the dimension of data may grow exponentially with the sample size. This has been called ultrahigh-dimensional data in the literature. This work aims to present a selective overview of feature screening procedures for ultrahigh-dimensional data. We focus on insights into how to construct marginal utilities for feature screening on specific models and motivation for the need of model-free feature screening procedures.

RECENT ADVANCES IN ULTRA-HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR THE ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huilian; Liu, Min; Chen, Pei

2014-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases for thousands of years in China. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) is a relatively new technique offering new possibilities. This paper reviews recent developments in UHPLC in the separation and identification, fingerprinting, quantification, and metabolism of traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, the combination of UHPLC with MS has improved the efficiency of the analysis of these materials. PMID:25045170

3-dimensional charge collection efficiency measurements using volumetric tomographic reconstruction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dobos, Daniel [CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)

2016-07-01

For a better understanding of the electrical field distribution of 3D semiconductor detectors and to allow efficiency based design improvements, a method to measure the 3D spatial charge collection efficiency of planar, 3D silicon and diamond sensors using 3D volumetric reconstruction techniques is possible. Simulation results and first measurements demonstrated the feasibility of this method and show that with soon available 10 times faster beam telescopes even small structures and efficiency differences will become measurable in few hours.

An improved single cell ultrahigh throughput screening method based on in vitro compartmentalization.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fuqiang Ma

Full Text Available High-throughput screening is a key technique in discovery and engineering of enzymes. In vitro compartmentalization based fluorescence-activated cell sorting (IVC-FACS has recently emerged as a powerful tool for ultrahigh-throughput screening of biocatalysts. However, the accuracy of current IVC-FACS assays is severely limited by the wide polydispersity of micro-reactors generated by homogenizing. Here, an improved protocol based on membrane-extrusion technique was reported to generate the micro-reactors in a more uniform manner. This crucial improvement enables ultrahigh-throughput screening of enzymatic activity at a speed of >10⁸ clones/day with an accuracy that could discriminate as low as two-fold differences in enzymatic activity inside the micro-reactors, which is higher than similar IVC-FACS systems ever have reported. The enzymatic reaction in the micro-reactors has very similar kinetic behavior compared to the bulk reaction system and shows wide dynamic range. By using the modified IVC-FACS, E. coli cells with esterase activity could be enriched 330-fold from large excesses of background cells through a single round of sorting. The utility of this new IVC-FACS system was further illustrated by the directed evolution of thermophilic esterase AFEST. The catalytic activity of the very efficient esterase was further improved by ∼2-fold, resulting in several improved mutants with k(cat/K(M values approaching the diffusion-limited efficiency of ∼10⁸ M⁻¹s⁻¹.

Improving Remote Species Identification through Efficient Training Data Collection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claire A. Baldeck

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Plant species identification and mapping based on remotely-sensed spectral signatures is a challenging task with the potential to contribute enormously to ecological studies. Success in this task rests upon the appropriate collection and use of costly field-based training data, and researchers are in need of ways to improve collection efficiency based on quantitative evidence. Using imaging spectrometer data collected by the Carnegie Airborne Observatory for hundreds of field-identified tree crowns in Kruger National Park, South Africa, we developed woody plant species classification models and evaluated how classification accuracy increases with increasing numbers of training crowns. First, we show that classification accuracy must be estimated while respecting the crown as the basic unit of data; otherwise, accuracy will be overestimated and the amount of training data needed to perform successful classification will be underestimated. We found that classification accuracy and the number of training crowns needed to perform successful classification varied depending on the number and spectral separability of species in the model. We also used a modified Michaelis-Menten function to describe the empirical relationship between training crowns and model accuracy, and show how this function may be useful for predicting accuracy. This framework can assist researchers in designing field campaigns to maximize the efficiency of field data collection, and thus the amount of biodiversity information gained from remote species identification models.

Storying energy consumption: Collective video storytelling in energy efficiency social marketing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Ross; Waitt, Gordon; Cooper, Paul; Butler, Katherine

2018-05-01

Despite calls for more socio-technical research on energy, there is little practical advice to how narratives collected through qualitative research may be melded with technical knowledge from the physical sciences such as engineering and then applied in energy efficiency social action strategies. This is despite established knowledge in the environmental management literature about domestic energy use regarding the utility of social practice theory and narrative framings that socialise everyday consumption. Storytelling is positioned in this paper both as a focus for socio-technical energy research, and as one potential practical tool that can arguably enhance energy efficiency interventions. We draw upon the literature on everyday social practices, and storytelling, to present our framework called 'collective video storytelling' that combines scientific and lay knowledge about domestic energy use to offer a practical tool for energy efficiency management. Collective video storytelling is discussed in the context of Energy+Illawarra, a 3-year cross-disciplinary collaboration between social marketers, human geographers, and engineers to target energy behavioural change within older low-income households in regional NSW, Australia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Imaging at ultrahigh magnetic fields: History, challenges, and solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Uğurbil, Kamil

2018-03-01

Following early efforts in applying nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study biological processes in intact systems, and particularly since the introduction of 4 T human scanners circa 1990, rapid progress was made in imaging and spectroscopy studies of humans at 4 T and animal models at 9.4 T, leading to the introduction of 7 T and higher magnetic fields for human investigation at about the turn of the century. Work conducted on these platforms has provided numerous technological solutions to challenges posed at these ultrahigh fields, and demonstrated the existence of significant advantages in signal-to-noise ratio and biological information content. Primary difference from lower fields is the deviation from the near field regime at the radiofrequencies (RF) corresponding to hydrogen resonance conditions. At such ultrahigh fields, the RF is characterized by attenuated traveling waves in the human body, which leads to image non-uniformities for a given sample-coil configuration because of destructive and constructive interferences. These non-uniformities were initially considered detrimental to progress of imaging at high field strengths. However, they are advantageous for parallel imaging in signal reception and transmission, two critical technologies that account, to a large extend, for the success of ultrahigh fields. With these technologies and improvements in instrumentation and imaging methods, today ultrahigh fields have provided unprecedented gains in imaging of brain function and anatomy, and started to make inroads into investigation of the human torso and extremities. As extensive as they are, these gains still constitute a prelude to what is to come given the increasingly larger effort committed to ultrahigh field research and development of ever better instrumentation and techniques. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Achievement of ultrahigh solar concentration with potential for efficient laser pumping.

Science.gov (United States)

Gleckman, P

1988-11-01

Measurements are reported of the irradiance produced by a two-stage solar concentrator designed to approach the thermodynamic limit. Sunlight is collected by a 40.6-cm diam parabolic primary which forms a 0.98-cm diam image. The image is reconcentrated by a nonimaging refracting secondary with index n = 1.53 to a final aperture 1.27 mm in diameter. Thus the geometrical concentration ratio is 102, 000. The highest irradiance value achieved was 4.4 +/- 0.2 kW cm(-2), or 56,000 +/- 5000 suns, relative to a solar disk insolation of 800 W m(-2). This is greater than the previous peak solar irradiance record by nearly a factor of 3, and it is 68% of that existing at the solar surface itself. The efficiency with which we concentrated 55 W of sunlight to a small spot suggests that our two-stage system would be an excellent candidate for solar pumping of solid state lasers.

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays and prompt TeV gamma rays from ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

physics pp. 789-792. Ultra-high energy cosmic rays and prompt. TeV gamma rays from gamma ray bursts ... The origin of the observed ultra-high energy cosmic ray (UHECR) events with ... are proton and electron rest mass, respectively.

Production of ultrahigh magnetic fields. Technical progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The objective was to produce and measure controlled ultrahigh magnetic fields by imploding a plasma in which a magnetic field has been entrained. The novel method for producing the ultrahigh fields using a gas-puff Z pinch was tested successfully and found to work as well as predicted in some respects and better in others, such as field amplification. Moreover, in testing this concept, we may have created the only megagauss facility in the world with a 3-minute repetition rate and long lifetime. Most megagauss facilities are single-shot, owing to material deformations or the use of explosives

Shock characterization of an ultra-high strength concrete

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erzar, B.; Pontiroli, C.; Buzaud, E.

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the design of protective structures may imply ultra-high performance concretes. These materials present a compressive strength 5 times higher than standard concretes. However, few reliable data on the shock response of such materials are available in the literature. Thus, a characterization of an ultra-high strength concrete has been conducted by means of hydrostatic and triaxial tests in the quasi-static regime, and plate impact experiments for shock response. Data have been gathered up to 6 GPa and a simple modelling approach has been applied to get a reliable representation of the shock compression of this concrete. (authors)

[Application study of qualitatively diagnosing prostate cancer using ultrahigh b-value DWI].

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, L B; Lu, Z H; Yao, H H; Cao, Y; Lu, W W; Qian, W X; Wang, X M; Hu, C H

2017-07-18

Objective: To explore the value of ultrahigh b-value DWI in diagnosis of prostate cancer. Methods: From October 2015 to October 2016, a total of 84 cases from Affiliated Changshu Hospital of Soochow University(39 cases of prostate cancer with a total of 57 lesions, 45 cases of benign prostate hyperplasia) were examined with T(2)WI, high b-value DWI (b=1 000 s/mm(2)) and ultrahigh b-value DWI (b=2 000 s/mm(2)) .Three image sets were rated respectively based on PI-RADS V2 by two radiologists and the scores were compared with biopsy results.The differences of the area under the ROC curve (AUC) among the three groups of each observer were compared by Z test. Results: The difference of AUC between ultrahigh b-value DWI and T(2)WI in the diagnosis of peripheral and transitional zone cancer was statistically significant between the two observers ( P =0.009 9, 0.008 2, 0.010 8 and 0.004 5 respectively), and there was no significant difference of AUC between ultrahigh b-value DWI and high b-value DWI in the diagnosis of peripheral and transitional zone cancer.The inter-reader agreement was found to be perfect for all lesions, peripheral zone lesions and transition zone lesions at ultrahigh b-value DWI ( kappa values were 0.738, 0.709 and 0.768 respectively). Conclusion: The diagnostic performance of ultrahigh b-value DWI is superior to high b-value DWI and T(2)WI in both peripheral zone and transition zone cancers.

Ultrahigh Responsivity and Detectivity Graphene-Perovskite Hybrid Phototransistors by Sequential Vapor Deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Po-Han; Liu, Shang-Yi; Lan, Yu-Bing; Tsai, Yi-Chen; You, Xue-Qian; Li, Chia-Shuo; Huang, Kuo-You; Chou, Ang-Sheng; Cheng, Tsung-Chin; Wang, Juen-Kai; Wu, Chih-I.

2017-04-01

In this work, graphene-methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite hybrid phototransistors fabricated by sequential vapor deposition are demonstrated. Ultrahigh responsivity of 1.73 × 107 A W-1 and detectivity of 2 × 1015 Jones are achieved, with extremely high effective quantum efficiencies of about 108% in the visible range (450-700 nm). This excellent performance is attributed to the ultra-flat perovskite films grown by vapor deposition on the graphene sheets. The hybrid structure of graphene covered with uniform perovskite has high exciton separation ability under light exposure, and thus efficiently generates photocurrents. This paper presents photoluminescence (PL) images along with statistical analysis used to study the photo-induced exciton behavior. Both uniform and dramatic PL intensity quenching has been observed over entire measured regions, consistently demonstrating excellent exciton separation in the devices.

The intergalactic propagation of ultrahigh energy cosmic ray nuclei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hooper, Dan; /Fermilab; Sarkar, Subir; /Oxford U., Theor. Phys.; Taylor, Andrew M.; /Oxford U.

2006-08-01

We investigate the propagation of ultra-high energy cosmic ray nuclei (A = 1-56) from cosmologically distant sources through the cosmic radiation backgrounds. Various models for the injected composition and spectrum and of the cosmic infrared background are studied using updated photodisintegration cross-sections. The observational data on the spectrum and the composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are jointly consistent with a model where all of the injected primary cosmic rays are iron nuclei (or a mixture of heavy and light nuclei).

Modeling the efficiency of a magnetic needle for collecting magnetic cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, Kimberly S; Lovato, Debbie M; Larson, Richard S; Adolphi, Natalie L; Bryant, H C; Flynn, Edward R

2014-01-01

As new magnetic nanoparticle-based technologies are developed and new target cells are identified, there is a critical need to understand the features important for magnetic isolation of specific cells in fluids, an increasingly important tool in disease research and diagnosis. To investigate magnetic cell collection, cell-sized spherical microparticles, coated with superparamagnetic nanoparticles, were suspended in (1) glycerine–water solutions, chosen to approximate the range of viscosities of bone marrow, and (2) water in which 3, 5, 10 and 100% of the total suspended microspheres are coated with magnetic nanoparticles, to model collection of rare magnetic nanoparticle-coated cells from a mixture of cells in a fluid. The magnetic microspheres were collected on a magnetic needle, and we demonstrate that the collection efficiency versus time can be modeled using a simple, heuristically-derived function, with three physically-significant parameters. The function enables experimentally-obtained collection efficiencies to be scaled to extract the effective drag of the suspending medium. The results of this analysis demonstrate that the effective drag scales linearly with fluid viscosity, as expected. Surprisingly, increasing the number of non-magnetic microspheres in the suspending fluid results increases the collection of magnetic microspheres, corresponding to a decrease in the effective drag of the medium. (paper)

Modeling the efficiency of a magnetic needle for collecting magnetic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Kimberly S.; Adolphi, Natalie L.; Bryant, H. C.; Lovato, Debbie M.; Larson, Richard S.; Flynn, Edward R.

2014-07-01

As new magnetic nanoparticle-based technologies are developed and new target cells are identified, there is a critical need to understand the features important for magnetic isolation of specific cells in fluids, an increasingly important tool in disease research and diagnosis. To investigate magnetic cell collection, cell-sized spherical microparticles, coated with superparamagnetic nanoparticles, were suspended in (1) glycerine-water solutions, chosen to approximate the range of viscosities of bone marrow, and (2) water in which 3, 5, 10 and 100% of the total suspended microspheres are coated with magnetic nanoparticles, to model collection of rare magnetic nanoparticle-coated cells from a mixture of cells in a fluid. The magnetic microspheres were collected on a magnetic needle, and we demonstrate that the collection efficiency versus time can be modeled using a simple, heuristically-derived function, with three physically-significant parameters. The function enables experimentally-obtained collection efficiencies to be scaled to extract the effective drag of the suspending medium. The results of this analysis demonstrate that the effective drag scales linearly with fluid viscosity, as expected. Surprisingly, increasing the number of non-magnetic microspheres in the suspending fluid results increases the collection of magnetic microspheres, corresponding to a decrease in the effective drag of the medium.

Change in dust collection efficiency of liquid collectors in conditions of dedusting liquid recirculation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krawczyk Janusz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The high efficiency of industrial wet scrubbers is the result of a simultaneous formation of dust particle collectors. Collectors can be understood as droplets of atomised liquid, bubbles formed in the conditions of intensive barbotage, liquid surface and wet surfaces. All collectors are formed during the operation of a circulating unit. The efficiency of dust collection process also depends on the ability of dust particles to be absorbed by collectors. The study provides an experimental analysis of the effect of the increasing concentration of a dust collection liquid in the conditions of full liquid recirculation on the efficiency of dust collection process in the examined types of collectors.

Ultra-high field MRI: Advancing systems neuroscience towards mesoscopic human brain function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dumoulin, Serge O; Fracasso, A.; Van der Zwaag, W.; Siero, Jeroen C W; Petridou, Natalia

2018-01-01

Human MRI scanners at ultra-high magnetic field strengths of 7 T and higher are increasingly available to the neuroscience community. A key advantage brought by ultra-high field MRI is the possibility to increase the spatial resolution at which data is acquired, with little reduction in image

Impact of geometry on light collection efficiency of scintillation detectors for cryogenic rare event searches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danevich, F.A.; Kobychev, V.V.; Kobychev, R.V.; Kraus, H.; Mikhailik, V.B.; Mokina, V.M.; Solsky, I.M.

2014-01-01

Simulations of photon propagation in scintillation detectors were performed with the aim to find the optimal scintillator geometry, surface treatment, and shape of external reflector in order to achieve maximum light collection efficiency for detector configurations that avoid direct optical coupling, a situation that is commonly found in cryogenic scintillating bolometers in experimental searches for double beta decay and dark matter. To evaluate the light collection efficiency of various geometrical configurations we used the ZEMAX ray-tracing software. It was found that scintillators in the shape of a triangular prism with an external mirror shaped as truncated cone gives the highest light collection efficiency. The results of the simulations were confirmed by carrying out measurements of the light collection efficiencies of CaWO 4 crystal scintillators. A comparison of simulated and measured values of light output shows good agreement

Active feedback wide-field optical low-coherence interferometry for ultrahigh-speed three-dimensional morphometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Woo June; Choi, Hae Young; Lee, Byeong Ha; Na, Jihoon; Eom, Jonghyun

2010-01-01

A novel optical interferometric scheme for ultrahigh-speed three-dimensional morphometry is proposed. The system is based on wide-field optical coherence tomography (WF-OCT) but with optically chopped illumination. The chopping frequency is feedback-controlled to be always matched with the Doppler frequency of the OCT interferometer, which provides an efficient page-wide demodulation suitable for ultrahigh-speed volumetric imaging. To compensate the unwanted variation in the OCT Doppler frequency of the system, the illumination frequency is phase-locked with an auxiliary laser interferometer which shares the reference arm with the OCT interferometer. The two-dimensional (2D) interference signals projected on the 2D array pixels of a 200 Hz CCD are accumulated during one imaging frame of the CCD. Then, each pixel of the CCD demodulates the OCT signal automatically. Owing to the proposed active frequency-locked illumination scheme, the demodulation does not depend on the variation in the axial scanning speed. Volumetric topograms or/and tomograms of several samples were achieved and rendered with a sensitivity of 58 dB at an axial scan speed of 0.805 mm s −1

CHAPTER 6. Biomimetic Materials for Efficient Atmospheric Water Collection

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Lianbin

2016-02-23

Water scarcity is a severe problem in semi-arid desert regions, land-scarce countries and in countries with high levels of economic activity. In these regions, the collection of atmospheric water - for example, fog - is recognized as an important method of providing water. In nature, through millions of year evolution, some animals and plants in many of the arid regions have developed unique and highly efficient systems with delicate microstructures and composition for the purpose of fog collection to survive the harsh conditions. With the unique ability of fog collection, these creatures could readily cope with insufficient access to fresh water or lack of precipitation. These natural examples have inspired the design and fabrication of artificial fog collection materials and devices. In this chapter, we will first introduce some natural examples for their unique fog collection capability, and then give some examples of the bioinspired materials and devices that are fabricated artificially to mimic these natural creatures for the purpose of fog collection. We believe that the biomimetic strategy is one of the most promising routes for the design and fabrication of functional materials and devices for the solution of the global water crisis.

Feature Screening for Ultrahigh Dimensional Categorical Data with Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Danyang; Li, Runze; Wang, Hansheng

2014-01-01

Ultrahigh dimensional data with both categorical responses and categorical covariates are frequently encountered in the analysis of big data, for which feature screening has become an indispensable statistical tool. We propose a Pearson chi-square based feature screening procedure for categorical response with ultrahigh dimensional categorical covariates. The proposed procedure can be directly applied for detection of important interaction effects. We further show that the proposed procedure possesses screening consistency property in the terminology of Fan and Lv (2008). We investigate the finite sample performance of the proposed procedure by Monte Carlo simulation studies, and illustrate the proposed method by two empirical datasets.

High Efficiency XAFS Data Collection With Sub-Nanosecond Time Resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brewe, Dale; Heald, Steve M.; Stern, Edward; Beck, Kenneth M.; Feng, Yejun

2004-01-01

Synchrotron-based laser pump/x-ray probe experiments on a ns or faster time scale have typically used ultrafast lasers suffering from the limitation of low repetition rates on the order of 1-10 kHz. This severely limits the data collection efficiency, since the x-ray bunches repeat at a much higher rate. This is particularly critical for XAFS experiments, which require very large S/N ratios (∼ 104 or better) to extract useful EXAFS far above the absorption edge. PNC-CAT has developed an apparatus based on a laser repeating at the rate of the APS bunch repetition frequency of 272 kHz, allowing an increase in data collection efficiency by two orders of magnitude. We have used this apparatus to obtain preliminary results for the time-resolved EXAFS from a 200nm thick polycrystalline Ge film which has been heated by the laser

Ultrahigh-energy particles from cosmic strings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharjee, P.

1991-02-01

The idea of production of ultrahigh-energy particles in the present universe due to annihilation or collapse of topological defects is discussed. Topological defects, formed in symmetry-breaking phase transitions in the early universe, can survive till today owing to their topological stability. However, under certain circumstances, topological defects may be physically destroyed. When topological defects are destroyed, the energy contained in the defects can be released in the form of massive gauge- and Higgs bosons of the underlying spontaneously broken gauge theory. Subsequent decay of these massive particles can give rise to energetic particles ranging up to an energy on the order of the mass of the original particles released from the defects. This may give us a ''natural'' mechanism of production of extremely energetic cosmic ray particles in the universe today, without the need for any acceleration mechanism. To illustrate this idea, I describe in detail the calculation of the expected ultrahigh-energy proton spectrum due to a specific process which involves collapse or multiple self-intersections of a class of closed cosmic string loops formed in a phase transition at a grand unification energy scale. I discuss the possibility that some of the highest-energy cosmic ray particles are of this origin. By comparing with the observational results on the ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, we derive an upper limit to the average fraction of the total energy in all ''primary'' cosmic string loops that may be released in the form of particles due to collapse or multiple self-intersections of these loops. No nuclei such as α's or Fe's are in the spectrum. 43 refs., 3 figs

Ultrahigh-efficiency apodized grating coupler using fully etched photonic crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yunhong; Ou, Haiyan; Peucheret, Christophe

2013-01-01

We present an efficient method to design apodized grating couplers with Gaussian output profiles for efficient coupling between standard single mode fibers and silicon chips. An apodized grating coupler using fully etched photonic crystal holes on the silicon-on-insulator platform is designed......, and fabricated in a single step of lithography and etching. An ultralow coupling loss of x2212;1.74x2009;x2009;dB (67% coupling efficiency) with a 3xA0;dB bandwidth of 60xA0;nm is experimentally measured....

Ultrahigh-speed X-ray imaging of hypervelocity projectiles

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Stuart; Singh, Bipin; Cool, Steven; Entine, Gerald; Campbell, Larry; Bishel, Ron; Rushing, Rick; Nagarkar, Vivek V.

2011-08-01

High-speed X-ray imaging is an extremely important modality for healthcare, industrial, military and research applications such as medical computed tomography, non-destructive testing, imaging in-flight projectiles, characterizing exploding ordnance, and analyzing ballistic impacts. We report on the development of a modular, ultrahigh-speed, high-resolution digital X-ray imaging system with large active imaging area and microsecond time resolution, capable of acquiring at a rate of up to 150,000 frames per second. The system is based on a high-resolution, high-efficiency, and fast-decay scintillator screen optically coupled to an ultra-fast image-intensified CCD camera designed for ballistic impact studies and hypervelocity projectile imaging. A specially designed multi-anode, high-fluence X-ray source with 50 ns pulse duration provides a sequence of blur-free images of hypervelocity projectiles traveling at speeds exceeding 8 km/s (18,000 miles/h). This paper will discuss the design, performance, and high frame rate imaging capability of the system.

Expectations for ultra-high energy interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feynman, R.P.

1978-01-01

Strong interactions at ultra-high energies are discussed with emphasis on the hadrons produced in high energy collisions. Evidence is considered that quantum chromodynamics might be the right theory, and also some estimates are given of quantum chromodynamics asymptotic-freedom phenomena, the work under discussion being very preliminary. 6 references

Fine-tuning of the spectral collection efficiency in multilayer junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandes, M.; Fantoni, A.; Louro, P.; Lavareda, G.; Carvalho, N.; Schwarz, R.; Vieira, M.

2006-01-01

a-SiC:H/a-Si:H p-i-n/p-i-n tandem cells with different i-layer thickness have been produced by PECVD and tested for a proper fine-tuning of the spectral collection efficiency. The tandem structure takes advantage on the radiation wavelength selectivity due to the different light penetration depth inside the a-Si:H and a-SiC:H absorbers. The thickness and the absorption coefficient of the front p-i-n cell were optimized for blue collection and red transmittance and the thickness of the back one adjusted to achieve full absorption in the green and high collection in the red spectral ranges. Preliminary results show that device optimization for red detection can be obtained by reducing the thickness of the internal recombination junction while by increasing the intrinsic layer of the bottom a-Si:H cell, a better detection of the green color under appropriated applied voltages is foreseen. The physics behind the device functioning is explained through a numerical simulation of the internal electrical configuration of the device in dark and under different wavelength irradiations. Considerations about conduction band offsets, electrical field profiles and inversion layers will be taken into account to explain the optical and voltage bias dependence of the spectral response. Experimental results about the spectral collection efficiency are presented and discussed from the point of view of the color sensor applications

Working in the magnetic field of ultrahigh field MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leitgeb, N.; Gombotz, H.

2013-01-01

Development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device technology continues to increase the static magnetic flux densities applied and consequently leads to considerably increased occupational exposure. This has already made it necessary to review limits of occupational exposure and to postpone European legal regulations for occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields. This raises the question whether and if so which adverse health effects and health risks might be associated with occupational exposure to MRI ultra-high static magnetic fields. Based on a survey on interaction mechanisms recommendations and safety rules are presented to help minimize adverse health effects of emerging ultra-high field MRI. (orig.) [de

New Sunshine Program for fiscal 2000. Development of photovoltaic power system commercialization technology (Development of ultrahigh-efficiency crystalline compound solar cell manufacturing technology - Survey and research of analysis of commercialization - Separate Volume: Survey of next-generation ultrahigh-efficiency solar cell system); 2000 nendo New sunshine keikaku seika hokokusho. Taiyoko hatsuden system jitsuyoka gijutsu kaihatsu - Chokokoritsu kessho kagobutsu taiyo denchi no seizo gijutsu kaihatsu (Jitsuyoka kaiseki ni kansuru chosa kenkyu - Bessatsu : Jisedai chokokoritsu taiyodenchi system ni kansuru chosa)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

For the preparation of a proposition concerning future research and development, surveys and studies were conducted centering about efficiency enhancement and cost reduction for the next generation ultrahigh-efficiency solar cell system. For improving the efficiency of the crystalline compound solar cell, studies were made about the prospects of the embodiment of a 3-junction and 4-junction types and of an increase in conversion efficiency expected to realize thanks to their light condensation behavior. It was inferred that anticipation of 29-47% conversion efficiency in 1 to 4-joint cells was theoretically acceptable. Four-joint structure cell fabrication would be a challenging task but would bring about an conversion efficiency of approximately 47% thanks to enhanced light condensation capability. As for cost reduction through the use of light condensation technology, surveys of overseas trends showed that the condensation-enhanced photovoltaic power system was characteristically fit for lower-price production. As for condensation and tracking systems, studies were made about cost calculation models of organizations involved in the United States and Europe, and then it was found that cost reduction in the optical system for condensation and in the tracking mechanism would be mandatory for the achievement of 75 yen/W. (NEDO)

Study on the Pressure Pulsation inside Runner with Splitter Blades in Ultra-High Head Turbine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meng, L; Zhang, S P; Zhou, L J; Wang, Z W

2014-01-01

Runners with splitter blades were used widely for the high efficiency and stability. In this paper, the unsteady simulation of an ultra-high head turbine at the best efficiency point, 50% and 75% discharge points were established, to analyze the pressure pulsation in the vaneless space, rotating domain and the draft tube. First of all, runners with different length splitter blades and without splitter blades were compared to learn the efficiency and the pressure distribution on the blade surface. And then the amplitude of the pressure pulsation was analysed. The peak efficiency of the runner with splitter blades is remarkably higher than that of the corresponding impeller without splitter blades. And the efficiency of the turbine is the highest when the length ratio of the splitter blades is 0.75 times the main blades. The pressure pulsation characteristics were also influenced, because the amplitudes of the pulsation induced by the RSI phenomenon were changed as a result of more blades. At last, the best design plan of the length of the splitter blades (length ratio=0.825) was obtained, which improved the pressure pulsation characteristics without significant prejudice to the efficiency

78 FR 29749 - Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Agency Information Collection Extension

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-21

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; Agency Information Collection Extension AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE..., DC 20503 And to Mr. Dana O'Hara, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE- 2G), U.S...

Ultra-high density aligned Carbon-nanotube with controled nano-morphology for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaffari, Mehdi; Zhao, Ran; Liu, Yang; Zhou, Yue; Cheng, Jiping; Guzman de Villoria, Roberto; Wardle, B. L.; Zhang, Q. M.

2012-02-01

Recent advances in fabricating controlled-morphology vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VA-CNTs) with ultrahigh volume fractioncreate unique opportunities for developing unconventional supercapacitors with ultra-high energy density, power density, and long charge/discharge cycle life.Continuous paths through inter-VA-CNT channels allow fast ion transport, and high electrical conduction of the aligned CNTs in the composite electrodes lead to fast discharge speed. We investigate the charge-discharge characteristics of VA-CNTs with >20 vol% of CNT and ionic liquids as electrolytes. By employing both the electric and electromechanical spectroscopes, as well as nanostructured materials characterization, the ion transport and storage behaviors in porous electrodes are studied. The results suggest pathways for optimizing the electrode morphology in supercapacitorsusing ultra-high volume fraction VA-CNTs to further enhance performance.

SU-C-201-03: Ionization Chamber Collection Efficiency in Pulsed Radiation Fields of High Pulse Dose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gotz, M; Karsch, L [Oncoray - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Pawelke, J [Oncoray - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany); Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To investigate the reduction of collection efficiency of ionization chambers (IC) by volume recombination and its correction in pulsed fields of very high pulse dose. Methods: Measurements of the collection efficiency of a plane-parallel advanced Markus IC (PTW 34045, 1mm electrode spacing, 300V nominal voltage) were obtained for collection voltages of 100V and 300V by irradiation with a pulsed electron beam (20MeV) of varied pulse dose up to approximately 600mGy (0.8nC liberated charge). A reference measurement was performed with a Faraday cup behind the chamber. It was calibrated for the liberated charge in the IC by a linear fit of IC measurement to reference measurement at low pulse doses. The results were compared to the commonly used two voltage approximation (TVA) and to established theories for volume recombination, with and without considering a fraction of free electrons. In addition, an equation system describing the charge transport and reactions in the chamber was solved numerically. Results: At 100V collection voltage and moderate pulse doses the established theories accurately predict the observed collection efficiency, but at extreme pulse doses a fraction of free electrons needs to be considered. At 300V the observed collection efficiency deviates distinctly from that predicted by any of the established theories, even at low pulse doses. However, the numeric solution of the equation system is able to reproduce the measured collection efficiency across the entire dose range of both voltages with a single set of parameters. Conclusion: At high electric fields (3000V/cm here) the existing theoretical descriptions of collection efficiency, including the TVA, are inadequate to predict pulse dose dependency. Even at low pulse doses they might underestimate collection efficiency. The presented, more accurate numeric solution, which considers additional effects like electric shielding by the charges, might provide a valuable tool for future

SU-C-201-03: Ionization Chamber Collection Efficiency in Pulsed Radiation Fields of High Pulse Dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gotz, M; Karsch, L; Pawelke, J

2016-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the reduction of collection efficiency of ionization chambers (IC) by volume recombination and its correction in pulsed fields of very high pulse dose. Methods: Measurements of the collection efficiency of a plane-parallel advanced Markus IC (PTW 34045, 1mm electrode spacing, 300V nominal voltage) were obtained for collection voltages of 100V and 300V by irradiation with a pulsed electron beam (20MeV) of varied pulse dose up to approximately 600mGy (0.8nC liberated charge). A reference measurement was performed with a Faraday cup behind the chamber. It was calibrated for the liberated charge in the IC by a linear fit of IC measurement to reference measurement at low pulse doses. The results were compared to the commonly used two voltage approximation (TVA) and to established theories for volume recombination, with and without considering a fraction of free electrons. In addition, an equation system describing the charge transport and reactions in the chamber was solved numerically. Results: At 100V collection voltage and moderate pulse doses the established theories accurately predict the observed collection efficiency, but at extreme pulse doses a fraction of free electrons needs to be considered. At 300V the observed collection efficiency deviates distinctly from that predicted by any of the established theories, even at low pulse doses. However, the numeric solution of the equation system is able to reproduce the measured collection efficiency across the entire dose range of both voltages with a single set of parameters. Conclusion: At high electric fields (3000V/cm here) the existing theoretical descriptions of collection efficiency, including the TVA, are inadequate to predict pulse dose dependency. Even at low pulse doses they might underestimate collection efficiency. The presented, more accurate numeric solution, which considers additional effects like electric shielding by the charges, might provide a valuable tool for future

Ultra-high sensitive hydrazine chemical sensor based on low-temperature grown ZnO nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehta, S.K.; Singh, Kulvinder; Umar, Ahmad; Chaudhary, G.R.; Singh, Sukhjinder

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Systematic representation of the fabricated amperometric hydrazine chemical sensor based on ZnO NPs/Au modified electrode. Highlights: ► Synthesis of well-crystalline ZnO NPs has been achieved in aqueous solution. ► ZnO NPs act as efficient electron mediators for hydrazine sensor. ► Extremely high sensitivity and low-detection limit have been obtained. - Abstract: Using well-crystalline ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), an ultra high sensitive hydrazine amperometric sensor has been fabricated and reported in this paper. The ZnO NPs have been synthesized by very simple aqueous solution process at 90 °C and characterized in detail in terms of their morphological, compositional, structural and optical properties. The detailed investigations reveal that the synthesized products are well-crystalline NPs, possessing wurtzite hexagonal phase and exhibit good optical properties. The fabricated amperometric hydrazine sensor exhibits ultra-high sensitivity of ∼97.133 μA cm −2 μM −1 and very low-detection limit of 147.54 nM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which an ultra-high sensitivity and low-detection limit have been obtained for the hydrazine chemical sensor based on ZnO nanostructures.

New Visualization Techniques to Analyze Ultra-High Resolution Four-dimensional Surface Deformation Imagery Collected With Ground-based Tripod LiDAR

Science.gov (United States)

Kreylos, O.; Bawden, G. W.; Kellogg, L. H.

2005-12-01

We are developing a visualization application to display and interact with very large (tens of millions of points) four-dimensional point position datasets in an immersive environment such that point groups from repeated Tripod LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) surveys can be selected, measured, and analyzed for land surface change using 3D~interactions. Ground-based tripod or terrestrial LiDAR (T-LiDAR) can remotely collect ultra-high resolution (centimeter to subcentimeter) and accurate (± 4 mm) digital imagery of the scanned target, and at scanning rates of 2,000 (x, y, z, i) (3D~position~+ intensity) points per second over 7~million points can be collected for a given target in an hour. We developed a multiresolution point set data representation based on octrees to display large T-LiDAR point cloud datasets at the frame rates required for immersive display (between 60 Hz and 120 Hz). Data inside an observer's region of interest is shown in full detail, whereas data outside the field of view or far away from the observer is shown at reduced resolution to provide context. Using 3D input devices at the University of California Davis KeckCAVES, users can navigate large point sets, accurately select related point groups in two or more point sets by sweeping regions of space, and guide the software in deriving positional information from point groups to compute their displacements between surveys. We used this new software application in the KeckCAVES to analyze 4D T-LiDAR imagery from the June~1, 2005 Blue Bird Canyon landslide in Laguna Beach, southern California. Over 50~million (x, y, z, i) data points were collected between 10 and 21~days after the landslide to evaluate T-LiDAR as a natural hazards response tool. The visualization of the T-LiDAR scans within the immediate landslide showed minor readjustments in the weeks following the primarily landslide with no observable continued motion on the primary landslide. Recovery and demolition efforts across the

A study of light collection efficiency in scintillation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiaoguang, Y.

1984-01-01

A group of computer programs was set up to study the light collection efficiency in scintillation detectors with rectangular cross sections. The input conditions can be chosen arbitrarily, including: the size, light attenuation length and refraction index of the scintillator and light guide, the refraction index of the coupling medium, the reflection characteristics of the walls, and the position of light sources. A few examples are discussed in this article. (orig.)

Standardized Method for Measuring Collection Efficiency from Wipe-sampling of Trace Explosives.

Science.gov (United States)

Verkouteren, Jennifer R; Lawrence, Jeffrey A; Staymates, Matthew E; Sisco, Edward

2017-04-10

One of the limiting steps to detecting traces of explosives at screening venues is effective collection of the sample. Wipe-sampling is the most common procedure for collecting traces of explosives, and standardized measurements of collection efficiency are needed to evaluate and optimize sampling protocols. The approach described here is designed to provide this measurement infrastructure, and controls most of the factors known to be relevant to wipe-sampling. Three critical factors (the applied force, travel distance, and travel speed) are controlled using an automated device. Test surfaces are chosen based on similarity to the screening environment, and the wipes can be made from any material considered for use in wipe-sampling. Particle samples of the explosive 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) are applied in a fixed location on the surface using a dry-transfer technique. The particle samples, recently developed to simulate residues made after handling explosives, are produced by inkjet printing of RDX solutions onto polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) substrates. Collection efficiency is measured by extracting collected explosive from the wipe, and then related to critical sampling factors and the selection of wipe material and test surface. These measurements are meant to guide the development of sampling protocols at screening venues, where speed and throughput are primary considerations.

Bridging ultrahigh-Q devices and photonic circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Ki Youl; Oh, Dong Yoon; Lee, Seung Hoon; Yang, Qi-Fan; Yi, Xu; Shen, Boqiang; Wang, Heming; Vahala, Kerry

2018-05-01

Optical microresonators are essential to a broad range of technologies and scientific disciplines. However, many of their applications rely on discrete devices to attain challenging combinations of ultra-low-loss performance (ultrahigh Q) and resonator design requirements. This prevents access to scalable fabrication methods for photonic integration and lithographic feature control. Indeed, finding a microfabrication bridge that connects ultrahigh-Q device functions with photonic circuits is a priority of the microcavity field. Here, an integrated resonator having a record Q factor over 200 million is presented. Its ultra-low-loss and flexible cavity design brings performance to integrated systems that has been the exclusive domain of discrete silica and crystalline microcavity devices. Two distinctly different devices are demonstrated: soliton sources with electronic repetition rates and high-coherence/low-threshold Brillouin lasers. This multi-device capability and performance from a single integrated cavity platform represents a critical advance for future photonic circuits and systems.

Spectral efficiency in crosstalk-impaired multi-core fiber links

Science.gov (United States)

Luís, Ruben S.; Puttnam, Benjamin J.; Rademacher, Georg; Klaus, Werner; Agrell, Erik; Awaji, Yoshinari; Wada, Naoya

2018-02-01

We review the latest advances on ultra-high throughput transmission using crosstalk-limited single-mode multicore fibers and compare these with the theoretical spectral efficiency of such systems. We relate the crosstalkimposed spectral efficiency limits with fiber parameters, such as core diameter, core pitch, and trench design. Furthermore, we investigate the potential of techniques such as direction interleaving and high-order MIMO to improve the throughput or reach of these systems when using various modulation formats.

Development of a double-layered ceramic filter for aerosol filtration at high-temperatures: the filter collection efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

de Freitas, Normanda L; Gonçalves, José A S; Innocentini, Murilo D M; Coury, José R

2006-08-25

The performance of double-layered ceramic filters for aerosol filtration at high temperatures was evaluated in this work. The filtering structure was composed of two layers: a thin granular membrane deposited on a reticulate ceramic support of high porosity. The goal was to minimize the high pressure drop inherent of granular structures, without decreasing their high collection efficiency for small particles. The reticulate support was developed using the technique of ceramic replication of polyurethane foam substrates of 45 and 75 pores per inch (ppi). The filtering membrane was prepared by depositing a thin layer of granular alumina-clay paste on one face of the support. Filters had their permeability and fractional collection efficiency analyzed for filtration of an airborne suspension of phosphatic rock in temperatures ranging from ambient to 700 degrees C. Results revealed that collection efficiency decreased with gas temperature and was enhanced with filtration time. Also, the support layer influenced the collection efficiency: the 75 ppi support was more effective than the 45 ppi. Particle collection efficiency dropped considerably for particles below 2 microm in diameter. The maximum collection occurred for particle diameters of approximately 3 microm, and decreased again for diameters between 4 and 8 microm. Such trend was successfully represented by the proposed correlation, which is based on the classical mechanisms acting on particle collection. Inertial impaction seems to be the predominant collection mechanism, with particle bouncing/re-entrainment acting as detachment mechanisms.

Large fog collectors: New strategies for collection efficiency and structural response to wind pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Robert; Rivera, Juan de Dios; de la Jara, Emilio

2015-01-01

Most studies of large fog collectors (LFC) have focused on the collection efficiency, the amount of water collected, or economic and social aspects, but have not addressed the effects of strong winds on the system. Wind pressure is directly related to fog water collection efficiency but on the other hand may cause serious damage on the structure of LFCs. This study focuses in the effects of wind pressure on the components of the LFC as an integral system, and the ways to face strong winds with no significant damage. For this purpose we analysed cases of mechanical failure of LFCs both in our experimental station at Peña Blanca in Chile and elsewhere. The effects of wind pressure can be described as a sequence of physical processes, starting with the mesh deformation as a way of adapting to the induced stresses. For a big enough pressure, local stress concentrations generate a progressive rupture of the mesh. In cases where the mesh is sufficiently strong the wind force causes the partial or total collapse of the structure. Usually the weakest part is the mesh, especially close to where it is attached to the structure. The way the mesh is attached to the frame or cable of the structure is particularly important since it can induce significant stress concentrations. Mesh failure before the structure failure may be considered as a mechanical fuse, since it is cheaper to repair. However, more practical mechanical fuses can be conceived. In relation to structural performance and water collection efficiency, we propose a new design strategy that considers a three-dimensional spatial display of the collection screen, oblique incidence angle of wind on mesh and small mesh area between the supporting frame. The proposed design strategies consider both the wind pressure on mesh and structure and the collection efficiency as an integral solution for the LFC. These new design strategies are the final output of this research. Applying these strategies a multi-funnel LFC is

Ultra-high efficiency photovoltaic cells for large scale solar power generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakano, Yoshiaki

2012-01-01

The primary targets of our project are to drastically improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency and to develop new energy storage and delivery technologies. Our approach to obtain an efficiency over 40% starts from the improvement of III-V multi-junction solar cells by introducing a novel material for each cell realizing an ideal combination of bandgaps and lattice-matching. Further improvement incorporates quantum structures such as stacked quantum wells and quantum dots, which allow higher degree of freedom in the design of the bandgap and the lattice strain. Highly controlled arrangement of either quantum dots or quantum wells permits the coupling of the wavefunctions, and thus forms intermediate bands in the bandgap of a host material, which allows multiple photon absorption theoretically leading to a conversion efficiency exceeding 50%. In addition to such improvements, microfabrication technology for the integrated high-efficiency cells and the development of novel material systems that realizes high efficiency and low cost at the same time are investigated.

Ultrahigh Field NMR and MRI: Science at a Crossroads Workshop Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polenova, Tatyana; Budinger, Thomas F.

2016-01-01

The workshop ''Ultrahigh Field NMR and MRI: Science at Crossroads'', initiated by the scientific community and supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the National Institutes of Health, took place on November 12-13, 2015, in Bethesda, MD, on the NIH campus. The meeting was held to assess the science drivers, technological challenges, prospects for achieving field strengths for NMR and MRI nearly double their current value, and strategies on how to provide ultrahigh field NMR/MRI capabilities to a national user community.

Efficient Incremental Garbage Collection for Workstation/Server Database Systems

OpenAIRE

Amsaleg , Laurent; Gruber , Olivier; Franklin , Michael

1994-01-01

Projet RODIN; We describe an efficient server-based algorithm for garbage collecting object-oriented databases in a workstation/server environment. The algorithm is incremental and runs concurrently with client transactions, however, it does not hold any locks on data and does not require callbacks to clients. It is fault tolerant, but performs very little logging. The algorithm has been designed to be integrated into existing OODB systems, and therefore it works with standard implementation ...

Study on creep of fiber reinforced ultra-high strength concrete based on strength

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Wenjun; Wang, Tao

2018-04-01

To complement the creep performance of ultra-high strength concrete, the long creep process of fiber reinforced concrete was studied in this paper. The long-term creep process and regularity of ultra-high strength concrete with 0.5% PVA fiber under the same axial compression were analyzed by using concrete strength (C80/C100/C120) as a variable. The results show that the creep coefficient of ultra-high strength concrete decreases with the increase of concrete strength. Compared with ACI209R (92), GL2000 models, it is found that the predicted value of ACI209R (92) are close to the experimental value, and the creep prediction model suitable for this experiment is proposed based on ACI209R (92).

General collection efficiency in liquid iso-octane and tetramethylsilane used as sensitive media in a thimble ionization chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, B.E.; Bahar-Gogani, J.; Wickman, G.

1999-01-01

The general collection efficiency in the dielectric liquids iso-octane (C 8 H 18 ; 2-2-4 trimethylpentane) and tetramethylsilane (Si(CH 3 ) 4 ), used as sensitive media in a thimble liquid ionization chamber (LIC) with a liquid layer thickness of 1 mm, has been studied. Measurements were made for continuous radiation at varying dose rates using 140 keV photons from the decay of 99m Tc for chamber polarizing voltages of 50, 100 and 500 V. The maximum dose rate in each measurement session was about 150 mGy min -1 . The experimental results were compared with theoretical general collection efficiencies calculated by the equation for the general collection efficiency in gases. The results show that the general collection efficiency in a thimble LIC for continuous radiation can be calculated with the equation for the general collection efficiency in gas ionization chambers, using the same chamber geometry correction factors and analogous characteristic ion recombination parameters for the dielectric liquids. (author)

Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays: facts, myths and legends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anchordoqui, L.A.

2011-01-01

This is a written version of a series of lectures aimed at graduate students in astrophysics and theoretical/experimental particle physics. In the first part, we explain the important progress made in recent years towards understanding the experimental data on cosmic rays with energies > or approx. 10 8 GeV. We begin with a brief survey of the available data, including a description of the energy spectrum, mass composition and arrival directions. At this point we also give a short overview of experimental techniques. After that, we introduce the fundamentals of acceleration and propagation in order to discuss the conjectured nearby cosmic-ray sources, and emphasize some of the prospects for a new (multiparticle) astronomy. Next, we survey the state of the art regarding the ultrahigh-energy cosmic neutrinos that should be produced in association with the observed cosmic rays. In the second part, we summarize the phenomenology of cosmic-ray air showers. We explain the hadronic interaction models used to extrapolate results from collider data to ultrahigh energies, and describe the prospects for insights into forward physics at the Large Hadron Collider. We also explain the main electromagnetic processes that govern the longitudinal shower evolution. Armed with these two principal shower ingredients and motivation from the underlying physics, we describe the different methods proposed to distinguish primary species. In the last part, we outline how ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray interactions can be used to probe new physics beyond the electroweak scale. (author)

Microfluidic Air Sampler for Highly Efficient Bacterial Aerosol Collection and Identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Xiaojun; Lan, Ying; Wang, Bing; Zhang, Yu Shrike; Liu, Baohong; Yang, Pengyuan; Zhang, Weijia; Qiao, Liang

2016-12-06

The early warning capability of the presence of biological aerosol threats is an urgent demand in ensuing civilian and military safety. Efficient and rapid air sample collection in relevant indoor or outdoor environment is a key step for subsequent analysis of airborne microorganisms. Herein, we report a portable battery-powered sampler that is capable of highly efficient bioaerosol collection. The essential module of the sampler is a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic chip, which consisted of a 3-loop double-spiral microchannel featuring embedded herringbone and sawtooth wave-shaped structures. Vibrio parahemolyticus (V. parahemolyticus) as a model microorganism, was initially employed to validate the bioaerosol collection performance of the device. Results showed that the sampling efficacy reached as high as >99.9%. The microfluidic sampler showed greatly improved capturing efficiency compared with traditional plate sedimentation methods. The high performance of our device was attributed to the horizontal inertial centrifugal force and the vertical turbulence applied to airflow during sampling. The centrifugation field and turbulence were generated by the specially designed herringbone structures when air circulated in the double-spiral microchannel. The sawtooth wave-shaped microstructure created larger specific surface area for accommodating more aerosols. Furthermore, a mixture of bacterial aerosols formed by V. parahemolyticus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli was extracted by the microfluidic sampler. Subsequent integration with mass spectrometry conveniently identified the multiple bacterial species captured by the sampler. Our developed stand-alone and cable-free sampler shows clear advantages comparing with conventional strategies, including portability, easy-to-use, and low cost, indicating great potential in future field applications.

AMANDA Observations Constrain the Ultrahigh Energy Neutrino Flux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halzen, Francis; /Wisconsin U., Madison; Hooper, Dan; /Fermilab

2006-05-01

A number of experimental techniques are currently being deployed in an effort to make the first detection of ultra-high energy cosmic neutrinos. To accomplish this goal, techniques using radio and acoustic detectors are being developed, which are optimally designed for studying neutrinos with energies in the PeV-EeV range and above. Data from the AMANDA experiment, in contrast, has been used to place limits on the cosmic neutrino flux at less extreme energies (up to {approx}10 PeV). In this letter, we show that by adopting a different analysis strategy, optimized for much higher energy neutrinos, the same AMANDA data can be used to place a limit competitive with radio techniques at EeV energies. We also discuss the sensitivity of the IceCube experiment, in various stages of deployment, to ultra-high energy neutrinos.

Reuter Centrifugal Air Sampler: Measurement of Effective Airflow Rate and Collection Efficiency

OpenAIRE

Macher, J. M.; First, M. W.

1983-01-01

Incorrect calculation of effective air sampling rate and disregard of differences in collection efficiency among samplers can lead to false conclusions about the usefulness of samplers for measuring concentrations of airborne microorganisms.

Status of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2015-01-01

I will review the recent results on Ultra-High energy cosmic rays obtained by the Auger and Telescope Array Observatories, and discuss some of the Astrophysical scenarios that could account for them, a connection with LHC results  as well as the possible connections to neutrino and gamma ray observations.

Ultrahigh Field NMR and MRI: Science at a Crossroads Workshop Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Polenova, Tatyana [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States); Budinger, Thomas F. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-01-04

The workshop “Ultrahigh Field NMR and MRI: Science at Crossroads”, initiated by the scientific community and supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the National Institutes of Health, took place on November 12-13, 2015, in Bethesda, MD, on the NIH campus. The meeting was held to assess the science drivers, technological challenges, prospects for achieving field strengths for NMR and MRI nearly double their current value, and strategies on how to provide ultrahigh field NMR/MRI capabilities to a national user community.

Micromotor endoscope catheter for in vivo, ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Herz, P. R.; Chen, Y.; Aguirre, A. D.; Schneider, K.; Hsiung, P.; Fujimoto, J. G.; Madden, K.; Schmitt, J.; Goodnow, J.; Petersen, C.

2004-10-01

A distally actuated, rotational-scanning micromotor endoscope catheter probe is demonstrated for ultrahigh-resolution in vivo endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. The probe permits focus adjustment for visualization of tissue morphology at varying depths with improved transverse resolution compared with standard OCT imaging probes. The distal actuation avoids nonuniform scanning motion artifacts that are present with other probe designs and can permit a wider range of imaging speeds. Ultrahigh-resolution endoscopic imaging is demonstrated in a rabbit with micromotor endoscope catheter probe promises to improve OCT imaging performance in future endoscopic imaging applications.

Improving the Efficiency of Photon Collection by Compton Rescue

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-01

burnished by vibratory shot peening,” Acta Physica Polonica , vol. A 110, pp. 739–46, 2006. [4] M. Cunningham et al., “First-generation hybrid compact...Department of Defense, or the United States Government. This material is declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright...R. Kowash (Member) Date AFIT/GAP/ENP/11-M10 Abstract A method to improve the efficiency of photon collection in thin planar HPGe de- tectors was

Design of artificial neural networks using a genetic algorithm to predict collection efficiency in venturi scrubbers.

Science.gov (United States)

Taheri, Mahboobeh; Mohebbi, Ali

2008-08-30

In this study, a new approach for the auto-design of neural networks, based on a genetic algorithm (GA), has been used to predict collection efficiency in venturi scrubbers. The experimental input data, including particle diameter, throat gas velocity, liquid to gas flow rate ratio, throat hydraulic diameter, pressure drop across the venturi scrubber and collection efficiency as an output, have been used to create a GA-artificial neural network (ANN) model. The testing results from the model are in good agreement with the experimental data. Comparison of the results of the GA optimized ANN model with the results from the trial-and-error calibrated ANN model indicates that the GA-ANN model is more efficient. Finally, the effects of operating parameters such as liquid to gas flow rate ratio, throat gas velocity, and particle diameter on collection efficiency were determined.

Report on the FY 1999 leading R and D of technology of the MGC (melt-growth composites) ultra-high efficiency turbine system; 1999 nendo MGC chokokoritsu turbine system gijutsu sendo kenkyu kaihatsu seika hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

For the purpose of using MGC which maintain the strength even at high temperature and also have plastic deformability as power generation use gas turbine system structural member, a leading research is conducted from FY 1998 to FY 2000. Based on the results of the FY 1998 research, the following were conducted in FY 1999: study through the trial manufacturing test to obtain the material design guide related to the heightening of efficiency of MGC and improvement of production process technology of MGC; evaluation from various angles of the data needed to elucidate the mechanism to manifest high-temperature characteristics of MGC. Further, through the following, a draft was drawn up for the developmental plan on the MGC ultra-high efficiency turbine system technology: establishment of gas turbine cycle (secondary draft); definition of developmental targets in the full-scale R and D after the leading research; extraction of technical subjects and study of contents of the R and D. The 5-year R and D plan was able to be worked out by setting up an R and D target that the generating end efficiency is 38% at turbine inlet temperature of 1,700 degrees C. (NEDO)

Laser beam welding of new ultra-high strength and supra-ductile steels

OpenAIRE

Dahmen, M.

2015-01-01

Ultra-high strength and supra-ductile are entering fields of new applications. Those materials are excellent candidates for modern light-weight construction and functional integration. As ultra-high strength steels the stainless martensitic grade 1.4034 and the bainitic steel UNS 53835 are investigated. For the supra-ductile steels stand two high austenitic steels with 18 and 28 % manganese. As there are no processing windows an approach from the metallurgical base on is required. Adjusting t...

Geometric scaling in ultrahigh energy neutrinos and nonlinear perturbative QCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machado, Magno V.T.

2011-01-01

The ultrahigh energy neutrino cross section is a crucial ingredient in the calculation of the event rate in high energy neutrino telescopes. Currently there are several approaches which predict different behaviors for its magnitude for ultrahigh energies. In this contribution is presented a summary of current predictions based on the non-linear QCD evolution equations, the so-called perturbative saturation physics. In particular, predictions are shown based on the parton saturation approaches and the consequences of geometric scaling property at high energies are discussed. The scaling property allows an analytical computation of the neutrino scattering on nucleon/nucleus at high energies, providing a theoretical parameterization. (author)

Laser beam welding of new ultra-high strength and supra-ductile steels

Science.gov (United States)

Dahmen, Martin

2015-03-01

Ultra-high strength and supra-ductile are entering fields of new applications. Those materials are excellent candidates for modern light-weight construction and functional integration. As ultra-high strength steels the stainless martensitic grade 1.4034 and the bainitic steel UNS 53835 are investigated. For the supra-ductile steels stand two high austenitic steels with 18 and 28 % manganese. As there are no processing windows an approach from the metallurgical base on is required. Adjusting the weld microstructure the Q+P and the QT steels require weld heat treatment. The HSD steel is weldable without. Due to their applications the ultra-high strength steels are welded in as-rolled and strengthened condition. Also the reaction of the weld on hot stamping is reflected for the martensitic grades. The supra-ductile steels are welded as solution annealed and work hardened by 50%. The results show the general suitability for laser beam welding.

Efficient Data Collection by Mobile Sink to Detect Phenomena in Internet of Things

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amany Abu Safia

2017-10-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of Internet of Things (IoT, more and more static and mobile sensors are being deployed for sensing and tracking environmental phenomena, such as fire, oil spills and air pollution. As these sensors are usually battery-powered, energy-efficient algorithms are required to extend the sensors’ lifetime. Moreover, forwarding sensed data towards a static sink causes quick battery depletion of the sinks’ nearby sensors. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a distributed energy-efficient algorithm, called the Hilbert-order Collection Strategy (HCS, which uses a mobile sink (e.g., drone to collect data from a mobile wireless sensor network (mWSN and detect environmental phenomena. The mWSN consists of mobile sensors that sense environmental data. These mobile sensors self-organize themselves into groups. The sensors of each group elect a group head (GH, which collects data from the mobile sensors in its group. Periodically, a mobile sink passes by the locations of the GHs (data collection path to collect their data. The collected data are aggregated to discover a global phenomenon. To shorten the data collection path, which results in reducing the energy cost, the mobile sink establishes the path based on the order of Hilbert values of the GHs’ locations. Furthermore, the paper proposes two optimization techniques for data collection to further reduce the energy cost of mWSN and reduce the data loss.

Super Boiler: First Generation, Ultra-High Efficiency Firetube Boiler

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2006-06-01

This factsheet describes a research project whose goal is to develop and demonstrate a first-generation ultra-high-efficiency, ultra-low emissions, compact gas-fired package boiler (Super Boiler), and formulate a long-range RD&D plan for advanced boiler technology out to the year 2020.

Soliton-based ultra-high speed optical communications

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

All these facts are the outcome of research on optical solitons in fibers in spite of the fact that the commonly used RZ format is not always called a soliton format. The overview presented here attempts to incorporate the role of soliton-based communications research in present day ultra-high speed communications.

Proton-proton elastic scattering at ultrahigh energies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saleem, M.; Shaukat, M.A.; Fazal-e-Aleem (University of the Punjab, Lahore (Pakistan). Dept. of Physics)

1981-05-30

The authors use a geometrical model of high-energy pp elastic scattering as proposed by Chou and Yong to analyse experimental data available at present and consider the predictions of the dipole pomeron model for pp elastic scattering at ultrahigh energies. Theoretical results for differential cross sections are compared with experimental data.

Scaling violations at ultra-high energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tung, W.K.

1979-01-01

The paper discusses some of the features of high energy lepton-hadron scattering, including the observed (Bjorken) scaling behavior. The cross-sections where all hadron final states are summed over, are examined and the general formulas for the differential cross-section are examined. The subjects of scaling, breaking and phenomenological consequences are studied, and a list of what ultra-high energy neutrino physics can teach QCD is given

Electrode geometry effects on the collection efficiency of submicron and ultra-fine dust particles in spike-plate electrostatic precipitators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brocilo, D; Podlinski, J; Chang, J S; Mizeraczyk, J; Findlay, R D

2008-01-01

The collection efficiency of electrostatic precipitators for the submicron particles ranging from 0.1 to 1 μm and ultrafine particles smaller than 0. lμm is below the requirements of new PM2.5 emission regulations. In this work, numerical and experimental studies were conducted to examine the effect of discharge and collecting electrode geometries on the ion density and electric field profiles and consequently their effect on the particle surface charge and collection efficiency. The collection efficiency prediction was based on a modified Deutsche's equation after calculation of three dimensional electric field and ion density profiles. Whereas, the particle surface charge was obtained from diffusion and field charging models. Results show that the collection efficiency of fine particles for the spike-type discharge electrode when compared to the conventional wire-type was improved. Experimental validations were conducted on a bench scale electrostatic precipitator for total and partial collection efficiency of particles ranging in size from 0.01 to 20 μm and the results indicated that the model can be effectively applied for prototype design, modification, and scale-up of collecting and discharge electrodes.

Ultrahigh Energy Neutrinos at the Pierre Auger Observatory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Abreu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The observation of ultrahigh energy neutrinos (UHEνs has become a priority in experimental astroparticle physics. UHEνs can be detected with a variety of techniques. In particular, neutrinos can interact in the atmosphere (downward-going ν or in the Earth crust (Earth-skimming ν, producing air showers that can be observed with arrays of detectors at the ground. With the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory we can detect these types of cascades. The distinguishing signature for neutrino events is the presence of very inclined showers produced close to the ground (i.e., after having traversed a large amount of atmosphere. In this work we review the procedure and criteria established to search for UHEνs in the data collected with the ground array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. This includes Earth-skimming as well as downward-going neutrinos. No neutrino candidates have been found, which allows us to place competitive limits to the diffuse flux of UHEνs in the EeV range and above.

Testing and Modeling Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic (UHTC) Materials For Hypersonic Flight

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-30

Ridge, D. G. Fletcher, C. O. Asma , O. Chazot, and J. Thömel, “Oxidation of ZrB2-SiC Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Composites in Dissociated Air...Fletcher, C. O. Asma , “Characterization of ZrB2-SiC Ceramics Tested by Plasma Stream Oxidation,” poster, 32 th International Conference...Fahrenholtz, W.G., Hilmas, G.E., Zhu, S.M., Ridge, J., Fletcher, D.G., Asma , C.O., and Thomel, J., "Oxidation of ZrB2-SiC Ultrahigh-Temperature

Ultrahigh temperature deformation microstructures in felsic granulites of the Napier Complex, Antarctica

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Majbritt Deichgræber; Piazolo, Sandra; Harley, Simon L

2006-01-01

Detailed electron microscope and microstructural analysis of two ultrahigh temperature felsic granulites from Tonagh Island, Napier Complex, Antarctica show deformation microstructures produced at ∼1000 °C at 8-10 kbar. High temperature orthopyroxene (Al ∼7 wt.% and ∼11 wt.%), exhibits crystallog......Detailed electron microscope and microstructural analysis of two ultrahigh temperature felsic granulites from Tonagh Island, Napier Complex, Antarctica show deformation microstructures produced at ∼1000 °C at 8-10 kbar. High temperature orthopyroxene (Al ∼7 wt.% and ∼11 wt.%), exhibits...

Backtracking search algorithm in CVRP models for efficient solid waste collection and route optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhtar, Mahmuda; Hannan, M A; Begum, R A; Basri, Hassan; Scavino, Edgar

2017-03-01

Waste collection is an important part of waste management that involves different issues, including environmental, economic, and social, among others. Waste collection optimization can reduce the waste collection budget and environmental emissions by reducing the collection route distance. This paper presents a modified Backtracking Search Algorithm (BSA) in capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) models with the smart bin concept to find the best optimized waste collection route solutions. The objective function minimizes the sum of the waste collection route distances. The study introduces the concept of the threshold waste level (TWL) of waste bins to reduce the number of bins to be emptied by finding an optimal range, thus minimizing the distance. A scheduling model is also introduced to compare the feasibility of the proposed model with that of the conventional collection system in terms of travel distance, collected waste, fuel consumption, fuel cost, efficiency and CO 2 emission. The optimal TWL was found to be between 70% and 75% of the fill level of waste collection nodes and had the maximum tightness value for different problem cases. The obtained results for four days show a 36.80% distance reduction for 91.40% of the total waste collection, which eventually increases the average waste collection efficiency by 36.78% and reduces the fuel consumption, fuel cost and CO 2 emission by 50%, 47.77% and 44.68%, respectively. Thus, the proposed optimization model can be considered a viable tool for optimizing waste collection routes to reduce economic costs and environmental impacts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Israeli EA-FEL Upgrade Towards Long Pulse Operation for Ultra-High Resolution Single Pulse Coherent Spectroscopy

CERN Document Server

Gover, A; Kanter, M; Kapilevich, B; Litvak, B; Peleg, S; Socol, Y; Volshonok, M

2005-01-01

The Israeli Electrostatic Accelerator FEL (EA-FEL) is now being upgraded towards long pulse (1005s) operation and ultra-high resolution (10(-6)) single pulse coherent spectroscopy. We present quantitative estimations regarding the applications of controlled radiation chirp for spectroscopic applications with pulse-time Fourier Transform limited spectral resolution. Additionally, we describe a novel extraction-efficiency-improving scheme based on increase of accelerating voltage (boosting) after saturation is achieved. The efficiency of the proposed scheme is confirmed by theoretical and numerical calculations. The latter are performed using software, based on 3D space-frequency domain model. The presentation provides an overview of the upgrade status: the high-voltage terminal is being reconfigured to accept the accelerating voltage boost system; a new broad band low-loss resonator is being manufactured; multi-stage depressed collector is assembled.

Determinants of efficiency in the provision of municipal street-cleaning and refuse collection services.

Science.gov (United States)

Benito-López, Bernardino; Moreno-Enguix, María del Rocio; Solana-Ibañez, José

2011-06-01

Effective waste management systems can make critical contributions to public health, environmental sustainability and economic development. The challenge affects every person and institution in society, and measures cannot be undertaken without data collection and a quantitative analysis approach. In this paper, the two-stage double bootstrap procedure of Simar and Wilson (2007) is used to estimate the efficiency determinants of Spanish local entities in the provision of public street-cleaning and refuse collection services. The purpose is to identify factors that influence efficiency. The final sample comprised 1072 municipalities. In the first stage, robust efficiency estimates are obtained with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We apply the second stage, based on a truncated-regression, to estimate the effect of a group of environmental factors on DEA estimates. The results show the existence of a significant relation between efficiency and all the variables analysed (per capita income, urban population density, the comparative index of the importance of tourism and that of the whole economic activity). We have also considered the influence of a dummy categorical variable - the political sign of the governing party - on the efficient provision of the services under study. The results from the methodology proposed show that municipalities governed by progressive parties are more efficient. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants of efficiency in the provision of municipal street-cleaning and refuse collection services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benito-Lopez, Bernardino; Rocio Moreno-Enguix, Maria del; Solana-Ibanez, Jose

2011-01-01

Effective waste management systems can make critical contributions to public health, environmental sustainability and economic development. The challenge affects every person and institution in society, and measures cannot be undertaken without data collection and a quantitative analysis approach. In this paper, the two-stage double bootstrap procedure of is used to estimate the efficiency determinants of Spanish local entities in the provision of public street-cleaning and refuse collection services. The purpose is to identify factors that influence efficiency. The final sample comprised 1072 municipalities. In the first stage, robust efficiency estimates are obtained with Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We apply the second stage, based on a truncated-regression, to estimate the effect of a group of environmental factors on DEA estimates. The results show the existence of a significant relation between efficiency and all the variables analysed (per capita income, urban population density, the comparative index of the importance of tourism and that of the whole economic activity). We have also considered the influence of a dummy categorical variable - the political sign of the governing party - on the efficient provision of the services under study. The results from the methodology proposed show that municipalities governed by progressive parties are more efficient.

Comfortable, high-efficiency heat pump with desiccant-coated, water-sorbing heat exchangers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Y D; Wang, R Z; Ge, T S; Zheng, X

2017-01-12

Comfortable, efficient, and affordable heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems in buildings are highly desirable due to the demands of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Traditional vapor-compression air conditioners exhibit a lower coefficient of performance (COP) (typically 2.8-3.8) owing to the cooling-based dehumidification methods that handle both sensible and latent loads together. Temperature- and humidity-independent control or desiccant systems have been proposed to overcome these challenges; however, the COP of current desiccant systems is quite small and additional heat sources are usually needed. Here, we report on a desiccant-enhanced, direct expansion heat pump based on a water-sorbing heat exchanger with a desiccant coating that exhibits an ultrahigh COP value of more than 7 without sacrificing any comfort or compactness. The pump's efficiency is doubled compared to that of pumps currently used in conventional room air conditioners, which is a revolutionary HVAC breakthrough. Our proposed water-sorbing heat exchanger can independently handle sensible and latent loads at the same time. The desiccants adsorb moisture almost isothermally and can be regenerated by condensation heat. This new approach opens up the possibility of achieving ultrahigh efficiency for a broad range of temperature- and humidity-control applications.

Charge Collection Efficiency Simulations of Irradiated Silicon Strip Detectors

CERN Document Server

Peltola, T.

2014-01-01

During the scheduled high luminosity upgrade of LHC, the world's largest particle physics accelerator at CERN, the position sensitive silicon detectors installed in the vertex and tracking part of the CMS experiment will face more intense radiation environment than the present system was designed for. Thus, to upgrade the tracker to required performance level, comprehensive measurements and simulations studies have already been carried out. Essential information of the performance of an irradiated silicon detector is obtained by monitoring its charge collection efficiency (CCE). From the evolution of CCE with fluence, it is possible to directly observe the effect of the radiation induced defects to the ability of the detector to collect charge carriers generated by traversing minimum ionizing particles (mip). In this paper the numerically simulated CCE and CCE loss between the strips of irradiated silicon strip detectors are presented. The simulations based on Synopsys Sentaurus TCAD framework were performed ...

Study on reactor building structure using ultrahigh strength materials - Part 9: Summary of the study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, H.; Odajima, M.; Irino, K.; Hashiba, T.

1993-01-01

Considerations for longevity of nuclear facilities and ease of decommissioning are of great importance for future nuclear power plants. To this end, a concept of an optimal structural concept for nuclear reactor buildings has been studied: the main feature of this concept is to utilize large-sized, light weight prefabricated members with ultrahigh strength materials. The following two items have been selected to study the prospective structure: (1) Applicability of ultrahigh strength materials for reinforced concrete shear walls (2) Construction using large sized prefabricated members As the first step (1), material and structural tests using ultrahigh strength materials, and the subsequent analysis of those tests for reinforced concrete shear walls, has been conducted. The positive results of this study show a bright future for the use of ultrahigh strength materials for the reinforced concrete shear walls of nuclear reactor buildings. As the second step (2), tests on a mixed structure with precasted members have been conducted. Our results positively suggest the use of these materials and methods to improve prospective nuclear power plants. (author)

[Reparative Osteogenesis and Angiogenesis in Low Intensity Electromagnetic Radiation of Ultra-High Frequency].

Science.gov (United States)

Iryanov, Y M; Kiryanov, N A

2015-01-01

Non-drug correction of reparative bone tissue regeneration in different pathological states - one of the most actual problems of modern medicine. Our aim was to conduct morphological analysis of the influence of electromagnetic radiation of ultra-high frequency and low intensity on reparative osteogenesis and angiogenesis in fracture treatment under transosseous osteosynthesis. A controlled nonrandomized study was carried out. In the experiment conducted on rats we modeled tibial fracture with reposition and fixation of the bone fragments both in control and experimental groups. In the animals of the experimental group the fracture zone was exposed to low intensity electromagnetic radiation of ultra-high frequency. Exposure simulation was performed in the control group. The operated bones were examined using radiography, light and electronic microscopy, X-ray electronic probe microanalysis. It has been established that electromagnetic radiation of ultra-high frequency sessions in fracture treatment stimulate secretory activity and degranulation of mast cells, produce microcirculatory bed vascular permeability increase, endotheliocyte migration phenotype expression, provide endovascular endothelial outgrowth formation, activate reparative osteogenesis and angiogenesis while fracture reparation becomes the one of the primary type. The full periosteal, intermediary and intraosteal bone union was defined in 28 days. Among the therapeutic benefits of electromagnetic radiation of ultra-high frequency in fracture treatment we can detect mast cell secretorv activity stimulation and endovascular anziozenesis activation.

Loss Modelling and Experimental Verification of A 98.8% Efficiency Bidirectional Isolated DC-DC Converter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramachandran Rakesh

2017-01-01

In this paper, design and implementation of an ultra-high efficiency isolated bi-directional dc-dc converter utilizing GaN devices is presented. Loss modelling of the GaN converter is also included in this paper. The converter has achieved a maximum measured efficiency of 98.8% in both directions of power flow, using the same power components. Hardware prototype of the converter along with the measured efficiency curve is also presented in this paper.

Rapid and Efficient Collection of Platinum from Karstedt's Catalyst Solution via Ligands-Exchange-Induced Assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Gonghua; Wei, Yanlong; Huang, Zhenzhu; Hu, Jiwen; Liu, Guojun; Ou, Ming; Lin, Shudong; Tu, Yuanyuan

2018-02-21

Reported herein is a novel strategy for the rapid and efficient collection of platinum from Karstedt's catalyst solution. By taking advantage of a ligand-exchange reaction between alkynols and the 1,3-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane ligand (M Vi M Vi ) that coordinated with platinum (Pt(0)), the Karstedt's catalyst particles with a size of approximately 2.5 ± 0.7 nm could be reconstructed and assembled into larger particles with a size of 150 ± 35 nm due to the hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups of the alkynol. In addition, because the silicone-soluble M Vi M Vi ligand of the Karstedt's catalyst was replaced by water-soluble alkynol ligands, the resultant large particles were readily dispersed in water, resulting in rapid, efficient, and complete collection of platinum from the Karstedt's catalyst solutions with platinum concentrations in the range from ∼20 000 to 0.05 ppm. Our current strategy not only was used for the rapid and efficient collection of platinum from the Karstedt's catalyst solutions, but it also enabled the precise evaluation of the platinum content in the Karstedt's catalysts, even if this platinum content was extremely low (i.e., 0.05 ppm). Moreover, these platinum specimens that were efficiently collected from the Karstedt's catalyst solutions could be directly used for the evaluation of platinum without the need for pretreatment processes, such as calcination and digestion with hydrofluoric acid, that were traditionally used prior to testing via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in conventional methods.

1-eV GaInNAs solar cells for ultrahigh-frequency multijunction devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Friedman, D.J.; Geisz, J.F.; Kurtz, S.R.; Olson, J.M. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

1998-09-01

The authors demonstrate working prototypes of a GaInNAs-based solar cell lattice-matched to GaAs with photoresponse down to 1 eV. This device is intended for use as the third junction of future-generation ultrahigh-efficiency three- and four-junction devices. Under the AM1.5 direct spectrum with all the light higher in energy than the GaAs band gap filtered out, the prototypes have open-circuit voltages ranging from 0.35 to 0.44 V, short-circuit currents of 1.8 mA/cm{sup 2}, and fill factors from 61--66%. The short-circuit currents are of principal concern: the internal quantum efficiencies rise only to about 0.2. The authors discuss the short diffusion lengths which are the reason for this low photocurrent. As a partial workaround for the poor diffusion lengths, they demonstrate a depletion-width-enhanced variation of one of the prototype devices that grades off decreased voltage for increased photocurrent, with a short-circuit current of 6.5 mA/cm{sup 2} and an open-circuit voltage of 0.29 V.

Ultrahigh-power supercapacitors based on highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Pengtao; Zhang, Xuesha; Hou, Meiling; Liu, Yanyan; Liu, Ting; Liu, Kang; Zhang, Ruijun

2018-06-22

In order to develop energy storage devices with high power performance, electrodes should hold well-defined pathways for efficient ionic and electronic transport. Herein, we demonstrate a highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon framework (hcGNS/nCDC). In this architecture, nCDC possesses short transport paths for electrolyte ions, thus ensuring the rapid ions transportation. The excellent electrical conductivity of hcGNS can reduce the electrode internal resistance for the supercapacitor and thus endows the hcGNS/nCDC composite electrodes with excellent electronic transportation performance. Electrochemical measurements show that the cyclic voltammogram of hcGNS/nCDC can maintain a rectangular-like shape with the increase of the scan rate from 5 mV s -1 to 20 V s -1 , and the specific capacitance retention is up to 51% even at a high scan rate of 20 V s -1 , suggesting ultrahigh power performance, which, to the best of our knowledge, is among the best power performances reported so far for the carbon materials. Furthermore, the hcGNS/nCDC composite also shows an excellent cycling stability (no drop in its capacitance occurs even after 10000 cycles). This work demonstrates the advantage in the ultrahigh power performance for the framework having both short transport pathways for electrolyte ions and high electrical conductivity.

Ultrahigh-power supercapacitors based on highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Pengtao; Zhang, Xuesha; Hou, Meiling; Liu, Yanyan; Liu, Ting; Liu, Kang; Zhang, Ruijun

2018-06-01

In order to develop energy storage devices with high power performance, electrodes should hold well-defined pathways for efficient ionic and electronic transport. Herein, we demonstrate a highly conductive graphene nanosheet/nanometer-sized carbide-derived carbon framework (hcGNS/nCDC). In this architecture, nCDC possesses short transport paths for electrolyte ions, thus ensuring the rapid ions transportation. The excellent electrical conductivity of hcGNS can reduce the electrode internal resistance for the supercapacitor and thus endows the hcGNS/nCDC composite electrodes with excellent electronic transportation performance. Electrochemical measurements show that the cyclic voltammogram of hcGNS/nCDC can maintain a rectangular-like shape with the increase of the scan rate from 5 mV s‑1 to 20 V s‑1, and the specific capacitance retention is up to 51% even at a high scan rate of 20 V s‑1, suggesting ultrahigh power performance, which, to the best of our knowledge, is among the best power performances reported so far for the carbon materials. Furthermore, the hcGNS/nCDC composite also shows an excellent cycling stability (no drop in its capacitance occurs even after 10000 cycles). This work demonstrates the advantage in the ultrahigh power performance for the framework having both short transport pathways for electrolyte ions and high electrical conductivity.

Research on compression performance of ultrahigh-definition videos

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiangqun; He, Xiaohai; Qing, Linbo; Tao, Qingchuan; Wu, Di

2017-11-01

With the popularization of high-definition (HD) images and videos (1920×1080 pixels and above), there are even 4K (3840×2160) television signals and 8 K (8192×4320) ultrahigh-definition videos. The demand for HD images and videos is increasing continuously, along with the increasing data volume. The storage and transmission cannot be properly solved only by virtue of the expansion capacity of hard disks and the update and improvement of transmission devices. Based on the full use of the coding standard high-efficiency video coding (HEVC), super-resolution reconstruction technology, and the correlation between the intra- and the interprediction, we first put forward a "division-compensation"-based strategy to further improve the compression performance of a single image and frame I. Then, by making use of the above thought and HEVC encoder and decoder, a video compression coding frame is designed. HEVC is used inside the frame. Last, with the super-resolution reconstruction technology, the reconstructed video quality is further improved. The experiment shows that by the proposed compression method for a single image (frame I) and video sequence here, the performance is superior to that of HEVC in a low bit rate environment.

Bioinspired conical copper wire with gradient wettability for continuous and efficient fog collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ju, Jie; Xiao, Kai; Yao, Xi; Bai, Hao; Jiang, Lei

2013-11-06

Inspired by the efficient fog collection on cactus spines, conical copper wires with gradient wettability are fabricated through gradient electrochemical corrosion and subsequent gradient chemical modification. These dual-gradient copper wires' fog-collection ability is demonstrated to be higher than that of conical copper wires with pure hydrophobic surfaces or pure hydrophilic surfaces, and the underlying mechanism is also analyzed. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An ultrahigh pressure homogenization technique for easily exfoliating few-layer phosphorene from bulk black phosphorus

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Qing-Qing; Zhou, Hua-Jing; Ning, Ping; Lian, Pei-Chao; Wang, Bo; He, Liang; Chai, Xin-Sheng

2018-05-01

We have developed an easy and efficient method for exfoliating few-layer sheets of black phosphorus (BP) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, using ultra-high pressure homogenization (UPH). The BP was first exfoliated into sheets that were a few atomic layers thick, using a homogenizer for only 30 min. Next, a double centrifugation procedure was used to separate the material into few-layer nanosheets that were examined by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The results show that the products are specimens of phosphorene that are only a few-layer thick.

Collective Decision Mechanisms and Efficient Stock Market Allocations: Existence of a Participation Equilibrium.

OpenAIRE

Forsythe, Robert; Suchanek, Gerry L

1984-01-01

The recent literature on economies with an incomplete set of markets has been devoted to the study of the efficiency properties of collective stockholder decision mechanisms for guiding the behavior of firms when the restrictive Ekern-Wilson spanning condition is not satisfied. The results have been essentially negative; a majority voting rule and controlling interest rules will not yield efficient equilibrium allocations in general. However, in a recent paper, Helpman and Razin (1978) sugges...

Ultrahigh impedance method to assess electrostatic accelerator performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolai R. Lobanov

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes an investigation of problem-solving procedures to troubleshoot electrostatic accelerators. A novel technique to diagnose issues with high-voltage components is described. The main application of this technique is noninvasive testing of electrostatic accelerator high-voltage grading systems, measuring insulation resistance, or determining the volume and surface resistivity of insulation materials used in column posts and acceleration tubes. In addition, this technique allows verification of the continuity of the resistive divider assembly as a complete circuit, revealing if an electrical path exists between equipotential rings, resistors, tube electrodes, and column post-to-tube conductors. It is capable of identifying and locating a “microbreak” in a resistor and the experimental validation of the transfer function of the high impedance energy control element. A simple and practical fault-finding procedure has been developed based on fundamental principles. The experimental distributions of relative resistance deviations (ΔR/R for both accelerating tubes and posts were collected during five scheduled accelerator maintenance tank openings during 2013 and 2014. Components with measured ΔR/R>±2.5% were considered faulty and put through a detailed examination, with faults categorized. In total, thirty four unique fault categories were identified and most would not be identifiable without the new technique described. The most common failure mode was permanent and irreversible insulator current leakage that developed after being exposed to the ambient environment. As a result of efficient in situ troubleshooting and fault-elimination techniques, the maximum values of |ΔR/R| are kept below 2.5% at the conclusion of maintenance procedures. The acceptance margin could be narrowed even further by a factor of 2.5 by increasing the test voltage from 40 V up to 100 V. Based on experience over the last two years, resistor and

Efficient quantum entanglement distribution over an arbitrary collective-noise channel

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Yu-Bo; Deng, Fu-Guo

2010-04-01

We present an efficient quantum entanglement distribution over an arbitrary collective-noise channel. The basic idea in the present scheme is that two parties in quantum communication first transmit the entangled states in the frequency degree of freedom which suffers little from the noise in an optical fiber. After the two parties share the photon pairs, they add some operations and equipments to transfer the frequency entanglement of pairs into the polarization entanglement with the success probability of 100%. Finally, they can get maximally entangled polarization states with polarization independent wavelength division multiplexers and quantum frequency up-conversion which can erase distinguishability for frequency. Compared with conventional entanglement purification protocols, the present scheme works in a deterministic way in principle. Surprisingly, the collective noise leads to an additional advantage.

Oriented nanocomposites of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene and gold

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heffels, W.; Bastiaansen, C.W.M.; Caseri, W.R.; Smith, P.

2000-01-01

Polymer nanocomposites were prepd. by mixing ultrahigh-mol.-wt. polyethylene and gold colloids coated with a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol. Subsequently, these materials were oriented by solid state drawing which induced the formation of uniaxially oriented arrays of gold particles. As a

Broadband Light Collection Efficiency Enhancement of Carbon Nanotube Excitons Coupled to Metallo-Dielectric Antenna Arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shayan, Kamran [Department; Rabut, Claire [Department; Kong, Xiaoqing [Department; Li, Xiangzhi [Department; Luo, Yue [Department; Mistry, Kevin S. [National Renewable; Blackburn, Jeffrey L. [National Renewable; Lee, Stephanie S. [Department; Strauf, Stefan [Department

2017-11-09

The realization of on-chip quantum networks ideally requires lossless interfaces between photons and solid-state quantum emitters. We propose and demonstrate on-chip arrays of metallo-dielectric antennas (MDA) that are tailored toward efficient and broadband light collection from individual embedded carbon nanotube quantum emitters by trapping air gaps on chip that form cavity modes. Scalable implementation is realized by employing polymer layer dry-transfer techniques that avoid solvent incompatibility issues, as well as a planar design that avoids solid-immersion lenses. Cryogenic measurements demonstrate 7-fold enhanced exciton intensity when compared to emitters located on bare wafers, corresponding to a light collection efficiency (LCE) up to 92% in the best case (average LCE of 69%) into a narrow output cone of +/-15 degrees that enables a priori fiber-to-chip butt coupling. The demonstrated MDA arrays are directly compatible with other quantum systems, particularly 2D materials, toward enabling efficient on-chip quantum light sources or spin-photon interfaces requiring unity light collection, both at cryogenic or room temperature.

Fiber based hydrophones for ultra-high energy neutrino detection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buis, E.J.; Doppenberg, E.J.J.; Eijk, D. van; Lahmann, R.; Nieuwland, R.A.; Toet, P.M.

2014-01-01

It is a well studied process [1, 2] that energy deposition of cosmic ray particles in water that generate thermo-acoustic signals. Hydrophones of sufficient sensitivity could measure this signal and provide a means of detecting ultra-high energetic cosmic neutrinos. We investigate optical

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays from nearby starburst galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Attallah, Reda; Bouchachi, Dallel

2018-04-01

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays are the most energetic of any subatomic particles ever observed in nature. The quest for their mysterious origin is currently a major scientific challenge. Here we explore the possibility that these particles originate from nearby starburst galaxies, a scenario that matches the recent observation by the Telescope Array experiment of a cosmic-ray hotspot above 57 EeV not far from the direction of the starburst galaxy M82. Specifically, we study the stochastic propagation in space of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays through the state-of-the-art simulation framework CRPropa 3, taking into account all relevant particle interactions as well as deflections by the intervening magnetic fields. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of this model, we consider the energy spectrum, the cosmogenic neutrinos and gamma rays, and the distribution of arrival directions. The starburst galaxy scenario reproduces well observations from both the Telescope Array and Pierre Auger Observatories, making it very attractive for explaining the origin of cosmic rays at the highest energies.

Challenges in resonant cavity biosensor design: collection efficiency and specificity

Science.gov (United States)

Armani, Andrea M.; Mehrabani, Simin; Sun, Victoria; McBirney, Samantha; Hawk, Rasheeda M.; Gungor, Eda; Lee, Michele

2014-03-01

Optical cavities have successfully demonstrated the ability to detect a wide range of analytes with exquisite sensitivity. However, optimizing other parameters of the system, such as collection efficiency and specificity, have remained elusive. This presentation will discuss some of the recent work in this area, including 3D COMSOL Multiphysics models including mass transfer and binding kinetics of different cavity geometries and covalent attachment methods for a wide range of biological and synthetic moieties. A few representative experimental demonstrations will also be presented.

Ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography of lignin-derived phenols from alkaline cupric oxide oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Mingzhe; Lidén, Gunnar; Sandahl, Margareta; Turner, Charlotta

2016-08-01

Traditional chromatographic methods for the analysis of lignin-derived phenolic compounds in environmental samples are generally time consuming. In this work, an ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography method with a diode array detector for the analysis of major lignin-derived phenolic compounds produced by alkaline cupric oxide oxidation was developed. In an analysis of a collection of 11 representative monomeric lignin phenolic compounds, all compounds were clearly separated within 6 min with excellent peak shapes, with a limit of detection of 0.5-2.5 μM, a limit of quantification of 2.5-5.0 μM, and a dynamic range of 5.0-2.0 mM (R(2) > 0.997). The new ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography method was also applied for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of lignin-derived phenolic compounds obtained upon alkaline cupric oxide oxidation of a commercial humic acid. Ten out of the previous eleven model compounds could be quantified in the oxidized humic acid sample. The high separation power and short analysis time obtained demonstrate for the first time that supercritical fluid chromatography is a fast and reliable technique for the analysis of lignin-derived phenols in complex environmental samples. © 2016 The Authors, Journal of Separation Science Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Full cost accounting in the analysis of separated waste collection efficiency: A methodological proposal.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Onza, Giuseppe; Greco, Giulio; Allegrini, Marco

2016-02-01

Recycling implies additional costs for separated municipal solid waste (MSW) collection. The aim of the present study is to propose and implement a management tool - the full cost accounting (FCA) method - to calculate the full collection costs of different types of waste. Our analysis aims for a better understanding of the difficulties of putting FCA into practice in the MSW sector. We propose a FCA methodology that uses standard cost and actual quantities to calculate the collection costs of separate and undifferentiated waste. Our methodology allows cost efficiency analysis and benchmarking, overcoming problems related to firm-specific accounting choices, earnings management policies and purchase policies. Our methodology allows benchmarking and variance analysis that can be used to identify the causes of off-standards performance and guide managers to deploy resources more efficiently. Our methodology can be implemented by companies lacking a sophisticated management accounting system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probing physics at extreme energies with cosmic ultra-high energy ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

testing new particle physics. Keywords. Ultra-high ... conventional theories of CR origin based on acceleration of charged particles in powerful ... Before discussing specific scenarios for UHECR origin we give a short account of the numerical ...

Quantifying the benefits of ultrahigh energy resolution for Gamma-ray spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drury, Owen B.; Terracol, Stephane F.; Friedrich, Stephan [Advanced Detector Group, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, L-270, Livermore CA 94550 (United States)

2005-03-01

Cryogenic Gamma-ray spectrometers operating at temperatures of {proportional_to}0.1 K provide an order of magnitude better energy resolution than conventional germanium detectors. Ultra-high energy resolution improves the accuracy of non-destructive analysis of nuclear materials, since a better separation of lines reduces statistical errors as well as systematic errors from background subtraction and efficiency correction. We are developing cryogenic Gamma-spectrometers based on bulk tin absorbers and superconducting molybdenum-copper sensors for nuclear forensics and non-proliferation applications. Here we quantify the improvements in accuracy for isotope analysis with cryogenic detectors in terms of detector performance for different cases of line separation, line intensity ratios and background levels. Precise measurements of isotope ratios are crucial in the context of nuclear attribution, since they provide signatures of composition, age, origin, intended purpose and processing history of illicit nuclear materials. (copyright 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Hybrid engineered materials with high water-collecting efficiency inspired by Namib Desert beetles.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hai; Guo, Zhiguang

2016-05-21

Inspired by Namib Desert beetles, a hybrid superhydrophobic surface was fabricated, showing highly efficient fog harvesting with a water collection rate (WCR) of 1309.9 mg h(-1) cm(-2). And, the surface possessed an excellent robustness and self-cleaning property.

Manganese oxide micro-supercapacitors with ultra-high areal capacitance

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xu; Myers, Benjamin D.; Yan, Jian; Shekhawat, Gajendra; Dravid, Vinayak; Lee, Pooi See

2013-05-01

A symmetric micro-supercapacitor is constructed by electrochemically depositing manganese oxide onto micro-patterned current collectors. High surface-to-volume ratio of manganese oxide and short diffusion distance between electrodes give an ultra-high areal capacitance of 56.3 mF cm-2 at a current density of 27.2 μA cm-2.A symmetric micro-supercapacitor is constructed by electrochemically depositing manganese oxide onto micro-patterned current collectors. High surface-to-volume ratio of manganese oxide and short diffusion distance between electrodes give an ultra-high areal capacitance of 56.3 mF cm-2 at a current density of 27.2 μA cm-2. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental procedures; optical images of micro-supercapacitors; areal capacitances of samples M-0.3C, M-0.6C and M-0.9C; illustration of interdigital finger electrodes; Nyquist plot of Co(OH)2 deposited on micro-electrodes. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00210a

Modification of Ultra-High Vacuum Surfaces Using Free Radicals

CERN Document Server

Vorlaufer, G

2002-01-01

In ultra-high vacuum systems outgassing from vacuum chamber walls and desorption of surface adsorbates are usually the factors which determine pressure and residual gas composition. In particular in beam vacuum systems of accelerators like the LHC, where surfaces are exposed to intense synchrotron radiation and bombardment by energetic ions and electrons, surface properties like the molecular desorption yield or secondary electron yield can strongly influence the performance of the accelerator. Well-established treatment methods like vacuum bake-out or glow-discharge cleaning have been successfully applied in the past to condition ultra-high vacuum surfaces, but these methods are sometimes difficult to carry out, for example if the vacuum chambers are not accessible. In this work, an alternative treatment method is investigated. This method is based on the strong chemical reactivity of free radicals, electrically neutral fragments of molecules. Free radicals (in the case of this work, nitrogen and oxygen radi...

76 FR 6488 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Conversion of Efficiency Units to...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-04

... Proposed Information Collection to OMB Conversion of Efficiency Units to One-Bedroom Units Multifamily... lists the following information: Title of Proposal: Conversion of Efficiency Units to One-Bedroom Units... efficiency units into one bedroom units in certain types of HUD assisted and/or insured housing. The...

Focus maps: a means of prioritizing data collection for efficient geo-risk assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimiliano Pittore

2015-04-01

Full Text Available  Efficient Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR management constantly calls upon high-quality information to be collected or updated for vulnerability monitoring and risk assessment. This process is often resource- and time-intensive, which many economically developing states (including most Central Asian countries can seldom afford. In this paper, we introduce the concept of focus maps as a useful tool to quantify the spatial probability of sampling. Focus maps allow for a data collection prioritization scheme to be put in place, enabling the realization of optimized spatial sampling which assigns a higher priority to locations where the need for high-quality information is greater. In practice, smaller samples can be drawn with the same (or better resulting accuracy of the estimates, resulting in a more efficient use of time and resources. The factors that affect such a spatial sampling scheme include the usual components of risk assessment (hazard, exposure, vulnerability where available, as well as other potentially critical factors, such as the extent and quality of previously collected data. The practical application of the proposed approach to the case of Central Asia will be exemplified and discussed.

The impact of an efficient collection sites location on the zoning phase in municipal solid waste management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghiani, Gianpaolo, E-mail: gianpaolo.ghiani@unisalento.it; Manni, Andrea, E-mail: andrea.manni@unisalento.it; Manni, Emanuele, E-mail: emanuele.manni@unisalento.it; Toraldo, Massimiliano, E-mail: massimiliano.toraldo@unisalento.it

2014-11-15

Highlights: • We study the problems of locating collection areas and zoning the service territory in a municipal waste management system. • We investigate the impact that an efficient collection sites location has on the subsequent zoning phase. • On a real-world test case, we show that the proposed approach could allow achieving significant monetary savings. - Abstract: In this paper, we study two decisional problems arising when planning the collection of solid waste, namely the location of collection sites (together with bin allocation) and the zoning of the service territory, and we assess the potential impact that an efficient location has on the subsequent zoning phase. We first propose both an exact and a heuristic approach to locate the unsorted waste collection bins in a residential town, and to decide the capacities and characteristics of the bins to be located at each collection site. A peculiar aspect we consider is that of taking into account the compatibility between the different types of bins when allocating them to collection areas. Moreover, we propose a fast and effective heuristic approach to identify homogeneous zones that can be served by a single collection vehicle. Computational results on data related to a real-life instance show that an efficient location is fundamental in achieving consistent monetary savings, as well as a reduced environmental impact. These reductions are the result of one vehicle less needed to perform the waste collection operations, and an overall traveled distance reduced by about 25% on the average.

Hybrid plasmonic bullseye antennas for efficient photon collection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Sebastian Kim Hjælm; Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.; Shalaev, Vladimir M.

2018-01-01

We propose highly efficient hybrid plasmonic bullseye antennas for collecting photon emission from nm sized quantum emitters. In our approach, the emitter radiation is coupled to surface plasmon polaritons that are consequently converted into highly directional out-of-plane emission. The proposed...... configuration consists of a high-index titania bullseye grating separated from a planar silver film by a thin low-index silica spacer layer. Such hybrid systems are theoretically capable of directing 85% of the dipole emission into a 0.9 NA objective, while featuring a spectrally narrow-band tunable decay rate...... stable operation. For experimental characterization of the antenna properties, a fluorescent nanodiamond containing multiple nitrogen vacancy centers (NV-center) was deterministically placed in the bullseye center, using an atomic force microscope. Probing the NV-center fluorescence we demonstrate...

Bond behavior of reinforcing steel in ultra-high performance concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-01

Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) is a relatively new class of advanced cementitious composite : materials, which exhibits high compressive [above 21.7 ksi (150 MPa)] and tensile [above 0.72 ksi (5 MPa)] : strengths. The discrete steel fiber rei...

Efficient collective influence maximization in cascading processes with first-order transitions

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Sen; Teng, Xian; Shaman, Jeffrey; Morone, Flaviano; Makse, Hernán A.

2017-01-01

In many social and biological networks, the collective dynamics of the entire system can be shaped by a small set of influential units through a global cascading process, manifested by an abrupt first-order transition in dynamical behaviors. Despite its importance in applications, efficient identification of multiple influential spreaders in cascading processes still remains a challenging task for large-scale networks. Here we address this issue by exploring the collective influence in general threshold models of cascading process. Our analysis reveals that the importance of spreaders is fixed by the subcritical paths along which cascades propagate: the number of subcritical paths attached to each spreader determines its contribution to global cascades. The concept of subcritical path allows us to introduce a scalable algorithm for massively large-scale networks. Results in both synthetic random graphs and real networks show that the proposed method can achieve larger collective influence given the same number of seeds compared with other scalable heuristic approaches. PMID:28349988

Thermal characterization of Ag and Ag + N ion implanted ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)

Science.gov (United States)

Sokullu Urkac, E.; Oztarhan, A.; Tihminlioglu, F.; Kaya, N.; Ila, D.; Muntele, C.; Budak, S.; Oks, E.; Nikolaev, A.; Ezdesir, A.; Tek, Z.

2007-08-01

Most of total hip joints are composed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). However, as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is too stable in a body, wear debris may accumulate and cause biological response such as bone absorption and loosening of prosthesis. In this study, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene samples were Ag and Ag + N hybrid ion implanted by using MEVVA ion implantation technique to improve its surface properties. Samples were implanted with a fluence of 1017 ion/cm2 and extraction voltage of 30 kV. Implanted and unimplanted samples were investigated by thermo-gravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM) and contact Angle measurement. Thermal characterization results showed that the ion bombardment induced an increase in the % crystallinity, onset and termination degradation temperatures of UHMWPE.

Wavy Architecture Thin-Film Transistor for Ultrahigh Resolution Flexible Displays

KAUST Repository

Hanna, Amir Nabil; Kutbee, Arwa Talal; Subedi, Ram Chandra; Ooi, Boon S.; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2017-01-01

A novel wavy-shaped thin-film-transistor (TFT) architecture, capable of achieving 70% higher drive current per unit chip area when compared with planar conventional TFT architectures, is reported for flexible display application. The transistor, due to its atypical architecture, does not alter the turn-on voltage or the OFF current values, leading to higher performance without compromising static power consumption. The concept behind this architecture is expanding the transistor's width vertically through grooved trenches in a structural layer deposited on a flexible substrate. Operation of zinc oxide (ZnO)-based TFTs is shown down to a bending radius of 5 mm with no degradation in the electrical performance or cracks in the gate stack. Finally, flexible low-power LEDs driven by the respective currents of the novel wavy, and conventional coplanar architectures are demonstrated, where the novel architecture is able to drive the LED at 2 × the output power, 3 versus 1.5 mW, which demonstrates the potential use for ultrahigh resolution displays in an area efficient manner.

Enhancement of Ultrahigh Performance Concrete Material Properties with Carbon Nanofiber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Libya Ahmed Sbia

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC realized distinctly high mechanical, impermeability, and durability characteristics by reducing the size and content of capillary pore, refining the microstructure of cement hydrates, and effectively using fiber reinforcement. The dense and fine microstructure of UHPC favor its potential to effectively disperse and interact with nanomaterials, which could complement the reinforcing action of fibers in UHPC. An optimization experimental program was implemented in order to identify the optimum combination of steel fiber and relatively low-cost carbon nanofiber in UHPC. The optimum volume fractions of steel fiber and carbon nanofiber identified for balanced improvement of flexural strength, ductility, energy sorption capacity, impact, and abrasion resistance of UHPC were 1.1% and 0.04%, respectively. Desired complementary/synergistic actions of nanofibers and steel fibers in UHPC were detected, which were attributed to their reinforcing effects at different scales, and the potential benefits of nanofibers to interfacial bonding and pull-out behavior of fibers in UHPC. Modification techniques which enhanced the hydrophilicity and bonding potential of nanofibers to cement hydrates benefited their reinforcement efficiency in UHPC.

Wavy Architecture Thin-Film Transistor for Ultrahigh Resolution Flexible Displays

KAUST Repository

Hanna, Amir Nabil

2017-11-13

A novel wavy-shaped thin-film-transistor (TFT) architecture, capable of achieving 70% higher drive current per unit chip area when compared with planar conventional TFT architectures, is reported for flexible display application. The transistor, due to its atypical architecture, does not alter the turn-on voltage or the OFF current values, leading to higher performance without compromising static power consumption. The concept behind this architecture is expanding the transistor\\'s width vertically through grooved trenches in a structural layer deposited on a flexible substrate. Operation of zinc oxide (ZnO)-based TFTs is shown down to a bending radius of 5 mm with no degradation in the electrical performance or cracks in the gate stack. Finally, flexible low-power LEDs driven by the respective currents of the novel wavy, and conventional coplanar architectures are demonstrated, where the novel architecture is able to drive the LED at 2 × the output power, 3 versus 1.5 mW, which demonstrates the potential use for ultrahigh resolution displays in an area efficient manner.

Leakage Current Induced by Energetic Disorder in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells: Comprehending the Ultrahigh Loss of Open-Circuit Voltage at Low Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wenchao; Luo, Yongsong; Guo, Pengfei; Sun, Haibin; Yao, Yao

2017-04-01

The open-circuit voltage (Voc ) of organic solar cells generally approaches its maximum obtainable values as the temperature decreases. However, recent experiments have revealed that the Voc may suffer from an ultrahigh loss at low temperatures. In order to verify this explanation and investigate the impacts of energetic disorder on the temperature-dependent behaviors of the Voc in general, we calculate the Voc-T plots with the drift-diffusion method under various device working parameters. With the disorder being incorporated into the device model by considering the disorder-suppressed (temperature-dependent) charge-carrier mobilities, it is found that the ultrahigh Voc losses cannot be reproduced under the Onsager-Braun-type charge generation rate. With the charge generation rate being constant or weakly dependent on temperature, for nonselective contacts, the Voc reduces drastically at low temperatures, while for selective contacts, the Voc increases monotonically with decreasing temperature. With higher carrier mobilities or smaller device thicknesses, the ultrahigh loss occurs at lower temperatures. The mechanism is that, since the disorder-suppressed charge mobilities give rise to both low charge-extraction efficiency and small bimolecular recombination rate, plenty of charge carriers can be extracted from the wrong electrode and can form a large leakage current, which counteracts the majority-carrier current and reduces the Voc at low temperatures. Our results thus highlight the essential role of charge-carrier kinetics, except for the charge-filling effect, on dominating the disorder-induced Voc losses.

Tomography system having an ultrahigh speed processing unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, J.P. Jr.; Gerth, V.W. Jr.

1977-01-01

A transverse section tomography system has an ultrahigh-speed data processing unit for performing back projection and updating. An x-ray scanner directs x-ray beams through a planar section of a subject from a sequence of orientations and positions. The scanner includes a movably supported radiation detector for detecting the intensity of the beams of radiation after they pass through the subject

Social cognition in patients at ultra-high risk for psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glenthøj, Louise B.; Fagerlund, Birgitte; Hjorthøj, Carsten

2016-01-01

Objective: Patients at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis show significant impairments in functioning. It is essential to determine which factors influence functioning, as it may have implications for intervention strategies. This study examined whether social cognitive abilities and clinical...

Ultra-high Rates and Reversible Capacity of Li-S Battery with a Nitrogen-doping Conductive Lewis Base Matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Yong; Li, Xi-long; Zheng, Ming-sen; Yang, Mao-ping; Yang, Xu-lai; Dong, Quan-feng

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide (PPy/rGO) composite was prepared from in-situ hybridization of graphene oxide and pyrrole without additional oxidant. • Nitrogen doped graphene (NG) was obtained from the calcination of the PPy/rGO composite under 1500 °C and was confirmed with abundant pyridinic type nitrogen doping. • NG was employed as a conductive Lewis base matrix of sulfur cathode and the obtained composite cathode exhibited ultra-high rates and reversible capacity. • The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to the efficient adsorption of Li 2 S n (n=4-8) on the pyridinic-N enriched NG surface. - Abstract: To improve the electrochemical performance of lithium sulfur batteries, a conductive Lewis base matrix, nitrogen doped graphene (NG), was prepared here through a facile strategy of annealing a polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide composite. The obtained NG was demonstrated with enriched pyridinic-N doping and was employed as the matrix of sulfur cathode with ultra-high rates, reversible capacity and high coulombic efficiency. The improved performance can be attributed to the high conductivity of the NG and the enhanced adsorption energy of Li 2 S n (n=4-8) on the NG surface. The NG can act not only as an electronic conductive network but also as a Lewis base “catalyst” matrix that promotes the higher Li 2 S n to be further oxidized completely to S 8 as demonstrated in the cyclic voltammetry curve, which can thus significantly improve the sulfur utilization and cyclic stability even at a high sulfur loading of 75% (w/w) in the S@NG composite.

Task complexity as a driver for collaborative learning efficiency: The collective working-memory effect

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kirschner, Femke; Paas, Fred; Kirschner, Paul A.

2010-01-01

Kirschner, F., Paas, F., & Kirschner, P. A. (2011). Task complexity as a driver for collaborative learning efficiency: The collective working-memory effect. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 25, 615–624. doi: 10.1002/acp.1730.

Thermal characterization of Ag and Ag + N ion implanted ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokullu Urkac, E. [Department of Materials Science, Izmir High Technology Institute, Gulbahcekoyu Urla, Izmir (Turkey)]. E-mail: emelsu@gmail.com; Oztarhan, A. [Bioengineering Department, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir 35100 (Turkey); Tihminlioglu, F. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Izmir High Technology Institute, Gulbahcekoyu Urla, Izmir (Turkey); Kaya, N. [Bioengineering Department, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir 35100 (Turkey); Ila, D. [Center for Irradiation of Materials, Alabama A and M University, Normal AL 35762 (United States); Muntele, C. [Center for Irradiation of Materials, Alabama A and M University, Normal AL 35762 (United States); Budak, S. [Center for Irradiation of Materials, Alabama A and M University, Normal AL 35762 (United States); Oks, E. [H C Electronics Institute, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Nikolaev, A. [H C Electronics Institute, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Ezdesir, A. [R and D Department, PETKIM Holding A.S., Aliaga, Izmir 35801 (Turkey); Tek, Z. [Department of Physics, Celal Bayar University, Manisa (Turkey)

2007-08-15

Most of total hip joints are composed of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE ). However, as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is too stable in a body, wear debris may accumulate and cause biological response such as bone absorption and loosening of prosthesis. In this study, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene samples were Ag and Ag + N hybrid ion implanted by using MEVVA ion implantation technique to improve its surface properties. Samples were implanted with a fluence of 10{sup 17} ion/cm{sup 2} and extraction voltage of 30 kV. Implanted and unimplanted samples were investigated by thermo-gravimetry analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM) and contact Angle measurement. Thermal characterization results showed that the ion bombardment induced an increase in the % crystallinity, onset and termination degradation temperatures of UHMWPE.

Ultrahigh energy neutrinos and nonlinear QCD dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machado, Magno V.T.

2004-01-01

The ultrahigh energy neutrino-nucleon cross sections are computed taking into account different phenomenological implementations of the nonlinear QCD dynamics. Based on the color dipole framework, the results for the saturation model supplemented by the Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi (DGLAP) evolution as well as for the Balitskii-Fadin-Kuraev-Lipatov (BFKL) formalism in the geometric scaling regime are presented. They are contrasted with recent calculations using next-to-leading order DGLAP and unified BFKL-DGLAP formalisms

Proton-proton elastic scattering at ultrahigh energies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saleem, M.; Shaukat, M.A.; Fazal-e-Aleem (University of the Punjab, Lahore (Pakistan). Dept. of Physics)

1981-05-30

Recent experimental results on proton-proton elastic scattering at high energies are discussed in the context of the comments by Chou and Yang. There does not appear to be any tendency that the experimental results would agree with the predictions of the geometrical model even at ultrahigh energies. The angular distribution structure as described by using the dipole pomeron is consistent with the experimental data at presently available high energies and predicts results quite different from the geometrical model.

Finite escape fraction for ultrahigh energy collisions around Kerr

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We investigate the issue of observability of high-energy collisions around Kerr naked singularity and show that results are in contrast with the Kerr black hole case. We had shown that it would be possible to have ultrahigh energy collisions between the particles close to the location = M around the Kerr naked singularity if ...

Finite escape fraction for ultrahigh energy collisions around Kerr ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. We investigate the issue of observability of high-energy collisions around Kerr naked singularity and show that results are in contrast with the Kerr black hole case. We had shown that it would be possible to have ultrahigh energy collisions between the particles close to the location r = M around the Kerr naked ...

Terapascal static pressure generation with ultrahigh yield strength nanodiamond.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubrovinskaia, Natalia; Dubrovinsky, Leonid; Solopova, Natalia A; Abakumov, Artem; Turner, Stuart; Hanfland, Michael; Bykova, Elena; Bykov, Maxim; Prescher, Clemens; Prakapenka, Vitali B; Petitgirard, Sylvain; Chuvashova, Irina; Gasharova, Biliana; Mathis, Yves-Laurent; Ershov, Petr; Snigireva, Irina; Snigirev, Anatoly

2016-07-01

Studies of materials' properties at high and ultrahigh pressures lead to discoveries of unique physical and chemical phenomena and a deeper understanding of matter. In high-pressure research, an achievable static pressure limit is imposed by the strength of available strong materials and design of high-pressure devices. Using a high-pressure and high-temperature technique, we synthesized optically transparent microballs of bulk nanocrystalline diamond, which were found to have an exceptional yield strength (~460 GPa at a confining pressure of ~70 GPa) due to the unique microstructure of bulk nanocrystalline diamond. We used the nanodiamond balls in a double-stage diamond anvil cell high-pressure device that allowed us to generate static pressures beyond 1 TPa, as demonstrated by synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Outstanding mechanical properties (strain-dependent elasticity, very high hardness, and unprecedented yield strength) make the nanodiamond balls a unique device for ultrahigh static pressure generation. Structurally isotropic, homogeneous, and made of a low-Z material, they are promising in the field of x-ray optical applications.

A Monte-Carlo simulation of the equilibrium beam polarization in ultra-high energy electron (positron) storage rings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan, Zhe, E-mail: zhe.duan@ihep.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Particle Acceleration Physics and Technology, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing (China); Bai, Mei [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52428 Jülich (Germany); Barber, Desmond P. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, 22607 Hamburg (Germany); Qin, Qing [Key Laboratory of Particle Acceleration Physics and Technology, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing (China)

2015-09-01

With the recently emerging global interest in building a next generation of circular electron–positron colliders to study the properties of the Higgs boson, and other important topics in particle physics at ultra-high beam energies, it is also important to pursue the possibility of implementing polarized beams at this energy scale. It is therefore necessary to set up simulation tools to evaluate the beam polarization at these ultra-high beam energies. In this paper, a Monte-Carlo simulation of the equilibrium beam polarization based on the Polymorphic Tracking Code (PTC) (Schmidt et al., 2002 [1]) is described. The simulations are for a model storage ring with parameters similar to those of proposed circular colliders in this energy range, and they are compared with the suggestion (Derbenev et al., 1979 [2]) that there are different regimes for the spin dynamics underlying the polarization of a beam in the presence of synchrotron radiation at ultra-high beam energies. In particular, it has been suggested that the so-called “correlated” crossing of spin resonances during synchrotron oscillations at current energies evolves into “uncorrelated” crossing of spin resonances at ultra-high energies.

A Monte-Carlo simulation of the equilibrium beam polarization in ultra-high energy electron (positron) storage rings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan, Zhe; Bai, Mei; Barber, Desmond P.; Qin, Qing

2015-04-01

With the recently emerging global interest in building a next generation of circular electron-positron colliders to study the properties of the Higgs boson, and other important topics in particle physics at ultra-high beam energies, it is also important to pursue the possibility of implementing polarized beams at this energy scale. It is therefore necessary to set up simulation tools to evaluate the beam polarization at these ultra-high beam energies. In this paper, a Monte-Carlo simulation of the equilibrium beam polarization based on the Polymorphic Tracking Code(PTC) (Schmidt et al., 2002) is described. The simulations are for a model storage ring with parameters similar to those of proposed circular colliders in this energy range, and they are compared with the suggestion (Derbenev et al., 1978) that there are different regimes for the spin dynamics underlying the polarization of a beam in the presence of synchrotron radiation at ultra-high beam energies. In particular, it has been suggested that the so-called ''correlated'' crossing of spin resonances during synchrotron oscillations at current energies, evolves into ''uncorrelated'' crossing of spin resonances at ultra-high energies.

Proton-proton elastic scattering at ultrahigh energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleem, M.; Shaukat, M.A.; Fazal-e-Aleem

1981-01-01

Recent experimental results on proton-proton elastic scattering at high energies are discussed in the context of the comments by Chou and Yang. There does not appear to be any tendency that the experimental results would agree with the predictions of the geometrical model even at ultrahigh energies. The angular distribution structure as described by using the dipole pomeron is consistent with the experimental data at presently available high energies and predicts results quite different from the geometrical model. (author)

Development and application of VISAR probe with higher signal-collecting efficiency and adjusted depth of field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Jianheng; Sun Chengwei; Ma Ruchao

2001-01-01

The new design of optical fiber VISAR probes has been described. It consists of optical fibers and two lenses, and has simpler structure and lower cost than others. If the size of the image near the end face of collecting fiber is larger than the diameter of the core fiber, the distance between the probe and the target can be decreased. Requirement for the precision in the design is lower in this way, and is easier to build up. At the same time, the signal-collecting efficiency is improved in some degree. During the process of designing the probe, the technique for manufacturing the lens of plexiglass is developed. The lens of plexiglass is used to replace the lens of glass, which can reduce the cost of the probe. The factors affecting the collecting efficiency are analyzed

The adhesive properties of chlorinated ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Menting, H.N.A.M.; Voets, P.E.L.; Lemstra, P.J.

1995-01-01

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) is well known for its abrasion and chemical resistance. Recently we developed a new application for UHMW-PE as a liner in elastomeric hoses. It was found that the adhesion between UHMW-PE and elastomers such as ethylene-propylene-diene monomer

Design and Implementation of Wideband Exciter for an Ultra-high Resolution Airborne SAR System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia Ying-xin

2013-03-01

Full Text Available According to an ultra-high resolution airborne SAR system with better than 0.1 m resolution, a wideband Linear Frequency Modulated (LFM pulse compression exciter with 14.8 GHz carrier and 3.2 GHz bandwidth is designed and implemented. The selection of signal generation scheme and some key technique points for wideband LFM waveform is presented in detail. Then, an acute test and analysis of the LFM signal is performed. The final airborne experiments demonstrate the validity of the LFM source which is one of the subsystems in an ultra-high resolution airborne SAR system.

Influences of gas stream conditions on efficiency of tritiated moisture collection with P2O5-desiccant and isotope effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotoh, Kenji; Miura, Katsuya; Kashio, Yousuke; Nishikawa, Masabumi

1991-01-01

A method was proposed previously for collection and measurement of tritiated moisture in gas stream using P 2 O 5 -desiccant. Influences of the gas humidity, the gas flow rate and the distance between gas nozzle and P 2 O 5 -desiccant layer surface on the moisture collection efficiency have been examined through experiments, and the isotope effect on the collection has been investigated. The collection efficiency is the ratio of collected to supplied moisture, and the moisture supplying rate is in proportion to the humidity and flow rate of feed gas. The experiments show that; the collection efficiency dose not depend on the gas humidity, but is affected by the gas flow rate and by the nozzle-layer distance. The effects of the flow rate and the nozzle position are related to the mass transfer distance from the bulk of gas stream to the desiccant layer surface in the collection cell. The moisture collecting rate is promoted by the approach of the gas stream to the layer surface. An expression of effective separation factor has been derived to explain the isotope effect on the moisture collection. Experimental data distribution of the separation factor have been reasonably simulated by the analysis. (author)

Investigation of charge-collection efficiency of Kyoto's X-ray astronomical SOI pixel sensors, XRPIX

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumura, Hideaki, E-mail: matumura@cr.scphys.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Tsuru, Takeshi Go; Tanaka, Takaaki; Nakashima, Shinya; Ryu, Syukyo G. [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Takeda, Ayaki [Department of Particle and Nuclear Physics, Graduate School of High Energy Accelerator Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801 (Japan); Arai, Yasuo; Miyoshi, Toshinobu [Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), Tsukuba 305-0801 (Japan)

2014-11-21

We are developing a monolithic active pixel sensor referred to as XRPIX for X-ray astronomy on the basis of silicon-on-insulator CMOS technology. A crucial issue in our recent development is the impact of incomplete charge collection on the spectroscopic performance. In this paper, we report the spectral responses of several devices having different intra-pixel structures or produced from different wafers. We found that an emission line spectrum exhibits large low-energy tails when the size of the buried p-well, which acts as the charge-collection node, is small. Moreover, in charge sharing events, the peak channels of the emission lines shift toward channels lower than those without charge sharing. This peak shift is more pronounced as the distance between the pixel center and the position of incident photon increases. This suggests that the charge-collection efficiency is degraded at the pixel boundary. We also found that the charge-collection efficiency depends on the strength of the electric field at the interface of the depletion and insulator layers.

Effects of the ultra-high pressure on structure and α-glucosidase inhibition of polysaccharide from Astragalus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Zhen-Yuan; Luo, You; Dong, Guo-Ling; Ren, Yuan-Yuan; Chen, Li-Jing; Guo, Ming-Zhu; Wang, Xiao-Ting; Yang, Xue-Ying; Zhang, Yongmin

2016-06-01

A novel homogeneous polysaccharide fraction (APS) was extracted from Astragalus by hot water and purified by Sephadex G-100 and G-75 column. Its molecular weight was 693kDa. APS and APS with ultra-high pressure treatment exhibited significant inhibitory abilities on a-glucosidase, inhibition rate from high to low in order was 400MPa-APS, 300MPa-APS, 500MPa-APS and APS. The inhibition ​percentage of 400MPa-APS (1.5mg/mL) was 49% (max.). This suggested that the inhibitory activity of APS on a-glucosidase was improved by ultra-high pressure treatment. FT-IR, SEM, CD spectra, atomic force microscope and Congo red test analysis of APS and 400MPa-APS showed ultra-high pressure treatment didn't change the preliminary structure but had an effect on its advanced structure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrahigh stability of atomically thin metallic glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, C. R.; Huang, K. Q.; Zhao, N. J.; Sun, Y. T.; Bai, H. Y.; Gu, L., E-mail: l.gu@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: dzheng@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: whw@iphy.ac.cn; Zheng, D. N., E-mail: l.gu@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: dzheng@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: whw@iphy.ac.cn; Wang, W. H., E-mail: l.gu@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: dzheng@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: whw@iphy.ac.cn [Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2014-07-07

We report the fabrication and study of thermal stability of atomically thin ZrCu-based metallic glass films. The ultrathin films exhibit striking dynamic properties, ultrahigh thermal stability, and unique crystallization behavior with discrete crystalline nanoparticles sizes. The mechanisms for the remarkable high stability and crystallization behaviors are attributed to the dewetting process of the ultrathin film. We demonstrated a promising avenue for understanding some fundamental issues such as glassy structure, crystallization, deformation, and glass formation through atomic resolution imaging of the two dimensional like metallic glasses.

High collection efficiency CVD diamond alpha detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergonzo, P.; Foulon, F.; Marshall, R.D.; Jany, C.; Brambilla, A.; McKeag, R.D.; Jackman, R.B.

1998-01-01

Advances in Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) diamond have enabled the routine use of this material for sensor device fabrication, allowing exploitation of its unique combination of physical properties (low temperature susceptibility (> 500 C), high resistance to radiation damage (> 100 Mrad) and to corrosive media). A consequence of CVD diamond growth on silicon is the formation of polycrystalline films which has a profound influence on the physical and electronic properties with respect to those measured on monocrystalline diamond. The authors report the optimization of physical and geometrical device parameters for radiation detection in the counting mode. Sandwich and co-planar electrode geometries are tested and their performances evaluated with regard to the nature of the field profile and drift distances inherent in such devices. The carrier drift length before trapping was measured under alpha particles and values as high as 40% of the overall film thickness are reported. Further, by optimizing the device geometry, they show that a gain in collection efficiency, defined as the induced charge divided by the deposited charge within the material, can be achieved even though lower bias values are used

CHICSi - a compact ultra-high vacuum compatible detector system for nuclear reaction experiments at storage rings. II. Detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golubev, P.; Avdeichikov, V.; Carlen, L.; Jakobsson, B. E-mail: bo.jakobsson@kosufy.lu.se; Siwek, A.; Veldhuizen, E.J. van; Westerberg, L.; Whitlow, H.J

2003-03-11

We describe the detectors for identification of charged particles and fragments in CHICSi, a large solid angle multi-telescope system mounted inside an ultra-high vacuum (UHV), cluster-jet target chamber. CHICSi performs nuclear reaction experiments at storage rings. The telescopes consist of a first very thin, 10-14 {mu}m Si detector, a second 300 {mu}m (or possibly 500 {mu}m) ion implanted Si detector supplemented by a 6 mm GSO(Ce) scintillator read out by a photodiode (PD) or by a third 300 {mu}m Si detector. The telescopes provide full charge separation up to Z=17 and mass resolution up to A=9 in the energy range 0.7-60A MeV. The thin p-i-n diode detector, etched out from a 280 {mu}m Si wafer, and the GSO/PD detector, both exclusively developed for CHICSi, provide an energy resolution {<=}8%, while the standard 300 {mu}m detectors have {<=}2% energy resolution. Radiation stability of the Si detectors is confirmed up to an integrated flux of 10{sup 10} alpha particles. The GSO detector has 70% light collection efficiency with the optical coupling to the PD a simple open, 0.2 mm, gap. A new method, developed to perform absolute energy calibration for the GSO/PD detector is presented.

CHICSi - a compact ultra-high vacuum compatible detector system for nuclear reaction experiments at storage rings. II. Detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golubev, P.; Avdeichikov, V.; Carlen, L.; Jakobsson, B.; Siwek, A.; Veldhuizen, E.J. van; Westerberg, L.; Whitlow, H.J.

2003-01-01

We describe the detectors for identification of charged particles and fragments in CHICSi, a large solid angle multi-telescope system mounted inside an ultra-high vacuum (UHV), cluster-jet target chamber. CHICSi performs nuclear reaction experiments at storage rings. The telescopes consist of a first very thin, 10-14 μm Si detector, a second 300 μm (or possibly 500 μm) ion implanted Si detector supplemented by a 6 mm GSO(Ce) scintillator read out by a photodiode (PD) or by a third 300 μm Si detector. The telescopes provide full charge separation up to Z=17 and mass resolution up to A=9 in the energy range 0.7-60A MeV. The thin p-i-n diode detector, etched out from a 280 μm Si wafer, and the GSO/PD detector, both exclusively developed for CHICSi, provide an energy resolution ≤8%, while the standard 300 μm detectors have ≤2% energy resolution. Radiation stability of the Si detectors is confirmed up to an integrated flux of 10 10 alpha particles. The GSO detector has 70% light collection efficiency with the optical coupling to the PD a simple open, 0.2 mm, gap. A new method, developed to perform absolute energy calibration for the GSO/PD detector is presented

Adaptive sensor-based ultra-high accuracy solar concentrator tracker

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkley, Jordyn; Hassanzadeh, Ali

2017-09-01

Conventional solar trackers use information of the sun's position, either by direct sensing or by GPS. Our method uses the shading of the receiver. This, coupled with nonimaging optics design allows us to achieve ultra-high concentration. Incorporating a sensor based shadow tracking method with a two stage concentration solar hybrid parabolic trough allows the system to maintain high concentration with acute accuracy.

A simple way to achieve bioinspired hybrid wettability surface with micro/nanopatterns for efficient fog collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Kai; Du, Haifeng; Dong, Xinran; Wang, Cong; Duan, Ji-An; He, Jun

2017-10-05

Fog collection is receiving increasing attention for providing water in semi-arid deserts and inland areas. Inspired by the fog harvesting ability of the hydrophobic-hydrophilic surface of Namib desert beetles, we present a simple, low-cost method to prepare a hybrid superhydrophobic-hydrophilic surface. The surface contains micro/nanopatterns, and is prepared by incorporating femtosecond-laser fabricated polytetrafluoroethylene nanoparticles deposited on superhydrophobic copper mesh with a pristine hydrophilic copper sheet. The as-prepared surface exhibits enhanced fog collection efficiency compared with uniform (super)hydrophobic or (super)hydrophilic surfaces. This enhancement can be tuned by controlling the mesh number, inclination angle, and fabrication structure. Moreover, the surface shows excellent anti-corrosion ability after immersing in 1 M HCl, 1 M NaOH, and 10 wt% NaCl solutions for 2 hours. This work may provide insight into fabricating hybrid superhydrophobic-hydrophilic surfaces for efficient atmospheric water collection.

Validation of the activity expansion method with ultrahigh pressure shock equations of state

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Forrest J.; Young, David A.

1997-11-01

Laser shock experiments have recently been used to measure the equation of state (EOS) of matter in the ultrahigh pressure region between condensed matter and a weakly coupled plasma. Some ultrahigh pressure data from nuclear-generated shocks are also available. Matter at these conditions has proven very difficult to treat theoretically. The many-body activity expansion method (ACTEX) has been used for some time to calculate EOS and opacity data in this region, for use in modeling inertial confinement fusion and stellar interior plasmas. In the present work, we carry out a detailed comparison with the available experimental data in order to validate the method. The agreement is good, showing that ACTEX adequately describes strongly shocked matter.

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays: Setting the stage

Science.gov (United States)

Sokolsky, P.

2013-06-01

The history of ultra-high energy cosmic ray physics is reviewed from the post-war era of arrays such as Volcano Ranch, Haverah Park and Akeno to the development of air-fluorescence and current hybrid arrays. The aim of this paper is to present the background information needed for a better understanding of the current issues in this field that are discussed in much greater depth in the rest of this conference.

Ultra-high energy cosmic rays: Setting the stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sokolsky P.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The history of ultra-high energy cosmic ray physics is reviewed from the post-war era of arrays such as Volcano Ranch, Haverah Park and Akeno to the development of air-fluorescence and current hybrid arrays. The aim of this paper is to present the background information needed for a better understanding of the current issues in this field that are discussed in much greater depth in the rest of this conference.

Consideration of ultra-high temperature nuclear heat sources for MHD conversion systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holman, R.R.; Tobin, J.M.; Young, W.E.

1975-01-01

The nuclear technology reactors developed and tested in the Nuclear Engine Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA) program operated with fuel exit gas temperatures in excess of 2600 K. This experience provided a significant ultra-high temperature technology base and design insight for commercial power applications. Design approaches to accommodate fission product retention and other key prevailing requirements are examined in view of the basic overriding functional requirements, and some interesting reconsiderations are suggested. Predicted overall system performance potentials for a 2000 K MHD conversion system and reactor parameter requirements are compared and related to existing technology status. Needed verification and development efforts are suggested. A reconsideration of basic design approaches is suggested that could open the door for immediate development of ultrahigh temperature nuclear heat sources for advanced energy systems

Investigation and basic evaluation for ultra-high burnup fuel cladding material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioka, Ikuo; Nagase, Fumihisa; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi

2001-03-01

In ultra-high burnup of the power reactor, it is an essential problem to develop the cladding with excellent durability. First, development history and approach of the safety assessment of Zircaloy for the high burnup fuel were summarized in the report. Second, the basic evaluation and investigation were carried out on the material with high practicability in order to select the candidate materials for the ultra-high burnup fuel. In addition, the basic research on modification technology of the cladding surface was carried out from the viewpoint of the addition of safety margin as a cladding. From the development history of the zirconium alloy including the Zircaloy, it is hard to estimate the results of in-pile test from those of the conventional corrosion test (out-pile test). Therefore, the development of the new testing technology that can simulate the actual environment and the elucidation of the corrosion-controlling factor of the cladding are desired. In cases of RIA (Reactivity Initiated Accident) and LOCA (Loss of Coolant Accident), it seems that the loss of ductility in zirconium alloys under heavy irradiation and boiling of high temperature water restricts the extension of fuel burnup. From preliminary evaluation on the high corrosion-resistance materials (austenitic stainless steel, iron or nickel base superalloys, titanium alloy, niobium alloy, vanadium alloy and ferritic stainless steel), stabilized austenitic stainless steels with a capability of future improvement and high-purity niobium alloys with a expectation of the good corrosion resistance were selected as candidate materials of ultra-high burnup cladding. (author)

A compact combined ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunnelling microscope (UHV STM) and near-field optical microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woolley, R A J; Hayton, J A; Cavill, S; Ma, Jin; Beton, P H; Moriarty, P

2008-01-01

We have designed and constructed a hybrid scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM)–scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) instrument which operates under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. Indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated fibre-optic tips capable of high quality STM imaging and tunnelling spectroscopy are fabricated using a simple and reliable method which foregoes the electroless plating strategy previously employed by other groups. The fabrication process is reproducible, producing robust tips which may be exchanged under UHV conditions. We show that controlled contact with metal surfaces considerably enhances the STM imaging capabilities of fibre-optic tips. Light collection (from the cleaved back face of the ITO-coated fibre-optic tip) and optical alignment are facilitated by a simple two-lens arrangement where the in-vacuum collimation/collection lens may be adjusted using a slip-stick motor. A second in-air lens focuses the light (which emerges from the UHV system as a parallel beam) onto a cooled CCD spectrograph or photomultiplier tube. The application of the instrument to combined optical and electronic spectroscopy of Au and GaAs surfaces is discussed

Ultrahigh-strength submicron-sized metallic glass wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.B.; Lee, C.C.; Yi, J.; An, X.H.; Pan, M.X.; Xie, K.Y.; Liao, X.Z.; Cairney, J.M.; Ringer, S.P.; Wang, W.H.

2014-01-01

In situ deformation experiments were performed in a transmission electron microscope to investigate the mechanical properties of submicron-sized Pd 40 Cu 30 Ni 10 P 20 metallic glass (MG) wires. Results show that the submicron-sized MG wires exhibit intrinsic ultrahigh tensile strength of ∼2.8 GPa, which is nearly twice as high as that in their bulk counterpart, and ∼5% elastic strain approaching the elastic limits. The tensile strength, engineering strain at failure and deformation mode of the submicron-sized MG wires depend on the diameter of the wires

Physicochemical properties and storage stability of soybean protein nanoemulsions prepared by ultra-high pressure homogenization.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jing; Mukherjee, Dipaloke; Chang, Sam K C

2018-02-01

This study investigated the effects of the ultrahigh pressure homogenization (pressure, protein concentration, oil phase fraction, pH, temperature, and ionic strength) and storage on the properties of nanoemulsions (100-500nm range), which were stabilized by laboratory-prepared soybean protein isolate (SPI), β-conglycinin (7S) and glycinin (11S). The nanoemulsions made with SPI, 7S and 11S proteins exhibited considerable stability over various ionic strengths (0-500mM NaCl), pH (7), thermal treatments (30-60°C) and storage (0-45days). The far-UV spectra of SPI, 7S, 11S dispersions, and SPI-, 7S-, 11S protein-stabilized nanoemulsions were analyzed for the protein structural changes following lipid removal. The ultra-high pressure homogenization changed the secondary structure of SPI, 7S, 11S proteins in the nanoemulsions, and enhanced their stability. This study demonstrated that SPI, 7S, and 11S proteins can be used as effective emulsifiers in nanoemulsions prepared by ultra-high pressure homogenization. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Review of high and ultrahigh performance cementitious composites incorporating various combinations of fibers and ultrafines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.I. Khan

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The outcomes of the research in modern cementitious composites have paved the way for their wide use in construction industry. The introduction of short, discontinuous and randomly distributed fibers to these composites has altered their inherent brittleness. Extensive research has been carried out on the effects of using of mono-fibers in a cementitious composite. However, limited reports in the approachable references on the use of hybrid fibers are available. The synergetic interaction between hybrid fibers have beneficial impact on cementitious composites. The incorporation of micro- and nano-pozzolanic materials, such as fly ash and silica fume have been used to develop high performance cementitious composites such as reactive powder concrete, DUCTAL and CEMTEC multiscale. Further developments were recently achieved by the development of ultra-high performance cementitious composites. The matter of developing high and ultrahigh cementitious composites using various kinds of fibers and particles has received enormous attention from the scientific community. This paper presents a comprehensive critical literature review on the area of high and ultra-high performance cement-based materials.

Heat treatment for improvement in lower temperature mechanical properties of 0.40 pct C-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel

Science.gov (United States)

Tomita, Yoshiyuki; Okabayashi, Kunio

1983-11-01

In the previous paper, it was reported that isothermal heat treatment of a commercial Japanese 0.40 pct C-Ni-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel (AISI 4340 type) at 593 K for a short time followed by water quenching, in which a mixed structure of 25 vol pct lower bainite and 75 vol pct martensite is produced, results in the improvement of low temperature mechanical properties (287 to 123 K). The purpose of this paper is to study whether above new heat treatment will still be effective in commercial practice for improving low temperature mechanical properties of the ultrahigh strength steel when applied to a commercial Japanese 0.40 pct C-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel which is economical because it lacks the expensive nickel component (AISI 4140 type). At and above 203 K this new heat treatment, as compared with the conventional 1133 K direct water quenching treatment, significantly improved the strength, tensile ductility, and notch toughness of the 0.40 pct C-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel. At and above 203 K the new heat treatment also produced superior fracture ductility and notch toughness results at similar strength levels as compared to those obtained by using γ α' repetitive heat treatment for the same steel. However, the new heat treatment remarkably decreased fracture ductility and notch toughness of the 0.40 pct C-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel below 203 K, and thus no significant improvement in the mechanical properties was noticeable as compared with the properties produced by the conventional 1133 K direct water quenching treatment and the γ α' repetitive heat treatment. This contrasts with the fact that the new heat treatment, as compared with the conventional 1133 K direct water quenching treatment and the γ α' repetitive heat treatment, dramatically improved the notch toughness of the 0.40 pct C-Ni-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel, providing a better combination of strength and ductility throughout the 287 to 123 K temperature range. The difference

Evaluating strength at ultra-high temperatures-Methods and results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voelkl, Rainer; Fischer, Bernd; Beschliesser, Manuel; Glatzel, Uwe

2008-01-01

Proprietary equipment for mechanical testing at ultra-high temperatures by ohmic heating is outlined. Strain is measured with a video extensometer with an accuracy of up to Δε-bar∼±0.00025%. Stability and accuracy of the test system are evaluated on Pt- and refractory alloys. These specially designed and built test facilities are compared to commercially available high-vacuum test chambers with tungsten heater

Ultra-high Performance Liquid Chromatography in Steroid Analysis

OpenAIRE

Salonen, Fanny

2017-01-01

The latest version of liquid chromatography is ultra-high performance (or pressure) chromatography (UHPLC). In the technique, short and narrow-bore columns with particle sizes below 3 µm are used. The extremely high pressure used results in very short analysis times, excellent separation, and good resolution. This makes UHPLC a good choice for steroidal analysis. Steroids are a highly interesting area of study; they can be recognized as biomarkers for several diseases and are a relevant topic...

Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of ultra-high pressure and heat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To undertake comparative kinetic and thermodynamic analyses of the interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with IgG pre-treated with ultra-high pressure (UHP) and moderate heat. Methods: BSA solutions were processed at 100 – 600 MPa and 25 – 40 °C. We applied an optical biosensor based on surface ...

Ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) for infrastructure rehabilitation Volume II : behavior of ultra-high strength concrete bridge deck panels compared to conventional stay-in-place deck panels

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-01

The remarkable features of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) have been reported. Its application in bridge construction has been an active research area in recent years, attributed to its higher compressive strength, higher ductility and reduced...

SU-F-J-45: Sparing Normal Tissue with Ultra-High Dose Rate in Radiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Y [DCH Reg. Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To spare normal tissue by reducing the location uncertainty of a moving target, we proposed an ultra-high dose rate system and evaluated. Methods: High energy electrons generated with a linear accelerator were injected into a storage ring to be accumulated. The number of the electrons in the ring was determined based on the prescribed radiation dose. The dose was delivered within a millisecond, when an online imaging system found that the target was in the position that was consistent with that in a treatment plan. In such a short time period, the displacement of the target was negligible. The margin added to the clinical target volume (CTV) could be reduced that was evaluated by comparing of volumes between CTV and ITV in 14 cases of lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatments. A design of the ultra-high dose rate system was evaluated based clinical needs and the recent developments of low energy (a few MeV) electron storage ring. Results: This design of ultra-high dose rate system was feasible based on the techniques currently available. The reduction of a target volume was significant by reducing the margin that accounted the motion of the target. ∼50% volume reduction of the internal target volume (ITV) could be achieved in lung SBRT treatments. Conclusion: With this innovation of ultra-high dose rate system, the margin of target is able to be significantly reduced. It will reduce treatment time of gating and allow precisely specified gating window to improve the accuracy of dose delivering.

Radio reconstruction of the mass of ultra-high cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dorosti, Qader [Institut fuer Kernphysik (IKP), KIT (Germany)

2015-07-01

Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays can reveal the processes of the most violent sources in the Universe, which yet has to be determined. Interaction of cosmic rays with the Earth's atmosphere results in cascades of secondary particles, i.e. air showers. Many of such particles are electrons and positrons. The induced electrons and positrons interact with the geomagnetic field and induce radio emissions. Detection of air showers along with the detection of induced radio emissions can furnish a precise measurement of the direction, energy and mass of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The Auger Engineering Radio Array consists of 124 radio stations measuring radio emission from air showers, in order to reconstruct the energy, direction and mass of cosmic rays. In this contribution, we present a method which employs a reduced hyperbolic model to describe the shape of radio wave front. We have investigated that the parameters of the reduced hyperbolic model are sensitive to the mass of cosmic rays. The obtained results are presented in this talk.

Validation of the activity expansion method with ultrahigh pressure shock equations of state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, F.J.; Young, D.A.

1997-01-01

Laser shock experiments have recently been used to measure the equation of state (EOS) of matter in the ultrahigh pressure region between condensed matter and a weakly coupled plasma. Some ultrahigh pressure data from nuclear-generated shocks are also available. Matter at these conditions has proven very difficult to treat theoretically. The many-body activity expansion method (ACTEX) has been used for some time to calculate EOS and opacity data in this region, for use in modeling inertial confinement fusion and stellar interior plasmas. In the present work, we carry out a detailed comparison with the available experimental data in order to validate the method. The agreement is good, showing that ACTEX adequately describes strongly shocked matter. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

Validation of the activity expansion method with ultrahigh pressure shock equations of state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rogers, F.J.; Young, D.A. [Physics Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)

1997-11-01

Laser shock experiments have recently been used to measure the equation of state (EOS) of matter in the ultrahigh pressure region between condensed matter and a weakly coupled plasma. Some ultrahigh pressure data from nuclear-generated shocks are also available. Matter at these conditions has proven very difficult to treat theoretically. The many-body activity expansion method (ACTEX) has been used for some time to calculate EOS and opacity data in this region, for use in modeling inertial confinement fusion and stellar interior plasmas. In the present work, we carry out a detailed comparison with the available experimental data in order to validate the method. The agreement is good, showing that ACTEX adequately describes strongly shocked matter. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

Ultrathin Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Layer Uniformly Supported on Graphene Frameworks as Ultrahigh-Capacity Anode for Lithium-Ion Full Battery.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yanshan; Li, Ke; Yang, Guanhui; Aboud, Mohamed F Aly; Shakir, Imran; Xu, Yuxi

2018-03-01

The designable structure with 3D structure, ultrathin 2D nanosheets, and heteroatom doping are considered as highly promising routes to improve the electrochemical performance of carbon materials as anodes for lithium-ion batteries. However, it remains a significant challenge to efficiently integrate 3D interconnected porous frameworks with 2D tunable heteroatom-doped ultrathin carbon layers to further boost the performance. Herein, a novel nanostructure consisting of a uniform ultrathin N-doped carbon layer in situ coated on a 3D graphene framework (NC@GF) through solvothermal self-assembly/polymerization and pyrolysis is reported. The NC@GF with the nanosheets thickness of 4.0 nm and N content of 4.13 at% exhibits an ultrahigh reversible capacity of 2018 mA h g -1 at 0.5 A g -1 and an ultrafast charge-discharge feature with a remarkable capacity of 340 mA h g -1 at an ultrahigh current density of 40 A g -1 and a superlong cycle life with a capacity retention of 93% after 10 000 cycles at 40 A g -1 . More importantly, when coupled with LiFePO 4 cathode, the fabricated lithium-ion full cells also exhibit high capacity and excellent rate and cycling performances, highlighting the practicability of this NC@GF. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

New design of a variable-temperature ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mugele, Friedrich Gunther; Rettenberger, A.; Boneberg, J.; Leiderer, P.

1998-01-01

We present the design of a variable-temperature ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope which can be operated between 20 and 400 K. The microscope is mounted directly onto the heat exchanger of a He continuous flow cryostat without vibration isolation inside the UHV chamber. The coarse

Second dip as a signature of ultrahigh energy proton interactions with cosmic microwave background radiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Berezinsky, V; Gazizov, A; Kachelrieb, M

2006-12-08

We discuss as a new signature for the interaction of extragalactic ultrahigh energy protons with cosmic microwave background radiation a spectral feature located at E= 6.3 x 10(19) eV in the form of a narrow and shallow dip. It is produced by the interference of e+e(-)-pair and pion production. We show that this dip and, in particular, its position are almost model-independent. Its observation by future ultrahigh energy cosmic ray detectors may give the conclusive confirmation that an observed steepening of the spectrum is caused by the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin effect.

Ultrahigh-frequency surface acoustic wave generation for acoustic charge transport in silicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Büyükköse, S.; Vratzov, B.; van der Veen, Johan (CTIT); Santos, P.V.; van der Wiel, Wilfred Gerard

2013-01-01

We demonstrate piezo-electrical generation of ultrahigh-frequency surface acoustic waves on silicon substrates, using high-resolution UV-based nanoimprint lithography, hydrogen silsequioxane planarization, and metal lift-off. Interdigital transducers were fabricated on a ZnO layer sandwiched between

Development and testing of a two stage granular filter to improve collection efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rangan, R.S.; Prakash, S.G.; Chakravarti, S.; Rao, S.R.

1999-07-01

A circulating bed granular filter (CBGF) with a single filtration stage was tested with a PFB combustor in the Coal Research Facility of BHEL R and D in Hyderabad during the years 1993--95. Filter outlet dust loading varied between 20--50 mg/Nm{sup 3} for an inlet dust loading of 5--8 gms/Nm{sup 3}. The results were reported in Fluidized Bed Combustion-Volume 2, ASME 1995. Though the outlet consists of predominantly fine particulates below 2 microns, it is still beyond present day gas turbine specifications for particulate concentration. In order to enhance the collection efficiency, a two-stage granular filtration concept was evolved, wherein the filter depth is divided between two stages, accommodated in two separate vertically mounted units. The design also incorporates BHEL's scale-up concept of multiple parallel stages. The two-stage concept minimizes reentrainment of captured dust by providing clean granules in the upper stage, from where gases finally exit the filter. The design ensures that dusty gases come in contact with granules having a higher dust concentration at the bottom of the two-stage unit, where most of the cleaning is completed. A second filtration stage of cleaned granules is provided in the top unit (where the granules are returned to the system after dedusting) minimizing reentrainment. Tests were conducted to determine the optimum granule to dust ratio (G/D ratio) which decides the granule circulation rate required for the desired collection efficiency. The data brings out the importance of pre-separation and the limitation on inlet dust loading for any continuous system of granular filtration. Collection efficiencies obtained were much higher (outlet dust being 3--9 mg/Nm{sub 3}) than in the single stage filter tested earlier for similar dust loading at the inlet. The results indicate that two-stage granular filtration has a high potential for HTHT application with fewer risks as compared to other systems under development.

EFFECT OF ULTRA-HIGH PRESSURE HOMOGENIZATION ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN BOVINE CASEIN MICELLES AND RITONAVIR

Science.gov (United States)

Corzo-Martínez, M.; Mohan, M.; Dunlap, J.; Harte, F.

2014-01-01

Purpose The aim of this work was to develop a milk-based powder formulation appropriate for pediatric delivery of ritonavir (RIT). Methods Ultra-high pressure homogenization (UHPH) at 0.1, 300 and 500 MPa was used to process a dispersion of pasteurized skim milk (SM) and ritonavir. Loading efficiency was determined by RP-HPLC-UV; characterization of RIT:SM systems was carried out by apparent average hydrodynamic diameter and rheological measurements as well as different analytical techniques including Trp fluorescence, UV spectroscopy, DSC, FTIR and SEM; and delivery capacity of casein micelles was determined by in vitro experiments promoting ritonavir release. Results Ritonavir interacted efficiently with milk proteins, especially, casein micelles, regardless of the processing pressure; however, results suggest that, at 0.1 MPa, ritonavir interacts with caseins at the micellar surface, whilst, at 300 and 500 MPa, ritonavir is integrated to the protein matrix during UHPH treatment. Likewise, in vitro experiments showed that ritonavir release from micellar casein systems is pH dependent; with a high retention of ritonavir during simulated gastric digestion and a rapid delivery under conditions simulating the small intestine environment. Conclusions Skim milk powder, especially, casein micelles are potentially suitable and efficient carrier systems to develop novel milk-based and low-ethanol powder formulations of ritonavir appropriate for pediatric applications. PMID:25270571

An Evaluation of Ultra-High Pressure Regulator for Robotic Lunar Landing Spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Burnside, Christopher; Trinh, Huu; Pedersen, Kevin

2011-01-01

The Robotic Lunar Lander Development (RLLD) Project Office at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has studied several lunar surface science mission concepts. These missions focus on spacecraft carrying multiple science instruments and power systems that will allow extended operations on the lunar surface. Initial trade studies of launch vehicle options for these mission concepts indicate that the spacecraft design will be significantly mass-constrained. To minimize mass and facilitate efficient packaging, the notional propulsion system for these landers has a baseline of an ultra-high pressure (10,000 psig) helium pressurization system that has been used on Defense missiles. The qualified regulator is capable of short duration use; however, the hardware has not been previously tested at NASA spacecraft requirements with longer duration. Hence, technical risks exist in using this missile-based propulsion component for spacecraft applications. A 10,000-psig helium pressure regulator test activity is being carried out as part of risk reduction testing for MSFC RLLD project. The goal of the test activity is to assess the feasibility of commercial off-the-shelf ultra-high pressure regulator by testing with a representative flight mission profile. Slam-start, gas blowdown, water expulsion, lock-up, and leak tests are also performed on the regulator to assess performance under various operating conditions. The preliminary test results indicated that the regulator can regulate helium to a stable outlet pressure of 740 psig within the +/- 5% tolerance band and maintain a lock-up pressure less than +5% for all tests conducted. Numerous leak tests demonstrated leakage less than 10-3 standard cubic centimeters per second (SCCS) for internal seat leakage at lock-up and less than10-5 SCCS for external leakage through the regulator ambient reference cavity. The successful tests have shown the potential for 10,000 psig helium systems in NASA spacecraft and have reduced risk

On the transparency of the metagalaxy to ultrahigh-energy gamma rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aharonyan, F.A.; Vardanyan, V.V.

1987-01-01

The electron-photon shower production in the field of the microwave background radiation (MBR) is considered. The absolute flux of ultrahigh-energy cascade gamma-rays (E>or approx.5X10 19 eV), resulting from the Π-meson photoproduction in the field of the MBR is obtained

Tomography system having an ultrahigh-speed processing unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunnett, C.J.; Gerth, V.W. Jr.

1977-01-01

A transverse section tomography system has an ultrahigh-speed data processing unit for performing back projection and updating. An x-ray scanner directs x-ray beams through a planar section of a subject from a sequence of orientations and positions. The data processing unit includes a scan storage section for retrievably storing a set of filtered scan signals in scan storage locations corresponding to predetermined beam orientations. An array storage section is provided for storing image signals as they are generated

Nanosecond laser ablated copper superhydrophobic surface with tunable ultrahigh adhesion and its renewability with low temperature annealing

Science.gov (United States)

He, An; Liu, Wenwen; Xue, Wei; Yang, Huan; Cao, Yu

2018-03-01

Recently, metallic superhydrophobic surfaces with ultrahigh adhesion have got plentiful attention on account of their significance in scientific researches and industrial applications like droplet transport, drug delivery and novel microfluidic devices. However, the long lead time and transience hindered its in-depth development and industrial application. In this work, nanosecond laser ablation was carried out to construct grid of micro-grooves on copper surface, whereafter, by applying fast ethanol assisted low-temperature annealing, we obtained surface with superhydrophobicity and ultrahigh adhesion within hours. And the ultrahigh adhesion force was found tunable by varying the groove spacing. Using ultrasonic cleaning as the simulation of natural wear and tear in service, the renewability of superhydrophobicity was also investigated, and the result shows that the contact angle can rehabilitate promptly by the processing of ethanol assisted low-temperature annealing, which gives a promising fast and cheap circuitous strategy to realize the long wish durable metallic superhydrophobic surfaces in practical applications.

CPAC: Energy-Efficient Data Collection through Adaptive Selection of Compression Algorithms for Sensor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, HyungJune; Kim, HyunSeok; Chang, Ik Joon

2014-01-01

We propose a technique to optimize the energy efficiency of data collection in sensor networks by exploiting a selective data compression. To achieve such an aim, we need to make optimal decisions regarding two aspects: (1) which sensor nodes should execute compression; and (2) which compression algorithm should be used by the selected sensor nodes. We formulate this problem into binary integer programs, which provide an energy-optimal solution under the given latency constraint. Our simulation results show that the optimization algorithm significantly reduces the overall network-wide energy consumption for data collection. In the environment having a stationary sink from stationary sensor nodes, the optimized data collection shows 47% energy savings compared to the state-of-the-art collection protocol (CTP). More importantly, we demonstrate that our optimized data collection provides the best performance in an intermittent network under high interference. In such networks, we found that the selective compression for frequent packet retransmissions saves up to 55% energy compared to the best known protocol. PMID:24721763

Astrophysical searches for exotic phenomena in ultrahigh energy neutrino-nucleon scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, D.A.; Ringwald, A.

1994-03-01

We investigate the potential of near-future neutrino telescopes like NESTOR for searches for exotic processes in ultrahigh energy neutrino-quark scattering. We consider signatures such as muon bundles and/or contained cascades from the nonperturbative production of multiple weak gauge bosons in the Standard Model, compositeness and leptoquark production. (orig.)

Ultrahigh-pressure polyamorphism in GeO2 glass with coordination number >6

Science.gov (United States)

Kono, Yoshio; Kenney-Benson, Curtis; Ikuta, Daijo; Shibazaki, Yuki; Wang, Yanbin; Shen, Guoyin

2016-03-01

Knowledge of pressure-induced structural changes in glasses is important in various scientific fields as well as in engineering and industry. However, polyamorphism in glasses under high pressure remains poorly understood because of experimental challenges. Here we report new experimental findings of ultrahigh-pressure polyamorphism in GeO2 glass, investigated using a newly developed double-stage large-volume cell. The Ge-O coordination number (CN) is found to remain constant at ∼6 between 22.6 and 37.9 GPa. At higher pressures, CN begins to increase rapidly and reaches 7.4 at 91.7 GPa. This transformation begins when the oxygen-packing fraction in GeO2 glass is close to the maximal dense-packing state (the Kepler conjecture = ∼0.74), which provides new insights into structural changes in network-forming glasses and liquids with CN higher than 6 at ultrahigh-pressure conditions.

Ultrahigh-frequency ultrasound of fascicles in the median nerve at the wrist.

Science.gov (United States)

Cartwright, Michael S; Baute, Vanessa; Caress, James B; Walker, Francis O

2017-10-01

An ultrahigh-frequency (70 MHZ) ultrasound device has recently been approved for human use. This study seeks to determine whether this device facilitates counting of fascicles within the median nerve at the wrist. Twenty healthy volunteers underwent imaging of the median nerve at the wrist bilaterally. The number of fascicles in each nerve was counted by two independent raters. The mean fascicle number was 22.68. Correlation was strong between the two raters (r = 0.68, P nerve area did not predict fascicle number. Those with bifid median nerves and persistent median arteries had lower fascicle density than those without anatomic anomalies (1.79 vs. 2.29; P = 0.01). Fascicles within the median nerve at the wrist can be readily imaged. Ultrahigh-frequency ultrasound technology may be informative in a variety of disorders affecting the peripheral nervous system. Muscle Nerve 56: 819-822, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhancing ultra-high CPV passive cooling using least-material finned heat sinks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Micheli, Leonardo, E-mail: lm409@exeter.ac.uk; Mallick, Tapas K., E-mail: T.K.Mallick@exeter.ac.uk [Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE (United Kingdom); Fernandez, Eduardo F., E-mail: E.Fernandez-Fernandez2@exeter.ac.uk [Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE (United Kingdom); Centre of Advanced Studies in Energy and Environment, University of Jaen, Jaen 23071 (Spain); Almonacid, Florencia, E-mail: facruz@ujaen.es [Centre of Advanced Studies in Energy and Environment, University of Jaen, Jaen 23071 (Spain); Reddy, K. S., E-mail: ksreddy@iitm.ac.in [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036 (India)

2015-09-28

Ultra-high concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems aim to increase the cost-competiveness of CPV by increasing the concentrations over 2000 suns. In this work, the design of a heat sink for ultra-high concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) applications is presented. For the first time, the least-material approach, widely used in electronics to maximize the thermal dissipation while minimizing the weight of the heat sink, has been applied in CPV. This method has the potential to further decrease the cost of this technology and to keep the multijunction cell within the operative temperature range. The designing procedure is described in the paper and the results of a thermal simulation are shown to prove the reliability of the solution. A prediction of the costs is also reported: a cost of 0.151$/W{sub p} is expected for a passive least-material heat sink developed for 4000x applications.

New Sunshine Program for fiscal 2000. Development of photovoltaic power system commercialization technology (Development of ultrahigh-efficiency crystalline compound solar cell manufacturing technology - Surveys and studies of peripheral key technologies/Surveys of ultrahigh-efficiency solar cell application fields); 2000 nendo New sunshine keikaku seika hokokusho. Taiyoko hatsuden system jitsuyoka gijutsu kaihatsu - Chokokoritsu kessho kagobutsu taiyo denchi no seizo gijutsu kaihatsu, Shuhen yoso gijutsu ni kansuru chosa kenkyu (Chokokoritsu taiyo denchi tou oyo bunya kaitaku chosa)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

Surveys and studies were conducted in order to make propositions concerning the fields of application wherein the merits of ultrahigh-efficiency solar cells would be fully utilized. A questionnaire was held about solar cell application fields, and studies were made about new systems based on the need in the market for specific solar cell goods and capable of supporting their mass diffusion. Proposed as the result was the establishment of a rental (lease) system for photovoltaic power systems, a local photovoltaics advisory system, a market for used photovoltaic power systems, and so forth. In the feasibility study of photovoltaic power generation on unused land in agricultural villages, surveys were conducted concerning energy problems, the energy structure, the actual state of energy consumption, the abandoned farm and its utilization, and so forth. Propositions involving photovoltaic power feasibility were then made, which covered power consumption for greenhouse culture, energy supply for producing methanol out of biomass, power sources for insect incapacitating yellow fluorescent lamps, power sources for livestock barn air-conditioning, power sources for animal excretion treatment, and so forth. (NEDO)

Ultrafast, ultrahigh-peak power Ti:sapphire laser system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamakawa, Koichi; Aoyama, Makoto; Matsuoka, Shinichi; Akahane, Yutaka; Kase, Teiji; Nakano, Fumihiko; Sagisaka, Akito [Advanced Photon Research Center, Kansai Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Kizu, Kyoto (Japan)

2001-01-01

We review progress in the generation of multiterawatt optical pulses in the 10-fs range. We describe a design, performance and characterization of a Ti:sapphire laser system based on chirped-pulse amplification, which has produced a peak power in excess of 100-TW with sub-20-fs pulse durations and an average power of 19-W at a 10-Hz repetition rate. We also discuss extension of this system to the petawatt power level and potential applications in the relativistic, ultrahigh intensity regimes. (author)

Baking enables McLeod gauge to measure in ultrahigh vacuum range

Science.gov (United States)

Kreisman, W. S.

1965-01-01

Accurate measurements in the ultrahigh vacuum range by a conventional McLeod gage requires degassing of the gage's glass walls. A closed system, in which mercury is forced into the gage by gravity alone, and in which the gage components are baked out for long periods, is used to achieve this degassing.

In situ growth of NiCo2S4 nanotube arrays on Ni foam for supercapacitors: Maximizing utilization efficiency at high mass loading to achieve ultrahigh areal pseudocapacitance

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Haichao; Jiang, Jianjun; Zhang, Li; Xia, Dandan; Zhao, Yuandong; Guo, Danqing; Qi, Tong; Wan, Houzhao

2014-05-01

Self-standing NiCo2S4 nanotube arrays have been in situ grown on Ni foam by the anion-exchange reaction and directly used as the electrode for supercapacitors. The NiCo2S4 nanotube in the arrays effectively reduces the inactive material and increases the electroactive surface area because of the ultrathin wall, which is quite competent to achieve high utilization efficiency at high electroactive materials mass loading. The NiCo2S4 nanotube arrays hybrid electrode exhibits an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 14.39 F cm-2 at 5 mA cm-2 with excellent rate performance (67.7% retention for current increases 30 times) and cycling stability (92% retention after 5000 cycles) at a high mass loading of 6 mg cm-2. High areal capacitance (4.68 F cm-2 at 10 mA cm-2), high energy density (31.5 Wh kg-1 at 156.6 W kg-1) and high power density (2348.5 W kg-1 at 16.6 Wh kg-1) can be achieved by assembling asymmetric supercapacitor with reduced graphene oxide at a total active material mass loading as high as 49.5 mg. This work demonstrates that NiCo2S4 nanotube arrays structure is a superior electroactive material for high-performance supercapacitors even at a mass loading of potential application-specific scale.

Independent screening for single-index hazard rate models with ultrahigh dimensional features

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gorst-Rasmussen, Anders; Scheike, Thomas

2013-01-01

can be viewed as the natural survival equivalent of correlation screening. We state conditions under which the method admits the sure screening property within a class of single-index hazard rate models with ultrahigh dimensional features and describe the generally detrimental effect of censoring...

Equal channel angular extrusion of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinitz, Steven D., E-mail: Steven.D.Reinitz.TH@Dartmouth.edu; Engler, Alexander J.; Carlson, Evan M.; Van Citters, Douglas W.

2016-10-01

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), a common bearing surface in total joint arthroplasty, is subject to material property tradeoffs associated with conventional processing techniques. For orthopaedic applications, radiation-induced cross-linking is used to enhance the wear resistance of the material, but cross-linking also restricts relative chain movement in the amorphous regions and hence decreases toughness. Equal Channel Angular Extrusion (ECAE) is proposed as a novel mechanism by which entanglements can be introduced to the polymer bulk during consolidation, with the aim of imparting the same tribological benefits of conventional processing without complete inhibition of chain motion. ECAE processing at temperatures near the crystalline melt for UHMWPE produces (1) increased entanglements compared to control materials; (2) increasing entanglements with increasing temperature; and (3) mechanical properties between values for untreated polyethylene and for cross-linked polyethylene. These results support additional research in ECAE-processed UHMWPE for joint arthroplasty applications. - Highlights: • A new processing method for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is introduced. • The process produces a highly entangled polyethylene material. • Entanglements are hypothesized to enhance the wear resistance of polyethylene. • This process eliminates the trade-off between mechanical and wear properties.

Durability and smart condition assessment of ultra-high performance concrete in cold climates.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-31

The goals of this study were to develop ecological ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) with local materials and supplementary cementitious materials and to evaluate the long-term performance of UHPC in cold climates using effective mechanical test...

Charge collection efficiency of irradiated silicon detector operated at cryogenic temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borer, K.; Janos, S.; Palmieri, V.G.; Dezillie, B.; Li, Z.; Collins, P.; Niinikoski, T.O.; Lourenco, C.; Sonderegger, P.; Borchi, E.; Bruzzi, M.; Pirollo, S.; Granata, V.; Pagano, S.; Chapuy, S.; Dimcovski, Z.; Grigoriev, E.; Bell, W.; Devine, S.R.H.; O'Shea, V.; Smith, K.; Berglund, P.; Boer, W. de; Hauler, F.; Heising, S.; Jungermann, L.; Casagrande, L.; Cindro, V.; Mikuz, M.; Zavartanik, M.; Via, C. da; Esposito, A.; Konorov, I.; Paul, S.; Schmitt, L.; Buontempo, S.; D'Ambrosio, N.; Pagano, S.; Ruggiero, G.; Eremin, V.; Verbitskaya, E.

2000-01-01

The charge collection efficiency (CCE) of heavily irradiated silicon diode detectors was investigated at temperatures between 77 and 200 K. The CCE was found to depend on the radiation dose, bias voltage value and history, temperature, and bias current generated by light. The detector irradiated to the highest fluence 2x10 15 n/cm 2 yields a MIP signal of at least 15000 e - both at 250 V forward bias voltage, and at 250 V reverse bias voltage in the presence of a light-generated current. The 'Lazarus effect' was thus shown to extend to fluences at least ten times higher than was previously studied

Collection efficiency of charges in ionization chambers in presence of constant or variable radiation intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Decuyper, J.

1970-01-01

The theoretical and experimental study of the collection of carriers built up by ionization in standard chambers, is made by varying the value of different acting parameters. In the presence of constant ionization intensity and under a D.C. and A.C. voltage, the effect of geometry, recombination, diffusion and attachment is analyzed. The compensation of thermal neutron D.C. chambers is equally considered. Under a time dependent ionization intensity and D.C. voltage, is then studied the effect of recombination on current response, and on the collection efficiency of all formed charges. (author) [fr

Solutions for ultra-high speed optical wavelength conversion and clock recovery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo; Galili, Michael; Mulvad, Hans Christian Hansen

2006-01-01

This paper reports on our recent advances in ultra-fast optical communications relying on ultra-short pulses densely stacked in ultra-high bit rate serial data signals at a single wavelength. The paper describes details in solutions for the network functionalities of wavelength conversion and clock...... recovery at bit rates up to 320 Gb/s...

Design and evaluation of a single-span bridge using ultra-high performance concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-09-01

"Research presented herein describes an application of a newly developed material called Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) to a : single-span bridge. The two primary objectives of this research were to develop a shear design procedure for possib...

Calcium carbonate electronic-insulating layers improve the charge collection efficiency of tin oxide photoelectrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, Shoyebmohamad F.; Mane, Rajaram S.; Hwang, Yun Jeong; Joo, Oh-Shim

2015-01-01

In dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a surface passivation layer has been employed on the tin oxide (SnO 2 ) photoanodes to enhance the charge collection efficiency, and thus the power conversion efficiency. Herein, we demonstrate that the electronic-insulating layering of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) can improve the charge collection efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells designed with photoanodes. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of CaCO 3 layering, both layered and pristine SnO 2 photoanodes are characterized with regard to their structures, morphologies, and photo-electrochemical measurements. The SnO 2 -6L CaCO 3 photoanode has demonstrated as high as 3.5% power conversion efficiency; 3.5-fold greater than that of the pristine SnO 2 photoanode. The enhancement in the power conversion efficiency is corroborated with the number of the dye molecules, the passivation of surface states, a negative shift in the conduction band position, and the reduced electron recombination rate of photoelectrons following the coating of the CaCO 3 surface layer

High Efficiency Inverted Organic Solar Cells with a Neutral Fulleropyrrolidine Electron Collecting Interlayer

KAUST Repository

Xu, Weidong

2016-05-20

A novel fulleropyrrolidine derivative, named as FPNOH, was designed, synthesized and utilized as an efficient electron-collecting (EC) layer for inverted organic solar cells (i-OSCs). The grafted diethanolamino-polar moieties can not only trigger its function as an EC interlayer, but also induce orthogonal solubility that guarantees subsequent multi-layer processing without interfacial mixing. A higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) value of 8.34% was achieved for i-OSC devices with ITO/FPNOH EC electrode, compared to that of the sol-gel ZnO based reference devices with an optimized PCE value of 7.92%. High efficiency exceeding 7.7% was still achieved even for the devices with a relatively thick PFNOH film (16.9 nm). It is worthwhile to mention that this kind of material exhibits less thickness dependent performance, in contrast to widely utilized p-type conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) as well as the non-conjugated polyelectrolytes (NCPEs). Further investigation on illuminating intensity dependent parameters revealed the role of FPNOH in reducing interfacial traps-induced recombination at ITO/active layer interface.

High Efficiency Inverted Organic Solar Cells with a Neutral Fulleropyrrolidine Electron Collecting Interlayer

KAUST Repository

Xu, Weidong; Yan, Congfei; Kan, Zhipeng; Wang, Yang; Lai, Wen-Yong; Huang, Wei

2016-01-01

A novel fulleropyrrolidine derivative, named as FPNOH, was designed, synthesized and utilized as an efficient electron-collecting (EC) layer for inverted organic solar cells (i-OSCs). The grafted diethanolamino-polar moieties can not only trigger its function as an EC interlayer, but also induce orthogonal solubility that guarantees subsequent multi-layer processing without interfacial mixing. A higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) value of 8.34% was achieved for i-OSC devices with ITO/FPNOH EC electrode, compared to that of the sol-gel ZnO based reference devices with an optimized PCE value of 7.92%. High efficiency exceeding 7.7% was still achieved even for the devices with a relatively thick PFNOH film (16.9 nm). It is worthwhile to mention that this kind of material exhibits less thickness dependent performance, in contrast to widely utilized p-type conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) as well as the non-conjugated polyelectrolytes (NCPEs). Further investigation on illuminating intensity dependent parameters revealed the role of FPNOH in reducing interfacial traps-induced recombination at ITO/active layer interface.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging with ultra-high fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Windischberger, C.; Schoepf, V.; Sladky, R.; Moser, E.; Fischmeister, F.P.S.

2010-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is currently the primary method for non-invasive functional localization in the brain. With the emergence of MR systems with field strengths of 4 Tesla and above, neuronal activation may be studied with unprecedented accuracy. In this article we present different approaches to use the improved sensitivity and specificity for expanding current fMRT resolution limits in space and time based on several 7 Tesla studies. In addition to the challenges that arise with ultra-high magnetic fields possible solutions will be discussed. (orig.) [de

Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and new particle physics

CERN Document Server

Kachelriess, M.

2001-02-28

The current status of the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHE CR) enigma and several proposed solutions involving particle physics beyond the standard model are discussed. Emphasis is given to top--down models, and as a main example, supermassive dark matter as galactic source for UHE CR and the status of its experimental signatures (galactic anisotropy, chemical composition and clustering) is reviewed. Then different approaches to calculate fragmentation spectra of supermassive particles are discussed. Finally, it is argued that UHE neutrinos cannot be - neither directly or indirectly - responsible for the observed vertical air showers.

ULTRAHIGH ENERGY COSMIC RAYS: REVIEW OF THE CURRENT SITUATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Todor Stanev

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We describe the current situation of the data on the highest energy particles in the Universe – the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. The new results in the field come from the Telescope Array experiment in Utah, U.S.A. For this reason we concentrate on the results from these experiments and compare them to the measurements of the other two recent experiments, the High Resolution Fly’sEye and the Southern Auger Observatory.

Comparison of PM collection efficiency of Gent and Airmatrics MiniVol portable air sampler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Begum, Bilkis A.; Biswas, Swapan K.

2005-01-01

Gent PM sampler was developed as an integral part of several International Atomic Energy Agency sponsored coordinated research programmes (CRP) for collecting air particulate samples. On the other hand, the MiniVol Portable Air Sampler is a commercial ambient air sampler for particulate matter and non-reactive gases used by different agencies. Air quality management system requires comparable air quality data to be collected by different stake holders for assessment and regulatory purposes. In order to compare the characteristics of Gent sampler with the MiniVol Portable Air Sampler, the reproducibility of the sample mass collection efficiency were examined and the measured mass concentrations were compared. It was found that in case of PM 10 both samplers collect almost same fraction of PM 10 mass when the Gent sampler was operated at 16 litre per minute flow rate. But in case of fine fraction, Portable sampler collects 70% higher PM 2.5 mass concentration compared to the Gent PM 2.2 mass concentrations. This is because, the Gent sampler was typically operated at 16 to 17 lpm resulting in an estimated 50% cut point of 2.2 μm.(author)

Comparison of ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography for the separation of spirostanol saponins.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Ling-Ling; Zhao, Yang; Xu, Yong-Wei; Sun, Qing-Long; Sun, Xin-Guang; Kang, Li-Ping; Yan, Ren-Yi; Zhang, Jie; Liu, Chao; Ma, Bai-Ping

2016-02-20

Spirostanol saponins are important active components of some herb medicines, and their isolation and purification are crucial for the research and development of traditional Chinese medicines. We aimed to compare the separation of spirostanol saponins by ultra-high performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Four groups of spirostanol saponins were separated respectively by UHPSFC and UHPLC. After optimization, UHPSFC was performed with a HSS C18 SB column or a Diol column and with methanol as the co-solvent. A BEH C18 column and mobile phase containing water (with 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile were used in UHPLC. We found that UHPSFC could be performed automatically and quickly. It is effective in separating the spirostanol saponins which share the same aglycone and vary in sugar chains, and is very sensitive to the number and the position of hydroxyl groups in aglycones. However, the resolution of spirostanol saponins with different aglycones and the same sugar moiety by UHPSFC was not ideal and could be resolved by UHPLC instead. UHPLC is good at differentiating the variation in aglycones, and is influenced by double bonds in aglycones. Therefore, UHPLC and UHPSFC are complementary in separating spirostanol saponins. Considering the naturally produced spirostanol saponins in herb medicines are different both in aglycones and in sugar chains, a better separation can be achieved by combination of UHPLC and UHPSFC. UHPSFC is a powerful technique for improving the resolution when UHPLC cannot resolve a mixture of spirostanol saponins and vice versa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiobiological response to ultra-short pulsed megavoltage electron beams of ultra-high pulse dose rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyreuther, Elke; Karsch, Leonhard; Laschinsky, Lydia; Leßmann, Elisabeth; Naumburger, Doreen; Oppelt, Melanie; Richter, Christian; Schürer, Michael; Woithe, Julia; Pawelke, Jörg

2015-08-01

In line with the long-term aim of establishing the laser-based particle acceleration for future medical application, the radiobiological consequences of the typical ultra-short pulses and ultra-high pulse dose rate can be investigated with electron delivery. The radiation source ELBE (Electron Linac for beams with high Brilliance and low Emittance) was used to mimic the quasi-continuous electron beam of a clinical linear accelerator (LINAC) for comparison with electron pulses at the ultra-high pulse dose rate of 10(10) Gy min(-1) either at the low frequency of a laser accelerator or at 13 MHz avoiding effects of prolonged dose delivery. The impact of pulse structure was analyzed by clonogenic survival assay and by the number of residual DNA double-strand breaks remaining 24 h after irradiation of two human squamous cell carcinoma lines of differing radiosensitivity. The radiation response of both cell lines was found to be independent from electron pulse structure for the two endpoints under investigation. The results reveal, that ultra-high pulse dose rates of 10(10) Gy min(-1) and the low repetition rate of laser accelerated electrons have no statistically significant influence (within the 95% confidence intervals) on the radiobiological effectiveness of megavoltage electrons.

Capability of the HAWC Gamma-Ray Observatory for the Indirect Detection of Ultrahigh-Energy Neutrinos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hermes León Vargas

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The detection of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos, with energies in the PeV range or above, is a topic of great interest in modern astroparticle physics. The importance comes from the fact that these neutrinos point back to the most energetic particle accelerators in the Universe and provide information about their underlying acceleration mechanisms. Atmospheric neutrinos are a background for these challenging measurements, but their rate is expected to be negligible above ≈1 PeV. In this work we describe the feasibility to study ultrahigh-energy neutrinos based on the Earth-skimming technique, by detecting the charged leptons produced in neutrino-nucleon interactions in a high mass target. We propose to detect the charged leptons, or their decay products, with the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC observatory and use as a large-mass target for the neutrino interactions the Pico de Orizaba volcano, the highest mountain in Mexico. In this work we develop an estimate of the detection rate using a geometrical model to calculate the effective area of the observatory. Our results show that it may be feasible to perform measurements of the ultrahigh-energy neutrino flux from cosmic origin during the expected lifetime of the HAWC observatory.

Efficiency Enhancement of Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells via Photon Management Using Graphene Quantum Dot as Downconverters

KAUST Repository

Tsai, Meng-Lin

2015-12-16

By employing graphene quantum dots (GQDs), we have achieved a high efficiency of 16.55% in n-type Si heterojunction solar cells. The efficiency enhancement is based on the photon downconversion phenomenon of GQDs to make more photons absorbed in the depletion region for effective carrier separation, leading to the enhanced photovoltaic effect. The short circuit current and the fill factor are increased from 35.31 to 37.47 mA/cm2 and 70.29% to 72.51%, respectively. The work demonstrated here holds the promise for incorporating graphene-based materials in commercially available solar devices for developing ultra-high efficiency photovoltaic cells in the future.

Efficiency Enhancement of Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells via Photon Management Using Graphene Quantum Dot as Downconverters

KAUST Repository

Tsai, Meng-Lin; Tu, Wei-Chen; Tang, Libin; Wei, Tzu-Chiao; Wei, Wan-Rou; Lau, Shu Ping; Chen, Lih-Juann; He, Jr-Hau

2015-01-01

By employing graphene quantum dots (GQDs), we have achieved a high efficiency of 16.55% in n-type Si heterojunction solar cells. The efficiency enhancement is based on the photon downconversion phenomenon of GQDs to make more photons absorbed in the depletion region for effective carrier separation, leading to the enhanced photovoltaic effect. The short circuit current and the fill factor are increased from 35.31 to 37.47 mA/cm2 and 70.29% to 72.51%, respectively. The work demonstrated here holds the promise for incorporating graphene-based materials in commercially available solar devices for developing ultra-high efficiency photovoltaic cells in the future.

Systematic Calibration for Ultra-High Accuracy Inertial Measurement Units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingzhong Cai

2016-06-01

Full Text Available An inertial navigation system (INS has been widely used in challenging GPS environments. With the rapid development of modern physics, an atomic gyroscope will come into use in the near future with a predicted accuracy of 5 × 10−6°/h or better. However, existing calibration methods and devices can not satisfy the accuracy requirements of future ultra-high accuracy inertial sensors. In this paper, an improved calibration model is established by introducing gyro g-sensitivity errors, accelerometer cross-coupling errors and lever arm errors. A systematic calibration method is proposed based on a 51-state Kalman filter and smoother. Simulation results show that the proposed calibration method can realize the estimation of all the parameters using a common dual-axis turntable. Laboratory and sailing tests prove that the position accuracy in a five-day inertial navigation can be improved about 8% by the proposed calibration method. The accuracy can be improved at least 20% when the position accuracy of the atomic gyro INS can reach a level of 0.1 nautical miles/5 d. Compared with the existing calibration methods, the proposed method, with more error sources and high order small error parameters calibrated for ultra-high accuracy inertial measurement units (IMUs using common turntables, has a great application potential in future atomic gyro INSs.

Charge collection efficiency in SI GaAs grown from melts with variable composition as a material for solar neutrino detection

CERN Document Server

Verbitskaya, E; Ivanov, A; Strokan, N; Vasilev, V; Markov, A; Polyakov, A; Gavrin, V; Kozlova, Y; Veretenkin, E; Bowles, T J

2000-01-01

The results on electrical characteristics and charge collection efficiency in the detectors from bulk SI GaAs developed as a material for solar neutrino spectroscopy are presented. SI GaAs crystals were grown by the Czochralski method. The changes in the stoichiometric components are permanently controlled. It is shown that the performance of GaAs p sup + -i-n sup + structures provided the range of operational reverse voltage up to 1 kV. Measurement of deep level spectra and their analysis reveal the dominant deep levels - hole traps E sub v +0.51 and +0.075 eV in GaAs grown from stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric melts, respectively. Investigation of carrier transport properties and bulk homogeneity evinced in charge collection efficiency has shown advantageous results for SI GaAs grown from stoichiometric melt. The reduction of carrier transport parameters and charge collection efficiency in GaAs grown from nonstoichiometric melt is analyzed taking into consideration formation of the hole trap E sub v +0....

New vacancy source in ultrahigh-purity aluminium single crystals with a low dislocation density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mizuno, Kaoru; Yamamoto, Satoshi [Shimane Univ., Faculty of Science and Engineering, Matsue, Shimane (Japan); Morikawa, Kimihiko [Hokkaido Univ., Institute for Low Temperature Science, Sapporo, Hokkaido (Japan); Kuga, Masanori [Kanazawa Univ., Faculty of Science, Kanazawa, Ishikawa (Japan); Okamoto, Hiroyuki [Kanazawa Univ., Faculty of Medicine, Kanazawa, Ishikawa (Japan); Hashimoto, Eiji [Hiroshima Univ., Hiroshima Synchrotron Radiation Center, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima (Japan)

2004-05-01

The vacancy generation process in ultrahigh-purity aluminum single crystals with a low dislocation density was investigated by synchrotron radiation topography using a white X-ray beam. Some straight lines were observed in the topographys taken after temperature rose to 300degC from room temperature, and they were confirmed to be rows of successive small interstitial-type dislocation loops grown as vacancy sources. It was concluded that the thermal generation mechanism of vacancies in ultrahigh-purity aluminum single crystals with a low dislocation density consists of the following two steps. First, small interstitial loops are heterogeneously formed in the crystal lattice; second, these convert to lengthened loops with the development of screw components and finally grow into rows of dislocation loops emitting vacancies into the lattice. (author)

New vacancy source in ultrahigh-purity aluminium single crystals with a low dislocation density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizuno, Kaoru; Yamamoto, Satoshi; Morikawa, Kimihiko; Kuga, Masanori; Okamoto, Hiroyuki; Hashimoto, Eiji

2004-01-01

The vacancy generation process in ultrahigh-purity aluminum single crystals with a low dislocation density was investigated by synchrotron radiation topography using a white X-ray beam. Some straight lines were observed in the topographys taken after temperature rose to 300degC from room temperature, and they were confirmed to be rows of successive small interstitial-type dislocation loops grown as vacancy sources. It was concluded that the thermal generation mechanism of vacancies in ultrahigh-purity aluminum single crystals with a low dislocation density consists of the following two steps. First, small interstitial loops are heterogeneously formed in the crystal lattice; second, these convert to lengthened loops with the development of screw components and finally grow into rows of dislocation loops emitting vacancies into the lattice. (author)

Charge collection efficiency and resolution of an irradiated double-sided silicon microstrip detector operated at cryogenic temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borer, K.; Janos, S.; Palmieri, V.G.; Buytaert, J.; Chabaud, V.; Chochula, P.; Collins, P.; Dijkstra, H.; Niinikoski, T.O.; Lourenco, C.; Parkes, C.; Saladino, S.; Ruf, T.; Granata, V.; Pagano, S.; Vitobello, F.; Bell, W.; Bartalini, P.; Dormond, O.; Frei, R.; Casagrande, L.; Bowcock, T.; Barnett, I.B.M.; Da Via, C.; Konorov, I.; Paul, S.; Schmitt, L.; Ruggiero, G.; Stavitski, I.; Esposito, A.

2000-01-01

This paper presents results on the measurement of the cluster shapes, resolution and charge collection efficiency of a double-sided silicon microstrip detector after irradiation with 24 GeV protons to a fluence of 3.5x10 14 p/cm 2 and operated at cryogenic temperatures. An empirical model is presented which describes the expected cluster shapes as a function of depletion depth, and is shown to agree with the data. It is observed that the clusters on the p-side broaden if the detector is under-depleted, leading to a degradation of resolution and efficiency. The model is used to make predictions for detector types envisaged for the LHC experiments. The results also show that at cryogenic temperature the charge collection efficiency varies depending on the operating conditions of the detector and can reach values of 100% at unexpectedly low bias voltage. By analysing the cluster shapes it is shown that these variations are due to changes in depletion depth. This phenomenon, known as the 'Lazarus effect', can be related to similar recent observations on diode behaviour

Ultra-high performance concrete : a state-of-the-art report for the bridge community.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

"The term Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) refers to a relatively new class of advanced cementitious : composite materials whose mechanical and durability properties far surpass those of conventional concrete. This : class of concrete has been ...

Ultra-high temperature tensile properties of ODS steel claddings under severe accident conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yano, Y., E-mail: yano.yasuhide@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Ibaraki, 311-1393 (Japan); Tanno, T.; Oka, H.; Ohtsuka, S.; Inoue, T.; Kato, S.; Furukawa, T.; Uwaba, T.; Kaito, T. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 4002, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Ibaraki, 311-1393 (Japan); Ukai, S.; Oono, N. [Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, N13, W-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8628 (Japan); Kimura, A. [Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011 (Japan); Hayashi, S. [Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550 (Japan); Torimaru, T. [Nippon Nuclear Fuel Development Co., Ltd., 2163, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Ibaraki, 311-1313 (Japan)

2017-04-15

Ultra-high temperature ring tensile tests were performed to investigate the tensile behavior of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel claddings and wrapper materials under severe accident conditions with temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1400 °C which is close to the melting point of core materials. The experimental results showed that the tensile strength of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings was highest in the core materials at ultra-high temperatures of 900–1200 °C, but there was significant degradation in the tensile strength of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings above 1200 °C. This degradation was attributed to grain boundary sliding deformation with γ/δ transformation, which is associated with reduced ductility. By contrast, the tensile strength of recrystallized 12Cr-ODS and FeCrAl-ODS steel claddings retained its high value above 1200 °C, unlike the other tested materials.

Ultra-high temperature tensile properties of ODS steel claddings under severe accident conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Yano, Y.; Tanno, T.; Oka, H.; Ohtsuka, S.; Inoue, T.; Kato, S.; Furukawa, T.; Uwaba, T.; Kaito, T.; Ukai, S.; Oono, N.; Kimura, A.; Hayashi, S.; Torimaru, T.

2017-04-01

Ultra-high temperature ring tensile tests were performed to investigate the tensile behavior of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel claddings and wrapper materials under severe accident conditions with temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1400 °C which is close to the melting point of core materials. The experimental results showed that the tensile strength of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings was highest in the core materials at ultra-high temperatures of 900-1200 °C, but there was significant degradation in the tensile strength of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings above 1200 °C. This degradation was attributed to grain boundary sliding deformation with γ/δ transformation, which is associated with reduced ductility. By contrast, the tensile strength of recrystallized 12Cr-ODS and FeCrAl-ODS steel claddings retained its high value above 1200 °C, unlike the other tested materials.

Cortico-Striatal GABAergic and Glutamatergic Dysregulations in Subjects at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis Investigated with Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes-Madrigal, Francisco; Mao, Xiangling; León-Ortiz, Pablo; Rodríguez-Mayoral, Oscar; Solís-Vivanco, Rodolfo; Favila, Rafael; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Shungu, Dikoma C.

2016-01-01

Background: Dysregulations of the major inhibitory and excitatory amino neurotransmitter systems of γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamate, respectively, have been described in patients with schizophrenia. However, it is unclear whether these abnormalities are present in subjects at ultra-high risk for psychosis. Methods: Twenty-three antipsychotic naïve subjects at ultra-high risk and 24 healthy control subjects, matched for age, sex, handedness, cigarette smoking, and parental education, underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans in the dorsal caudate bilaterally and the medial prefrontal cortex at 3T. Levels of γ-aminobutyric acid and of the combined resonance of glutamate and glutamine (Glx) were obtained using the standard J-editing technique and expressed as peak area ratios relative to the synchronously acquired unsuppressed voxel water signal. Results: Higher levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (P<.001) and Glx (P=.007) were found in the dorsal caudate of the subjects at ultra-high risk than in the healthy controls. In the medial prefrontal cortex, likewise, both γ-aminobutyric acid (P=.03) and Glx (P=.006) levels were higher in the ultra-high risk group than in the healthy controls. No group differences were found for any of the other metabolites (N-acetylaspartate, total choline, or total creatine) in the 2 regions of interest. Conclusions: This study presents the first evidence of abnormal elevations, in subjects at ultra-high risk, of γ-aminobutyric acid and Glx in 2 brain regions that have been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis, warranting longitudinal studies to assess whether these neurotransmitter abnormalities can serve as noninvasive biomarkers of conversion risk to psychosis as well as of illness progression and treatment response. PMID:26364273

25  W/m2 collection efficiency solar-pumped Nd:YAG laser by a heliostat-parabolic mirror system.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, D; Almeida, J; Vistas, C R

2016-09-20

A large aspheric fused silica lens was used to couple efficiently the concentrated solar radiation from the focal zone of a 1.5-m-diameter primary concentrator into a 4-mm-diameter, 35-mm-long Nd:YAG single-crystal rod within a conical pump cavity. Continuous-wave laser power of 29.3 W was measured, attaining 25.0  W/m2 solar laser collection efficiency, corresponding to a 19% increase over the previous record. Its laser beam figure of merit-the ratio between laser power and the product of Mx2, My2 beam quality factors-of 0.01 W is 1.6 times higher than that of a direct tracking solar laser with 30  W/m2 collection efficiency. A strong dependency of solar laser power on laser resonator cavity length was found.

Constraints on Ultrahigh-Energy Cosmic-Ray Sources from a Search for Neutrinos above 10 PeV with IceCube.

Science.gov (United States)

Aartsen, M G; Abraham, K; Ackermann, M; Adams, J; Aguilar, J A; Ahlers, M; Ahrens, M; Altmann, D; Andeen, K; Anderson, T; Ansseau, I; Anton, G; Archinger, M; Argüelles, C; Auffenberg, J; Axani, S; Bai, X; Barwick, S W; Baum, V; Bay, R; Beatty, J J; Becker Tjus, J; Becker, K-H; BenZvi, S; Berghaus, P; Berley, D; Bernardini, E; Bernhard, A; Besson, D Z; Binder, G; Bindig, D; Bissok, M; Blaufuss, E; Blot, S; Bohm, C; Börner, M; Bos, F; Bose, D; Böser, S; Botner, O; Braun, J; Brayeur, L; Bretz, H-P; Burgman, A; Carver, T; Casier, M; Cheung, E; Chirkin, D; Christov, A; Clark, K; Classen, L; Coenders, S; Collin, G H; Conrad, J M; Cowen, D F; Cross, R; Day, M; de André, J P A M; De Clercq, C; Del Pino Rosendo, E; Dembinski, H; De Ridder, S; Desiati, P; de Vries, K D; de Wasseige, G; de With, M; DeYoung, T; Díaz-Vélez, J C; di Lorenzo, V; Dujmovic, H; Dumm, J P; Dunkman, M; Eberhardt, B; Ehrhardt, T; Eichmann, B; Eller, P; Euler, S; Evenson, P A; Fahey, S; Fazely, A R; Feintzeig, J; Felde, J; Filimonov, K; Finley, C; Flis, S; Fösig, C-C; Franckowiak, A; Friedman, E; Fuchs, T; Gaisser, T K; Gallagher, J; Gerhardt, L; Ghorbani, K; Giang, W; Gladstone, L; Glagla, M; Glüsenkamp, T; Goldschmidt, A; Golup, G; Gonzalez, J G; Grant, D; Griffith, Z; Haack, C; Haj Ismail, A; Hallgren, A; Halzen, F; Hansen, E; Hansmann, B; Hansmann, T; Hanson, K; Hebecker, D; Heereman, D; Helbing, K; Hellauer, R; Hickford, S; Hignight, J; Hill, G C; Hoffman, K D; Hoffmann, R; Holzapfel, K; Hoshina, K; Huang, F; Huber, M; Hultqvist, K; In, S; Ishihara, A; Jacobi, E; Japaridze, G S; Jeong, M; Jero, K; Jones, B J P; Jurkovic, M; Kappes, A; Karg, T; Karle, A; Katz, U; Kauer, M; Keivani, A; Kelley, J L; Kemp, J; Kheirandish, A; Kim, M; Kintscher, T; Kiryluk, J; Kittler, T; Klein, S R; Kohnen, G; Koirala, R; Kolanoski, H; Konietz, R; Köpke, L; Kopper, C; Kopper, S; Koskinen, D J; Kowalski, M; Krings, K; Kroll, M; Krückl, G; Krüger, C; Kunnen, J; Kunwar, S; Kurahashi, N; Kuwabara, T; Labare, M; Lanfranchi, J L; Larson, M J; Lauber, F; Lennarz, D; Lesiak-Bzdak, M; Leuermann, M; Leuner, J; Lu, L; Lünemann, J; Madsen, J; Maggi, G; Mahn, K B M; Mancina, S; Mandelartz, M; Maruyama, R; Mase, K; Maunu, R; McNally, F; Meagher, K; Medici, M; Meier, M; Meli, A; Menne, T; Merino, G; Meures, T; Miarecki, S; Mohrmann, L; Montaruli, T; Moulai, M; Nahnhauer, R; Naumann, U; Neer, G; Niederhausen, H; Nowicki, S C; Nygren, D R; Obertacke Pollmann, A; Olivas, A; O'Murchadha, A; Palczewski, T; Pandya, H; Pankova, D V; Penek, Ö; Pepper, J A; Pérez de Los Heros, C; Pieloth, D; Pinat, E; Price, P B; Przybylski, G T; Quinnan, M; Raab, C; Rädel, L; Rameez, M; Rawlins, K; Reimann, R; Relethford, B; Relich, M; Resconi, E; Rhode, W; Richman, M; Riedel, B; Robertson, S; Rongen, M; Rott, C; Ruhe, T; Ryckbosch, D; Rysewyk, D; Sabbatini, L; Sanchez Herrera, S E; Sandrock, A; Sandroos, J; Sarkar, S; Satalecka, K; Schimp, M; Schlunder, P; Schmidt, T; Schoenen, S; Schöneberg, S; Schumacher, L; Seckel, D; Seunarine, S; Soldin, D; Song, M; Spiczak, G M; Spiering, C; Stahlberg, M; Stanev, T; Stasik, A; Steuer, A; Stezelberger, T; Stokstad, R G; Stößl, A; Ström, R; Strotjohann, N L; Sullivan, G W; Sutherland, M; Taavola, H; Taboada, I; Tatar, J; Tenholt, F; Ter-Antonyan, S; Terliuk, A; Tešić, G; Tilav, S; Toale, P A; Tobin, M N; Toscano, S; Tosi, D; Tselengidou, M; Turcati, A; Unger, E; Usner, M; Vandenbroucke, J; van Eijndhoven, N; Vanheule, S; van Rossem, M; van Santen, J; Veenkamp, J; Vehring, M; Voge, M; Vraeghe, M; Walck, C; Wallace, A; Wallraff, M; Wandkowsky, N; Weaver, Ch; Weiss, M J; Wendt, C; Westerhoff, S; Whelan, B J; Wickmann, S; Wiebe, K; Wiebusch, C H; Wille, L; Williams, D R; Wills, L; Wolf, M; Wood, T R; Woolsey, E; Woschnagg, K; Xu, D L; Xu, X W; Xu, Y; Yanez, J P; Yodh, G; Yoshida, S; Zoll, M

2016-12-09

We report constraints on the sources of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) above 10^{9}  GeV, based on an analysis of seven years of IceCube data. This analysis efficiently selects very high- energy neutrino-induced events which have deposited energies from 5×10^{5}  GeV to above 10^{11}  GeV. Two neutrino-induced events with an estimated deposited energy of (2.6±0.3)×10^{6}  GeV, the highest neutrino energy observed so far, and (7.7±2.0)×10^{5}  GeV were detected. The atmospheric background-only hypothesis of detecting these events is rejected at 3.6σ. The hypothesis that the observed events are of cosmogenic origin is also rejected at >99% CL because of the limited deposited energy and the nonobservation of events at higher energy, while their observation is consistent with an astrophysical origin. Our limits on cosmogenic neutrino fluxes disfavor the UHECR sources having a cosmological evolution stronger than the star formation rate, e.g., active galactic nuclei and γ-ray bursts, assuming proton-dominated UHECRs. Constraints on UHECR sources including mixed and heavy UHECR compositions are obtained for models of neutrino production within UHECR sources. Our limit disfavors a significant part of parameter space for active galactic nuclei and new-born pulsar models. These limits on the ultrahigh-energy neutrino flux models are the most stringent to date.

Ultra-high current density thin-film Si diode

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi [Littleton, CO

2008-04-22

A combination of a thin-film .mu.c-Si and a-Si:H containing diode structure characterized by an ultra-high current density that exceeds 1000 A/cm.sup.2, comprising: a substrate; a bottom metal layer disposed on the substrate; an n-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited the bottom metal layer; an i-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited on the n-layer; a buffer layer of a-Si:H deposited on the i-layer, a p-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited on the buffer layer; and a top metal layer deposited on the p-layer.

Enhanced pycnonuclear reactions in ultrahigh-pressure metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichimaru, Setsuo; Kitamura, Hikaru

1995-01-01

By combining the concepts of pycnonuclear reactions at low temperatures and their enhancement due to strong internuclear Coulomb correlations, we predict the possibilities of a novel scheme for fusion in ultrahigh-pressure liquid-metallic hydrogen near the freezing conditions, for the reactions 2 H(p,γ) 3 He, 3 H(d,n) 4 He, and 7 Li(p,α) 4 He. Time evolution is followed for p-d reaction after a pulsed compression with 1 kJ input and the initial conditions of mass density ≅ 20 g/cm 3 , temperature ≅ 1400 K, pressure ≅ 490 Mbar, and radius ≅ 0.017 cm; an energy yield of 33 kJ in 0.03 fs is thus predicted. (author)

Ultra-high resolution protein crystallography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeda, Kazuki; Hirano, Yu; Miki, Kunio

2010-01-01

Many protein structures have been determined by X-ray crystallography and deposited with the Protein Data Bank. However, these structures at usual resolution (1.5< d<3.0 A) are insufficient in their precision and quantity for elucidating the molecular mechanism of protein functions directly from structural information. Several studies at ultra-high resolution (d<0.8 A) have been performed with synchrotron radiation in the last decade. The highest resolution of the protein crystals was achieved at 0.54 A resolution for a small protein, crambin. In such high resolution crystals, almost all of hydrogen atoms of proteins and some hydrogen atoms of bound water molecules are experimentally observed. In addition, outer-shell electrons of proteins can be analyzed by the multipole refinement procedure. However, the influence of X-rays should be precisely estimated in order to derive meaningful information from the crystallographic results. In this review, we summarize refinement procedures, current status and perspectives for ultra high resolution protein crystallography. (author)

Ultrahigh Sensitivity Piezoresistive Pressure Sensors for Detection of Tiny Pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hongwei; Wu, Kunjie; Xu, Zeyang; Wang, Zhongwu; Meng, Yancheng; Li, Liqiang

2018-05-31

High sensitivity pressure sensors are crucial for the ultra-sensitive touch technology and E-skin, especially at the tiny pressure range below 100 Pa. However, it is highly challenging to substantially promote sensitivity beyond the current level at several to two hundred kPa -1 , and to improve the detection limit lower than 0.1 Pa, which is significant for the development of pressure sensors toward ultrasensitive and highly precise detection. Here, we develop an efficient strategy to greatly improve the sensitivity near to 2000 kPa -1 by using short channel coplanar device structure and sharp microstructure, which is systematically proposed for the first time and rationalized by the mathematic calculation and analysis. Significantly, benefiting from the ultrahigh sensitivity, the detection limit is improved to be as small as 0.075 Pa. The sensitivity and detection limit are both superior to the current levels, and far surpass the function of human skin. Furthermore, the sensor shows fast response time (50 μs), excellent reproducibility and stability, and low power consumption. Remarkably, the sensor shows excellent detection capacity in the tiny pressure range including LED switching with a pressure of 7 Pa, ringtone (2-20 Pa) recognition, and ultrasensitive (0.1 Pa) electronic glove. This work represents a performance and strategic progress in the field of pressure sensing.

Fission product removal by containment spray - influence of the distance between the drops on the aerosol collection efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauchet, N.

2000-01-01

This work is within the framework of the studies that are conducted at the IPSN concerning the loss of coolant in a nuclear reactor. During this kind of accident, a spray system in the reactor containment induces the scrubbing of fission products in the atmosphere, and allows the decrease of their concentration in the containment. Our objective is to study the influence of the distance between the drops of their aerosol collection efficiency. This is not taken into account in the existing models. We stimulate the various aerosol collection mechanisms with one free falling drop using computational fluid dynamics codes. The mechanisms are: deposition by brownian diffusion, impaction and interception of the particles by the drop, and collection of particles in the presence of steam condensation at the surface of the drop. These phenomena are studied for drops ranging in diameter from 100 to 700 micrometers, falling in a saturated air-steam mixture whose temperature varies between 20 and 140 degrees Celsius, and total pressure varies between 1 and 5 bars. We validate these models with results available in the literature and with experimental results CARAIDAS. Then we apply these models to the case of three aligned drops, which constitutes a case for which the proximity of the drops has a strong influence on the collection of aerosols. While varying the distance between the drop from 5 to 25 drop diameters, we can highlight the modification of the collection efficiency of each mechanism related to the disturbance of the velocity and concentration fields in the vicinity of the drops. We note that the strongest variations of efficiency observed are in the field of impaction, and that the steam condensation at the surface of the drops limits the decrease. (authors)

Enhancing thermal reliability of fiber-optic sensors for bio-inspired applications at ultra-high temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Donghoon; Kim, Heon-Young; Kim, Dae-Hyun

2014-07-01

The rapid growth of bio-(inspired) sensors has led to an improvement in modern healthcare and human-robot systems in recent years. Higher levels of reliability and better flexibility, essential features of these sensors, are very much required in many application fields (e.g. applications at ultra-high temperatures). Fiber-optic sensors, and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in particular, are being widely studied as suitable sensors for improved structural health monitoring (SHM) due to their many merits. To enhance the thermal reliability of FBG sensors, thermal sensitivity, generally expressed as αf + ξf and considered a constant, should be investigated more precisely. For this purpose, the governing equation of FBG sensors is modified using differential derivatives between the wavelength shift and the temperature change in this study. Through a thermal test ranging from RT to 900 °C, the thermal sensitivity of FBG sensors is successfully examined and this guarantees thermal reliability of FBG sensors at ultra-high temperatures. In detail, αf + ξf has a non-linear dependence on temperature and varies from 6.0 × 10-6 °C-1 (20 °C) to 10.6 × 10-6 °C-1 (650 °C). Also, FBGs should be carefully used for applications at ultra-high temperatures due to signal disappearance near 900 °C.

Charge collection efficiency in a semiconductor radiation detector with a non-constant electric field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, K.S.; Lund, J.C.; Olschner, F.

1990-01-01

The development of improved semiconductor radiation detectors would be facilitated by a quantitative model that predicts the performance of these detectors as a function of material characteristics and device operating parameters. An accurate prediction of the pulse height spectrum from a radiation detector can be made if both the noise and the charge collection properties of the detector are understood. The noise characteristics of semiconductor radiation detectors have been extensively studied. The effect of noise can be closely simulated by convoluting the noise-free pulse height spectrum with a Gaussian function. Distortion of semiconductor detector's pulse height spectrum from charge collection effects is more complex than the effects of noise and is more difficult to predict. To compute these distortions it is necessary to know how the charge collection efficiency η varies as a function of position within the detector x. These effects are shown. This problem has been previously solved for planar detectors with a constant electric field, for the case of spherical detectors, and for coaxial detectors. In this paper the authors describe a more general solution to the charge collection problem which includes the case of a non-constant electric field in a planar geometry

Fracture Mechanisms of Zirconium Diboride Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics under Pulse Loading

Science.gov (United States)

Skripnyak, Vladimir V.; Bragov, Anatolii M.; Skripnyak, Vladimir A.; Lomunov, Andrei K.; Skripnyak, Evgeniya G.; Vaganova, Irina K.

2015-06-01

Mechanisms of failure in ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTC) based on zirconium diboride under pulse loading were studied experimentally by the method of SHPB and theoretically using the multiscale simulation method. The obtained experimental and numerical data are evidence of the quasi-brittle fracture character of nanostructured zirconium diboride ceramics under compression and tension at high strain rates and the room temperatures. Damage of nanostructured porous zirconium diboride -based UHTC can be formed under stress pulse amplitude below the Hugoniot elastic limit. Fracture of nanostructured ultra-high temperature ceramics under pulse and shock-wave loadings is provided by fast processes of intercrystalline brittle fracture and relatively slow processes of quasi-brittle failure via growth and coalescence of microcracks. A decrease of the shear strength can be caused by nano-voids clusters in vicinity of triple junctions between ceramic matrix grains and ultrafine-grained ceramics. This research was supported by grants from ``The Tomsk State University Academic D.I. Mendeleev Fund Program'' and also N. I. Lobachevski State University of Nizhny Novgorod (Grant of post graduate mobility).

A lateral chromatic aberration correction system for ultrahigh-definition color video camera

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Takayuki; Shimamoto, Hiroshi; Funatsu, Ryohei; Mitani, Kohji; Nojiri, Yuji

2006-02-01

We have developed color camera for an 8k x 4k-pixel ultrahigh-definition video system, which is called Super Hi- Vision, with a 5x zoom lens and a signal-processing system incorporating a function for real-time lateral chromatic aberration correction. The chromatic aberration of the lens degrades color image resolution. So in order to develop a compact zoom lens consistent with ultrahigh-resolution characteristics, we incorporated a real-time correction function in the signal-processing system. The signal-processing system has eight memory tables to store the correction data at eight focal length points on the blue and red channels. When the focal length data is inputted from the lens control units, the relevant correction data are interpolated from two of eights correction data tables. This system performs geometrical conversion on both channels using this correction data. This paper describes that the correction function can successfully reduce the lateral chromatic aberration, to an amount small enough to ensure the desired image resolution was achieved over the entire range of the lens in real time.

Ultrahigh-speed, high-sensitivity color camera with 300,000-pixel single CCD

Science.gov (United States)

Kitamura, K.; Arai, T.; Yonai, J.; Hayashida, T.; Ohtake, H.; Kurita, T.; Tanioka, K.; Maruyama, H.; Namiki, J.; Yanagi, T.; Yoshida, T.; van Kuijk, H.; Bosiers, Jan T.; Etoh, T. G.

2007-01-01

We have developed an ultrahigh-speed, high-sensitivity portable color camera with a new 300,000-pixel single CCD. The 300,000-pixel CCD, which has four times the number of pixels of our initial model, was developed by seamlessly joining two 150,000-pixel CCDs. A green-red-green-blue (GRGB) Bayer filter is used to realize a color camera with the single-chip CCD. The camera is capable of ultrahigh-speed video recording at up to 1,000,000 frames/sec, and small enough to be handheld. We also developed a technology for dividing the CCD output signal to enable parallel, highspeed readout and recording in external memory; this makes possible long, continuous shots up to 1,000 frames/second. As a result of an experiment, video footage was imaged at an athletics meet. Because of high-speed shooting, even detailed movements of athletes' muscles were captured. This camera can capture clear slow-motion videos, so it enables previously impossible live footage to be imaged for various TV broadcasting programs.

Beyond sixfold coordinated Si in SiO2 glass at ultrahigh pressures.

Science.gov (United States)

Prescher, Clemens; Prakapenka, Vitali B; Stefanski, Johannes; Jahn, Sandro; Skinner, Lawrie B; Wang, Yanbin

2017-09-19

We investigated the structure of SiO 2 glass up to 172 GPa using high-energy X-ray diffraction. The combination of a multichannel collimator with diamond anvil cells enabled the measurement of structural changes in silica glass with total X-ray diffraction to previously unachievable pressures. We show that SiO 2 first undergoes a change in Si-O coordination number from fourfold to sixfold between 15 and 50 GPa, in agreement with previous investigations. Above 50 GPa, the estimated coordination number continuously increases from 6 to 6.8 at 172 GPa. Si-O bond length shows first an increase due to the fourfold to sixfold coordination change and then a smaller linear decrease up to 172 GPa. We reconcile the changes in relation to the oxygen-packing fraction, showing that oxygen packing decreases at ultrahigh pressures to accommodate the higher than sixfold Si-O coordination. These results give experimental insight into the structural changes of silicate glasses as analogue materials for silicate melts at ultrahigh pressures.

Charge collection efficiency in SI GaAs grown from melts with variable composition as a material for solar neutrino detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verbitskaya, E.; Eremin, V.; Ivanov, A.; Strokan, N.; Vasilev, V.; Markov, A.; Polyakov, A.; Gavrin, V.; Kozlova, Yu.; Veretenkin, E.; Bowles, T.J.

2000-01-01

The results on electrical characteristics and charge collection efficiency in the detectors from bulk SI GaAs developed as a material for solar neutrino spectroscopy are presented. SI GaAs crystals were grown by the Czochralski method. The changes in the stoichiometric components are permanently controlled. It is shown that the performance of GaAs p + -i-n + structures provided the range of operational reverse voltage up to 1 kV. Measurement of deep level spectra and their analysis reveal the dominant deep levels - hole traps E v +0.51 and +0.075 eV in GaAs grown from stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric melts, respectively. Investigation of carrier transport properties and bulk homogeneity evinced in charge collection efficiency has shown advantageous results for SI GaAs grown from stoichiometric melt. The reduction of carrier transport parameters and charge collection efficiency in GaAs grown from nonstoichiometric melt is analyzed taking into consideration formation of the hole trap E v +0.075 eV, presumably assigned to Ga antisite and its influence on the concentration of the ionized deep donor level EL2 +

Ultra-high wear resistance of ultra-nanocrystalline diamond film: Correlation with microstructure and morphology

Science.gov (United States)

Rani, R.; Kumar, N.; Lin, I.-Nan

2016-05-01

Nanostructured diamond films are having numerous unique properties including superior tribological behavior which is promising for enhancing energy efficiency and life time of the sliding devices. High wear resistance is the principal criterion for the smooth functioning of any sliding device. Such properties are achievable by tailoring the grain size and grain boundary volume fraction in nanodiamond film. Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) film was attainable using optimized gas plasma condition in a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) system. Crystalline phase of ultra-nanodiamond grains with matrix phase of amorphous carbon and short range ordered graphite are encapsulated in nanowire shaped morphology. Film showed ultra-high wear resistance and frictional stability in micro-tribological contact conditions. The negligible wear of film at the beginning of the tribological contact was later transformed into the wearless regime for prolonged sliding cycles. Both surface roughness and high contact stress were the main reasons of wear at the beginning of sliding cycles. However, the interface gets smoothened due to continuous sliding, finally leaded to the wearless regime.

Efficient collective swimming by harnessing vortices through deep reinforcement learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Siddhartha; Novati, Guido; Koumoutsakos, Petros

2018-06-05

Fish in schooling formations navigate complex flow fields replete with mechanical energy in the vortex wakes of their companions. Their schooling behavior has been associated with evolutionary advantages including energy savings, yet the underlying physical mechanisms remain unknown. We show that fish can improve their sustained propulsive efficiency by placing themselves in appropriate locations in the wake of other swimmers and intercepting judiciously their shed vortices. This swimming strategy leads to collective energy savings and is revealed through a combination of high-fidelity flow simulations with a deep reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm. The RL algorithm relies on a policy defined by deep, recurrent neural nets, with long-short-term memory cells, that are essential for capturing the unsteadiness of the two-way interactions between the fish and the vortical flow field. Surprisingly, we find that swimming in-line with a leader is not associated with energetic benefits for the follower. Instead, "smart swimmer(s)" place themselves at off-center positions, with respect to the axis of the leader(s) and deform their body to synchronize with the momentum of the oncoming vortices, thus enhancing their swimming efficiency at no cost to the leader(s). The results confirm that fish may harvest energy deposited in vortices and support the conjecture that swimming in formation is energetically advantageous. Moreover, this study demonstrates that deep RL can produce navigation algorithms for complex unsteady and vortical flow fields, with promising implications for energy savings in autonomous robotic swarms.

A useful PET probe [11C]BU99008 with ultra-high specific radioactivity for small animal PET imaging of I2-imidazoline receptors in the hypothalamus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Kazunori; Shimoda, Yoko; Yui, Joji; Zhang, Yiding; Yamasaki, Tomoteru; Wakizaka, Hidekatsu; Hatori, Akiko; Xie, Lin; Kumata, Katsushi; Fujinaga, Masayuki; Ogawa, Masanao; Kurihara, Yusuke; Nengaki, Nobuki; Zhang, Ming-Rong

2017-01-01

Introduction: A positron emission tomography (PET) probe with ultra-high specific radioactivity (SA) enables measuring high receptor specific binding in brain regions by avoiding mass effect of the PET probe itself. It has been reported that PET probe with ultra-high SA can detect small change caused by endogenous or exogenous ligand. Recently, Kealey et al. developed [ 11 C]BU99008, a more potent PET probe for I 2 -imidazoline receptors (I 2 Rs) imaging, with a conventional SA (mean 76 GBq/μmol) showed higher specific binding in the brain. Here, to detect small change of specific binding for I 2 Rs caused by endogenous or exogenous ligand in an extremely small region, such as hypothalamus in the brain, we synthesized and evaluated [ 11 C]BU99008 with ultra-high SA as a useful PET probe for small-animal PET imaging of I 2 Rs. Methods: [ 11 C]BU99008 was prepared by [ 11 C]methylation of N-desmethyl precursor with [ 11 C]methyl iodide. Biodistribution, metabolite analysis, and brain PET studies were conducted in rats. Results: [ 11 C]BU99008 with ultra-high SA in the range of 5400–16,600 GBq/μmol were successfully synthesized (n = 7), and had appropriate radioactivity for in vivo study. In the biodistribution study, the mean radioactivity levels in all investigated tissues except for the kidney did not show significant difference between [ 11 C]BU99008 with ultra-high SA and that with conventional SA. In the metabolite analysis, the percentage of unchanged [ 11 C]BU99008 at 30 min after the injection of probes with ultra-high and conventional SA was similar in rat brain and plasma. In the PET study of rats' brain, radioactivity level (AUC 30–60 min ) in the hypothalamus of rats injected with [ 11 C]BU99008 with ultra-high SA (64 [SUV ∙ min]) was significantly higher than that observed for that with conventional SA (50 [SUV ∙ min]). The specific binding of [ 11 C]BU99008 with ultra-high SA (86% of total binding) for I 2 R was higher than that of

Ultrahigh-throughput exfoliation of graphite into pristine ‘single-layer’ graphene using microwaves and molecularly engineered ionic liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Matsumoto, Michio; Saito, Yusuke; Park, Chiyoung; Fukushima, Takanori; Aida, Takuzo

2015-09-01

Graphene has shown much promise as an organic electronic material but, despite recent achievements in the production of few-layer graphene, the quantitative exfoliation of graphite into pristine single-layer graphene has remained one of the main challenges in developing practical devices. Recently, reduced graphene oxide has been recognized as a non-feasible alternative to graphene owing to variable defect types and levels, and attention is turning towards reliable methods for the high-throughput exfoliation of graphite. Here we report that microwave irradiation of graphite suspended in molecularly engineered oligomeric ionic liquids allows for ultrahigh-efficiency exfoliation (93% yield) with a high selectivity (95%) towards ‘single-layer’ graphene (that is, with thicknesses oligomeric ionic liquids up to ~100 mg ml-1, and form physical gels in which an anisotropic orientation of graphene sheets, once induced by a magnetic field, is maintained.

Fog-basking behaviour and water collection efficiency in Namib Desert Darkling beetles.

Science.gov (United States)

Nørgaard, Thomas; Dacke, Marie

2010-07-16

In the Namib Desert fog represents an alternative water source. This is utilised by Darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) that employ different strategies for obtaining the fog water. Some dig trenches in the sand, while others use their own bodies as fog collectors assuming a characteristic fog-basking stance. Two beetle species from the genus Onymacris have been observed to fog-bask on the ridges of the sand dunes. These beetles all have smooth elytra surfaces, while another species with elytra covered in bumps is reported to have specialised adaptations facilitating water capture by fog-basking. To resolve if these other beetles also fog-bask, and if an elytra covered in bumps is a more efficient fog water collector than a smooth one, we examined four Namib Desert beetles; the smooth Onymacris unguicularis and O. laeviceps and the bumpy Stenocara gracilipes and Physasterna cribripes. Here we describe the beetles' fog-basking behaviour, the details of their elytra structures, and determine how efficient their dorsal surface areas are at harvesting water from fog. The beetles differ greatly in size. The largest P. cribripes has a dorsal surface area that is 1.39, 1.56, and 2.52 times larger than O. unguicularis, O. laeviceps, and S. gracilipes, respectively. In accordance with earlier reports, we found that the second largest O. unguicularis is the only one of the four beetles that assumes the head standing fog-basking behaviour, and that fog is necessary to trigger this behaviour. No differences were seen in the absolute amounts of fog water collected on the dorsal surface areas of the different beetles. However, data corrected according to the sizes of the beetles revealed differences. The better fog water harvesters were S. gracilipes and O. unguicularis while the large P. cribripes was the poorest. Examination of the elytra microstructures showed clear structural differences, but the elytra of all beetles were found to be completely hydrophobic. The differences in

Fog-basking behaviour and water collection efficiency in Namib Desert Darkling beetles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dacke Marie

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the Namib Desert fog represents an alternative water source. This is utilised by Darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae that employ different strategies for obtaining the fog water. Some dig trenches in the sand, while others use their own bodies as fog collectors assuming a characteristic fog-basking stance. Two beetle species from the genus Onymacris have been observed to fog-bask on the ridges of the sand dunes. These beetles all have smooth elytra surfaces, while another species with elytra covered in bumps is reported to have specialised adaptations facilitating water capture by fog-basking. To resolve if these other beetles also fog-bask, and if an elytra covered in bumps is a more efficient fog water collector than a smooth one, we examined four Namib Desert beetles; the smooth Onymacris unguicularis and O. laeviceps and the bumpy Stenocara gracilipes and Physasterna cribripes. Here we describe the beetles' fog-basking behaviour, the details of their elytra structures, and determine how efficient their dorsal surface areas are at harvesting water from fog. Results The beetles differ greatly in size. The largest P. cribripes has a dorsal surface area that is 1.39, 1.56, and 2.52 times larger than O. unguicularis, O. laeviceps, and S. gracilipes, respectively. In accordance with earlier reports, we found that the second largest O. unguicularis is the only one of the four beetles that assumes the head standing fog-basking behaviour, and that fog is necessary to trigger this behaviour. No differences were seen in the absolute amounts of fog water collected on the dorsal surface areas of the different beetles. However, data corrected according to the sizes of the beetles revealed differences. The better fog water harvesters were S. gracilipes and O. unguicularis while the large P. cribripes was the poorest. Examination of the elytra microstructures showed clear structural differences, but the elytra of all beetles were found to

Ultrahigh humidity sensitivity of graphene oxide.

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Hengchang; Yin, Kuibo; Xie, Xiao; Ji, Jing; Wan, Shu; Sun, Litao; Terrones, Mauricio; Dresselhaus, Mildred S

2013-01-01

Humidity sensors have been extensively used in various fields, and numerous problems are encountered when using humidity sensors, including low sensitivity, long response and recovery times, and narrow humidity detection ranges. Using graphene oxide (G-O) films as humidity sensing materials, we fabricate here a microscale capacitive humidity sensor. Compared with conventional capacitive humidity sensors, the G-O based humidity sensor has a sensitivity of up to 37800% which is more than 10 times higher than that of the best one among conventional sensors at 15%-95% relative humidity. Moreover, our humidity sensor shows a fast response time (less than 1/4 of that of the conventional one) and recovery time (less than 1/2 of that of the conventional one). Therefore, G-O appears to be an ideal material for constructing humidity sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity for widespread applications.

Evaluating the efficiency of municipalities in collecting and processing municipal solid waste: A shared input DEA-model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogge, Nicky; De Jaeger, Simon

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Complexity in local waste management calls for more in depth efficiency analysis. ► Shared-input Data Envelopment Analysis can provide solution. ► Considerable room for the Flemish municipalities to improve their cost efficiency. - Abstract: This paper proposed an adjusted “shared-input” version of the popular efficiency measurement technique Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) that enables evaluating municipality waste collection and processing performances in settings in which one input (waste costs) is shared among treatment efforts of multiple municipal solid waste fractions. The main advantage of this version of DEA is that it not only provides an estimate of the municipalities overall cost efficiency but also estimates of the municipalities’ cost efficiency in the treatment of the different fractions of municipal solid waste (MSW). To illustrate the practical usefulness of the shared input DEA-model, we apply the model to data on 293 municipalities in Flanders, Belgium, for the year 2008.

Cavity resonance absorption in ultra-high bandwidth CRT deflection structure by a resistive load

Science.gov (United States)

Dunham, M.E.; Hudson, C.L.

1993-05-11

An improved ultra-high bandwidth helical coil deflection structure for a cathode ray tube is described comprising a first metal member having a bore therein, the metal walls of which form a first ground plane; a second metal member coaxially mounted in the bore of the first metal member and forming a second ground plane; a helical deflection coil coaxially mounted within the bore between the two ground planes; and a resistive load disposed in one end of the bore and electrically connected to the first and second ground planes, the resistive load having an impedance substantially equal to the characteristic impedance of the coaxial line formed by the two coaxial ground planes to inhibit cavity resonance in the structure within the ultra-high bandwidth of operation. Preferably, the resistive load comprises a carbon film on a surface of an end plug in one end of the bore.

Ultra-High Field Magnets for X-Ray and Neutron Scattering using High Temperature Superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Winn, Barry L. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Broholm, C. [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States); Bird, M. [Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States). National High Magnetic Field Lab. (MagLab); Breneman, Bruce C. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Coffey, Michael [Cryomagnetics, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Cutler, Roy I. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Duckworth, Robert C. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Erwin, R. [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Hahn, Seungyong [Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States). National High Magnetic Field Lab. (MagLab); Hernandez, Yamali [National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States); Herwig, Kenneth W. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Holland, Leo D. [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States); Lonergan, Kevin M. [Oxford Instruments, Abingdon (United Kingdom); Melhem, Ziad [Oxford Instruments, Abingdon (United Kingdom); Minter, Stephen J. [Cryomagnetics, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Nelson, C. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Paranthaman, M. Parans [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pierce, Josh [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ruff, Jacob [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States); Shen, Tengming [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Sherline, Todd E. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Smeibidl, Peter G. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), (Germany); Tennant, David [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); van der Laan, Danko [Advanced Conductor Technologies, LLC, Boulder, CO (United States); Wahle, Robert J. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), (Germany); Zhang, Yifei [SuperPower, Inc., Schenectady, NY (United States)

2017-01-01

X-ray and neutron scattering techniques are capable of acquiring information about the structure and dynamics of quantum matter. However, the high-field magnet systems currently available at x-ray and neutron scattering facilities in the United States are limited to fields of 16 tesla (T) at maximum, which precludes applications that require and/or study ultra-high field states of matter. This gap in capability—and the need to address it—is a central conclusion of the 2005 National Academy of Sciences report by the Committee on Opportunities in High Magnetic Field Science. To address this gap, we propose a magnet development program that would more than double the field range accessible to scattering experiments. With the development and use of new ultra-high field–magnets, the program would bring into view new worlds of quantum matter with profound impacts on our understanding of advanced electronic materials.

Achieving Mixtures of Ultra-High Performance Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mircea POPA

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC is a relatively new concrete. According to [11] UHPC is that concrete which features compressive strength over C100/115 class. Up to this point standards for this type of concrete were not adopted, although its characteristic strength exceeds those specified in [33]. Its main property is high compressive strength. This provides the possibility of reducing the section of elements (beams or columns made of this type of concrete, while the load capacity remains high. The study consists in blending mixtures of UHPC made of varying proportions of materials. The authors have obtained strengths of up to 160 MPa. The materials used are: Portland cement, silica fume, quartz powder, steel fibers, superplasticiser, sand and crushed aggregate for concrete - andesite.

Defect-engineered graphene chemical sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Geonyeop; Yang, Gwangseok; Cho, Ara; Han, Jeong Woo; Kim, Jihyun

2016-05-25

We report defect-engineered graphene chemical sensors with ultrahigh sensitivity (e.g., 33% improvement in NO2 sensing and 614% improvement in NH3 sensing). A conventional reactive ion etching system was used to introduce the defects in a controlled manner. The sensitivity of graphene-based chemical sensors increased with increasing defect density until the vacancy-dominant region was reached. In addition, the mechanism of gas sensing was systematically investigated via experiments and density functional theory calculations, which indicated that the vacancy defect is a major contributing factor to the enhanced sensitivity. This study revealed that defect engineering in graphene has significant potential for fabricating ultra-sensitive graphene chemical sensors.

Negative symptoms mediate the relationship between neurocognition and function in individuals at ultrahigh risk for psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glenthøj, L B; Jepsen, Jens Richardt Møllegaard; Hjorthøj, Carsten

2017-01-01

-Risk Social Challenge task and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms respectively. Four instruments were used to assess overall functioning, and one instrument assessed quality of life encompassing social functioning. RESULTS: The cross-sectional analyses revealed that neurocognition was related......OBJECTIVE: Neurocognition is known to impact functioning in individuals at ultrahigh risk (UHR) for psychosis, but studies investigating potential mediators of this relationship are scarce. Building on evidence from schizophrenia spectrum disorders, the study tested whether negative symptoms...... and social skills act as mediators between neurocognition and functional outcome in UHR individuals. METHODS: Ultrahigh risk participants (N = 84) underwent neurocognitive testing using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. Social skills and negative symptoms were assessed using the High...

Efficient Architectures for Low Latency and High Throughput Trading Systems on the JVM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru LIXANDRU

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The motivation for our research starts from the common belief that the Java platform is not suitable for implementing ultra-high performance applications. Java is one of the most widely used software development platform in the world, and it provides the means for rapid development of robust and complex applications that are easy to extend, ensuring short time-to-market of initial deliveries and throughout the lifetime of the system. The Java runtime environment, and especially the Java Virtual Machine, on top of which applications are executed, is the principal source of concerns in regards to its suitability in the electronic trading environment, mainly because of its implicit memory management. In this paper, we intend to identify some of the most common measures that can be taken, both at the Java runtime environment level and at the application architecture level, which can help Java applications achieve ultra-high performance. We also propose two efficient architectures for exchange trading systems that allow for ultra-low latencies and high throughput.

Increasing the efficiency of photon collection in LArTPCs: the ARAPUCA light trap

Science.gov (United States)

Cancelo, G.; Cavanna, F.; Escobar, C. O.; Kemp, E.; Machado, A. A.; Para, A.; Segreto, E.; Totani, D.; Warner, D.

2018-03-01

The Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) are a choice for the next generation of large neutrino detectors due to their optimal performance in particle tracking and calorimetry. The detection of Argon scintillation light plays a crucial role in the event reconstruction as well as the time reference for non-beam physics such as supernovae neutrino detection and baryon number violation studies. In this contribution, we present the current R&D work on the ARAPUCA (Argon R&D Advanced Program at UNICAMP), a light trap device to enhance Ar scintillation light collection and thus the overall performance of LArTPCs. The ARAPUCA working principle is based on a suitable combination of dichroic filters and wavelength shifters to achieve a high efficiency in light collection. We discuss the operational principles, the last results of laboratory tests and the application of the ARAPUCA as the alternative photon detection system in the protoDUNE detector.

Study on collection efficiency of fission products by spray: Experimental device and modelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ducret, D.; Roblot, D.; Vendel, J. [Institut de Protection et de Surete Nucleaire, Gif-Sur-Yvette (France); Billarand, Y. [ECCO Pharmacie et Chimie, Neuilly (France)

1997-08-01

Consequences of an hypothetical overheating reactor accident in nuclear power plants can be limited by spraying cold water drops into containment building. The spray reduces the pressure and the temperature levels by condensation of steam and leads to the washout of fission products (aerosols and gaseous iodine). The present study includes a large program devoted to the evaluation of realistic washout rates. An experimental device (named CARAIDAS) was designed and built in order to determine the collection efficiency of aerosols and iodine absorption by drops with representative conditions of post-accident atmosphere. This experimental device is presented in the paper and more particularly: (1) the experimental enclosure in which representative thermodynamic conditions can be achieved, (2) the monosized drops generator, the drops diameter measurement and the drops collector, (3) the cesium iodide aerosols generator and the aerosols measurements. Modelling of steam condensation on drops aerosols collection and iodine absorption are described. First experimental and code results on drops and aerosols behaviour are compared. 8 refs., 18 figs.

77 FR 6573 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Collection of...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-08

... qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with the... Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Collection of Qualitative Feedback Through Focus... part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on...

Enhancing thermal reliability of fiber-optic sensors for bio-inspired applications at ultra-high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Donghoon; Kim, Heon-Young; Kim, Dae-Hyun

2014-01-01

The rapid growth of bio-(inspired) sensors has led to an improvement in modern healthcare and human–robot systems in recent years. Higher levels of reliability and better flexibility, essential features of these sensors, are very much required in many application fields (e.g. applications at ultra-high temperatures). Fiber-optic sensors, and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in particular, are being widely studied as suitable sensors for improved structural health monitoring (SHM) due to their many merits. To enhance the thermal reliability of FBG sensors, thermal sensitivity, generally expressed as α f + ξ f and considered a constant, should be investigated more precisely. For this purpose, the governing equation of FBG sensors is modified using differential derivatives between the wavelength shift and the temperature change in this study. Through a thermal test ranging from RT to 900 °C, the thermal sensitivity of FBG sensors is successfully examined and this guarantees thermal reliability of FBG sensors at ultra-high temperatures. In detail, α f + ξ f has a non-linear dependence on temperature and varies from 6.0 × 10 −6  °C −1 (20 °C) to 10.6 × 10 −6  °C −1 (650 °C). Also, FBGs should be carefully used for applications at ultra-high temperatures due to signal disappearance near 900 °C. (paper)

Radiobiological influence of megavoltage electron pulses of ultra-high pulse dose rate on normal tissue cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Laschinsky, Lydia; Karsch, Leonhard; Leßmann, Elisabeth; Oppelt, Melanie; Pawelke, Jörg; Richter, Christian; Schürer, Michael; Beyreuther, Elke

2016-08-01

Regarding the long-term goal to develop and establish laser-based particle accelerators for a future radiotherapeutic treatment of cancer, the radiobiological consequences of the characteristic short intense particle pulses with ultra-high peak dose rate, but low repetition rate of laser-driven beams have to be investigated. This work presents in vitro experiments performed at the radiation source ELBE (Electron Linac for beams with high Brilliance and low Emittance). This accelerator delivered 20-MeV electron pulses with ultra-high pulse dose rate of 10(10) Gy/min either at the low pulse frequency analogue to previous cell experiments with laser-driven electrons or at high frequency for minimizing the prolonged dose delivery and to perform comparison irradiation with a quasi-continuous electron beam analogue to a clinically used linear accelerator. The influence of the different electron beam pulse structures on the radiobiological response of the normal tissue cell line 184A1 and two primary fibroblasts was investigated regarding clonogenic survival and the number of DNA double-strand breaks that remain 24 h after irradiation. Thereby, no considerable differences in radiation response were revealed both for biological endpoints and for all probed cell cultures. These results provide evidence that the radiobiological effectiveness of the pulsed electron beams is not affected by the ultra-high pulse dose rates alone.

Radiobiological influence of megavoltage electron pulses of ultra-high pulse dose rate on normal tissue cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laschinsky, Lydia; Karsch, Leonhard; Schuerer, Michael; Lessmann, Elisabeth; Beyreuther, Elke; Oppelt, Melanie; Pawelke, Joerg; Richter, Christian

2016-01-01

Regarding the long-term goal to develop and establish laser-based particle accelerators for a future radiotherapeutic treatment of cancer, the radiobiological consequences of the characteristic short intense particle pulses with ultra-high peak dose rate, but low repetition rate of laser-driven beams have to be investigated. This work presents in vitro experiments performed at the radiation source ELBE (Electron Linac for beams with high Brilliance and low Emittance). This accelerator delivered 20-MeV electron pulses with ultra-high pulse dose rate of 10"1"0 Gy/min either at the low pulse frequency analogue to previous cell experiments with laser-driven electrons or at high frequency for minimizing the prolonged dose delivery and to perform comparison irradiation with a quasi-continuous electron beam analogue to a clinically used linear accelerator. The influence of the different electron beam pulse structures on the radiobiological response of the normal tissue cell line 184A1 and two primary fibroblasts was investigated regarding clonogenic survival and the number of DNA double-strand breaks that remain 24 h after irradiation. Thereby, no considerable differences in radiation response were revealed both for biological endpoints and for all probed cell cultures. These results provide evidence that the radiobiological effectiveness of the pulsed electron beams is not affected by the ultra-high pulse dose rates alone. (orig.)

Charge collection efficiency in ionization chambers operating in the recombination and saturation regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chabod, Sebastien P.

2009-01-01

We solve the electric charge transport equations in the recombination and saturation regimes using an iterative perturbation method. We then calculate the charge collection efficiencies of ionization chambers. The formulae obtained are presented in the form of series for which we calculate the first coefficients. Our approach allows to account for the spatial as well as the temporal variations of the primary charge density N(r,t) in the calculations. Finally, we apply our method to study different density patterns, N, including the textbook case N=N 0 δ(t) and the charge clusters and columns.

Clinical Performance of an Ultrahigh Resolution Chromosomal Microarray Optimized for Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Karen S; Twede, Hope; Vanzo, Rena; Harward, Erin; Hensel, Charles H; Martin, Megan M; Page, Stephanie; Peiffer, Andreas; Mowery-Rushton, Patricia; Serrano, Moises; Wassman, E Robert

2016-01-01

Copy number variants (CNVs) as detected by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) significantly contribute to the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study summarizes the results of 3.5 years of CMA testing by a CLIA-certified clinical testing laboratory 5487 patients with neurodevelopmental conditions were clinically evaluated for rare copy number variants using a 2.8-million probe custom CMA optimized for the detection of CNVs associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. We report an overall detection rate of 29.4% in our neurodevelopmental cohort, which rises to nearly 33% when cases with DD/ID and/or MCA only are considered. The detection rate for the ASD cohort is also significant, at 25%. Additionally, we find that detection rate and pathogenic yield of CMA vary significantly depending on the primary indications for testing, the age of the individuals tested, and the specialty of the ordering doctor. We also report a significant difference between the detection rate on the ultrahigh resolution optimized array in comparison to the array from which it originated. This increase in detection can significantly contribute to the efficient and effective medical management of neurodevelopmental conditions in the clinic.

Evaluating the efficiency of municipalities in collecting and processing municipal solid waste: a shared input DEA-model.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogge, Nicky; De Jaeger, Simon

2012-10-01

This paper proposed an adjusted "shared-input" version of the popular efficiency measurement technique Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) that enables evaluating municipality waste collection and processing performances in settings in which one input (waste costs) is shared among treatment efforts of multiple municipal solid waste fractions. The main advantage of this version of DEA is that it not only provides an estimate of the municipalities overall cost efficiency but also estimates of the municipalities' cost efficiency in the treatment of the different fractions of municipal solid waste (MSW). To illustrate the practical usefulness of the shared input DEA-model, we apply the model to data on 293 municipalities in Flanders, Belgium, for the year 2008. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultra-high aspect ratio replaceable AFM tips using deformation-suppressed focused ion beam milling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Savenko, Alexey; Yildiz, Izzet; Petersen, Dirch Hjorth

2013-01-01

Fabrication of ultra-high aspect ratio exchangeable and customizable tips for atomic force microscopy (AFM) using lateral focused ion beam (FIB) milling is presented. While on-axis FIB milling does allow high aspect ratio (HAR) AFM tips to be defined, lateral milling gives far better flexibility...

Ultraclean Si/Si interface formation by surface preparation and direct bonding in ultrahigh vacuum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hermansson, Karin; Grey, Francois; Bengtsson, Stefan

1998-01-01

Silicon surfaces have been cleaned and bonded in ultrahigh vacuum, at a pressure in the 10(-10) Torr range. The bonded interfaces show extremely low contamination levels as measured by secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Nevertheless, a potential barrier could be detected at the interface by spreading...

An Ideal Electrode Material, 3D Surface-Microporous Graphene for Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Areal Capacitance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Liang; Stacchiola, Dario J.; Hu, Yun Hang

2017-01-01

The efficient charge accumulation of an ideal supercapacitor electrode requires abundant micropores and its fast electrolyte-ions transport prefers meso/macropores. But, current electrode materials cannot meet both requirements, resulting in poor performance. We creatively constructed three-dimensional cabbage-coral-like graphene as an ideal electrode material, in which meso/macro channels are formed by graphene walls and rich micropores are incorporated in the surface layer of the graphene walls. The unique 3D graphene material can achieve a high gravimetric capacitance of 200 F/g with aqueous electrolyte, 3 times larger than that of commercially used activated carbon (70.8 F/g). Furthermore, it can reach an ultrahigh areal capacitance of 1.28 F/cm"2 and excellent rate capability (83.5% from 0.5 to 10 A/g) as well as high cycling stability (86.2% retention after 5000 cycles). The excellent electric double-layer performance of the 3D graphene electrode can be attributed to the fast electrolyte ion transport in the meso/macro channels and the rapid and reversible charge adsorption with negligible transport distance in the surface micropores.

An ultrahigh vacuum fast-scanning and variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope for large scale imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaconescu, Bogdan; Nenchev, Georgi; de la Figuera, Juan; Pohl, Karsten

2007-10-01

We describe the design and performance of a fast-scanning, variable temperature scanning tunneling microscope (STM) operating from 80 to 700 K in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV), which routinely achieves large scale atomically resolved imaging of compact metallic surfaces. An efficient in-vacuum vibration isolation and cryogenic system allows for no external vibration isolation of the UHV chamber. The design of the sample holder and STM head permits imaging of the same nanometer-size area of the sample before and after sample preparation outside the STM base. Refractory metal samples are frequently annealed up to 2000 K and their cooldown time from room temperature to 80 K is 15 min. The vertical resolution of the instrument was found to be about 2 pm at room temperature. The coarse motor design allows both translation and rotation of the scanner tube. The total scanning area is about 8 x 8 microm(2). The sample temperature can be adjusted by a few tens of degrees while scanning over the same sample area.

Ballistic behaviour of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene: effect of gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves, Andreia L.S.; Nascimento, Lucio F.C.; Miguez Suarez, Joao Carlos

2004-01-01

The fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are considered excellent engineering materials. In structural applications, when a high strength-to-weight ratio is fundamental for the design, PMCs are successfully replacing many conventional materials. Since World War II textile materials have been used as ballistic armor. Materials manufactured with ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers are used in the production of armor materials, for personnel protection and armored vehicles. As these have been developed and commercialized more recently, there is not enough information about the action of the ionizing radiation in the ballistic performance of this armor material. In the present work the ballistic behavior of composite plates manufactured with ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers were evaluated after exposure to gamma radiation. The ballistic tests results were related to the macromolecular modifications induced by the environmental degradation through mechanical (hardness, impact and flexure) and physicochemical (infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis) tests. Our results indicate that gamma irradiation induces modifications in the UHMWPE macromolecular chains, altering the mechanical properties of the composite and decreasing, for higher radiation doses, its ballistic performance. These results are presented and discussed. (author)

Concept of modular flexure-based mechanisms for ultra-high precision robot design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Richard

2011-05-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces a new concept of modular flexure-based mechanisms to design industrial ultra-high precision robots, which aims at significantly reducing both the complexity of their design and their development time. This modular concept can be considered as a robotic Lego, where a finite number of building bricks is used to quickly build a high-precision robot. The core of the concept is the transformation of a 3-D design problem into several 2-D ones, which are simpler and well-mastered. This paper will first briefly present the theoretical bases of this methodology and the requirements of both types of building bricks: the active and the passive bricks. The section dedicated to the design of the active bricks will detail the current research directions, mainly the maximisation of the strokes and the development of an actuation sub-brick. As for the passive bricks, some examples will be presented, and a discussion regarding the establishment of a mechanical solution catalogue will conclude the section. Last, this modular concept will be illustrated with a practical example, consisting in the design of a 5-degree of freedom ultra-high precision robot.

Ultrahigh Piezoelectric Properties in Textured (K,Na)NbO3 -Based Lead-Free Ceramics.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Peng; Zhai, Jiwei; Shen, Bo; Zhang, Shujun; Li, Xiaolong; Zhu, Fangyuan; Zhang, Xingmin

2018-02-01

High-performance lead-free piezoelectric materials are in great demand for next-generation electronic devices to meet the requirement of environmentally sustainable society. Here, ultrahigh piezoelectric properties with piezoelectric coefficients (d 33 ≈700 pC N -1 , d 33 * ≈980 pm V -1 ) and planar electromechanical coupling factor (k p ≈76%) are achieved in highly textured (K,Na)NbO 3 (KNN)-based ceramics. The excellent piezoelectric properties can be explained by the strong anisotropic feature, optimized engineered domain configuration in the textured ceramics, and facilitated polarization rotation induced by the intermediate phase. In addition, the nanodomain structures with decreased domain wall energy and increased domain wall mobility also contribute to the ultrahigh piezoelectric properties. This work not only demonstrates the tremendous potential of KNN-based ceramics to replace lead-based piezoelectrics but also provides a good strategy to design high-performance piezoelectrics by controlling appropriate phase and crystallographic orientation. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrahigh Charpy impact toughness (~450J) achieved in high strength ferrite/martensite laminated steels

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Wenquan; Zhang, Mingda; Huang, Chongxiang; Xiao, Shuyang; Dong, Han; Weng, Yuqing

2017-02-01

Strength and toughness are a couple of paradox as similar as strength-ductility trade-off in homogenous materials, body-centered-cubic steels in particular. Here we report a simple way to get ultrahigh toughness without sacrificing strength. By simple alloying design and hot rolling the 5Mn3Al steels in ferrite/austenite dual phase temperature region, we obtain a series of ferrite/martensite laminated steels that show up-to 400-450J Charpy V-notch impact energy combined with a tensile strength as high as 1.0-1.2 GPa at room temperature, which is nearly 3-5 times higher than that of conventional low alloy steels at similar strength level. This remarkably enhanced toughness is mainly attributed to the delamination between ferrite and martensite lamellae. The current finding gives us a promising way to produce high strength steel with ultrahigh impact toughness by simple alloying design and hot rolling in industry.

Hydrogenated borophene as a stable two-dimensional Dirac material with an ultrahigh Fermi velocity.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Li-Chun; Du, Aijun; Kou, Liangzhi

2016-10-05

The recent synthesis of monolayer borophene (triangular boron monolayer) on a substrate has opened the era of boron nanosheets (Science, 2015, 350, 1513), but the structural instability and a need to explore the novel physical properties are still open issues. Here we demonstrated that borophene can be stabilized by full surface hydrogenation (borophane), from first-principles calculations. Most interestingly, our calculations show that borophane has direction-dependent Dirac cones, which are mainly caused by the in-plane p x and p y orbitals of boron atoms. The Dirac fermions possess an ultrahigh Fermi velocity of up to 3.5 × 10 6 m s -1 under the HSE06 level, which is 4 times higher than that of graphene. The Young's moduli are calculated to be 190 and 120 GPa nm along two different directions, which are comparable to those of steel. The ultrahigh Fermi velocity and good mechanical features render borophane ideal for nanoelectronic applications.

Spalling behavior and residual resistance of fibre reinforced Ultra-High performance concrete after exposure to high temperatures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiong, Ming-Xiang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Experimental results of spalling and residual mechanical properties of ultra-high performance concrete after exposure to high temperatures are presented in this paper. The compressive strength of the ultra-high performance concrete ranged from 160 MPa~185 MPa. This study aimed to discover the effective way to prevent spalling for the ultra-high performance concrete and gauge its mechanical properties after it was subjected to fire. The effects of fiber type, fiber dosage, heating rate and curing condition were investigated. Test results showed that the compressive strength and elastic modulus of the ultra-high performance concrete declined slower than those of normal strength concrete after elevated temperatures. Polypropylene fiber rather than steel fiber was found effective to prevent spalling but affected workability. The effective fiber type and dosage were recommended to prevent spalling and ensure sufficient workability for casting and pumping of the ultra-high performance concrete.En este trabajo se presentan los resultados más relevantes del trabajo experimental realizado para valorar la laminación y las propiedades mecánicas residuales de hormigón de ultra-altas prestaciones tras su exposición a altas temperaturas. La resistencia a la compresión del hormigón de ultra-altas prestaciones osciló entre 160 MPa~185 MPa. El objetivo de este estudio fue descubrir una manera eficaz de prevenir desprendimientos y/o laminaciones en este hormigón y medir sus propiedades mecánicas después de ser sometido al fuego. Las variables estudiadas fueron la presencia y dosificación de fibras, velocidad de calentamiento y condiciones de curado. Los resultados mostraron, tras la exposición a altas temperaturas, que la resistencia a compresión y el módulo de elasticidad del hormigón de ultra-altas prestaciones disminuían más lento que las de un hormigón con resistencia normal. La fibra de polipropileno resultó más eficaz para prevenir

Laser Direct Writing of Tree-Shaped Hierarchical Cones on a Superhydrophobic Film for High-Efficiency Water Collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meng; Liu, Qian; Zhang, Haoran; Wang, Chuang; Wang, Lei; Xiang, Bingxi; Fan, Yongtao; Guo, Chuan Fei; Ruan, Shuangchen

2017-08-30

Directional water collection has stimulated a great deal of interest because of its potential applications in the field of microfluidics, liquid transportation, fog harvesting, and so forth. There have been some bio or bioinspired structures for directional water collection, from one-dimensional spider silk to two-dimensional star-like patterns to three-dimensional Nepenthes alata. Here we present a simple way for the accurate design and highly controllable driving of tiny droplets: by laser direct writing of hierarchical patterns with modified wettability and desired geometry on a superhydrophobic film, the patterned film can precisely and directionally drive tiny water droplets and dramatically improve the efficiency of water collection with a factor of ∼36 compared with the original superhydrophobic film. Such a patterned film might be an ideal platform for water collection from humid air and for planar microfluidics without tunnels.

Ultrahigh pressure deformation of polycrystaline hcp-cobalt

Science.gov (United States)

Merkel, S.; Antonangeli, D.; Fiquet, G.; Yagi, T.

2003-12-01

During the past few years, a novel set of methods has been developed allowing direct measurements on elasticity and rheology under static ultrahigh pressures using synchrotron x-ray diffraction and the diamond anvil cell. In particular, the analysis on the development of texture and uniaxial stress in a polycrystalline sample under ultrahigh pressure and non-hydrostatic conditions yielded to very interesting results on the microscopic deformation mechanisms and strength of MgO, silicate perovskite or ɛ -Fe [eg. Merkel et al. 2002, Merkel et al. 2003]. However, our understanding of the properties of the ɛ phase of iron remains poor. There are considerable uncertainties and disagreement on the results of various experiments or first-principles calculations. In particular, the results of the radial diffraction measurement on ɛ -Fe [Mao et al. 1998] have been highly controversial. In order to address this issue, we performed investigations on polycrystalline hcp-cobalt. Its properties such as the bulk modulus and thermal expansion are very close to those of ɛ -Fe and it is readily available under ambient conditions. Thus, it is a well known material and results from the high pressure radial diffraction experiments can be compared with those from well-established techniques. In the present analysis, we performed a new set a measurements between 0 and 20 GPa under ambient temperature conditions at the ESRF synchrotron source using amorphous boron gasket, monochromatic x-ray beam, and imaging plate techniques. From such an experiment, we are able to extract information on non-hydrostatic stress, elasticity, and preferred orientations of the sample in-situ under high pressure and compare them with results obtained previously on ɛ -Fe. Documenting the evolution of stress, elasticity and texture in hcp metals is of great interest for our understanding of the bulk properties and seismic anisotropy of the Earth's inner core. S. Merkel et al., J. Geophys. Res. 107 (2002

Electric gun: a new tool for ultrahigh-pressure research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weingart, R.C.; Chau, H.H.; Goosman, D.R.; Hofer, W.W.; Honodel, C.A.; Lee, R.S.; Steinberg, D.J.; Stroud, J.R.

1979-01-01

We have developed a new tool for ultrahigh-pressure research at LLL. This system, which we call the electric gun, has already achieved thin flyer plate velocities in excess of 20 km/s and pressures of the order of 2 TPa in tantalum. We believe that the electric gun is competitive with laser- and nuclear-driven methods of producing shocks in the 1-to-5 TPa range because of its precision and ease and economy of operation. Its development is recommended for shock initiation studies, dry runs for Site 300 hydroshots, and as a shock wave generator for surface studies

O-Ring sealing arrangements for ultra-high vacuum systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chang-Kyo; Flaherty, Robert

1981-01-01

An all metal reusable O-ring sealing arrangement for sealing two concentric tubes in an ultra-high vacuum system. An O-ring of a heat recoverable alloy such as Nitinol is concentrically positioned between protruding sealing rings of the concentric tubes. The O-ring is installed between the tubes while in a stressed martensitic state and is made to undergo a thermally induced transformation to an austenitic state. During the transformation the O-ring expands outwardly and contracts inwardly toward a previously sized austenitic configuration, thereby sealing against the protruding sealing rings of the concentric tubes.

Flipped cryptons and ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

CERN Document Server

Ellis, Jonathan Richard; Nanopoulos, D V

2004-01-01

Cryptons are metastable bound states of fractionally-charged particles that arise generically in the hidden sectors of models derived from heterotic string. We study their properties and decay modes in a specific flipped SU(5) model with long-lived four-particle spin-zero bound states called tetrons. We show that the neutral tetrons are metastable, and exhibit the tenth order nonrenormalizable superpotential operators responsible for their dominant decays. By analogy with QCD, we expect charged tetrons to be somewhat heavier, and to decay relatively rapidly via lower-order interactions that we also exhibit. The expected masses and lifetimes of the neutral tetrons make them good candidates for cold dark matter, and a potential source of the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays which have been observed, whereas the charged tetrons would have decayed in the early Universe.

Ultrahigh capacitance density for multiple ALD-grown MIM capacitor stacks in 3-D silicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klootwijk, J.H.; Jinesh, K.B.; Dekkers, W.; Verhoeven, J.F.C.; Heuvel, van den F.C.; Kim, H.-D.; Blin, D.; Verheijen, M.A.; Weemaes, R.G.R.; Kaiser, M.; Ruigrok, J.J.M.; Roozeboom, F.

2008-01-01

"Trench" capacitors containing multiple metal-insulator-metal (MIM) layer stacks are realized by atomic-layer deposition (ALD), yielding an ultrahigh capacitance density of 440 nF/mm2 at a breakdown voltage VBD > 6 V. This capacitance density on silicon is at least 10 times higher than the values

Experimental differentiation of intraocular masses using ultrahigh-field magnetic resonance imaging--a case series.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Falke

Full Text Available PURPOSE: The case reports presented here were compiled to demonstrate the potential for improved diagnosis and monitoring of disease progress of intraocular lesions using ultrahigh-field magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM at 7.1 Tesla. METHODS: High-resolution ex vivo ocular magnetic resonance (MR images were acquired on an ultrahigh-field MR system (7.1 Tesla, ClinScan, Bruker BioScan, Germany using a 2-channel coil with 4 coil elements and T2-weighted turbo spin echo (TSE sequences of human eyes enucleated because of different intraocular lesions. Imaging parameters were: 40×40 mm field of view, 512×512 matrix, and 700 µm slice thickness. The results were correlated with in vivo ultrasound and histology of the enucleated eyes. RESULTS: Imaging was performed in enucleated eyes with choroidal melanoma, malignant melanoma of iris and ciliary body with scleral perforation, ciliary body melanoma, intraocular metastasis of esophageal cancer, subretinal bleeding in the presence of perforated corneal ulcer, hemorrhagic choroidal detachment, and premature retinopathy with phthisis and ossification of bulbar structures. MR imaging allowed differentiation between solid and cystic tumor components. In case of hemorrhage, fluid-fluid levels were identified. Melanin and calcifications caused significant hypointensity. Microstructural features of eye lesions identified by MRM were confirmed by histology. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the potential of MRM for the visualization and differential diagnosis of intraocular lesions. At present, the narrow bore of the magnet still limits the use of this technology in humans in vivo. Further advances in ultrahigh-field MR imaging will permit visualization of tumor extent and evaluation of nonclassified intraocular structures in the near future.

High antipredatory efficiency of insular lizards: a warning signal of excessive specimen collection?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel Delibes

Full Text Available We live-captured lizards on islands in the Gulf of California and the Baja California peninsula mainland, and compared their ability to escape predation. Contrary to expectations, endemic lizard species from uninhabited islands fled from humans earlier and more efficiently than those from peninsular mainland areas. In fact, 58.2% (n=146 of the lizards we tried to capture on the various islands escaped successfully, while this percentage was only 14.4% (n=160 on the peninsular mainland. Separate evidence (e.g., proportion of regenerated tails, low human population at the collection areas, etc. challenges several potential explanations for the higher antipredatory efficiency of insular lizards (e.g., more predation pressure on islands, habituation to humans on the peninsula, etc.. Instead, we suggest that the ability of insular lizards to avoid predators may be related to harvesting by humans, perhaps due to the value of endemic species as rare taxonomic entities. If this hypothesis is correct, predation-related behavioral changes in rare species could provide early warning signals of their over-exploitation, thus encouraging the adoption of conservation measures.

Pulse shaping for all-optical signal processing of ultra-high bit rate serial data signals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Palushani, Evarist

The following thesis concerns pulse shaping and optical waveform manipulation for all-optical signal processing of ultra-high bit rate serial data signals, including generation of optical pulses in the femtosecond regime, serial-to-parallel conversion and terabaud coherent optical time division...

THE EFFECT OF THE REYNOLDS NUMBER OF AIR FLOW TO THE PARTICLE COLLECTION EFFICIENCY OF A FIBROUS FILTER MEDIUM WITH CYLINDRICAL SECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George P. Kouropoulos

2014-01-01

Full Text Available At this study an attempt for the theoretical approach of the Re ynolds number effect of air flow to the particle collection efficiency of a fibrous fil ter with cylindrical section will be made. Initially, a report of the air filtration models to fibrous filter media will be presented along with an explanation of both the parameters and the physical quantities which govern the air filtration process. Furthermore, the resul ting equation from the mathematical model will be applied to a real filter medium and the characteristic curves of filter efficiency will be drawn. The change of a filter medi um efficiency with regard to the Reynolds number of air flow that passes through the filt er, derived from the curves, will be studied. The general conclusion that we have is that as the Reynolds number of filtered air increases, the collection efficiency of the filter decreases.

Simulation of the electron collection efficiency of a PMT based on the MCP coated with high secondary yield material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Lin, E-mail: chenlin@opt.cn [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi' an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi' an 710119 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Tian, Jinshou [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi' an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi' an 710119 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006 (China); Zhao, Tianchi [Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of CAS, Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, Chunliang [Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Liu, Hulin; Wei, Yonglin; Sai, Xiaofeng [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi' an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi' an 710119 (China); Chen, Ping [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi' an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi' an 710119 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Xing; Lu, Yu [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi' an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi' an 710119 (China); Hui, Dandan [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi' an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi' an 710119 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China)

2016-11-01

Owning to the serious loss of photoelectrons striking at the input electrode of traditional microchannel plate (MCP), photoelectron collection efficiency (CE) of photomultiplier tubes based on MCP (MCP-PMTs) fluctuates around the MCP open area fraction and cannot make a breakthrough. Depositing a thin film of high secondary electron yield material on the MCP is proposed as an effective approach to improve the CE. The available simulation and experimental data to validate it, however, is sparse. In our work, a three-dimensional small area MCP model is developed in CST Studio Suite to evaluate the collection efficiencies of PMTs based on the traditional MCP and the coated one, respectively. Results predict that CE of the PMT based on the coated MCP has a significant increase and a better uniformity, which is expected to reach 100%.

A novel ultra-high vacuum manipulator with six degrees of freedom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auciello, O.; Lulich, C.; Alonso, E.V.; Baragiola, R.A.

1977-01-01

An ultra-high vacuum goniometer of novel design for use in experiments with ion beams is described. The goniometer uses a wire system to transmit movements, is bakeable to 200 0 C and is reproducible in its angular positions to within 1.3 X 10 -4 rad (0.008 0 ). It allows a sample to be rotated around two axes over 360 0 , around a third over 180 0 , and to be translated along three perpendicular axes. (Auth.)

Ground Glass Pozzolan in Conventional, High, and Ultra-High Performance Concrete

OpenAIRE

Tagnit-Hamou Arezki; Zidol Ablam; Soliman Nancy; Deschamps Joris; Omran Ahmed

2018-01-01

Ground-glass pozzolan (G) obtained by grinding the mixed-waste glass to same fineness of cement can act as a supplementary-cementitious material (SCM), given that it is an amorphous and a pozzolanic material. The G showed promising performances in different concrete types such as conventional concrete (CC), high-performance concrete (HPC), and ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). The current paper reports on the characteristics and performance of G in these concrete types. The use of G pro...

Interaction of ultra-high intensity laser pulse with a mass limited targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreev, A.A.; Platonov, K.Yu.; Limpouch, J.; Psikal, J.; Kawata, S.

2006-01-01

Complete test of publication follows. Ultra-high intensity laser pulses may be produced now via CPA scheme by using very short laser pulses of a relatively low energy. Interaction of such pulses with massive target is not very efficient as the energy delivered to charged particles spreads out quickly over large distances and it is redistributed between many secondary particles. One possibility to limit this undesirable energy spread is to use mass limited targets (MLT), for example droplets, big clusters or small foil sections. This is an intermediate regime in target dimensions between bulk solid and nanometer-size atomic cluster targets. A few experimental and theoretical studies have been carried out on laser absorption, fast particle generation and induced nuclear fusion reactions in the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with MLT plasma. We investigate here laser interactions with MLT via 2D3V relativistic electromagnetic PIC simulations. We assume spherical droplet as a typical MLT. However, the sphere is represented in 2D simulations by an infinite cylinder irradiated uniformly along its length. We assume that MLT is fully ionized before main pulse interaction either due to insufficient laser contrast or due to a prepulse. For simplicity, we assume homogeneous plasma of high initial temperature. We analyze the interaction of relativistic laser pulses of various polarizations with targets of different shapes, such as a foil, quadrant and sphere. The mechanisms of laser absorption, electron and ion acceleration are clarified for different laser and target parameters. When laser interacts with the target front side, kinetic energy of electrons rises rapidly with fast oscillations in the kinetic and field energy, caused by electron oscillations in the laser field. Small energy oscillations, observed later, are caused by the electron motion back and forth through the droplet. Approximately 40% of laser energy is transferred to the kinetic energy of electrons

Detection of ultra-high energy cosmic ray showers with a single-pixel fluorescence telescope

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fujii, T.; Malacari, M.; Bertaina, M.; Casolino, E.; Dawson, B.; Horváth, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Jiang, J.; Mandát, Dušan; Matalon, A.; Matthews, J.N.; Motloch, P.; Palatka, Miroslav; Pech, Miroslav; Privitera, P.; Schovánek, Petr; Takizawa, Y.; Thomas, S.B.; Trávníček, Petr; Yamazaki, K.

2016-01-01

Roč. 74, Feb (2016), s. 64-72 ISSN 0927-6505 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LG13007 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : ultra-high energy cosmic rays * fluorescence detector * extensive air shower Subject RIV: BF - Elementary Particles and High Energy Physics Impact factor: 3.257, year: 2016

Plasma mirrors for ultrahigh-intensity optics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thaury, C; Quere, F; Levy, A; Ceccotti, T; Monot, P; Bougeard, M; Reau, F; D' Oliveira, P; Martin, PH [CEA, DSM, DRECAM, Serv Photons Atomes and Mol, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France); Geindre, J P; Audebert, P [Ecole Polytech, CNRS, Lab Utilisat Lasers Inst, F-91128 Palaiseau, (France); Marjoribanks, R [Univ Toronto, Dept Phys, Toronto, ON M5S 1A7, (Canada); Marjoribanks, R [Univ Toronto, Inst Opt Sci, Toronto, ON M5S 1A7, (Canada)

2007-07-01

Specular reflection is one of the most fundamental processes of optics. At moderate light intensities generated by conventional light sources this process is well understood. But at those capable of being produced by modern ultrahigh-intensity lasers, many new and potentially useful phenomena arise. When a pulse from such a laser hits an optically polished surface, it generates a dense plasma that itself acts as a mirror, known as a plasma mirror (PM). PMs do not just reflect the remainder of the incident beam, but can act as active optical elements. Using a set of three consecutive PMs in different regimes, we significantly improve the temporal contrast of femtosecond pulses, and demonstrate that high-order harmonics of the laser frequency can be generated through two distinct mechanisms. A better understanding of these processes should aid the development of laser-driven atto-second sources for use in fields from materials science to molecular biology. (authors)

Plasma mirrors for ultrahigh-intensity optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thaury, C.; Quere, F.; Levy, A.; Ceccotti, T.; Monot, P.; Bougeard, M.; Reau, F.; D'Oliveira, P.; Martin, PH.; Geindre, J.P.; Audebert, P.; Marjoribanks, R.; Marjoribanks, R.

2007-01-01

Specular reflection is one of the most fundamental processes of optics. At moderate light intensities generated by conventional light sources this process is well understood. But at those capable of being produced by modern ultrahigh-intensity lasers, many new and potentially useful phenomena arise. When a pulse from such a laser hits an optically polished surface, it generates a dense plasma that itself acts as a mirror, known as a plasma mirror (PM). PMs do not just reflect the remainder of the incident beam, but can act as active optical elements. Using a set of three consecutive PMs in different regimes, we significantly improve the temporal contrast of femtosecond pulses, and demonstrate that high-order harmonics of the laser frequency can be generated through two distinct mechanisms. A better understanding of these processes should aid the development of laser-driven atto-second sources for use in fields from materials science to molecular biology. (authors)

Ultrahigh energy cosmic ray nuclei from extragalactic pulsars and the effect of their Galactic counterparts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Ke; Olinto, Angela V.; Kotera, Kumiko

2013-01-01

The acceleration of ultrahigh energy nuclei in fast spinning newborn pulsars can explain the observed spectrum of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and the trend towards heavier nuclei for energies above 10 19 eV as reported by the Auger Observatory. Pulsar acceleration implies a hard injection spectrum ( ∼ E −1 ) due to pulsar spin down and a maximum energy E max ∼ Z 10 19 eV due to the limit on the spin rate of neutron stars. We have previously shown that the escape through the young supernova remnant softens the spectrum, decreases slightly the maximum energy, and generates secondary nuclei. Here we show that the distribution of pulsar birth periods and the effect of propagation in the interstellar and intergalactic media modifies the combined spectrum of all pulsars. By assuming a normal distribution of pulsar birth periods centered at 300 ms, we show that the contribution of extragalactic pulsar births to the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray spectrum naturally gives rise to a contribution to very high energy cosmic rays (VHECRs, between 10 16 and 10 18 eV) by Galactic pulsar births. The required injected composition to fit the observed spectrum depends on the absolute energy scale, which is uncertain, differing between Auger Observatory and Telescope Array. The contribution of Galactic pulsar births can also bridge the gap between predictions for cosmic ray acceleration in supernova remnants and the observed spectrum just below the ankle, depending on the composition of the cosmic rays that escape the supernova remnant and the diffusion behavior of VHECRs in the Galaxy

Development in fiscal 1999 of technologies to put photovoltaic power generation systems into practical use. Development of technologies to manufacture ultra-high efficiency crystalline compound solar cells; 1999 nendo taiyoko hatsuden system jitsuyoka gijutsu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Chokokoritsu kessho kagobutsu taiyo denchi no seizo gijutsu kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

Research and development has been performed on laminated cells comprising of GaInP/GaAs//GaInAs using poly-element compound semiconductors. This paper summarizes the achievements in fiscal 1999. In developing the technology to manufacture large-area ultra-high efficiency cells, fabrication of 5-cm square GaAs cells was worked on, and a conversion efficiency of 24.7%, which is equivalent or better than that for 1-cm square cell, was achieved by using the epitaxial growth temperature for the GaAs cell structure of 600 degrees C, by adopting the p-on-p structure and by making the electrode thicker by using the plating method. Furthermore, trial fabrication was performed on 5-cm square cells also on GaInAs as the bottom cell. A conversion efficiency of 4.6% was obtained in a 5-cm square cell as a result of high level homogenization of film thickness and composition by optimizing the gas flow in growing GaInAs onto an InP substrate, and using a growth temperature of 550 degrees C. In developing the technology to form GaInP/GaAs laminated cells, discussions were given by using 5-mm square cells on especially improving the GaInP crystallinity and reducing the series resistance in the window layer. GaInP/GaAs-2 bonded lamination cells were fabricated, whereas a conversion efficiency of 19.63% was obtained without using a reflection preventing film. (NEDO)

Dewaterability of five sewage sludges in Guangzhou conditioned with Fenton's reagent/lime and pilot-scale experiments using ultrahigh pressure filtration system.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Jialin; Huang, Shaosong; Dai, Yongkang; Li, Lei; Sun, Shuiyu

2015-11-01

Sludge conditioning with Fenton's reagent and lime is a valid method for sludge dewatering. This study investigated the influence of different organic matter content sludge on sludge dewatering and discussed the main mechanism of sludge conditioning by combined Fenton's reagent and lime. The results indicated that the specific resistance to filterability (SRF) of sludge was reduced efficiently by approximately 90%, when conditioned with Fenton's reagent and lime. Through single factor experiments, the optimal conditioning combinations were found. In addition, the relationship between VSS% and consumption of the reagents was detected. Furthermore, it was also demonstrated that the SRF and filtrate TOC values had a significant correlation with VSS% of sludge (including raw and conditioned). The main mechanism of sludge dewatering was also investigated. Firstly, it revealed that the dewaterability of sludge was closely correlated to extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and bound water contents. Secondly, the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) stated that sludge particles were to be smaller and thinner after conditioning. And this structure could easily form outflow channels for releasing free water. Additionally, with the ultrahigh pressure filtration system, the water content of sludge cake conditioned with Fenton's reagent and lime could be reduced to below 50%. Moreover, the economic assessment shows that Fenton's reagent and lime combined with ultrahigh pressure filtration system can be an economical and viable technology for sewage sludge dewatering. Finally, three types of sludge were classified: (1) Fast to dewater; (2) Moderately fast to dewater; (3) Slow to dewater sludge. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-mortem inference of the human hippocampal connectivity and microstructure using ultra-high field diffusion MRI at 11.7 T.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaujoin, Justine; Palomero-Gallagher, Nicola; Boumezbeur, Fawzi; Axer, Markus; Bernard, Jeremy; Poupon, Fabrice; Schmitz, Daniel; Mangin, Jean-François; Poupon, Cyril

2018-06-01

The human hippocampus plays a key role in memory management and is one of the first structures affected by Alzheimer's disease. Ultra-high magnetic resonance imaging provides access to its inner structure in vivo. However, gradient limitations on clinical systems hinder access to its inner connectivity and microstructure. A major target of this paper is the demonstration of diffusion MRI potential, using ultra-high field (11.7 T) and strong gradients (750 mT/m), to reveal the extra- and intra-hippocampal connectivity in addition to its microstructure. To this purpose, a multiple-shell diffusion-weighted acquisition protocol was developed to reach an ultra-high spatio-angular resolution with a good signal-to-noise ratio. The MRI data set was analyzed using analytical Q-Ball Imaging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), and Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging models. High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging estimates allowed us to obtain an accurate tractography resolving more complex fiber architecture than DTI models, and subsequently provided a map of the cross-regional connectivity. The neurite density was akin to that found in the histological literature, revealing the three hippocampal layers. Moreover, a gradient of connectivity and neurite density was observed between the anterior and the posterior part of the hippocampus. These results demonstrate that ex vivo ultra-high field/ultra-high gradients diffusion-weighted MRI allows the mapping of the inner connectivity of the human hippocampus, its microstructure, and to accurately reconstruct elements of the polysynaptic intra-hippocampal pathway using fiber tractography techniques at very high spatial/angular resolutions.

The lateral characteristics of several ultra-high energy photon and hadron families

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buja, Z.; Gladysz, E.; Mazurkiewicz, J.; Mikocki, S.; Szarska, M.; Zawiejski, L.

1980-01-01

In a thick lead X-ray film emulsion chamber of the Experiment Pamir, 8 ultra-high energy photon and hadron families were detected. They are considered to be almost ''pure'' families. The compound lateral characteristics for photon families indicate an existence of two groups of particles which have different average transverse momenta. A quite well visible azimuthal asymmetry in the number and transverse momenta values of produced particles is observed. (author)

Rapid determination of the various native forms of vitamin B6 and B2 in cow's milk using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, A; Schreiner, M G; Mayer, H K

2017-06-02

As the formation of pyridoxal phosphate, the active cofactor of vitamin B 6 , is dependent on riboflavin 5-phosphate, we propose a fast and simple ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of the native B 6 vitamers pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, their mono phosphorus esters and 4-pyridoxic acid as well as vitamin B 2 as riboflavin and its phosphorus ester riboflavin 5-phosphate in milk. Separation was achieved under 6.0min by reversed-phase and pH gradient elution. Sample preparation was optimized regarding various acids and pH levels. Changes in those parameters led to significant deviations of sample matrix breakdown efficiency. The optimized method was then validated regarding specificity, accuracy, precision, linearity, range, detection and quantification limits. As the method performed satisfactory, is was used to study commercial liquid cow's milk (n=31), regarding effects of the employed preservation technique (pasteurization, extended shelf-life, ultra-high temperature) on the composition and content of B 6 and B 2 vitamers. In cow's milk, vitamin B 6 mostly consists of pyridoxal and its phosphate ester, with pyridoxal phosphate being the bulk component. The catabolite of the vitamin B 6 metabolism, 4-pyridoxic acid was present in significant amounts in all studied samples, with up to 2.69μmolL -1 . Vitamin B 2 was present as riboflavin and its phosphate ester up to 12.86μmolL -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combining pixel and object based image analysis of ultra-high resolution multibeam bathymetry and backscatter for habitat mapping in shallow marine waters

Science.gov (United States)

Ierodiaconou, Daniel; Schimel, Alexandre C. G.; Kennedy, David; Monk, Jacquomo; Gaylard, Grace; Young, Mary; Diesing, Markus; Rattray, Alex

2018-06-01

Habitat mapping data are increasingly being recognised for their importance in underpinning marine spatial planning. The ability to collect ultra-high resolution (cm) multibeam echosounder (MBES) data in shallow waters has facilitated understanding of the fine-scale distribution of benthic habitats in these areas that are often prone to human disturbance. Developing quantitative and objective approaches to integrate MBES data with ground observations for predictive modelling is essential for ensuring repeatability and providing confidence measures for habitat mapping products. Whilst supervised classification approaches are becoming more common, users are often faced with a decision whether to implement a pixel based (PB) or an object based (OB) image analysis approach, with often limited understanding of the potential influence of that decision on final map products and relative importance of data inputs to patterns observed. In this study, we apply an ensemble learning approach capable of integrating PB and OB Image Analysis from ultra-high resolution MBES bathymetry and backscatter data for mapping benthic habitats in Refuge Cove, a temperate coastal embayment in south-east Australia. We demonstrate the relative importance of PB and OB seafloor derivatives for the five broad benthic habitats that dominate the site. We found that OB and PB approaches performed well with differences in classification accuracy but not discernible statistically. However, a model incorporating elements of both approaches proved to be significantly more accurate than OB or PB methods alone and demonstrate the benefits of using MBES bathymetry and backscatter combined for class discrimination.

Disposable photonic integrated circuits for evanescent wave sensors by ultra-high volume roll-to-roll method.

Science.gov (United States)

Aikio, Sanna; Hiltunen, Jussi; Hiitola-Keinänen, Johanna; Hiltunen, Marianne; Kontturi, Ville; Siitonen, Samuli; Puustinen, Jarkko; Karioja, Pentti

2016-02-08

Flexible photonic integrated circuit technology is an emerging field expanding the usage possibilities of photonics, particularly in sensor applications, by enabling the realization of conformable devices and introduction of new alternative production methods. Here, we demonstrate that disposable polymeric photonic integrated circuit devices can be produced in lengths of hundreds of meters by ultra-high volume roll-to-roll methods on a flexible carrier. Attenuation properties of hundreds of individual devices were measured confirming that waveguides with good and repeatable performance were fabricated. We also demonstrate the applicability of the devices for the evanescent wave sensing of ambient refractive index. The production of integrated photonic devices using ultra-high volume fabrication, in a similar manner as paper is produced, may inherently expand methods of manufacturing low-cost disposable photonic integrated circuits for a wide range of sensor applications.

Similarities and differences among fluid milk products: traditionally produced, extended shelf life and ultrahigh-temperature processed.

Science.gov (United States)

Grabowski, N T; Ahlfeld, B; Brix, A; Hagemann, A; von Münchhausen, C; Klein, G

2013-06-01

Extended shelf life milk is a relatively new kind of fluid milk, generally manufactured by high-temperature treatment and/or micro-filtration. Being advertised as 'pasteurized milk with an extended shelf life', its flavour, compositional quality and labelling was questioned. Extended shelf life (high-temperature treatment), pasteurized ('traditionally produced') and ultrahigh-temperature milk were, therefore, compared at the beginning and end of shelf life. In triangle tests, panellists distinguished clearly between all products. High-temperature treatment milk's flavour was closer to ultrahigh-temperature and traditionally produced milk in the beginning and at the end of shelf life, respectively. Physicochemically and bacteriologically, all three types could be distinguished. Since 'extended shelf life' comprises many process varieties (each affecting flavour differently), consumer information and appropriate package labelling beyond 'long-lasting' is necessary, e.g. by mentioning the heat treatment applied.

Indolo-naphthyridine-6,13-dione Thiophene Building Block for Conjugated Polymer Electronics: Molecular Origin of Ultrahigh n-Type Mobility

KAUST Repository

Fallon, Kealan J.

2016-10-18

Herein, we present the synthesis and characterization of four conjugated polymers containing a novel chromophore for organic electronics based on an indigoid structure. These polymers exhibit extremely small band gaps of ∼1.2 eV, impressive crystallinity, and extremely high n-type mobility exceeding 3 cm V s. The n-type charge carrier mobility can be correlated with the remarkably high crystallinity along the polymer backbone having a correlation length in excess of 20 nm. Theoretical analysis reveals that the novel polymers have highly rigid nonplanar geometries demonstrating that backbone planarity is not a prerequisite for either narrow band gap materials or ultrahigh mobilities. Furthermore, the variation in backbone crystallinity is dependent on the choice of comonomer. OPV device efficiencies up to 4.1% and charge photogeneration up to 1000 nm are demonstrated, highlighting the potential of this novel chromophore class in high-performance organic electronics.

Indolo-naphthyridine-6,13-dione Thiophene Building Block for Conjugated Polymer Electronics: Molecular Origin of Ultrahigh n-Type Mobility

KAUST Repository

Fallon, Kealan J.; Wijeyasinghe, Nilushi; Manley, Eric F.; Dimitrov, Stoichko D.; Yousaf, Syeda A.; Ashraf, Raja S.; Duffy, Warren; Guilbert, Anne A. Y.; Freeman, David M. E.; Al-Hashimi, Mohammed; Nelson, Jenny; Durrant, James R.; Chen, Lin X.; McCulloch, Iain; Marks, Tobin J.; Clarke, Tracey M.; Anthopoulos, Thomas D.; Bronstein, Hugo

2016-01-01

Herein, we present the synthesis and characterization of four conjugated polymers containing a novel chromophore for organic electronics based on an indigoid structure. These polymers exhibit extremely small band gaps of ∼1.2 eV, impressive crystallinity, and extremely high n-type mobility exceeding 3 cm V s. The n-type charge carrier mobility can be correlated with the remarkably high crystallinity along the polymer backbone having a correlation length in excess of 20 nm. Theoretical analysis reveals that the novel polymers have highly rigid nonplanar geometries demonstrating that backbone planarity is not a prerequisite for either narrow band gap materials or ultrahigh mobilities. Furthermore, the variation in backbone crystallinity is dependent on the choice of comonomer. OPV device efficiencies up to 4.1% and charge photogeneration up to 1000 nm are demonstrated, highlighting the potential of this novel chromophore class in high-performance organic electronics.

Fluorescence detection using optical waveguide collection device with high efficiency on assembly of nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shaowen; Ma, Zongmin; Qin, Li; Fu, Yueping; Shi, Yunbo; Liu, Jun; Li, Yan Jun

2018-01-01

In this letter, we propose a fluorescence waveguide excitation and collection (FWEC) method that allows for an excess of 45% collection efficiency of pump photons into optically detected magnetic resonance. The FWEC system used can collect fluorescence 96 times higher than the confocal system under spin manipulation with a microwave. Furthermore, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the FWEC system is improved 9 times compared with that of the confocal system. In addition, the increase in contrast observed using the FWEC system shows that the integration of the system is much improved with 3D printing technology. Thus, this research has a great potential application in subsequent magnetic detection and quantum optics.

Quartz microbalance device for transfer into ultrahigh vacuum systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stavale, F.; Achete, C. A.; Niehus, H.

2008-01-01

An uncomplicated quartz microbalance device has been developed which is transferable into ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) systems. The device is extremely useful for flux calibration of different kinds of material evaporators. Mounted on a commercial specimen holder, the device allows fast quartz microbalance transfer into the UHV and subsequent positioning exactly to the sample location where subsequent thin film deposition experiments shall be carried out. After backtransfer into an UHV sample stage, the manipulator may be loaded in situ with the specimen suited for the experiment. The microbalance device capability is demonstrated for monolayer and submonolayer vanadium depositions with an achieved calibration sensitivity of less the 0.001 ML coverage.

Salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction coupled to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of tetracycline residues in infant foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno-González, David; García-Campaña, Ana M

2017-04-15

The use of salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) combined with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) has been evaluated for the determination of tetracyclines in infant foods based on meat and vegetables or in milk. To obtain satisfactory extraction efficiencies for the studied analytes, several parameters affecting the SALLE procedure were optimized. Analytical performances of the method were satisfactory, obtaining limits of quantification lower than 0.48μgkg -1 in all cases. The precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (%, RSD) was below 11.3%. The extraction efficiency for fortified samples ranged from 89.2 to 96.8%, with RSDs lower than 7.3%. Matrix effect was evaluated for all samples studied, being lower than |21|% in all cases. In relation to the low solvent consumption, the proposed methodology could be considered rapid, cheap and environmentally friendly. Its applicability has been successfully tested in a wide range of infant foods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrahigh resolution radiation imaging system using an optical fiber structure scintillator plate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Seiichi; Kamada, Kei; Yoshikawa, Akira

2018-02-16

High resolution imaging of radiation is required for such radioisotope distribution measurements as alpha particle detection in nuclear facilities or high energy physics experiments. For this purpose, we developed an ultrahigh resolution radiation imaging system using an optical fiber structure scintillator plate. We used a ~1-μm diameter fiber structured GdAlO 3 :Ce (GAP) /α-Al 2 O 3 scintillator plate to reduce the light spread. The fiber structured scintillator plate was optically coupled to a tapered optical fiber plate to magnify the image and combined with a lens-based high sensitivity CCD camera. We observed the images of alpha particles with a spatial resolution of ~25 μm. For the beta particles, the images had various shapes, and the trajectories of the electrons were clearly observed in the images. For the gamma photons, the images also had various shapes, and the trajectories of the secondary electrons were observed in some of the images. These results show that combining an optical fiber structure scintillator plate with a tapered optical fiber plate and a high sensitivity CCD camera achieved ultrahigh resolution and is a promising method to observe the images of the interactions of radiation in a scintillator.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ULTRA-HIGH ENERGY NEUTRINO ASTRONOMY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter K. F. Grieder

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We outline the current situation in ultrahigh energy (UHE cosmic ray physics, pointing out the remaining problems, in particular the puzzle concerning the origin of the primary radiation and the role of neutrino astronomy for locating the sources. Various methods for the detection of UHE neutrinos are briefly described and their merits compared. We give an account of the achievements of the existing optical Cherenkov neutrino telescopes, outline the possibility of using air fluorescence and particle properties of air showers to identify neutrino induced events, and discuss various pioneering experiments employing radio and acoustic detection of extremely energetic neutrinos. The next generation of space, ground and sea based neutrino telescopes now under construction or in the planning phase are listed.

Micro-damage propagation in ultra-high vacuum seals

CERN Document Server

Lutkiewicz, P; Garion, C

2010-01-01

The paper addresses a fundamental problem of tightness of ultra-high vacuum systems (UHV) at cryogenic temperatures in the light of continuum damage mechanics (CDM). The problem of indentation of a rigid punch into an elastic-plastic half-space is investigated based on rate independent plasticity with mixed kinematic and isotropic hardening. The micro-damage fields are modeled by using an anisotropic approach with a kinetic law of damage evolution suitable for ductile materials and cryogenic temperatures. The model has been experimentally validated and the results are used to predict the onset of macro-cracking (loss of tightness) and the corresponding load (contact pressure). The algorithm is applied in the design of UHV systems for particle accelerators. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Ultra-high resolution flat-panel volume CT: fundamental principles, design architecture, and system characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, Rajiv; Brady, Tom; Grasruck, Michael; Suess, Christoph; Schmidt, Bernhard; Stierstorfer, Karl; Popescu, Stefan; Flohr, Thomas; Bartling, Soenke H.

2006-01-01

Digital flat-panel-based volume CT (VCT) represents a unique design capable of ultra-high spatial resolution, direct volumetric imaging, and dynamic CT scanning. This innovation, when fully developed, has the promise of opening a unique window on human anatomy and physiology. For example, the volumetric coverage offered by this technology enables us to observe the perfusion of an entire organ, such as the brain, liver, or kidney, tomographically (e.g., after a transplant or ischemic event). By virtue of its higher resolution, one can directly visualize the trabecular structure of bone. This paper describes the basic design architecture of VCT. Three key technical challenges, viz., scatter correction, dynamic range extension, and temporal resolution improvement, must be addressed for successful implementation of a VCT scanner. How these issues are solved in a VCT prototype and the modifications necessary to enable ultra-high resolution volumetric scanning are described. The fundamental principles of scatter correction and dose reduction are illustrated with the help of an actual prototype. The image quality metrics of this prototype are characterized and compared with a multi-detector CT (MDCT). (orig.)

Ultra-high resolution flat-panel volume CT: fundamental principles, design architecture, and system characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Rajiv; Brady, Tom [Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Founders House, FND-2-216, Boston, MA (United States); Grasruck, Michael; Suess, Christoph; Schmidt, Bernhard; Stierstorfer, Karl; Popescu, Stefan; Flohr, Thomas [Siemens Medical Solutions, Forchheim (Germany); Bartling, Soenke H. [Hannover Medical School, Department of Neuroradiology, Hannover (Germany)

2006-06-15

Digital flat-panel-based volume CT (VCT) represents a unique design capable of ultra-high spatial resolution, direct volumetric imaging, and dynamic CT scanning. This innovation, when fully developed, has the promise of opening a unique window on human anatomy and physiology. For example, the volumetric coverage offered by this technology enables us to observe the perfusion of an entire organ, such as the brain, liver, or kidney, tomographically (e.g., after a transplant or ischemic event). By virtue of its higher resolution, one can directly visualize the trabecular structure of bone. This paper describes the basic design architecture of VCT. Three key technical challenges, viz., scatter correction, dynamic range extension, and temporal resolution improvement, must be addressed for successful implementation of a VCT scanner. How these issues are solved in a VCT prototype and the modifications necessary to enable ultra-high resolution volumetric scanning are described. The fundamental principles of scatter correction and dose reduction are illustrated with the help of an actual prototype. The image quality metrics of this prototype are characterized and compared with a multi-detector CT (MDCT). (orig.)

Origin of the ankle in the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray spectrum, and of the extragalactic protons below it

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, Michael; Farrar, Glennys R.; Anchordoqui, Luis A.

2015-12-01

The sharp change in slope of the ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) spectrum around 1 018.6 eV (the ankle), combined with evidence of a light but extragalactic component near and below the ankle and intermediate composition above, has proved exceedingly challenging to understand theoretically, without fine-tuning. We propose a mechanism whereby photo-disintegration of ultrahigh energy nuclei in the region surrounding a UHECR accelerator accounts for the observed spectrum and inferred composition at Earth. For suitable source conditions, the model reproduces the spectrum and the composition over the entire extragalactic cosmic ray energy range, i.e. above 1 017.5 eV . Predictions for the spectrum and flavors of neutrinos resulting from this process are also presented.

Depression and social anxiety in help-seeking patients with an ultra-high risk for developing psychosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rietdijk, J.; Ising, H.K.; Dragt, S.; Klaassen, R.; Nieman, D.; Wunderink, L.; Cuijpers, P.; Linszen, D.; van der Gaag, M.

2013-01-01

Knowledge on associations between ultra-high risk (UHR) for developing psychosis and on non-psychotic psychopathology in help-seeking populations is limited with respect to differences between male and female patients. The present study tests the hypothesis that both social anxiety and depression

Are gamma-ray bursts the sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baerwald, Philipp

2014-07-01

We reconsider the possibility that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the sources of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) within the internal shock model, assuming a pure proton composition of the UHECRs. For the first time, we combine the information from gamma-rays, cosmic rays, prompt neutrinos, and cosmogenic neutrinos quantitatively in a joint cosmic ray production and propagation model, and we show that the information on the cosmic energy budget can be obtained as a consequence. In addition to the neutron model, we consider alternative scenarios for the cosmic ray escape from the GRBs, i.e., that cosmic rays can leak from the sources. We find that the dip model, which describes the ankle in UHECR observations by the pair production dip, is strongly disfavored in combination with the internal shock model because (a) unrealistically high baryonic loadings (energy in protons versus energy in electrons/gamma-rays) are needed for the individual GRBs and (b) the prompt neutrino flux easily overshoots the corresponding neutrino bound. On the other hand, GRBs may account for the UHECRs in the ankle transition model if cosmic rays leak out from the source at the highest energies. In that case, we demonstrate that future neutrino observations can efficiently test most of the parameter space - unless the baryonic loading is much larger than previously anticipated.

Ultra-high Q terahertz whispering-gallery modes in a silicon resonator

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Dominik Walter; Leonhardt, Rainer

2018-05-01

We report on the first experimental demonstration of terahertz (THz) whispering-gallery modes (WGMs) with an ultra-high quality factor of 1.5 × 104 at 0.62 THz. The WGMs are observed in a high resistivity float zone silicon spherical resonator coupled to a sub-wavelength silica waveguide. A detailed analysis of the coherent continuous wave THz spectroscopy measurements combined with a numerical model based on Mie-Debye-Aden-Kerker theory allows us to unambiguously identify the observed higher order radial THz WGMs.

Geometric scaling in ultrahigh-energy neutrino scattering and nonlinear perturbative QCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machado, Magno V.T.

2005-01-01

It is shown that in ultrahigh-energy inelastic neutrino-nucleon(nucleus) scattering the cross sections for the boson-hadron(nucleus) reactions should exhibit geometric scaling on the single variable τ A =Q 2 /Q sat,A 2 . The dependence on energy and atomic number of the charged/neutral current cross sections are encoded in the saturation momentum Q sat,A . This fact allows an analytical computation of the neutrino scattering on nucleon/nucleus at high energies, providing a theoretical parameterization based on the scaling property

Motivation for an SSC detector with ultra-high resolution photon detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunion, J.F.; Kane, G.

1992-01-01

It is well known that incorporating ultra-high resolution photon detection into a general purpose detector for the SSC will be extremely difficult. The authors will argue that the physics signals that could be missed without such resolution are of such importance that a special purpose detector designed specifically for photon final state modes should be constructed, if sufficient resolution cannot be achieved with general purpose detectors. The potentially great value of these signals as a probe of extremely high mass scales is stressed

Powder metallurgy Al–6Cr–2Fe–1Ti alloy prepared by melt atomisation and hot ultra-high pressure compaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dám, Karel; Vojtěch, Dalibor; Průša, Filip

2013-01-01

Al--6Cr--2Fe--1Ti alloy was prepared by melt atomisation into rapidly solidified powder. The powder was compacted using uniaxial hot compression at an ultra-high pressure (6 GPa). The samples were pressed at 300, 400 and 500 °C. The structure, mechanical properties and thermal stability were examined and compared with those of the commercially available Al--12Si--1Cu--1Mg--1Ni casting alloy, which is considered thermally stable. It was shown that the hot compression at ultra-high pressure results in a compact and pore-free material with excellent mechanical properties. The elevated pressing temperatures were found to be effective at increasing the mechanical stability after applying the ultra-high pressure. The results of thermal stability testing revealed that the mechanical properties do not change significantly at high temperature, even after 100 h of annealing at 400 °C. In addition, the Al--6Cr--2Fe--1Ti alloy exhibited very good creep resistance. A comparison between the commercial Al--12Si--1Cu--1Mg--1Ni alloy and the powder metallurgy alloy shows that this alloy has significantly better mechanical properties and thermal stability.

Powder metallurgy Al-6Cr-2Fe-1Ti alloy prepared by melt atomisation and hot ultra-high pressure compaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dam, Karel, E-mail: Karel.Dam@vscht.cz [Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Technicka 5, 166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic); Vojtech, Dalibor; Prusa, Filip [Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Technicka 5, 166 28 Prague 6 (Czech Republic)

2013-01-10

Al--6Cr--2Fe--1Ti alloy was prepared by melt atomisation into rapidly solidified powder. The powder was compacted using uniaxial hot compression at an ultra-high pressure (6 GPa). The samples were pressed at 300, 400 and 500 Degree-Sign C. The structure, mechanical properties and thermal stability were examined and compared with those of the commercially available Al--12Si--1Cu--1Mg--1Ni casting alloy, which is considered thermally stable. It was shown that the hot compression at ultra-high pressure results in a compact and pore-free material with excellent mechanical properties. The elevated pressing temperatures were found to be effective at increasing the mechanical stability after applying the ultra-high pressure. The results of thermal stability testing revealed that the mechanical properties do not change significantly at high temperature, even after 100 h of annealing at 400 Degree-Sign C. In addition, the Al--6Cr--2Fe--1Ti alloy exhibited very good creep resistance. A comparison between the commercial Al--12Si--1Cu--1Mg--1Ni alloy and the powder metallurgy alloy shows that this alloy has significantly better mechanical properties and thermal stability.

Ultrahigh surface area carbon from carbonated beverages: Combining self-templating process and in situ activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Pengfei; Zhang, Zhiyong; Chen, Jihua; Dai, Sheng

2015-11-01

Ultrahigh surface area carbons (USACs, e.g., >2000 m2/g) are attracting tremendous attention due to their outstanding performance in energy-related applications. The state-of-art approaches to USACs involve templating or activation methods and all these techniques show certain drawbacks. In this work, a series of USACs with specific surface areas up to 3633 m2/g were prepared in two steps: hydrothermal carbonization (200 °C) of carbonated beverages (CBs) and further thermal treatment in nitrogen (600–1000 °C). The rich inner porosity is formed by a self-templated process during which acids and polyelectrolyte sodium salts in the beverage formulas make some contribution. This strategy covers various CBs such as Coca Cola®, Pepsi Cola®, Dr. Pepper®, and Fanta® and it enables an acceptable product yield (based on sugars), for example: 21 wt% for carbon (2940 m2/g) from Coca Cola®. Being potential electrode materials for supercapacitors, those carbon materials possessed a good specific capacitance (57.2–185.7 F g-1) even at a scan rate of 1000 mV s-1. Thus, a simple and efficient strategy to USACs has been presented.

Flexible Ferroelectric Sensors with Ultrahigh Pressure Sensitivity and Linear Response over Exceptionally Broad Pressure Range.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Youngoh; Park, Jonghwa; Cho, Soowon; Shin, Young-Eun; Lee, Hochan; Kim, Jinyoung; Myoung, Jinyoung; Cho, Seungse; Kang, Saewon; Baig, Chunggi; Ko, Hyunhyub

2018-04-24

Flexible pressure sensors with a high sensitivity over a broad linear range can simplify wearable sensing systems without additional signal processing for the linear output, enabling device miniaturization and low power consumption. Here, we demonstrate a flexible ferroelectric sensor with ultrahigh pressure sensitivity and linear response over an exceptionally broad pressure range based on the material and structural design of ferroelectric composites with a multilayer interlocked microdome geometry. Due to the stress concentration between interlocked microdome arrays and increased contact area in the multilayer design, the flexible ferroelectric sensors could perceive static/dynamic pressure with high sensitivity (47.7 kPa -1 , 1.3 Pa minimum detection). In addition, efficient stress distribution between stacked multilayers enables linear sensing over exceptionally broad pressure range (0.0013-353 kPa) with fast response time (20 ms) and high reliability over 5000 repetitive cycles even at an extremely high pressure of 272 kPa. Our sensor can be used to monitor diverse stimuli from a low to a high pressure range including weak gas flow, acoustic sound, wrist pulse pressure, respiration, and foot pressure with a single device.

Numerical Investigation and Experimental Demonstration of Chaos from Two-Stage Colpitts Oscillator in the Ultrahigh Frequency Range

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bumeliene, S.; Tamasevicius, A.; Mykolaitis, G.

2006-01-01

A hardware prototype of the two-stage Colpitts oscillator employing the microwave BFG520 type transistors with the threshold frequency of 9 GHz and designed to operate in the ultrahigh frequency range (300–1000 MHz) is described. The practical circuit in addition to the intrinsic two-stage oscill......A hardware prototype of the two-stage Colpitts oscillator employing the microwave BFG520 type transistors with the threshold frequency of 9 GHz and designed to operate in the ultrahigh frequency range (300–1000 MHz) is described. The practical circuit in addition to the intrinsic two......-stage oscillator contains an emitter follower acting as a buffer and minimizing the influence of the load. The circuit is investigated both numerically and experimentally. Typical phase portraits, Lyapunov exponents, Lyapunov dimension and broadband continuous power spectra are presented. The main advantage...

Ultrahigh temperature vapor core reactor-MHD system for space nuclear electric power

Science.gov (United States)

Maya, Isaac; Anghaie, Samim; Diaz, Nils J.; Dugan, Edward T.

1991-01-01

The conceptual design of a nuclear space power system based on the ultrahigh temperature vapor core reactor with MHD energy conversion is presented. This UF4 fueled gas core cavity reactor operates at 4000 K maximum core temperature and 40 atm. Materials experiments, conducted with UF4 up to 2200 K, demonstrate acceptable compatibility with tungsten-molybdenum-, and carbon-based materials. The supporting nuclear, heat transfer, fluid flow and MHD analysis, and fissioning plasma physics experiments are also discussed.

Logistics systems for recycling - Efficient collection of household waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jahre, M

1996-12-31

This dissertation investigates collection and recycling of household waste with focus on packaging materials. The purpose is how to describe and explain the design of a collection system according to different system environments in order to achieve high logistics performance in terms of low cost and high service. The research approach consists of two main parts. First, data on existing systems are collected and analyzed. Then a model is used to analyze cost consequences from changes in the system and the environment. Four main properties of reverse distribution channels were identified including the number of distribution levels and distribution points, whether the system is bring or kerbside, the degree of separation at source and the degree of co-collection. The study further demonstrates that performance can be measured in a number of ways including service toward end-markets and households, costs, environmental consequences and programme ratios. Finally, two main environmental factors identified were population density and the number of materials being collected in the system. The major conclusion from the study is that systems in areas with low population density should collect and recycle few materials that should be separated at the source and then co-collected. Systems in areas with high population density, on the other hand, may collect many materials, but then centralized separation (i.e. processing in a MRF) should take place. 103 refs, 72 figs, 65 tabs

Logistics systems for recycling - Efficient collection of household waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jahre, M.

1995-12-31

This dissertation investigates collection and recycling of household waste with focus on packaging materials. The purpose is how to describe and explain the design of a collection system according to different system environments in order to achieve high logistics performance in terms of low cost and high service. The research approach consists of two main parts. First, data on existing systems are collected and analyzed. Then a model is used to analyze cost consequences from changes in the system and the environment. Four main properties of reverse distribution channels were identified including the number of distribution levels and distribution points, whether the system is bring or kerbside, the degree of separation at source and the degree of co-collection. The study further demonstrates that performance can be measured in a number of ways including service toward end-markets and households, costs, environmental consequences and programme ratios. Finally, two main environmental factors identified were population density and the number of materials being collected in the system. The major conclusion from the study is that systems in areas with low population density should collect and recycle few materials that should be separated at the source and then co-collected. Systems in areas with high population density, on the other hand, may collect many materials, but then centralized separation (i.e. processing in a MRF) should take place. 103 refs, 72 figs, 65 tabs

A method for neutron dosimetry in ultrahigh flux environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ougouag, A.M.; Wemple, C.A.; Rogers, J.W.

1996-01-01

A method for neutron dosimetry in ultrahigh flux environments is developed, and devices embodying it are proposed and simulated using a Monte Carlo code. The new approach no longer assumes a linear relationship between the fluence and the activity of the nuclides formed by irradiation. It accounts for depletion of the original ''foil'' material and for decay and depletion of the formed nuclides. In facilities where very high fluences are possible, the fluences inferred by activity measurements may be ambiguous. A method for resolving these ambiguities is also proposed and simulated. The new method and proposed devices should make possible the use of materials not traditionally considered desirable for neutron activation dosimetry

Neutronics and Thermal Hydraulics Analysis of a Conceptual Ultra-High Temperature MHD Cermet Fuel Core for Nuclear Electric Propulsion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Song

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Nuclear electric propulsion (NEP offers unique advantages for the interplanetary exploration. The extremely high conversion efficiency of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD conversion nuclear reactor makes it a highly potential space power source in the future, especially for NEP systems. Research on ultra-high temperature reactor suitable for MHD power conversion is performed in this paper. Cermet is chosen as the reactor fuel after a detailed comparison with the (U,ZrC graphite-based fuel and mixed carbide fuel. A reactor design is carried out as well as the analysis of the reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics. The specific design involves fuel element, reactor core, and radiation shield. Two coolant channel configurations of fuel elements are considered and both of them can meet the demands. The 91 channel configuration is chosen due to its greater heat transfer performance. Besides, preliminary calculation of nuclear criticality safety during launch crash accident is also presented. The calculation results show that the current design can meet the safety requirements well.

Improving collection efficiency through remote monitoring of charity assets.

Science.gov (United States)

McLeod, Fraser; Erdogan, Gunes; Cherrett, Tom; Bektas, Tolga; Davies, Nigel; Shingleton, Duncan; Speed, Chris; Dickinson, Janet; Norgate, Sarah

2014-02-01

Collection costs associated with servicing a major UK charity's donation banks and collecting unsold goods from their retail shops can account for up to 20% of the overall income gained. Bank and shop collections are commingled and are typically made on fixed days of the week irrespective of the amounts of materials waiting to be collected. Using collection records from a major UK charity, this paper considers what vehicle routing and scheduling benefits could accrue if bank and shop servicing requirements were monitored, the former using remote sensing technology to allow more proactive collection scheduling. A vehicle routing and scheduling algorithm employing tabu search methods was developed, and suggested time and distance savings of up to 30% over the current fixed schedules when a minimum bank and shop fill level of between 50% and 60% was used as a collection trigger. For the case study investigated, this led to a potential revenue gain of 5% for the charity and estimated CO2 savings of around 0.5 tonnes per week across the fleet of six heterogeneous vehicles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrahigh energy gamma rays: carriers of cosmological information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aharonian, F.A.; Atoyan, A.M.

1985-01-01

Observational data being the basis of contemporary cosmological models are not numerous: Hubble law of redshift for galaxies, element abundances, and observation of cosmic microwave background radiation (MBR). The significance of MBR discovery predicted in the Big-Band model is particularly stressed. Radio astronomical measurements give an information on MBR only near the Earth. Experimental confirmation of evolution of MBR, i.e., its probing in remote epochs, might obviously present a direct verification of the hypothesis of hot expanding Universe. The carriers of similar cosmological information should be particles which, firstly, effectively interact with MBR, and secondly, make it possible to identify unambiguously the epoch of interaction. A possibility to verify a number of cosmological hypotheses by searching the cutoffs in spectra of ultrahigh energy gamma-rays (UHEGR) from extragalactic sources is discussed

Mesoporous generation-inspired ultrahigh capacitive deionization performance by sono-assembled activated carbon/inter-connected graphene network architecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Haiou; Wu, Yifan; Zhang, Shupeng; Li, Wentao; Wang, Baijun; Wang, Changming; Gao, Juanjuan; Li, Aimin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • 3D AC/inter-connected graphene network architecture has been constructed for CDI application. • Generated mesoporous structures can inspire ultrahigh capacitive deionization performance. • Usage of the smaller amounts (5 wt%) of functionalized graphene reduce the secondary pollution. • Inter-connected graphene network as the conductive bridge can decrease the aggregation of AC. • The environmental and economical composite electrode is suitable for practical CDI application. - Abstract: Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging technology that supplies deionized water to resolve the fresh water shortage. CDI electrodes are mainly made up of carbon materials, of which the deionization performance is closely related to their physical properties and structures. Hence, a rational design of electrode material structure is essentially significant. Functionalized graphene (fG) in particular has recently been regarded as characteristic CDI electrode material. However, preparation of fG based on graphene oxide usually results in serious secondary pollution due to usage of highly poisonous chemicals, and thus still cannot meet the demand of practical application. It is feasible that environmentally-friendly activated carbon (AC) and small amounts of fGs can be combined rationally, and used as CDI electrodes. Here, sono-assembled AC/m-phenylenediamine (mPEA) or p-phenylenediaminefG inter-connected network architecture has been constructed for the first time successfully. The specific capacitances of the AC/fG composites were found to be significantly higher than that of the AC electrode owing to mesoporous generation. Also, among all the samples, the AC composite with 5 wt % mPEA-fG exhibited an ultrahigh electrosorption capacity of 12.58 mg/g (or 0.22 mmol/g) in NaCl solution. These observations indicate that fG can serve as an efficient conductive bridge to decrease the aggregation of AC particles, and improve the electron transfer with the

Ultra-high vacuum system of the Brookhaven National Synchrotron Light Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foerster, C.L.

1995-01-01

The rings of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) have been supplying light to numerous users for approximately a decade and recently a fully conditioned machine vacuum at design currents was obtained. A brief description of the x-ray storage ring, the VUV storage ring and their current supply is given along with some of their features. The ultra-high vacuum system employed for the storage rings and their advantages for the necessary stored beam environments are discussed including, a brief history of time. 15 refs., 2 tabs., 8 figs

Retraction Note to: Ultra-High Strength and Ductile Lamellar-Structured Powder Metallurgy Binary Ti-Ta Alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yong; Xu, Shenghang; Wang, Xin; Li, Kaiyang; Liu, Bin; Wu, Hong; Tang, Huiping

2018-05-01

The editors and authors have retracted the article, "Ultra-High Strength and Ductile Lamellar-Structured Powder Metallurgy Binary Ti-Ta Alloys" by Yong Liu, Shenghang Xu, Xin Wang, Kaiyang Li, Bin Liu, Hong Wu, and Huiping Tang (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-015-1801-1).

Impact of He and Cr on defect accumulation in ion-irradiated ultrahigh-purity Fe(Cr) alloys

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prokhodtseva, A.; Décamps, B.; Ramar, Amuthan

2013-01-01

The effect of He on the primary damage induced by irradiation in ultrahigh-purity (UHP) Fe and Fe(Cr) alloys was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Materials were irradiated at room temperature in situ by TEM in a microscope coupled to two ion accelerators, simultaneously pro...

Portable ultrahigh-vacuum sample storage system for polarization-dependent total-reflection fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, Yoshihide, E-mail: e0827@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Nishimura, Yusaku F.; Suzuki, Ryo; Beniya, Atsushi; Isomura, Noritake [Toyota Central R& D Labs., Inc., Yokomichi 41-1, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192 (Japan); Uehara, Hiromitsu; Asakura, Kiyotaka; Takakusagi, Satoru [Catalysis Research Center, Hokkaido University, Kita 21-10, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021 (Japan); Nimura, Tomoyuki [AVC Co., Ltd., Inada 1450-6, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki 312-0061 (Japan)

2016-03-15

A portable ultrahigh-vacuum sample storage system was designed and built to investigate the detailed geometric structures of mass-selected metal clusters on oxide substrates by polarization-dependent total-reflection fluorescence x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (PTRF-XAFS). This ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) sample storage system provides the handover of samples between two different sample manipulating systems. The sample storage system is adaptable for public transportation, facilitating experiments using air-sensitive samples in synchrotron radiation or other quantum beam facilities. The samples were transferred by the developed portable UHV transfer system via a public transportation at a distance over 400 km. The performance of the transfer system was demonstrated by a successful PTRF-XAFS study of Pt{sub 4} clusters deposited on a TiO{sub 2}(110) surface.

Fiscal 1999 research and development of technologies for practical application of photovoltaic power generation systems. Development of ultrahigh-efficiency crystalline compound solar cell manufacturing technology (Survey and research on practical application - Volume 1); 1999 nendo taiyoko hatsauden system jitsuyoka gijutsu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Chokokoritsu kessho kagobutsu taiyo denchi no seizo gijutsu kaihatsu (jitsuyoka kaiseki ni kansuru chosa kenkyu - 1)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

A 'Sub-committee for investigation of crystalline compound semiconductor solar cells' was established with the participation of experts from the industrial, bureaucratic, and academic circles to support the manufacture of ultrahigh-efficiency crystalline compound solar cells, and a survey was conducted about technical trends relating to III-V group compound solar cells. In the study of the trends and tasks of the state of the art technology, it is stated that the III-V group compound semiconductor multi-junction solar cell was steadily improving in efficiency, that the InGaP/GaAs 2-junction cell on a Ge substrate and InGaP/GaAs/Ge 3-junction cell in particular were moving toward mass production, and that the target for the 4-junction cell to achieve was 40% or higher in efficiency. For cost reduction, investigations were made into the heteroepitaxial technology, dimensional enlargement, mass production, raw material cost reduction, feasibility of the polycrystalline thin-film technology, light concentration, etc. For efficiency improvement, boundary layer control, structure designs, etc., were studied. Investigations were also conducted into nitride semiconductors, superlattice construction, etc., which related to new materials for thin films. TPV (thermophotovoltaic) power, etc., were reviewed for their practical application. (NEDO)

Fornax A, Centaurus A other radio galaxies as sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, J. H.; Bell, A. R.; Blundell, K. M.; Araudo, A. T.

2018-06-01

The origin of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) is still unknown. It has recently been proposed that UHECR anisotropies can be attributed to starburst galaxies or active galactic nuclei. We suggest that the latter is more likely and that giant-lobed radio galaxies such as Centaurus A and Fornax A can explain the data.

IN VITRO FLOW ANALYSIS OF NOVEL DOUBLE-CUTTING, OPEN-PORT, ULTRAHIGH-SPEED VITRECTOMY SYSTEMS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zehetner, Claus; Moelgg, Marion; Bechrakis, Emmanouil; Linhart, Caroline; Bechrakis, Nikolaos E

2017-10-09

To analyze the performance and flow characteristics of novel double-cutting, open-port, 23-, 25-, and 27-gauge ultrahigh-speed vitrectomy systems. In vitro fluidic measurements were performed to assess the volumetric aspiration profiles of several vitrectomy systems in basic salt solution and egg white. Double-cutting open-port vitrectomy probes delivered stable aspiration flow rates that were less prone to flow variation affected by the cutting speed. Increase in cutting frequency to the maximum level resulted in flow reduction of less than 10% (0.0%-9.5%). Commercially available 23-, 25-, and 27-G double-cutting probes exhibited higher egg-white and basic salt solution flow rates at all evaluated cut rates, with aspirational efficiencies being 1.1 to 2.9 times the flow rates of standard single-blade vitrectomy probes of the same caliber at the maximum preset vacuum. The highest relative differences were observed at faster cut rates. The newly introduced double-cutting open-port vitrectomy probes delivered stable aspiration flow rates that were less prone to flow variation affected by the cutting speed. The fluidic principle of constant flow even at the highest cut rates and low vacuum levels might impact surgical strategies, especially when performing manipulations close to the retina.

Hydrogen poisoning of the CO oxidation reaction on Pt and Pd under ultrahigh vacuum conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strozier, J.A.

1977-01-01

The poisoning by hydrogen of the catalyzed oxidation of CO on Pt and Pd under ultrahigh vacuum conditions was investigated. ac pulsing techniques are used in which the pressure of the reactant CO in the reaction chamber is modulated periodically by means of a fast piezoelectric ultrahigh vacuum valve, and the ac component of the product CO 2 is recorded mass spectroscopically by phase-sensitive techniques. The ac CO 2 production rate is measured as a function of hydrogen pressure (1 - 10 x 10 -9 toor) at constant CO and O 2 pressures (approximately equal to 5 x 10 -8 torr), and constant temperature (approximately equal to 700 K). Exact theoretical calculations of CO 2 production rates were carried out employing several models, i.e., oxygen burn-off by hydrogen, incorporating both the Eley-Rideal and Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanisms. From a comparison with the experimental results, the probable reaction is of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood type and the relevant rate constant is also determined. These results are compared with other results in the literature on hydrogen oxidation on the surface of Pt

Bulk superconducting gap of V_3Si studied by low-energy ultrahigh-resolution photoemission spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, T.; Souma, S.; Nakayama, K.; Sugawara, K.; Toyota, N.; Takahashi, T.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We report ultrahigh-resolution photoemission spectroscopy of A15 compound V_3Si. • We found a sharp quasiparticle peak due to superconducting-gap opening. • The surface metallic component is negligibly small in the bulk-sensitive measurement. • We show that V_3Si is a single-gap s-wave superconductor. - Abstract: We have performed low-energy ultrahigh-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (PES) of A15 compound V_3Si with a xenon-plasma discharge lamp to elucidate the bulk superconducting gap. Below the superconducting transition temperature (T_c = 15.9 K), we found a sharp quasiparticle peak at the Fermi level in the PES spectrum. The gap spectrum is well fitted by a single s-wave superconducting-gap function together with a dip structure at ∼30 meV suggestive of a strong electron-phonon coupling. The anomalous in-gap state previously observed in the PES measurement with high-energy photons is absent or negligibly small in the present bulk-sensitive measurement. The present PES result shows that V_3Si is a single-gap s-wave superconductor.

Effects of anesthetic agents on brain blood oxygenation level revealed with ultra-high field MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciobanu, Luisa; Reynaud, Olivier; Le Bihan, Denis; Uhrig, Lynn; Jarraya, Bechir

2012-01-01

During general anesthesia it is crucial to control systemic hemodynamics and oxygenation levels. However, anesthetic agents can affect cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism in a drug-dependent manner, while systemic hemodynamics is stable. Brain-wide monitoring of this effect remains highly challenging. Because T2'*-weighted imaging at ultra-high magnetic field strengths benefits from a dramatic increase in contrast to noise ratio, we hypothesized that it could monitor anesthesia effects on brain blood oxygenation. We scanned rat brains at 7 T and 17.2 T under general anesthesia using different anesthetics (isoflurane, ketamine-xylazine, medetomidine). We showed that the brain/vessels contrast in T2'*- weighted images at 17.2 T varied directly according to the applied pharmacological anesthetic agent, a phenomenon that was visible, but to a much smaller extent at 7 T. This variation is in agreement with the mechanism of action of these agents. These data demonstrate that preclinical ultra-high field MRI can monitor the effects of a given drug on brain blood oxygenation level in the absence of systemic blood oxygenation changes and of any neural stimulation. (authors)

USING A MICRO-UAV FOR ULTRA-HIGH RESOLUTION MULTI-SENSOR OBSERVATIONS OF ANTARCTIC MOSS BEDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Lucieer

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study is the first to use an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV for mapping moss beds in Antarctica. Mosses can be used as indicators for the regional effects of climate change. Mapping and monitoring their extent and health is therefore important. UAV aerial photography provides ultra-high resolution spatial data for this purpose. We developed a technique to extract an extremely dense 3D point cloud from overlapping UAV aerial photography based on structure from motion (SfM algorithms. The combination of SfM and patch-based multi-view stereo image vision algorithms resulted in a 2 cm resolution digital terrain model (DTM. This detailed topographic information combined with vegetation indices derived from a 6-band multispectral sensor enabled the assessment of moss bed health. This novel UAV system has allowed us to map different environmental characteristics of the moss beds at ultra-high resolution providing us with a better understanding of these fragile Antarctic ecosystems. The paper provides details on the different UAV instruments and the image processing framework resulting in DEMs, vegetation indices, and terrain derivatives.

Measurement of ultra-high energy cosmic rays: An experimental summary and prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fukushima M.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Measurements of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays achieved remarkable progress in the last 10 years. Physicists, gathered from around the world in the symposium UHECR-2012 held at CERN on February 13-16 2012, reported their most up-to-date observations, discussed the meaning of their findings, and identified remaining problems and future challenges in this field. This paper is a part of the symposium proceedings on the experimental summary and future prospects of the UHECR study.

Artificial neural network modeling and optimization of ultrahigh pressure extraction of green tea polyphenols.

Science.gov (United States)

Xi, Jun; Xue, Yujing; Xu, Yinxiang; Shen, Yuhong

2013-11-01

In this study, the ultrahigh pressure extraction of green tea polyphenols was modeled and optimized by a three-layer artificial neural network. A feed-forward neural network trained with an error back-propagation algorithm was used to evaluate the effects of pressure, liquid/solid ratio and ethanol concentration on the total phenolic content of green tea extracts. The neural network coupled with genetic algorithms was also used to optimize the conditions needed to obtain the highest yield of tea polyphenols. The obtained optimal architecture of artificial neural network model involved a feed-forward neural network with three input neurons, one hidden layer with eight neurons and one output layer including single neuron. The trained network gave the minimum value in the MSE of 0.03 and the maximum value in the R(2) of 0.9571, which implied a good agreement between the predicted value and the actual value, and confirmed a good generalization of the network. Based on the combination of neural network and genetic algorithms, the optimum extraction conditions for the highest yield of green tea polyphenols were determined as follows: 498.8 MPa for pressure, 20.8 mL/g for liquid/solid ratio and 53.6% for ethanol concentration. The total phenolic content of the actual measurement under the optimum predicated extraction conditions was 582.4 ± 0.63 mg/g DW, which was well matched with the predicted value (597.2mg/g DW). This suggests that the artificial neural network model described in this work is an efficient quantitative tool to predict the extraction efficiency of green tea polyphenols. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel strategies for ultrahigh specific activity targeted nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Dong

2012-12-13

We have developed novel strategies optimized for preparing high specific activity radiolabeled nanoparticles, targeting nuclear imaging of low abundance biomarkers. Several compounds have been labeled with F-18 and Cu-64 for radiolabeling of SCK-nanoparticles via Copper(I) catalyzed or copper-free alkyne-azide cyclolization. Novel strategies have been developed to achieve ultrahigh specific activity with administrable amount of dose for human study using copper-free chemistry. Ligands for carbonic anhydrase 12 (CA12), a low abundance extracellular biomarker for the responsiveness of breast cancer to endocrine therapie, have been labeled with F-18 and Cu-64, and one of them has been evaluated in animal models. The results of this project will lead to major improvements in the use of nanoparticles in nuclear imaging and will significantly advance their potential for detecting low abundance biomarkers of medical importance.

Ultrahigh Voltage Electron Microscopy Links Neuroanatomy and Neuroscience/Neuroendocrinology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hirotaka Sakamoto

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The three-dimensional (3D analysis of anatomical ultrastructures is extremely important in most fields of biological research. Although it is very difficult to perform 3D image analysis on exact serial sets of ultrathin sections, 3D reconstruction from serial ultrathin sections can generally be used to obtain 3D information. However, this technique can only be applied to small areas of a specimen because of technical and physical difficulties. We used ultrahigh voltage electron microscopy (UHVEM to overcome these difficulties and to study the chemical neuroanatomy of 3D ultrastructures. This methodology, which links UHVEM and light microscopy, is a useful and powerful tool for studying molecular and/or chemical neuroanatomy at the ultrastructural level.

A new ultrahigh-strength stainless steel strengthened by various coexisting nanoprecipitates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, W., E-mail: w.xu@m2i.nl [Materials Innovation Institute M2i, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS, Delft (Netherlands)] [Novel Aerospace Materials (NovAM) Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS, Delft (Netherlands); Rivera-Diaz-del-Castillo, P.E.J. [Novel Aerospace Materials (NovAM) Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS, Delft (Netherlands); Yan, W.; Yang, K. [Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); San Martin, D. [Materalia Group, Department of Physical Metallurgy, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalurgicas (CENIM-CSIC), Av. Gregorio del Amo 8, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Kestens, L.A.I. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 903, 9052 Gent (Belgium); Zwaag, S. van der [Novel Aerospace Materials (NovAM) Group, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS, Delft (Netherlands)

2010-06-15

A general computational alloy design approach based on thermodynamic and physical metallurgical principles and coupled with a genetic optimization scheme is presented. The model is applied to develop a new ultrahigh-strength maraging stainless steel. The alloy composition and heat treatment parameters are integrally optimized so as to achieve microstructures of fully lath martensite matrix strengthened by multiple precipitates of MC carbides, Cu particles and Ni{sub 3}Ti intermetallics. The combined mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and identification of actual strengthening precipitates in the experimental prototype produced on the basic of the model predictions provide a strong justification for the alloy design approach.

Implementation of complex nanosystems using a versatile ultrahigh vacuum nonlithographic technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Biswajit; Banerjee, Arghya

2007-01-01

We have developed an ultrahigh vacuum technique for the implementation of complex nanosystems incorporating nonlithographic nanoparticles, ohmic contact metals and isolation dielectrics. The technique is compatible with the silicon integrated circuit manufacturing process and is versatile, allowing the deposition of nanoparticles of any metal, semiconductor or insulator with diameters as small as 2 nm with less than 5% size variation. In addition, the technique allows the creation of multi-layered structures of nanoparticles of different dimensions. The flexibility and the versatility of the technique have been demonstrated by depositing nanoparticles of various materials as well as fabricating multi-layered structures incorporating nanoparticles

A new ultrahigh-strength stainless steel strengthened by various coexisting nanoprecipitates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, W.; Rivera-Diaz-del-Castillo, P.E.J.; Yan, W.; Yang, K.; San Martin, D.; Kestens, L.A.I.; Zwaag, S. van der

2010-01-01

A general computational alloy design approach based on thermodynamic and physical metallurgical principles and coupled with a genetic optimization scheme is presented. The model is applied to develop a new ultrahigh-strength maraging stainless steel. The alloy composition and heat treatment parameters are integrally optimized so as to achieve microstructures of fully lath martensite matrix strengthened by multiple precipitates of MC carbides, Cu particles and Ni 3 Ti intermetallics. The combined mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and identification of actual strengthening precipitates in the experimental prototype produced on the basic of the model predictions provide a strong justification for the alloy design approach.

Ultra-high speed all-optical signal processing using silicon waveguides and a carbon nanotubes based mode-locked laser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Hua

This thesis concerns the use of nano-engineered silicon waveguides for ultra-high speed optical serial data signal processing. The fundamental nonlinear properties of nano-engineered silicon waveguides are characterized. Utilizing the nonlinear effect in nano-engineered silicon waveguides for dem...

Atomically Smooth Epitaxial Ferroelectric Thin Films for the Development of a Nonvolatile, Ultrahigh Density, Fast, Low Voltage, Radiation-Hard Memory

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Ahn, Charles H

2006-01-01

The goal of this research is to fabricate atomically smooth, single crystalline, complex oxide thin film nanostructures for use in a nonvolatile, ultrahigh density, fast, low voltage, radiation-hard memory...

Opening the Black Box of Cognitive-Behavioural Case Management in Clients with Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartmann, Jessica A.; McGorry, Patrick D.; Schmidt, Stefanie J.; Amminger, G. Paul; Yuen, Hok Pan; Markulev, Connie; Berger, Gregor E.; Chen, Eric Y. H.; de Haan, Lieuwe; Hickie, Ian B.; Lavoie, Suzie; McHugh, Meredith J.; Mossaheb, Nilufar; Nieman, Dorien H.; Nordentoft, Merete; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Schäfer, Miriam R.; Schlögelhofer, Monika; Smesny, Stefan; Thompson, Andrew; Verma, Swapna Kamal; Yung, Alison R.; Nelson, Barnaby

2017-01-01

Background: Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is the first-choice treatment in clients with ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. However, CBT is an umbrella term for a plethora of different strategies, and little is known about the association between the intensity and content of CBT and the

Optical Method for Detecting Displacements and Strains at Ultra-High Temperatures During Thermo-Mechanical Testing

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Russell W. (Inventor); Rivers, H. Kevin (Inventor); Sikora, Joseph G. (Inventor); Roth, Mark C. (Inventor); Johnston, William M. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

An ultra-high temperature optical method incorporates speckle optics for sensing displacement and strain measurements well above conventional measurement techniques. High temperature pattern materials are used which can endure experimental high temperature environments while simultaneously having a minimum optical aberration. A purge medium is used to reduce or eliminate optical distortions and to reduce, and/or eliminate oxidation of the target specimen.

Ultrahighly Dispersed Titanium Oxide on Silica : Effect of Precursors on the Structure and Photocatalysis

OpenAIRE

Yoshida , S.; Takenaka , S.; Tanaka , T.; Funabiki , T.

1997-01-01

The effect of precursor on the dispersion and catalytic performance of titanium oxide supported on silica has ben investigated. The catalysts were prepared by a simple impregnation method with three kinds of titanium complexes of different ligands (bis(isopropyato)-bis(pivaroylmethanato) : DPM, acetylacetonato : ACAC, tetrakis(isopropylato) : IPRO) with the aim of preparing ultrahighly dispersed titanium oxide on silica. The XAFS study revealed that titanium species in the catalyst prepared f...

Comparison of particle-wall interaction boundary conditions in the prediction of cyclone collection efficiency in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valverde Ramirez, M.; Coury, J.R.; Goncalves, J.A.S.

2009-01-01

In recent years, many computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies have appeared attempting to predict cyclone pressure drop and collection efficiency. While these studies have been able to predict pressure drop well, they have been only moderately successful in predicting collection efficiency. Part of the reason for this failure has been attributed to the relatively simple wall boundary conditions implemented in the commercially available CFD software, which are not capable of accurately describing the complex particle-wall interaction present in a cyclone. According, researches have proposed a number of different boundary conditions in order to improve the model performance. This work implemented the critical velocity boundary condition through a user defined function (UDF) in the Fluent software and compared its predictions both with experimental data and with the predictions obtained when using Fluent's built-in boundary conditions. Experimental data was obtained from eight laboratory scale cyclones with varying geometric ratios. The CFD simulations were made using the software Fluent 6.3.26. (author)

Modified heat treatment for lower temperature improvement of the mechanical properties of two ultrahigh strength low alloy steels

Science.gov (United States)

Tomita, Yoshiyuki; Okabayashi, Kunio

1985-01-01

In the previous papers, a new heat treatment for improving the lower temperature mechanical propertise of the ultrahigh strength low alloy steels was suggested by the authors which produces a mixed structure of 25 vol pct lower bainite and 75 vol pct martensite through isothermal transformation at 593 K for a short time followed by water quenching (after austenitization at 1133 K). In this paper, two commercial Japanese ultrahigh strength steels, 0.40 pct C-Ni-Cr-Mo (AISI 4340 type) and 0.40 pct C-Cr-Mo (AISI 4140 type), have been studied to determine the effect of the modified heat treatment, coupled above new heat treatment with γ ⇆ α' repctitive heat treatment, on the mechanical properties from ambient temperature (287 K) to 123 K. The results obtained for various test temperatures have been compared with those for the new heat treatment reported previously and the conventional 1133 K direct water quenching treatment. The incorporation of intermediate four cyclic γ ⇆ α' repctitive heat treatment steps (after the initial austenitization at 1133 K and oil quenching) into the new heat treatment reported previously, as compared with the conventional 1133 K direct water quenching treatment, significantly improved 0.2 pct proof stress as well as notch toughness of the 0.40 pct C-Ni-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel at similar fracture ductility levels from 287 to 123 K. Also, this heat treatment, as compared with the conventional 1133 K direct water quenching treatment, significantly improved both 0.2 pct proof stress and notch toughness of the 0.40 pct C-Cr-Mo ultrahigh strength steel with increased fracture ductility at 203 K and above. The microstructure consists of mixed areas of ultrafine grained martensite, within which is the refined blocky, highly dislocated structure, and the second phase lower bainite (about 15 vol pct), which appears in acicular form and partitions prior austenite grains. This newly developed heat treatment makes it possible to modify

Informational and linguistic analysis of large genomic sequence collections via efficient Hadoop cluster algorithms.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraro Petrillo, Umberto; Roscigno, Gianluca; Cattaneo, Giuseppe; Giancarlo, Raffaele

2018-06-01

Information theoretic and compositional/linguistic analysis of genomes have a central role in bioinformatics, even more so since the associated methodologies are becoming very valuable also for epigenomic and meta-genomic studies. The kernel of those methods is based on the collection of k-mer statistics, i.e. how many times each k-mer in {A,C,G,T}k occurs in a DNA sequence. Although this problem is computationally very simple and efficiently solvable on a conventional computer, the sheer amount of data available now in applications demands to resort to parallel and distributed computing. Indeed, those type of algorithms have been developed to collect k-mer statistics in the realm of genome assembly. However, they are so specialized to this domain that they do not extend easily to the computation of informational and linguistic indices, concurrently on sets of genomes. Following the well-established approach in many disciplines, and with a growing success also in bioinformatics, to resort to MapReduce and Hadoop to deal with 'Big Data' problems, we present KCH, the first set of MapReduce algorithms able to perform concurrently informational and linguistic analysis of large collections of genomic sequences on a Hadoop cluster. The benchmarking of KCH that we provide indicates that it is quite effective and versatile. It is also competitive with respect to the parallel and distributed algorithms highly specialized to k-mer statistics collection for genome assembly problems. In conclusion, KCH is a much needed addition to the growing number of algorithms and tools that use MapReduce for bioinformatics core applications. The software, including instructions for running it over Amazon AWS, as well as the datasets are available at http://www.di-srv.unisa.it/KCH. umberto.ferraro@uniroma1.it. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Porous-Shell Vanadium Nitride Nanobubbles with Ultrahigh Areal Sulfur Loading for High-Capacity and Long-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Lianbo; Yuan, Hao; Zhang, Wenjun; Zhu, Guoyin; Wang, Yanrong; Hu, Yi; Zhao, Peiyang; Chen, Renpeng; Chen, Tao; Liu, Jie; Hu, Zheng; Jin, Zhong

2017-12-13

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries hold great promise for the applications of high energy density storage. However, the performances of Li-S batteries are restricted by the low electrical conductivity of sulfur and shuttle effect of intermediate polysulfides. Moreover, the areal loading weights of sulfur in previous studies are usually low (around 1-3 mg cm -2 ) and thus cannot fulfill the requirement for practical deployment. Herein, we report that porous-shell vanadium nitride nanobubbles (VN-NBs) can serve as an efficient sulfur host in Li-S batteries, exhibiting remarkable electrochemical performances even with ultrahigh areal sulfur loading weights (5.4-6.8 mg cm -2 ). The large inner space of VN-NBs can afford a high sulfur content and accommodate the volume expansion, and the high electrical conductivity of VN-NBs ensures the effective utilization and fast redox kinetics of polysulfides. Moreover, VN-NBs present strong chemical affinity/adsorption with polysulfides and thus can efficiently suppress the shuttle effect via both capillary confinement and chemical binding, and promote the fast conversion of polysulfides. Benefiting from the above merits, the Li-S batteries based on sulfur-filled VN-NBs cathodes with 5.4 mg cm -2 sulfur exhibit impressively high areal/specific capacity (5.81 mAh cm -2 ), superior rate capability (632 mAh g -1 at 5.0 C), and long cycling stability.

Electron attachment to oxygen, ozone and other compounds of atmospheric relevance as studied with ultra-high energy resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maerk, T.D.; Matejcik, S.; Kiendler, A.; Cicman, P.; Senn, G.; Skalny, J.; Stampfli, P.; Illenberger, E.; Chu, Y.; Stamatovic, A.

1996-01-01

The processes of electron attachment to oxygen, ozone, ozone/oxygen cluster and oxygen cluster as well as other compounds of atmospheric relevance (CF 2 Cl 2 , CHCl 3 and CCl 3 Br) were studied with ultra-high energy resolution crossed beam technique

Irradiation of mammalian cells in the presence of diamide and low concentrations of oxygen at conventional and at ultrahigh dose rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, E.P.; Michaels, H.B.; Peterson, E.C.; Epp, E.R.

1983-01-01

The response of cultured CHO cells to ultrahigh-dose-radiation (approx.10 9 Gy/sec) has been previously studied extensively using the thin-layer cell-handling technique developed in this laboratory. When the cells are equilibrated with a low concentration of oxygen, e.g., 0.44% O 2 , a breaking survival curve, due to radiolytic depletion of the oxygen, is observed. Hypoxic cells irradiated in the presence of the nitroimidazoles (e.g., misonidazole) are sensitized at ultrahigh dose rates in a dose-modifying manner, similar to that observed at conventional dose rates. These radiosensitizer compounds, if present in cells equilibrated with a low concentration of oxygen, prevent the breaking behavior of the survival curve, an observation believed to be due to the sensitizer interfering with the oxygen depletion process, leaving oxygen free to sensitize. Such experiments have recently been extended to studies with diamide, which, unlike the other sensitizers tested, acts primarily as a shoulder-modifying rather than a dose-modifying agent in hypoxic mammalian cells. These data indicate that diamide is active as a sensitizer at ultrahigh dose rates in a manner similar to that observed at conventional dose rates, and does modify the shape of the breaking survival curve observed with low concentrations of oxygen

Argentation chromatography coupled to ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry for the separation of a heavy crude oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Molnárné Guricza, Lilla; Schrader, Wolfgang

2017-02-10

Simplification of highly complex mixtures such as crude oil by using chromatographic methods makes it possible to get more detailed information about the composition of the analyte. Separation by argentation chromatography can be achieved based on the interaction of different strength between the silver ions (Ag + ) immobilized through a spacer on the silica gel surface and the π-bonds of the analytes. Heavy crude oils contain compounds with a high number of heteroatoms (N, O, S) and a high degree of unsaturation thus making them the perfect analyte for argentation chromatography. The direct coupling of argentation chromatography and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry allows to continuously tracking the separation of the many different compounds by retention time and allows sensitive detection on a molecular level. Direct injection of a heavy crude oil into a ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometer showed components with DBE of up to 25, whereas analytes with DBE of up to 35 could be detected only after separation with argentation chromatography. The reduced complexity achieved by the separation helps increasing the information depth. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Visible-to-visible four-photon ultrahigh resolution microscopic imaging with 730-nm diode laser excited nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Baoju; Zhan, Qiuqiang; Zhao, Yuxiang; Wu, Ruitao; Liu, Jing; He, Sailing

2016-01-25

Further development of multiphoton microscopic imaging is confronted with a number of limitations, including high-cost, high complexity and relatively low spatial resolution due to the long excitation wavelength. To overcome these problems, for the first time, we propose visible-to-visible four-photon ultrahigh resolution microscopic imaging by using a common cost-effective 730-nm laser diode to excite the prepared Nd(3+)-sensitized upconversion nanoparticles (Nd(3+)-UCNPs). An ordinary multiphoton scanning microscope system was built using a visible CW diode laser and the lateral imaging resolution as high as 161-nm was achieved via the four-photon upconversion process. The demonstrated large saturation excitation power for Nd(3+)-UCNPs would be more practical and facilitate the four-photon imaging in the application. A sample with fine structure was imaged to demonstrate the advantages of visible-to-visible four-photon ultrahigh resolution microscopic imaging with 730-nm diode laser excited nanocrystals. Combining the uniqueness of UCNPs, the proposed visible-to-visible four-photon imaging would be highly promising and attractive in the field of multiphoton imaging.

Opening the Black Box of Cognitive-Behavioural Case Management in Clients with Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartmann, Jessica A.; McGorry, Patrick D.; Schmidt, Stefanie J.

2017-01-01

Background: Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is the first-choice treatment in clients with ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis. However, CBT is an umbrella term for a plethora of different strategies, and little is known about the association between the intensity and content of CBT and the se...

A Manganin Thin Film Ultra-High Pressure Sensor for Microscale Detonation Pressure Measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guodong Zhang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available With the development of energetic materials (EMs and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS initiating explosive devices, the measurement of detonation pressure generated by EMs in the microscale has become a pressing need. This paper develops a manganin thin film ultra-high pressure sensor based on MEMS technology for measuring the output pressure from micro-detonator. A reliable coefficient is proposed for designing the sensor’s sensitive element better. The sensor employs sandwich structure: the substrate uses a 0.5 mm thick alumina ceramic, the manganin sensitive element with a size of 0.2 mm × 0.1 mm × 2 μm and copper electrodes of 2 μm thick are sputtered sequentially on the substrate, and a 25 μm thick insulating layer of polyimide is wrapped on the sensitive element. The static test shows that the piezoresistive coefficient of manganin thin film is 0.0125 GPa−1. The dynamic experiment indicates that the detonation pressure of micro-detonator is 12.66 GPa, and the response time of the sensor is 37 ns. In a word, the sensor developed in this study is suitable for measuring ultra-high pressure in microscale and has a shorter response time than that of foil-like manganin gauges. Simultaneously, this study could be beneficial to research on ultra-high-pressure sensors with smaller size.

Recoverable Wire-Shaped Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Volumetric Energy Density for Multifunctional Portable and Wearable Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Minjie; Yang, Cheng; Song, Xuefeng; Liu, Jing; Zhao, Liping; Zhang, Peng; Gao, Lian

2017-05-24

Wire-shaped supercapacitors (SCs) based on shape memory materials are of considerable interest for next-generation portable and wearable electronics. However, the bottleneck in this field is how to develop the devices with excellent electrochemical performance while well-maintaining recoverability and flexibility. Herein, a unique asymmetric electrode concept is put forward to fabricate smart wire-shaped SCs with ultrahigh energy density, which is realized by using porous carbon dodecahedra coated on NiTi alloy wire and flexible graphene fiber as yarn electrodes. Notably, the wire-shaped SCs not only exhibit high flexibility that can be readily woven into real clothing but also represent the available recoverable ability. When irreversible plastic deformations happen, the deformed shape of the devices can automatically resume the initial predesigned shape in a warm environment (about 35 °C). More importantly, the wire-shaped SCs act as efficient energy storage devices, which display high volumetric energy density (8.9 mWh/cm 3 ), volumetric power density (1080 mW/cm 3 ), strong durability in multiple mechanical states, and steady electrochemical behavior after repeated shape recovery processes. Considering their relative facile fabrication technology and excellent electrochemical performance, this asymmetric electrode strategy produced smart wire-shaped supercapacitors desirable for multifunctional portable and wearable electronics.

Channeling acceleration: A path to ultrahigh energy colliders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, P.; Huang, Z.; Ruth, R.D.

1995-01-01

Acceleration of charged particles along crystal channels has been proposed earlier in an attempt to achieve high acceleration gradient while at the same time to suppress excessive emittance growth. Recently the authors demonstrated that a particle in a generic focusing channel can in principle absolutely damp to its transverse ground state without any quantum excitation. This yields the minimum beam emittance that one can ever attain, γε min = ℎ/2mc, limited only by the uncertainty principle. In this paper they discuss sources of excitation when a more realistic channel is considered, including bremsstrahlung and multiple Coulomb scattering. They investigate the possibility of colliding ultrahigh energy particles in such strong focusing channels without the need of a final focusing system, where the concept of luminosity departs from the conventional approach. They show that a high luminosity can be attained with a rather modest beam power

SEARCH FOR ANISOTROPY OF ULTRAHIGH ENERGY COSMIC RAYS WITH THE TELESCOPE ARRAY EXPERIMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abu-Zayyad, T.; Allen, M.; Anderson, R.; Barcikowski, E.; Belz, J. W.; Bergman, D. R.; Blake, S. A.; Cady, R.; Hanlon, W. [High Energy Astrophysics Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Aida, R. [Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Yamanashi (Japan); Azuma, R.; Fukuda, T. [Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo (Japan); Cheon, B. G.; Cho, E. J. [Department of Physics and The Research Institute of Natural Science, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chiba, J. [Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba (Japan); Chikawa, M. [Department of Physics, Kinki University, Higashi Osaka, Osaka (Japan); Cho, W. R. [Department of Physics, Yonsei University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Fujii, H. [Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies, KEK, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan); Fujii, T. [Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, Osaka, Osaka (Japan); Fukushima, M. [Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan); and others

2012-09-20

We study the anisotropy of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray (UHECR) events collected by the Telescope Array (TA) detector in the first 40 months of operation. Following earlier studies, we examine event sets with energy thresholds of 10 EeV, 40 EeV, and 57 EeV. We find that the distributions of the events in right ascension and declination are compatible with an isotropic distribution in all three sets. We then compare with previously reported clustering of the UHECR events at small angular scales. No significant clustering is found in the TA data. We then check the events with E > 57 EeV for correlations with nearby active galactic nuclei. No significant correlation is found. Finally, we examine all three sets for correlations with the large-scale structure (LSS) of the universe. We find that the two higher-energy sets are compatible with both an isotropic distribution and the hypothesis that UHECR sources follow the matter distribution of the universe (the LSS hypothesis), while the event set with E > 10 EeV is compatible with isotropy and is not compatible with the LSS hypothesis at 95% CL unless large deflection angles are also assumed. We show that accounting for UHECR deflections in a realistic model of the Galactic magnetic field can make this set compatible with the LSS hypothesis.

High and ultra-high resolution metabolite mapping of the human brain using 1H FID MRSI at 9.4T.

Science.gov (United States)

Nassirpour, Sahar; Chang, Paul; Henning, Anke

2018-03-01

Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is a promising technique for mapping the spatial distribution of multiple metabolites in the human brain. These metabolite maps can be used as a diagnostic tool to gain insight into several biochemical processes and diseases in the brain. In comparison to lower field strengths, MRSI at ultra-high field strengths benefits from a higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) as well as higher chemical shift dispersion, and hence spectral resolution. This study combines the benefits of an ultra-high field magnet with the advantages of an ultra-short TE and TR single-slice FID-MRSI sequence (such as negligible J-evolution and loss of SNR due to T 2 relaxation effects) and presents the first metabolite maps acquired at 9.4T in the healthy human brain at both high (voxel size of 97.6µL) and ultra-high (voxel size of 24.4µL) spatial resolutions in a scan time of 11 and 46min respectively. In comparison to lower field strengths, more anatomically-detailed maps with higher SNR from a larger number of metabolites are shown. A total of 12 metabolites including glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG), Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutathione (GSH) are reliably mapped. Comprehensive description of the methodology behind these maps is provided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of anesthetic agents on brain blood oxygenation level revealed with ultra-high field MRI.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luisa Ciobanu

Full Text Available During general anesthesia it is crucial to control systemic hemodynamics and oxygenation levels. However, anesthetic agents can affect cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism in a drug-dependent manner, while systemic hemodynamics is stable. Brain-wide monitoring of this effect remains highly challenging. Because T(2*-weighted imaging at ultra-high magnetic field strengths benefits from a dramatic increase in contrast to noise ratio, we hypothesized that it could monitor anesthesia effects on brain blood oxygenation. We scanned rat brains at 7T and 17.2T under general anesthesia using different anesthetics (isoflurane, ketamine-xylazine, medetomidine. We showed that the brain/vessels contrast in T(2*-weighted images at 17.2T varied directly according to the applied pharmacological anesthetic agent, a phenomenon that was visible, but to a much smaller extent at 7T. This variation is in agreement with the mechanism of action of these agents. These data demonstrate that preclinical ultra-high field MRI can monitor the effects of a given drug on brain blood oxygenation level in the absence of systemic blood oxygenation changes and of any neural stimulation.

Ultrahigh-Energy Density Lithium-Ion Cable Battery Based on the Carbon-Nanotube Woven Macrofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Ziping; Liu, Kaixi; Lv, Chao; Zhong, Shengwen; Wang, Qinghui; Liu, Ting; Liu, Xianbin; Yin, Yanhong; Hu, Yingyan; Wei, Di; Liu, Zhongfan

2018-05-01

Moore's law predicts the performance of integrated circuit doubles every two years, lasting for more than five decades. However, the improvements of the performance of energy density in batteries lag far behind that. In addition, the poor flexibility, insufficient-energy density, and complexity of incorporation into wearable electronics remain considerable challenges for current battery technology. Herein, a lithium-ion cable battery is invented, which is insensitive to deformation due to its use of carbon nanotube (CNT) woven macrofilms as the charge collectors. An ultrahigh-tap density of 10 mg cm -2 of the electrodes can be obtained, which leads to an extremely high-energy density of 215 mWh cm -3 . The value is approximately seven times than that of the highest performance reported previously. In addition, the battery displays very stable rate performance and lower internal resistance than conventional lithium-ion batteries using metal charge collectors. Moreover, it demonstrates excellent convenience for connecting electronics as a new strategy is applied, in which both electrodes can be integrated into one end by a CNT macrorope. Such an ultrahigh-energy density lithium-ion cable battery provides a feasible way to power wearable electronics with commercial viability. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Acceleration of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays in starburst superwinds

Science.gov (United States)

Anchordoqui, Luis Alfredo

2018-03-01

The sources of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) have been stubbornly elusive. However, the latest report of the Pierre Auger Observatory provides a compelling indication for a possible correlation between the arrival directions of UHECRs and nearby starburst galaxies. We argue that if starbursts are sources of UHECRs, then particle acceleration in the large-scale terminal shock of the superwind that flows from the starburst engine represents the best known concept model in the market. We investigate new constraints on the model and readjust free parameters accordingly. We show that UHECR acceleration above about 1 011 GeV remains consistent with observation. We also show that the model could accommodate hard source spectra as required by Auger data. We demonstrate how neutrino emission can be used as a discriminator among acceleration models.

Modal analysis of the ultrahigh finesse Haroche QED cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Marsic, Nicolas; De Gersem, Herbert; Demésy, Guillaume; Nicolet, André; Geuzaine, Christophe

2018-04-01

In this paper, we study a high-order finite element approach to simulate an ultrahigh finesse Fabry–Pérot superconducting open resonator for cavity quantum electrodynamics. Because of its high quality factor, finding a numerically converged value of the damping time requires an extremely high spatial resolution. Therefore, the use of high-order simulation techniques appears appropriate. This paper considers idealized mirrors (no surface roughness and perfect geometry, just to cite a few hypotheses), and shows that under these assumptions, a damping time much higher than what is available in experimental measurements could be achieved. In addition, this work shows that both high-order discretizations of the governing equations and high-order representations of the curved geometry are mandatory for the computation of the damping time of such cavities.

Diagnostic validity of the Eppendorf Schizophrenia Inventory (ESI): a self-report screen for ultrahigh risk and acute psychosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niessen, Maurice A. J.; Dingemans, Peter M. A. J.; van de Fliert, Reinaud; Becker, Hiske E.; Nieman, Dorien H.; Linszen, Don

2010-01-01

Providers of mental health services need tools to screen for acute psychosis and ultrahigh risk (UHR) for transition to psychosis in help-seeking individuals. In this study, the Eppendorf Schizophrenia Inventory (ESI) was examined as a screening tool and for its ability to correctly predict

Improved limit to the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy neutrinos from the Pierre Auger Observatory

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Boháčová, Martina; Chudoba, Jiří; Ebr, Jan; Mandát, Dušan; Nečesal, Petr; Palatka, Miroslav; Pech, Miroslav; Prouza, Michael; Řídký, Jan; Schovánek, Petr; Trávníček, Petr; Vícha, Jakub

2015-01-01

Roč. 91, č. 9 (2015), "092008-1"-"092008-14" ISSN 1550-7998 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LG13007; GA MŠk(CZ) 7AMB14AR005; GA ČR(CZ) GA14-17501S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : cosmic rays * Pierre Auger * ultrahigh energy * surface detector Subject RIV: BF - Elementary Particles and High Energy Physics Impact factor: 4.643, year: 2014

Physics of Eclipsing Binaries: Modelling in the new era of ultra-high precision photometry

OpenAIRE

Pavlovski, K.; Bloemen, S.; Degroote, P.; Conroy, K.; Hambleton, Kelly; Giammarco, J.M.; Pablo, H.; Prša, A.; Tkachenko, A.; Torres, G.

2013-01-01

Recent ultra-high precision observations of eclipsing binaries, especially data acquired by the Kepler satellite, have made accurate light curve modelling increasingly challenging but also more rewarding. In this contribution, we discuss low-amplitude signals in light curves that can now be used to derive physical information about eclipsing binaries but that were unaccessible before the Kepler era. A notable example is the detection of Doppler beaming, which leads to an increase in flux when...

Measurement system for ultrahigh temperature thermophysical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuyama, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

Properties and Simulations Probed with Electromagnetic Containerless Technique (PROSPECT) is a measurement system for ultrahigh temperature thermophysical properties to be able to measure thermophysical properties with high precision by combining AC magnetic field (electromagnetic levitation device) and DC magnetic field (superconducting magnet) to realize the static floating state of metallic melt, in other words, the state of suppressing the surface vibration of droplets, translational motion, and internal convection. The electromagnetic levitation method is a method to obtain a floating force due to the Lorentz force generated by the interaction between high-frequency current flowing in the coil and the induced current generated in a sample, and to heat/melt the sample with the Joule heat generated by its induced current. This paper roughly explains the element technologies of PROSPECT with a focus on the laser modulation calorimetry (laser periodic heating method), normal spectral emissivity measurement method, density measurement, and surface tension measurement method. Furthermore, as the application of PROSPECT to new research deployment, it introduces the observation of phase separation structure in the supercooled solidification structure of Cu-Co alloy. (A.O.)

Dipole-modified graphene with ultrahigh gas sensibility

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Ruokun; Xie, Peng; Feng, Yancong; Chen, Zhuo; Umar, Ahmad; Wang, Yao

2018-05-01

This study reports the supramolecular assembly of functional graphene-based materials with ultrahigh gas sensing performances which are induced by charge transfer enhancement. Two typical Donor-π-Accepter (D-π-A) structure molecules 4-aminoquinoline (4AQ, μ = 3.17 Debye) and 4-hydroxyquinoline (4HQ, μ = 1.98 Debye), with different charge transfer enhancing effects, were selected to modify reduce oxide graphene (rGO) via supramolecular assembly. Notably, compared to the 4HQ-rGO, the 4AQ-rGO exhibits more significant increase of gas response (Ra/Rg = 3.79) toward 10 ppm NO2, which is ascribed to the larger dipole moment (μ) of 4AQ and hence the more intensive enhancing effect of charge transfer on the interface of rGO. Meanwhile, 4AQ-rGO sensors also reveal superior comprehensive gas sensing performances, including excellent gas sensing selectivity, linearity, repeatability and stability. It is believed that the present work demonstrates an effective supramolecular approach of modifying rGO with strong dipoles to significantly improve gas sensing properties of graphene-based materials.

Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Superconducting and other Phase Transitions in Novel f-Electron Materials at Ultra-high Pressures using Designer Diamond Anvils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maple, M. Brian; Jeffries, Jason R.; Ho, Pei-Chun; Butch, Nicholas P.

2004-01-01

Pressure is often used as a controlled parameter for the investigation of condensed matter systems. In particular, pressure experiments can provide valuable information into the nature of superconductivity, magnetism, and the coexistence of these two phenomena. Some f-electron, heavy-fermion materials display interesting and novel behavior at moderately low pressures achievable with conventional experimental techniques; however, a growing number of condensed matter systems require ultrahigh pressure techniques, techniques that generate significantly higher pressures than conventional methods, to sufficiently explore their important properties. To that end, we have been funded to develop an ultrahigh pressure diamond anvil cell facility at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in order to investigate superconductivity, magnetism, non-Fermi liquid behavior, and other phenomena. Our goals for the first year of this grant were as follows: (a) set up and test a suitable refrigerator; (b) set up a laser and spectrometer fluorescence system to determine the pressure within the diamond anvil cell; (c) perform initial resistivity measurements at moderate pressures from room temperature to liquid helium temperatures (∼1K); (d) investigate f-electron materials within our current pressure capabilities to find candidate materials for high-pressure studies. During the past year, we have ordered almost all the components required to set up a diamond anvil cell facility at UCSD, we have received and implemented many of the components that have been ordered, we have performed low pressure research on several materials, and we have engaged in a collaborative effort with Sam Weir at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) to investigate Au4V under ultrahigh pressure in a designer diamond anvil cell (dDAC). This report serves to highlight the progress we have made towards developing an ultrahigh pressure research facility at UCSD, the research performed in the past year, as

Design and Micromagnetic Simulation of Fe/L10-FePt/Fe Trilayer for Exchange Coupled Composite Bit Patterned Media at Ultrahigh Areal Density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Warunee Tipcharoen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Exchange coupled composite bit patterned media (ECC-BPM are one candidate to solve the trilemma issues, overcome superparamagnetic limitations, and obtain ultrahigh areal density. In this work, the ECC continuous media and ECC-BPM of Fe/L10-FePt/Fe trilayer schemes are proposed and investigated based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The switching field, Hsw, of the hard phase in the proposed continuous ECC trilayer media structure is reduced below the maximum write head field at interlayer exchange coupling between hard and soft phases, Aex, higher than 20 pJ/m and its value is lower than that for continuous L10-FePt single layer media and L10-FePt/Fe bilayer. Furthermore, the Hsw of the proposed ECC-BPM is lower than the maximum write head field with exchange coupling coefficient between neighboring dots of 5 pJ/m and Aex over 10 pJ/m. Therefore, the proposed ECC-BPM trilayer has the highest potential and is suitable for ultrahigh areal density magnetic recording technology at ultrahigh areal density. The results of this work may be gainful idea for nanopatterning in magnetic media nanotechnology.

Electrochemical growth of Co nanowires in ultra-high aspect ratio InP membranes: FFT-impedance spectroscopy of the growth process and magnetic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerngross, Mark-Daniel; Carstensen, Jürgen; Föll, Helmut

2014-01-01

The electrochemical growth of Co nanowires in ultra-high aspect ratio InP membranes has been investigated by fast Fourier transform-impedance spectroscopy (FFT-IS) in the frequency range from 75 Hz to 18.5 kHz. The impedance data could be fitted very well using an electric circuit equivalent model with a series resistance connected in series to a simple resistor-capacitor (RC) element and a Maxwell element. Based on the impedance data, the Co deposition in ultra-high aspect ratio InP membranes can be divided into two different Co deposition processes. The corresponding share of each process on the overall Co deposition can be determined directly from the transfer resistances of the two processes. The impedance data clearly show the beneficial impact of boric acid on the Co deposition and also indicate a diffusion limitation of boric acid in ultra-high aspect ratio InP membranes. The grown Co nanowires are polycrystalline with a very small grain size. They show a narrow hysteresis loop with a preferential orientation of the easy magnetization direction along the long nanowire axis due to the arising shape anisotropy of the Co nanowires.

Structure–property relationship in a 960 MPa grade ultrahigh strength low carbon niobium–vanadium microalloyed steel: The significance of high frequency induction tempering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Z.J.; Fang, Y.P.; Han, G.; Guo, H.; Misra, R.D.K.; Shang, C.J.

2014-01-01

The present study describes the microstructure and precipitation behavior in an ultra-high strength low carbon niobium–vanadium microalloyed steel that was processed by quenching and high frequency induction tempering. Ultrahigh yield strength of ∼1000 MPa with high elongation of ∼15% and high low temperature toughness of 55 J (half thickness) at −40 °C was obtained after quenching from austenitization at 900 °C for 30 min, and tempering at 600 °C for 15 min by induction reheating with a reheating rate of ∼50 °C/s. While the yield strength increase on tempering was similar for both induction reheating and conventional reheating (electrical resistance reheating), there was ∼100% increase in low temperature toughness in induction reheated steel compared to the conventional reheating process. The underlying reason for the increase in toughness was attributed to the transformation of cementite film observed in conventional reheating and tempering to nanoscale cementite in induction reheating and tempering. The precipitation of nanoscale carbides is believed to significantly contribute to ultra-high strength, good ductility, and high toughness in the high frequency induction reheating and tempering process

Static properties and impact resistance of a green Ultra-High Performance Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPHFRC) : experiments and modeling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yu, R.; Spiesz, P.R.; Brouwers, H.J.H.

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the static properties and impact resistance of a "green" Ultra-High Performance Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPHFRC). The design of concrete mixtures aims to achieve a densely compacted cementitious matrix, employing the modified Andreasen & Andersen particle packing

Hydrogen utilization international clean energy system technology (WE-NET). Subtask 8. Research and development of hydrogen combustion turbines (development of ultra-high temperature materials); Suiso riyo kokusai clean energy system (WE-NET). Subtask 8. Suiso nensho turbine no kenkyu kaihatsu chokoon zairyo no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

The paper described the result of the fiscal 1996 development of ultra-high temperature materials for parts of hydrogen combustion turbines, as part of the hydrogen utilization technology, which have excellent environmental protectivity and remarkably high efficiency. By the optimized solution heat treatment of monocrystal alloy developed in the previous fiscal year, obtained was strength property the same as the existing super alloys. As to FRC, pore size and strength property of SiC organic hybrid were made clear. ODS alloy cooling blades and heat insulation coating were studied, and YSZ was found to be most excellent as coating material. Concerning intermetallic compounds, the applicability to ultra-high temperatures up to 1700degC was not obtained. For improvement of heat resistance and environment resistance, adopted were highly compacting SiC matrix and BN coatings. Al2O3 was excellent in long-time stability. In the 1600degC steam corrosion test on multiplex structural materials with Al2O3 as surface material, chemical stability was confirmed. Three-dimensional woven fiber reinforced composite materials of C/C{center_dot}CMC were trially produced by changing the fiber orientation, and improvement in ultra-high temperature thermal shock resistance was confirmed. A study was made of spot observation of the specimen surface by laser microscope, and development was conducted of a temperature measuring method with no influence of radiant heat. 44 refs., 250 figs., 40 tabs.

Cosmic PeV neutrinos and the sources of ultrahigh energy protons

Science.gov (United States)

Kistler, Matthew D.; Stanev, Todor; Yüksel, Hasan

2014-12-01

The IceCube experiment recently detected the first flux of high-energy neutrinos in excess of atmospheric backgrounds. We examine whether these neutrinos originate from within the same extragalactic sources as ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. Starting from rather general assumptions about spectra and flavors, we find that producing a neutrino flux at the requisite level through pion photoproduction leads to a flux of protons well below the cosmic-ray data at ˜1 018 eV , where the composition is light, unless pions/muons cool before decaying. This suggests a dominant class of accelerator that allows for cosmic rays to escape without significant neutrino yields.

Inverse problem for extragalactic transport of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ptuskin, V.S.; Rogovaya, S.I.; Zirakashvili, V.N.

2015-01-01

The energy spectra and composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are changing in a course of propagation in the expanding Universe filled with background radiation. We developed a numerical code for solution of inverse problem for cosmic-ray transport equations that allows the determination of average source spectra of different nuclei from the cosmic ray spectra observed at the Earth. Employing this approach, the injection spectra of protons and Iron nuclei in extragalactic sources are found assuming that only these species are accelerated at the source. The data from the Auger experiment and the combined data from the Telescope Array + HiRes experiments are used to illustrate the method

Inverse problem for extragalactic transport of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ptuskin, V.S.; Rogovaya, S.I.; Zirakashvili, V.N., E-mail: vptuskin@izmiran.ru, E-mail: rogovaya@izmiran.ru, E-mail: zirak@izmiran.ru [Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IZMIRAN), Troitsk, Moscow, 142190 (Russian Federation)

2015-03-01

The energy spectra and composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays are changing in a course of propagation in the expanding Universe filled with background radiation. We developed a numerical code for solution of inverse problem for cosmic-ray transport equations that allows the determination of average source spectra of different nuclei from the cosmic ray spectra observed at the Earth. Employing this approach, the injection spectra of protons and Iron nuclei in extragalactic sources are found assuming that only these species are accelerated at the source. The data from the Auger experiment and the combined data from the Telescope Array + HiRes experiments are used to illustrate the method.

Synergetic electrode architecture for efficient graphene-based flexible organic light-emitting diodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jaeho; Han, Tae-Hee; Park, Min-Ho; Jung, Dae Yool; Seo, Jeongmin; Seo, Hong-Kyu; Cho, Hyunsu; Kim, Eunhye; Chung, Jin; Choi, Sung-Yool; Kim, Taek-Soo; Lee, Tae-Woo; Yoo, Seunghyup

2016-06-02

Graphene-based organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have recently emerged as a key element essential in next-generation displays and lighting, mainly due to their promise for highly flexible light sources. However, their efficiency has been, at best, similar to that of conventional, indium tin oxide-based counterparts. We here propose an ideal electrode structure based on a synergetic interplay of high-index TiO2 layers and low-index hole-injection layers sandwiching graphene electrodes, which results in an ideal situation where enhancement by cavity resonance is maximized yet loss to surface plasmon polariton is mitigated. The proposed approach leads to OLEDs exhibiting ultrahigh external quantum efficiency of 40.8 and 62.1% (64.7 and 103% with a half-ball lens) for single- and multi-junction devices, respectively. The OLEDs made on plastics with those electrodes are repeatedly bendable at a radius of 2.3 mm, partly due to the TiO2 layers withstanding flexural strain up to 4% via crack-deflection toughening.

Charge collection efficiency recovery in heavily irradiated silicon detectors operated at cryogenic temperatures

CERN Document Server

Da Vià, C; Berglund, P; Borchi, E; Borer, K; Bruzzi, Mara; Buontempo, S; Casagrande, L; Chapuy, S; Cindro, V; Dimcovski, Zlatomir; D'Ambrosio, N; de Boer, Wim; Dezillie, B; Esposito, A P; Granat, V; Grigoriev, E; Heijne, Erik H M; Heising, S; Janos, S; Koivuniemi, J H; Konotov, I; Li, Z; Lourenço, C; Mikuz, M; Niinikoski, T O; Pagano, S; Palmieri, V G; Paul, S; Pirollo, S; Pretzl, Klaus P; Ropotar, I; Ruggiero, G; Salmi, J; Seppä, H; Suni, I; Smith, K; Sonderegger, P; Valtonen, M J; Zavrtanik, M

1998-01-01

The charge collection efficiency (CCE) of high resistivity silicon detectors, previously neutron irradiated up to 2*10/sup 15/ n/cm/sup 2/, was measured at different cryogenic temperatures and different bias voltages. In order to $9 study reverse annealing (RA) effects, a few samples were heated to 80 degrees C and kept at room temperature for several months after irradiation. For comparison other samples (NRA) where kept at -10 C after irradiation. The RA and $9 NRA samples, measured at 250 V forward and reverse bias voltage, present a common temperature threshold at 150 K. Below 120 K the CCE is constant and ranges between 55and 65 0.000000or the RA and NRA sample respectively. Similar CCE $9 was measured for a device processed with low resistivity contacts (OHMIC), opening the prospect for a consistent reduction of the cost of large area particle tracking. (7 refs).

Learning efficient correlated equilibria

KAUST Repository

Borowski, Holly P.

2014-12-15

The majority of distributed learning literature focuses on convergence to Nash equilibria. Correlated equilibria, on the other hand, can often characterize more efficient collective behavior than even the best Nash equilibrium. However, there are no existing distributed learning algorithms that converge to specific correlated equilibria. In this paper, we provide one such algorithm which guarantees that the agents\\' collective joint strategy will constitute an efficient correlated equilibrium with high probability. The key to attaining efficient correlated behavior through distributed learning involves incorporating a common random signal into the learning environment.

Learning efficient correlated equilibria

KAUST Repository

Borowski, Holly P.; Marden, Jason R.; Shamma, Jeff S.

2014-01-01

The majority of distributed learning literature focuses on convergence to Nash equilibria. Correlated equilibria, on the other hand, can often characterize more efficient collective behavior than even the best Nash equilibrium. However, there are no existing distributed learning algorithms that converge to specific correlated equilibria. In this paper, we provide one such algorithm which guarantees that the agents' collective joint strategy will constitute an efficient correlated equilibrium with high probability. The key to attaining efficient correlated behavior through distributed learning involves incorporating a common random signal into the learning environment.

Application of high-power lasers to equation-of-state research at ultrahigh pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trainor, R.J.; Graboske, H.C.; Long, K.S.; Shaner, J.W.

1978-01-01

The application of high-power pulsed lasers to ultrahigh pressure equation-of-state (EOS) experiments is discussed. It is shown that pressures along the principal Hugoniot between 1 and 10 TPa can be produced with existing lasers used for inertial-confinement fusion research. The relevance of measurements in this pressure regime to improving our understanding of condensed matter physics is also discussed. New experimental techniques as well as potential experimental problems are described, and EOS experiments on the Janus and Argus laser systems are proposed

Note: reliable and reusable ultrahigh vacuum optical viewports.

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, P; Sen Gupta, A

2012-04-01

We report a simple technique for the realization of ultrahigh vacuum optical viewports. The technique relies on using specially designed thin copper knife-edges and using a thin layer of Vacseal(®) on tip of the knife-edges between the optical flat and the ConFlat(®) (CF) flange. The design of the windows is such that it gives uniform pressure on the flat without breaking it. The assembled window is a complete unit, which can be mounted directly onto a CF flange of the vacuum chamber. It can be removed and reused without breaking the window seal. The design is reliable as more than a dozen such windows have survived several bake out and cooling cycles and have been leak tested up to 10(-11) Torr l/s level with a commercial Helium leak detector. The advantages of this technique are ease of assembly and leak proof sealing that survives multiple temperature cycling making the windows reliable and reusable. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays: Facts, Myths, and Legends

CERN Document Server

Anchordoqui, Luis Alfredo

2013-06-27

This is a written version of a series of lectures aimed at graduate students in astrophysics/particle theory/particle experiment. In the first part, we explain the important progress made in recent years towards understanding the experimental data on cosmic rays with energies > 10^8 GeV. We begin with a brief survey of the available data, including a description of the energy spectrum, mass composition, and arrival directions. At this point we also give a short overview of experimental techniques. After that, we introduce the fundamentals of acceleration and propagation in order to discuss the conjectured nearby cosmic ray sources, and emphasize some of the prospects for a new (multi-particle) astronomy. Next, we survey the state of the art regarding the ultrahigh energy cosmic neutrinos which should be produced in association with the observed cosmic rays. In the second part, we summarize the phenomenology of cosmic ray air showers. We explain the hadronic interaction models used to extrapolate results from ...

Radiation hardness and charge collection efficiency of lithium irradiated thin silicon diodes

CERN Document Server

Boscardin, Maurizio; Bruzzi, Mara; Candelori, Andrea; Focardi, Ettore; Khomenkov, Volodymyr P; Piemonte, Claudio; Ronchin, S; Tosi, C; Zorzi, N

2005-01-01

Due to their low depletion voltage, even after high particle fluences, improved tracking precision and momentum resolution, and reduced material budget, thin substrates are one of the possible choices to provide radiation hard detectors for future high energy physics experiments. In the framework of the CERN RD50 Collaboration, we have developed PIN diode detectors on membranes obtained by locally thinning the silicon substrate by means of TMAH etching from the wafer backside. Diodes of different shapes and sizes have been fabricated on 50- mu m and 100- mu m thick membranes and tested, showing a low leakage current (of 300 nA/cm/sup 3/) and a very low depletion voltage (in the order of 1 V for the 50 mu m membrane) before irradiation. Radiation damage tests have been performed with 58 MeV lithium (Li) ions up to the fluence of 10/sup 14/ Li/cm/sup 2/ in order to determine the depletion voltage and leakage current density increase after irradiation. Charge collection efficiency tests carried out with a beta /...

Energy-Efficient Data Collection Method for Sensor Networks by Integrating Asymmetric Communication and Wake-Up Radio

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masanari Iwata

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In large-scale wireless sensor networks (WSNs, nodes close to sink nodes consume energy more quickly than other nodes due to packet forwarding. A mobile sink is a good solution to this issue, although it causes two new problems to nodes: (i overhead of updating routing information; and (ii increased operating time due to aperiodic query. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an energy-efficient data collection method, Sink-based Centralized transmission Scheduling (SC-Sched, by integrating asymmetric communication and wake-up radio. Specifically, each node is equipped with a low-power wake-up receiver. The sink node determines transmission scheduling, and transmits a wake-up message using a large transmission power, directly activating a pair of nodes simultaneously which will communicate with a normal transmission power. This paper further investigates how to deal with frame loss caused by fading and how to mitigate the impact of the wake-up latency of communication modules. Simulation evaluations confirm that using multiple channels effectively reduces data collection time and SC-Sched works well with a mobile sink. Compared with the conventional duty-cycling method, SC-Sched greatly reduces total energy consumption and improves the network lifetime by 7.47 times in a WSN with 4 data collection points and 300 sensor nodes.

Pressure measurements in the AGS Booster ultra-high vacuum system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabusi, J.; Geller, J.; Hseuh, H.C.; Mapes, M.; Stattel, P.

1992-01-01

An average pressure of mid 10 -11 Torr has been achieved and maintained in the AGS Booster ring vacuum system during its first year of operation. This ultra-high vacuum system is monitored through remote controlled Bayard-Alpert Gauges (BAGs). The characteristics of the pressure measurements with BAGs over the long cable lengths (up to 200 m) and under various accelerator operating conditions will be described. Two types of noise in the pressure readouts have been identified; the electromagnetic interference (EMI) associated with the acceleration cycles of the Booster and the environment noise associated with the temperature of the collector cables. The magnitude of the noise pickup depends on the routing of the collector cables and reaches the equivalent pressure of low 10 -9 Torr

Surface chemistry of tribochemical reactions explored in ultrahigh vacuum conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lara-Romero, Javier; Maya-Yescas, Rafael; Rico-Cerda, Jose Luis; Rivera-Rojas, Jose Luis; Castillo, Fernando Chinas; Kaltchev, Matey; Tysoe, Wilfred T.

2006-01-01

The thermal decomposition of model extreme-pressure lubricant additives on clean iron was studied in ultrahigh vacuum conditions using molecular beam strategies. Methylene chloride and chloroform react to deposit a solid film consisting of FeCl 2 and carbon, and evolve only hydrogen into the gas phase. No gas-phase products and less carbon on the surface are detected in the case of carbon tetrachloride. Dimethyl and diethyl disulfide react on clean iron to deposit a saturated sulfur plus carbon layer at low temperatures (∼600 K) and an iron sulfide film onto a Fe + C underlayer at higher temperatures (∼950 K). Methane is the only gas-phase product when dimethyl disulfide reacts with iron. Ethylene and hydrogen are detected when diethyl disulfide is used

Testing of a portable ultrahigh pressure water decontamination system (UHPWDS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovell, A.; Dahlby, J.

1996-02-01

This report describes the tests done with a portable ultrahigh pressure water decontamination system (UHPWDS) on highly radioactively contaminated surfaces. A small unit was purchased, modified, and used for in-situ decontamination to change the waste level of the contaminated box from transuranic (TRU) waste to low- level waste (LLW). Low-level waste is less costly by as much as a factor of five or more if compared with TRU waste when handling, storage, and disposal are considered. The portable unit we tested is commercially available and requires minimal utilities for operation. We describe the UHPWDS unit itself, a procedure for its use, the results of the testing we did, and conclusions including positive and negative aspects of the UHPWDS

Ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography for encapsulation quality inspection

KAUST Repository

Czajkowski, Jakub

2011-08-28

We present the application of ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT) in evaluation of thin, protective films used in printed electronics. Two types of sample were investigated: microscopy glass and organic field effect transistor (OFET) structure. Samples were coated with thin (1-3 μm) layer of parylene C polymer. Measurements were done using experimental UHR-OCT device based on a Kerr-lens mode locked Ti: sapphire femtosecond laser, photonic crystal fibre and modified, free-space Michelson interferometer. Submicron resolution offered by the UHR-OCT system applied in the study enables registration of both interfaces of the thin encapsulation layer. Complete, volumetric characterisation of protective layers is presented, demonstrating possibility to use OCT for encapsulation quality inspection. © Springer-Verlag 2011.

Testing hadronic interactions at ultrahigh energies with air showers measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Blažek, Jiří; Boháčová, Martina; Chudoba, Jiří; Ebr, Jan; Mandát, Dušan; Nečesal, Petr; Palatka, Miroslav; Pech, Miroslav; Prouza, Michael; Řídký, Jan; Schovánek, Petr; Trávníček, Petr; Vícha, Jakub

2016-01-01

Roč. 117, č. 19 (2016), 1-9, č. článku 192001. ISSN 0031-9007 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LM2015038; GA MŠk LG15014; GA ČR(CZ) GA14-17501S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : Pierre Auger Observatory * testing hadronic Interactions * ultrahigh energies * air showers Subject RIV: BF - Elementary Particles and High Energy Physics Impact factor: 8.462, year: 2016

Evaluation of environmental degradation effects in morphology of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vivas, Viviane; Zylberberg, Marcel P.; Cardoso, Andre Luis V.; Pereira, Iaci M.; Weber, Ricardo P.; Suarez, Joao C. Miguez

2015-01-01

This study aims to evaluate changes in the morphology of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE), before and after exposure to environmental agents. Fibers produced by two different manufacturers were analyzed. To characterize the morphology, we used the technique of small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The results demonstrate that the original morphology of the fibers was UHMWPE affected by the defects caused by exposure to environmental agents. (author)

Microscope-Integrated Intraoperative Ultrahigh-Speed Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography for Widefield Retinal and Anterior Segment Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chen D; Waheed, Nadia K; Witkin, Andre; Baumal, Caroline R; Liu, Jonathan J; Potsaid, Benjamin; Joseph, Anthony; Jayaraman, Vijaysekhar; Cable, Alex; Chan, Kinpui; Duker, Jay S; Fujimoto, James G

2018-02-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of retinal and anterior segment intraoperative widefield imaging using an ultrahigh-speed, swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) surgical microscope attachment. A prototype post-objective SS-OCT using a 1,050-nm wavelength, 400 kHz A-scan rate, vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) light source was integrated to a commercial ophthalmic surgical microscope after the objective. Each widefield OCT data set was acquired in 3 seconds (1,000 × 1,000 A-scans, 12 × 12 mm 2 for retina and 10 × 10 mm 2 for anterior segment). Intraoperative SS-OCT was performed in 20 eyes of 20 patients. In six of seven membrane peels and five of seven rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair surgeries, widefield retinal imaging enabled evaluation pre- and postoperatively. In all seven cataract cases, anterior imaging evaluated the integrity of the posterior lens capsule. Ultrahigh-speed SS-OCT enables widefield intraoperative viewing in the posterior and anterior eye. Widefield imaging visualizes ocular structures and pathology without requiring OCT realignment. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:94-102.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Simulations of ultra-high energy cosmic rays in the local Universe and the origin of cosmic magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Hackstein, S.; Vazza, F.; Brüggen, M.; Sorce, J. G.; Gottlöber, S.

2018-04-01

We simulate the propagation of cosmic rays at ultra-high energies, ≳1018 eV, in models of extragalactic magnetic fields in constrained simulations of the local Universe. We use constrained initial conditions with the cosmological magnetohydrodynamics code ENZO. The resulting models of the distribution of magnetic fields in the local Universe are used in the CRPROPA code to simulate the propagation of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. We investigate the impact of six different magneto-genesis scenarios, both primordial and astrophysical, on the propagation of cosmic rays over cosmological distances. Moreover, we study the influence of different source distributions around the Milky Way. Our study shows that different scenarios of magneto-genesis do not have a large impact on the anisotropy measurements of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. However, at high energies above the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuzmin (GZK)-limit, there is anisotropy caused by the distribution of nearby sources, independent of the magnetic field model. This provides a chance to identify cosmic ray sources with future full-sky measurements and high number statistics at the highest energies. Finally, we compare our results to the dipole signal measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory. All our source models and magnetic field models could reproduce the observed dipole amplitude with a pure iron injection composition. Our results indicate that the dipole is observed due to clustering of secondary nuclei in direction of nearby sources of heavy nuclei. A light injection composition is disfavoured, since the increase in dipole angular power from 4 to 8 EeV is too slow compared to observation by the Pierre Auger Observatory.

Nontargeted Screening Method for Illegal Additives Based on Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yanqing; Zhou, Zhihui; Kong, Hongwei; Lu, Xin; Zhao, Xinjie; Chen, Yihui; Chen, Jia; Wu, Zeming; Xu, Zhiliang; Zhao, Chunxia; Xu, Guowang

2016-09-06

Identification of illegal additives in complex matrixes is important in the food safety field. In this study a nontargeted screening strategy was developed to find illegal additives based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). First, an analytical method for possible illegal additives in complex matrixes was established including fast sample pretreatment, accurate UHPLC separation, and HRMS detection. Second, efficient data processing and differential analysis workflow were suggested and applied to find potential risk compounds. Third, structure elucidation of risk compounds was performed by (1) searching online databases [Metlin and the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)] and an in-house database which was established at the above-defined conditions of UHPLC-HRMS analysis and contains information on retention time, mass spectra (MS), and tandem mass spectra (MS/MS) of 475 illegal additives, (2) analyzing fragment ions, and (3) referring to fragmentation rules. Fish was taken as an example to show the usefulness of the nontargeted screening strategy, and six additives were found in suspected fish samples. Quantitative analysis was further carried out to determine the contents of these compounds. The satisfactory application of this strategy in fish samples means that it can also be used in the screening of illegal additives in other kinds of food samples.

Identification of berberrubine metabolites in rats by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kun; Qiao, Miao; Chai, Liwei; Cao, Shijie; Feng, Xinchi; Ding, Liqin; Qiu, Feng

2018-01-01

Berberrubine, an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from many medicinal plants, possesses diverse pharmacological activities, including glucose-lowering, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic profile of berberrubine in vivo. Therefore, a rapid and reliable method using the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and metabolynx™ software with mass defect filter (MDF) technique was developed. Plasma, bile, urine and feces samples were collected from rats after oral administration of berberrubine with a dose of 30.0mg/kg and analyzed to characterize the metabolites of berberrubine in vivo for the first time. A total of 57 metabolites were identified, including 54 metabolites in urine, 39 metabolites in plasma, 28 metabolites in bile and 18 metabolites in feces. The results indicated that demethylenation, reduction, hydroxylation, demethylation, glucuronidation, and sulfation were the major metabolic pathways of berberrubine in vivo. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploiting Genomic Resources for Efficient Conservation and Use of Chickpea, Groundnut, and Pigeonpea Collections for Crop Improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. L. Laxmipathi Gowda

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Both chickpea ( L. and pigeonpea [ (L. Millsp.] are important dietary source of protein while groundnut ( L. is one of the major oil crops. Globally, approximately 1.1 million grain legume accessions are conserved in genebanks, of which the ICRISAT genebank holds 49,485 accessions of cultivated species and wild relatives of chickpea, pigeonpea, and groundnut from 133 countries. These genetic resources are reservoirs of many useful genes for present and future crop improvement programs. Representative subsets in the form of core and mini core collections have been used to identify trait-specific genetically diverse germplasm for use in breeding and genomic studies in these crops. Chickpea, groundnut, and pigeonpea have moved from “orphan” to “genomic resources rich crops.” The chickpea and pigeonpea genomes have been decoded, and the sequences of groundnut genome will soon be available. With the availability of these genomic resources, the germplasm curators, breeders, and molecular biologists will have abundant opportunities to enhance the efficiency of genebank operations, mine allelic variations in germplasm collection, identify genetically diverse germplasm with beneficial traits, broaden the cultigen’s genepool, and accelerate the cultivar development to address new challenges to production, particularly with respect to climate change and variability. Marker-assisted breeding approaches have already been initiated for some traits in chickpea and groundnut, which should lead to enhanced efficiency and efficacy of crop improvement. Resistance to some pests and diseases has been successfully transferred from wild relatives to cultivated species.

Evaluation of TSE- and T1-3D-GRE-sequences for focal cartilage lesions in vitro in comparison to ultrahigh resolution multi-slice CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stork, A.; Schulze, D.; Koops, A.; Kemper, J.; Adam, G.

2002-01-01

Purpose: Evaluation of TSE- and T 1 -3D-GRE-sequences for focal cartilage lesions in vitro in comparison to ultrahigh resolution multi-slice CT. Materials and methods: Forty artificial cartilage lesions in ten bovine patellae were immersed in a solution of iodinated contrast medium and assessed with ultrahigh resolution multi-slice CT. Fat-suppressed TSE images with intermediate- and T 2 -weighting at a slice thickness of 2, 3 and 4 mm as well as fat-suppressed T 1 -weighted 3D-FLASH images with an effective slice thickness of 1, 2 and 3 mm were acquired at 1.5 T. After adding Gd-DTPA to the saline solution containing the patellae, the T 1 -weighted 3D-FLASH imaging was repeated. Results: All cartilage lesions were visualised and graded with ultrahigh resolution multi-slice CT. The TSE images had a higher sensitivity and a higher inter- and intraobserver kappa compared to the FLASH-sequences (TSE: 70-95%; 0.82-0.83; 0.85-0.9; FLASH: 57.5-85%; 0.53-0.72; 0.73-0.82, respectively). An increase in slice thickness decreased the sensitivity, whereby deep lesions were even reliably depicted on TSE images at a slice thickness of 3 and 4 mm. Adding Gd-DTPA to the saline solution increased the sensitivity by 10% with no detectable advantage over the T 2 -weighted TSE images. Conclusion: TSE sequences and application of Gd-DTPA seemed to be superior to T 1 -weighted 3D-FLASH sequences without Gd-DTPA in the detection of focal cartilage lesions. The ultrahigh resolution multi-slice CT can serve as in vitro reference standard for focal cartilage lesions. (orig.) [de

Bulk superconducting gap of V{sub 3}Si studied by low-energy ultrahigh-resolution photoemission spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, T., E-mail: t-sato@arpes.phys.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan); Souma, S. [WPI Research Center, Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Nakayama, K. [Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan); Sugawara, K. [WPI Research Center, Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Toyota, N. [Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan); Takahashi, T. [Department of Physics, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan); WPI Research Center, Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)

2016-04-15

Highlights: • We report ultrahigh-resolution photoemission spectroscopy of A15 compound V{sub 3}Si. • We found a sharp quasiparticle peak due to superconducting-gap opening. • The surface metallic component is negligibly small in the bulk-sensitive measurement. • We show that V{sub 3}Si is a single-gap s-wave superconductor. - Abstract: We have performed low-energy ultrahigh-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (PES) of A15 compound V{sub 3}Si with a xenon-plasma discharge lamp to elucidate the bulk superconducting gap. Below the superconducting transition temperature (T{sub c} = 15.9 K), we found a sharp quasiparticle peak at the Fermi level in the PES spectrum. The gap spectrum is well fitted by a single s-wave superconducting-gap function together with a dip structure at ∼30 meV suggestive of a strong electron-phonon coupling. The anomalous in-gap state previously observed in the PES measurement with high-energy photons is absent or negligibly small in the present bulk-sensitive measurement. The present PES result shows that V{sub 3}Si is a single-gap s-wave superconductor.

Efficiency and Effectiveness in the Collection and Analysis of S&T Open Source Information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pericou-Cayere, M.; Lemaire, P.; Pace, J.-M.; Baude, S.; Samson, N.

2015-01-01

While looking for information in scientific database, we are overwhelmed by the amount of information that we encounter. In this big data collection, getting information with added-value could be strategic for nuclear verification. In our study, we have worked about ''best practices'' in collecting, processing and analyzing open source scientific and technical information. First, we were insistent on working with information authenticated by referees such as scientific publications (structured information). Analysis of this structured data is made with bibliometric tools. Several steps are carried out: collecting data related to the paradigm, creating a database to store data generated by bibliographic research, analyzing data with selected tools. With analysis of bibliographic data only, we are able to get: · a panoramic view of countries that publish in the paradigm, · co-publication networks, · organizations that contribute to scientific publications, · countries with which a country collaborates, · areas of interest of a country, . . . So we are able to identify a target. On a second phase, we can focus on a target (countries for example). Working with non-structured data (i.e., press release, social networks, full text analysis of publications) is in progress and needs other tools to be added to the process, as we will discuss in this paper. In information analysis, methodology and expert analysis are important. Software analysis is just a tool to achieve our goal. This presentation deals with concrete measures that improve the efficiency and effectiveness in the use of open source S&T information and in the management of that information over time. Examples are shown. (author)

A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method for the simultaneous detection of four triazolone herbicides in cereals combined with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Yan; Xu, Jun; Liu, Xingang; Cheng, Youpu; Liu, Na; Chen, Zenglong; Dong, Fengshou; Zheng, Yonguan

2014-09-01

This paper describes a novel, rapid, and sensitive analytical method for monitoring four triazolone herbicides in cereals (wheat, rice, corn, and soybean), using a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe sample extraction procedure followed by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The four triazolone herbicides (amicarbazone, carfentrazone-ethyl, sulfentrazone, and thiencarbazone-methyl) were extracted using acidified acetonitrile (containing 1% v/v formic acid) and subsequently purified with octadecylsilane (C18 ) prior to sample analysis. Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was operated in positive and negative ionization switching mode. Amicarbazone and carfentrazone-ethyl were detected in the positive mode (ESI+), while sulfentrazone and thiencarbazone-methyl were detected in the negative mode (ESI-). All compounds were successfully separated in less than 3.0 min. Further optimization achieved desired recoveries ranging from 74.5 to 102.1% for all analytes with relative standard deviation values ≤17.2% in all tested matrices at three levels (10, 100, and 500 μg/kg). The limits of detection for all compounds were ≤2.3 μg/kg, and the limits of quantitation did not exceed 7.1 μg/kg. The developed method showed excellent linearity (R(2) ≥ 0.994) and was proven to be highly efficient and reliable for the routine monitoring of triazolone herbicides in cereals. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of Welding Thermal Cycles on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Simulated Heat Affected Zone for a Weldox 1300 Ultra-High Strength Alloy Steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Węglowski M. St.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the investigation of weldability of ultra-high strength steel has been presented. The thermal simulated samples were used to investigate the effect of welding cooling time t8/5 on microstructure and mechanical properties of heat affected zone (HAZ for a Weldox 1300 ultra-high strength steel. In the frame of these investigation the microstructure was studied by light and transmission electron microscopies. Mechanical properties of parent material were analysed by tensile, impact and hardness tests. In details the influence of cooling time in the range of 2,5 ÷ 300 sec. on hardness, impact toughness and microstructure of simulated HAZ was studied by using welding thermal simulation test. The microstructure of ultra-high strength steel is mainly composed of tempered martensite. The results show that the impact toughness and hardness decrease with increase of t8/5 under condition of a single thermal cycle in simulated HAZ. The increase of cooling time to 300 s causes that the microstructure consists of ferrite and bainite mixture. Lower hardness, for t8/5 ≥ 60 s indicated that low risk of cold cracking in HAZ for longer cooling time, exists.

Low temperature ultrahigh vacuum cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscope for luminescence measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khang, Yoonho; Park, Yeonjoon; Salmeron, Miquel; Weber, Eicke R.

1999-01-01

We have constructed a scanning tunneling microscope with simultaneous light collection capabilities in order to investigate the opto-electronic properties of semiconductors. The microscope has in situ sample cleavage mechanism for cross-sectional sample. In order to reach low temperature (4 K), we used a specially designed cryostat. The efficiency of light collection generated in the tip-surface junction was greatly improved by use of a small parabolic mirror with the tip located at its focal point. (c) 1999 American Institute of Physics

Time Dependent Quantum Efficiency and Dark Current Measurements in an RF Photocathode Injector with a High Quantum Efficiency Cathode

CERN Document Server

Fliller, Raymond P; Hartung, Walter

2005-01-01

A system was developed at INFN Milano for preparing cesium telluride photo-cathodes and transferring them into an RF gun under ultra-high vacuum. This system has been in use at the Fermilab NICADD Photo-Injector Laboratory (FNPL) since 1997. A similar load-lock system is used at the TeSLA Test Facility at DESY-Hamburg. Two 1.625-cell high duty cycle RF guns have been fabricated for the project. Studies of the photo-emission and field emission ("dark current") behavior of both RF guns have been carried out. Unexpected phenomena were observed in one of the RF guns. In situ changes in the cathode's quantum efficiency and dark current with time were seen during operation of the photo-injector. These changes were correlated with the magnetostatic field at the cathode.* In addition, multipacting is observed in the RF guns under certain conditions. Recent measurements indicate a correlation between multipacting, anomalous photo-emission behavior, and anomalous field emission behavior. Results will be presented.

Instrument to collect fogwater for chemical analysis

OpenAIRE

Jacob, Daniel J.; Waldman, Jed M.; Haghi, Mehrdad; Hoffmann, Michael R.; Flagan, Richard C.

1985-01-01

An instrument is presented which collects large samples of ambient fogwater by impaction of droplets on a screen. The collection efficiency of the instrument is determined as a function of droplet size, and it is shown that fog droplets in the range 3–100-µm diameter are efficiently collected. No significant evaporation or condensation occurs at any stage of the collection process. Field testing indicates that samples collected are representative of the ambient fogwater. The instrument may ea...

Cyanated diazatetracene diimides with ultrahigh electron affinity for n-channel field effect transistors

KAUST Repository

Ye, Qun

2013-03-15

Several diazatetracene diimides with high electron affinity (up to 4.66 eV!) were prepared and well characterized. The LUMO energy level of these electron-deficient molecules was found to be closely related to their material stability. Compound 7 with ultrahigh electron affinity suffered from reduction and hydrolysis in the presence of silica gel or water. The stable compounds 3 and 6 showed n-channel FET behavior with an average electron mobility of 0.002 and 0.005 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively, using a solution processing method. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

The effect of cognitive remediation in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glenthøj, Louise Birkedal; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Kristensen, Tina Dam

2017-01-01

of five studies that reported a cognitive outcome found cognitive remediation to improve cognition in the domains of verbal memory, attention, and processing speed. Two out of four studies that reported on functional outcome found cognitive remediation to improve the functional outcome in the domains...... of social functioning and social adjustment. Zero out of the five studies that reported such an outcome found cognitive remediation to affect the magnitude of clinical symptoms. Research on the effect of cognitive remediation in the ultra-high risk state is still scarce. The current state of evidence...

Optimization of the electron collection efficiency of a large area MCP-PMT for the JUNO experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Lin; Tian, Jinshou; Liu, Chunliang; Wang, Yifang; Zhao, Tianchi; Liu, Hulin; Wei, Yonglin; Sai, Xiaofeng; Chen, Ping; Wang, Xing; Lu, Yu; Hui, Dandan; Guo, Lehui; Liu, Shulin; Qian, Sen; Xia, Jingkai; Yan, Baojun; Zhu, Na; Sun, Jianning; Si, Shuguang

2016-01-01

A novel large-area (20-inch) photomultiplier tube based on microchannel plate (MCP-PMTs) is proposed for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment. Its photoelectron collection efficiency C e is limited by the MCP open area fraction (A open ). This efficiency is studied as a function of the angular (θ), energy (E) distributions of electrons in the input charge cloud and the potential difference (U) between the PMT photocathode and the MCP input surface, considering secondary electron emission from the MCP input electrode. In CST Studio Suite, Finite Integral Technique and Monte Carlo method are combined to investigate the dependence of C e on θ, E and U. Results predict that C e can exceed A open , and are applied to optimize the structure and operational parameters of the 20-inch MCP-PMT prototype. C e of the optimized MCP-PMT is expected to reach 81.2%. Finally, the reduction of the penetration depth of the MCP input electrode layer and the deposition of a high secondary electron yield material on the MCP are proposed to further optimize C e .

Analysis of microdialysate monoamines, including noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, using capillary ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferry, Barbara; Gifu, Elena-Patricia; Sandu, Ioana; Denoroy, Luc; Parrot, Sandrine

2014-03-01

Electrochemical methods are very often used to detect catecholamine and indolamine neurotransmitters separated by conventional reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The present paper presents the development of a chromatographic method to detect monoamines present in low-volume brain dialysis samples using a capillary column filled with sub-2μm particles. Several parameters (repeatability, linearity, accuracy, limit of detection) for this new ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method with electrochemical detection were examined after optimization of the analytical conditions. Noradrenaline, adrenaline, serotonin, dopamine and its metabolite 3-methoxytyramine were separated in 1μL of injected sample volume; they were detected above concentrations of 0.5-1nmol/L, with 2.1-9.5% accuracy and intra-assay repeatability equal to or less than 6%. The final method was applied to very low volume dialysates from rat brain containing monoamine traces. The study demonstrates that capillary UHPLC with electrochemical detection is suitable for monitoring dialysate monoamines collected at high sampling rate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exciplex-Forming Cohost for High Efficiency and High Stability Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Chun-Jen; Lee, Chih-Chien; Chen, Ying-Hao; Biring, Sajal; Kumar, Gautham; Yeh, Tzu-Hung; Sen, Somaditya; Liu, Shun-Wei; Wong, Ken-Tsung

2018-01-17

An exciplex forming cohost system is employed to achieve a highly efficient organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with good electroluminescent lifetime. The exciplex is formed at the interfacial contact of a conventional star-shaped carbazole hole-transporting material, 4,4',4″-tris(N-carbazolyl)-triphenylamine (TCTA), and a triazine electron-transporting material, 2,4,6-tris[3-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)phenyl]-1,3,5-triazine (3P-T2T). The excellent combination of TCTA and 3P-T2T is applied as the cohost of a common green phosphorescent emitter with almost zero energy loss. When Ir(ppy) 2 (acac) is dispersed in such exciplex cohost system, OLED device with maximum external quantum efficiency of 29.6%, the ultrahigh power efficiency of 147.3 lm/W, and current efficiency of 107 cd/A were successfully achieved. More importantly, the OLED device showed a low-efficiency roll-off and an operational lifetime (τ 80 ) of ∼1020 min with the initial brightness of 2000 cd/m 2 , which is 56 times longer than the reference device. The significant difference of device stability was attributed to the degradation of exciplex system for energy transfer process, which was investigated by the photoluminescence aging measurement at room temperature and 100 K, respectively.

Thumbnail‐based questionnaires for the rapid and efficient collection of macroseismic data from global earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Bossu, Remy; Landes, Matthieu; Roussel, Frederic; Steed, Robert; Mazet-Roux, Gilles; Martin, Stacey S.; Hough, Susan E.

2017-01-01

The collection of earthquake testimonies (i.e., qualitative descriptions of felt shaking) is essential for macroseismic studies (i.e., studies gathering information on how strongly an earthquake was felt in different places), and when done rapidly and systematically, improves situational awareness and in turn can contribute to efficient emergency response. In this study, we present advances made in the collection of testimonies following earthquakes around the world using a thumbnail‐based questionnaire implemented on the European‐Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) smartphone app and its website compatible for mobile devices. In both instances, the questionnaire consists of a selection of thumbnails, each representing an intensity level of the European Macroseismic Scale 1998. We find that testimonies are collected faster, and in larger numbers, by way of thumbnail‐based questionnaires than by more traditional online questionnaires. Responses were received from all seismically active regions of our planet, suggesting that thumbnails overcome language barriers. We also observed that the app is not sufficient on its own, because the websites are the main source of testimonies when an earthquake strikes a region for the first time in a while; it is only for subsequent shocks that the app is widely used. Notably though, the speed of the collection of testimonies increases significantly when the app is used. We find that automated EMSC intensities as assigned by user‐specified thumbnails are, on average, well correlated with “Did You Feel It?” (DYFI) responses and with the three independently and manually derived macroseismic datasets, but there is a tendency for EMSC to be biased low with respect to DYFI at moderate and large intensities. We address this by proposing a simple adjustment that will be verified in future earthquakes.

Telescope Array Radar (TARA) observatory for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abbasi, R.; Othman, M. Abou Bakr [University of Utah, 115 S 1400 E #201 JFB, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Allen, C. [University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 (United States); Beard, L. [Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Belz, J. [University of Utah, 115 S 1400 E #201 JFB, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Besson, D. [University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 (United States); Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute, 31 Kashirskaya Shosse, Moscow 115409 (Russian Federation); Byrne, M.; Farhang-Boroujeny, B.; Gardner, A. [University of Utah, 115 S 1400 E #201 JFB, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Gillman, W.H. [Gillman and Associates, Salt Lake City, UT 84106 (United States); Hanlon, W. [University of Utah, 115 S 1400 E #201 JFB, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Hanson, J. [University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 (United States); Jayanthmurthy, C. [University of Utah, 115 S 1400 E #201 JFB, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Kunwar, S. [University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 (United States); Larson, S.L. [Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322 (United States); Myers, I., E-mail: isaac@cosmic.utah.edu [University of Utah, 115 S 1400 E #201 JFB, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Prohira, S.; Ratzlaff, K. [University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045 (United States); Sokolsky, P. [University of Utah, 115 S 1400 E #201 JFB, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Takai, H. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); and others

2014-12-11

Construction was completed during summer 2013 on the Telescope Array RAdar (TARA) bi-static radar observatory for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR). TARA is co-located with the Telescope Array, the largest “conventional” cosmic ray detector in the Northern Hemisphere, in radio-quiet Western Utah. TARA employs an 8 MW Effective Radiated Power (ERP) VHF transmitter and smart receiver system based on a 250 MS/s data acquisition system in an effort to detect the scatter of sounding radiation by UHECR-induced atmospheric ionization. TARA seeks to demonstrate bi-static radar as a useful new remote sensing technique for UHECRs. In this report, we describe the design and performance of the TARA transmitter and receiver systems.

Telescope Array Radar (TARA) observatory for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbasi, R.; Othman, M. Abou Bakr; Allen, C.; Beard, L.; Belz, J.; Besson, D.; Byrne, M.; Farhang-Boroujeny, B.; Gardner, A.; Gillman, W.H.; Hanlon, W.; Hanson, J.; Jayanthmurthy, C.; Kunwar, S.; Larson, S.L.; Myers, I.; Prohira, S.; Ratzlaff, K.; Sokolsky, P.; Takai, H.

2014-01-01

Construction was completed during summer 2013 on the Telescope Array RAdar (TARA) bi-static radar observatory for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR). TARA is co-located with the Telescope Array, the largest “conventional” cosmic ray detector in the Northern Hemisphere, in radio-quiet Western Utah. TARA employs an 8 MW Effective Radiated Power (ERP) VHF transmitter and smart receiver system based on a 250 MS/s data acquisition system in an effort to detect the scatter of sounding radiation by UHECR-induced atmospheric ionization. TARA seeks to demonstrate bi-static radar as a useful new remote sensing technique for UHECRs. In this report, we describe the design and performance of the TARA transmitter and receiver systems

Recent progress of ultrahigh voltage SiC devices for particle accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, Kenji; Tsuji, Takashi; Shiomi, Hiromu; Mizushima, Tomonori; Yonezawa, Yoshiyuki; Kondo, Chikara; Otake, Yuji

2016-01-01

Silicon carbide (SiC) is the promising material for next power electronics technology used in the field such as HEV, EV, and railway, electric power infrastructure. SiC enables power devices with low loss to easily operate in an ultrahigh-voltage region because of the high breakdown electric field of SiC. In this paper, we report static and dynamic electric performances of 3300 V class SiC SBDs, IE-MOSFETs, >10 kV PiN diodes and IE-IGBTs. Especially, the electrical characteristics of IE-IGBT with the blocking voltage of 16.5 kV indicate the sufficient ability to convert the thyratron in high power RF system of an accelerator. (author)

Telescope Array Radar (TARA) observatory for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays

Science.gov (United States)

Abbasi, R.; Othman, M. Abou Bakr; Allen, C.; Beard, L.; Belz, J.; Besson, D.; Byrne, M.; Farhang-Boroujeny, B.; Gardner, A.; Gillman, W. H.; Hanlon, W.; Hanson, J.; Jayanthmurthy, C.; Kunwar, S.; Larson, S. L.; Myers, I.; Prohira, S.; Ratzlaff, K.; Sokolsky, P.; Takai, H.; Thomson, G. B.; Von Maluski, D.

2014-12-01

Construction was completed during summer 2013 on the Telescope Array RAdar (TARA) bi-static radar observatory for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR). TARA is co-located with the Telescope Array, the largest "conventional" cosmic ray detector in the Northern Hemisphere, in radio-quiet Western Utah. TARA employs an 8 MW Effective Radiated Power (ERP) VHF transmitter and smart receiver system based on a 250 MS/s data acquisition system in an effort to detect the scatter of sounding radiation by UHECR-induced atmospheric ionization. TARA seeks to demonstrate bi-static radar as a useful new remote sensing technique for UHECRs. In this report, we describe the design and performance of the TARA transmitter and receiver systems.

Magnetic anisotropy in iron thin films evaporated under ultra-high vacuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dinhut, J.F.; Eymery, J.P.; Krishnan, R.

1992-01-01

α-iron thin films with thickness ranging between 20 and 1500 nm have been evaporated using an electron gun under ultra-high vacuum conditions (5.10 -7 P). The columnar structure observed in cross-sectional TEM is related to the large surface diffusion. From Moessbauer spectra the spin orientation is deduced and found to be influenced by the column axis. Spins can be obtained perpendicularly to the film plane by rotating the substrte during the deposition. The magnetization of the samples is reduced by about 30% and the reduction attributed to the interstitial space which increases with the incident angle. The substrate rotation also decreases Ku( parallel ) by a factor 2 and increases Ku( perpendicular to ). (orig.)

Modeling of venturi scrubber efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Crowder, Jerry W.; Noll, Kenneth E.; Davis, Wayne T.

The parameters affecting venturi scrubber performance have been rationally examined and modifications to the current modeling theory have been developed. The modified model has been validated with available experimental data for a range of throat gas velocities, liquid-to-gas ratios and particle diameters and is used to study the effect of some design parameters on collection efficiency. Most striking among the observations is the prediction of a new design parameter termed the minimum contactor length. Also noted is the prediction of little effect on collection efficiency with increasing liquid-to-gas ratio above about 2ℓ m-3. Indeed, for some cases a decrease in collection efficiency is predicted for liquid rates above this value.

Diagnostic Validity of the Eppendorf Schizophrenia Inventory (ESI): A Self-Report Screen for Ultrahigh Risk and Acute Psychosis

Science.gov (United States)

Niessen, Maurice A. J.; Dingemans, Peter M. A. J.; van de Fliert, Reinaud; Becker, Hiske E.; Nieman, Dorien H.; Linszen, Don

2010-01-01

Providers of mental health services need tools to screen for acute psychosis and ultrahigh risk (UHR) for transition to psychosis in help-seeking individuals. In this study, the Eppendorf Schizophrenia Inventory (ESI) was examined as a screening tool and for its ability to correctly predict diagnostic group membership (e.g., help seeking, mild…

Metal Hydride Nanoparticles with Ultrahigh Structural Stability and Hydrogen Storage Activity Derived from Microencapsulated Nanoconfinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiguang; Zhu, Yunfeng; Lin, Huaijun; Liu, Yana; Zhang, Yao; Li, Shenyang; Ma, Zhongliang; Li, Liquan

2017-06-01

Metal hydrides (MHs) have recently been designed for hydrogen sensors, switchable mirrors, rechargeable batteries, and other energy-storage and conversion-related applications. The demands of MHs, particular fast hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics, have brought their sizes to nanoscale. However, the nanostructured MHs generally suffer from surface passivation and low aggregation-resisting structural stability upon absorption/desorption. This study reports a novel strategy named microencapsulated nanoconfinement to realize local synthesis of nano-MHs, which possess ultrahigh structural stability and superior desorption kinetics. Monodispersed Mg 2 NiH 4 single crystal nanoparticles (NPs) are in situ encapsulated on the surface of graphene sheets (GS) through facile gas-solid reactions. This well-defined MgO coating layer with a thickness of ≈3 nm efficiently separates the NPs from each other to prevent aggregation during hydrogen absorption/desorption cycles, leading to excellent thermal and mechanical stability. More interestingly, the MgO layer shows superior gas-selective permeability to prevent further oxidation of Mg 2 NiH 4 meanwhile accessible for hydrogen absorption/desorption. As a result, an extremely low activation energy (31.2 kJ mol -1 ) for the dehydrogenation reaction is achieved. This study provides alternative insights into designing nanosized MHs with both excellent hydrogen storage activity and thermal/mechanical stability exempting surface modification by agents. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrahigh piezoelectricity in ferroelectric ceramics by design

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fei; Lin, Dabin; Chen, Zibin; Cheng, Zhenxiang; Wang, Jianli; Li, ChunChun; Xu, Zhuo; Huang, Qianwei; Liao, Xiaozhou; Chen, Long-Qing; Shrout, Thomas R.; Zhang, Shujun

2018-03-01

Piezoelectric materials, which respond mechanically to applied electric field and vice versa, are essential for electromechanical transducers. Previous theoretical analyses have shown that high piezoelectricity in perovskite oxides is associated with a flat thermodynamic energy landscape connecting two or more ferroelectric phases. Here, guided by phenomenological theories and phase-field simulations, we propose an alternative design strategy to commonly used morphotropic phase boundaries to further flatten the energy landscape, by judiciously introducing local structural heterogeneity to manipulate interfacial energies (that is, extra interaction energies, such as electrostatic and elastic energies associated with the interfaces). To validate this, we synthesize rare-earth-doped Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT), as rare-earth dopants tend to change the local structure of Pb-based perovskite ferroelectrics. We achieve ultrahigh piezoelectric coefficients d33 of up to 1,500 pC N-1 and dielectric permittivity ɛ33/ɛ0 above 13,000 in a Sm-doped PMN-PT ceramic with a Curie temperature of 89 °C. Our research provides a new paradigm for designing material properties through engineering local structural heterogeneity, expected to benefit a wide range of functional materials.

New test of Lorentz symmetry using ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays

Science.gov (United States)

Anchordoqui, Luis A.; Soriano, Jorge F.

2018-02-01

We propose an innovative test of Lorentz symmetry by observing pairs of simultaneous parallel extensive air showers produced by the fragments of ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray nuclei which disintegrated in collisions with solar photons. We show that the search for a cross-correlation of showers in arrival time and direction becomes background free for an angular scale ≲3 ° and a time window O (10 s ) . We also show that if the solar photo-disintegration probability of helium is O (10-5.5) then the hunt for spatiotemporal coincident showers could be within range of existing cosmic ray facilities, such as the Pierre Auger Observatory. We demonstrate that the actual observation of a few events can be used to constrain Lorentz violating dispersion relations of the nucleon.

Magnetic Microcalorimeter (MMC) Gamma Detectors with Ultra-High Energy Resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Friedrich, Stephen [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2018-01-19

The goal of this LCP is to develop ultra-high resolution gamma detectors based on magnetic microcalorimeters (MMCs) for accurate non-destructive analysis (NDA) of nuclear materials. For highest energy resolution, we will introduce erbium-doped silver (Ag:Er) as a novel sensor material, and implement several geometry and design changes to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The detector sensitivity will be increased by developing arrays of 32 Ag:Er pixels read out by 16 SQUID preamplifiers, and by developing a cryogenic Compton veto to reduce the spectral background. Since best MMC performance requires detector operation at ~10 mK, we will purchase a dilution refrigerator with a base temperature <10 mK and adapt it for MMC operation. The detector performance will be tested with radioactive sources of interest to the safeguards community.

Particle and astrophysics aspects of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigl, G.

2001-01-01

The origin of cosmic rays is one of the major unresolved astrophysical questions. In particular, the highest energy cosmic rays observed possess macroscopic energies and their origin is likely to be associated with the most energetic processes in the Universe. Their existence triggered a flurry of theoretical explanations ranging from conventional shock acceleration to particle physics beyond the Standard Model and processes taking place at the earliest moments of our Universe. Furthermore, many new experimental activities promise a strong increase of statistics at the highest energies and a combination with γ-ray and neutrino astrophysics will put strong constraints on these theoretical models. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations indicate that charged ultra-high energy cosmic rays can also be used as probes of large scale magnetic fields whose origin may open another window into the very early Universe. We give an overview over this quickly evolving research field. (author)

Particle and astrophysics aspects of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sigl, G [Institut d' Astrophysique de Paris, Paris (France)

2001-11-15

The origin of cosmic rays is one of the major unresolved astrophysical questions. In particular, the highest energy cosmic rays observed possess macroscopic energies and their origin is likely to be associated with the most energetic processes in the Universe. Their existence triggered a flurry of theoretical explanations ranging from conventional shock acceleration to particle physics beyond the Standard Model and processes taking place at the earliest moments of our Universe. Furthermore, many new experimental activities promise a strong increase of statistics at the highest energies and a combination with {gamma}-ray and neutrino astrophysics will put strong constraints on these theoretical models. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations indicate that charged ultra-high energy cosmic rays can also be used as probes of large scale magnetic fields whose origin may open another window into the very early Universe. We give an overview over this quickly evolving research field. (author)

Determination of Triazine Herbicides in Drinking Water by Dispersive Micro Solid Phase Extraction with Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Dawei; Zhang, Yiping; Miao, Hong; Zhao, Yunfeng; Wu, Yongning

2015-11-11

A novel dispersive micro solid phase extraction (DMSPE) method based on a polymer cation exchange material (PCX) was applied to the simultaneous determination of the 30 triazine herbicides in drinking water with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometric detection. Drinking water samples were acidified with formic acid, and then triazines were adsorbed by the PCX sorbent. Subsequently, the analytes were eluted with ammonium hydroxide/acetonitrile. The chromatographic separation was performed on an HSS T3 column using water (4 mM ammonium formate and 0.1% formic acid) and acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid) as the mobile phase. The method achieved LODs of 0.2-30.0 ng/L for the 30 triazines, with recoveries in the range of 70.5-112.1%, and the precision of the method was better than 12.7%. These results indicated that the proposed method had the advantages of convenience and high efficiency when applied to the analysis of the 30 triazines in drinking water.

Ultrahigh sensitivity endoscopic camera using a new CMOS image sensor: providing with clear images under low illumination in addition to fluorescent images.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Hisae; Yamashita, Hiromasa; Mori, Toshiyuki; Fukuyo, Tsuneo; Chiba, Toshio

2014-11-01

We developed a new ultrahigh-sensitive CMOS camera using a specific sensor that has a wide range of spectral sensitivity characteristics. The objective of this study is to present our updated endoscopic technology that has successfully integrated two innovative functions; ultrasensitive imaging as well as advanced fluorescent viewing. Two different experiments were conducted. One was carried out to evaluate the function of the ultrahigh-sensitive camera. The other was to test the availability of the newly developed sensor and its performance as a fluorescence endoscope. In both studies, the distance from the endoscopic tip to the target was varied and those endoscopic images in each setting were taken for further comparison. In the first experiment, the 3-CCD camera failed to display the clear images under low illumination, and the target was hardly seen. In contrast, the CMOS camera was able to display the targets regardless of the camera-target distance under low illumination. Under high illumination, imaging quality given by both cameras was quite alike. In the second experiment as a fluorescence endoscope, the CMOS camera was capable of clearly showing the fluorescent-activated organs. The ultrahigh sensitivity CMOS HD endoscopic camera is expected to provide us with clear images under low illumination in addition to the fluorescent images under high illumination in the field of laparoscopic surgery.

Heterogeneous Compression of Large Collections of Evolutionary Trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Suzanne J

2015-01-01

Compressing heterogeneous collections of trees is an open problem in computational phylogenetics. In a heterogeneous tree collection, each tree can contain a unique set of taxa. An ideal compression method would allow for the efficient archival of large tree collections and enable scientists to identify common evolutionary relationships over disparate analyses. In this paper, we extend TreeZip to compress heterogeneous collections of trees. TreeZip is the most efficient algorithm for compressing homogeneous tree collections. To the best of our knowledge, no other domain-based compression algorithm exists for large heterogeneous tree collections or enable their rapid analysis. Our experimental results indicate that TreeZip averages 89.03 percent (72.69 percent) space savings on unweighted (weighted) collections of trees when the level of heterogeneity in a collection is moderate. The organization of the TRZ file allows for efficient computations over heterogeneous data. For example, consensus trees can be computed in mere seconds. Lastly, combining the TreeZip compressed (TRZ) file with general-purpose compression yields average space savings of 97.34 percent (81.43 percent) on unweighted (weighted) collections of trees. Our results lead us to believe that TreeZip will prove invaluable in the efficient archival of tree collections, and enables scientists to develop novel methods for relating heterogeneous collections of trees.

Child Maltreatment and Clinical Outcome in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis in the EU-GEI High Risk Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraan, Tamar C.; Velthorst, Eva; Themmen, Manouk; Valmaggia, Lucia; Kempton, Matthew J.; McGuire, Phillip; Van Os, Jim; Rutten, Bart P.F.; Smit, Filip; De Haan, Lieuwe; Van Der Gaag, Mark; McGuire, Philip; Valmaggia, Lucia R.; Calem, Maria; Tognin, Stefania; Modinos, Gemma; Burger, Nadine; Van Dam, Daniella S.; Barrantes-Vidal, Neus; Domínguez-Martínez, Tecelli; Cristóbal-Narváez, Paula; Kwapil, Thomas R.; Monsonet-Bardají, Manel; Hinojosa, Lídia; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Borgwardt, Stefan; Rapp, Charlotte; Ittig, Sarah; Studerus, Erich; Smieskova, Renata; Bressan, Rodrigo; Gadelha, Ary; Brietzke, Elisa; Asevedo, Graccielle; Asevedo, Elson; Zugman, Andre; Ruhrmann, Stephan; Gebhard, Dominika; Arnhold, Julia; Klosterkötter, Joachim; Nordholm, Dorte; Randers, Lasse; Krakauer, Kristine; Naumann, Tanya Louise; Glenthøj, Louise Birkedal; Nordentoft, Merete; De Hert, Marc; Van Winkel, Ruud; Nelson, Barnaby; McGorry, Patrick

2018-01-01

Background: Child maltreatment has been associated with a wide range of mental disorders in adulthood. Whether child maltreatment is specifically associated with psychosis risk in individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis, or leads to a general vulnerability for overall psychopathology in

Fabrication of ultrahigh density metal-cell-metal crossbar memory devices with only two cycles of lithography and dry-etch procedures

KAUST Repository

Zong, Baoyu; Goh, J. Y.; Guo, Zaibing; Luo, Ping; Wang, Chenchen; Qiu, Jinjun; Ho, Pin; Chen, Yunjie; Zhang, Mingsheng; Han, Guchang

2013-01-01

A novel approach to the fabrication of metal-cell-metal trilayer memory devices was demonstrated by using only two cycles of lithography and dry-etch procedures. The fabricated ultrahigh density crossbar devices can be scaled down to ≤70 nm in half

Evaluation of carrier collection probability in bifacial interdigitated-back-contact crystalline silicon solar cells by the internal quantum efficiency mapping method

Science.gov (United States)

Tachibana, Tomihisa; Tanahashi, Katsuto; Mochizuki, Toshimitsu; Shirasawa, Katsuhiko; Takato, Hidetaka

2018-04-01

Bifacial interdigitated-back-contact (IBC) silicon solar cells with a high bifaciality of 0.91 were fabricated. Screen printing and firing technology were used to reduce the production cost. For the first time, the relationship between the rear side structure and carrier collection probability was evaluated using internal quantum efficiency (IQE) mapping. The measurement results showed that the screen-printed electrode and back surface field (BSF) area led to low IQE. The low carrier collection probability by BSF area can be explained by electrical shading effects. Thus, it is clear that the IQE mapping system is useful to evaluate the IBC cell.

Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Superconducting, and other Phase Transitions in Novel f-Electron Materials at Ultra-high Pressures Using Designer Diamond Anvils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maple, M. Brian

2005-01-01

Pressure is a powerful control parameter, owing to its ability to affect crystal and electronic structure without introducing defects, for the investigation of condensed matter systems. Some f-electron, heavy-fermion materials display interesting and novel behavior when exposed to pressures achievable with conventional experimental techniques; however, a growing number of condensed matter systems require extreme conditions such as ultrahigh pressures, high magnetic fields, and ultralow temperatures to sufficiently explore the important properties. To that end, we have been funded to develop an ultrahigh pressure facility at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in order to investigate superconductivity, magnetism, non-Fermi liquid behavior, and other phenomena under extreme conditions. Our goals for the second year of this grant were as follows: (a) perform electrical resistivity measurements on novel samples at a myriad of pressures using conventional piston-cylinder techniques, Bridgman anvil techniques, and diamond anvil cell technology; (b) install, commission, and operate an Oxford Kelvinox MX-100 dilution refrigerator for access to ultralow temperatures and high magnetic fields. (c) continue the development of diamond anvil cell (DAC) technology. During the past year, we have successfully installed the Oxford Kelvinox MX-100 dilution refrigerator and verified its operability down to 12 mK. We have begun an experimental program to systematically investigate the f-electron compound URu2Si2 under pressure and in the presence of magnetic fields. We have also continued our collaborative work with Sam Weir at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) on Au4V and implemented a new corollary study on Au1-xVx using ultrahigh pressures. We have continued developing our DAC facility by designing and constructing an apparatus for in situ pressure measurement as well as designing high pressure cells. This report serves to highlight the progress we have made

Charge-collection efficiency of GaAs field effect transistors fabricated with a low temperature grown buffer layer: dependence on charge deposition profile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMorrow, D.; Knudson, A.R.; Melinger, J.S.; Buchner, S.

1999-01-01

The results presented here reveal a surprising dependence of the charge-collection efficiency of LT GaAs FETs (field effect transistors) on the depth profile of the deposited charge. Investigation of the temporal dependence of the signal amplitude, carrier density contours, and potential contours reveals different mechanisms for charge collection arising from carriers deposited above and below the LT GaAs buffer layer, respectively. In particular, carriers deposited below the LT GaAs buffer layer dissipate slowly and give rise to a persistent charge collection that is associated with a bipolar-like gain process. These results may be of significance in understanding the occurrence of single-event upsets from protons, neutrons, and large-angle, glancing heavy-ion strikes. (authors)

Flavor characterization of sugar-added pennywort (Centella asiatica L.) juices treated with ultra-high pressure and thermal processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Apichartsrangkoon, Arunee; Wongfhun, Pronprapa; Gordon, Michael H

2009-01-01

The flavor characteristics of pennywort juices with added sugar treated by ultra-high pressure, pasteurization, and sterilization were investigated using solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It was found that sesquiterpene hydrocarbons comprised the major class of volatile components present and the juices had a characteristic aroma due to the presence of volatiles including beta-caryophyllene and humulene and alpha-copaene. In comparison with heated juices, HPP-treated samples could retain more volatile compounds such as linalool and geraniol similar to those present in fresh juice, whereas some volatiles such as alpha-terpinene and ketone class were apparently formed by thermal treatment. All processing operations produced juice that was not significantly different in the concentration of total volatiles. Practical Application: Pennywort juice is considered a nutraceutical drink for health benefits. Therefore, to preserve all aroma and active components in this juice, a nonthermal process such as ultra-high pressure should be a more appropriate technique for retention of its nutritive values than pasteurization and sterilization.

A proposal to improve e-waste collection efficiency in urban mining: Container loading and vehicle routing problems - A case study of Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowakowski, Piotr

2017-02-01

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), also known as e-waste, is one of the most important waste streams with high recycling potential. Materials used in these products are valuable, but some of them are hazardous. The urban mining approach attempts to recycle as many materials as possible, so efficiency in collection is vital. There are two main methods used to collect WEEE: stationary and mobile, each with different variants. The responsibility of WEEE organizations and waste collection companies is to assure all resources required for these activities - bins, containers, collection vehicles and staff - are available, taking into account cost minimization. Therefore, it is necessary to correctly determine the capacity of containers and number of collection vehicles for an area where WEEE need to be collected. There are two main problems encountered in collection, storage and transportation of WEEE: container loading problems and vehicle routing problems. In this study, an adaptation of these two models for packing and collecting WEEE is proposed, along with a practical implementation plan designed to be useful for collection companies' guidelines for container loading and route optimization. The solutions are presented in the case studies of real-world conditions for WEEE collection companies in Poland. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Roughening Conjugated Polymer Surface for Enhancing the Charge Collection Efficiency of Sequentially Deposited Polymer/Fullerene Photovoltaics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoonhee Jang

2015-08-01

Full Text Available A method that enables the formation of a rough nano-scale surface for conjugated polymers is developed through the utilization of a polymer chain ordering agent (OA. 1-Chloronaphthalene (1-CN is used as the OA for the poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl (P3HT layer. The addition of 1-CN to the P3HT solution improves the chain ordering of the P3HT during the film formation process and increases the surface roughness of the P3HT film compared to the film prepared without 1-CN. The roughened surface of the P3HT film is utilized to construct a P3HT/fullerene bilayer organic photovoltaic (OPV by sequential solution deposition (SqSD without thermal annealing process. The power conversion efficiency (PCE of the SqSD-processed OPV utilizing roughened P3HT layer is 25% higher than that utilizing a plain P3HT layer. It is revealed that the roughened surface of the P3HT increases the heterojunction area at the P3HT/fullerene interface and this resulted in improved internal charge collection efficiency, as well as light absorption efficiency. This method proposes a novel way to improve the PCE of the SqSD-processed OPV, which can be applied for OPV utilizing low band gap polymers. In addition, this method allows for the reassessment of polymers, which have shown insufficient performance in the BSD process.

Ultrahigh Ductility, High-Carbon Martensitic Steel

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Shengwei; Liu, Yu; Hao, Qingguo; Zuo, Xunwei; Rong, Yonghua; Chen, Nailu

2016-10-01

Based on the proposed design idea of the anti-transformation-induced plasticity effect, both the additions of the Nb element and pretreatment of the normalization process as a novel quenching-partitioning-tempering (Q-P-T) were designed for Fe-0.63C-1.52Mn-1.49Si-0.62Cr-0.036Nb hot-rolled steel. This high-carbon Q-P-T martensitic steel exhibits a tensile strength of 1890 MPa and elongation of 29 pct accompanied by the excellent product of tensile and elongation of 55 GPa pct. The origin of ultrahigh ductility for high-carbon Q-P-T martensitic steel is revealed from two aspects: one is the softening of martensitic matrix due to both the depletion of carbon in the matensitic matrix during the Q-P-T process by partitioning of carbon from supersaturated martensite to retained austenite and the reduction of the dislocation density in a martensitic matrix by dislocation absorption by retained austenite effect during deformation, which significantly enhances the deformation ability of martensitic matrix; another is the high mechanical stability of considerable carbon-enriched retained austenite, which effectively reduces the formation of brittle twin-type martensite. This work verifies the correctness of the design idea of the anti-TRIP effect and makes the third-generation advanced high-strength steels extend to the field of high-carbon steels from low- and medium-carbon steels.

Genetic dissection of maize plant architecture with an ultra-high density bin map based on recombinant inbred lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Chaoshu; Zhou, Yu; Hao, Zhuanfang; Wang, Zhenhua; Zeng, Xing; Di, Hong; Li, Mingshun; Zhang, Degui; Yong, Hongjun; Zhang, Shihuang; Weng, Jianfeng; Li, Xinhai

2016-03-03

Plant architecture attributes, such as plant height, ear height, and internode number, have played an important role in the historical increases in grain yield, lodging resistance, and biomass in maize (Zea mays L.). Analyzing the genetic basis of variation in plant architecture using high density QTL mapping will be of benefit for the breeding of maize for many traits. However, the low density of molecular markers in existing genetic maps has limited the efficiency and accuracy of QTL mapping. Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) is an improved strategy for addressing a complex genome via next-generation sequencing technology. GBS has been a powerful tool for SNP discovery and high-density genetic map construction. The creation of ultra-high density genetic maps using large populations of advanced recombinant inbred lines (RILs) is an efficient way to identify QTL for complex agronomic traits. A set of 314 RILs derived from inbreds Ye478 and Qi319 were generated and subjected to GBS. A total of 137,699,000 reads with an average of 357,376 reads per individual RIL were generated, which is equivalent to approximately 0.07-fold coverage of the maize B73 RefGen_V3 genome for each individual RIL. A high-density genetic map was constructed using 4183 bin markers (100-Kb intervals with no recombination events). The total genetic distance covered by the linkage map was 1545.65 cM and the average distance between adjacent markers was 0.37 cM with a physical distance of about 0.51 Mb. Our results demonstrated a relatively high degree of collinearity between the genetic map and the B73 reference genome. The quality and accuracy of the bin map for QTL detection was verified by the mapping of a known gene, pericarp color 1 (P1), which controls the color of the cob, with a high LOD value of 80.78 on chromosome 1. Using this high-density bin map, 35 QTL affecting plant architecture, including 14 for plant height, 14 for ear height, and seven for internode number were detected

Development and application of multiple-quantum coherence techniques for in vivo sodium MRI at high and ultra-high field strengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiege, Daniel Pascal

2014-01-01

this problem, a phase-rotation scheme is presented. It simultaneously acquires all coherence pathways and separates them via Fourier transform. This technique has the advantage that destructive interference is completely removed without a compromised signal-to-noise efficiency compared to the common six-step phase cycling. This method is demonstrated in phantom experiments at 9.4 T. The increased MR signal associated with ultra-high static field strengths is especially beneficial for low-concentration nuclei such as sodium. An improved SISTINA scheme with more efficient twisted projection imaging readouts and the phase rotation scheme is demonstrated. The optimisation of radio-frequency pulse durations and readout and delay times are presented. The optimised sequence is demonstrated in vivo at 9.4 T on five human volunteers.

Instrument to collect fogwater for chemical analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacob, D.J.; Waldman, J.M.; Haghi, M.; Hoffmann, M.R.; Flagan, R.C.

1985-06-01

An instrument is presented which collects large samples of ambient fogwater by impaction of droplets on a screen. The collection efficiency of the instrument is determined as a function of droplet size, and it is shown that fog droplets in the range 3--100-..mu..m diameter are efficiently collected. No significant evaporation or condensation occurs at any stage of the collection process. Field testing indicates that samples collected are representative of the ambient fogwater. The instrument may easily be automated, and is suitable for use in routine air quality monitoring programs.

Instrument to collect fogwater for chemical analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Daniel J.; Waldman, Jed M.; Haghi, Mehrdad; Hoffmann, Michael R.; Flagan, Richard C.

1985-06-01

An instrument is presented which collects large samples of ambient fogwater by impaction of droplets on a screen. The collection efficiency of the instrument is determined as a function of droplet size, and it is shown that fog droplets in the range 3-100-μm diameter are efficiently collected. No significant evaporation or condensation occurs at any stage of the collection process. Field testing indicates that samples collected are representative of the ambient fogwater. The instrument may easily be automated, and is suitable for use in routine air quality monitoring programs.

Advanced Ultra-High Speed Motor for Drilling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Impact Technologies LLC; University of Texas at Arlington

2007-03-31

Three (3) designs have been made for two sizes, 6.91 cm (2.72 inch) and 4.29 cm (1.69 inch) outer diameters, of a patented inverted configured Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (PMSM) electric motor specifically for drilling at ultra-high rotational speeds (10,000 rpm) and that can utilize advanced drilling methods. Benefits of these motors are stackable power sections, full control (speed and direction) of downhole motors, flow hydraulics independent of motor operation, application of advanced drilling methods (water jetting and abrasive slurry jetting), and the ability of signal/power electric wires through motor(s). Key features of the final designed motors are: fixed non-rotating shaft with stator coils attached; rotating housing with permanent magnet (PM) rotor attached; bit attached to rotating housing; internal channel(s) in a nonrotating shaft; electric components that are hydrostatically isolated from high internal pressure circulating fluids ('muds') by static metal to metal seals; liquid filled motor with smoothed features for minimized turbulence in the motor during operation; and new inverted coated metal-metal hydrodynamic bearings and seals. PMSM, Induction and Switched Reluctance Machines (SRM), all pulse modulated, were considered, but PMSM were determined to provide the highest power density for the shortest motors. Both radial and axial electric PMSM driven motors were designed with axial designs deemed more rugged for ultra-high speed, drilling applications. The 6.91 cm (2.72 inch) OD axial inverted motor can generate 4.18KW (5.61 Hp) power at 10,000 rpm with a 4 Nm (2.95 ft-lbs) of torque for every 30.48 cm (12 inches) of power section. The 6.91 cm (2.72 inch) OD radial inverted motor can generate 5.03 KW (6.74 Hp) with 4.8 Nm (3.54 ft-lb) torque at 10,000 rpm for every 30.48 cm (12 inches) of power section. The 4.29 cm (1.69 inch) OD radial inverted motor can generate 2.56 KW (3.43 Hp) power with 2.44 Nm (1.8 ft-lb) torque at

Stable Superstring Relics and Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays

CERN Document Server

Coriano, Claudio; Plumacher, Michael; Coriano, Claudio; Faraggi, Alon E.; Plumacher, Michael

2001-01-01

One of the most intriguing experimental results of recent years is the observation of Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) above the GZK cutoff. Plausible candidates for the UHECR primaries are the decay products of a meta--stable matter state with mass of order O(10^{12-15 GeV}), which simultaneously is a good cold dark matter candidate. We study possible meta-stable matter states that arise from Wilson line breaking of GUT symmetries in semi-realistic heterotic string models. In the models that we study the exotic matter states can be classified according to patterns of SO(10) symmetry breaking. We show that cryptons, which are states that carry fractional electric charge $\\pm1/2$, and are confined by a hidden gauge group cannot produce viable dark matter. This is due to the fact that, in addition to the lightest neutral bound state, cryptons give rise to meta-stable charged bound states. However, these states may still account for the UHECR events. We argue that the uniton, which is an exotic Standard Mod...

Resonant Mode Reduction in Radiofrequency Volume Coils for Ultrahigh Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoliang Zhang

2011-07-01

Full Text Available In a multimodal volume coil, only one mode can generate homogeneous Radiofrequency (RF field for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The existence of other modes may increase the volume coil design difficulties and potentially decreases coil performance. In this study, we introduce common-mode resonator technique to high and ultrahigh field volume coil designs to reduce the resonant mode while maintain the homogeneity of the RF field. To investigate the design method, the common-mode resonator was realized by using a microstrip line which was split along the central to become a pair of parallel transmission lines within which common-mode currents exist. Eight common-mode resonators were placed equidistantly along the circumference of a low loss dielectric cylinder to form a volume coil. Theoretical analysis and comparison between the 16-strut common-mode volume coil and a conventional 16-strut volume coil in terms of RF field homogeneity and efficiency was performed using Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD method at 298.2 MHz. MR imaging experiments were performed by using a prototype of the common-mode volume coil on a whole body 7 Tesla scanner. FDTD simulation results showed the reduced number of resonant modes of the common-mode volume coil over the conventional volume coil, while the RF field homogeneity of the two type volume coils was kept at the same level. MR imaging of a water phantom and a kiwi fruit showing the feasibility of the proposed method for simplifying the volume coil design is also presented.

78 FR 54660 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Public Comment Request

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-05

... efficiency; and improve patient outcomes. In each of these categories, specific indicators were designed to be reported through a performance monitoring Web site. Likely Respondents: Telehealth Network... quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated collection...

Simulation and fabrication of 0-3 composite PZT films for ultrahigh frequency (100-300 MHz) ultrasonic transducers

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xiaoyang; Fei, Chunlong; Chen, Zeyu; Chen, Ruimin; Yu, Ping; Chen, Zhongping; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa

2016-03-01

This paper presents simulation, fabrication, and characterization of single-element ultrahigh frequency (100-300-MHz) needle ultrasonic transducers based on 0-3 composite Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) films prepared by using composite ceramic sol-gel film and sol-infiltration technique. The center frequency of the developed transducer at 300-MHz was the highest frequency of PbTiO3 ceramic-based ultrasonic transducers ever reported. Furthermore, a brief description of the composite model was followed by the development of a new expression for predicting the longitudinal velocity, the clamped dielectric constant, and the complex electromechanical coupling coefficient kt of these films, which is very important in ultrasonic transducer design. Moreover, these parameters are difficult to obtain by measuring the frequency dependence of impedance and phase angle because of the weak signal of the previous 0-3 composite films transducer (>100 MHz). The modeling results show that the Cubes model with a geometric factor n = 0.05 fits well with the measured data. This model will be helpful for developing the 0-3 composite systems for ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducer design.

Evidence for plasma effect on charge collection efficiency in proton irradiated GaAs detectors

CERN Document Server

Nava, F; Canali, C; Vittone, E; Polesello, P; Biggeri, U; Leroy, C

1999-01-01

The radiation damage in 100 mu m thick Schottky diodes made on semi-insulating undoped GaAs materials, were studied using alpha-, beta-, proton- and gamma-spectroscopy as well as I-V measurements. The results have been analysed within the framework of the Hecht model to investigate the influence of the plasma produced by short-range strongly ionising particles on the detector performance after 24 GeV proton irradiation. It has been found that with the mean free drift lengths for electrons and holes determined from alpha-spectra in overdepleted detectors, the charge collection efficiency for beta-particles, cce subbeta, is well predicted in the unirradiated detectors, while in the most irradiated ones, the cce subbeta is underestimated by more than 40%. The observed disagreement can be explained by assuming that the charge carrier recombination in the plasma region of such detectors, becomes significant.

A plasma modified cellulose-chitosan porous membrane allows efficient DNA binding and provides antibacterial properties: A step towards developing a new DNA collecting card.

Science.gov (United States)

Chumwangwapee, Sasiwimon; Chingsungnoen, Artit; Siri, Sineenat

2016-11-01

In forensic DNA analyses, biological specimens are collected and stored for subsequent recovery and analysis of DNA. A cost-effective and efficient DNA recovery approach is therefore a need. This study aims to produce a plasma modified cellulose-chitosan membrane (pCE-CS) that efficiently binds and retains DNA as a potential DNA collecting card. The pCE-CS membrane was produced by a phase separation of ionic liquid dissolving CE and CS in water with subsequent surface-modification by a two-step exposure of argon plasma and nitrogen gas. Through plasma modification, the pCE-CS membrane demonstrated better DNA retention after a washing process and higher rate of DNA recovery as compared with the original CE-CS membrane and the commercial FTA card. In addition, the pCE-CS membrane exhibited anti-bacterial properties against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The results of this work suggest a potential function of the pCE-CS membrane as a DNA collecting card with a high recovery rate of captured DNA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous dual wavelength eye-tracked ultrahigh resolution retinal and choroidal optical coherence tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Unterhuber, A.; Povaay, B.; Müller, André

2013-01-01

We demonstrate an optical coherence tomography device that simultaneously combines different novel ultrabroad bandwidth light sources centered in the 800 and 1060 nm regions, operating at 66 kHz depth scan rate, and a confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscope-based eye tracker to permit motion......-artifact-free, ultrahigh resolution and high contrast retinal and choroidal imaging. The two wavelengths of the device provide the complementary information needed for diagnosis of subtle retinal changes, while also increasing visibility of deeper-lying layers to image pathologies that include opaque media in the anterior...... eye segment or eyes with increased choroidal thickness....

Progress and promises of human cardiac magnetic resonance at ultrahigh fields: a physics perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Niendorf, Thoralf; Graessl, Andreas; Thalhammer, Christof; Dieringer, Matthias A; Kraus, Oliver; Santoro, Davide; Fuchs, Katharina; Hezel, Fabian; Waiczies, Sonia; Ittermann, Bernd; Winter, Lukas

2013-04-01

A growing number of reports eloquently speak about explorations into cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at ultrahigh magnetic fields (B0≥7.0 T). Realizing the progress, promises and challenges of ultrahigh field (UHF) CMR this perspective outlines current trends in enabling MR technology tailored for cardiac MR in the short wavelength regime. For this purpose many channel radiofrequency (RF) technology concepts are outlined. Basic principles of mapping and shimming of transmission fields including RF power deposition considerations are presented. Explorations motivated by the safe operation of UHF-CMR even in the presence of conductive implants are described together with the physics, numerical simulations and experiments, all of which detailing antenna effects and RF heating induced by intracoronary stents at 7.0 T. Early applications of CMR at 7.0 T and their clinical implications for explorations into cardiovascular diseases are explored including assessment of cardiac function, myocardial tissue characterization, MR angiography of large and small vessels as well as heteronuclear MR of the heart and the skin. A concluding section ventures a glance beyond the horizon and explores future directions. The goal here is not to be comprehensive but to inspire the biomedical and diagnostic imaging communities to throw further weight behind the solution of the many remaining unsolved problems and technical obstacles of UHF-CMR with the goal to transfer MR physics driven methodological advancements into extra clinical value. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fission product removal by containment spray - influence of the distance between the drops on the aerosol collection efficiency; Influence de la densite spatiale des gouttes d'aspersion sur l'efficacite de collecte des produits de fission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gauchet, N

2000-07-01

This work is within the framework of the studies that are conducted at the IPSN concerning the loss of coolant in a nuclear reactor. During this kind of accident, a spray system in the reactor containment induces the scrubbing of fission products in the atmosphere, and allows the decrease of their concentration in the containment. Our objective is to study the influence of the distance between the drops of their aerosol collection efficiency. This is not taken into account in the existing models. We stimulate the various aerosol collection mechanisms with one free falling drop using computational fluid dynamics codes. The mechanisms are: deposition by brownian diffusion, impaction and interception of the particles by the drop, and collection of particles in the presence of steam condensation at the surface of the drop. These phenomena are studied for drops ranging in diameter from 100 to 700 micrometers, falling in a saturated air-steam mixture whose temperature varies between 20 and 140 degrees Celsius, and total pressure varies between 1 and 5 bars. We validate these models with results available in the literature and with experimental results CARAIDAS. Then we apply these models to the case of three aligned drops, which constitutes a case for which the proximity of the drops has a strong influence on the collection of aerosols. While varying the distance between the drop from 5 to 25 drop diameters, we can highlight the modification of the collection efficiency of each mechanism related to the disturbance of the velocity and concentration fields in the vicinity of the drops. We note that the strongest variations of efficiency observed are in the field of impaction, and that the steam condensation at the surface of the drops limits the decrease. (authors)

Effects of Engineered Wettability on the Efficiency of Dew Collection.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerasopoulos, Konstantinos; Luedeman, William L; Ölçeroglu, Emre; McCarthy, Matthew; Benkoski, Jason J

2018-01-31

Surface wettability plays an important role in dew collection. Nucleation is faster on hydrophilic surfaces, while droplets slide more readily on hydrophobic surfaces. Plants and animals in coastal desert environments appear to overcome this trade-off through biphilic surfaces with patterned wettability. In this study, we investigate the effects of millimeter-scale wettability patterns, mimicking those of the Stenocara beetle, on the rate of water collection from humid air. The rate of water collection per unit area is measured as a function of subcooling (ΔT = 1, 7, and 27 °C) and angle of inclination (from 10° to 90°). It is then compared for superbiphilic, hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and surperhydrophobic surfaces. For large subcooling, neither wettability nor tilt angle has a significant effect because the rate of condensation is so great. For 1 °C subcooling and large angles, hydrophilic surfaces perform best because condensation is the rate-limiting step. For low angles of inclination, superhydrophobic samples are best because droplet sliding is the rate-limiting step. Superbiphilic surfaces, in contrast to their superior fog collecting capabilities, generally collected dew at the slowest rate due to their inherent contact angle hysteresis. Theoretical considerations suggest that this finding may apply more generally to surfaces with patterned wettability.

Vehicle routing for the eco-efficient collection of household plastic waste

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bing, X.; Keizer, de M.; Bloemhof, J.M.; Vorst, van der J.G.A.J.

2014-01-01

Plastic waste is a special category of municipal solid waste. Plastic waste collection is featured with various alternatives of collection methods (curbside/drop-off) and separation methods (source-/post-separation). In the Netherlands, the collection routes of plastic waste are the same as those of

Optimization of the electron collection efficiency of a large area MCP-PMT for the JUNO experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Lin, E-mail: chenlin@opt.cn [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi’an 710119 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Tian, Jinshou [Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, Chunliang [Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049 (China); Wang, Yifang; Zhao, Tianchi [Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of CAS, Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, Hulin; Wei, Yonglin; Sai, Xiaofeng [Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Chen, Ping [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi’an 710119 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Xing; Lu, Yu [Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Hui, Dandan; Guo, Lehui [State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics, Xi’an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics (XIOPM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Xi’an 710119 (China); Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, Shulin; Qian, Sen; Xia, Jingkai; Yan, Baojun; Zhu, Na [Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of CAS, Beijing 100049 (China); Sun, Jianning; Si, Shuguang [North Night Vision Technology (NNVT) CO., LTD, Nanjing 210110 (China); and others

2016-08-11

A novel large-area (20-inch) photomultiplier tube based on microchannel plate (MCP-PMTs) is proposed for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment. Its photoelectron collection efficiency C{sub e} is limited by the MCP open area fraction (A{sub open}). This efficiency is studied as a function of the angular (θ), energy (E) distributions of electrons in the input charge cloud and the potential difference (U) between the PMT photocathode and the MCP input surface, considering secondary electron emission from the MCP input electrode. In CST Studio Suite, Finite Integral Technique and Monte Carlo method are combined to investigate the dependence of C{sub e} on θ, E and U. Results predict that C{sub e} can exceed A{sub open}, and are applied to optimize the structure and operational parameters of the 20-inch MCP-PMT prototype. C{sub e} of the optimized MCP-PMT is expected to reach 81.2%. Finally, the reduction of the penetration depth of the MCP input electrode layer and the deposition of a high secondary electron yield material on the MCP are proposed to further optimize C{sub e}.

Ultrahigh Sensitive and Flexible Magnetoelectronics with Magnetic Nanocomposites: Toward an Additional Perception of Artificial Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Shu-Yi; Chang, Cheng-Han; Lin, Hung-I; Huang, Yuan-Fu; Lin, Wei-Ju; Lin, Shih-Yao; Liou, Yi-Rou; Shen, Tien-Lin; Huang, Yen-Hsiang; Tsao, Po-Wei; Tzou, Chen-Yang; Liao, Yu-Ming; Chen, Yang-Fang

2018-05-23

In recent years, flexible magnetoelectronics has attracted a great attention for its intriguing functionalities and potential applications, such as healthcare, memory, soft robots, navigation, and touchless human-machine interaction systems. Here, we provide the first attempt to demonstrate a new type of magneto-piezoresistance device, which possesses an ultrahigh sensitivity with several orders of resistance change under an external magnetic field (100 mT). In our device, Fe-Ni alloy powders are embedded in the silver nanowire-coated micropyramid polydimethylsiloxane films. Our devices can not only serve as an on/off switch but also act as a sensor that can detect different magnetic fields because of its ultrahigh sensitivity, which is very useful for the application in analog signal communication. Moreover, our devices contain several key features, including large-area and easy fabrication processes, fast response time, low working voltage, low power consumption, excellent flexibility, and admirable compatibility onto a freeform surface, which are the critical criteria for the future development of touchless human-machine interaction systems. On the basis of all of these unique characteristics, we have demonstrated a nontouch piano keyboard, instantaneous magnetic field visualization, and autonomous power system, making our new devices be integrable with magnetic field and enable to be implemented into our daily life applications with unfamiliar human senses. Our approach therefore paves a useful route for the development of wearable electronics and intelligent systems.

Evaluation of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics for Aeropropulsion Use

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Stanley R.; Opila, Elizabeth J.; Halbig, Michael C.; Kiser, James D.; Singh, Mrityunjay; Salem, Jonathan A.

2001-01-01

Among the ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTC) are a group of materials consisting of zirconium diboride or hafnium diboride plus silicon carbide, and in some instances, carbon. These materials offer a good combination of properties that make them candidates for airframe leading edges on sharp-bodied reentry vehicles. These UHTC perform well in the environment for such applications, i.e., air at low pressure. The purpose of this study was to examine three of these materials under conditions more representative of a propulsion environment, i.e., higher oxygen partial pressure and total pressure. Results of strength and fracture toughness measurements, furnace oxidation and high velocity thermal shock exposures are presented for ZrB2 plus 20 volume % SiC, ZrB2 plus 14 volume % SiC plus 30 volume % C, and SCS-9a SiC fiber reinforced ZrB2 plus 20 volume % SiC. The poor oxidation resistance of UHTCs is the predominant factor limiting their applicability to propulsion applications.

High carbon microalloyed martensitic steel with ultrahigh strength-ductility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qin, Shengwei; Liu, Yu; Hao, Qingguo [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Wang, Ying [School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Dianji University, Shanghai 200245 (China); Chen, Nailu, E-mail: nlchen@sjtu.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Zuo, Xunwei; Rong, Yonghua [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China)

2016-04-29

Based on the idea of rising the mechanical stability of retained austenite by the addition of Si in Fe-Mn based steels, an Fe-0.63C-1.52Mn-1.49Si-0.62Cr-0.036Nb was designed, then its hot rolled plate was successively tread by normalization process as pretreatment of novel quenching-partitioning-tempering (Q-P-T) process. Product of tensile and elongation (PSE) of 53.94 GPa% were obtained for this high carbon Q-P-T martensitic steel, and the PSE (40.18 GPa%) obtained by the conversion of tensile sample size using Oliver formula still is more excellent PSE than those of other microalloyed advanced high strength steels reported. The microstructural characterization reveals origin of ultrahigh PSE resulting from both the increase of considerable and dispersed carbon enriched retained austenite with relative high mechanical stability in volume fraction and the decrease of brittle twin-type martensite with the sensitivity of notch.

The evaluation of different environments in ultra-high frequency induction sintered powder metal compacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cavdar, P. S.; Cavdar, U.

2015-01-01

The application of the iron based Powder Metal (PM) compacts in Ultra-High Frequency Induction Sintering (UHFIS) was reviewed for different environments. The three different environments: atmosphere, argon and vacuum were applied to the PM compacts. Iron based PM compacts were sintered at 1120 degree centigrade for a total of 550 seconds by using induction sintering machines with 2.8 kW power and 900 kHz frequency. Micro structural properties, densities, roughness and micro hardness values were obtained for all environments. The results were compared with each other. (Author)

Effect of the number of two-wheeled containers at a gathering point on the energetic workload and work efficiency in refuse collecting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuijer, P. Paul F. M.; van der Beek, Allard J.; van Dieën, Jaap H.; Visser, Bart; Frings-Dresen, Monique H. W.

2002-01-01

The effect of the number of two-wheeled containers at a gathering point on the energetic workload and the work efficiency in refuse collecting was studied in order to design an optimal gathering point for two-wheeled containers. Three sizes of gathering points were investigated, i.e. with 2, 16 and

Fabrication of ultrahigh density metal-cell-metal crossbar memory devices with only two cycles of lithography and dry-etch procedures

KAUST Repository

Zong, Baoyu

2013-05-20

A novel approach to the fabrication of metal-cell-metal trilayer memory devices was demonstrated by using only two cycles of lithography and dry-etch procedures. The fabricated ultrahigh density crossbar devices can be scaled down to ≤70 nm in half-pitch without alignment issues. Depending on the different dry-etch mechanisms in transferring high and low density nanopatterns, suitable dry-etch angles and methods are studied for the transfer of high density nanopatterns. Some novel process methods have also been developed to eliminate the sidewall and other conversion obstacles for obtaining high density of uniform metallic nanopatterns. With these methods, ultrahigh density trilayer crossbar devices (∼2 × 1010 bit cm-2-kilobit electronic memory), which are composed of built-in practical magnetoresistive nanocells, have been achieved. This scalable process that we have developed provides the relevant industries with a cheap means to commercially fabricate three-dimensional high density metal-cell-metal nanodevices. © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Development of ultrahigh energy resolution gamma spectrometers for nuclear safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drury, O.B.; Velazquez, M.; Dreyer, J.G.; Friedrich, S.

2009-01-01

We are developing superconducting ultrahigh resolution gamma-detectors for non-destructive analysis (NDA) of nuclear materials, and specifically for spent fuel characterization in nuclear safeguards. The detectors offer an energy resolution below 100 eV FWHM at 100 keV, and can therefore significantly increase the precision of NDA at low energies where line overlap affects the errors of the measurement when using germanium detectors. They also increase the peak-to-background ratio and thus improve the detection limits for weak gamma emissions from the fissile Pu and U isotopes at low energy in the presence of an intense Compton background from the fission products in spent fuel. Here we demonstrate high energy resolution and high peak-to-background ratio of our superconducting Gamma detectors, and discuss their relevance for measuring actinides in spent nuclear fuel. (author)

Is there an efficient trap or collection method for sampling Anopheles darlingi and other malaria vectors that can describe the essential parameters affecting transmission dynamics as effectively as human landing catches? - A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Bento Pereira Lima

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Distribution, abundance, feeding behaviour, host preference, parity status and human-biting and infection rates are among the medical entomological parameters evaluated when determining the vector capacity of mosquito species. To evaluate these parameters, mosquitoes must be collected using an appropriate method. Malaria is primarily transmitted by anthropophilic and synanthropic anophelines. Thus, collection methods must result in the identification of the anthropophilic species and efficiently evaluate the parameters involved in malaria transmission dynamics. Consequently, human landing catches would be the most appropriate method if not for their inherent risk. The choice of alternative anopheline collection methods, such as traps, must consider their effectiveness in reproducing the efficiency of human attraction. Collection methods lure mosquitoes by using a mixture of olfactory, visual and thermal cues. Here, we reviewed, classified and compared the efficiency of anopheline collection methods, with an emphasis on Neotropical anthropophilic species, especially Anopheles darlingi, in distinct malaria epidemiological conditions in Brazil.

Repair of sublethal damage in mammalian cells irradiated at ultrahigh dose rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerweck, L.E.; Epp, E.R.; Michaels, H.B.; Ling, C.C.; Peterson, E.C.

1979-01-01

The lethal response of asynchronous Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells exposed to single and split doses of radiation at conventional or ultrahigh dose rates has been examined to determine whether repair of sublethal damage occurs in cells irradiated at ultrahigh dose rates. The high-intensity irradiations were performed with electrons delivered in single 3-nsec pulses from a 600-kV field emission source under medium-removed, thin-layer conditions. Conventional dose-rate experiments were done under identical thin-layer conditions with 50-kVp x rays, or under full-medium conditions with 280-kVp x rays. Oxygenated cells were irradiated and maintained at 22 to 24 0 C between exposures. Survival did not increase as the time between two doses of pulsed electrons increased from 0 to 4 min, indicating no evidence of fast repair. However, increased survival was observed when 30 to 90 min was allowed to elapse between the split doses. The half-time for maximum repair was approx. = 30 min irrespective of the exposure conditions and radiation modality used. Observed repair ratios increased from approx. = 2 to 4 as the single-dose surviving fraction decreased from 10 -2 to 5 x 10 -4 . Over this survival range the repair ratios, measured at the same value of surviving fraction, were independent of dose rate. The observed repair ratios imply that the shoulder regions of the nonfractionated x-ray and pulsed-electron survival curves were not completely restored between the split doses. However, the fraction of the shoulder restored between split doses of radiation was dose-rate-independent. It is concluded that sublethal damage can be repaired in oxygenated CHO cells irradiated at dose rates of the order of 10 11 rad/sec

Study on reactor building structure using ultrahigh strength materials - Part 6: Tests for joints of SC-frames and PCa-panels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchiyama, T.; Ishimura, K.; Takahashi, T.; Kei, T.

1993-01-01

A mixed structure composed of reinforced concrete precast panels and frames of steel beams and concrete filled steel tube columns using ultrahigh strength materials was proposed for reactor buildings. The paper describes the structural characteristics of the high tension bolt joints between the panels and the frames. (author)

Pulsed high field magnets. An efficient way of shaping laser accelerated proton beams for application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kroll, Florian; Schramm, Ulrich [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Bagnoud, Vincent; Blazevic, Abel; Busold, Simon [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Helmholtz Institut Jena, 07734 Jena (Germany); Brabetz, Christian; Schumacher, Dennis [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Deppert, Oliver; Jahn, Diana; Roth, Markus [Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt (Germany); Karsch, Leonhard; Masood, Umar [OncoRay-National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden (Germany); Kraft, Stephan [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden (Germany)

2015-07-01

Compact laser-driven proton accelerators are a potential alternative to complex, expensive conventional accelerators, enabling unique beam properties, like ultra-high pulse dose. Nevertheless, they still require substantial development in reliable beam generation and transport. We present experimental studies on capture, shape and transport of laser and conventionally accelerated protons via pulsed high-field magnets. These magnets, common research tools in the fields of solid state physics, have been adapted to meet the demands of laser acceleration experiments.Our work distinctively shows that pulsed magnet technology makes laser acceleration more suitable for application and can facilitate compact and efficient accelerators, e.g. for material research as well as medical and biological purposes.

Profile measurement of a bent neutron mirror using an ultrahigh precision non-contact measurement system with an auto focus laser probe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, S; Guo, J; Yamagata, Y; Yamada, N L; Torikai, N; Takeda, S; Furusaka, M

2016-01-01

A bent neutron mirror has been considered as one of the best solutions for focusing neutron beams from the viewpoint of cost-benefit performance. Although the form deviation of the bent profile is expected because of the large spot size, it is difficult to measure due to its geometric limitation. Here, we propose a non-contact measurement system using an auto focus (AF) laser probe on an ultrahigh precision machine tool to precisely evaluate the form deviation of the bent mirror. The AF laser probe is composed of a diode laser, a position sensitive sensor, a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and a microscope objective lens which is actuated by an electromagnetic motor with 1 nm resolution for position sensing and control. The sensor enables a non-contact profile measurement of a high precision surface without any surface damage in contrast with contact-type ultrahigh precision coordinate measurement machines with ruby styli. In the on-machine measurement system, a personal computer simultaneously acquires a displacement signal from the AF laser probe and 3-axis positional coordinates of the ultrahigh machine tool branched between the linear laser scales and the numerical controller. The acquisition rate of the 4-axis positional data in 1 nm resolution is more than 10 Hz and the simultaneity between the axes is negligible. The profile of a neutron bent mirror was measured from a transparent side using the developed system, and the result proves that the form deviation of the mirror enlarged the the spot size of focused neuron beam. (paper)

High-resolution mapping of linear antibody epitopes using ultrahigh-density peptide microarrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buus, Søren; Rockberg, Johan; Forsström, Björn

2012-01-01

Antibodies empower numerous important scientific, clinical, diagnostic, and industrial applications. Ideally, the epitope(s) targeted by an antibody should be identified and characterized, thereby establishing antibody reactivity, highlighting possible cross-reactivities, and perhaps even warning...... against unwanted (e.g. autoimmune) reactivities. Antibodies target proteins as either conformational or linear epitopes. The latter are typically probed with peptides, but the cost of peptide screening programs tends to prohibit comprehensive specificity analysis. To perform high-throughput, high......-resolution mapping of linear antibody epitopes, we have used ultrahigh-density peptide microarrays generating several hundred thousand different peptides per array. Using exhaustive length and substitution analysis, we have successfully examined the specificity of a panel of polyclonal antibodies raised against...

Layer-by-layer assembled heteroatom-doped graphene films with ultrahigh volumetric capacitance and rate capability for micro-supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zhong-Shuai; Parvez, Khaled; Winter, Andreas; Vieker, Henning; Liu, Xianjie; Han, Sheng; Turchanin, Andrey; Feng, Xinliang; Müllen, Klaus

2014-07-09

Highly uniform, ultrathin, layer-by-layer heteroatom (N, B) co-doped graphene films are fabricated for high-performance on-chip planar micro-supercapacitors with an ultrahigh volumetric capacitance of ∼488 F cm(-3) and excellent rate capability due to the synergistic effect of nitrogen and boron co-doping. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrahigh iodine adsorption in porous organic frameworks

KAUST Repository

Pei, Cuiying

2014-01-01

We present two porous organic frameworks (POFs), PAF-1 and JUC-Z2, with ultrahigh iodine capture capacity. The iodine vapor uptake of PAF-1 and JUC-Z2 were 1.86 g g-1 and 1.44 g g-1 respectively at 298 K per 40 Pa, which is extremely high for such low pressure sorption conditions. In addition, PAF-1 and JUC-Z2 could adsorb iodine over water with the selectivity of 5.1 and 6.5 respectively. The isosteric enthalpy at zero surface coverage, calculated by a virial equation with the iodine vapor sorption isotherms at 298 K and 313 K of JUC-Z2, reached -51.1 kJ mol-1, which was much higher than the coverage of PAF-1 (-14.9 kJ mol-1). Raman measurement confirmed the polyiodide to be I5 - in POFs. Furthermore, solvents with different polarities, such as n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol, were chosen to conduct iodine binding measurements on PAF-1 and JUC-Z2. The formation constant Kf for POFs in n-hexane, chloroform and methanol drastically decreased with the increase in polarity, thus illustrating the important role of solvents in iodine binding. © the Partner Organisations 2014.

Precision mechanical design of an ultrahigh-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering spectrometer system with CDFDW optics at the APS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shu, D; Stoupin, S; Khachatryan, R; Goetze, K A; Roberts, T; Shvyd'ko, Y; Mundboth, K; Collins, S

2013-01-01

There are many scientific applications, especially involving topics related to the equilibrium atomic-scale dynamics of condensed matter, that require both a narrower and a steeper resolution function and access to a broader dynamic range than are currently available. To meet these important scientific needs, a prototype of a novel ultrahigh-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering spectrometer system has been designed and constructed at undulator-based beamline 30-ID at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. This prototype is designed to meet challenging mechanical and optical specifications for performing so-called CDFDW angular-dispersive x-ray crystal optics, which include a central ultra-thin CFW crystal and a pair of dispersing elements. The abbreviation CDFDW stands for: C – collimating crystal, D – dispersing-element crystal (two D-crystals are used in each CDFDW), F – anomalous transmission filter, and W – wavelength-selector crystal [1]. The mechanical design of the ultrahigh-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering spectrometer, as well as the preliminary test results of its precision positioning performance are presented in this paper.

A Delay Time Measurement of ULTRAS (Ultra-high Temperature Ultrasonic Response Analysis System) for a High Temperature Experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, Kil Mo; Kim, Sang Baik

2010-01-01

The temperature measurement of very high temperature core melt is of importance in a high temperature as the molten pool experiment in which gap formation between core melt and the reactor lower head, and the effect of the gap on thermal behavior are to be measured. The existing temperature measurement techniques have some problems, which the thermocouple, one of the contact methods, is restricted to under 2000 .deg. C, and the infrared thermometry, one of the non-contact methods, is unable to measure an internal temperature and very sensitive to the interference from reacted gases. In order to solve these problems, the delay time technique of ultrasonic wavelets due to high temperature has two sorts of stage. As a first stage, a delay time measurement of ULTRAS (Ultra-high Temperature Ultrasonic Response Analysis System) is suggested. As a second stage, a molten material temperature was measured up to 2300 .deg. C. Also, the optimization design of the UTS (ultrasonic temperature sensor) with persistence at the high temperature was suggested in this paper. And the utilization of the theory suggested in this paper and the efficiency of the developed system are performed by special equipment and some experiments supported by KRISS (Korea Research Institute of Standard and Science)

Effects of Shrinkage Reducing Agent and Expansive Admixture on the Volume Deformation of Ultrahigh Performance Concrete

OpenAIRE

Anshuang, Su; Ling, Qin; Shoujie, Zhang; Jiayang, Zhang; Zhaoyu, Li

2017-01-01

This paper investigated the influences of shrinkage reducing agent and expansive admixture on autogenous and drying shrinkage of ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC) containing antifoaming admixture. The shrinkage reducing agent was used at dosage of 0.5%, 1%, and 2% and the expansive admixture was used at dosage of 2% to 4% by mass of cementitious material. The results show that the air content of UHPC increases with the higher addition of shrinkage reducing agent and expansive admixtures. ...