Establishment of the Relationship between the Photochemical Reflectance Index and Canopy Light Use Efficiency Using Multi-angle Hyperspectral Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Chen, Jing; Zhang, Yongguang; Qiu, Feng; Fan, Weiliang; Ju, Weimin

2017-04-01

The gross primary production (GPP) of terrestrial ecosystems constitutes the largest global land carbon flux and exhibits significant spatial and temporal variations. Due to its wide spatial coverage, remote sensing technology is shown to be useful for improving the estimation of GPP in combination with light use efficiency (LUE) models. Accurate estimation of LUE is essential for calculating GPP using remote sensing data and LUE models at regional and global scales. A promising method used for estimating LUE is the photochemical reflectance index (PRI = (R531－R570)/(R531 + R570), where R531 and R570 are reflectance at wavelengths 531 and 570 nm) through remote sensing. However, it has been documented that there are certain issues with PRI at the canopy scale, which need to be considered systematically. For this purpose, an improved tower-based automatic canopy multi-angle hyperspectral observation system was established at the Qianyanzhou flux station in China since January of 2013. In each 15-minute observation cycle, PRI was observed at four view zenith angles fixed at solar zenith angle and (37°, 47°, 57°) or (42°, 52°, 62°) in the azimuth angle range from 45° to 325° (defined from geodetic north). To improve the ability of directional PRI observation to track canopy LUE, the canopy is treated as two-big leaves, i.e. sunlit and shaded leaves. On the basis of a geometrical optical model, the observed canopy reflectance for each view angle is separated to four components, i.e. sunlit and shaded leaves and sunlit and shaded backgrounds. To determine the fractions of these four components at each view angle, three models based on different theories are tested for simulating the fraction of sunlit leaves. Finally, a ratio of canopy reflectance to leaf reflectance is used to represent the fraction of sunlit leaves, and the fraction of shaded leaves is calculated with the four-scale geometrical optical model. Thus, sunlit and shaded PRI are estimated using

Muon tomography imaging improvement using optimized limited angle data

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Chuanyong; Simon, Sean; Kindem, Joel; Luo, Weidong; Sossong, Michael J.; Steiger, Matthew

2014-05-01

Image resolution of muon tomography is limited by the range of zenith angles of cosmic ray muons and the flux rate at sea level. Low flux rate limits the use of advanced data rebinning and processing techniques to improve image quality. By optimizing the limited angle data, however, image resolution can be improved. To demonstrate the idea, physical data of tungsten blocks were acquired on a muon tomography system. The angular distribution and energy spectrum of muons measured on the system was also used to generate simulation data of tungsten blocks of different arrangement (geometry). The data were grouped into subsets using the zenith angle and volume images were reconstructed from the data subsets using two algorithms. One was a distributed PoCA (point of closest approach) algorithm and the other was an accelerated iterative maximal likelihood/expectation maximization (MLEM) algorithm. Image resolution was compared for different subsets. Results showed that image resolution was better in the vertical direction for subsets with greater zenith angles and better in the horizontal plane for subsets with smaller zenith angles. The overall image resolution appeared to be the compromise of that of different subsets. This work suggests that the acquired data can be grouped into different limited angle data subsets for optimized image resolution in desired directions. Use of multiple images with resolution optimized in different directions can improve overall imaging fidelity and the intended applications.

Retrieval of stratospheric and tropospheric BrO profiles and columns using ground-based zenith-sky DOAS observations at Harestua, 60° N

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J. A. Pyle

2007-09-01

Full Text Available A profiling algorithm based on the optimal estimation method is applied to ground-based zenith-sky UV-visible measurements from Harestua, Southern Norway (60° N, 11° E in order to retrieve BrO vertical profiles. The sensitivity of the zenith-sky observations to the tropospheric BrO detection is increased by using for the spectral analysis a fixed reference spectrum corresponding to clear-sky noon summer conditions. The information content and retrieval errors are characterized and it is shown that the retrieved stratospheric profiles and total columns are consistent with correlative balloon and satellite observations, respectively. Tropospheric BrO columns are derived from profiles retrieved at 80° solar zenith angle during sunrise and sunset for the 2000–2006 period. They show a marked seasonality with mean column value ranging from 1.52±0.62×1013 molec/cm² in late winter/early spring to 0.92±0.38×1013 molec/cm² in summer, which corresponds to 1.0±0.4 and 0.6±0.2 pptv, respectively, if we assume that BrO is uniformly mixed in the troposphere. These column values are also consistent with previous estimates made from balloon, satellite, and other ground-based observations. Daytime (10:30 LT tropospheric BrO columns are compared to the p-TOMCAT 3-D tropospheric chemical transport model (CTM for the 2002–2003 period. p-TOMCAT shows a good agreement with the retrieved columns except in late winter/early spring where an underestimation by the model is obtained. This finding could be explained by the non-inclusion of sea-ice bromine sources in the current version of p-TOMCAT. Therefore the model cannot reproduce the possible transport of air-masses with enhanced BrO concentration due to bromine explosion events from the polar region to Harestua. The daytime stratospheric BrO columns are compared to the SLIMCAT stratospheric 3-D-CTM. The model run used in this study, which assumes 21.2 pptv for the Bry loading (15 pptv for long

The precision of the NDVI derived from AVHRR observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roderick, M.; Smith, R.; Cridland, S.

1996-01-01

Vegetation studies using NOAA-AVHRR data have tended to focus on the use of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). This unitless index is computed using near-infrared and red reflectances, and thus has both an accuracy and precision. This article reports on a formal statistical framework for assessing the precision of the NDVI derived from NOAA-AVHRR observations. The framework is based on the “best possible” precision concept, which assumes that signal quantization is the only source of observational error. While the radiance resolution of a spectral observation is essentially fixed by the instrument characteristics, the reflectance resolution is the radiance resolution divided by the cosine of the solar zenith angle. Using typical solar zenith angles for AVHRR image acquisitions over Australia, ± 0.01 NDVI units is typically with “best possible” precision attainable in the NDVI, although this degrades significantly over dark targets, and at large solar zenith angles. Transforming the computed NDVI into a single byte for disk storage results in little or no loss of precision. The framework developed in this article can be adapted to estimate the “best possible” precision of other vegetation indices derived using data from other remote sensing satellites. (author)

Gingival zenith and its role in redefining esthetics: A clinical study

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Babita Pawar

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The purpose of this study was to quantify some clinical parameters useful as esthetic guidelines when gingival contour is modified and to compare the left and right sides of six maxillary anterior teeth. Materials and Methods: Maxillary casts mounted on an articulator according to the axis orbital plane were photographed from 35 young adults. The angle formed between the gingival line and maxillary midline (GLA and the distance between the gingival zenith of the lateral incisor and the gingival line were measured (LID using a flexible protractor and digital vernier caliper, respectively. The asymmetry was evaluated using a paired t test for the left vs right measurements of GLA and LID. The descriptive statistics for GLA and LID were calculated. Results: The GLA measurements of the left side (86.7΀΁4.2΀ were significantly greater than those of the right side (84.6΀΁5.4΀, and the mean absolute symmetry for GLA was 1.7΀΁4.4΀. The mean LID measurement was 0.92΁0.11. Conclusions: The gingival zenith of the canine is apical to the gingival zenith of the incisors (GLA <90΀ and the gingival zenith of the lateral incisor is below or on (17% the gingival line when head is oriented on the axis orbital plane. A directional asymmetry was shown with the right side higher than the left side. Along with the other parameters related to dental esthetics, these clinical parameters may serve as esthetic guidelines and may enable us to obtain a more predictable outcome.

Assessment of performances of sun zenith angle and altitude parameterisations of atmospheric radiative transfer for spectral surface downwelling solar irradiance

Science.gov (United States)

Wald, L.; Blanc, Ph.

2010-09-01

change in irradiance with a specific variable. The communication discusses two parameterisations found in the literature. One deals with the solar zenith angle, the other with the altitude. We assess their performances in retrieving solar irradiance for 32 spectral bands, from 240 nm to 4606 nm. The model libRadtran is run to create data sets for all sun zenith angles (every 5 degrees) and all altitudes (every km). These data sets are considered as a reference. Then, for each parameterisation, we compute the parameters using two irradiance values for specific values of angle (e.g., 0 and 60 degrees) or altitude (e.g., 0 and 3 km). The parameterisations are then applied to other values of angle and altitude. Differences between these assessments and the reference values of irradiance are computed and analysed. We conclude on the level of performances of each parameterisation for each spectral band as well as for the total irradiance. We discuss the possible use of these parameterisations in the future method Heliosat-4 and possible improvements. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement no. 218793 (MACC project).

Observed Spectral Invariant Behavior of Zenith Radiance in the Transition Zone Between Cloud-Free and Cloudy Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Marshak, A.; Knyazikhin, Y.; Chiu, C.; Wiscombe, W.

2010-01-01

The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program's (ARM) new Shortwave Spectrometer (SWS) looks straight up and measures zenith radiance at 418 wavelengths between 350 and 2200 nm. Because of its 1-sec sampling resolution, the SWS provides a unique capability to study the transition zone between cloudy and clear sky areas. A surprising spectral invariant behavior is found between ratios of zenith radiance spectra during the transition from cloudy to cloud-free atmosphere. This behavior suggests that the spectral signature of the transition zone is a linear mixture between the two extremes (definitely cloudy and definitely clear). The weighting function of the linear mixture is found to be a wavelength-independent characteristic of the transition zone. It is shown that the transition zone spectrum is fully determined by this function and zenith radiance spectra of clear and cloudy regions. This new finding may help us to better understand and quantify such physical phenomena as humidification of aerosols in the relatively moist cloud environment and evaporation and activation of cloud droplets.

Angular Normalization of Ground and Satellite Observations of Sun-induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence for Assessing Vegetation Productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J. M.; He, L.; Chou, S.; Ju, W.; Zhang, Y.; Joiner, J.; Liu, J.; Mo, G.

2017-12-01

Sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) measured from plant canopies originates mostly from sunlit leaves. Observations of SIF by satellite sensors, such as GOME-2 and GOSAT, are often made over large view zenith angle ranges, causing large changes in the viewed sunlit leaf fraction across the scanning swath. Although observations made by OCO-2 are near nadir, the observed sunlit leaf fraction could still vary greatly due to changes in the solar zenith angle with latitude and time of overpass. To demonstrate the importance of considering the satellite-target-view geometry in using SIF for assessing vegetation productivity, we conducted multi-angle measurements of SIF using a hyperspectral sensor mounted on an automated rotating system over a rice field near Nanjing, China. A method is developed to separate SIF measurements at each angle into sunlit and shaded leaf components, and an angularly normalized canopy-level SIF is obtained as the weighted sum of sunlit and shaded SIF. This normalized SIF is shown to be a much better proxy of GPP of the rice field measured by an eddy covariance system than the unnormalized SIF observations. The same normalization scheme is also applied to the far-red GOME-2 SIF observations on sunny days, and we found that the normalized SIF is better correlated with model-simulated GPP than the original SIF observations. The coefficient of determination (R2) is improved by 0.07±0.04 on global average using the normalization scheme. The most significant improvement in R2 by 0.09±0.04 is found in deciduous broadleaf forests, where the observed sunlit leaf fraction is highly sensitive to solar zenith angle.

Plan of Time Management of Satellite Positioning System using Quasi-zenith Satellite

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Yasuhiro; Fujieda, Miho; Amagai, Jun; Yokota, Shoichiro; Kimura, Kazuhiro; Ito, Hiroyuki; Hama, Shin'ichi; Morikawa, Takao; Kawano, Isao; Kogure, Satoshi

The Quasi-Zenith satellites System (QZSS) is developed as an integrated satellite service system of communication, broadcasting and positioning for mobile users in specified regions of Japan from high elevation angle. Purposes of the satellite positioning system using Quasi-Zenith satellite (QZS) are to complement and augment the GPS. The national institutes concerned have been developing the positioning system using QZS since 2003 and will carry out experiments and researches in three years after the launch. In this system, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) is mainly in charge of timing system for the satellite positioning system using QZS, such as onboard hydrogen maser atomic clock and precise time management system of the QZSS. We started to develop the engineering model of the time management system for the QZSS. The time management system for the QZSS will be used to compare time differences between QZS and earth station as well as to compare between three onboard atomic clocks. This paper introduces time management of satellite positioning system using the QZSS.

HF-induced airglow at magnetic zenith: theoretical considerations

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E. V. Mishin

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Observations of airglow at 630nm (red line and 557.7nm (green line during HF modification experiments at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP heating facility are analyzed. We propose a theoretical framework for understanding the generation of Langmuir and ion acoustic waves during magnetic zenith injections. We show that observations of HF-induced airglow in an underdense ionosphere as well as a decrease in the height of the emitting volume are consistent with this scenario.

RETRIEVAL OF AEROSOL PHASE FUNCTION AND POLARIZED PHASE FUNCTION FROM POLARIZATION OF SKYLIGHT FOR DIFFERENT OBSERVATION GEOMETRIES

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L. Li

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The phase function and polarized phase function are important optical parameters, which describe scattering properties of atmospheric aerosol particles. Polarization of skylight induced by the scattering processes is sensitive to the scattering properties of aerosols. The Stokes parameters I, Q, U and the polarized radiance Lp of skylight measured by the CIMEL dual-polar sun-sky radiometer CE318- DP can be use to retrieve the phase function and polarized phase function, respectively. Two different observation geometries (i.e., the principal plane and almucantar are preformed by the CE318-DP to detect skylight polarization. Polarization of skylight depends on the illumination and observation geometries. For the same solar zenith angle, retrievals of the phase function and the polarized phase function are still affected by the observation geometry. The performance of the retrieval algorithm for the principal plane and almucantar observation geometries was assessed by the numerical experiments at two typical high and low sun’s positions (i.e. solar zenith angles are equal to 45° and 65°. Comparing the results for the principal plane and almucantar geometries, it is recommended to utilize the principal plane observations to retrieve the phase function when the solar zenith angle is small. The Stokes parameter U and the polarized radiance Lp from the almucantar observations are suggested to retrieve the polarized phase function, especially for short wavelength channels (e.g., 440 and 500 nm.

Retrieval of Aerosol Phase Function and Polarized Phase Function from Polarization of Skylight for Different Observation Geometries

Science.gov (United States)

Li, L.; Qie, L. L.; Xu, H.; Li, Z. Q.

2018-04-01

The phase function and polarized phase function are important optical parameters, which describe scattering properties of atmospheric aerosol particles. Polarization of skylight induced by the scattering processes is sensitive to the scattering properties of aerosols. The Stokes parameters I, Q, U and the polarized radiance Lp of skylight measured by the CIMEL dual-polar sun-sky radiometer CE318- DP can be use to retrieve the phase function and polarized phase function, respectively. Two different observation geometries (i.e., the principal plane and almucantar) are preformed by the CE318-DP to detect skylight polarization. Polarization of skylight depends on the illumination and observation geometries. For the same solar zenith angle, retrievals of the phase function and the polarized phase function are still affected by the observation geometry. The performance of the retrieval algorithm for the principal plane and almucantar observation geometries was assessed by the numerical experiments at two typical high and low sun's positions (i.e. solar zenith angles are equal to 45° and 65°). Comparing the results for the principal plane and almucantar geometries, it is recommended to utilize the principal plane observations to retrieve the phase function when the solar zenith angle is small. The Stokes parameter U and the polarized radiance Lp from the almucantar observations are suggested to retrieve the polarized phase function, especially for short wavelength channels (e.g., 440 and 500 nm).

Estimating Zenith Tropospheric Delays from BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Observations

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Xin Sui

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The GNSS derived Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD plays today a very critical role in meteorological study and weather forecasts, as ZTDs of thousands of GNSS stations are operationally assimilated into numerical weather prediction models. Recently, the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS was officially announced to provide operational services around China and its neighborhood and it was demonstrated to be very promising for precise navigation and positioning. In this contribution, we concentrate on estimating ZTD using BDS observations to assess its capacity for troposphere remote sensing. A local network which is about 250 km from Beijing and comprised of six stations equipped with GPS- and BDS-capable receivers is utilized. Data from 5 to 8 November 2012 collected on the network is processed in network mode using precise orbits and in Precise Point Positioning mode using precise orbits and clocks. The precise orbits and clocks are generated from a tracking network with most of the stations in China and several stations around the world. The derived ZTDs are compared with that estimated from GPS data using the final products of the International GNSS Service (IGS. The comparison shows that the bias and the standard deviation of the ZTD differences are about 2 mm and 5 mm, respectively, which are very close to the differences of GPS ZTD estimated using different software packages.

[The Effect of Observation Geometry on Polarized Skylight Spectrum].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ren-bin; Wang, Ling-mei; Gao, Jun; Wang, Chi

2015-03-01

Study on polarized skylight spectral characters while observation geometry changing in different solar zenith angles (SZA), viewing zenith angles (VZA) or relative azimuth angles (RAA). Simulation calculation of cloudless daylight polarimetric spectrum is realized based on the solver, vector discrete ordinate method, of radiative transfer equation. In the Sun's principal and perpendicular plane, the spectral irradiance data, varying at wavelengths in the range between 0.4 and 3 μm, are calculated to extend the atmospheric polarization spectral information under the conditions: the MODTRAN solar reference spectrur is the only illuminant source; the main influencing factors of polarized radiative transfer include underlying surface albedo, aerosol layers and components, and the absorption of trace gases. Simulation analysis results: (1) While the relative azimuth angle is zero, the magnitude of spectrum U/I is lower than 10(-7) and V/I is negligible, the degree of polarization and the spectrum Q/I are shaped like the letter V or mirror-writing U. (2) In twilight, when the Sun is not in FOV of the detector, the polarization of the daytime sky has two maximum near 0.51 and 2.75 μm, and a minimum near 1.5 μm. For arbitrary observation geometry, the spectral signal of V/I may be ignored. According to observation geometry, choosing different spectral bands or polarized signal will be propitious to targets detection.

An interim report on the Zenith Exponential Experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Absalom, R M; Cameron, I R; Kinchin, G H; Sanders, J E; Wilson, D J [Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

1959-06-15

The following memorandum gives an interim account of the exponential experiments with Zenith-type fuel elements being carried out at Winfrith. Results quoted are still subject to revision: however it is hoped that the description of the work at this stage will stimulate discussion and suggestions for further measurements before the experiment is dismantled later in the year. The measurements are being undertaken in order to form some initial understanding of the reactor physics of uranium 235-thorium-graphite systems of the type later to be studied in Zenith. There have been no previous investigations of this type of system in the U.K. though measurements on enriched uranium-graphite systems have been reported from the U.S.A.. A practical result of the measurements will be a revision of the estimated critical loadings for Zenith, since the exponential systems studied cover the range of loadings proposed for the first critical assemblies. The theoretical work on these systems includes a two-group analysis being carried on in the Zenith group and a multigroup analysis being made by the H.T.G.C. Technical Assessments Group, including a Monte Carlo study of resonance capture.

Aerosol Retrieval Sensitivity and Error Analysis for the Cloud and Aerosol Polarimetric Imager on Board TanSat: The Effect of Multi-Angle Measurement

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Xi Chen

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Aerosol scattering is an important source of error in CO2 retrievals from satellite. This paper presents an analysis of aerosol information content from the Cloud and Aerosol Polarimetric Imager (CAPI onboard the Chinese Carbon Dioxide Observation Satellite (TanSat to be launched in 2016. Based on optimal estimation theory, aerosol information content is quantified from radiance and polarization observed by CAPI in terms of the degrees of freedom for the signal (DFS. A linearized vector radiative transfer model is used with a linearized Mie code to simulate observation and sensitivity (or Jacobians with respect to aerosol parameters. In satellite nadir mode, the DFS for aerosol optical depth is the largest, but for mode radius, it is only 0.55. Observation geometry is found to affect aerosol DFS based on the aerosol scattering phase function from the comparison between different viewing zenith angles or solar zenith angles. When TanSat is operated in target mode, we note that multi-angle retrieval represented by three along-track measurements provides additional 0.31 DFS on average, mainly from mode radius. When adding another two measurements, the a posteriori error decreases by another 2%–6%. The correlation coefficients between retrieved parameters show that aerosol is strongly correlated with surface reflectance, but multi-angle retrieval can weaken this correlation.

Modeling of temporal variation of very low frequency radio waves over long paths as observed from Indian Antarctic stations

Science.gov (United States)

Sasmal, Sudipta; Basak, Tamal; Chakraborty, Suman; Palit, Sourav; Chakrabarti, Sandip K.

2017-07-01

Characteristics of very low frequency (VLF) signal depends on solar illumination across the propagation path. For a long path, solar zenith angle varies widely over the path and this has a significant influence on the propagation characteristics. To study the effect, Indian Centre for Space Physics participated in the 27th and 35th Scientific Expedition to Antarctica. VLF signals transmitted from the transmitters, namely, VTX (18.2 kHz), Vijayanarayanam, India, and NWC (19.8 kHz), North West Cape, Australia, were recorded simultaneously at Indian permanent stations Maitri and Bharati having respective geographic coordinates 70.75°S, 11.67°E, and 69.4°S, 76.17°E. A very stable diurnal variation of the signal has been obtained from both the stations. We reproduced the signal variations of VLF signal using solar zenith angle model coupled with long wavelength propagation capability (LWPC) code. We divided the whole path into several segments and computed the solar zenith angle (χ) profile. We assumed a linear relationship between the Wait's exponential model parameters effective reflection height (h'), steepness parameter (β), and solar zenith angle. The h' and β values were later used in the LWPC code to obtain the VLF signal amplitude at a particular time. The same procedure was repeated to obtain the whole day signal. Nature of the whole day signal variation from the theoretical modeling is also found to match with our observation to some extent.

Month-hour distributions of zenith luminance and diffuse illuminance in Madrid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soler, Alfonso; Gopinathan, Kannam K.; Robledo, Luis; Ruiz, Enrique

2004-01-01

Month-hour equal mean zenith luminance contours are obtained from one year of data of zenith luminance measurements for cloudless, overcast and partly cloudy skies and also when the combined data for all sky types are considered. For many hours in different months, the overcast sky luminance values are roughly about three times the cloudless sky luminance values and one and a half times the partly cloudy sky values. The dependence of month-hour equal mean zenith luminance contours on the ratio of global to extraterrestrial illuminance on a horizontal surface is also given. From equal mean zenith luminance contours, the approximate values of the mean zenith luminance for different sky conditions and different hours and months of the year can be easily obtained. Month-hour equal mean diffuse illuminance contours are obtained from diffuse illuminance measurements performed during the period 1992-1998. The dependence on solar altitude of the monthly average hourly values of diffuse illuminance is given and compared to the corresponding one obtained from data for Bet Dagan (Israel)

Plutonium cores of zenith

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barclay, F R; Cameron, I R; Drageset, A; Freemantle, R G; Wilson, D J

1965-03-15

The report describes a series of experiments carried out with plutonium fuel in the heated zero power reactor ZENITH, with the aim of testing current theoretical methods, with particular reference to excess reactivity, temperature coefficients, differential spectrum and reaction rate distributions. Two cores of widely different fissile/moderator atom ratios were loaded in order to test the theory under significantly varied spectrum conditions.

A Simple Parameterization of the Cosmic-Ray Muon Momentum Spectra at the Surface as a Function of Zenith Angle

OpenAIRE

Reyna, D.

2006-01-01

The designs of many neutrino experiments rely on calculations of the background rates arising from cosmic-ray muons at shallow depths. Understanding the angular dependence of low momentum cosmic-ray muons at the surface is necessary for these calculations. Heuristically, from examination of the data, a simple parameterization is proposed, based on a straighforward scaling variable. This in turn, allows a universal calculation of the differential muon intensity at the surface for all zenith an...

Inclined Zenith Aurora over Kyoto on 17 September 1770: Graphical Evidence of Extreme Magnetic Storm

Science.gov (United States)

Kataoka, Ryuho; Iwahashi, Kiyomi

2017-10-01

Red auroras were observed in Japan during an extreme magnetic storm that occurred on 17 September 1770. We show new evidence that the red aurora extended toward the zenith of Kyoto around midnight. The basic appearance of the historical painting of the red aurora is geometrically reproduced based on the inclination of the local magnetic field and a detailed description in a newly discovered diary. The presence of the inclined zenith aurora over Kyoto suggests that the intensity of the September 1770 magnetic storm is comparable to, or slightly larger than that of the September 1859 Carrington storm.

Measurement-based J(NO2) sensitivity in a cloudless atmosphere under low aerosol loading and high solar zenith angle conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frueh, B.; Trautmann, T.

2000-01-01

The comparison between measured and simulated photodissociation frequencies of NO 2 , J(NO 2 ), in a cloudless atmosphere in a recent paper by Frueh et al., 2000 (Journal of Geophysical Research 105, 9843-9857) revealed an overestimation of J(NO 2 ) near ground level by model calculations compared with measurements and an underestimation in the upper part of the aerosol layer. A possible reason for the disagreement is the changing sun position during the vertical ascent. To resolve this problem we carried out a sensitivity study varying the solar zenith angle of 74 o by 1.4 o (which corresponds to the change of sun position during the vertical flight patterns). This results in a considerable deviation of J(NO 2 ) of about 10%. Further sensitivity studies on J(NO 2 ) have been done. These include realistic variations in ground albedo, humidity and aerosol properties. A variation in ground albedo from the measured value of A G = 0.023 (292-420 nm wavelength) to A G = 0 and A G = 0.05, respectively, resulted in an average J(NO 2 ) reduction and enhancement of only 2% near ground level with a slight decrease with increasing altitude. Furthermore, we compared simulations based on different relative humidity profiles with results from a dry atmosphere. Compared to the dry case the deviations of J(NO 2 ) were considerable (5-16%) although the measured aerosol concentration was very low. Moreover, we doubled the aerosol particle concentration. The maximum J(NO 2 ) deviations were in the same order of magnitude as for the relative humidity (5-16%). These changes are in the range of measurement uncertainty of J(NO 2 ) (author)

The Zenith Passage of the Sun at the Mesoamerican Sites of Tula and Chichen Itza

OpenAIRE

Sparavigna, Amelia Carolina

2017-01-01

International audience; Using software SunCalc.org we can easily observe the alignments of buildings along the direction of the sunset on the day of the zenith passage of the sun, at two Mesoamerican sites. These sites are those of Tula and Chichen Itza.

Time-of-flight neutron spectra measurements in Zenith

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barclay, F R; Coates, M S; Diment, K M; Durrani, S A; Gayther, D B; Poole, M J; Reed, D L

1962-01-15

Neutron spectra in the second core loading of ZENITH have been measured using a neutron chopper. Spectra at two positions in the reactore core were obtained over a range of temperatures extending to 650 deg C.

Software development and its description for Geoid determination based on Spherical-Cap-Harmonics Modelling using digital-zenith camera and gravimetric measurements hybrid data

Science.gov (United States)

Morozova, K.; Jaeger, R.; Balodis, J.; Kaminskis, J.

2017-10-01

Over several years the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics (GGI) was engaged in the design and development of a digital zenith camera. At the moment the camera developments are finished and tests by field measurements are done. In order to check these data and to use them for geoid model determination DFHRS (Digital Finite element Height reference surface (HRS)) v4.3. software is used. It is based on parametric modelling of the HRS as a continous polynomial surface. The HRS, providing the local Geoid height N, is a necessary geodetic infrastructure for a GNSS-based determination of physcial heights H from ellipsoidal GNSS heights h, by H=h-N. The research and this publication is dealing with the inclusion of the data of observed vertical deflections from digital zenith camera into the mathematical model of the DFHRS approach and software v4.3. A first target was to test out and validate the mathematical model and software, using additionally real data of the above mentioned zenith camera observations of deflections of the vertical. A second concern of the research was to analyze the results and the improvement of the Latvian quasi-geoid computation compared to the previous version HRS computed without zenith camera based deflections of the vertical. The further development of the mathematical model and software concerns the use of spherical-cap-harmonics as the designed carrier function for the DFHRS v.5. It enables - in the sense of the strict integrated geodesy approach, holding also for geodetic network adjustment - both a full gravity field and a geoid and quasi-geoid determination. In addition, it allows the inclusion of gravimetric measurements, together with deflections of the vertical from digital-zenith cameras, and all other types of observations. The theoretical description of the updated version of DFHRS software and methods are discussed in this publication.

Information content of sky intensity and polarization measurements at right angles to the solar direction

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, A. C.; Thomas, R. W. L.; Pearce, W. A.

1978-01-01

The paper presents the results of a Monte Carlo simulation study of the brightness and polarization at right angles to the solar direction both for ground-based observations (looking up) and for satellite-based systems (looking down). Calculations have been made for a solar zenith angle whose cosine was 0.6 and wavelengths ranging from 3500 A to 9500 A. A sensitivity of signatures to total aerosol loading, aerosol particle size distribution and refractive index, and the surface reflectance albedo has been demonstrated. For Lambertian-type surface reflection the albedo effects enter solely through the intensity sensitivity, and very high correlations have been found between the polarization term signatures for the ground-based and satellite-based systems. Potential applications of these results for local albedo predictions and satellite imaging systems recalibrations are discussed.

Observation of high-energy cosmic rays by very inclined muon bundles in the NEVOD-DECOR experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saavedra O.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Russian-Italian NEVOD-DECOR experiment on measurements of the local muon density spectra at various zenith angles gave the possibility to obtain important information on the primary cosmic ray flux and interaction characteristics in a wide energy range from 1015 to more than 1018 eV. At large zenith angles and high muon densities, a considerable excess of muon bundles has been found in comparison with expectation. In this paper, an update of these investigations is presented and some new results obtained by the collaboration are discussed.

Experimental programme and analysis, ZENITH II, Core 4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ingram, G.; Sanders, J. E.; Sherwin, J.

1974-10-15

The Phase 3 program of reactor physics experiments on the HTR (or Mk 3 GCR) lattices continued during the first half of 1974 with a study of a series of critical builds in Zenith II aimed at testing predictions of shut-down margins in the local criticality-situations arising during power reactor refueling. The paper describes the experimental program and the subsequent theoretical analysis using methods developed in the United Kingdom for calculating low-enriched uranium HTR fuel systems. The importance of improving the accuracy of predictions of shut-down margins arises from the basic requirement that the core in its most reactive condition and with a specified number of absorbers removed from the array must remain sub-critical with a margin adequate to cover the total uncertainty of +/- 1 Nile (that is, 1 % delta-k). The major uncertainty is that in modelling the complex fuel/absorber configuration, and this is the aspect essentially covered in the Zenith II Core 4 studies.

A report on the first loading of ZENITH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Absalom, R M; Barclay, F R; Cameron, I R; Della Loggia, V E; Hage, W; Kinchin, G H; Sanders, J E; Tiren, L I; Wilson, D J [Industrial Power Reactors Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

1960-12-15

The loading to criticality of the first core of the zero energy reactor ZENITH, and the results of the subsequent experimental programme are described. The composition of the reactor core corresponds to graphite: U235 and Th232: U235 atomic ratios of 3843 and 9.51 respectively. (author)

A report on the first loading of ZENITH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Absalom, R.M.; Barclay, F.R.; Cameron, I.R.; Della Loggia, V.E.; Hage, W.; Kinchin, G.H.; Sanders, J.E.; Tiren, L.I.; Wilson, D.J.

1960-12-01

The loading to criticality of the first core of the zero energy reactor ZENITH, and the results of the subsequent experimental programme are described. The composition of the reactor core corresponds to graphite: U235 and Th232: U235 atomic ratios of 3843 and 9.51 respectively. (author)

Shortwave Array Spectroradiometer–Zenith (SASZe) Instrument Handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flynn, Connor J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-04-01

The Shortwave Array Spectroradiometer – Zenith (SASZe) provides measurements of zenith spectral shortwave radiance at 1Hz over a continuous spectral range from approximately 300 nm to 1700 nm. The SASZe design connects an optical collector located outdoors to a pair of spectrometers and data collections system located indoors within a climate-controlled building via an umbilical cable of fiber optic and electrical cables. The light collector incorporates a collimator yielding a 1-degree Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) field of view. The data-acquisition electronics and spectrometers include an in-line fiber optic shutter and two Avantes fiber-coupled grating spectroradiometers within a temperature-controlled container. The Avantes Avaspec ULS 2048 charge-coupled device (CCD) spectrometer covers the wavelength range from about 300-1100 nm with a pixel spacing of less than 0.6 nm and a spectral resolution of about 2.4 nm FWHM. The Avantes Avaspec NIR256-1.7 spectrometer covers the wavelength range from about 950 nm to 1700 nm with a pixel spacing of less than 4 nm and a spectral resolution of about 6 nm FWHM.

Cosmic ray observations deep underground and further analysis of the evidence for the production of new particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnaswamy, M.R.; Menon, M.G.K.; Narasimham, V.S.; Ito, N.; Kawakami, S.; Miyake, S.

1976-01-01

In a cosmic ray experiment at a depth of 7000 kg/cm 2 three clear new particle events are found, out of a total of 17 events, in which the zenith angle of the penetrating particles is greater than 50 0 , and which have so far been identified as arising from neutrino interactions. The new heavy particles, charged or neutral, must have had low momenta to be consistent which the large opening angles of their decay products. There exists so far no observation of these Kolar events in accelerator experiments with neutrinos. (BJ) [de

Development and production of Zenith fissile elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

George, D; Wheatley, C C.H.; Lloyd, H

1959-06-15

The development of a new glass-bonded alumina-uranium oxide composition forming the fissile component of the Zenith fuel elements is described, together with the production of the initial charge containing 15 Kg. of U{sub 235]; the composition is capable of retaining fission product gases at high temperatures. The description includes criticality considerations, details of manufacture, and production statistics of the 11,000 discs produced.

Surface Net Solar Radiation Estimated from Satellite Measurements: Comparisons with Tower Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhanqing; Leighton, H. G.; Cess, Robert D.

1993-01-01

A parameterization that relates the reflected solar flux at the top of the atmosphere to the net solar flux at the surface in terms of only the column water vapor amount and the solar zenith angle was tested against surface observations. Net surface fluxes deduced from coincidental collocated satellite-measured radiances and from measurements from towers in Boulder during summer and near Saskatoon in winter have mean differences of about 2 W/sq m, regardless of whether the sky is clear or cloudy. Furthermore, comparisons between the net fluxes deduced from the parameterization and from surface measurements showed equally good agreement when the data were partitioned into morning and afternoon observations. This is in contrast to results from an empirical clear-sky algorithm that is unable to account adequately for the effects of clouds and that shows, at Boulder, a distinct morning to afternoon variation, which is presumably due to the predominance of different cloud types throughout the day. It is also demonstrated that the parameterization may be applied to irradiances at the top of the atmosphere that have been temporally averaged by using the temporally averaged column water vapor amount and the temporally averaged cosine of the solar zenith angle. The good agreement between the results of the parameterization and surface measurements suggests that the algorithm is a useful tool for a variety of climate studies.

Overview of the MISSE 7 Polymers and Zenith Polymers Experiments After 1.5 Years of Space Exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Grace T.; de Groh, Kim K.; Banks, Bruce A.; Haloua, Athena; Imka, Emily C.; Mitchell, Gianna G.

2013-01-01

As part of the Materials International Space Station Experiment 7 (MISSE 7), two experiments called the Polymers Experiment and the Zenith Polymers Experiment were flown on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS) and exposed to the low Earth orbit (LEO) space environment for 1.5 years. The Polymers Experiment contained 47 samples, which were flown in a ram or wake flight orientation. The objectives of the Polymers Experiment were to determine the LEO atomic oxygen erosion yield (Ey, volume loss per incident oxygen atoms, given in cu cm/atom) of the polymers, and to determine if atomic oxygen erosion of high and low ash containing polymers is dependent on fluence. The Zenith Polymers Experiment was flown in a zenith flight orientation. The primary objective of the Zenith Polymers Experiment was to determine the effect of solar exposure on the erosion of fluoropolymers. Kapton H (DuPont, Wilmington, DE) was flown in each experiment for atomic oxygen fluence determination. This paper provides an introduction to both the MISSE 7 Polymers Experiment and the MISSE 7 Zenith Polymers Experiment, and provides initial erosion yield results.

A report on core 5 of ZENITH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barclay, F.R.; Cameron, I.R.; Freemantle, R.G.; Reed, D.L.; Wilson, D.J.

1964-06-01

The determination of the excess reactivity, control rod worths, flux fine structure, temperature coefficients, differential spectra and reaction rates of various nuclides for the fifth loading of the heated zero energy reactor ZENITH is described. The core contained 32.6 Kgm of U235, giving a carbon/U235 atomic ratio of 1072, and formed the least moderated of the range studied. Comparisons of the experimental results with calculations using multigroup diffusion codes are presented. (author)

Zenith: A Radiosonde Detector for Rapid-Response Ionizing Atmospheric Radiation Measurements During Solar Particle Events

Science.gov (United States)

Dyer, A. C. R.; Ryden, K. A.; Hands, A. D. P.; Dyer, C.; Burnett, C.; Gibbs, M.

2018-03-01

Solar energetic particle events create radiation risks for aircraft, notably single-event effects in microelectronics along with increased dose to crew and passengers. In response to this, some airlines modify their flight routes after automatic alerts are issued. At present these alerts are based on proton flux measurements from instruments onboard satellites, so it is important that contemporary atmospheric radiation measurements are made and compared. This paper presents the development of a rapid-response system built around the use of radiosondes equipped with a radiation detector, Zenith, which can be launched from a Met Office weather station after significant solar proton level alerts are issued. Zenith is a compact, battery-powered solid-state radiation monitor designed to be connected to a Vaisala RS-92 radiosonde, which transmits all data to a ground station as it ascends to an altitude of 33 km. Zenith can also be operated as a stand-alone detector when connected to a laptop, providing real-time count rates. It can also be adapted for use on unmanned aerial vehicles. Zenith has been flown on the Met Office Civil Contingency Aircraft, taken to the European Organization for Nuclear Research-EU high energy Reference Field facility for calibration and launched on a meteorological balloon at the Met Office's weather station in Camborne, Cornwall, UK. During this sounding, Zenith measured the Pfotzer-Regener maximum to be at an altitude of 18-20 km where the count rate was measured to be 1.15 c s-1 cm-2 compared to 0.02 c s-1 cm-2 at ground level.

Evidence of L-mode electromagnetic wave pumping of ionospheric plasma near geomagnetic zenith

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T. B. Leyser

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The response of ionospheric plasma to pumping by powerful HF (high frequency electromagnetic waves transmitted from the ground into the ionosphere is the strongest in the direction of geomagnetic zenith. We present experimental results from transmitting a left-handed circularly polarized HF beam from the EISCAT (European Incoherent SCATter association Heating facility in magnetic zenith. The CASSIOPE (CAScade, Smallsat and IOnospheric Polar Explorer spacecraft in the topside ionosphere above the F-region density peak detected transionospheric pump radiation, although the pump frequency was below the maximum ionospheric plasma frequency. The pump wave is deduced to arrive at CASSIOPE through L-mode propagation and associated double (O to Z, Z to O conversion in pump-induced radio windows. L-mode propagation allows the pump wave to reach higher plasma densities and higher ionospheric altitudes than O-mode propagation so that a pump wave in the L-mode can facilitate excitation of upper hybrid phenomena localized in density depletions in a larger altitude range. L-mode propagation is therefore suggested to be important in explaining the magnetic zenith effect.

Temperature coefficients of reactivity in the fourth loading of ZENITH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caro Manso, R; Freemantle, R G; Rogers, J D [Graphite Reactor Physics Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

1962-10-15

Measurements have been made of the temperature coefficients of reactivity associated with the core plus end reflectors and the side reflector of the fourth core loading of ZENITH, which had a carbon/U235 atomic ratio of 7788 and no other absorber. (author)

Temperature coefficients of reactivity in the fourth loading of ZENITH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caro Manso, R.; Freemantle, R.G.; Rogers, J.D.

1962-10-01

Measurements have been made of the temperature coefficients of reactivity associated with the core plus end reflectors and the side reflector of the fourth core loading of ZENITH, which had a carbon/U235 atomic ratio of 7788 and no other absorber. (author)

STEREO/LET Observations of Solar Energetic Particle Pitch Angle Distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Leske, Richard; Cummings, Alan; Cohen, Christina; Mewaldt, Richard; Labrador, Allan; Stone, Edward; Wiedenbeck, Mark; Christian, Eric; von Rosenvinge, Tycho

2015-04-01

As solar energetic particles (SEPs) travel through interplanetary space, the shape of their pitch angle distributions is determined by magnetic focusing and scattering. Measurements of SEP anisotropies therefore probe interplanetary conditions far from the observer and can provide insight into particle transport. Bidirectional flows of SEPs are often seen within interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), resulting from injection of particles at both footpoints of the CME or from mirroring of a unidirectional beam. Mirroring is clearly implicated in those cases that show a loss cone distribution, in which particles with large pitch angles are reflected but the magnetic field enhancement at the mirror point is too weak to turn around particles with the smallest pitch angles. The width of the loss cone indicates the magnetic field strength at the mirror point far from the spacecraft, while if timing differences are detectable between outgoing and mirrored particles they may help constrain the location of the reflecting boundary.The Low Energy Telescopes (LETs) onboard both STEREO spacecraft measure energetic particle anisotropies for protons through iron at energies of about 2-12 MeV/nucleon. With these instruments we have observed loss cone distributions in several SEP events, as well as other interesting anisotropies, such as unusual oscillations in the widths of the pitch angle distributions on a timescale of several minutes during the 23 July 2012 SEP event and sunward-flowing particles when the spacecraft was magnetically connected to the back side of a distant shock well beyond 1 AU. We present the STEREO/LET anisotropy observations and discuss their implications for SEP transport. In particular, we find that the shapes of the pitch angle distributions generally vary with energy and particle species, possibly providing a signature of the rigidity dependence of the pitch angle diffusion coefficient.

There is no bidirectional hot-spot in Sentinel-2 data

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Z.; Roy, D. P.; Zhang, H.

2017-12-01

The Sentinel-2 multi-spectral instrument (MSI) acquires reflective wavelength observations with directional effects due to surface reflectance anisotropy, often described by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). Recently, we quantified Sentinel-2A (S2A) BRDF effects for 20° × 10° of southern Africa sensed in January and in April 2016 and found maximum BRDF effects for the January data and at the western scan edge, i.e., in the back-scatter direction (Roy et al. 2017). The hot-spot is the term used to describe the increased directional reflectance that occurs over most surfaces when the solar and viewing directions coincide, and has been observed in wide-field of view data such as MODIS. Recently, we observed that Landsat data will not have a hot-spot because the global annual minimum solar zenith angle is more than twice the maximum view zenith angle (Zhang et al. 2016). This presentation examines if there is a S2A hot-spot which may be possible as it has a wider field of view (20.6°) and higher orbit (786 km) than Landsat. We examined a global year of S2A metadata extracted using the Committee on Earth Observation Satellite Visualization Environment (COVE) tool, computed the solar zenith angles in the acquisition corners, and ranked the acquisitions by the solar zenith angle in the back-scatter direction. The available image data for the 10 acquisitions with the smallest solar zenith angle over the year were ordered from the ESA and their geometries examined in detail. The acquisition closest to the hot-spot had a maximum scattering angle of 173.61° on its western edge (view zenith angle 11.91°, solar zenith angle 17.97°) and was acquired over 60.80°W 24.37°N on June 2nd 2016. Given that hot-spots are only apparent when the scattering angle is close to 180° we conclude from this global annual analysis that there is no hot-spot in Sentinel-2 data. Roy, D.P, Li, J., Zhang, H.K., Yan, L., Huang, H., Li, Z., 2017, Examination of

Assessment of BRDF effect of Kunlun Mountain glacier on Tibetan Plateau as a potential pseudo-invariant calibration site

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ling; Hu, Xiuqing; Chen, Lin

2017-09-01

Calibration is a critical step to ensure data quality and to meet the requirement of quantitative remote sensing in a broad range of scientific applications. One of the least expensive and increasingly popular methods of on-orbit calibration is the use of pseudo invariant calibration sites (PICS). A spatial homogenous and temporally stable area of 34 km2 in size around the center of Kunlun Mountain (KLM) over Tibetan Plateau (TP) was identified by our previous study. The spatial and temporal coefficient of variation (CV) this region was better than 4% for the reflective solar bands. In this study, the BRDF impacts of KLM glacier on MODIS observed TOA reflectance in band 1 (659 nm) are examined. The BRDF impact of KLM glacier with respect to the view zenith angle is studied through using the observations at a fixed solar zenith angle, and the effect with respect to the sun zenith angle is studied based on the observations collected at the same view angle. Then, the two widely used BRDF models are applied to our test data to simulate the variations of TOA reflectance due to the changes in viewing geometry. The first one is Ross-Li model, which has been used to produce the MODIS global BRDF albedo data product. The second one is snow surface BRDF model, which has been used to characterize the bidirectional reflectance of Antarctic snow. Finally, the accuracy and effectiveness of these two different BRDF models are tested through comparing the model of simulated TOA reflectance with the observed one. The results show that variations of the reflectances at a fixed solar zenith angle are close to the lambertian pattern, while those at a fixed sensor zenith angle are strongly anisotropic. A decrease in solar zenith angle from 50º to 20º causes an increase in reflectance by the level of approximated 50%. The snow surface BRDF model performs much better than the Ross-Li BRDF model to re-produce the Bi-Directional Reflectance of KLM glacier. The RMSE of snow surface BRDF

Estimation of canopy carotenoid content of winter wheat using multi-angle hyperspectral data

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Weiping; Huang, Wenjiang; Liu, Jiangui; Chen, Pengfei; Qin, Qiming; Ye, Huichun; Peng, Dailiang; Dong, Yingying; Mortimer, A. Hugh

2017-11-01

Precise estimation of carotenoid (Car) content in crops, using remote sensing data, could be helpful for agricultural resources management. Conventional methods for Car content estimation were mostly based on reflectance data acquired from nadir direction. However, reflectance acquired at this direction is highly influenced by canopy structure and soil background reflectance. Off-nadir observation is less impacted, and multi-angle viewing data are proven to contain additional information rarely exploited for crop Car content estimation. The objective of this study was to explore the potential of multi-angle observation data for winter wheat canopy Car content estimation. Canopy spectral reflectance was measured from nadir as well as from a series of off-nadir directions during different growing stages of winter wheat, with concurrent canopy Car content measurements. Correlation analyses were performed between Car content and the original and continuum removed spectral reflectance. Spectral features and previously published indices were derived from data obtained at different viewing angles and were tested for Car content estimation. Results showed that spectral features and indices obtained from backscattering directions between 20° and 40° view zenith angle had a stronger correlation with Car content than that from the nadir direction, and the strongest correlation was observed from about 30° backscattering direction. Spectral absorption depth at 500 nm derived from spectral data obtained from 30° backscattering direction was found to reduce the difference induced by plant cultivars greatly. It was the most suitable for winter wheat canopy Car estimation, with a coefficient of determination 0.79 and a root mean square error of 19.03 mg/m2. This work indicates the importance of taking viewing geometry effect into account when using spectral features/indices and provides new insight in the application of multi-angle remote sensing for the estimation of crop

Improved estimation of leaf area index and leaf chlorophyll content of a potato crop using multi-angle spectral data - potential of unmanned aerial vehicle imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Roosjen, Peter P. J.; Brede, Benjamin; Suomalainen, Juha M.; Bartholomeus, Harm M.; Kooistra, Lammert; Clevers, Jan G. P. W.

2018-04-01

In addition to single-angle reflectance data, multi-angular observations can be used as an additional information source for the retrieval of properties of an observed target surface. In this paper, we studied the potential of multi-angular reflectance data for the improvement of leaf area index (LAI) and leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) estimation by numerical inversion of the PROSAIL model. The potential for improvement of LAI and LCC was evaluated for both measured data and simulated data. The measured data was collected on 19 July 2016 by a frame-camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over a potato field, where eight experimental plots of 30 × 30 m were designed with different fertilization levels. Dozens of viewing angles, covering the hemisphere up to around 30° from nadir, were obtained by a large forward and sideways overlap of collected images. Simultaneously to the UAV flight, in situ measurements of LAI and LCC were performed. Inversion of the PROSAIL model was done based on nadir data and based on multi-angular data collected by the UAV. Inversion based on the multi-angular data performed slightly better than inversion based on nadir data, indicated by the decrease in RMSE from 0.70 to 0.65 m2/m2 for the estimation of LAI, and from 17.35 to 17.29 μg/cm2 for the estimation of LCC, when nadir data were used and when multi-angular data were used, respectively. In addition to inversions based on measured data, we simulated several datasets at different multi-angular configurations and compared the accuracy of the inversions of these datasets with the inversion based on data simulated at nadir position. In general, the results based on simulated (synthetic) data indicated that when more viewing angles, more well distributed viewing angles, and viewing angles up to larger zenith angles were available for inversion, the most accurate estimations were obtained. Interestingly, when using spectra simulated at multi-angular sampling configurations as

Solar wind modulation of the Martian ionosphere observed by Mars Global Surveyor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-S. Wang

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Electron density profiles in the Martian ionosphere observed by the radio occultation experiment on board Mars Global Surveyor have been analyzed to determine if the densities are influenced by the solar wind. Evidence is presented that the altitude of the maximum ionospheric electron density shows a positive correlation to the energetic proton flux in the solar wind. The solar wind modulation of the Martian ionosphere can be attributed to heating of the neutral atmosphere by the solar wind energetic proton precipitation. The modulation is observed to be most prominent at high solar zenith angles. It is argued that this is consistent with the proposed modulation mechanism.

Observation of photoelectrons of magnetic conjugate point with the rocket K-9M-54

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukai, Toshinori; Hirao, Kunio

1976-01-01

The results of the observation of photoelectrons with the rocket K-9M-54 are described. The instrument used for the observation has been reported elsewhere, and it is a low energy electron spectrometer. The angle of direction of the collimator of the detector was 30 degrees to the spin axis of the rocket. Variation of the electric potential was large. The rocket K-9M-54 took off on January 17, 1976, at six o'clock. The finally attained altitude of the rocket was about 366 km. The solar zenith angles were 106 degrees at Uchinoura and 94 degrees at the magnetic conjugate point. The UV shadow heights were 361 km at Uchinoura and 116 km at the magnetic conjugate point. The distribution of the pitch angle was observed, and was almost isotropic. The altitude variation of the integrated flux is shown in a figure, and it shows remarkable difference between the present result and the previous ones observed in day-time. The relations between energy and photoelectron flux at various altitudes were obtained. The characteristic features of the energy distribution were similar to those of the spectra observed in day-time. (Kato, T.)

Characterizing the zenithal night sky brightness in large territories: how many samples per square kilometre are needed?

Science.gov (United States)

Bará, Salvador

2018-01-01

A recurring question arises when trying to characterize, by means of measurements or theoretical calculations, the zenithal night sky brightness throughout a large territory: how many samples per square kilometre are needed? The optimum sampling distance should allow reconstructing, with sufficient accuracy, the continuous zenithal brightness map across the whole region, whilst at the same time avoiding unnecessary and redundant oversampling. This paper attempts to provide some tentative answers to this issue, using two complementary tools: the luminance structure function and the Nyquist-Shannon spatial sampling theorem. The analysis of several regions of the world, based on the data from the New world atlas of artificial night sky brightness, suggests that, as a rule of thumb, about one measurement per square kilometre could be sufficient for determining the zenithal night sky brightness of artificial origin at any point in a region to within ±0.1 magV arcsec-2 (in the root-mean-square sense) of its true value in the Johnson-Cousins V band. The exact reconstruction of the zenithal night sky brightness maps from samples taken at the Nyquist rate seems to be considerably more demanding.

NEAs: Phase Angle Dependence of Asteroid Class and Diameter from Observational Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Wooden, Diane H.; Lederer, Susan M.; Bus, Schlete; Tokunaga, Alan; Jehin, Emmanuel; Howell, Ellen S.; Nolan, Michael C.; Ryan, Erin; Fernandez, Yan; Harker, David;

Very short-term reactive forecasting of the solar ultraviolet index using an extreme learning machine integrated with the solar zenith angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Deo, Ravinesh C; Downs, Nathan; Parisi, Alfio V; Adamowski, Jan F; Quilty, John M

2017-05-01

Exposure to erythemally-effective solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that contributes to malignant keratinocyte cancers and associated health-risk is best mitigated through innovative decision-support systems, with global solar UV index (UVI) forecast necessary to inform real-time sun-protection behaviour recommendations. It follows that the UVI forecasting models are useful tools for such decision-making. In this study, a model for computationally-efficient data-driven forecasting of diffuse and global very short-term reactive (VSTR) (10-min lead-time) UVI, enhanced by drawing on the solar zenith angle (θ s ) data, was developed using an extreme learning machine (ELM) algorithm. An ELM algorithm typically serves to address complex and ill-defined forecasting problems. UV spectroradiometer situated in Toowoomba, Australia measured daily cycles (0500-1700h) of UVI over the austral summer period. After trialling activations functions based on sine, hard limit, logarithmic and tangent sigmoid and triangular and radial basis networks for best results, an optimal ELM architecture utilising logarithmic sigmoid equation in hidden layer, with lagged combinations of θ s as the predictor data was developed. ELM's performance was evaluated using statistical metrics: correlation coefficient (r), Willmott's Index (WI), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (E NS ), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) between observed and forecasted UVI. Using these metrics, the ELM model's performance was compared to that of existing methods: multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS), M5 Model Tree, and a semi-empirical (Pro6UV) clear sky model. Based on RMSE and MAE values, the ELM model (0.255, 0.346, respectively) outperformed the MARS (0.310, 0.438) and M5 Model Tree (0.346, 0.466) models. Concurring with these metrics, the Willmott's Index for the ELM, MARS and M5 Model Tree models were 0.966, 0.942 and 0.934, respectively. About 57% of the ELM model

Retrieval of nitrogen dioxide stratospheric profiles from ground-based zenith-sky UV-visible observations: validation of the technique through correlative comparisons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Hendrick

2004-01-01

Full Text Available A retrieval algorithm based on the Optimal Estimation Method (OEM has been developed in order to provide vertical distributions of NO2 in the stratosphere from ground-based (GB zenith-sky UV-visible observations. It has been applied to observational data sets from the NDSC (Network for Detection of Stratospheric Change stations of Harestua (60° N, 10° E and Andøya (69° N, 16° E in Norway. The information content and retrieval errors have been analyzed following a formalism used for characterizing ozone profiles retrieved from solar infrared absorption spectra. In order to validate the technique, the retrieved NO2 vertical profiles and columns have been compared to correlative balloon and satellite observations. Such extensive validation of the profile and column retrievals was not reported in previously published work on the profiling from GB UV-visible measurements. A good agreement - generally better than 25% - has been found with the SAOZ (Système d'Analyse par Observations Zénithales and DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy balloons. A similar agreement has been reached with correlative satellite data from the HALogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE and Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM III instruments above 25km of altitude. Below 25km, a systematic underestimation - by up to 40% in some cases - of both HALOE and POAM III profiles by our GB profile retrievals has been observed, pointing out more likely a limitation of both satellite instruments at these altitudes. We have concluded that our study strengthens our confidence in the reliability of the retrieval of vertical distribution information from GB UV-visible observations and offers new perspectives in the use of GB UV-visible network data for validation purposes.

Towards identification of relevant variables in the observed aerosol optical depth bias between MODIS and AERONET observations

Science.gov (United States)

Malakar, N. K.; Lary, D. J.; Gencaga, D.; Albayrak, A.; Wei, J.

2013-08-01

Measurements made by satellite remote sensing, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and globally distributed Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) are compared. Comparison of the two datasets measurements for aerosol optical depth values show that there are biases between the two data products. In this paper, we present a general framework towards identifying relevant set of variables responsible for the observed bias. We present a general framework to identify the possible factors influencing the bias, which might be associated with the measurement conditions such as the solar and sensor zenith angles, the solar and sensor azimuth, scattering angles, and surface reflectivity at the various measured wavelengths, etc. Specifically, we performed analysis for remote sensing Aqua-Land data set, and used machine learning technique, neural network in this case, to perform multivariate regression between the ground-truth and the training data sets. Finally, we used mutual information between the observed and the predicted values as the measure of similarity to identify the most relevant set of variables. The search is brute force method as we have to consider all possible combinations. The computations involves a huge number crunching exercise, and we implemented it by writing a job-parallel program.

An interim report on the second loading of Zenith. Preliminary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Absalom, R M; Barclay, F R; Cameron, I R; Collins, A G; Della Loggia, V E; Freemantle, R G; Hage, W; Kinchin, G H; Sanders, J E; Tiren, L I; Wilson, D J

1961-02-15

The loading to criticality of the second core of the high-temperature zero-energy reactor ZENITH and the results of the subsequent experimental programme are described. The composition of the reactor core corresponds to graphite: U235 and TH232 : U235 atomic ratios of 2107 and 4.75 respectively.

Polarization-based index of refraction and reflection angle estimation for remote sensing applications

Science.gov (United States)

Thilak, Vimal; Voelz, David G.; Creusere, Charles D.

2007-10-01

A passive-polarization-based imaging system records the polarization state of light reflected by objects that are illuminated with an unpolarized and generally uncontrolled source. Such systems can be useful in many remote sensing applications including target detection, object segmentation, and material classification. We present a method to jointly estimate the complex index of refraction and the reflection angle (reflected zenith angle) of a target from multiple measurements collected by a passive polarimeter. An expression for the degree of polarization is derived from the microfacet polarimetric bidirectional reflectance model for the case of scattering in the plane of incidence. Using this expression, we develop a nonlinear least-squares estimation algorithm for extracting an apparent index of refraction and the reflection angle from a set of polarization measurements collected from multiple source positions. Computer simulation results show that the estimation accuracy generally improves with an increasing number of source position measurements. Laboratory results indicate that the proposed method is effective for recovering the reflection angle and that the estimated index of refraction provides a feature vector that is robust to the reflection angle.

Observing System Simulations for Small Satellite Formations Estimating Bidirectional Reflectance

Science.gov (United States)

Nag, Sreeja; Gatebe, Charles K.; de Weck, Olivier

2015-01-01

The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) gives the reflectance of a target as a function of illumination geometry and viewing geometry, hence carries information about the anisotropy of the surface. BRDF is needed in remote sensing for the correction of view and illumination angle effects (for example in image standardization and mosaicing), for deriving albedo, for land cover classification, for cloud detection, for atmospheric correction, and other applications. However, current spaceborne instruments provide sparse angular sampling of BRDF and airborne instruments are limited in the spatial and temporal coverage. To fill the gaps in angular coverage within spatial, spectral and temporal requirements, we propose a new measurement technique: Use of small satellites in formation flight, each satellite with a VNIR (visible and near infrared) imaging spectrometer, to make multi-spectral, near-simultaneous measurements of every ground spot in the swath at multiple angles. This paper describes an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) to evaluate the proposed concept and select the optimal formation architecture that minimizes BRDF uncertainties. The variables of the OSSE are identified; number of satellites, measurement spread in the view zenith and relative azimuth with respect to solar plane, solar zenith angle, BRDF models and wavelength of reflection. Analyzing the sensitivity of BRDF estimation errors to the variables allow simplification of the OSSE, to enable its use to rapidly evaluate formation architectures. A 6-satellite formation is shown to produce lower BRDF estimation errors, purely in terms of angular sampling as evaluated by the OSSE, than a single spacecraft with 9 forward-aft sensors. We demonstrate the ability to use OSSEs to design small satellite formations as complements to flagship mission data. The formations can fill angular sampling gaps and enable better BRDF products than currently possible.

Observing system simulations for small satellite formations estimating bidirectional reflectance

Science.gov (United States)

Nag, Sreeja; Gatebe, Charles K.; Weck, Olivier de

2015-12-01

The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) gives the reflectance of a target as a function of illumination geometry and viewing geometry, hence carries information about the anisotropy of the surface. BRDF is needed in remote sensing for the correction of view and illumination angle effects (for example in image standardization and mosaicing), for deriving albedo, for land cover classification, for cloud detection, for atmospheric correction, and other applications. However, current spaceborne instruments provide sparse angular sampling of BRDF and airborne instruments are limited in the spatial and temporal coverage. To fill the gaps in angular coverage within spatial, spectral and temporal requirements, we propose a new measurement technique: use of small satellites in formation flight, each satellite with a VNIR (visible and near infrared) imaging spectrometer, to make multi-spectral, near-simultaneous measurements of every ground spot in the swath at multiple angles. This paper describes an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) to evaluate the proposed concept and select the optimal formation architecture that minimizes BRDF uncertainties. The variables of the OSSE are identified; number of satellites, measurement spread in the view zenith and relative azimuth with respect to solar plane, solar zenith angle, BRDF models and wavelength of reflection. Analyzing the sensitivity of BRDF estimation errors to the variables allow simplification of the OSSE, to enable its use to rapidly evaluate formation architectures. A 6-satellite formation is shown to produce lower BRDF estimation errors, purely in terms of angular sampling as evaluated by the OSSE, than a single spacecraft with 9 forward-aft sensors. We demonstrate the ability to use OSSEs to design small satellite formations as complements to flagship mission data. The formations can fill angular sampling gaps and enable better BRDF products than currently possible.

Conical pitch angle distributions of very-low energy ion fluxes observed by ISEE 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horowitz, J.L.; Baugher, C.R.; Chappell, C.R.; Shelley, E.G.; Young, D.T.

1982-01-01

Observations of low-energy ionospheric ions by the plasma composition experiment abroad ISEE 1 often show conical pitch angle distributions, that is, peak fluxes between 0 0 and 90 0 to the directions parallel or antiparallel to the magnetic field. Frequently, all three primary ionospheric ion species (H + , He + , and O + ) simultaneously exhibit conical distributions with peak fluxes at essentially the same pitch angle. A distinction is made here between unidirectional, or streaming, distributions, in which ions are traveling essentially from only one hemisphere, and symmetrical distributions, in which significant fluxes are observed traveling from both hemispheres. The orbital coverage for this survey was largely restricted to the night sector, approximately 2100--0600 LT, and moderate geomagnetic latitudes of 20 0 --40 0 . Also, lack of complete pitch angle coverage at all times may have reduced detection for conics with small cone angles. However, we may conclude that the unidirectional conical distributions observed in the northern hemisphere are always observed to be traveling from the northern hemisphere and that they exhibit the following characteristics relative to the symmetric distributions, in that they (1) are typically observed on higher L shells (that is, higher geomagnetic latitudes or larger geocentric distances or both), (2) tend to have significantly larger cone angles, and (3), are associated with higher magnetic activity levels

Study of mixed phase clouds over west Africa: Ice-crystal corner reflection effects observed with a two-wavelength polarization lidar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veselovskii Igor

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lidar sounding is used for the analysis of possible contribution of the corner reflection (CR effect to the total backscattering in case of ice crystals. Our study is based on observations of mixed phase clouds performed during the SHADOW campaign in Senegal. Mie-Raman lidar allows measurements at 355 nm and 532 nm at 43 dg. off-zenith angle, so the extinction and backscattering Ångström exponents can be evaluated. In some measurements we observed the positive values of backscattering Ångström exponent, which can be attributed to the corner reflection by horizontally oriented ice plates.

Observation of disturbance in the lower ionosphere due to standard very low frequency transmission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muraoka, Yoshikazu; Murata, Hiroo; Sato, Teruo

1976-01-01

A number of trials to make clear the disturbance phenomena of the lower ionosphere have been carried out by observing the phase and intensity of standard very low frequency waves. Here, the sudden phase anomaly (SPA) and the storm after-effect are discussed, based on the data obtained so far. In the observation of VLF waves, the height of reflecting point of the ionosphere is lowered by the ionization with solar X-ray accompanying flares, and the phase angle generally advances. The SPS was observed to determine the quantitative relation between this phase deviation and the solar X-ray flux as a function of solar zenith angle. The lower ionosphere disturbance which occurs subsequently to magnetic storm is a phenomenon specific to middle latitudes, and called storm after-effect. The observations were carried out to clarify the form of the after-effect by comparing its characteristics with the result of theoretical discussions. Concerning the storm after-effect, it was made clear that its duration considerably changed with the value of Dst, and it showed a different aspect during winter. It was also made clear that a part of the complicated aspect of phase angle change in winter was caused by the storm after-effect. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Zenith 1 truss transfer ceremony

Science.gov (United States)

2000-01-01

The Zenith-1 (Z-1) Truss is officially presented to NASA by The Boeing Co. on the Space Station Processing Facility floor on July 31. STS-92 Commander Col. Brian Duffy, comments on the presentation. Pictured are The Boeing Co. processing team and STS-92 astronauts. The Z-1 Truss is the cornerstone truss of the International Space Station and is scheduled to fly in Space Shuttle Discovery's payload pay on STS-92 targeted for launch Oct. 5, 2000. The Z-1 is considered a cornerstone truss because it carries critical components of the Station's attitude, communications, thermal and power control systems as well as four control moment gyros, high and low gain antenna systems, and two plasma contactor units used to disperse electrical charge build- ups. The Z-1 truss and a Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA-3), also flying to the Station on the same mission, will be the first major U.S. elements flown to the ISS aboard the Shuttle since the launch of the Unity element in December 1998.

Seawifs Technical Report Series. Volume 2: Analysis of Orbit Selection for Seawifs: Ascending Versus Descending Node

Science.gov (United States)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Gregg, Watson W.

1992-01-01

Due to range safety considerations, the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) ocean color instrument may be required to be launched into a near-noon descending node, as opposed to the ascending node used by the predecessor sensor, the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS). The relative importance of ascending versus descending near-noon orbits was assessed here to determine if descending node will meet the scientific requirements of SeaWiFS. Analyses focused on ground coverage, local times of coverage, solar and viewing geometries (zenith and azimuth angles), and sun glint. Differences were found in the areas covered by individual orbits, but were not important when taken over a 16 day repeat time. Local time of coverage was also different: for ascending node orbits the Northern Hemisphere was observed in the morning and the Southern Hemisphere in the afternoon, while for descending node orbits the Northern Hemisphere was observed in the afternoon and the Southern in the morning. There were substantial differences in solar azimuth and spacecraft azimuth angles both at equinox and at the Northern Hemisphere summer solstice. Negligible differences in solar and spacecraft zenith angles, relative azimuth angles, and sun glint were obtained at the equinox. However, large differences were found in solar zenith angles, relative azimuths, and sun glint for the solstice. These differences appeared to compensate across the scan, however, an increase in sun glint in descending node over that in ascending node on the western part of the scan was compensated by a decrease on the eastern part of the scan. Thus, no advantage or disadvantage could be conferred upon either ascending node or descending node for noon orbits. Analyses were also performed for ascending and descending node orbits that deviated from a noon equator crossing time. For ascending node, afternoon orbits produced the lowest mean solar zenith angles in the Northern Hemisphere, and morning orbits produced

A determination of the absolute radiant energy of a Robertson-Berger meter sunburn unit

Science.gov (United States)

DeLuisi, John J.; Harris, Joyce M.

Data from a Robertson-Berger (RB) sunburn meter were compared with concurrent measurements obtained with an ultraviolet double monochromator (DM), and the absolute energy of one sunburn unit measured by the RB-meter was determined. It was found that at a solar zenith angle of 30° one sunburn unit (SU) is equivalent to 35 ± 4 mJ cm -2, and at a solar zenith angle of 69°, one SU is equivalent to 20 ± 2 mJ cm -2 (relative to a wavelength of 297 nm), where the rate of change is non-linear. The deviation is due to the different response functions of the RB-meter and the DM system used to simulate the response of human skin to the incident u.v. solar spectrum. The average growth rate of the deviation with increasing solar zenith angle was found to be 1.2% per degree between solar zenith angles 30 and 50° and 2.3% per degree between solar zenith angles 50 and 70°. The deviations of response with solar zenith angle were found to be consistent with reported RB-meter characteristics.

Inter-observer variability between radiologists reporting on cerebellopontine angle tumours on magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Teh, S R; Ranguis, S; Fagan, P

2017-01-01

Studies demonstrate the significance of intra- and inter-observer variability when measuring cerebellopontine angle tumours on magnetic resonance imaging, with measured differences as high as 2 mm. To determine intra- and inter-observer measurement variability of cerebellopontine angle tumours in a specialised institution. The magnetic resonance imaging maximal diameter of 12 randomly selected cerebellopontine angle tumours were independently measured by 4 neuroradiologists at a tertiary referral centre using a standard definition for maximal tumour diameter. Average deviation and intraclass correlation were subsequently calculated. Inter-observer difference averaged 0.33 ± 0.04 mm (range, 0.0-0.8 mm). Intra-observer measurements were more consistent than inter-observer measurements, with differences averaging 0.17 mm (95 per cent confidence interval = 0.27-0.06, p = 0.002). Inter-observer reliability was 0.99 (95 per cent confidence interval = 0.97-0.99), suggesting high reliability between the readings. The use of a standard definition for maximal tumour volume provided high reliability amongst radiologists' readings. To avoid oversizing tumours, it is recommended that conservative monitoring be conducted by the same institution with thin slice magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Implications of the observed K-M angles on future physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, M.

1987-01-01

The author discusses the implications of the observed values of the K-M angles on the structure of particle physics beyond the standard model. A hypothesis on the structure of quark mass matrices is proposed along with S.S.B. as the origin of weak-CP violation. The entire K-M angles are well understood in terms of the quark mass ratios alone. Possible symmetries in the family space are discussed. The implications on future experiments are: Γ(b→μeν/sup -/)/Γ(b→ceν/sup -/) = (8.8/sub -3.8//sup +5.8/)x10/sup -3/, and m/sub t/ =42.6/sub -9.5//sup +19.4/ GeV, 48.8/sub -11.5//sup +24.1/ GeV, 56.2/sub -14.3//sup +31.3/ GeV, for vertical barV/sub cb/vertical bar =0.04, 0.05, and 0.06 respectively. ν/sub e/-ν/sub μ/, ν/sub μ/-ν/sub tau/ oscillations may be observable in a foreseeable future

Reactivity and reaction rate studies on the fourth loading of ZENITH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cameron, I.R.; Freemantle, R.G.; Reed, D.L.; Wilson, D.J.

1963-08-01

The determination of the excess reactivity, control rod worths, prompt neutron lifetime, flux fine structure, and reaction rates of various nuclides for the fourth loading of the heated zero energy reactor ZENITH is described. The core contains 7.76 kg of U235, giving a carbon/U235 atom ratio of 7578, and forms the most dilute of the range studied. Comparisons of the experimental results with calculations using multigroup diffusion codes are presented. (author)

Reactivity and reaction rate studies on the fourth loading of ZENITH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cameron, I R; Freemantle, R G; Reed, D L; Wilson, D J [General Reactor Physics Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

1963-08-15

The determination of the excess reactivity, control rod worths, prompt neutron lifetime, flux fine structure, and reaction rates of various nuclides for the fourth loading of the heated zero energy reactor ZENITH is described. The core contains 7.76 kg of U235, giving a carbon/U235 atom ratio of 7578, and forms the most dilute of the range studied. Comparisons of the experimental results with calculations using multigroup diffusion codes are presented. (author)

Zenith distribution and flux of atmospheric muons measured with the 5-line ANTARES detector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aguilar, J. A.; Albert, A.; Anton, G.; Anvar, S.; Ardid, M.; Jesus, A. C. Assis; Astraatmadja, T.; Aubertg, J. -J.; Auer, R.; Baret, B.; Basa, S.; Bazzotti, M.; Berting, V.; Biagi, S.; Bigongiari, C.; Bou-Cabo, M.; Bouwhuis, M. C.; Brown, A. M.; Brunnerg, J.; Busto, J.; Camarena, F.; Capone, A.; Carminati, G.; Carr, J.; Castel, D.; Castorina, E.; Cavasinni, V.; Cecchini, S.; Charvis, Ph.; Chiarusi, T.; Circella, M.; Coniglione, R.; Costantini, H.; Cottini, N.; Coyle, P.; Curtil, C.; De Bonis, G.; Decowski, M. P.; Dekeyser, I.; Deschamps, A.; Distefano, C.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Drouhin, D.; Eberl, T.; Emanuele, U.; Ernenweing, J. -P.; Kalantar-Nayestanaki, N.; Kretschmer, W.; Loehner, H.

2010-01-01

The ANTARES high-energy neutrino telescope is a three-dimensional array of about 900 photomultipliers distributed over 12 mooring lines installed in the Mediterranean Sea. Between February and November 2007 it acquired data in a 5-line configuration. The zenith angular distribution of the

The zenithal 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope: a unique facility for supernova studies

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Brajesh; Pandey, Kanhaiya L.; Pandey, S. B.; Hickson, P.; Borra, E. F.; Anupama, G. C.; Surdej, J.

2018-05-01

The 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) will soon become operational at the newly developed Devasthal observatory near Nainital (Uttarakhand, India). Coupled with a 4k × 4k pixels CCD detector and TDI optical corrector, it will reach approximately 22.8, 22.3, and 21.4 mag in the g΄, r΄, and i΄ spectral bands, respectively, in a single scan. The limiting magnitudes can be further improved by co-adding the consecutive night images in particular filters. The uniqueness to observe the same sky region by looking towards the zenith direction every night makes the ILMT a unique instrument to detect new supernovae (SNe) by applying the image subtraction technique. High cadence (˜24 h) observations will help to construct dense sampling multi-band SNe light curves. We discuss the importance of the ILMT facility in the context of SNe studies. Considering the various plausible cosmological parameters and observational constraints, we perform detailed calculations of the expected SNe rate that can be detected with the ILMT in different spectral bands.

OMI satellite observed formaldehyde column from 2006 to 2015 over Xishuangbanna, southwest China, and validation using ground based zenith-sky DOAS.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Rui; Feng, Tao; Wang, Shanshan; Shi, Chanzhen; Guo, Yanlin; Nan, Jialiang; Deng, Yun; Zhou, Bin

2018-02-01

Formaldehyde (HCHO) provides a proxy to reveal the isoprene and biogenic volatile organic compounds emission which plays important roles in atmospheric chemical process and climate change. The ground-based observation with zenith-sky DOAS is carried out in order to validate the HCHO columns from OMI. It has a good correlation of 0.71678 between the HCHO columns from two sources. Then we use the OMI HCHO columns from January 2006 to December 2015 to indicate the interannual variation and spatial distribution in Xishuangbanna. The HCHO concentration peaks appeared in March or April for each year significantly corresponding to the intensive fire counts at the same time, which illustrate that the high HCHO columns are strongly influenced by the biomass burning in spring. Temperature and precipitation are also the important influence factors in the seasonal variation when there is nearly no biomass burning. The spatial patterns over the past ten years strengthen the deduction from the temporal variation and show the relationship with land cover and land use, elevation and population density. It is concluded that the biogenic activity plays a role in controlling the background level of HCHO in Xishuangbanna, while biomass burning is the main driving force of high HCHO concentration. And forests are greater contributor to HCHO rather than rubber trees which cover over 20% of the land in the region. Moreover, uncertainties from HCHO slant column retrieval and AMFs calculation are discussed in detail. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Estimates of leaf area index from spectral reflectance of wheat under different cultural practices and solar angle

Science.gov (United States)

Asrar, G.; Kanemasu, E. T.; Yoshida, M.

1985-01-01

The influence of management practices and solar illumination angle on the leaf area index (LAI) was estimated from measurements of wheat canopy reflectance evaluated by two methods, a regression formula and an indirect technique. The date of planting and the time of irrigation in relation to the stage of plant growth were found to have significant effects on the development of leaves in spring wheat. A reduction in soil moisture adversely affected both the duration and magnitude of the maximum LAI for late planting dates. In general, water stress during vegetative stages resulted in a reduction in maximum LAI, while water stress during the reproductive period shortened the duration of green LAI in spring wheat. Canopy geometry and solar angle also affected the spectral properties of the canopies, and hence the estimated LAI. Increase in solar zenith angles resulted in a general increase in estimated LAI obtained from both methods.

Observation of muon intensity variations by season with the MINOS near detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adamson, P.; Anghel, I.; Aurisano, A.; Barr, G.; Bishai, M.; Blake, A.; Bock, G. J.; Bogert, D.; Cao, S. V.; Castromonte, C. M.; Childress, S.; Coelho, J. A. B.; Corwin, L.; Cronin-Hennessy, D.; de Jong, J. K.; Devan, A. V.; Devenish, N. E.; Diwan, M. V.; Escobar, C. O.; Evans, J. J.; Falk, E.; Feldman, G. J.; Fields, T. H.; Frohne, M. V.; Gallagher, H. R.; Gomes, R. A.; Goodman, M. C.; Gouffon, P.; Graf, N.; Gran, R.; Grzelak, K.; Habig, A.; Hahn, S. R.; Hartnell, J.; Hatcher, R.; Holin, A.; Huang, J.; Hylen, J.; Irwin, G. M.; Isvan, Z.; James, C.; Jensen, D.; Kafka, T.; Kasahara, S. M. S.; Koizumi, G.; Kordosky, M.; Kreymer, A.; Lang, K.; Ling, J.; Litchfield, P. J.; Lucas, P.; Mann, W. A.; Marshak, M. L.; Mathis, M.; Mayer, N.; McGivern, C.; Medeiros, M. M.; Mehdiyev, R.; Meier, J. R.; Messier, M. D.; Miller, W. H.; Mishra, S. R.; Moed Sher, S.; Moore, C. D.; Mualem, L.; Musser, J.; Naples, D.; Nelson, J. K.; Newman, H. B.; Nichol, R. J.; Nowak, J. A.; O’Connor, J.; Orchanian, M.; Osprey, S.; Pahlka, R. B.; Paley, J.; Patterson, R. B.; Pawloski, G.; Perch, A.; Phan-Budd, S.; Plunkett, R. K.; Poonthottathil, N.; Qiu, X.; Radovic, A.; Rebel, B.; Rosenfeld, C.; Rubin, H. A.; Sanchez, M. C.; Schneps, J.; Schreckenberger, A.; Schreiner, P.; Sharma, R.; Sousa, A.; Tagg, N.; Talaga, R. L.; Thomas, J.; Thomson, M. A.; Tian, X.; Timmons, A.; Tognini, S. C.; Toner, R.; Torretta, D.; Urheim, J.; Vahle, P.; Viren, B.; Weber, A.; Webb, R. C.; White, C.; Whitehead, L.; Whitehead, L. H.; Wojcicki, S. G.; Zwaska, R.

2014-07-01

A sample of 1.53$\\times$10$^{9}$ cosmic-ray-induced single muon events has been recorded at 225 meters-water-equivalent using the MINOS Near Detector. The underground muon rate is observed to be highly correlated with the effective atmospheric temperature. The coefficient $\\alpha_{T}$, relating the change in the muon rate to the change in the vertical effective temperature, is determined to be 0.428$\\pm$0.003(stat.)$\\pm$0.059(syst.). An alternative description is provided by the weighted effective temperature, introduced to account for the differences in the temperature profile and muon flux as a function of zenith angle. Using the latter estimation of temperature, the coefficient is determined to be 0.352$\\pm$0.003(stat.)$\\pm$0.046(syst.).

Utilising shade to optimize UV exposure for vitamin D

Science.gov (United States)

Turnbull, D. J.; Parisi, A. V.

2008-06-01

Numerous studies have stated that humans need to utilise full sun radiation, at certain times of the day, to assist the body in synthesising the required levels of vitamin D3. The time needed to be spent in the full sun depends on a number of factors, for example, age, skin type, latitude, solar zenith angle. Current Australian guidelines suggest exposure to approximately 1/6 to 1/3 of a minimum erythemal dose (MED), depending on age, would be appropriate to provide adequate vitamin D3 levels. The aim of the study was to determine the exposure times to diffuse solar UV to receive exposures of 1/6 and 1/3 MED for a changing solar zenith angle in order to assess the possible role that diffuse UV (scattered radiation) may play in vitamin D3 effective UV exposures (UVD3). Diffuse and global erythemal UV measurements were conducted at five minute intervals over a twelve month period for a solar zenith angle range of 4° to 80° at a latitude of 27.6° S. For a diffuse UV exposure of 1/3 MED, solar zenith angles smaller than approximately 50° can be utilised for exposure times of less than 10 min. Spectral measurements showed that, for a solar zenith angle of 40°, the UVA (315-400 nm) in the diffuse component of the solar UV is reduced by approximately 62% compared to the UVA in the global UV, whereas UVD3 wavelengths are only reduced by approximately 43%. At certain latitudes, diffuse UV under shade may play an important role in providing the human body with adequate levels of UVD3 (290-315 nm) radiation without experiencing the high levels of UVA observed in full sun.

[Analysis of influencing factors of snow hyperspectral polarized reflections].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhong-Qiu; Zhao, Yun-Sheng; Yan, Guo-Qian; Ning, Yan-Ling; Zhong, Gui-Xin

2010-02-01

Due to the need of snow monitoring and the impact of the global change on the snow, on the basis of the traditional research on snow, starting from the perspective of multi-angle polarized reflectance, we analyzed the influencing factors of snow from the incidence zenith angles, the detection zenith angles, the detection azimuth angles, polarized angles, the density of snow, the degree of pollution, and the background of the undersurface. It was found that these factors affected the spectral reflectance values of the snow, and the effect of some factors on the polarization hyperspectral reflectance observation is more evident than in the vertical observation. Among these influencing factors, the pollution of snow leads to an obvious change in the snow reflectance spectrum curve, while other factors have little effect on the shape of the snow reflectance spectrum curve and mainly impact the reflection ratio of the snow. Snow reflectance polarization information has not only important theoretical significance, but also wide application prospect, and provides new ideas and methods for the quantitative research on snow using the remote sensing technology.

Data assimilation of GNSS zenith total delays from a Nordic processing centre

Science.gov (United States)

Lindskog, Magnus; Ridal, Martin; Thorsteinsson, Sigurdur; Ning, Tong

2017-11-01

Atmospheric moisture-related information estimated from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) ground-based receiver stations by the Nordic GNSS Analysis Centre (NGAA) have been used within a state-of-the-art kilometre-scale numerical weather prediction system. Different processing techniques have been implemented to derive the moisture-related GNSS information in the form of zenith total delays (ZTDs) and these are described and compared. In addition full-scale data assimilation and modelling experiments have been carried out to investigate the impact of utilizing moisture-related GNSS data from the NGAA processing centre on a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model initial state and on the ensuing forecast quality. The sensitivity of results to aspects of the data processing, station density, bias-correction and data assimilation have been investigated. Results show benefits to forecast quality when using GNSS ZTD as an additional observation type. The results also show a sensitivity to thinning distance applied for GNSS ZTD observations but not to modifications to the number of predictors used in the variational bias correction applied. In addition, it is demonstrated that the assimilation of GNSS ZTD can benefit from more general data assimilation enhancements and that there is an interaction of GNSS ZTD with other types of observations used in the data assimilation. Future plans include further investigation of optimal thinning distances and application of more advanced data assimilation techniques.

Retrieval of Macro- and Micro-Physical Properties of Oceanic Hydrosols from Polarimetric Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Amir; Gilerson, Alexander; Chowdhary, Jacek; Ahmed, Samir

2016-01-01

Remote sensing has mainly relied on measurements of scalar radiance and its spectral and angular features to retrieve micro- and macro-physical properties of aerosols/hydrosols. However, it is recognized that measurements that include the polarimetric characteristics of light provide more intrinsic information about particulate scattering. To take advantage of this, we used vector radiative transfer (VRT) simulations and developed an analytical relationship to retrieve the macro and micro-physical properties of the oceanic hydrosols. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between the observed degree of linear polarization (DoLP) and the ratio of attenuation-to- absorption coefficients (c/a) in water, from which the scattering coefficient can be readily computed (b equals c minus a), after retrieving a. This relationship was parameterized for various scattering geometries, including sensor zenith/azimuth angles relative to the Sun's principal plane, and for varying Sun zenith angles. An inversion method was also developed for the retrieval of the microphysical properties of hydrosols, such as the bulk refractive index and the particle size distribution. The DoLP vs c/a relationship was tested and validated against in-situ measurements of underwater light polarization obtained by a custom-built polarimeter and measurements of the coefficients a and c, obtained using an in-water WET (Western Environmental Technologies) Labs ac-s (attenuation coefficients In-Situ Spectrophotometer) instrument package. These measurements confirmed the validity of the approach, with retrievals of attenuation coefficients showing a high coefficient of determination depending on the wavelength. We also performed a sensitivity analysis of the DoLP at the Top of Atmosphere (TOA) over coastal waters showing the possibility of polarimetric remote sensing application for ocean color.

Solar Illumination Control of the Polar Wind

Science.gov (United States)

Maes, L.; Maggiolo, R.; De Keyser, J.; André, M.; Eriksson, A. I.; Haaland, S.; Li, K.; Poedts, S.

2017-11-01

Polar wind outflow is an important process through which the ionosphere supplies plasma to the magnetosphere. The main source of energy driving the polar wind is solar illumination of the ionosphere. As a result, many studies have found a relation between polar wind flux densities and solar EUV intensity, but less is known about their relation to the solar zenith angle at the ionospheric origin, certainly at higher altitudes. The low energy of the outflowing particles and spacecraft charging means it is very difficult to measure the polar wind at high altitudes. We take advantage of an alternative method that allows estimations of the polar wind flux densities far in the lobes. We analyze measurements made by the Cluster spacecraft at altitudes from 4 up to 20 RE. We observe a strong dependence on the solar zenith angle in the ion flux density and see that both the ion velocity and density exhibit a solar zenith angle dependence as well. We also find a seasonal variation of the flux density.

Geomagnetic control of mesospheric nitric oxide concentration from simultaneous D and F region ionization measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradhan, S.N.; Shirke, J.S.

1978-01-01

Investigations are made of D-region electron density profiles derived from 'partial reflection' measurements over a low latitude station (Ahmedabad) during a year of low solar activity. The index relating the electron density with the solar zenith angle is found to increase towards lower zenith angles suggesting both diurnal and seasonal variations in the Nitric oxide concentration. A close correlation is also found between the electron density at 80 km and the maximum ionization density in the F region above. This is interpreted as due to concomitant variation of a sizeable fraction of the Nitric oxide concentration in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere with the overhead F region ionization. A simplified global model is presented for the mesospheric Nitric oxide concentration based on the morphological features of F region and the relationship existing between the ionization levels in F and D regions. Many observed features of the D region ionization including the solar zenith angle dependence, latitudinal and geomagnetic anomaly and long term variability are explained on the basis of this model

Visible and near-ultraviolet spectroscopy at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. 6. Observations of BrO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, M.A.; Solomon, S.; Schmeltekopf, A.L.; Sanders, R.W.

1989-01-01

Observations of the evening twilight BrO abundance over McMurdo Station, Antarctica during austral spring, 1987, are described. The observed variation of the slant column abundance with increasing solar zenith angles suggests that most of the BrO is located near 15 km. The total vertical column abundance observed during 1 week of measurements yielded an average value of 2.5 x 10 13 cm -2 , assuming the room temperature absorption cross sections measured by Cox et al. (1982). These values are consistent with BrO mixing ratios of about 5-15 parts per trillion by volume distributed from 150 to 20 mbar. If the differential absorption cross section of BrO increases by 30% at temperatures characteristic of the Antarctic lower stratosphere, as indicated by Sander and Watson (1981), then the BrO measurements reported in this paper should be decreased by 30%

Erosion Results of the MISSE 7 Polymers Experiment and Zenith Polymers Experiment After 1.5 Years of Space Exposure

Science.gov (United States)

De Groh, Kim K.; Banks, Bruce A.; Yi, Grace T.; Haloua, Athena; Imka, Emily C.; Mitchell, Gianna G.; Asmar, Olivia C.; Leneghan, Halle A.; Sechkar, Edward A.

2016-01-01

Polymers and other oxidizable materials on the exterior of spacecraft in the low Earth orbit (LEO) space environment can be eroded due to reaction with atomic oxygen (AO). Therefore, in order to design durable spacecraft it is important to know the LEO AO erosion yield (E(sub y), volume loss per incident oxygen atom) of materials susceptible to AO reaction. Two spaceflight experiments, the Polymers Experiment and the Zenith Polymers Experiment, were developed to determine the AO E(sub y) of various polymers flown in ram, wake or zenith orientations in LEO. These experiments were flown as part of the Materials International Space Station Experiment 7 (MISSE 7) mission for 1.5 years on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS). The experiments included Kapton H(TradeMark) witness samples for AO fluence determination in ram and zenith orientations. The Polymers Experiment also included samples to determine whether AO erosion of high and low ash containing polymers is dependent on fluence. This paper provides an overview of the MISSE 7 mission, a description of the flight experiments with details on the polymers flown, the characterization techniques used, the AO fluence for each exposure orientation, and the LEO E(sub y) results. The E(sub y) values ranged from 7.99x10(exp -28)cu cm/atom for TiO2/Al2O3 coated Teflon(TradeMark) fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) flown in the ram orientation to 1.22x10(exp -23cu cm/atom for polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) flown in the zenith orientation. The E(sub y) of similar samples flown in different orientations has been compared to help determine solar exposure and associated heating effects on AO erosion. The E(sub y) data from these ISS spaceflight experiments provides valuable information for LEO spacecraft design purposes.

Polar cap mesosphere wind observations: comparisons of simultaneous measurements with a Fabry-Perot interferometer and a field-widened Michelson interferometer.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, G M; Killeen, T L; Wu, Q; Reeves, J M; Hays, P B; Gault, W A; Brown, S; Shepherd, G G

2000-08-20

Polar cap mesospheric winds observed with a Fabry-Perot interferometer with a circle-to-line interferometer optical (FPI/CLIO) system have been compared with measurements from a field-widened Michelson interferometer optimized for E-region winds (ERWIN). Both instruments observed the Meinel OH emission emanating from the mesopause region (approximately 86 km) at Resolute Bay, Canada (74.9 degrees N, 94.9 degrees W). This is the first time, to our knowledge, that winds measured simultaneously from a ground-based Fabry-Perot interferometer and a ground-based Michelson interferometer have been compared at the same location. The FPI/CLIO and ERWIN instruments both have a capability for high temporal resolution (less than 10 min for a full scan in the four cardinal directions and the zenith). Statistical comparisons of hourly mean winds for both instruments by scatterplots show excellent agreement, indicating that the two optical techniques provide equivalent observations of mesopause winds. Small deviations in the measured wind can be ascribed to the different zenith angles used by the two instruments. The combined measurements illustrate the dominance of the 12-h wave in the mesopause winds at Resolute Bay, with additional evidence for strong gravity wave activity with much shorter periods (tens of minutes). Future operations of the two instruments will focus on observation of complementary emissions, providing a unique passive optical capability for the determination of neutral winds in the geomagnetic polar cap at various altitudes near the mesopause.

An interferometer experiment to explore the aspect angle dependence of stimulated electromagnetic emission spectra

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isham

2005-01-01

Full Text Available When the Earth's ionosphere is irradiated by a radiofrequency (RF electromagnetic wave of sufficiently high power density and tuned to match a natural E- or F-region plasma frequency, ionospheric magnetoionic wave modes may be excited and may generate RF electromagnetic sideband waves via nonlinear interactions. These secondary emissions, which may then escape from the ionosphere, have been termed stimulated electromagnetic emission or SEE. The frequency spectra of this radiation has been studied extensively, and a number of characteristic spectral features have been identified and in some cases related to particular plasma processes. The separation in frequency between the RF pump and the harmonics of the local electron gyrofrequency is critical in determining the amount of anomalous absorption suffered by the pump wave and the spectral properties of the stimulated sidebands. The pump can excite electrostatic waves which do not propagate away but can in some cases be observed via radio-wave scattering from the electron density fluctuations associated with them. These enhanced density fluctuations are created by processes commonly referred to as upper-hybrid and Langmuir turbulence. Langmuir turbulence has been the subject of 930-MHz scattering observations with antenna scanning through several pre-selected angles between the geographic and geomagnetic zenith directions, and a preference for pointing angles between the Spitze angle and geomagnetic field-aligned was identified. Other phenomena, such as the generation of enhanced electron temperatures and artificial aurora, have more recently been shown to have special behavior at similar angles, near but apparently not quite at field-aligned. In view of this evidence for angular structure in several pump-induced effects, in light of the rich variety of SEE phenomena strongly dependent on the geomagnetic field via the frequency interval between the pump and the gyrofrequency harmonics, and in

An interferometer experiment to explore the aspect angle dependence of stimulated electromagnetic emission spectra

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isham

2005-01-01

Full Text Available When the Earth's ionosphere is irradiated by a radiofrequency (RF electromagnetic wave of sufficiently high power density and tuned to match a natural E- or F-region plasma frequency, ionospheric magnetoionic wave modes may be excited and may generate RF electromagnetic sideband waves via nonlinear interactions. These secondary emissions, which may then escape from the ionosphere, have been termed stimulated electromagnetic emission or SEE. The frequency spectra of this radiation has been studied extensively, and a number of characteristic spectral features have been identified and in some cases related to particular plasma processes. The separation in frequency between the RF pump and the harmonics of the local electron gyrofrequency is critical in determining the amount of anomalous absorption suffered by the pump wave and the spectral properties of the stimulated sidebands. The pump can excite electrostatic waves which do not propagate away but can in some cases be observed via radio-wave scattering from the electron density fluctuations associated with them. These enhanced density fluctuations are created by processes commonly referred to as upper-hybrid and Langmuir turbulence. Langmuir turbulence has been the subject of 930-MHz scattering observations with antenna scanning through several pre-selected angles between the geographic and geomagnetic zenith directions, and a preference for pointing angles between the Spitze angle and geomagnetic field-aligned was identified. Other phenomena, such as the generation of enhanced electron temperatures and artificial aurora, have more recently been shown to have special behavior at similar angles, near but apparently not quite at field-aligned. In view of this evidence for angular structure in several pump-induced effects, in light of the rich variety of SEE phenomena strongly dependent on the geomagnetic field via the frequency interval between the pump and the gyrofrequency harmonics, and in view

Beam-splitter switches based on zenithal bistable liquid-crystal gratings.

Science.gov (United States)

Zografopoulos, Dimitrios C; Beccherelli, Romeo; Kriezis, Emmanouil E

2014-10-01

The tunable optical diffractive properties of zenithal bistable nematic liquid-crystal gratings are theoretically investigated. The liquid-crystal orientation is rigorously solved via a tensorial formulation of the Landau-de Gennes theory and the optical transmission properties of the gratings are investigated via full-wave finite-element frequency-domain simulations. It is demonstrated that by proper design the two stable states of the grating can provide nondiffracting and diffracting operation, the latter with equal power splitting among different diffraction orders. An electro-optic switching mechanism, based on dual-frequency nematic materials, and its temporal dynamics are further discussed. Such gratings provide a solution towards tunable beam-steering and beam-splitting components with extremely low power consumption.

Does the Sun appear brighter at night in neutrinos?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahcall, J.N.; Krastev, P.I.

1997-01-01

We calculate accurately the number of solar neutrino events expected as a function of solar zenith angle, with and without neutrino oscillations, for detectors at the locations of Super-Kamiokande, SNO, and the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. Using different Earth models to estimate geophysical uncertainties, and different solar models to estimate solar uncertainties, we evaluate distortions predicted by the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein (MSW) effect in the zenith angle distributions of solar neutrino events. The distortions are caused by oscillations and by ν-e interactions in the Earth that regenerate ν e from ν μ or ν τ . We show that the first two moments of the zenith-angle distribution are more sensitive to the small mixing angle MSW solution than the conventionally studied day-night asymmetry. We present iso-σ contours that illustrate the potential of Super-Kamiokande, SNO, BOREXINO, ICARUS, and HERON/HELLAZ for detecting the Earth regeneration effect at their actual locations (and at the equator). MSW solutions favored by the four pioneering solar neutrino experiments predict characteristic distortions for Super-Kamiokande, SNO, BOREXINO, and ICARUS that range from being unmeasurably small to >5σ (stat) after only a few years of observations. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

Posterior Vitreous Detachment as Observed by Wide-Angle OCT Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukahara, Mayuka; Mori, Keiko; Gehlbach, Peter L; Mori, Keisuke

2018-04-06

Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) plays an important role in vitreoretinal interface disorders. Historically, observations of PVD using OCT have been limited to the macular region. The purpose of this study is to image the wide-angle vitreoretinal interface after PVD in normal subjects using montaged OCT images. An observational cross-sectional study. A total of 144 healthy eyes of 98 normal subjects aged 21 to 95 years (51.4±22.0 [mean ± standard deviation]). Montaged images of horizontal and vertical OCT scans through the fovea were obtained in each subject. Montaged OCT images. By using wide-angle OCT, we imaged the vitreoretinal interface from the macula to the periphery. PVD was classified into 5 stages: stage 0, no PVD (2 eyes, both aged 21 years); stage 1, peripheral PVD limited to paramacular to peripheral zones (88 eyes, mean age 38.9±16.2 years, mean ± standard deviation); stage 2, perifoveal PVD extending to the periphery (12 eyes, mean age 67.9±8.4 years); stage 3, peripapillary PVD with persistent vitreopapillary adhesion alone (7 eyes, mean age 70.9±11.9 years); stage 4, complete PVD (35 eyes, mean age 75.1±10.1 years). All stage 1 PVDs (100%) were observed in the paramacular to peripheral region where the vitreous gel adheres directly to the cortical vitreous and retinal surface. After progression to stage 2 PVD, the area of PVD extends posteriorly to the perifovea and anteriorly to the periphery. Vitreoschisis was observed in 41.2% at PVD initiation (stage 1a). Whereas prior work suggests that PVD originates in the perifoveal region and after the sixth decade, our observations demonstrate that (1) PVD first appears even in the third decade of life and gradually appears more extensively throughout life; (2) more than 40% of eyes without fundus diseases at their PVD initiation are associated with vitreoschisis; and (3) PVD is first noted primarily in the paramacular-peripheral region where vitreous gel adheres to the retinal surface and is

Validation of real-time zenith tropospheric delay estimation with TOMION software within WAGNSS networks

OpenAIRE

Graffigna, Victoria

2017-01-01

The TOmographic Model of the IONospheric electron content (TOMION) software implements a simultaneous precise geodetic and ionospheric modeling, which can be used to test new approaches for real-time precise GNSS modeling (positioning, ionospheric and tropospheric delays, clock errors, among others). In this work, the software is used to estimate the Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD) emulating real time and its performance is evaluated through a comparative analysis with a built-in GIPSY estima...

Observation of oscillations of atmospheric neutrinos with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Euler, Sebastian

2014-01-01

Neutrino oscillations have become one of the most important research topics in particle physics since their discovery 15 years ago. In the past, the study of neutrino oscillations has been largely the domain of dedicated experiments, but in the last year also the large-volume neutrino telescopes ANTARES and IceCube reported their results on the oscillations of atmospheric muon neutrinos and thus joined the community of experiments studying neutrino oscillations. The precision of their results is not yet competitive, but their sheer size and the consequently enormous statistics give rise to the expectation of a competitive measurement in the future. This thesis describes an analysis that was done on IceCube data taken with the nearly complete detector in the years 2010/2011. IceCube is the world's largest neutrino detector, located at the geographic South Pole, where it uses the Antarctic ice sheet as its detection medium. It detects neutrinos interacting within or close to the instrumented volume by observing the Cherenkov light which is emitted by secondary particles produced in these interactions. An array of optical sensors deployed within a cubic kilometer of ice detects the Cherenkov light and makes it possible to reconstruct the energy and direction of the initial neutrino. Unfortunately, IceCube detects not only neutrinos: the desired neutrino signal is buried in a huge background of atmospheric muons, produced in air showers induced by cosmic rays. This background has to be rejected first. The analysis presented here employs an event selection that is based on the idea of using the outer layers of IceCube as an active veto against the background of atmospheric muons and achieves the necessary background rejection of more than 6 orders of magnitude while keeping a high-statistics sample of several thousands of muon neutrinos. In contrast to the earlier IceCube analysis, which used only the zenith angle, it then performs a 2-dimensional likelihood fit on

Momentum and zenithal dependence of the enhancements of intensities of cosmic ray muons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Monem, M.S.; Osborne, A.R.; Benbrook, J.R.; Sheldon, W.R.; Duller, N.M.; Green, P.J.; Choate, L.M.; Magnusson, C.E.

1977-01-01

The absolute directional differential intensities of high-energy cosmic ray muons near sea level have been measured over the momentum range 2-700 GeV/c in the vertical direction and zenithal interval 55deg-90deg. The measurements were made with the AMH magnetic spectrometer-telescope. The enhancements I(65deg)/I(0deg) and I(80deg)/I(0deg) of the muon intensities as a function of momentum are presented and compared with the theoretical results of Maeda and Asbury et al. (author)

Detection of muon bundles at large zenith angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aynutdinov, V.M.; Castellina, A.; Chernov, D.V.; Ezubchenko, A.A.; Fulgione, W.; Kindin, V.V.; Kokoulin, R.P.; Kompaniets, K.G.; Konovalov, A.A.; Mannocchi, G.; Petrukhin, A.A.; Rodin, Yu. N.; Saavedra, O.; Shutenko, V.V.; Trinchero, G.; Vernetto, S.; Vonsovsky, N.N.; Yanson, E.E.; Yashin, I.I.

1999-01-01

The large area coordinate detector (DECOR) represents a multilayer system of plastic streamer tube chamber modules surrounding the Cherenkov water calorimeter NEVOD. Experimental data collected during the test expositions of first DECOR supermodules (8 vertical planes with 8.4 m 2 working area) have been analysed, angular and spatial reconstruction accuracies have been estimated. The procedure of the selection of events corresponding to detection of parallel tracks (muon bundles originated in the atmosphere) is discussed

Detection of muon bundles at large zenith angles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aynutdinov, V.M.; Castellina, A.; Chernov, D.V.; Ezubchenko, A.A.; Fulgione, W.; Kindin, V.V.; Kokoulin, R.P.; Kompaniets, K.G.; Konovalov, A.A.; Mannocchi, G.; Petrukhin, A.A.; Rodin, Yu. N.; Saavedra, O.; Shutenko, V.V.; Trinchero, G.; Vernetto, S.; Vonsovsky, N.N.; Yanson, E.E.; Yashin, I.I

1999-03-01

The large area coordinate detector (DECOR) represents a multilayer system of plastic streamer tube chamber modules surrounding the Cherenkov water calorimeter NEVOD. Experimental data collected during the test expositions of first DECOR supermodules (8 vertical planes with 8.4 m{sup 2} working area) have been analysed, angular and spatial reconstruction accuracies have been estimated. The procedure of the selection of events corresponding to detection of parallel tracks (muon bundles originated in the atmosphere) is discussed.

Augmentation of Quasi-Zenith Satellite Positioning System Using High Altitude Platforms Systems (HAPS)

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujii, Toshiaki; Harigae, Masatoshi

Recently, some feasibility studies on a regional positioning system using the quasi-zenith satellites and the geostationary satellites have been conducted in Japan. However, the geometry of this system seems to be unsatisfactory in terms of the positioning accuracy in north-south direction. In this paper, an augmented satellite positioning system by the High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) is proposed since the flexibility of the HAPS location is effective to improve the geometry of satellite positioning system. The improved positioning performance of the augmented system is also demonstrated.

Retrieving Precipitable Water Vapor Data Using GPS Zenith Delays and Global Reanalysis Data in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Jiang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available GPS has become a very effective tool to remotely sense precipitable water vapor (PWV information, which is important for weather forecasting and nowcasting. The number of geodetic GNSS stations set up in China has substantially increased over the last few decades. However, GPS PWV derivation requires surface pressure to calculate the precise zenith hydrostatic delay and weighted mean temperature to map the zenith wet delay to precipitable water vapor. GPS stations without collocated meteorological sensors can retrieve water vapor using standard atmosphere parameters, which lead to a decrease in accuracy. In this paper, a method of interpolating NWP reanalysis data to site locations for generating corresponding meteorological elements is explored over China. The NCEP FNL dataset provided by the NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction and over 600 observed stations from different sources was selected to assess the quality of the results. A one-year experiment was performed in our study. The types of stations selected include meteorological sites, GPS stations, radio sounding stations, and a sun photometer station. Compared with real surface measurements, the accuracy of the interpolated surface pressure and air temperature both meet the requirements of GPS PWV derivation in most areas; however, the interpolated surface air temperature exhibits lower precision than the interpolated surface pressure. At more than 96% of selected stations, PWV differences caused by the differences between the interpolation results and real measurements were less than 1.0 mm. Our study also indicates that relief amplitude exerts great influence on the accuracy of the interpolation approach. Unsatisfactory interpolation results always occurred in areas of strong relief. GPS PWV data generated from interpolated meteorological parameters are consistent with other PWV products (radio soundings, the NWP reanalysis dataset, and sun photometer PWV data. The

Site selection and directional models of deserts used for ERBE validation targets

Science.gov (United States)

Staylor, W. F.

1986-01-01

Broadband shortwave and longwave radiance measurements obtained from the Nimbus 7 Earth Radiation Budget scanner were used to develop reflectance and emittance models for the Sahara, Gibson, and Saudi Deserts. These deserts will serve as in-flight validation targets for the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment being flown on the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite and two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration polar satellites. The directional reflectance model derived for the deserts was a function of the sum and product of the cosines of the solar and viewing zenith angles, and thus reciprocity existed between these zenith angles. The emittance model was related by a power law of the cosine of the viewing zenith angle.

PERANCANGAN SISTEM PEMESANAN BARANG BERBASIS WEB DI TOKO ZENITH KOMPUTER DI PEKANBARU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fery Wongso Johan Wyanaputra

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstrak : Sistem Informasi Pemesananberbasis web merupakan bagian dari sistem informasi pemasaran yang dikembangkan untuk mengumpulkan, mengolah data sehingga data tersebut dapat dilihat kembali untuk disalurkan sebagai suatu informasi yang berguna. Wujud dari pengembangan Sistem Informasi Pemesananberbasis web ini adalah pembuatan aplikasi Komputer yang mampu mewakili sistem informasi yang dirancang secara keseluruhan.Aplikasi Sistem Informasi pemesanan yang dihasilkan mampu mengelola data pemesanan secara terorgasisasi, serta menghasilkan laporan yang lengkap, akurat dan selalu aktual untuk setiap tingkatan manajemen. Perancangan sistemnya menggunakan PHP (Personal Home Page dan rancangan databasenya menggunakan Xamp Server. Hasil dari perancangan aplikasi Sistem Informasi Pemesananberbasis web menunjukkan bahwa peranan aplikasi Komputer dalam sistem informasi sangat penting sebagai penunjang dalam meningkatkan kualitas kegiatan Pemesanan dan pelayanan di lingkungan toko Zenith Komputer. Abstract: Information Systems is a web Pemesananberbasis Part Of The Marketing Information System was developed to review collect, process the data so that the data can be Seen Back to review the information supplied as a useful thing. From the form of development of Information Systems web Pemesananberbasis Singer Was Able Computer Application Development Information System Designed represent keseluruhan.Aplikasi Operating System Generated Ordering Information Ability to Manage Booking Data Operating terorgasisasi, as well as generate reports The complete, Accurate And Always Currents for EVERY level management review, The design of the system using PHP (Personal Home Page and database design using XAMP Server. Results From designing web applications Pemesananberbasis Information System showed that Role of Information Systems Computer Application hearts hearts Sangat as supporting activities improving QUALITY Booking And Environmental Services at Zenith

Pitch angle distributions of electrons at dipolarization sites during geomagnetic activity: THEMIS observations

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kaiti; Lin, Ching-Huei; Wang, Lu-Yin; Hada, Tohru; Nishimura, Yukitoshi; Turner, Drew L.; Angelopoulos, Vassilis

2014-12-01

Changes in pitch angle distributions of electrons with energies from a few eV to 1 MeV at dipolarization sites in Earth's magnetotail are investigated statistically to determine the extent to which adiabatic acceleration may contribute to these changes. Forty-two dipolarization events from 2008 and 2009 observed by Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms probes covering the inner plasma sheet from 8 RE to 12 RE during geomagnetic activity identified by the AL index are analyzed. The number of observed events with cigar-type distributions (peaks at 0° and 180°) decreases sharply below 1 keV after dipolarization because in many of these events, electron distributions became more isotropized. From above 1 keV to a few tens of keV, however, the observed number of cigar-type events increases after dipolarization and the number of isotropic events decreases. These changes can be related to the ineffectiveness of Fermi acceleration below 1 keV (at those energies, dipolarization time becomes comparable to electron bounce time). Model-calculated pitch angle distributions after dipolarization with the effect of betatron and Fermi acceleration tested indicate that these adiabatic acceleration mechanisms can explain the observed patterns of event number changes over a large range of energies for cigar events and isotropic events. Other factors still need to be considered to assess the observed increase in cigar events around 2 keV. Indeed, preferential directional increase/loss of electron fluxes, which may contribute to the formation of cigar events, was observed. Nonadiabatic processes to accelerate electrons in a parallel direction may also be important for future study.

Endovascular abdominal aortic repair for AAA. Anatomical suitability and limitation in Japanese population according to the inclusion criteria of Zenith AAA stent graft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagawa, Atsushi; Okita, Yutaka; Okada, Kenji

2009-01-01

Since 2007, the EVAR (endovascular abdominal aortic repair) grafts, Zenith, Excluder and Powerlink had been commercially available in Japan. However, a small iliac artery, typical of Japanese population especially in women, was a limiting factor to indicate EVAR. We analyzed the suitability of EVAR in Japanese population according to the inclusion criteria of Zenith AAA stent graft in the current study. From January 2006 to December 2007, 106 AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm) patients (88 men, 18 women) with a mean age of 73 years were investigated in our institution by multi-slice CT scan in terms of suitability of EVAR, then we measured their abdominal aorta and iliac artery parameters as follows; proximal neck diameter (PND) and length (PNL), common iliac artery diameter (CIAD) and length (CIAL), suprarenal (SNA) and infrarenal neck angulation (INA), external iliac artery diameter (EIAD) and aortic length from the lowest renal artery to the aortic bifurcation (AOL). The inclusion criteria for Zenith AAA stent graft treatment were; PND: 18-28 mm, PNL more than 15 mm, unilateral CIAD less than 20 mm, CIAL at least 10 mm, SNA less than 45 degree and INA less than 60 degree, unilateral EIAD more than 7.5 mm. The indication of EVAR was 25.5% (27/106 patients), and was especially very low in women (5.6%) strictly according to the inclusion criteria of the Zenith AAA stent graft. The main reason of exclusion of EVAR was proximal short neck (40.5%), small iliac artery (30.4%) and infrarenal aortic neck angulation (29.1%). In our analysis, female AAA patients had small PNL and EIAD with angulated neck compared with male AAA ones. Anatomical suitability of EVAR in Japanese population strictly following by the inclusion criteria of Zenith AAA stent graft was low due to their characteristic differences from the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) patients, such as short proximal neck, steep neck angulation and small iliac artery, especially in women. More flexible

Temporal dynamics of sand dune bidirectional reflectance characteristics for absolute radiometric calibration of optical remote sensing data

Science.gov (United States)

Coburn, Craig A.; Logie, Gordon S. J.

2018-01-01

Attempts to use pseudoinvariant calibration sites (PICS) for establishing absolute radiometric calibration of Earth observation (EO) satellites requires high-quality information about the nature of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the surfaces used for these calibrations. Past studies have shown that the PICS method is useful for evaluating the trend of sensors over time or for the intercalibration of sensors. The PICS method was not considered until recently for deriving absolute radiometric calibration. This paper presents BRDF data collected by a high-performance portable goniometer system to develop a temporal BRDF model for the Algodones Dunes in California. By sampling the BRDF of the sand surface at similar solar zenith angles to those normally encountered by EO satellites, additional information on the changing nature of the surface can improve models used to provide absolute radiometric correction. The results demonstrated that the BRDF of a reasonably simple sand surface was complex with changes in anisotropy taking place in response to changing solar zenith angles. For the majority of observation and illumination angles, the spectral reflectance anisotropy observed varied between 1% and 5% in patterns that repeat around solar noon.

A new albedo parameterization for use in climate models over the Antarctic ice sheet

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuipers Munneke, P.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304831891; van den Broeke, M.R.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/073765643; Lenaerts, J.T.M.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/314850163; Flanner, M.G.; Gardner, A.S.; van de Berg, W.J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304831611

2011-01-01

A parameterization for broadband snow surface albedo, based on snow grain size evolution, cloud optical thickness, and solar zenith angle, is implemented into a regional climate model for Antarctica and validated against field observations of albedo for the period 1995–2004. Over the Antarctic

Effects of environmental variables on survey catch rates and distribution by size of shallow- and deep-water Cape hakes, Merluccius capensis and Merluccius paradoxus off Namibia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kainge, Paulus Inekela; van der Plas, A. K.; Bartholomae, C. H.

2017-01-01

In order to study the effects of temperature, oxygen, salinity and time of day on survey trawl catches, we modeled observed catches of juvenile, small, medium and large hakes per station as functions of zenith angle of the sun, geographical position, year, temperature, salinity, oxygen and depth....

Automated analysis of angle closure from anterior chamber angle images.

Science.gov (United States)

Baskaran, Mani; Cheng, Jun; Perera, Shamira A; Tun, Tin A; Liu, Jiang; Aung, Tin

2014-10-21

To evaluate a novel software capable of automatically grading angle closure on EyeCam angle images in comparison with manual grading of images, with gonioscopy as the reference standard. In this hospital-based, prospective study, subjects underwent gonioscopy by a single observer, and EyeCam imaging by a different operator. The anterior chamber angle in a quadrant was classified as closed if the posterior trabecular meshwork could not be seen. An eye was classified as having angle closure if there were two or more quadrants of closure. Automated grading of the angle images was performed using customized software. Agreement between the methods was ascertained by κ statistic and comparison of area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). One hundred forty subjects (140 eyes) were included, most of whom were Chinese (102/140, 72.9%) and women (72/140, 51.5%). Angle closure was detected in 61 eyes (43.6%) with gonioscopy in comparison with 59 eyes (42.1%, P = 0.73) using manual grading, and 67 eyes (47.9%, P = 0.24) with automated grading of EyeCam images. The agreement for angle closure diagnosis between gonioscopy and both manual (κ = 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI), 0.81-0.96) and automated grading of EyeCam images was good (κ = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63-0.85). The AUC for detecting eyes with gonioscopic angle closure was comparable for manual and automated grading (AUC 0.974 vs. 0.954, P = 0.31) of EyeCam images. Customized software for automated grading of EyeCam angle images was found to have good agreement with gonioscopy. Human observation of the EyeCam images may still be needed to avoid gross misclassification, especially in eyes with extensive angle closure. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

A CAD-CAM prosthodontic option and gingival zenith position for a rotated maxillary right central incisor: An evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukesh Singhal

2012-01-01

Conclusion: Digital imaging provides an immediate treatment option for the patients. Software also provides an interim aid, for the clinician as well as technician, in the form of two-dimensional photographs. CAD-CAM is entirely a helping instrument against the conservative prosthetic options and gingival zenith position for a rotated central incisor. It helps in patient education and in motivation.

Analisis Six Sigma pada Produk Casing Pompa sebagai Metode Perbaikan Kualitas (Studi Kasus: PT. Zenith Allmart Precisindo)

OpenAIRE

Haryono, Haryono; Rakasiwi, Hafiedza Pradana

2014-01-01

Pada Februari 2014, produk baja terbanyak yang diproduksi PT. Zenith Allmart Precisindo (ZAP) adalah casing pompa dengan reject sebesar 3,35%, padahal target maksimal reject 2% per bulan, ada gap sebesar 1,35%. Analisis DMAIC Six Sigma dilaksanakan untuk mengurangi persentase reject. Pada define, ditentukan project charter, peta proses produksi, dan SIPOC diagram. Dari SIPOC diagram ditentukan 10 CTQ. Pada fase measure dilakukan attribute agreement analysis untuk QC, hasilnya adalah repeabili...

Advantageous GOES IR results for ash mapping at high latitudes: Cleveland eruptions 2001

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Yingxin; Rose, William I.; Schneider, D.J.; Bluth, G.J.S.; Watson, I.M.

2005-01-01

The February 2001 eruption of Cleveland Volcano, Alaska allowed for comparisons of volcanic ash detection using two-band thermal infrared (10-12 ??m) remote sensing from MODIS, AVHRR, and GOES 10. Results show that high latitude GOES volcanic cloud sensing the range of about 50 to 65??N is significantly enhanced. For the Cleveland volcanic clouds the MODIS and AVHRR data have zenith angles 6-65 degrees and the GOES has zenith angles that are around 70 degrees. The enhancements are explained by distortion in the satellite view of the cloud's lateral extent because the satellite zenith angles result in a "side-looking" aspect and longer path lengths through the volcanic cloud. The shape of the cloud with respect to the GOES look angle also influences the results. The MODIS and AVHRR data give consistent retrievals of the ash cloud evolution over time and are good corrections for the GOES data. Copyright 2005 by the American Geophysical Union.

A method for comparison of experimental and theoretical differential neutron spectra in the Zenith reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, D.L.; Symons, C.R.

1965-01-01

A method of calculation is given which assists the analyses of chopper measurements of spectra from ZENITH and enables complex multigroup theoretical calculations of the spectra to be put into a form which may be compared with experiment. In addition the theory of the cut-off function has been extended to give analytical expressions which take into account the effects of sub-collimators, off centre slits and of a rotor made of a material partially transparent to neutrons. The theoretical cut-off function suggested shows good agreement with experiment. (author)

A method for comparison of experimental and theoretical differential neutron spectra in the Zenith reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reed, D L; Symons, C R [General Reactor Physics Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

1965-01-15

A method of calculation is given which assists the analyses of chopper measurements of spectra from ZENITH and enables complex multigroup theoretical calculations of the spectra to be put into a form which may be compared with experiment. In addition the theory of the cut-off function has been extended to give analytical expressions which take into account the effects of sub-collimators, off centre slits and of a rotor made of a material partially transparent to neutrons. The theoretical cut-off function suggested shows good agreement with experiment. (author)

Global model of zenith tropospheric delay proposed based on EOF analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Langlang; Chen, Peng; Wei, Erhu; Li, Qinzheng

2017-07-01

Tropospheric delay is one of the main error budgets in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements. Many empirical correction models have been developed to compensate this delay, and models which do not require meteorological parameters have received the most attention. This study established a global troposphere zenith total delay (ZTD) model, called Global Empirical Orthogonal Function Troposphere (GEOFT), based on the empirical orthogonal function (EOF, also known as geographically weighted PCAs) analysis method and the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) Atmosphere data from 2012 to 2015. The results showed that ZTD variation could be well represented by the characteristics of the EOF base function Ek and associated coefficients Pk. Here, E1 mainly signifies the equatorial anomaly; E2 represents north-south asymmetry, and E3 and E4 reflects regional variation. Moreover, P1 mainly reflects annual and semiannual variation components; P2 and P3 mainly contains annual variation components, and P4 displays semiannual variation components. We validated the proposed GEOFT model using tropospheric delay data of GGOS ZTD grid data and the tropospheric product of the International GNSS Service (IGS) over the year 2016. The results showed that GEOFT model has high accuracy with bias and RMS of -0.3 and 3.9 cm, respectively, with respect to the GGOS ZTD data, and of -0.8 and 4.1 cm, respectively, with respect to the global IGS tropospheric product. The accuracy of GEOFT demonstrating that the use of the EOF analysis method to characterize ZTD variation is reasonable.

Assessment of nocturnal aerosol optical depth from lunar photometry at the Izaña high mountain observatory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Á. Barreto

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This work is a first approach to correct the systematic errors observed in the aerosol optical depth (AOD retrieved at nighttime using lunar photometry and calibration techniques dependent on the lunar irradiance model. To this end, nocturnal AOD measurements were performed in 2014 using the CE318-T master Sun–sky–lunar photometer (lunar Langley calibrated at the Izaña high mountain observatory. This information has been restricted to 59 nights characterized as clean and stable according to lidar vertical profiles. A phase angle dependence as well as an asymmetry within the Moon's cycle of the Robotic Lunar Observatory (ROLO model could be deduced from the comparison in this 59-night period of the CE318-T calibration performed by means of the lunar Langley calibration and the calibration performed every single night by means of the common Langley technique. Nocturnal AOD has also been compared in the same period with a reference AOD based on daylight AOD extracted from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET at the same station. Considering stable conditions, the difference ΔAODfit, between AOD from lunar observations and the linearly interpolated AOD (the reference from daylight data, has been calculated. The results show that ΔAODfit values are strongly affected by the Moon phase and zenith angles. This dependency has been parameterized using an empirical model with two independent variables (Moon phase and zenith angles in order to correct the AOD for these residual dependencies. The correction of this parameterized dependency has been checked at four stations with quite different environmental conditions (Izaña, Lille, Carpentras and Dakar showing a significant reduction of the AOD dependence on phase and zenith angles and an improved agreement with daylight reference data. After the correction, absolute AOD differences for day–night–day clean and stable transitions remain below 0.01 for all wavelengths.

Measurement of the Cosmic Ray and Neutrino-Induced Muon Flux at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

SNO collaboration; Aharmim, B.; Ahmed, S. N.; Andersen, T. C.; Anthony, A. E.; Barros, N.; Beier, E. W.; Bellerive, A.; Beltran, B.; Bergevin, M.; Biller, S. D.; Boudjemline, K.; Boulay, M. G.; Burritt, T. H.; Cai, B.; Chan, Y. D.; Chen, M.; Chon, M. C.; Cleveland, B. T.; Cox-Mobrand, G. A.; Currat, C. A.; Dai, X.; Dalnoki-Veress, F.; Deng, H.; Detwiler, J.; Doe, P. J.; Dosanjh, R. S.; Doucas, G.; Drouin, P.-L.; Duncan, F. A.; Dunford, M.; Elliott, S. R.; Evans, H. C.; Ewan, G. T.; Farine, J.; Fergani, H.; Fleurot, F.; Ford, R. J.; Formaggio, J. A.; Gagnon, N.; Goon, J. TM.; Grant, D. R.; Guillian, E.; Habib, S.; Hahn, R. L.; Hallin, A. L.; Hallman, E. D.; Hargrove, C. K.; Harvey, P. J.; Harvey, P. J.; Heeger, K. M.; Heintzelman, W. J.; Heise, J.; Helmer, R. L.; Hemingway, R. J.; Henning, R.; Hime, A.; Howard, C.; Howe, M. A.; Huang, M.; Jamieson, B.; Jelley, N. A.; Klein, J. R.; Kos, M.; Kruger, A.; Kraus, C.; Krauss, C. B.; Kutter, T.; Kyba, C. C. M.; Lange, R.; Law, J.; Lawson, I. T.; Lesko, K. T.; Leslie, J. R.; Levine, I.; Loach, J. C.; Luoma, S.; MacLellan, R.; Majerus, S.; Mak, H. B.; Maneira, J.; Marino, A. D.; Martin, R.; McCauley, N.; McDonald, A. B.; McGee, S.; Mifflin, C.; Miller, M. L.; Monreal, B.; Monroe, J.; Noble, A. J.; Oblath, N. S.; Okada, C. E.; O'Keeffe, H. M.; Opachich, Y.; Orebi Gann, G. D.; Oser, S. M.; Ott, R. A.; Peeters, S. J. M.; Poon, A. W. P.; Prior, G.; Rielage, K.; Robertson, B. C.; Robertson, R. G. H.; Rollin, E.; Schwendener, M. H.; Secrest, J. A.; Seibert, S. R.; Simard, O.; Simpson, J. J.; Sinclair, D.; Skensved, P.; Smith, M. W. E.; Sonley, T. J.; Steiger, T. D.; Stonehill, L. C.; Tagg, N.; Tesic, G.; Tolich, N.; Tsui, T.; Van de Water, R. G.; VanDevender, B. A.; Virtue, C. J.; Waller, D.; Waltham, C. E.; Wan Chan Tseung, H.; Wark, D. L.; Watson, P.; Wendland, J.; West, N.; Wilkerson, J. F.; Wilson, J. R.; Wouters, J. M.; Wright, A.; Yeh, M.; Zhang, F.; Zuber, K.

2009-07-10

Results are reported on the measurement of the atmospheric neutrino-induced muon flux at a depth of 2 kilometers below the Earth's surface from 1229 days of operation of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO). By measuring the flux of through-going muons as a function of zenith angle, the SNO experiment can distinguish between the oscillated and un-oscillated portion of the neutrino flux. A total of 514 muon-like events are measured between -1 {le} cos {theta}{sub zenith} 0.4 in a total exposure of 2.30 x 10{sup 14} cm{sup 2} s. The measured flux normalization is 1.22 {+-} 0.09 times the Bartol three-dimensional flux prediction. This is the first measurement of the neutrino-induced flux where neutrino oscillations are minimized. The zenith distribution is consistent with previously measured atmospheric neutrino oscillation parameters. The cosmic ray muon flux at SNO with zenith angle cos {theta}{sub zenith} > 0.4 is measured to be (3.31 {+-} 0.01 (stat.) {+-} 0.09 (sys.)) x 10{sup -10} {micro}/s/cm{sup 2}.

Energy dependent modulation of the ulf ion flux oscillations observed at small pitch angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, S.; Konradi, A.; Fritz, T.A.

1979-01-01

The characteristics of the ultralow frequency oscillations in the ion fluxes observed at small pitch angles by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration detector telescopes on board ATS 6 are again examined. The present report concentrates on the dramatic variation of the flux modulations detected in various energy channels during a single event which occurred on February 18, 1975. The wave amplitude is observed to be larger in a higher energy channel with energies from 100 keV to 150 keV and to decrease toward the lower energy channels. The lowest-energy protons (25--33 keV) in general are seldom seen to be oscillating, but in this event they display a low-amplitude oscillation which is 180 0 out of p ase with the adjacent channel. Such energy dependent modulation of the flux oscillation is thought to be a consequence of the wave particle resonant interaction. However, the prediction of the bounce resonant interaction is not consistent with the observations of both the energy dependent variation of the flux amplitudes and a 180 0 change in the oscillation phase in the adjacent low-energy channels that occurred in the February 18, 1975, event. Since the shape of the undisturned particle distribution can also determine the variation of the particle perturbation at various energies, the first-order particle distribution derived in a homogeneous plasma with a uniform magnetic field is examined without any specification of the wave mode. When the average particle distribution during the wave observation is used together with a parallel wave electric field that presumably causes the flux modulation at small pitch angles, a reasonable agreement is found between the variation of flux modulation derived from the slope of the average particle distribution and that from the experimental observation

Surface net solar radiation estimated from satellite measurements - Comparisons with tower observations

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhanqing; Leighton, H. G.; Cess, Robert D.

1993-01-01

A parameterization that relates the reflected solar flux at the top of the atmosphere to the net solar flux at the surface in terms of only the column water vapor amount and the solar zenith angle was tested against surface observations. Net surface fluxes deduced from coincidental collocated satellite-measured radiances and from measurements from towers in Boulder during summer and near Saskatoon in winter have mean differences of about 2 W/sq m, regardless of whether the sky is clear or cloudy. Furthermore, comparisons between the net fluxes deduced from the parameterization and from surface measurements showed equally good agreement when the data were partitioned into morning and afternoon observations. This is in contrast to results from an empirical clear-sky algorithm that is unable to account adequately for the effects of clouds and that shows, at Boulder, a distinct morning to afternoon variation. It is also demonstrated that the parameterization may be applied to irradiances at the top of the atmosphere that have been temporally averaged. The good agreement between the results of the parameterization and surface measurements suggests that the algorithm is a useful tool for a variety of climate studies.

Search for the sterile neutrino mixing with the ICAL detector at INO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Behera, S.P. [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Nuclear Physics Division, Mumbai (India); Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai (India); Ghosh, Anushree [Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Departamento de Fisica, Valparaiso (Chile); Choubey, Sandhya [Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad (India); Datar, V.M. [INO Cell, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai (India); Mishra, D.K. [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Nuclear Physics Division, Mumbai (India); Mohanty, A.K. [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Nuclear Physics Division, Mumbai (India); Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai (India); Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata (India)

2017-05-15

The study has been carried out on the prospects of probing the sterile neutrino mixing with the magnetized iron calorimeter (ICAL) at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO), using atmospheric neutrinos as a source. The so-called 3 + 1 scenario is considered for active-sterile neutrino mixing and lead to projected exclusion curves in the sterile neutrino mass and mixing angle plane. The analysis is performed using the neutrino event generator NUANCE, modified for ICAL, and folded with the detector resolutions obtained by the INO collaboration from a full GEANT4-based detector simulation. A comparison has been made between the results obtained from the analysis considering only the energy and zenith angle of the muon and combined with the hadron energy due to the neutrino induced event. A small improvement has been observed with the addition of the hadron information to the muon. In the analysis we consider neutrinos coming from all zenith angles and the Earth matter effects are also included. The inclusion of events from all zenith angles improves the sensitivity to sterile neutrino mixing by about 35% over the result obtained using only down-going events. The improvement mainly stems from the impact of Earth matter effects on active-sterile mixing. The expected precision of ICAL on the active-sterile mixing is explored and the allowed confidence level (C.L.) contours presented. At the assumed true value of 10 {sup circle} for the sterile mixing angles and marginalization over Δm{sup 2}{sub 41} and the sterile mixing angles, the upper bound at 90% C.L. (from two-parameter plots) is around 20 {sup circle} for θ{sub 14} and θ{sub 34}, and about 12 {sup circle} for θ{sub 24}. (orig.)

Observation of the Spectrally Invariant Properties of Clouds in Cloudy-to-Clear Transition Zones During the MAGIC Field Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Weidong; Marshak, Alexander; McBride, Patrick; Chiu, J. Christine; Knyazikhin, Yuri; Schmidt, K. Sebastian; Flynn, Connor; Lewis, Ernie R.; Eloranta, Edwin W.

2016-01-01

We use the spectrally invariant method to study the variability of cloud optical thickness tau and droplet effective radius r(sub eff) in transition zones (between the cloudy and clear sky columns) observed from Solar Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) and Shortwave Array Spectroradiometer-Zenith (SASZe) during the Marine ARM GPCI Investigation of Clouds (MAGIC) field campaign. The measurements from the SSFR and the SASZe are different, however inter-instrument differences of self-normalized measurements (divided by their own spectra at a fixed time) are small. The spectrally invariant method approximates the spectra in the cloud transition zone as a linear combination of definitely clear and cloudy spectra, where the coefficients, slope and intercept, characterize the spectrally invariant properties of the transition zone. Simulation results from the SBDART (Santa Barbara DISORT Atmospheric Radiative Transfer) model demonstrate that (1) the slope of the visible band is positively correlated with the cloud optical thickness t while the intercept of the near-infrared band has high negative correlation with the cloud drop effective radius r(sub eff)even without the exact knowledge of tau; (2) the above relations hold for all Solar Zenith Angle (SZA) and for cloud-contaminated skies. In observations using redundant measurements from SSFR and SASZe, we find that during cloudy-to-clear transitions, (a) the slopes of the visible band decrease, and (b) the intercepts of the near-infrared band remain almost constant near cloud edges. The findings in simulations and observations suggest that, while the optical thickness decreases during the cloudy-to-clear transition, the cloud drop effective radius does not change when cloud edges are approached. These results support the hypothesis that inhomogeneous mixing dominates near cloud edges in the studied cases.

A robust observer based on H∞ filtering with parameter uncertainties combined with Neural Networks for estimation of vehicle roll angle

Science.gov (United States)

Boada, Beatriz L.; Boada, Maria Jesus L.; Vargas-Melendez, Leandro; Diaz, Vicente

2018-01-01

Nowadays, one of the main objectives in road transport is to decrease the number of accident victims. Rollover accidents caused nearly 33% of all deaths from passenger vehicle crashes. Roll Stability Control (RSC) systems prevent vehicles from untripped rollover accidents. The lateral load transfer is the main parameter which is taken into account in the RSC systems. This parameter is related to the roll angle, which can be directly measured from a dual-antenna GPS. Nevertheless, this is a costly technique. For this reason, roll angle has to be estimated. In this paper, a novel observer based on H∞ filtering in combination with a neural network (NN) for the vehicle roll angle estimation is proposed. The design of this observer is based on four main criteria: to use a simplified vehicle model, to use signals of sensors which are installed onboard in current vehicles, to consider the inaccuracy in the system model and to attenuate the effect of the external disturbances. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed observer.

An Investigation on the Use of Different Centroiding Algorithms and Star Catalogs in Astro-Geodetic Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Basoglu, Burak; Halicioglu, Kerem; Albayrak, Muge; Ulug, Rasit; Tevfik Ozludemir, M.; Deniz, Rasim

2017-04-01

In the last decade, the importance of high-precise geoid determination at local or national level has been pointed out by Turkish National Geodesy Commission. The Commission has also put objective of modernization of national height system of Turkey to the agenda. Meanwhile several projects have been realized in recent years. In Istanbul city, a GNSS/Levelling geoid was defined in 2005 for the metropolitan area of the city with an accuracy of ±3.5cm. In order to achieve a better accuracy in this area, "Local Geoid Determination with Integration of GNSS/Levelling and Astro-Geodetic Data" project has been conducted in Istanbul Technical University and Bogazici University KOERI since January 2016. The project is funded by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. With the scope of the project, modernization studies of Digital Zenith Camera System are being carried on in terms of hardware components and software development. Accentuated subjects are the star catalogues, and centroiding algorithm used to identify the stars on the zenithal star field. During the test observations of Digital Zenith Camera System performed between 2013-2016, final results were calculated using the PSF method for star centroiding, and the second USNO CCD Astrograph Catalogue (UCAC2) for the reference star positions. This study aims to investigate the position accuracy of the star images by comparing different centroiding algorithms and available star catalogs used in astro-geodetic observations conducted with the digital zenith camera system.

Observations of Surfzone Albedo

Science.gov (United States)

Sinnett, G.; Feddersen, F.

2014-12-01

The surfzone environment (where waves break) contains several unique and previously unconsidered processes that affect the heat budget. Entering short-wave radiation is a dominant term in both shelf and surfzone heat budgets. In contrast to the shelf, however, depth limited wave breaking in the surfzone generates spray, whitewater and suspended sediments, elevating the surface albedo (ratio of reflected to incident short-wave radiation). Elevated albedo reduces the level of solar short-wave radiation entering the water, potentially resulting in less heating. Additionally, surfzone water quality is often impacted by fecal bacteria contamination. As bacteria mortality is related to short-wave solar radiation, elevated surfzone albedo could reduce pathogen mortality, impacting human health. Albedo in the open ocean has been frequently studied and parameterizations often consider solar zenith angle, wind speed and ocean chlorophyll concentration, producing albedo values typically near 0.06. However, surfzone albedo observations have been extremely sparse, yet show depth limited wave breaking may increase the albedo by nearly a factor of 10 up to 0.5. Here, we present findings from a field study at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography pier to observe the affect of waves on surfzone albedo. Concurrent measurements were taken with a four-way radiometer (to measure both downwelling and upwelling short-wave and long wave radiation) mounted above the surfzone. A co-located GoPro camera was used to relate visual aspects of the surfzone to measured reflectance, and wave height and period were observed with a bottom mounted pressure sensor in 5 m water depth just outside the surfzone. Wind speed and direction were observed on the pier 10 m above the water surface. Here, we will examine the surfzone albedo dependence on surfzone parameters, such as wave height.

Exfoliation of GaAs caused by MeV 1H and 4He ion implantation at left angle 100 right angle , left angle 110 right angle axial and random orientations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rauhala, E.; Raeisaenen, J.

1994-01-01

The exfoliation procedure of the ion range determination of gaseous implants in single crystal GaAs is investigated. The correlation of the observed crater depth with the ion range is studied for random, left angle 100 right angle and left angle 110 right angle axial orientation high dose implantations of 1.5-2.5 MeV 1 H and 4 He ions. Depending on the experimental conditions, the crater depths corresponded to range values between the modal range and the range maximum. The observed crater depths could be related to the actual He concentration depth distributions by determining the profiles of the 4 He implants by 2.7 MeV proton backscattering. The implantation parameters affecting the exfoliation process, and especially the increase rate of the sample temperature, are investigated. The range distribution parameters for the 1.5 MeV 4 He implants are presented. ((orig.))

Direct observation of superconducting gaps in MgB 2 by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Souma, S.; Machida, Y.; Sato, T.; Takahashi, T.; Matsui, H.; Wang, S.-C.; Ding, H.; Kaminski, A.; Campuzano, J. C.; Sasaki, S.; Kadowaki, K.

2004-08-01

High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has been carried out to clarify the anomalous superconductivity of MgB 2. We observed three bands crossing the Fermi level, which are ascribed to B2p-σ, π and surface bands. We have succeeded for the first time in directly observing the superconducting gaps of these bands separately. We have found that the superconducting-gap sizes of σ and surface bands are 6.5 ± 0.5 and 6.0 ± 0.5 meV, respectively, while that of the π band is much smaller (1.5 ± 0.5 meV). The present experimental result unambiguously demonstrates the validity of the two-band superconductivity in MgB 2.

Direct observation of superconducting gaps in MgB2 by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souma, S.; Machida, Y.; Sato, T.; Takahashi, T.; Matsui, H.; Wang, S.-C.; Ding, H.; Kaminski, A.; Campuzano, J.C.; Sasaki, S.; Kadowaki, K.

2004-01-01

High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has been carried out to clarify the anomalous superconductivity of MgB 2 . We observed three bands crossing the Fermi level, which are ascribed to B2p-σ, π and surface bands. We have succeeded for the first time in directly observing the superconducting gaps of these bands separately. We have found that the superconducting-gap sizes of σ and surface bands are 6.5 ± 0.5 and 6.0 ± 0.5 meV, respectively, while that of the π band is much smaller (1.5 ± 0.5 meV). The present experimental result unambiguously demonstrates the validity of the two-band superconductivity in MgB 2

Surface and Tethered-Balloon Observations of Actinic Flux: Effects of Arctic stratus, Surface Albedo and Solar Zenith Angle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roode, S.R. de; Duynkerke, P.G.; Boot, Wim; Hage, Jeroen C.H. van der

2000-01-01

As part of the FIRE III (First ISCCP Regional Experiment) Arctic Cloud Experiment actinic flux measurements were made above the Arctic Sea ice during May 1998. FIRE III was designed to address questions concerning clouds, radiation and chemistry in the Arctic sea ice region. The actinic flux,

30 MHz radar observations of artificial E region field-aligned plasma irregularities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. L. Hysell

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Artificial E region field aligned irregularities (FAIs have been observed during heating experiments at the HAARP facility using a new 30 MHz coherent scatter radar imager deployed near Homer, Alaska. Irregularities were observed during brief experiments on three quiet days in July and August, 2007, when the daytime E region critical frequency was close to 3 MHz. Irregularities were consistently generated and detected during experiments with O-mode HF pumping on zenith with a 1-min on, 1-min off CW modulation. The scattering cross sections, rise, and fall times of the echoes were observed as well as their spectral properties. Results were found to be mainly in agreement with observations from other mid- and high-latitude sites with some discrepancies. Radar images of the irregularity-filled volume on one case exhibited clear variations in backscatter power and Doppler shift across the volume. The images furthermore show the emergence of a small irregularity-filled region to the south southwest of the main region in the approximate direction of magnetic zenith.

Spatiotemporal High-Resolution Cloud Mapping with a Ground-Based IR Scanner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Brede

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The high spatiotemporal variability of clouds requires automated monitoring systems. This study presents a retrieval algorithm that evaluates observations of a hemispherically scanning thermal infrared radiometer, the NubiScope, to produce georeferenced, spatially explicit cloud maps. The algorithm uses atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles and an atmospheric radiative transfer code to differentiate between cloudy and cloudless measurements. In case of a cloud, it estimates its position by using the temperature profile and viewing geometry. The proposed algorithm was tested with 25 cloud maps generated by the Fmask algorithm from Landsat 7 images. The overall cloud detection rate was ranging from 0.607 for zenith angles of 0 to 10° to 0.298 for 50–60° on a pixel basis. The overall detection of cloudless pixels was 0.987 for zenith angles of 30–40° and much more stable over the whole range of zenith angles compared to cloud detection. This proves the algorithm’s capability in detecting clouds, but even better cloudless areas. Cloud-base height was best estimated up to a height of 4000 m compared to ceilometer base heights but showed large deviation above that level. This study shows the potential of the NubiScope system to produce high spatial and temporal resolution cloud maps. Future development is needed for a more accurate determination of cloud height with thermal infrared measurements.

Absorption of Sunlight by Water Vapor in Cloudy Conditions: A Partial Explanation for the Cloud Absorption Anomaly

Science.gov (United States)

Crisp, D.

1997-01-01

The atmospheric radiative transfer algorithms used in most global general circulation models underestimate the globally-averaged solar energy absorbed by cloudy atmospheres by up to 25 W/sq m. The origin of this anomalous absorption is not yet known, but it has been attributed to a variety of sources including oversimplified or missing physical processes in these models, uncertainties in the input data, and even measurement errors. Here, a sophisticated atmospheric radiative transfer model was used to provide a more comprehensive description of the physical processes that contribute to the absorption of solar radiation by the Earth's atmosphere. We found that the amount of sunlight absorbed by a cloudy atmosphere is inversely proportional to the solar zenith angle and the cloud top height, and directly proportional to the cloud optical depth and the water vapor concentration within the clouds. Atmospheres with saturated, optically-thick, low clouds absorbed about 12 W/sq m more than clear atmospheres. This accounts for about 1/2 to 1/3 of the anomalous ab- sorption. Atmospheres with optically thick middle and high clouds usually absorb less than clear atmospheres. Because water vapor is concentrated within and below the cloud tops, this absorber is most effective at small solar zenith angles. An additional absorber that is distributed at or above the cloud tops is needed to produce the amplitude and zenith angle dependence of the observed anomalous absorption.

A daytime measurement of the lunar contribution to the night sky brightness in LSST's ugrizy bands-initial results

Science.gov (United States)

Coughlin, Michael; Stubbs, Christopher; Claver, Chuck

2016-06-01

We report measurements from which we determine the spatial structure of the lunar contribution to night sky brightness, taken at the LSST site on Cerro Pachon in Chile. We use an array of six photodiodes with filters that approximate the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope's u, g, r, i, z, and y bands. We use the sun as a proxy for the moon, and measure sky brightness as a function of zenith angle of the point on sky, zenith angle of the sun, and angular distance between the sun and the point on sky. We make a correction for the difference between the illumination spectrum of the sun and the moon. Since scattered sunlight totally dominates the daytime sky brightness, this technique allows us to cleanly determine the contribution to the (cloudless) night sky from backscattered moonlight, without contamination from other sources of night sky brightness. We estimate our uncertainty in the relative lunar night sky brightness vs. zenith and lunar angle to be between 0.3-0.7 mags depending on the passband. This information is useful in planning the optimal execution of the LSST survey, and perhaps for other astronomical observations as well. Although our primary objective is to map out the angular structure and spectrum of the scattered light from the atmosphere and particulates, we also make an estimate of the expected number of scattered lunar photons per pixel per second in LSST, and find values that are in overall agreement with previous estimates.

Assimilation of zenith total delays in the AROME France convective scale model: a recent assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Francois Mahfouf

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The impact of assimilating GPS zenith total delays (ZTD in the convective scale model AROME is assessed over a 1-month period in summer 2013. The experimental set-up is similar to the current operational usage at Météo-France where the observing system has been expanded in July 2013 in a three-dimensional variational (3D-Var data assimilation scheme with a 3-hour cycling. Three experiments are performed. In a baseline experiment the GPS ZTD provided through the E-GVAP programme are withdrawn from the observing system (NOGPS. In a second experiment, GPS ZTD from E-GVAP are included in the observing system, representing the operational configuration at Météo-France (EGVAP. The last experiment is similar to EGVAP but new ZTD observations processed by the University of Luxembourg are also assimilated on top of all other observations (UL01. In the first stage, it has been verified through a systematic comparison with model counterparts that the quality of ZTD data processed by the University of Luxembourg is similar to the one provided by other analysis centres from the E-GVAP programme. After a number of quality controls, it has been possible to assimilate around 90 additional observations on top of around 600 stations from E-GVAP every 3 hours. Despite the small fraction of observations assimilated in AROME that ZTD represent (<2%, it is shown that they systematically improve the atmospheric humidity short-range forecasts by a comparison with other observing systems informative about water vapour (radiosoundings, satellite radiances, surface networks even though it is by small amounts. When examining objective precipitation scores over France, the improvement brought by the UL01 stations on top of E-GVAP is systematic for all daily precipitation thresholds. Examination of several case studies reveals the ability of the ZTD observations to modify the intensity and location of precipitating areas in accordance with previous studies. The addition

Radar observations of artificial E-region field-aligned irregularities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Nossa

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Artificial E region field aligned plasma density irregularities (FAIs were generated using HAARP in four different experimental modes and observed with a coherent scatter radar imager located 450 km to the southwest where it could detect field-aligned backscatter. The experiments were conducted in July of 2008, during the Polar Aeronomy and Radio Science Summer School (PARS, during quiet conditions in the daytime when the E layer was dense and absorption was modest. The echoes observed during zenith and magnetic zenith heating experiments were deflected from their nominally anticipated horizontal positions toward the midpoint position. The occurrence of hysteresis when heating with amplitude modulated pulses implied the development of the resonance instability, although the threshold for the onset of instability appeared to be higher than what has been predicted theoretically. Heating experiments involving pump frequencies slightly above and below the second electron gyroharmonic frequency produced no significant differences in the observed echoes. Finally, heating with a pump frequency slightly above the E region critical frequency appears to have produced FAIs at two distinct altitudes where the upper-hybrid resonance condition could be satisfied.

Horizontal maps of echo power in the lower stratosphere using the MU radar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Hirono

2004-03-01

Full Text Available In recent works, zenithal and azimuthal angle variations of echo power measured by VHF Stratosphere-Troposphere (ST radars have been analyzed in detail using different radar multi-beam configurations. It was found that the azimuthal angle corresponding to maximum echo power is closely related to the direction of the horizontal wind shear. These properties indicate that local wind shear affects the tilt of the scatterers. Moreover, horizontal maps of echo power collected using a large set of beams steered pulse-to-pulse up to 40 degrees off zenith revealed that the power distribution pattern in the troposphere is often skewed. In this work, a three-dimensional description of echo power variations up to 24 degrees off zenith is shown for measurements in the lower stratosphere (i.e. up to approximately 20km using a "sequential multi-beam" (SMB configuration. Such a description was not possible above the tropopause with classical multi-beam configurations because of the loss of radar sensitivity due to the limited integration time by the use of a large number of beams. This work attempts to complete previous descriptions of the phenomenon by some observations in the lower stratosphere discussed in association with complementary balloon measurements. Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (turbulence – Radio Science (remote sensing

Letter to the Editor: Complete maps of the aspect sensitivity of VHF atmospheric radar echoes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. M. Worthington

1999-08-01

Full Text Available Using the MU radar at Shigaraki, Japan (34.85°N, 136.10°E, we measure the power distribution pattern of VHF radar echoes from the mid-troposphere. The large number of radar beam-pointing directions (320 allows the mapping of echo power from 0° to 40° from zenith, and also the dependence on azimuth, which has not been achieved before at VHF wavelengths. The results show how vertical shear of the horizontal wind is associated with a definite skewing of the VHF echo power distribution, for beam angles as far as 30° or more from zenith, so that aspect sensitivity cannot be assumed negligible at any beam-pointing angle that most existing VHF radars are able to use. Consequently, the use of VHF echo power to calculate intensity of atmospheric turbulence, which assumes only isotropic backscatter at large beam zenith angles, will sometimes not be valid.Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (middle atmosphere dynamics; turbulence; instruments and techniques

Ionization rates and profiles of electron concentration in Martian atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komitov, B.; Spasov, S.; Gogoshev, M.

1981-01-01

The ionization and vertical profiles of electron concentration in the Martian atmosphere are calculated as functions of the solar zenith angles varying from O deg to 90 deg. A neutral atmospheric model based on direct mass-spectometric measurements from the Viking-1 landing modul is employed in the calculation. The Earth data of the ionization solar flux at the same level of the solar activity and for the month of the Viking-1 measurements reduced for the Mars orbit are used. The numerical result for the photoionization rates and quasi-equilibrium electron-concentration profiles in the upper Martian atmosphere at different solar zenith angles from 0 deg to 100 deg are presented. It is shown that the maxima of both quantities decrease and move towards the upper atmosphere regions. The calculated electron density at the zenith solar angle of 40 deg are compared to Viking-1 experimental data and a good agreement is achieved

Demonstration of angle widening using EyeCam after laser peripheral iridotomy in eyes with angle closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Perera, Shamira A; Quek, Desmond T; Baskaran, Mani; Tun, Tin A; Kumar, Rajesh S; Friedman, David S; Aung, Tin

2010-06-01

To evaluate EyeCam in detecting changes in angle configuration after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) in comparison to gonioscopy, the reference standard. Prospective comparative study. Twenty-four subjects (24 eyes) with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) were recruited. Gonioscopy and EyeCam (Clarity Medical Systems) imaging of all 4 angle quadrants were performed, before and 2 weeks after LPI. Images were graded according to angle structures visible by an observer masked to clinical data or the status of LPI, and were performed in a random order. Angle closure in a quadrant was defined as the inability to visualize the posterior trabecular meshwork. We determined the number of quadrants with closed angles and the mean number of clock hours of angle closure before and after LPI in comparison to gonioscopy. Using EyeCam, all 24 eyes showed at least 1 quadrant of angle widening after LPI. The mean number of clock hours of angle closure decreased significantly, from 8.15 +/- 3.47 clock hours before LPI to 1.75 +/- 2.27 clock hours after LPI (P gonioscopy showed 1.0 +/- 1.41 (95% CI, 0.43-1.57) quadrants opening from closed to open after LPI compared to 2.0 +/- 1.28 (95% CI, 1.49-2.51, P = .009) quadrants with EyeCam. Intra-observer reproducibility of grading the extent of angle closure in clock hours in EyeCam images was moderate to good (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.831). EyeCam may be used to document changes in angle configuration after LPI in eyes with PACG. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Structure of Martian Magnetosphere at the Dayside Terminator Region as Observed on MAVEN Spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Vaisberg, O. L.; Ermakov, V. N.; Shuvalov, S. D.; Zelenyi, L. M.; Halekas, J.; DiBraccio, G. A.; McFadden, J.; Dubinin, E. M.

2018-04-01

We analyzed 44 passes of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN mission (MAVEN) spacecraft through the magnetosphere, arranged by the angle between electric field vector and the projection of spacecraft position radius vector in the plane perpendicular to the Mars-Sun line (θE). All passes were divided into three angular sectors near 0°, 90°, and 180° θE angles in order to estimate the role of the interplanetary magnetic field direction in plasma and magnetic properties of dayside Martian magnetosphere. The time interval chosen was from 17 January to 4 February 2016 when MAVEN was crossing the dayside magnetosphere at solar zenith angle 70°. Magnetosphere as the region with prevailing energetic planetary ions is always found between the magnetosheath and the ionosphere. The analysis of dayside interaction region showed that for each angular sector with different orientation of the solar wind electric field vector E = -1/c V × B one can find specific profiles of the magnetosheath, the magnetic barrier (Michel, 1971, https://doi.org/10.1029/RG009i002p00427; Zhang et al., 1991, https://doi.org/10.1029/91JA00088), and the magnetosphere. Magnetic barrier forms in front of the magnetosphere, and relative magnetic field magnitudes in these two domains vary. The average height of the boundary with ionosphere is 530 km, and the average height of the magnetopause is 730 km. We discuss the implications of the observed magnetosphere structure to the planetary ions loss mechanism.

Modeling radiative transfer with the doubling and adding approach in a climate GCM setting

Science.gov (United States)

Lacis, A. A.

2017-12-01

The nonlinear dependence of multiply scattered radiation on particle size, optical depth, and solar zenith angle, makes accurate treatment of multiple scattering in the climate GCM setting problematic, due primarily to computational cost issues. In regard to the accurate methods of calculating multiple scattering that are available, their computational cost is far too prohibitive for climate GCM applications. Utilization of two-stream-type radiative transfer approximations may be computationally fast enough, but at the cost of reduced accuracy. We describe here a parameterization of the doubling/adding method that is being used in the GISS climate GCM, which is an adaptation of the doubling/adding formalism configured to operate with a look-up table utilizing a single gauss quadrature point with an extra-angle formulation. It is designed to closely reproduce the accuracy of full-angle doubling and adding for the multiple scattering effects of clouds and aerosols in a realistic atmosphere as a function of particle size, optical depth, and solar zenith angle. With an additional inverse look-up table, this single-gauss-point doubling/adding approach can be adapted to model fractional cloud cover for any GCM grid-box in the independent pixel approximation as a function of the fractional cloud particle sizes, optical depths, and solar zenith angle dependence.

Direct observation of superconducting gaps in MgB{sub 2} by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souma, S.; Machida, Y.; Sato, T.; Takahashi, T.; Matsui, H.; Wang, S.-C.; Ding, H.; Kaminski, A.; Campuzano, J.C.; Sasaki, S.; Kadowaki, K

2004-08-01

High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has been carried out to clarify the anomalous superconductivity of MgB{sub 2}. We observed three bands crossing the Fermi level, which are ascribed to B2p-{sigma}, {pi} and surface bands. We have succeeded for the first time in directly observing the superconducting gaps of these bands separately. We have found that the superconducting-gap sizes of {sigma} and surface bands are 6.5 {+-} 0.5 and 6.0 {+-} 0.5 meV, respectively, while that of the {pi} band is much smaller (1.5 {+-} 0.5 meV). The present experimental result unambiguously demonstrates the validity of the two-band superconductivity in MgB{sub 2}.

The double Brewster angle effect

Science.gov (United States)

Thirion-Lefevre, Laetitia; Guinvarc'h, Régis

2018-01-01

The Double Brewster angle effect (DBE) is an extension of the Brewster angle to double reflection on two orthogonal dielectric surfaces. It results from the combination of two pseudo-Brewster angles occurring in complementary incidence angles domains. It can be observed for a large range of incidence angles provided that double bounces mechanism is present. As a consequence of this effect, we show that the reflection coefficient at VV polarization can be at least 10 dB lower than the reflection coefficient at HH polarization over a wide range of incidence angle - typically from 20 to 70∘. It is experimentally demonstrated using a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image that this effect can be seen on buildings and forests. For large buildings, the difference can reach more than 20 dB. xml:lang="fr"

Investigation of the zenith angle dependence of cosmic-ray muons ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

For this purpose, first of all, reliability of the simula- tions was tested ... It is a compact and portable apparatus that requires a 12V power source .... have a significant effect on the muons above 0.1 GeV energy [27], and so the electric field ... The default Cartesian coordinate system in Geant4 has its origin at the centre of the.

Martian ionosphere as observed by the Viking retarding potential analyzers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, W.B.; Sanatani, S.; Zuccaro, D.R.

1977-01-01

The retarding potential analyzers on the Viking landers obtained the first in situ measurements of ions from another planetary ionosphere. Mars has an F 1 ionosphere layer with a peak ion concentration of approximately 10 5 cm -3 just below 130-km altitude, of which approx.90% are O 2 + and 10% CO 2 + . At higher altitudes, O + ions were detected with peak concentration near 225 km of less than 10 3 cm -3 . Viking 1 measured ion temperatures of approximately 150 0 K near the F 1 peak increasing to an apparent exospheric temperature of 210 0 K near 175 km. Above this altitude, departures from thermal equilibrium with the neutral gas occur, and T 1 increases rapidly to >1000 0 K at 250 km. An equatorward horizontal ion velocity of the order of 100--200 m/s was observed near 200 km and near the F 1 peak, with a minimum velocity at intermediate heights. Both landers entered the F 1 layer at a solar zenith angle near 44 0 , though the local times of the Viking 1 and 2 entries were 16:13 and 9:49 LT, respectively. On Viking 2, considerably more structure was observed in the height profiles of ionospheric quantities, although they were similar in shape to the Viking 1 profiles

Order reconstruction phenomena and temperature-driven dynamics in a 3D zenithally bistable device

KAUST Repository

Raisch, A.

2014-07-01

We model the zenithally bistable device (ZBD) in three dimensions (3D), within the Landau-de Gennes theory, and find three stable static states in 3D without an applied field: the vertically aligned nematic (VAN) state, the hybrid aligned nematic (HAN) state and a third, high-tilt state, which we call the THAN state, with an interior and a surface defect. We recover the order reconstruction (OR) phenomenon around the defects in the HAN and THAN states and the 3D THAN and HAN solutions exhibit stable biaxial cylinders connecting defects on opposite faces of the ZBD device. We demonstrate a two-way temperature-driven switching between high-tilt and low-tilt states through controlled heating and cooling procedures in two dimensions (2D), with no applied fields. © CopyrightEPLA, 2014.

Angle observation of laser peripheral iridoplasty for the treatment of acute angle-closure glaucoma which could not be controlled by drugs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Han

2013-07-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the effect of laser peripheral iridoplasty(LPIPto treat acute angle-closure glaucoma(AACGwhich could not controlled by drugs and with persistent ocular hypertension. METHODS: Totally 67 patients(69 eyeswith AACG were performed LPIP when intraocular pressure(IOPwas still over 30mmHg after the medicine therapy for 3-6 hours. Visual acuity and intraocular pressure were under detection before laser treatment and 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 2 hours after laser treatment. We measured the anterior chamber depth, width of angle, iris thickness with ultrasound biomicroscope(UBM. Dynamic gonioscopy was used to evaluate the degree of peripheral anterior synechia(PAS.RESULTS: Angle open distance(AODafter iridoplasty was increased(PPF=151.79, PCONCLUSION: LPIP can deepen peripheral anterior chamber, increase the angle access and lower the IOP immediately. It is an important ongoing adjuvant treatment, which can reduce the patients suffering by lowering the IOP quickly, reduce the damage of visual function caused by long-term high intraocular pressure, avoid side effect of the drugs, and can improve the prognosis.

In-Flight Calibration of GF-1/WFV Visible Channels Using Rayleigh Scattering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xingfeng Chen

2017-05-01

Full Text Available China is planning to launch more and more optical remote-sensing satellites with high spatial resolution and multistep gains. Field calibration, the current operational method of satellite in-flight radiometric calibration, still does not have enough capacity to meet these demands. Gaofen-1 (GF-1, as the first satellite of the Chinese High-resolution Earth Observation System, has been specially arranged to obtain 22 images over clean ocean areas using the Wide Field Viewing camera. Following this, Rayleigh scattering calibration was carried out for the visible channels with these images after the appropriate data processing steps. To guarantee a high calibration precision, uncertainty was analyzed in advance taking into account ozone, aerosol optical depth (AOD, seawater salinity, chlorophyll concentration, wind speed and solar zenith angle. AOD and wind speed were found to be the biggest error sources, which were also closely coupled to the solar zenith angle. Therefore, the best sample data for Rayleigh scattering calibration were selected at the following solar zenith angle of 19–22° and wind speed of 5–13 m/s to reduce the reflection contributed by the water surface. The total Rayleigh scattering calibration uncertainties of visible bands are 2.44% (blue, 3.86% (green, and 4.63% (red respectively. Compared with the recent field calibration results, the errors are −1.69% (blue, 1.83% (green, and −0.79% (red. Therefore, the Rayleigh scattering calibration can become an operational in-flight calibration method for the high spatial resolution satellites.

Spectrum measurements in the ZENITH plutonium core 7 using a neutron chopper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barclay, F R; Cameron, I R; Pitcher, H H.W.; Symons, C R [General Reactor Physics Division, Atomic Energy Establishment, Winfrith, Dorchester, Dorset (United Kingdom)

1964-05-15

As part of the experimental programme on the first plutonium loading of ZENITH (Core 7) a series of measurements was carried out with the neutron chopper on a beam emerging from the core centre. The general experimental programme on the two ZENITH plutonium cores has been covered elsewhere. Core 7 had a carbon/Pu239 atomic ratio of 2666 and a steel/Pu239 ratio of 76.8, giving an absorption cross-section at 2200 m/sec. of 0.31 barns/carbon atom. The fuel was in the form of 'spikes' of 0.020 in. thick Pu/Al alloy sheathed in 0.020 in. aluminium, the isotopic composition of the plutonium being 97.4% Pu239, 2.55% Pu240 and 0.1% Pu241. The overall layout of the reactor core and reflector is shown in the vertical section through the reactor vessel and the plan view. The core consists of a vertical array of 235 cylindrical graphite sleeves of outer diameter 7.37 cm into each of which a cylindrical graphite box may be loaded. Sunning longitudinally inside the box are six parallel grooves which act as locations for the edges of either the Pu/Al spikes or graphite dummies of the same external dimensions. Each groove accommodates two spikes end-to-end, with a small graphite spacer between to avoid welding together of the spike sheaths when heated. Lateral spacers of graphite or stainless steel fill the five spaces between the six spikes or dummies. The total length of the plutonium-loaded core region is 140 cm, the ends of the element forming graphite reflectors of length 53 cm. In Core 7 each fuel element contained 10 Pu-Al spikes. The fuel elements are arranged in a triangular lattice of pitch 7.62 cm to form the reactor core, of diameter 1.23 m. A radial graphite reflector approximately 1 metre thick surrounds the core and is separated from it by an annular lampblack thermal barrier, contained within graphite tiles, which reduces heat transfer from the core. The reactor can be heated by circulation of nitrogen through a 250 kW heater below the core. The nitrogen flows

Spectrum measurements in the ZENITH plutonium core 7 using a neutron chopper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barclay, F.R.; Cameron, I.R.; Pitcher, H.H.W.; Symons, C.R.

1964-05-01

As part of the experimental programme on the first plutonium loading of ZENITH (Core 7) a series of measurements was carried out with the neutron chopper on a beam emerging from the core centre. The general experimental programme on the two ZENITH plutonium cores has been covered elsewhere. Core 7 had a carbon/Pu239 atomic ratio of 2666 and a steel/Pu239 ratio of 76.8, giving an absorption cross-section at 2200 m/sec. of 0.31 barns/carbon atom. The fuel was in the form of 'spikes' of 0.020 in. thick Pu/Al alloy sheathed in 0.020 in. aluminium, the isotopic composition of the plutonium being 97.4% Pu239, 2.55% Pu240 and 0.1% Pu241. The overall layout of the reactor core and reflector is shown in the vertical section through the reactor vessel and the plan view. The core consists of a vertical array of 235 cylindrical graphite sleeves of outer diameter 7.37 cm into each of which a cylindrical graphite box may be loaded. Sunning longitudinally inside the box are six parallel grooves which act as locations for the edges of either the Pu/Al spikes or graphite dummies of the same external dimensions. Each groove accommodates two spikes end-to-end, with a small graphite spacer between to avoid welding together of the spike sheaths when heated. Lateral spacers of graphite or stainless steel fill the five spaces between the six spikes or dummies. The total length of the plutonium-loaded core region is 140 cm, the ends of the element forming graphite reflectors of length 53 cm. In Core 7 each fuel element contained 10 Pu-Al spikes. The fuel elements are arranged in a triangular lattice of pitch 7.62 cm to form the reactor core, of diameter 1.23 m. A radial graphite reflector approximately 1 metre thick surrounds the core and is separated from it by an annular lampblack thermal barrier, contained within graphite tiles, which reduces heat transfer from the core. The reactor can be heated by circulation of nitrogen through a 250 kW heater below the core. The nitrogen flows

Leonardo-BRDF: A New Generation Satellite Constellation

Science.gov (United States)

Esper, Jaime; Neeck, Steven; Wiscombe, Warren; Ryschkewitsch, Michael; Andary, J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Instantaneous net radiation flux at the top of the atmosphere is one of the primary drivers of climate and global change. Since the dawn of the satellite era, great efforts and expense have gone into measuring this flux from single satellites and even (for a several-year period) from a constellation of three satellites called ERBE. However, the reflected solar flux is an angular and spectral integral over the so-called "BRDF" or Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function, which is the angular distribution of reflected solar radiation for each solar zenith angle and each wavelength. Previous radiation flux satellites could not measure instantaneous BRDF, so scientists have had to fall back on models or composites. Because their range of observed solar zenith angles was very limited due to sunsynchronous orbits, the resultant flux maps are too inaccurate to see the dynamics of radiation flux or to reliably correlate it with specific phenomena (hurricanes, biomass fires, urban pollution, dust outbreaks, etc.). Accuracy only becomes acceptable after monthly averaging, but this washes out almost all cause-and-effect information, further exacerbated by the lack of spectral resolution. Leonardo-BRDF is a satellite system designed to measure the instantaneous spectral BRDF using a formation of highly coordinated satellites, all pointing at the same Earth targets at the same time. It will allow scientists for the first time to assess the radiative forcing of climate due to specific phenomena, which is bound to be important in the ongoing debate about global warming and what is causing it. The formation is composed of two satellite types having, as instrument payloads, single highly-integrated miniature imaging spectrometers or radiometers. Two nearby "keystone" satellites anchor the formation and fly in static orbits. They employ wide field of view imaging spectrometers that are extremely light and compact. The keystone satellites are identical and can operate in

Correlation in the Coronal Angle between Knee and Hindfoot Was Observed in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Unless Talocrural Joint Was Destroyed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kohei Nishitani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to investigate the compensatory correlation between knee and hindfoot in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA. This cross-sectional study included 218 patients (407 lower extremities. Radiographs of the hindfoot and full-length posteroanterior hip-to-calcaneus standing radiographs were evaluated. The destruction of the hindfoot was evaluated using the Larsen grading system. The coronal angular deformity of the knee and hindfoot was evaluated by the femorotibial angle (FTA and the angle between the tibial shaft and the entire hindfoot (tibiohindfoot angle, THFA. The correlation between FTA and THFA was determined by Pearson’s coefficient. For all patients, FTA correlated to THFA (R = 0.28, p<0.001. The correlation was observed as long as the talocrural joint was preserved (Larsen grade ≤ 2, even if the subtalar joint had been destroyed (Larsen grade ≥ 3. However, the correlation was not observed when the talocrural joint was destroyed (Larsen grade ≥ 3, R = −0.02, p=0.94. The pain in the hindfoot did not correlate with FTA or THFA. In conclusion, a compensatory deformity of the hindfoot against the deformity of the knee was observed in RA, and the correlation was lost when talocrural joint was destroyed.

Estimation of Longitudinal Force and Sideslip Angle for Intelligent Four-Wheel Independent Drive Electric Vehicles by Observer Iteration and Information Fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Te; Chen, Long; Xu, Xing; Cai, Yingfeng; Jiang, Haobin; Sun, Xiaoqiang

2018-04-20

Exact estimation of longitudinal force and sideslip angle is important for lateral stability and path-following control of four-wheel independent driven electric vehicle. This paper presents an effective method for longitudinal force and sideslip angle estimation by observer iteration and information fusion for four-wheel independent drive electric vehicles. The electric driving wheel model is introduced into the vehicle modeling process and used for longitudinal force estimation, the longitudinal force reconstruction equation is obtained via model decoupling, the a Luenberger observer and high-order sliding mode observer are united for longitudinal force observer design, and the Kalman filter is applied to restrain the influence of noise. Via the estimated longitudinal force, an estimation strategy is then proposed based on observer iteration and information fusion, in which the Luenberger observer is applied to achieve the transcendental estimation utilizing less sensor measurements, the extended Kalman filter is used for a posteriori estimation with higher accuracy, and a fuzzy weight controller is used to enhance the adaptive ability of observer system. Simulations and experiments are carried out, and the effectiveness of proposed estimation method is verified.

left-angle 100 right-angle Burgers vector in single phase γ' material verified by image simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Link, T.; Knobloch, C.; Glatzel, U.

1998-01-01

The deformation mechanisms of Ni 3 Al, an ordered L1 2 or γ' phase, is under intense research since Westbrook showed the increase of its hardness with temperature in 1957. The super dislocations of this ordered phase normally have Burgers vectors rvec b = a left-angle 110 right-angle, disassociated in either two a/2 left-angle 110 right-angle or two rvec b = a/3 left-angle 112 right-angle, depending on deformation temperature and rate. Recent observations in [111] oriented γ' specimens suggest that additional dislocations with the shorter Burgers vector rvec b = a left-angle 100 right-angle might be active. Dislocations with rvec b = a left-angle 110 right-angle on cube glide planes have a Schmidt factor of 0.47 and on octahedral planes of 0.27. Dislocations with rvec b = a left-angle 100 right-angle have a Schmidt factor of 0.47 for {110} glide planes and 0.33 for cube glide planes. The a left-angle 100 right-angle Burgers vector is the shortest of all complete dislocations of the L1 2 structure and creates no planar fault like antiphase boundaries or stacking faults. Due to the [111] oriented stress axis, which is used in this contribution, plastic deformation by a left-angle 100 right-angle dislocations as well as cube glide planes for left-angle 110 right-angle dislocations is encouraged. These dislocations could be reaction products, but will soon after contribute to deformation

Observational drawing biases are predicted by biases in perception: Empirical support of the misperception hypothesis of drawing accuracy with respect to two angle illusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ostrofsky, Justin; Kozbelt, Aaron; Cohen, Dale J

2015-01-01

We tested the misperception hypothesis of drawing errors, which states that drawing accuracy is strongly influenced by the perceptual encoding of a to-be-drawn stimulus. We used a highly controlled experimental paradigm in which nonartist participants made perceptual judgements and drawings of angles under identical stimulus exposure conditions. Experiment 1 examined the isosceles/scalene triangle angle illusion; congruent patterns of bias in the perception and drawing tasks were found for 40 and 60° angles, but not for 20 or 80° angles, providing mixed support for the misperception hypothesis. Experiment 2 examined shape constancy effects with respect to reproductions of single acute or obtuse angles; congruent patterns of bias in the perception and drawing tasks were found across a range of angles from 29 to 151°, providing strong support for the misperception hypothesis. In both experiments, perceptual and drawing biases were positively correlated. These results are largely consistent with the misperception hypothesis, suggesting that inaccurate perceptual encoding of angles is an important reason that nonartists err in drawing angles from observation.

Modeling and experimental verification of a flat-plate solar photoreactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossetti, G.H.; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Santa Fe; Albizzati, E.D.; Alfano, O.M.

1998-01-01

The utilization of the ultraviolet (UV) portion of the solar spectrum to drive the chemical destruction of organic pollutants in contaminated air and wastewaters has gained an increasing interest in the last two decades. A nonconcentrating, flat-plate solar photoreactor has been modeled and experimentally verified. The mathematical model considers that the reactor glass window receives direct and diffuse (isotropic) solar radiation. The model was solved numerically and predictions were compared with photodecomposition rate data, employing the uranyl oxalate actinometer. The reaction was conducted in an isothermal, perfectly mixed reactor placed inside a batch recycling system. The experimental values were compared with theoretical predictions and good agreement was obtained, the maximum deviation being 12%. The effect of the actinometer concentration and of the solar zenith angles (for horizontal and tilted reactors) on the actinometer decomposition rate was investigated. Results indicated that the uranyl oxalate reaction rate increases when (1) the initial actinometer concentration increases at almost constant solar zenith angle and (2) the zenith angle decreases at the same initial actinometer concentration

Horizontal maps of echo power in the lower stratosphere using the MU radar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Hirono

2004-03-01

Full Text Available In recent works, zenithal and azimuthal angle variations of echo power measured by VHF Stratosphere-Troposphere (ST radars have been analyzed in detail using different radar multi-beam configurations. It was found that the azimuthal angle corresponding to maximum echo power is closely related to the direction of the horizontal wind shear. These properties indicate that local wind shear affects the tilt of the scatterers. Moreover, horizontal maps of echo power collected using a large set of beams steered pulse-to-pulse up to 40 degrees off zenith revealed that the power distribution pattern in the troposphere is often skewed. In this work, a three-dimensional description of echo power variations up to 24 degrees off zenith is shown for measurements in the lower stratosphere (i.e. up to approximately 20km using a "sequential multi-beam" (SMB configuration. Such a description was not possible above the tropopause with classical multi-beam configurations because of the loss of radar sensitivity due to the limited integration time by the use of a large number of beams. This work attempts to complete previous descriptions of the phenomenon by some observations in the lower stratosphere discussed in association with complementary balloon measurements.

Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (turbulence – Radio Science (remote sensing

Penetrating particles in horizontal air showers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wohlenberg, J.; Boehm, E.

1975-01-01

Particle density and arrival time of muons has been measured in Horizontal Air Showers. 5,600 showers have been recorded in 7,800 hours. Using stringent selection criteria 155 showers have been found horizontal (zenith angle larger 70 0 ) in the size range 4.1 > lg N > 5.5. The muons observed in these showers can be explained by purely electromagnetic origin of horizontal showers. (orig.) [de

Case study of mesospheric front dissipation observed over the northeast of Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Fragoso Medeiros, Amauri; Paulino, Igo; Wrasse, Cristiano Max; Fechine, Joaquim; Takahashi, Hisao; Valentin Bageston, José; Paulino, Ana Roberta; Arlen Buriti, Ricardo

2018-03-01

On 3 October 2005 a mesospheric front was observed over São João do Cariri (7.4° S, 36.5° W). This front propagated to the northeast and appeared in the airglow images on the west side of the observatory. By about 1.5 h later, it dissipated completely when the front crossed the local zenith. Ahead of the front, several ripple structures appeared during the dissipative process of the front. Using coincident temperature profile from the TIMED/SABER satellite and wind profiles from a meteor radar at São João do Cariri, the background of the atmosphere was investigated in detail. On the one hand, it was noted that a strong vertical wind shear in the propagation direction of the front produced by a semidiunal thermal tide was mainly responsible for the formation of duct (Doppler duct), in which the front propagated up to the zenith of the images. On the other hand, the evolution of the Richardson number as well as the appearance of ripples ahead of the main front suggested that a presence of instability in the airglow layer that did not allow the propagation of the front to the other side of the local zenith.

Development of high-speed and wide-angle visible observation diagnostics on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak using catadioptric optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, J. H.; Hu, L. Q.; Zang, Q.; Han, X. F.; Shao, C. Q.; Sun, T. F.; Chen, H.; Wang, T. F.; Li, F. J.; Hu, A. L.; Yang, X. F.

2013-01-01

A new wide-angle endoscope for visible light observation on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) has been recently developed. The head section of the optical system is based on a mirror reflection design that is similar to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor-like wide-angle observation diagnostic on the Joint European Torus. However, the optical system design has been simplified and improved. As a result, the global transmittance of the system is as high as 79.6% in the wavelength range from 380 to 780 nm, and the spatial resolution is <5 mm for the full depth of field (4000 mm). The optical system also has a large relative aperture (1:2.4) and can be applied in high-speed camera diagnostics. As an important diagnostic tool, the optical system has been installed on the HT-7 (Hefei Tokamak-7) for its final experimental campaign, and the experiments confirmed that it can be applied to the investigation of transient processes in plasma, such as ELMy eruptions in H-mode, on EAST

Vegetation chlorophyll estimates in the Amazon from multi-angle MODIS observations and canopy reflectance model

Science.gov (United States)

Hilker, Thomas; Galvão, Lênio Soares; Aragão, Luiz E. O. C.; de Moura, Yhasmin M.; do Amaral, Cibele H.; Lyapustin, Alexei I.; Wu, Jin; Albert, Loren P.; Ferreira, Marciel José; Anderson, Liana O.; dos Santos, Victor A. H. F.; Prohaska, Neill; Tribuzy, Edgard; Barbosa Ceron, João Vitor; Saleska, Scott R.; Wang, Yujie; de Carvalho Gonçalves, José Francisco; de Oliveira Junior, Raimundo Cosme; Cardoso Rodrigues, João Victor Figueiredo; Garcia, Maquelle Neves

2017-06-01

As a preparatory study for future hyperspectral missions that can measure canopy chemistry, we introduce a novel approach to investigate whether multi-angle Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data can be used to generate a preliminary database with long-term estimates of chlorophyll. MODIS monthly chlorophyll estimates between 2000 and 2015, derived from a fully coupled canopy reflectance model (ProSAIL), were inspected for consistency with eddy covariance fluxes, tower-based hyperspectral images and chlorophyll measurements. MODIS chlorophyll estimates from the inverse model showed strong seasonal variations across two flux-tower sites in central and eastern Amazon. Marked increases in chlorophyll concentrations were observed during the early dry season. Remotely sensed chlorophyll concentrations were correlated to field measurements (r2 = 0.73 and r2 = 0.98) but the data deviated from the 1:1 line with root mean square errors (RMSE) ranging from 0.355 μg cm-2 (Tapajós tower) to 0.470 μg cm-2 (Manaus tower). The chlorophyll estimates were consistent with flux tower measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and net ecosystem productivity (NEP). We also applied ProSAIL to mono-angle hyperspectral observations from a camera installed on a tower to scale modeled chlorophyll pigments to MODIS observations (r2 = 0.73). Chlorophyll pigment concentrations (ChlA+B) were correlated to changes in the amount of young and mature leaf area per month (0.59 ≤ r2 ≤ 0.64). Increases in MODIS observed ChlA+B were preceded by increased PAR during the dry season (0.61 ≤ r2 ≤ 0.62) and followed by changes in net carbon uptake. We conclude that, at these two sites, changes in LAI, coupled with changes in leaf chlorophyll, are comparable with seasonality of plant productivity. Our results allowed the preliminary development of a 15-year time series of chlorophyll estimates over the Amazon to support canopy chemistry studies using future

Observing Equatorial Thermospheric Winds and Temperatures with a New Mapping Technique

Science.gov (United States)

Faivre, M. W.; Meriwether, J. W.; Sherwood, P.; Veliz, O.

2005-12-01

Application of the Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) at Arequipa, Peru (16.4S, 71.4 W) to measure the Doppler shifts and Doppler broadenings in the equatorial O(1D) 630-nm nightglow has resulted in numerous detections of a large-scale thermospheric phenomenon called the Midnight Temperature Maximum (MTM). A recent detector upgrade with a CCD camera has improved the accuracy of these measurements by a factor of 5. Temperature increases of 50 to 150K have been measured during nights in April and July, 2005, with error bars less than 10K after averaging in all directions. Moreover, the meridional wind measurements show evidence for a flow reversal from equatorward to poleward near local midnight for such events. A new observing strategy based upon the pioneering work of Burnside et al.[1981] maps the equatorial wind and temperature fields by observing in eight equally-spaced azimuth directions, each with a zenith angle of 60 degrees. Analysis of the data obtained with this technique gives the mean wind velocities in the meridional and zonal directions as well as the horizontal gradients of the wind field for these directions. Significant horizontal wind gradients are found for the meridional direction but not for the zonal direction. The zonal wind blows eastward throughout the night with a maximum speed of ~150 m/s near the middle of the night and then decreases towards zero just before dawn. In general, the fastest poleward meridional wind is observed near mid-evening. By the end of the night, the meridional flow tends to be more equatorward at speeds of about 50 m/s. Using the assumption that local time and longitude are equivalent over a period of 30 minutes, a map of the horizontal wind field vector field is constructed over a range of 12 degrees latitude centered at 16.5 S. Comparison between MTM nights and quiet nights (no MTM) revealed significant differences in the horizontal wind fields. Using the method of Fourier decomposition of the line-of-sight winds

Constraints on Short, Hard Gamma-Ray Burst Beaming Angles from Gravitational Wave Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, D.; Clark, J. A.; Williamson, A. R.; Heng, I. S.

2018-05-01

The first detection of a binary neutron star merger, GW170817, and an associated short gamma-ray burst confirmed that neutron star mergers are responsible for at least some of these bursts. The prompt gamma-ray emission from these events is thought to be highly relativistically beamed. We present a method for inferring limits on the extent of this beaming by comparing the number of short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) observed electromagnetically with the number of neutron star binary mergers detected in gravitational waves. We demonstrate that an observing run comparable to the expected Advanced LIGO (aLIGO) 2016–2017 run would be capable of placing limits on the beaming angle of approximately θ \\in (2\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 88,14\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 15), given one binary neutron star detection, under the assumption that all mergers produce a gamma-ray burst, and that SGRBs occur at an illustrative rate of {{ \\mathcal R }}grb}=10 {Gpc}}-3 {yr}}-1. We anticipate that after a year of observations with aLIGO at design sensitivity in 2020, these constraints will improve to θ \\in (8\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 10,14\\buildrel{\\circ}\\over{.} 95), under the same efficiency and SGRB rate assumptions.

Solar diffusers in Earth observation instruments with an illumination angle of up to 70°: design and verification of performance in BRDF

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gür, B.; Bol, H.; Xu, P.; Li, B.

2015-01-01

The present paper describes the challenging diffuser design and verification activities of TNO under contract of a customer for an earth observation instrument with observation conditions that require feasible BRDF under large angles of incidence of up to 70° with respect to the surface normal. Not

Predictions of Tropospheric Zenithal Delay for South America : Seasonal Variability and Quality Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz Augusto Toledo Machado

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The Zenithal Tropospheric Delay (Z TD is an important error source in the observable involved in the positioning methods using artificial satellite. Frequently, the Z TD influence in the positioning is minimized by applying empirical models. However, such models are not able to supply the precision required to some real time applications, such as navigation and steak out. In 2010 it will be implanted the new navigation and administration system of the air traffic, denominated CNS-ATM (Communication Navigation Surveillance - Air Traffic Management. In this new system the application of positioning techniques by satellites in the air traffic will be quite explored because they provide good precision in real time. The predictions of Z TD values from Numeric Weather Prediction (NWP, denominated dynamic modeling, is an alternative to model the atmospheric gases effects in the radio-frequency signals in real time. The Center for Weather Forecasting and Climate Studies (CPTEC has generated operationally prediction of Z TD values to South American Continent since March, 2004. The aims of the present paper are to investigate the Z TD seasonal variability and evaluate the quality of predicted Z TD values. One year of GPS data from Brazilian Continuous GPS Network (RBMC was used in this evaluation. The RMS values resulting from this evaluation were in the range of 4 to 11 cm. Considering the Z TDtemporal variability, the advantages provide by this modeling, the results obtained in this evaluation and the future improvements, this work shows that the dynamic modeling has great potential to become the most appropriate alternative to model Z TD in real time.

EFFECT OF SWEEP ANGLE ON THE VORTICAL FLOW OVER DELTA WINGS AT AN ANGLE OF ATTACK OF 10°

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JAMES BRETT

2014-12-01

Full Text Available CFD simulations have been used to analyse the vortical flows over sharp edged delta wings with differing sweep angles under subsonic conditions at an angle of attack of 10°. RANS simulations were validated against experimental data for a 65° sweep wing, with a flat cross-section, and the steadiness of the flow field was assessed by comparing the results against unsteady URANS and DES simulations. To assess the effect of sweep angle on the flow field, a range of sweep angles from 65° to 43° were simulated. For moderate sweep wings the primary vortex was observed to detach from the leading edge, undergoing vortex breakdown, and a weaker, replacement, "shadow" vortex was formed. The shadow vortex was observed for sweep angles of 50° and less, and resulted in reduced lift production near the wing tips loss of the stronger primary vortex.

Behavior of Tilted Angle Shear Connectors

Science.gov (United States)

Khorramian, Koosha; Maleki, Shervin; Shariati, Mahdi; Ramli Sulong, N. H.

2015-01-01

According to recent researches, angle shear connectors are appropriate to transfer longitudinal shear forces across the steel-concrete interface. Angle steel profile has been used in different positions as L-shaped or C-shaped shear connectors. The application of angle shear connectors in tilted positions is of interest in this study. This study investigates the behaviour of tilted-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic loading using experimental push out tests. Eight push-out specimens are tested to investigate the effects of different angle parameters on the ultimate load capacity of connectors. Two different tilted angles of 112.5 and 135 degrees between the angle leg and steel beam are considered. In addition, angle sizes and lengths are varied. Two different failure modes were observed consisting of concrete crushing-splitting and connector fracture. By increasing the size of connector, the maximum load increased for most cases. In general, the 135 degrees tilted angle shear connectors have a higher strength and stiffness than the 112.5 degrees type. PMID:26642193

Behavior of Tilted Angle Shear Connectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koosha Khorramian

Full Text Available According to recent researches, angle shear connectors are appropriate to transfer longitudinal shear forces across the steel-concrete interface. Angle steel profile has been used in different positions as L-shaped or C-shaped shear connectors. The application of angle shear connectors in tilted positions is of interest in this study. This study investigates the behaviour of tilted-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic loading using experimental push out tests. Eight push-out specimens are tested to investigate the effects of different angle parameters on the ultimate load capacity of connectors. Two different tilted angles of 112.5 and 135 degrees between the angle leg and steel beam are considered. In addition, angle sizes and lengths are varied. Two different failure modes were observed consisting of concrete crushing-splitting and connector fracture. By increasing the size of connector, the maximum load increased for most cases. In general, the 135 degrees tilted angle shear connectors have a higher strength and stiffness than the 112.5 degrees type.

The effect of cloud shape on radiative characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welch, R.M.; Zdunkowski, W.G.

1981-01-01

Cumulus cloud radiative characteristics are calculated using Monte-Carlo codes as a function of solar zenith angle for clouds approximated by hemispherical, cylindrical and combination-type geometries. Values of cloud reflectivity, transmissivity and absorptivity are compared with values computed from assuming cubic and rectangular geometries, the basis for most previous finite cloud calculations. Poor agreement is obtained at large cloud sizes and only marginal agreement is obtained at small cloud sizes. Two approximations based upon various scalings of cloud optical depth (extinction parameters) are also constructed, but with limited success in reproducing the values produced by the convex shaped clouds. Reasonable agreement among the various approximations occurs at large solar zenith angles, but extremely poor agreement may occur at small angles. (orig./WB) [de

Generation of real-time mode high-resolution water vapor fields from GPS observations

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Chen; Penna, Nigel T.; Li, Zhenhong

2017-02-01

Pointwise GPS measurements of tropospheric zenith total delay can be interpolated to provide high-resolution water vapor maps which may be used for correcting synthetic aperture radar images, for numeral weather prediction, and for correcting Network Real-time Kinematic GPS observations. Several previous studies have addressed the importance of the elevation dependency of water vapor, but it is often a challenge to separate elevation-dependent tropospheric delays from turbulent components. In this paper, we present an iterative tropospheric decomposition interpolation model that decouples the elevation and turbulent tropospheric delay components. For a 150 km × 150 km California study region, we estimate real-time mode zenith total delays at 41 GPS stations over 1 year by using the precise point positioning technique and demonstrate that the decoupled interpolation model generates improved high-resolution tropospheric delay maps compared with previous tropospheric turbulence- and elevation-dependent models. Cross validation of the GPS zenith total delays yields an RMS error of 4.6 mm with the decoupled interpolation model, compared with 8.4 mm with the previous model. On converting the GPS zenith wet delays to precipitable water vapor and interpolating to 1 km grid cells across the region, validations with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer near-IR water vapor product show 1.7 mm RMS differences by using the decoupled model, compared with 2.0 mm for the previous interpolation model. Such results are obtained without differencing the tropospheric delays or water vapor estimates in time or space, while the errors are similar over flat and mountainous terrains, as well as for both inland and coastal areas.

Stratospheric OClO and NO2 measured by groundbased UV/Vis-spectroscopy in Greenland in January and February 1990 and 1991

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, A.; Perner, D.

1994-01-01

Groundbased UV/Vis-spectroscopy of zenith scattered sunlight was performed at Sondre Stromfjord (Greenland) during Jan/Feb 1990 and Jan/Feb 1991. Considerable amounts of OClO were observed during both campaigns. Maximum OClO vertical column densities at 92 deg solar zenith angle (SZA) were 7.4 x 10(exp 13) molec/sq cm in 1990 and 5.7 x 10(exp 13) molec/sq cm in 1991 (chemical enhancement is included in the calculation of the air mass factor (AMF)). A threshold seems to exist for OClO detection: OClO was detected on every day when the potential vorticity at the 475 K level of potential temperature was higher than 35 x 10(exp -6)Km(exp 2)kg(exp -1)s(exp -1). NO2 vertical columns lower than 1 x 10(exp 15) molec/sq cm were frequently observed in both winters.

Possible GRB Observation with the MAGIC Telescope

Science.gov (United States)

Bastieri, D.; Bigongiari, C.; Mariotti, M.; Peruzzo, L.; Saggion, A.

2001-08-01

The MAGIC Telescope, with its reflecting parabolic dish of 17 m of diameter and its careful design of a robust, lightweight, alto-azimuthal mount, is an ideal detector for GRB phenomena. The telescope is an air Cherenkov telescope that, even in the first phase, equipped with standard PMTs, can reach an energy threshold below 30 GeV. The threshold is going to drop well below 10 GeV in the envisaged second phase, when chamber PMTs will be substituted by high quantum efficiency APDs. The telescope can promptly respond to GRB alerts coming, for instance, from GCN, and can reposition itself in less than 30 seconds, 20 seconds being the time to turn half a round for the azimuth bearing. In this report, the effective area of the detector as a function of energy and zenith angle is taken into account, in order to evaluate the expected yearly occurrence and the response to different kinds of GRBs.

Oil Slick Observation at Low Incidence Angles in Ku-Band

Science.gov (United States)

Panfilova, M. A.; Karaev, V. Y.; Guo, Jie

2018-03-01

On the 20 April 2010 the oil platform Deep Water Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico suffered an explosion during the final phases of drilling an exploratory well. As a result, an oil film covered the sea surface area of several thousand square kilometers. In the present paper the data of the Ku-band Precipitation Radar, which operates at low incidence angles, were used to explore the oil spill event. The two-scale model of the scattering surface was used to describe radar backscatter from the sea surface. The algorithm for retrieval of normalized radar cross section at nadir and the total slope variance of large-scale waves compared to the wavelength of electromagnetic wave (22 mm) was developed for the Precipitation Radar swath. It is shown that measurements at low incidence angles can be used for oil spill detection. This is the first time that the dependence of mean square slope of large-scale waves on wind speed has been obtained for oil slicks from Ku-band data, and compared to mean square slope obtained by Cox and Munk from optical data.

Effect of stifle angle on the magnitude of the tibial plateau angle measurement in dogs with intact and transected cranial cruciate ligament. A cadaveric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Aulakh, K S; Harper, T A M; Lanz, O I; Daniel, G B; Werre, S R

2011-01-01

To determine the effect of stifle angle on the magnitude of the radiographic tibial plateau angle (TPA) in normal and cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) -deficient stifles. Three pairs of canine cadaver hindlimbs from three skeletally mature dogs were positioned in a custom-made positioning device. A lateral radiograph of each specimen was obtained before and after transection of the CCL at four stifle angles (90°, 110°, 135° and 140-150° [i.e. maximum extension]), based on goniometric measurements. Four observers determined the radiographic TPA twice for each radiograph with a minimum of two days between each measurement. The radiographic TPA measurements in all specimens at different stifle angles with intact CCL and transected CCL were compared with mixed-model ANOVA. The effect of stifle angle, CCL transection, and interaction between the two on observer TPA measurement variability was also determined using the coefficient of variation. Tibial plateau angle was not statistically different in the stifle angles for either the intact or transected CCL. There was also no statistical difference for TPA between intact and transected CCL groups at each of the stifle angles. Stifle angle, CCL transection and interaction between the two did not have any significant effect for intra-observer and inter-observer variation. The angle of the stifle during radiography does not influence the magnitude of the TPA measurement as determined on true lateral radiographs of the stifle and tibia in cadaveric canine limbs.

OBSERVATIONAL SELECTION EFFECTS WITH GROUND-BASED GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTORS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Hsin-Yu; Holz, Daniel E.; Essick, Reed; Vitale, Salvatore; Katsavounidis, Erik

2017-01-01

Ground-based interferometers are not perfect all-sky instruments, and it is important to account for their behavior when considering the distribution of detected events. In particular, the LIGO detectors are most sensitive to sources above North America and the Indian Ocean, and as the Earth rotates, the sensitive regions are swept across the sky. However, because the detectors do not acquire data uniformly over time, there is a net bias on detectable sources’ right ascensions. Both LIGO detectors preferentially collect data during their local night; it is more than twice as likely to be local midnight than noon when both detectors are operating. We discuss these selection effects and how they impact LIGO’s observations and electromagnetic (EM) follow-up. Beyond galactic foregrounds associated with seasonal variations, we find that equatorial observatories can access over 80% of the localization probability, while mid-latitudes will access closer to 70%. Facilities located near the two LIGO sites can observe sources closer to their zenith than their analogs in the south, but the average observation will still be no closer than 44° from zenith. We also find that observatories in Africa or the South Atlantic will wait systematically longer before they can begin observing compared to the rest of the world; though, there is a preference for longitudes near the LIGOs. These effects, along with knowledge of the LIGO antenna pattern, can inform EM follow-up activities and optimization, including the possibility of directing observations even before gravitational-wave events occur.

OBSERVATIONAL SELECTION EFFECTS WITH GROUND-BASED GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DETECTORS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Hsin-Yu; Holz, Daniel E. [University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 (United States); Essick, Reed; Vitale, Salvatore; Katsavounidis, Erik [LIGO, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)

2017-01-20

Ground-based interferometers are not perfect all-sky instruments, and it is important to account for their behavior when considering the distribution of detected events. In particular, the LIGO detectors are most sensitive to sources above North America and the Indian Ocean, and as the Earth rotates, the sensitive regions are swept across the sky. However, because the detectors do not acquire data uniformly over time, there is a net bias on detectable sources’ right ascensions. Both LIGO detectors preferentially collect data during their local night; it is more than twice as likely to be local midnight than noon when both detectors are operating. We discuss these selection effects and how they impact LIGO’s observations and electromagnetic (EM) follow-up. Beyond galactic foregrounds associated with seasonal variations, we find that equatorial observatories can access over 80% of the localization probability, while mid-latitudes will access closer to 70%. Facilities located near the two LIGO sites can observe sources closer to their zenith than their analogs in the south, but the average observation will still be no closer than 44° from zenith. We also find that observatories in Africa or the South Atlantic will wait systematically longer before they can begin observing compared to the rest of the world; though, there is a preference for longitudes near the LIGOs. These effects, along with knowledge of the LIGO antenna pattern, can inform EM follow-up activities and optimization, including the possibility of directing observations even before gravitational-wave events occur.

The development of GPS TroWav tool for atmospheric – terrestrial studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suparta, W

2014-01-01

We have developed an efficient tool to process dual-frequency Global Positioning System (GPS) signals and the surface meteorological data, called the Tropospheric Water Vapor (TroWav) program. TroWav is a stand-alone program to compute atmospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV). The source of the program is developed using Matlab TM and the graphical user interface for the system was developed using a Visual Basic. The algorithms of the program capable to compute satellite elevation angle, Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD), Zenith Hydrostatic Delay (ZHD), Zenith Wet Delay (ZWD) and mapping function. The tool is very practical and useful for sustainable atmospheric management.

Observed and model N(h) profiles for the Bulgarian region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasheva, Ts.; Samardziev, D.

1984-01-01

In this paper, combined bottom- and topside ionospheric N(h)-profiles are presented for the Bulgarian region. The profiles were constructed using ground (ionospheric observatories Sofia and Michurin) and satellite (Interkosmos-19) observations. The observatories make quarter-hourly observations in order to connect bottom and upper parts of the N(h) profile, satellite orbits passing rather near to the observatory (zenith distance less than 100 km) are selected. Thus the time difference between ground station and satellite measurement was never more than 7.5 min

Use of the ARM Measurements of Spectral Zenith Radiance for Better Understanding of 3D Cloud-Radiation Processes & Aerosol-Cloud Interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alexander Marshak; Warren Wiscombe; Yuri Knyazikhin; Christine Chiu

2011-05-24

We proposed a variety of tasks centered on the following question: what can we learn about 3D cloud-radiation processes and aerosol-cloud interaction from rapid-sampling ARM measurements of spectral zenith radiance? These ARM measurements offer spectacular new and largely unexploited capabilities in both the temporal and spectral domains. Unlike most other ARM instruments, which average over many seconds or take samples many seconds apart, the new spectral zenith radiance measurements are fast enough to resolve natural time scales of cloud change and cloud boundaries as well as the transition zone between cloudy and clear areas. In the case of the shortwave spectrometer, the measurements offer high time resolution and high spectral resolution, allowing new discovery-oriented science which we intend to pursue vigorously. Research objectives are, for convenience, grouped under three themes: • Understand radiative signature of the transition zone between cloud-free and cloudy areas using data from ARM shortwave radiometers, which has major climatic consequences in both aerosol direct and indirect effect studies. • Provide cloud property retrievals from the ARM sites and the ARM Mobile Facility for studies of aerosol-cloud interactions. • Assess impact of 3D cloud structures on aerosol properties using passive and active remote sensing techniques from both ARM and satellite measurements.

Electronic structure of C r2AlC as observed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Takahiro; Pinek, Damir; Fujita, Taishi; Nakatake, Masashi; Ideta, Shin-ichiro; Tanaka, Kiyohisa; Ouisse, Thierry

2017-11-01

We investigate the electronic band structure and Fermi surfaces (FSs) of C r2AlC single crystals with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We evidence hole bands centered around the M points and electron bands centered around the Γ point in reciprocal space. Electron and hole bands exhibit an open, tubular structure along the c axis, confirming the quasi-two-dimensional character of this highly anisotropic, nanolamellar compound. Dependence of the photoionization cross sections on beam light polarization and orientation allows us to assess the orbital character of each observed band locally. Despite some differences, density functional theory calculations show a good agreement with experiment.

Extensions to the coupling coefficient calculations for muon telescopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, C.P.; Humble, J.E.; Duldig, M.L.

1989-01-01

The calculation of coupling coefficients for muon telescopes has previously used interpolation from a limited set of asymptotic directions of arrival of primary particles. Furthermore, these calculations have not incorporated curvature of the atmosphere and thus diverge from the true response at zenith angles greater than about 75 degrees. The necessary extensions to calculate coupling coefficients at arbitrary zenith angles are given, including an improved method of incorporating the asymptotic directions of the primary particles. It is shown, using this method, that certain coupling coefficients are highly sensitive to small changes in asymptotic directions for some telescope configurations. 10 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs

Aeronomy report no. 73: analysis of sounding rocket data from Punta Chilca, Peru

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fillinger, R.W. Jr; Mechtly, E.A.; Walton, E.K.

1976-01-01

A technique is described for measuring electron concentrations in the lower portion of the ionosphere above Punta Chilca. A radio-propagation experiment for measuring Faraday rotation is combined with a dc/Langmuir probe experiment for measuring electron current. The results obtained from the analysis of radio and probe data from Nike Apache 14.532, which was launched at 20:26 UT on May 28, 1975, at a solar zenith angle of 60 deg are presented. A comparison of the profiles of electron concentration indicates that the value of the maximum ionization in the D region under quiet conditions is proportional to the square of the cosine of the solar zenith angle

Extensions to the coupling coefficient calculations for muon telescopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, C P; Humble, J E [Tasmania Univ., Sandy Bay (Australia). Dept. of Physics; Duldig, M L [Dept. of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Hobart (Australia). Antarctic Div.

1989-01-01

The calculation of coupling coefficients for muon telescopes has previously used interpolation from a limited set of asymptotic directions of arrival of primary particles. Furthermore, these calculations have not incorporated curvature of the atmosphere and thus diverge from the true response at zenith angles greater than about 75 degrees. The necessary extensions to calculate coupling coefficients at arbitrary zenith angles are given, including an improved method of incorporating the asymptotic directions of the primary particles. It is shown, using this method, that certain coupling coefficients are highly sensitive to small changes in asymptotic directions for some telescope configurations. 10 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.

Thermospheric O/N2 ratio observations obtained over more than four years with the GUVI instrument in the TIMED spacecraft mission

Science.gov (United States)

Craven, J. D.; Christensen, A. B.; Paxton, L. J.; Strickland, D. J.

2006-12-01

GUVI observations of the thermospheric column density ratio, O/N2, in the sunlit hemisphere have been made continuously from about Day 50 of 2002 to the present as part of the TIMED spacecraft mission. From these observations have been created organized databases to be used in the creation of analytic models for this parameter. Undesirable attributes within the GUVI data are being eliminated; sun glint at particular solar orientations and penetrating radiation from the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly. The large-scale basic spatial structure includes variations with local time (greater values before local noon), Universal Time (modulation at high latitudes as the dayside auroral oval varies in solar zenith angle due to the offset magnetic dipole), and season (greater values in the local winter hemisphere). Superposed on this well- behaved background structure are the complex, transient perturbations of auroral substorm and geomagnetic storm driven heating events at the high latitudes. These are more difficult to analyze, but are of great interest, as changes in neutral composition, for example, drive changes in ionospheric electron density. The current state of these efforts is to be presented.

Graphene spin valve: An angle sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iqbal, Muhammad Zahir, E-mail: zahir.upc@gmail.com [Faculty of Engineering Sciences, GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan); Hussain, Ghulam [Faculty of Engineering Sciences, GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan); Siddique, Salma [Department of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul 143-747 (Korea, Republic of); Iqbal, Muhammad Waqas [Department of Physics, Riphah Institute of Computing and Applied Sciences (RICAS), Riphah International University, Lahore (Pakistan)

2017-06-15

Graphene spin valves can be optimized for various spintronic applications by tuning the associated experimental parameters. In this work, we report the angle dependent magnetoresistance (MR) in graphene spin valve for different orientations of applied magnetic field (B). The switching points of spin valve signals show a clear shift towards higher B for each increasing angle of the applied field, thus sensing the response for respective orientation of the magnetic field. The angular variation of B shifts the switching points from ±95 G to ±925 G as the angle is varied from 0° to 90° at 300 K. The observed shifts in switching points become more pronounced (±165 G to ±1450 G) at 4.2 K for similar orientation. A monotonic increase in MR ratio is observed as the angle of magnetic field is varied in the vertical direction at 300 K and 4.2 K temperatures. This variation of B (from 0° to 90°) increases the magnitude of MR ratio from ∼0.08% to ∼0.14% at 300 K, while at 4.2 K it progresses to ∼0.39% from ∼0.14%. The sensitivity related to angular variation of such spin valve structure can be employed for angle sensing applications.

Rapid fluctuations in ionospheric Faraday rotation angle and 4GHz amplitude scintillation observed at Suva, Fiji

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonsanto, M.J.; Northcott, R.L.; Wright, R.W.H.

1987-01-01

Observations are reported of rapid fluctuations in Faraday rotation angle (FRA) recorded at 137MHz and amplitude scintillation at 4 GHz. The observations were made at Suva, Fiji Islands (average ionospheric coordinates 17 0 S, 178 0 E) and cover the period September, 1978 through March, 1983. Monthly occurrence of both the FRA fluctuations and the amplitude scintillation are positively correlated with sunspot number and negatively correlated with Ap and hmF2 at Tahiti. No events were seen in the summer months (November, December, and January) and it is suggested that the south to north neutral wind may be responsible for this. Maximum occurrence of both the 137 MHz FRA fluctuations and the 4 GHz scintillation is in April-May and August-September. The more rapid FRA fluctuations, termed here V-type, occur more often in months when the ambient electron density is larger. Most events occur in the pre-midnight sector, as observed elsewhere. Fewer 4 GHz events are observed at later times in the evening, as compared to the 137 MHz FRA fluctuations

Vegetation Earth System Data Record from DSCOVR EPIC Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Knyazikhin, Y.; Song, W.; Yang, B.; Mottus, M.; Rautiainen, M.; Stenberg, P.

2017-12-01

The NASA's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) onboard NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) mission was launched on February 11, 2015 to the Sun-Earth Lagrangian L1 point where it began to collect radiance data of the entire sunlit Earth every 65 to 110 min in June 2015. It provides imageries in near backscattering directions with the scattering angle between 168° and 176° at ten ultraviolet to near infrared (NIR) narrow spectral bands centered at 317.5 (band width 1.0) nm, 325.0 (2.0) nm, 340.0 (3.0) nm, 388.0 (3.0) nm, 433.0 (3.0) nm, 551.0 (3.0) nm, 680.0 (3.0) nm, 687.8 (0.8) nm, 764.0 (1.0) nm and 779.5 (2.0) nm. This poster presents current status of the Vegetation Earth System Data Record of global Leaf Area Index (LAI), solar zenith angle dependent Sunlit Leaf Area Index (SLAI), Fraction vegetation absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from the DSCOVR EPIC observations. Whereas LAI is a standard product of many satellite missions, the SLAI is a new satellite-derived parameter. Sunlit and shaded leaves exhibit different radiative response to incident Photosynthetically Active Radiation (400-700 nm), which in turn triggers various physiological and physical processes required for the functioning of plants. FPAR, LAI and SLAI are key state parameters in most ecosystem productivity models and carbon/nitrogen cycle. The product at 10 km sinusoidal grid and 65 to 110 min temporal frequency as well as accompanying Quality Assessment (QA) variables will be publicly available from the NASA Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center. The Algorithm Theoretical Basis (ATBD) and product validation strategy are also discussed in this poster.

The resection angle in apical surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

von Arx, Thomas; Janner, Simone F M; Jensen, Simon S

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the present radiographic study was to analyse the resection angle in apical surgery and its correlation with treatment outcome, type of treated tooth, surgical depth and level of root-end filling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the context of a prospective clinical...... study, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were taken before and 1 year after apical surgery to measure the angle of the resection plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the root. Further, the surgical depth (distance from the buccal cortex to the most lingual/palatal point of the resection...... or with the retrofilling length. CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant differences were observed comparing resection angles of different tooth groups. However, the angle had no significant effect on treatment outcome. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Contrary to common belief, the resection angle in maxillary anterior teeth...

Studies of Muons in Extensive Air Showers from Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays Observed with the Telescope Array Surface Detector

Science.gov (United States)

Takeishi, R.; Sagawa, H.; Fukushima, M.; Takeda, M.; Nonaka, T.; Kawata, K.; Kido, E.; Sakurai, N.; Okuda, T.; Ogio, S.; Matthews, J. N.; Stokes, B.

The number of muons in the air shower induced by ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) has been measured with surface detector (SD) arrays of various experiments. Monte Carlo (MC) prediction of the number of muons in air showers depends on hadronic interaction models and the primary cosmic ray composition. By comparing the measured number of muons with the MC prediction, hadronic interaction models can be tested. The Pierre Auger Observatory reported that the number of muons measured by water Cherenkov type SD is about 1.8 times larger than the MC prediction for proton with QGSJET II-03 model. The number of muons in the Auger data is also larger than the MC prediction for iron. The Telescope Array experiment adopts plastic scintillator type SD, which is sensitive to the electromagnetic component that is the major part of secondary particles in the air shower. To search for the high muon purity condition in air showers observed by the TA, we divided air shower events into subsets by the zenith angle θ, the azimuth angle ϕ relative to the shower arrival direction projected onto the ground, and the distance R from shower axis. As a result, we found subsets with the high muon purity 65%, and compared the charge density between observed data and MC. The typical ratios of the charge density of the data to that of the MC are 1.71 ± 0.10 at 1870 m muon purity. These results imply that the excess of the charge density in the data is partly explained by the muon excess.

Experimental Validation of the Invariance of Electrowetting Contact Angle Saturation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chevalliot, S.; Dhindsa, M.; Kuiper, S.; Heikenfeld, J.

2011-01-01

Basic electrowetting theory predicts that a continued increase in applied voltage will allow contact angle modulation to zero degrees. In practice, the effect of contact angle saturation has always been observed to limit the contact angle modulation, often only down to a contact angle of 60 to 70°.

A model for atmospheric brightness temperatures observed by the special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I)

Science.gov (United States)

Petty, Grant W.; Katsaros, Kristina B.

1989-01-01

A closed-form mathematical model for the atmospheric contribution to microwave the absorption and emission at the SSM/I frequencies is developed in order to improve quantitative interpretation of microwave imagery from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I). The model is intended to accurately predict upwelling and downwelling atmospheric brightness temperatures at SSM/I frequencies, as functions of eight input parameters: the zenith (nadir) angle, the integrated water vapor and vapor scale height, the integrated cloud water and cloud height, the effective surface temperature, atmospheric lapse rate, and surface pressure. It is shown that the model accurately reproduces clear-sky brightness temperatures computed by explicit integration of a large number of radiosonde soundings representing all maritime climate zones and seasons.

Pitch Angle Dependence of Drift Resonant Ions Observed by the Van Allen Probes

Science.gov (United States)

Rankin, R.; Wang, C.; Wang, Y.; Zong, Q. G.; Zhou, X.

2017-12-01

Acceleration and modulation of ring current ions by poloidal mode ULF waves is investigated. A simplified MHD model of ULF waves in a dipole magnetic field is presented that includes phase mixing to perpendicular scales determined by the ionospheric Pedersen conductivity. The wave model is combined with a full Lorentz force test particle code to study drift and drift bounce resonance wave-particle interactions. Ion trajectories are traced backward-in-time to an assumed form of the distribution function, and Liouville's method is used to reconstruct the phase space density response (PSD) poloidal mode waves observed by the Van Allen Probes. In spite of its apparent simplicity, simulations using the wave and test particle models are able to explain the acceleration of ions and energy dispersion observed by the Van Allen Probes. The paper focuses on the pitch angle evolution of the initial PSD as it responds to the action of ULF waves. An interesting aspect of the study is the formation of butterfly ion distributions as ions make periodic radial oscillations across L. Ions become trapped in an effective potential well across a limited range of L and follow trajectories that cause them to surf along constant phase fronts. The impications of this new trapping mechanism for both ions and electrons is discussed.

Air pressure-induced iridocornea contact in a patient with primary angle closure observed with a dynamic Scheimpflug analyzer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawashima, Rumi; Matsushita, Kenji; Fujimoto, Hisataka; Maeda, Naoyuki; Nishida, Kohji

2015-01-01

To report air pressure-induced corneal deformation and iridocornea contact in eyes with primary angle closure (PAC) during intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement performed using a novel noncontact tonometer. A single case report. We report a patient with bilateral angle closure. One eye had acute PAC and the other had PAC. The latter was evaluated by the movements of the cornea and iris during IOP measurement using a noncontact tonometer. During the examination, the corneal endothelium and the iris came into contact at the mid-peripheral pupillary area in the left eye with PAC during the corneal reaction to an air puff. In contrast, the corneal endothelium in the pupillary area did not come into contact with the iris. Although we observed only 1 case and there could be limitations in its interpretation, IOP measurements using a noncontact tonometer may create mechanical stress on the corneal endothelium in eyes with PAC with a very shallow anterior chamber.

Bulk electronic state of high-Tc cuprate La2-xSrxCuO4 observed by high-energy angle integrated and resolved photoemission spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasai, S.; Sekiyama, A.; Tsunekawa, M.; Ernst, P.T.; Shigemoto, A.; Yamasaki, A.; Irizawa, A.; Imada, S.; Sing, M.; Muro, T.; Sasagawa, T.; Takagi, H.; Suga, S.

2005-01-01

The high-energy core-level photoemission spectroscopy (PES) and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements have been performed for La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 (LSCO). Polar-angle dependence of the Cu 2p core-level PES has revealed a discrepancy between bulk and surface. We have observed by the high-energy ARPES that the Fermi surface of LSCO with x=0.16 is electron-like, in contrast to previous low-energy ARPES results

Downward surface flux computations in a vertically inhomogeneous grey planetary atmosphere Cálculo do fluxo radiativo superficial em uma atmosfera planetária cinza e verticalmente não-homogênea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Pimenta de Abreu

2008-03-01

Full Text Available We describe an efficient computational scheme for downward surface flux computations in a vertically inhomogeneous grey planetary atmosphere for different values of solar zenith angle. We start with the basic equations of a recently developed discrete ordinates spectral nodal method, and we derive suitable bidirectional functions whose diffuse components do not depend on the solar zenith angle. We then make use of these bidirectional functions to construct an efficient scheme for computing the downward surface fluxes in a given model atmosphere for a number of solar zenith angles. We illustrate the merit of the computational scheme described here with downward surface flux computations in a three-layer grey model atmosphere for four values of solar zenith angle, and we conclude this article with general remarks and directions for future work.Este artigo descreve um esquema computacional baseado em desenvolvimentos recentes do método espectro-nodal de ordenadas discretas para o cálculo eficiente do fluxo radiativo superficial em uma atmosfera planetária cinza e verticalmente não-homogênea para valores distintos do ângulo zenital solar. A partir das equações básicas do método espectro-nodal de ordenadas discretas, são obtidas funções bidirecionais discretas cujas componentes difusas não dependem do ângulo zenital solar. Com essas funções bidirecionais discretas, é construído um esquema computacional para calcular eficientemente fluxos radiativos superficiais em uma dada atmosfera-modelo para vários ângulos zenitais solares. O mérito computacional do esquema resultante é ilustrado com resultados numéricos para os fluxos radiativos superficiais em uma atmosfera-modelo cinza com três camadas para quatro valores distintos do ângulo zenital solar. Este artigo é finalizado com observações gerais e indicações de trabalhos futuros.

Long-lived staus from cosmic rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahlers, M.; Illana, J.I.; Masip, M.

2007-05-01

The collision of a high energy cosmic ray with a nucleon in the upper atmosphere could produce long-lived heavy particles. Such particles would be very penetrating, since the energy loss in matter scales as the inverse mass, and could reach a neutrino telescope like IceCube from large zenith angles. Here we study this possibility and focus on the long-lived stau of SUSY models with a gravitino LSP. The signal would be a pair of muon-like parallel tracks separated by 50 meters along the detector. We evaluate the background of muon pairs and show that any events from zenith angles above 80. could be explained by the production of these heavy particles by cosmic rays. (orig.)

Cosmic-ray muons as a calibration source for high-energy gamma-ray detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thoerngren Engblom, P.

1990-09-01

In this paper a measurement of the directional distribution of cosmic-ray muons, at the latitude of Stockholm, is reported. In fitting the measured flux to a simple analytical expression, the distribution was found to be symmetric around a line approximately to the northwest at 4.2±0.7 degrees from zenith. The east-west asymmetry amounted to a difference in the total intensity of 20±4% at the zenith angle of 45 degrees. The spectra of energies deposited by the muons in a BGO-detector orientated at different angles, are obtained through a Monte Carlo-simulation, where the muon distribution is used as a weight function for sampling muons in different directions. (author)

Long-lived staus from cosmic rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahlers, M. [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Illana, J.I.; Masip, M. [Granada Univ. (Spain). CAFPE y Dept. de Fisica Teorica y del Cosmos; Meloni, D. [Univ. degli Studi di Roma La Spienza (Italy). Dipt. di Fisica; INFN, Roma (Italy)

2007-05-15

The collision of a high energy cosmic ray with a nucleon in the upper atmosphere could produce long-lived heavy particles. Such particles would be very penetrating, since the energy loss in matter scales as the inverse mass, and could reach a neutrino telescope like IceCube from large zenith angles. Here we study this possibility and focus on the long-lived stau of SUSY models with a gravitino LSP. The signal would be a pair of muon-like parallel tracks separated by 50 meters along the detector. We evaluate the background of muon pairs and show that any events from zenith angles above 80. could be explained by the production of these heavy particles by cosmic rays. (orig.)

Exact Rayleigh scattering calculations for use with the Nimbus-7 Coastal Zone Color Scanner

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Howard R.; Brown, James W.; Evans, Robert H.

1988-01-01

The radiance reflected from a plane-parallel atmosphere and flat sea surface in the absence of aerosols has been determined with an exact multiple scattering code to improve the analysis of Nimbus-7 CZCS imagery. It is shown that the single scattering approximation normally used to compute this radiance can result in errors of up to 5 percent for small and moderate solar zenith angles. A scheme to include the effect of variations in the surface pressure in the exact computation of the Rayleigh radiance is discussed. The results of an application of these computations to CZCS imagery suggest that accurate atmospheric corrections can be obtained for solar zenith angles at least as large as 65 deg.

Reliability of Two Smartphone Applications for Radiographic Measurements of Hallux Valgus Angles.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattos E Dinato, Mauro Cesar; Freitas, Marcio de Faria; Milano, Cristiano; Valloto, Elcio; Ninomiya, André Felipe; Pagnano, Rodrigo Gonçalves

The objective of the present study was to assess the reliability of 2 smartphone applications compared with the traditional goniometer technique for measurement of radiographic angles in hallux valgus and the time required for analysis with the different methods. The radiographs of 31 patients (52 feet) with a diagnosis of hallux valgus were analyzed. Four observers, 2 with >10 years' experience in foot and ankle surgery and 2 in-training surgeons, measured the hallux valgus angle and intermetatarsal angle using a manual goniometer technique and 2 smartphone applications (Hallux Angles and iPinPoint). The interobserver and intermethod reliability were estimated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and the time required for measurement of the angles among the 3 methods was compared using the Friedman test. A very good or good interobserver reliability was found among the 4 observers measuring the hallux valgus angle and intermetatarsal angle using the goniometer (ICC 0.913 and 0.821, respectively) and iPinPoint (ICC 0.866 and 0.638, respectively). Using the Hallux Angles application, a very good interobserver reliability was found for measurements of the hallux valgus angle (ICC 0.962) and intermetatarsal angle (ICC 0.935) only among the more experienced observers. The time required for the measurements was significantly shorter for the measurements using both smartphone applications compared with the goniometer method. One smartphone application (iPinPoint) was reliable for measurements of the hallux valgus angles by either experienced or nonexperienced observers. The use of these tools might save time in the evaluation of radiographic angles in the hallux valgus. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temporal influences on satellite retrieval of cyanobacteria bloom: an examination in Lake Taihu, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue; Liu, Yuanbo; Ruan, Renzong; Zhao, Dongbo

2009-10-01

Satellite imagery provides a cost-effective way to retrieve the cyanbacteria bloom dynamics, which is useful to early warning of the blooms. However, temporal variations in sun-target-satellite geometry and atmosphere may generate inconsistencies in multi-temporal images. To explore to what extent temporal influences could affect the retrieved results, we applied the single band and the band ratio approaches to retrieve cyanobacteria bloom in Lake Taihu of China. We used the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products in the cases with and without correction for sun-target-satellite geometry and atmospheric effects for the whole year 2006. In addition, we made use of MODIS data including aerosol optical thickness (AOT), solar zenith angle and sensor zenith angle, all of which are indicators of the temporal influences. We then analyzed the relationships of retrieval differences with the three indicators to evaluate the temporal influences quantitatively. Our results showed that both AOT and solar zenith angle had a positive correlation with the retrieval of cyanobacteria bloom. Although it is yet under investigation if this relationship could hold on for other cases, here we emphasized that for reliable monitoring the dynamics of bloom, it should be careful to apply the approaches using satellite data without radiometric correction.

ESTIMATING LONG GRB JET OPENING ANGLES AND REST-FRAME ENERGETICS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldstein, Adam [Space Science Office, VP62, NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Connaughton, Valerie [Science and Technology Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Huntsville, AL 35805 (United States); Briggs, Michael S.; Burns, Eric, E-mail: adam.m.goldstein@nasa.gov [Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States)

2016-02-10

We present a method to estimate the jet opening angles of long duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) using the prompt gamma-ray energetics and an inversion of the Ghirlanda relation, which is a correlation between the time-integrated peak energy of the GRB prompt spectrum and the collimation-corrected energy in gamma-rays. The derived jet opening angles using this method and detailed assumptions match well with the corresponding inferred jet opening angles obtained when a break in the afterglow is observed. Furthermore, using a model of the predicted long GRB redshift probability distribution observable by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM), we estimate the probability distributions for the jet opening angle and rest-frame energetics for a large sample of GBM GRBs for which the redshifts have not been observed. Previous studies have only used a handful of GRBs to estimate these properties due to the paucity of observed afterglow jet breaks, spectroscopic redshifts, and comprehensive prompt gamma-ray observations, and we potentially expand the number of GRBs that can be used in this analysis by more than an order of magnitude. In this analysis, we also present an inferred distribution of jet breaks which indicates that a large fraction of jet breaks are not observable with current instrumentation and observing strategies. We present simple parameterizations for the jet angle, energetics, and jet break distributions so that they may be used in future studies.

EAS fluctuation approach to primary mass composition investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stamenov, J.N.; Janminchev, V.D.

1985-01-01

The analysis of muon and electron fluctuation distribution shapes by statistical method of inverse problem solution gives the possibility to obtain the relative contribution values of the five main primary nuclei groups. The method is model-independent for a big class of interaction models and can give good results for observation levels not too far from the development maximum and for the selection of showers with fixed sizes and zenith angles not bigger than 30 deg

A gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Karakaya, Mahmut; Yoldash, Rashiduddin; Boehnen, Christopher

2015-05-01

It has been proven that hamming distance score between frontal and off-angle iris images of same eye differs in iris recognition system. The distinction of hamming distance score is caused by many factors such as image acquisition angle, occlusion, pupil dilation, and limbus effect. In this paper, we first study the effect of the angle variations between iris plane and the image acquisition systems. We present how hamming distance changes for different off-angle iris images even if they are coming from the same iris. We observe that increment in acquisition angle of compared iris images causes the increment in hamming distance. Second, we propose a new technique in off-angle iris recognition system that includes creating a gallery of different off-angle iris images (such as, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 degrees) and comparing each probe image with these gallery images. We will show the accuracy of the gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition.

Study of the anticorrelations between ozone and UV-B radiation using linear and exponential fits in Southern Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Guarnieri, R.; Padilha, L.; Guarnieri, F.; Echer, E.; Makita, K.; Pinheiro, D.; Schuch, A.; Boeira, L.; Schuch, N.

Ultraviolet radiation type B (UV-B 280-315nm) is well known by its damage to life on Earth, including the possibility of causing skin cancer in humans. However, the atmo- spheric ozone has absorption bands in this spectral radiation, reducing its incidence on Earth's surface. Therefore, the ozone amount is one of the parameters, besides clouds, aerosols, solar zenith angles, altitude, albedo, that determine the UV-B radia- tion intensity reaching the Earth's surface. The total ozone column, in Dobson Units, determined by TOMS spectrometer on board of a NASA satellite, and UV-B radiation measurements obtained by a UV-B radiometer model MS-210W (Eko Instruments) were correlated. The measurements were obtained at the Observatório Espacial do Sul - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (OES/CRSPE/INPE-MCT) coordinates: Lat. 29.44oS, Long. 53.82oW. The correlations were made using UV-B measurements in fixed solar zenith angles and only days with clear sky were selected in a period from July 1999 to December 2001. Moreover, the mathematic behavior of correlation in dif- ferent angles was observed, and correlation coefficients were determined by linear and first order exponential fits. In both fits, high correlation coefficients values were ob- tained, and the difference between linear and exponential fit can be considered small.

Interferometer angle-of-arrival determination using precalculated phases

Science.gov (United States)

Younger, J. P.; Reid, I. M.

2017-09-01

A method has been developed to determine the angle of arrival (AoA) of incident radiation using precomputed lookup tables. The phase difference between two receiving antennas can be used to infer AoA as measured from the pair baseline, but there will be more than one possible solution for antenna spacings greater than or equal to half a wavelength. Larger spacings are preferable to minimize mutual coupling of elements in the receive array and to decrease the relative uncertainty in measured phase difference. We present a solution that uses all unique antenna pairs to determine probabilities for all possible azimuth and zenith values. Prior to analysis, the expected phase differences for all AoAs are calculated for each antenna pair. For a received signal, histograms of possible AoAs for each antenna pair phase difference are extracted and added to produce a two-dimensional probability density array that will maximize at the true value of the AoA. A benefit of this method is that all possible antenna pairs are utilized rather than the restriction to specific pairs along baselines used by some interferometer algorithms. Numerical simulations indicate that performance of the suggested algorithm exceeds that of existing methods, with the benefit of additional flexibility in antenna placement. Meteor radar data have been used to test this method against existing methods, with excellent agreement between the two approaches. This method of AoA determination will allow the construction of low-cost interferometric direction finding arrays with different layouts, including construction of difficult terrain and three-dimensional antenna arrangements.

Kalman Filtering and Smoothing of the Van Allen Probes Observations to Estimate the Radial, Energy and Pitch Angle Diffusion Rates

Science.gov (United States)

Podladchikova, T.; Shprits, Y.; Kellerman, A. C.

2015-12-01

The Kalman filter technique combines the strengths of new physical models of the Earth's radiation belts with long-term spacecraft observations of electron fluxes and therefore provide an extremely useful method for the analysis of the state and evolution of the electron radiation belts. However, to get the reliable data assimilation output, the Kalman filter application is confronted with a set of fundamental problems. E.g., satellite measurements are usually limited to a single location in space, which confines the reconstruction of the global evolution of the radiation environment. The uncertainties arise from the imperfect description of the process dynamics and the presence of observation errors, which may cause the failure of data assimilation solution. The development of adaptive Kalman filter that combines the Van Allen Probes data and 3-D VERB code, its accurate customizations in the reconstruction of model describing the phase space density (PSD) evolution, extension of the possibilities to use measurement information, and the model adjustment by developing the identification techniques of model and measurement errors allowed us to reveal hidden and implicit regularities of the PSD dynamics and obtain quantitative and qualitative estimates of radial, energy and pitch angle diffusion characteristics from satellite observations. In this study we propose an approach to estimate radial, energy and pitch angle diffusion rates, as well as the direction of their propagation.

Contact angle distribution of particles at fluid interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Snoeyink, Craig; Barman, Sourav; Christopher, Gordon F

2015-01-27

Recent measurements have implied a distribution of interfacially adsorbed particles' contact angles; however, it has been impossible to measure statistically significant numbers for these contact angles noninvasively in situ. Using a new microscopy method that allows nanometer-scale resolution of particle's 3D positions on an interface, we have measured the contact angles for thousands of latex particles at an oil/water interface. Furthermore, these measurements are dynamic, allowing the observation of the particle contact angle with high temporal resolution, resulting in hundreds of thousands of individual contact angle measurements. The contact angle has been found to fit a normal distribution with a standard deviation of 19.3°, which is much larger than previously recorded. Furthermore, the technique used allows the effect of measurement error, constrained interfacial diffusion, and particle property variation on the contact angle distribution to be individually evaluated. Because of the ability to measure the contact angle noninvasively, the results provide previously unobtainable, unique data on the dynamics and distribution of the adsorbed particles' contact angle.

Use of EyeCam for imaging the anterior chamber angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Perera, Shamira A; Baskaran, Mani; Friedman, David S; Tun, Tin A; Htoon, Hla M; Kumar, Rajesh S; Aung, Tin

2010-06-01

To compare EyeCam (Clarity Medical Systems, Pleasanton, CA) imaging with gonioscopy for detecting angle closure. In this prospective, hospital-based study, subjects underwent gonioscopy by a single observer and EyeCam imaging by a different operator. EyeCam images were graded by two masked observers. The anterior chamber angle in a quadrant was classified as closed if the trabecular meshwork could not be seen. The eye was classified as having angle closure if two or more quadrants were closed. One hundred fifty-two subjects were studied. The mean age was 57.4 years (SD 12.9) and there were 82 (54%) men. Of the 152 eyes, 21 (13.8%) had angle closure. The EyeCam provided clear images of the angles in 98.8% of subjects. The agreement between the EyeCam and gonioscopy for detecting angle closure in the superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal quadrants based on agreement coefficient (AC1) statistics was 0.73, 0.75, 0.76, and 0.72, respectively. EyeCam detected more closed angles than did gonioscopy in all quadrants (P gonioscopy, 21/152 (13.8%) eyes were diagnosed as angle closure compared to 41 (27.0%) of 152 with EyeCam (P gonioscopy for detecting angle closure. However, it detected more closed angles than did gonioscopy in all quadrants.

Total electron count variability and stratospheric ozone effects on solar backscatter and LWIR emissions

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-10

heating occur. This method is achieved though measuring the intensity ratio of sky- scattered sunlight at a pair of UV wavelengths at solar zenith angles...cause impacts to direct-sun, UV, and zenith measurements . OOB light can affect the low intensity spectrum of solar light, which is not fully removed by...several key spectral properties that are pertinent to its measurement . Ozone is greenhouse gas that plays a primary role in the absorption of solar UV

The impact of insonation angle on four-chamber view image quality: an observational study on 2866 routine scans.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaudi, Suha; Fries, Nicolas; Tezenas du Montcel, Sophie; Dommergues, Marc

2015-04-01

To determine insonation angles achieved in routine screening practice and their impact on image quality. Prospective cross-sectional observational survey of 2866 four-chamber views produced by 287 senor ultrasonographers, from unselected routine second-trimester screening scans. Images were scored from 0 to 5 according to whether two atria, two ventricles, the heart crux, the apex, and the descending aorta were seen. Images were considered adequate if two atria, two ventricles, and the heart crux were seen. The insonation angle was classified as apical, basal, or lateral according to the orientation of the fetal heart to the ultrasound beam. There were 1612 (56.3%) apical, 869 (30.3%) basal, and 385 (13.4%) lateral views. The mean score and the rate of adequate images were significantly greater in the apical group (4.56 and 81.8%) than in the basal group (4.19 and 71.1 %) and were significantly greater in the basal group than in the lateral one (3.6 and 30.9%), p John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The challenge of observation on livings things by employing an ultra small-angle neutron scattering method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koizumi, Satoshi; Motokawa, Ryuhei; Iwase, Hiroki; Miyamoto, Nobuyoshi; Tanaka, Kazuhiro; Masui, Tomomi; Iida, You; Yue, Zhao; Chiba, Kaori; Kumada, Takayuki; Yamaguchi, Daisuke; Hashimoto, Takeji

2007-01-01

To address the question as to how small-angle scattering is effectively applied to the cell, i.e., a hierarchically ordered system comprising multi-components of macro and small molecules, the size of which ranges from 100 μm to several μm, we reconstructed SANS-J (pinhole small-angle neutron scattering spectrometer at research reactor JRR3, Tokai) to focusing and polarized neutron small-angle spectrometer (SANS-J-II), by employing focusing neutron lenses and high resolution photomultiplier. Consequently, an accessible minimum wave number q min was improved from 3x10 -3 A -1 to medium ultra-small angle scattering of 3x10 -4 A -1 . The focusing USANS method, thus developed, is crucial to fill the gap in wave number q between those covered by a double crystal method and by a conventional pin-hole method. (author)

Equilibrium contact angle or the most-stable contact angle?

Science.gov (United States)

Montes Ruiz-Cabello, F J; Rodríguez-Valverde, M A; Cabrerizo-Vílchez, M A

2014-04-01

It is well-established that the equilibrium contact angle in a thermodynamic framework is an "unattainable" contact angle. Instead, the most-stable contact angle obtained from mechanical stimuli of the system is indeed experimentally accessible. Monitoring the susceptibility of a sessile drop to a mechanical stimulus enables to identify the most stable drop configuration within the practical range of contact angle hysteresis. Two different stimuli may be used with sessile drops: mechanical vibration and tilting. The most stable drop against vibration should reveal the changeless contact angle but against the gravity force, it should reveal the highest resistance to slide down. After the corresponding mechanical stimulus, once the excited drop configuration is examined, the focus will be on the contact angle of the initial drop configuration. This methodology needs to map significantly the static drop configurations with different stable contact angles. The most-stable contact angle, together with the advancing and receding contact angles, completes the description of physically realizable configurations of a solid-liquid system. Since the most-stable contact angle is energetically significant, it may be used in the Wenzel, Cassie or Cassie-Baxter equations accordingly or for the surface energy evaluation. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Angle-selective all-dielectric Huygens’ metasurfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Arslan, D.; Chong, K. E.; Miroshnichenko, A. E.; Choi, D.-Y.; Neshev, D. N.; Pertsch, T.; Kivshar, Y. S.; Staude, I.

2017-11-01

We experimentally and numerically study the angularly resolved transmission properties of dielectric metasurfaces consisting of silicon nanodisks which support electric and magnetic dipolar Mie-type resonances in the near-infrared spectral range. First, we concentrate on Huygens’ metasurfaces which are characterised by a spectral overlap of the fundamental electric and magnetic dipole resonances of the silicon nanodisks at normal incidence. Huygens’ metasurfaces exhibit a high transmitted intensity over the spectral width of the resonances due to impedance matching, while the transmitted phase shows a variation of 2π as the wavelength is swept across the width of the resonances. We observe that the transmittance of the Huygens’ metasurfaces depends on the incidence angle and is sensitive to polarisation for non-normal incidence. As the incidence angle is increased starting from normal incidence, the two dipole resonances are shifted out of the spectral overlap and the resonant features appear as pronounced transmittance minima. Next, we consider a metasurface with an increased nanodisk radius as compared to the Huygens’ metasurface, which supports spectrally separate electric and magnetic dipole resonances at normal incidence. We show that for TM polarisation, we can shift the resonances of this metasurface into spectral overlap and regain the high resonant transmittance characteristic of Huygens’ metasurfaces at a particular incidence angle. Furthermore, both metasurfaces are demonstrated to reject all TM polarised light incident under angles other than the design overlap angle at their respective operation frequency. Our experimental observations are in good qualitative agreement with numerical calculations.

Longitudinal changes of angle configuration in primary angle-closure suspects: the Zhongshan Angle-Closure Prevention Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yuzhen; Chang, Dolly S; Zhu, Haogang; Khawaja, Anthony P; Aung, Tin; Huang, Shengsong; Chen, Qianyun; Munoz, Beatriz; Grossi, Carlota M; He, Mingguang; Friedman, David S; Foster, Paul J

2014-09-01

To determine longitudinal changes in angle configuration in the eyes of primary angle-closure suspects (PACS) treated by laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) and in untreated fellow eyes. Longitudinal cohort study. Primary angle-closure suspects aged 50 to 70 years were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Each participant was treated by LPI in 1 randomly selected eye, with the fellow eye serving as a control. Angle width was assessed in a masked fashion using gonioscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months after LPI. Angle width in degrees was calculated from Shaffer grades assessed under static gonioscopy. Angle configuration was also evaluated using angle opening distance (AOD250, AOD500, AOD750), trabecular-iris space area (TISA500, TISA750), and angle recess area (ARA) measured in AS-OCT images. No significant difference was found in baseline measures of angle configuration between treated and untreated eyes. At 2 weeks after LPI, the drainage angle on gonioscopy widened from a mean of 13.5° at baseline to a mean of 25.7° in treated eyes, which was also confirmed by significant increases in all AS-OCT angle width measures (Pgonioscopy (P = 0.18), AOD250 (P = 0.167) and ARA (P = 0.83). In untreated eyes, angle width consistently decreased across all follow-up visits after LPI, with a more rapid longitudinal decrease compared with treated eyes (P values for all variables ≤0.003). The annual rate of change in angle width was equivalent to 1.2°/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8-1.6) in treated eyes and 1.6°/year (95% CI, 1.3-2.0) in untreated eyes (P<0.001). Angle width of treated eyes increased markedly after LPI, remained stable for 6 months, and then decreased significantly by 18 months after LPI. Untreated eyes experienced a more consistent and rapid decrease in angle width over the same time period. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by

The influence of flip angle on the magic angle effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zurlo, J.V.; Blacksin, M.F.; Karimi, S.

2000-01-01

Objective. To assess the impact of flip angle with gradient sequences on the ''magic angle effect''. We characterized the magic angle effect in various gradient echo sequences and compared the signal- to-noise ratios present on these sequences with the signal-to-noise ratios of spin echo sequences.Design. Ten normal healthy volunteers were positioned such that the flexor hallucis longus tendon remained at approximately at 55 to the main magnetic field (the magic angle). The tendon was imaged by a conventional spin echo T1- and T2-weighted techniques and by a series of gradient techniques. Gradient sequences were altered by both TE and flip angle. Signal-to-noise measurements were obtained at segments of the flexor hallucis longus tendon demonstrating the magic angle effect to quantify the artifact. Signal-to-noise measurements were compared and statistical analysis performed. Similar measurements were taken of the anterior tibialis tendon as an internal control.Results and conclusions. We demonstrated the magic angle effect on all the gradient sequences. The intensity of the artifact was affected by both the TE and flip angle. Low TE values and a high flip angle demonstrated the greatest magic angle effect. At TE values less than 30 ms, a high flip angle will markedly increase the magic angle effect. (orig.)

Deriving seasonal dynamics in ecosystem properties of semi-arid savanna grasslands from in situ-based hyperspectral reflectance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tagesson, Håkan Torbern; Fensholt, Rasmus; Huber, S.

2015-01-01

strongly affected by solar zenith angles and sensor viewing geometry, as were many combinations of visible wavelengths. This study provides analyses based upon novel multi-angular hyperspectral data for validation of Earth-observation-based properties of semi-arid ecosystems, as well as insights...... between normalised difference spectral indices (NDSIs) and the measured ecosystem properties. Finally, the effects of variable sun sensor viewing geometry on different NDSI wavelength combinations were analysed. The wavelengths with the strongest correlation to seasonal dynamics in ecosystem properties...

Operations Charioteer, Musketeer, Touchstone, Cornerstone, Aqueduct, Sculpin and Julin. Tests Mill Yard, Diamond Beech, Mighty Oak, Middle Note Mission Ghost, Mission Cyber, Misty Echo, Disko Elm, Mineral Quarry, Distant Zenith, Diamond Fortune, and Hunters Trophy

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Schoengold, Carole

1999-01-01

...; Tests MILL YARD, DIAMOND BEECH, MIGHTY OAK, MIDDLE NOTE, MISSION GHOST, MISSION CYBER, MISTY ECHO, DISKO ELM, MINERAL QUARRY, DISTANT ZENITH, DIAMOND FORTUNE, and HUNTERS TROPHY, 9 October 1985 to 18 September 1992...

Carpal angles as measured on CT and MRI: can we simply translate radiographic measurements?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Stephanie; Ghumman, Simranjit S.; Moser, Thomas P. [Hopital Notre-Dame (CHUM), Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier de l' Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC (Canada); Ladouceur, Martin [Research Center CHUM, Montreal, QC (Canada)

2014-12-15

To determine the reliability of carpal angles measured on CT and MRI compared to radiography and assess if these measurements are interchangeable. Our institutional ethic research committee approved this study. For this retrospective study, two independent observers measured the scapholunate (SL), capitolunate (CL), radiolunate (RL), and radioscaphoid (RS) angles on 21 sets of exams, with each set including a radiograph, CT, and MRI of the same wrist. Inter- and intra-observer agreements were evaluated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Linear mixed models and two-way contingency tables were used to determine if the angles measured on cross-sectional modalities were significantly different from those obtained on radiography. Inter-observer agreement was strong (ICC >0.8) for all angles, except for the RL angle measured on MRI (ICC 0.68). Intra-observer agreement was also strong for all angles, except for the CL angle measured on CT (ICC 0.66). SL angles measured on CT and MRI were not statistically different from those measured on radiographs (p = 0.37 and 0.36, respectively), unlike CL, RL, and RS angles (p < 0.05). Accuracy between modalities varied between 76 and 86 % for the SL angle and ranged between 43 and 76 % for the other angles. CL, RL, and RS angles showed large intermodality variability. Therefore, their measurements on CT or MRI could potentially lead to miscategorization. Conversely, our data showing no significant difference between modalities, SL angle could be measured on CT and MRI to assess wrist instability with a lower risk of error. (orig.)

REFLECTANCE CALIBRATION SCHEME FOR AIRBORNE FRAME CAMERA IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Beisl

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The image quality of photogrammetric images is influenced by various effects from outside the camera. One effect is the scattered light from the atmosphere that lowers contrast in the images and creates a colour shift towards the blue. Another is the changing illumination during the day which results in changing image brightness within an image block. In addition, there is the so-called bidirectional reflectance of the ground (BRDF effects that is giving rise to a view and sun angle dependent brightness gradient in the image itself. To correct for the first two effects an atmospheric correction with reflectance calibration is chosen. The effects have been corrected successfully for ADS linescan sensor data by using a parametrization of the atmospheric quantities. Following Kaufman et al. the actual atmospheric condition is estimated by the brightness of a dark pixel taken from the image. The BRDF effects are corrected using a semi-empirical modelling of the brightness gradient. Both methods are now extended to frame cameras. Linescan sensors have a viewing geometry that is only dependent from the cross track view zenith angle. The difference for frame cameras now is to include the extra dimension of the view azimuth into the modelling. Since both the atmospheric correction and the BRDF correction require a model inversion with the help of image data, a different image sampling strategy is necessary which includes the azimuth angle dependence. For the atmospheric correction a sixth variable is added to the existing five variables visibility, view zenith angle, sun zenith angle, ground altitude, and flight altitude – thus multiplying the number of modelling input combinations for the offline-inversion. The parametrization has to reflect the view azimuth angle dependence. The BRDF model already contains the view azimuth dependence and is combined with a new sampling strategy.

Anterior chamber angle assessment using gonioscopy and ultrasound biomicroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanaswamy, Arun; Vijaya, Lingam; Shantha, B; Baskaran, Mani; Sathidevi, A V; Baluswamy, Sukumar

2004-01-01

Comparison of anterior chamber angle measurements using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and gonioscopy. Five hundred subjects were evaluated for grading of angle width by the Shaffer method. UBM was done in the same group to document angle width, angle opening distance (AOD 500), and anterior chamber depth. Biometric parameters were documented in all subjects. UBM and gonioscopic findings were compared. A study was conducted in 282 men and 218 women with a mean age of 57.32 +/- 12.48 years. Gonioscopic grading was used to segregate occludable (slit-like, grades 1 and 2) from nonoccludable (grades 3 and 4) angles. Subjective assessment by gonioscopy resulted in an overestimation of angle width within the occludable group when compared with values obtained by UBM. This did not affect the segregation of occludable versus nonoccludable angles by gonioscopy. Biometric parameters in eyes with occludable angles were significantly lower in comparison with eyes with nonoccludable angles, except for lens thickness. AOD 500 correlated well with angle width. We concluded that clinical segregation into occludable and nonoccludable angles by an experienced observer using gonioscopy is fairly accurate. However, UBM is required for objective quantification of angles, and AOD 500 can be a reliable and standard parameter to grade angle width.

Scientific data products and the data pre-processing subsystem of the Chang'e-3 mission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan Xu; Liu Jian-Jun; Li Chun-Lai; Feng Jian-Qing; Ren Xin; Wang Fen-Fei; Yan Wei; Zuo Wei; Wang Xiao-Qian; Zhang Zhou-Bin

2014-01-01

The Chang'e-3 (CE-3) mission is China's first exploration mission on the surface of the Moon that uses a lander and a rover. Eight instruments that form the scientific payloads have the following objectives: (1) investigate the morphological features and geological structures at the landing site; (2) integrated in-situ analysis of minerals and chemical compositions; (3) integrated exploration of the structure of the lunar interior; (4) exploration of the lunar-terrestrial space environment, lunar surface environment and acquire Moon-based ultraviolet astronomical observations. The Ground Research and Application System (GRAS) is in charge of data acquisition and pre-processing, management of the payload in orbit, and managing the data products and their applications. The Data Pre-processing Subsystem (DPS) is a part of GRAS. The task of DPS is the pre-processing of raw data from the eight instruments that are part of CE-3, including channel processing, unpacking, package sorting, calibration and correction, identification of geographical location, calculation of probe azimuth angle, probe zenith angle, solar azimuth angle, and solar zenith angle and so on, and conducting quality checks. These processes produce Level 0, Level 1 and Level 2 data. The computing platform of this subsystem is comprised of a high-performance computing cluster, including a real-time subsystem used for processing Level 0 data and a post-time subsystem for generating Level 1 and Level 2 data. This paper describes the CE-3 data pre-processing method, the data pre-processing subsystem, data classification, data validity and data products that are used for scientific studies

Measurement of muon content in inclined air showers above 4 x 10{sup 18} eV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dembinski, Hans; Roth, Markus [IKP, Karlsruhe Institut of Technology (KIT) (Germany); Collaboration: Pierre-Auger-Collaboration

2013-07-01

The Pierre Auger Observatory in Malarguee, Argentina, is sensitive to air showers up to almost horizontal angles of incidence. Air showers with zenith angles between 60 and 80 degrees are suited to measure the muon component of the shower with the Auger Surface Detector since the primary electromagnetic component gets absorbed in the atmosphere before the shower reaches ground. Some of those events are also observed by the Fluorescence Detector which allows us to determine the total energy of the shower independent of the Surface Detector. Based on these hybrids events the size of muon component for a given cosmic ray energy is determined, which can then be compared to model predictions. We present an update of this analysis.

Angle closure glaucoma in congenital ectropion uvea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace M. Wang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Congenital ectropion uvea is a rare anomaly, which is associated with open, but dysplastic iridocorneal angles that cause childhood glaucoma. Herein, we present 3 cases of angle-closure glaucoma in children with congenital ectropion uvea. Observations: Three children were initially diagnosed with unilateral glaucoma secondary to congenital ectropion uvea at 7, 8 and 13 years of age. The three cases showed 360° of ectropion uvea and iris stromal atrophy in the affected eye. In one case, we have photographic documentation of progression to complete angle closure, which necessitated placement of a glaucoma drainage device 3 years after combined trabeculotomy and trabeculectomy. The 2 other cases, which presented as complete angle closure, also underwent glaucoma drainage device implantation. All three cases had early glaucoma drainage device encapsulation (within 4 months and required additional surgery (cycloablation or trabeculectomy. Conclusions and importance: Congenital ectropion uvea can be associated with angle-closure glaucoma, and placement of glaucoma drainage devices in all 3 of our cases showed early failure due to plate encapsulation. Glaucoma in congenital ectropion uvea requires attention to angle configuration and often requires multiple surgeries to obtain intraocular pressure control. Keywords: Congenital ectropion uvea, Juvenile glaucoma, Angle-closure glaucoma, Glaucoma drainage device

Analysis of width/height ratio and gingival zenith in patients with bilateral agenesis of maxillary lateral incisor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Núbia Inocencya Pavesi Pini

2012-10-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the width/length ratio and the gingival zenith (GZ, by means of dental casts and digital caliper, in patients with missing maxillary lateral incisors after treatment. METHODS: The sample was composed of 52 subjects divided into 3 groups: BRG (n = 18, patients with bilateral agenesis treated with tooth re-contouring; BIG (n = 10 patients with agenesis treated with implants and CG (n = 24, control group. The data were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk, Spearman correlation, Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis, t test and ANOVA tests (p 0.05. GZ data for the right and left sides of the smile were not considered statistically different. CONCLUSION: Although no statistical difference was found in the comparison between the groups, analysis of the descriptive values showed that group BIG showed the greatest difference in values with regard to width/length ratio. Regarding gingival zenith, BRG showed the greatest difference.OBJETIVO: o propósito desse estudo foi analisar, por meio de modelos de estudo e paquímetro digital, a proporção largura/altura e o zênite gengival (ZG em pacientes com agenesia bilateral do incisivo lateral superior após o tratamento. MÉTODOS: a amostra consistiu de 52 voluntários divididos em 3 grupos: GBR (n=18, pacientes com agenesia bilateral tratados com reanatomizações dentárias; GBI (n=10, pacientes com agenesia bilateral tratados com implantes; e GC (n=24, grupo controle. Os dados foram avaliados por meio dos testes de Shapiro-Wilk, Wilcoxon, Kruskal-Wallis, teste t, ANOVA (p0,05. Os valores obtidos para os lados direito e esquerdo foram considerados iguais dentro de cada grupo. CONCLUSÃO: embora não tenham sido encontradas diferenças estatísticas na comparação entre os grupos, pela análise descritiva dos dados, o GBI foi o grupo que apresentou as medidas mais destoantes dos demais em relação à proporção largura/altura, sendo que, para o zênite gengival, a maior

Determination of zenith hydrostatic delay and its impact on GNSS-derived integrated water vapor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Wang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Surface pressure is a necessary meteorological variable for the accurate determination of integrated water vapor (IWV using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS. The lack of pressure observations is a big issue for the conversion of historical GNSS observations, which is a relatively new area of GNSS applications in climatology. Hence the use of the surface pressure derived from either a blind model (e.g., Global Pressure and Temperature 2 wet, GPT2w or a global atmospheric reanalysis (e.g., ERA-Interim becomes an important alternative solution. In this study, pressure derived from these two methods is compared against the pressure observed at 108 global GNSS stations at four epochs (00:00, 06:00, 12:00 and 18:00 UTC each day for the period 2000–2013. Results show that a good accuracy is achieved from the GPT2w-derived pressure in the latitude band between −30 and 30° and the average value of 6 h root-mean-square errors (RMSEs across all the stations in this region is 2.5 hPa. Correspondingly, an error of 5.8 mm and 0.9 kg m−2 in its resultant zenith hydrostatic delay (ZHD and IWV is expected. However, for the stations located in the mid-latitude bands between −30 and −60° and between 30 and 60°, the mean value of the RMSEs is 7.3 hPa, and for the stations located in the high-latitude bands from −60 to −90° and from 60 to 90°, the mean value of the RMSEs is 9.9 hPa. The mean of the RMSEs of the ERA-Interim-derived pressure across at the selected 100 stations is 0.9 hPa, which will lead to an equivalent error of 2.1 mm and 0.3 kg m−2 in the ZHD and IWV, respectively, determined from this ERA-Interim-derived pressure. Results also show that the monthly IWV determined using pressure from ERA-Interim has a good accuracy − with a relative error of better than 3 % on a global scale; thus, the monthly IWV resulting from ERA-Interim-derived pressure has the potential to be used for climate studies

TILT ANGLE AND FOOTPOINT SEPARATION OF SMALL AND LARGE BIPOLAR SUNSPOT REGIONS OBSERVED WITH HMI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClintock, B. H.; Norton, A. A.

2016-01-01

We investigate bipolar sunspot regions and how tilt angle and footpoint separation vary during emergence and decay. The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory collects data at a higher cadence than historical records and allows for a detailed analysis of regions over their lifetimes. We sample the umbral tilt angle, footpoint separation, and umbral area of 235 bipolar sunspot regions in Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager—Debrecen Data with an hourly cadence. We use the time when the umbral area peaks as time zero to distinguish between the emergence and decay periods of each region and we limit our analysis of tilt and separation behavior over time to within ±96 hr of time zero. Tilt angle evolution is distinctly different for regions with small (≈30 MSH), midsize (≈50 MSH), and large (≈110 MSH) maximum umbral areas, with 45 and 90 MSH being useful divisions for separating the groups. At the peak umbral area, we determine median tilt angles for small (7.°6), midsize (5.°9), and large (9.°3) regions. Within ±48 hr of the time of peak umbral area, large regions steadily increase in tilt angle, midsize regions are nearly constant, and small regions show evidence of negative tilt during emergence. A period of growth in footpoint separation occurs over a 72-hr period for all of the regions from roughly 40 to 70 Mm. The smallest bipoles (<9 MSH) are outliers in that they do not obey Joy's law and have a much smaller footpoint separation. We confirm the Muñoz-Jaramillo et al. results that the sunspots appear to be two distinct populations

Large-Angle CMB Suppression and Polarisation Predictions

CERN Document Server

Copi, C.J.; Schwarz, D.J.; Starkman, G.D.

2013-01-01

The anomalous lack of large angle temperature correlations has been a surprising feature of the CMB since first observed by COBE-DMR and subsequently confirmed and strengthened by WMAP. This anomaly may point to the need for modifications of the standard model of cosmology or may show that our Universe is a rare statistical fluctuation within that model. Further observations of the temperature auto-correlation function will not elucidate the issue; sufficiently high precision statistical observations already exist. Instead, alternative probes are required. In this work we explore the expectations for forthcoming polarisation observations. We define a prescription to test the hypothesis that the large-angle CMB temperature perturbations in our Universe represent a rare statistical fluctuation within the standard cosmological model. These tests are based on the temperature-Q Stokes parameter correlation. Unfortunately these tests cannot be expected to be definitive. However, we do show that if this TQ-correlati...

Discrete ordinate theory of radiative transfer. 2: Scattering from maritime haze

Science.gov (United States)

Kattawar, G. W.; Plass, G. N.; Catchings, F. E.

1971-01-01

Discrete ordinate theory was used to calculate the reflected and transmitted radiance of photons which have interacted with plane parallel maritime haze layers. The results are presented for three solar zenith angles, three values of the surface albedo, and a range of optical thicknesses from very thin to very thick. The diffuse flux at the lower boundary and the cloud albedo were tabulated. The forward peak and other features in the single scattered phase function caused the radiance in many cases to be very different from that for Rayleigh scattering. The variation of the radiance with both the zenith or nadir angle and the azimuthal angle is more marked, and the relative limb darkening under very thick layers is greater, for haze than for Rayleigh scattering. The downward diffuse flux at the lower boundary for A = O is always greater and the cloud albedo is always less for haze than for Rayleigh layers.

Longitudinal Changes of Angle Configuration in Primary Angle-Closure Suspects

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yuzhen; Chang, Dolly S.; Zhu, Haogang; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Aung, Tin; Huang, Shengsong; Chen, Qianyun; Munoz, Beatriz; Grossi, Carlota M.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine longitudinal changes in angle configuration in the eyes of primary angle-closure suspects (PACS) treated by laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) and in untreated fellow eyes. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Participants Primary angle-closure suspects aged 50 to 70 years were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Methods Each participant was treated by LPI in 1 randomly selected eye, with the fellow eye serving as a control. Angle width was assessed in a masked fashion using gonioscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months after LPI. Main Outcome Measures Angle width in degrees was calculated from Shaffer grades assessed under static gonioscopy. Angle configuration was also evaluated using angle opening distance (AOD250, AOD500, AOD750), trabecular-iris space area (TISA500, TISA750), and angle recess area (ARA) measured in AS-OCT images. Results No significant difference was found in baseline measures of angle configuration between treated and untreated eyes. At 2 weeks after LPI, the drainage angle on gonioscopy widened from a mean of 13.5° at baseline to a mean of 25.7° in treated eyes, which was also confirmed by significant increases in all AS-OCT angle width measures (Pgonioscopy (P = 0.18), AOD250 (P = 0.167) and ARA (P = 0.83). In untreated eyes, angle width consistently decreased across all follow-up visits after LPI, with a more rapid longitudinal decrease compared with treated eyes (P values for all variables ≤0.003). The annual rate of change in angle width was equivalent to 1.2°/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8–1.6) in treated eyes and 1.6°/year (95% CI, 1.3–2.0) in untreated eyes (P<0.001). Conclusions Angle width of treated eyes increased markedly after LPI, remained stable for 6 months, and then decreased significantly by 18 months after LPI. Untreated eyes experienced a more consistent and rapid decrease in angle width over the

Angle assessment by EyeCam, goniophotography, and gonioscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Baskaran, Mani; Perera, Shamira A; Nongpiur, Monisha E; Tun, Tin A; Park, Judy; Kumar, Rajesh S; Friedman, David S; Aung, Tin

2012-09-01

To compare EyeCam (Clarity Medical Systems, Pleasanton, CA) and goniophotography in detecting angle closure, using gonioscopy as the reference standard. In this hospital-based, prospective, cross-sectional study, participants underwent gonioscopy by a single observer, and EyeCam imaging and goniophotography by different operators. The anterior chamber angle in a quadrant was classified as closed if the posterior trabecular meshwork could not be seen. A masked observer categorized the eyes as per the number of closed quadrants, and an eye was classified as having angle closure if there were 2 or more quadrants of closure. Agreement between the methods was analyzed by κ statistic and comparison of area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). Eighty-five participants (85 eyes) were included, the majority of whom were Chinese. Angle closure was detected in 38 eyes (45%) with gonioscopy, 40 eyes (47%) using EyeCam, and 40 eyes (47%) with goniophotography (P=0.69 in both comparisons, McNemar test). The agreement for angle closure diagnosis (by eye) between gonioscopy and the 2 imaging modalities was high (κ=0.86; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 0.75-0.97), whereas the agreement between EyeCam and goniophotography was not as good (κ=0.72; 95% CI, 0.57-0.87); largely due to lack of agreement in the nasal and temporal quadrants (κ=0.55 to 0.67). The AUC for detecting eyes with gonioscopic angle closure was similar for goniophotography and EyeCam (AUC 0.93, sensitivity=94.7%, specificity=91.5%; P>0.95). EyeCam and goniophotography have similarly high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of gonioscopic angle closure.

Study of the Correlation Between Contact Angle Values with the Polarity of Liquids

OpenAIRE

Syahara, Muhammad Alwi; Kurniawan, Fredy; Anggriawan, Wahyu

2015-01-01

Contact angle measurement is a technique which can be used to determine the surface properties of a substance and observe the interaction of surfaces. When polar liquid dropped on a non-polar solid, it will make an interaction that can observed from the contact angle. In simple way, the different polarity of the solid and the liquid sample will affect to the contact angle obtained. In this work the value of contact angle will be correlated to the polarity of the sample. The results showed tha...

Simulation studies for optimizing the trigger generation criteria for the TACTIC telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koul, M.K.; Tickoo, A.K.; Dhar, V.K.; Venugopal, K.; Chanchalani, K.; Rannot, R.C.; Yadav, K.K.; Chandra, P.; Kothari, M.; Koul, R.

2011-01-01

In this paper, we present the results of Monte Carlo simulations of γ-ray and cosmic-ray proton induced extensive air showers as detected by the TACTIC atmospheric Cherenkov imaging telescope for optimizing its trigger field of view and topological trigger generation scheme. The simulation study has been carried out at several zenith angles. The topological trigger generation uses a coincidence of two or three nearest neighbor pixels for producing an event trigger. The results of this study suggest that a trigger field of 11x11 pixels (∼3.4 0 x3.4 0 ) is quite optimum for achieving maximum effective collection area for γ-rays from a point source. With regard to optimization of topological trigger generation, it is found that both two and three nearest neighbor pixels yield nearly similar results up to a zenith angle of 25 0 with a threshold energy of ∼1.5TeV for γ-rays. Beyond zenith angle of 25 0 , the results suggest that a two-pixel nearest neighbor trigger should be preferred. Comparison of the simulated integral rates has also been made with corresponding measured values for validating the predictions of the Monte Carlo simulations, especially the effective collection area, so that energy spectra of sources (or flux upper limits in case of no detection) can be determined reliably. Reasonably good matching of the measured trigger rates (on the basis of ∼207h of data collected with the telescope in NN-2 and NN-3 trigger configurations) with that obtained from simulations reassures that the procedure followed by us in estimating the threshold energy and detection rates is quite reliable. - Highlights: → Optimization of the trigger field of view and topological trigger generation for the TACTIC telescope. → Monte Carlo simulations of extensive air showers carried out using CORSIKA code. → Trigger generation with two or three nearest neighbor pixels yield similar results up to a zenith angle of 25 deg. → Reasonably good matching of measured trigger

The paediatric Bohler's angle and crucial angle of Gissane: a case series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crawford Haemish A

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane can be used to assess calcaneal fractures. While the normal adult values of these angles are widely known, the normal paediatric values have not yet been established. Our aim is to investigate Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane in a paediatric population and establish normal paediatric reference values. Method We measured Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane using normal plain ankle radiographs of 763 patients from birth to 14 years of age completed over a five year period from July 2003 to June 2008. Results In our paediatric study group, the mean Bohler's angle was 35.2 degrees and the mean crucial angle of Gissane was 111.3 degrees. In an adult comparison group, the mean Bohler's angle was 39.2 degrees and the mean crucial angle of Gissane was 113.8 degrees. The differences in Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane between these two groups were statistically significant. Conclusion We have presented the normal values of Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane in a paediatric population. These values may provide a useful comparison to assist with the management of the paediatric calcaneal fracture.

Measurement of the cosmic ray and neutrino-induced muon flux at the Sudbury neutrino observatory

OpenAIRE

Aharmim, B; Peeters, S J M; SNO Collaboration,

2009-01-01

Results are reported on the measurement of the atmospheric neutrino-induced muon flux at a depth of 2 kilometers below the Earth's surface from 1229 days of operation of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO). By measuring the flux of through-going muons as a function of zenith angle, the SNO experiment can distinguish between the oscillated and un-oscillated portion of the neutrino flux. A total of 514 muon-like events are measured between $-1 \\le \\cos{\\theta}_{\\rm zenith} \\le 0.4$ in a tota...

Light Scattering at Various Angles

Science.gov (United States)

Latimer, Paul; Pyle, B. E.

1972-01-01

The Mie theory of scattering is used to provide new information on how changes in particle volume, with no change in dry weight, should influence light scattering for various scattering angles and particle sizes. Many biological cells (e.g., algal cells, erythrocytes) and large subcellular structures (e.g., chloroplasts, mitochondria) in suspension undergo this type of reversible volume change, a change which is related to changes in the rates of cellular processes. A previous study examined the effects of such volume changes on total scattering. In this paper scattering at 10° is found to follow total scattering closely, but scattering at 45°, 90°, 135°, and 170° behaves differently. Small volume changes can cause very large observable changes in large angle scattering if the sample particles are uniform in size; however, the natural particle size heterogeneity of most samples would mask this effect. For heterogeneous samples of most particle size ranges, particle shrink-age is found to increase large angle scattering. PMID:4556610

Drawing the Curtain on Enceladus' South-Polar Eruptions

Science.gov (United States)

Spitale, Joseph N.; Hurford, Terry A.; Rhoden, Alyssa R.; Berkson, Emily E.; Platts, Symeon S.

2015-11-01

For a comprehensive description of Enceladus' south-polar eruptions observed at high resolution, they must be represented as broad curtains rather than discrete jets. Meanders in the fractures from which the curtains of material erupt give rise to optical illusions that look like discrete jets, even along fractures with no local variations in eruptive activity, implying that many features previously identified as "jets" are in fact phantoms. By comparing Cassini images with model curtain eruptions, we are able to obtain maps of eruptive activity that are not biased by the presence of those phantom jets. The average of our activity maps over all times agrees well with thermal maps produced by Cassini CIRS. We can best explain the observed curtains by assuming spreading angles with altitude of up to 14° and zenith angles of up to 8°, for curtains observed in geometries that are sensitive to those quantities.

Creation of the {pi} angle standard for the flat angle measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giniotis, V; Rybokas, M, E-mail: gi@ap.vtu.l, E-mail: MRybokas@gama.l [Department of Information Technologies, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, 10223 Vilnius-40 (Lithuania)

2010-07-01

Angle measurements are based mainly on multiangle prisms - polygons with autocollimators, rotary encoders for high accuracy and circular scales as the standards of the flat angle. Traceability of angle measurements is based on the standard of the plane angle - prism (polygon) calibrated at an appropriate accuracy. Some metrological institutions have established their special test benches (comparators) equipped with circular scales or rotary encoders of high accuracy and polygons with autocollimators for angle calibration purposes. Nevertheless, the standard (etalon) of plane angle - polygon has many restrictions for the transfer of angle unit - radian (rad) and other units of angle. It depends on the number of angles formed by the flat sides of the polygon that is restricted by technological and metrological difficulties related to the production and accuracy determination of the polygon. A possibility to create the standard of the angle equal to {pi} rad or half the circle or the full angle is proposed. It can be created by the circular scale with the rotation axis of very high accuracy and two precision reading instruments, usually, photoelectric microscopes (PM), placed on the opposite sides of the circular scale using the special alignment steps. A great variety of angle units and values can be measured and its traceability ensured by applying the third PM on the scale. Calibration of the circular scale itself and other scale or rotary encoder as well is possible using the proposed method with an implementation of {pi} rad as the primary standard angle. The method proposed enables to assure a traceability of angle measurements at every laboratory having appropriate environment and reading instruments of appropriate accuracy together with a rotary table with the rotation axis of high accuracy - rotation trajectory (runout) being in the range of 0.05 {mu}m. Short information about the multipurpose angle measurement test bench developed is presented.

Contribution of corner reflections from oriented ice crystals to backscattering and depolarization characteristics for off-zenith lidar profiling

Science.gov (United States)

Borovoi, Anatoli G.; Konoshonkin, Alexander V.; Kustova, Natalia V.; Veselovskii, Igor A.

2018-06-01

Backscattering Mueller matrix and the depolarization and color ratios for quasi-horizontally oriented hexagonal ice plates have been calculated within the framework of the physical optics approximation. In the case of a tilted lidar, the dependence of the color and depolarization ratios on polarization of the incident light has been analyzed. It is shown that the corner reflection effect inherent to the pristine hexagonal ice crystals results in sharp peaks of both the backscattering cross section and depolarization ratio at the lidar tilts of about 30° off zenith. The experimental results obtained recently by Veselovskii et al. [13] at the lidar tilt of 43° have been interpreted as a partial manifestation of the corner reflection effect. The retrieval of the vertical profile of the ice crystal fraction consisting of quasi-horizontally oriented hexagonal plates has been demonstrated.

Associations between alpha angle and herniation pit on MRI revisited in 185 asympomatic hip joints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Eun Chae; Choi, Jung Ah [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

To evaluate the association between alpha angle and herniation pit on MRI in asymptomatic hip joints and their associations with demographic variables.Hip MRI of 185 asymptomatic hip joints of 105 adults (age 18 to 80 years) from September 2011 through December 2012 were retrospectively studied. Alpha angles were measured on oblique axial MR images by 2 observers. Herniation pit was determined by 1 observer. Size measures, prevalence, and statistical analyses were conducted regarding its association with age, gender, laterality (right or left hip). Intra- and inter-observer agreements were determined by intra-class correlation coefficient. The prevalence of herniation pit in asymptomatic hips was 21.6%. The range of alpha angle was 27.6-65.0 degrees. Seventeen and 16 out of 185 (9.1% and 8.6%) hip joints showed alpha angle of ≥ 55 degrees in first and second measurement sessions, respectively. There was no association between alpha angle ≥ 55 and presence of herniation pit. There was no association between alpha angle ≥ 55 and the size of herniation pit. Inter-observer agreement of alpha angle was 0.485 between first measurements of first vs. second observer, respectively. Intra-observer agreement of alpha angle was 0.654, respectively. Forty (21.6%) of 185 hip joints (35 of 105 patients, 33.3%) had herniation pit, with no difference according to age, gender, or laterality of hip joint. There is no association between alpha angle ≥ 55 degrees and presence of herniation pit or demographic variables.

Anterior Segment Imaging Predicts Incident Gonioscopic Angle Closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Baskaran, Mani; Iyer, Jayant V; Narayanaswamy, Arun K; He, Yingke; Sakata, Lisandro M; Wu, Renyi; Liu, Dianna; Nongpiur, Monisha E; Friedman, David S; Aung, Tin

2015-12-01

To investigate the incidence of gonioscopic angle closure after 4 years in subjects with gonioscopically open angles but varying degrees of angle closure detected on anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS OCT; Visante; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) at baseline. Prospective, observational study. Three hundred forty-two subjects, mostly Chinese, 50 years of age or older, were recruited, of whom 65 were controls with open angles on gonioscopy and AS OCT at baseline, and 277 were cases with baseline open angles on gonioscopy but closed angles (1-4 quadrants) on AS OCT scans. All subjects underwent gonioscopy and AS OCT at baseline (horizontal and vertical single scans) and after 4 years. The examiner performing gonioscopy was masked to the baseline and AS OCT data. Angle closure in a quadrant was defined as nonvisibility of the posterior trabecular meshwork by gonioscopy and visible iridotrabecular contact beyond the scleral spur in AS OCT scans. Gonioscopic angle closure in 2 or 3 quadrants after 4 years. There were no statistically significant differences in age, ethnicity, or gender between cases and controls. None of the control subjects demonstrated gonioscopic angle closure after 4 years. Forty-eight of the 277 subjects (17.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 12.8-23; P < 0.0001) with at least 1 quadrant of angle closure on AS OCT at baseline demonstrated gonioscopic angle closure in 2 or more quadrants, whereas 28 subjects (10.1%; 95% CI, 6.7-14.6; P < 0.004) demonstrated gonioscopic angle closure in 3 or more quadrants after 4 years. Individuals with more quadrants of angle closure on baseline AS OCT scans had a greater likelihood of gonioscopic angle closure developing after 4 years (P < 0.0001, chi-square test for trend for both definitions of angle closure). Anterior segment OCT imaging at baseline predicts incident gonioscopic angle closure after 4 years among subjects who have gonioscopically open angles and iridotrabecular contact on AS OCT at

Measurement of the Multi-TeV Gamma-Ray Flare Spectra of Markarian 421 and Markarian 501

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krennrich, F.; Biller, S.D.; Bond, I.H.; Boyle, P.J.; Bradbury, S.M.; Breslin, A.C.; Buckley, J.H.; Burdett, A.M.; Gordo, J.B.; Carter-Lewis, D.A.; Catanese, M.; Cawley, M.F.; Fegan, D.J.; Finley, J.P.; Gaidos, J.A.; Hall, T.; Hillas, A.M.; Lamb, R.C.; Lessard, R.W.; Masterson, C.; McEnery, J.E.; Mohanty, G.; Moriarty, P.

1999-01-01

The energy spectrum of Markarian 421 in flaring states has been measured from 0.3 to 10 TeV using both small and large zenith angle observations with the Whipple Observatory 10 m imaging telescope. The large zenith angle technique is useful for extending spectra to high energies, and the extraction of spectra with this technique is discussed. The resulting spectrum of Markarian 421 is fitted reasonably well by a simple power law: J(E)=E -2.54±0.03±0.10 photons m -1 s -1 TeV -1 , where the first set of errors is statistical and the second set is systematic. This is in contrast to our recently reported spectrum of Markarian 501, which over a similar energy range has substantial curvature. The differences in TeV energy spectra of gamma-ray blazars reflect both the physics of the gamma-ray production mechanism and possibly differential absorption effects at the source or in the intergalactic medium. Since Markarian 421 and Markarian 501 have almost the same redshift (0.031 and 0.033, respectively), the difference in their energy spectra must be intrinsic to the sources and not due to intergalactic absorption, assuming the intergalactic infrared background is uniform. copyright copyright 1999. The American Astronomical Society

Preferred nasolabial angle in Middle Eastern population.

Science.gov (United States)

Alharethy, Sami

2017-05-01

To define the preferred nasolabial angle measurement in Middle Eastern population. An observational study was conducted from January 2012 to January 2016 at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 1027 raters, 506 males, and 521 females were asked to choose the most ideal nasolabial angle for 5 males and 5 females lateral photographs whose nasolabial angle were modified with Photoshop into the following angles (85°, 90°, 95°, 100°, 105°, and 110°). Male raters preferred the angle of 89.5° ± 3.5° (mean ± SD) for males and 90.8° ± 5.6° for females. While female raters preferred the angle of 89.3° ± 3.8° for males and 90.5° ± 4.8° for females. ANOVA test compare means among groups: p: 0.342, and there is no statistically significant difference between groups. The results of our study showed an even more acute angles than degrees found in the literature. It shows that what young generation in our region prefers and clearly reflects that what could be explained as under rotation of the nasal tip in other cultures is just the ideal for some Middle Eastern population.

Glaucoma, Open-Angle

Science.gov (United States)

... Home » Statistics and Data » Glaucoma, Open-angle Listen Glaucoma, Open-angle Open-angle Glaucoma Defined In open-angle glaucoma, the fluid passes ... 2010 2010 U.S. Age-Specific Prevalence Rates for Glaucoma by Age and Race/Ethnicity The prevalence of ...

The lateral angle revisited

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morgan, Jeannie; Lynnerup, Niels; Hoppa, R.D.

2013-01-01

measurements taken from computed tomography (CT) scans. Previous reports have observed that the lateral angle size in females is significantly larger than in males. The method was applied to an independent series of 77 postmortem CT scans (42 males, 35 females) to validate its accuracy and reliability...... method appears to be of minimal practical use in forensic anthropology and archeology....

Grounded running in quails: simulations indicate benefits of observed fixed aperture angle between legs before touch-down.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrada, Emanuel; Rode, Christian; Blickhan, Reinhard

2013-10-21

Many birds use grounded running (running without aerial phases) in a wide range of speeds. Contrary to walking and running, numerical investigations of this gait based on the BSLIP (bipedal spring loaded inverted pendulum) template are rare. To obtain template related parameters of quails (e.g. leg stiffness) we used x-ray cinematography combined with ground reaction force measurements of quail grounded running. Interestingly, with speed the quails did not adjust the swing leg's angle of attack with respect to the ground but adapted the angle between legs (which we termed aperture angle), and fixed it about 30ms before touchdown. In simulations with the BSLIP we compared this swing leg alignment policy with the fixed angle of attack with respect to the ground typically used in the literature. We found symmetric periodic grounded running in a simply connected subset comprising one third of the investigated parameter space. The fixed aperture angle strategy revealed improved local stability and surprising tolerance with respect to large perturbations. Starting with the periodic solutions, after step-down step-up or step-up step-down perturbations of 10% leg rest length, in the vast majority of cases the bipedal SLIP could accomplish at least 50 steps to fall. The fixed angle of attack strategy was not feasible. We propose that, in small animals in particular, grounded running may be a common gait that allows highly compliant systems to exploit energy storage without the necessity of quick changes in the locomotor program when facing perturbations. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An experimental device for characterizing degassing processes and related elastic fingerprints: Analog volcano seismo-acoustic observations

Science.gov (United States)

Spina, Laura; Morgavi, Daniele; Cannata, Andrea; Campeggi, Carlo; Perugini, Diego

2018-05-01

A challenging objective of modern volcanology is to quantitatively characterize eruptive/degassing regimes from geophysical signals (in particular seismic and infrasonic), for both research and monitoring purposes. However, the outcomes of the attempts made so far are still considered very uncertain because volcanoes remain inaccessible when deriving quantitative information on crucial parameters such as plumbing system geometry and magma viscosity. In order to improve our knowledge of volcanic systems, a novel experimental device, which is capable of mimicking volcanic degassing processes with different regimes and gas flow rates, and allowing for the investigation of the related seismo-acoustic emissions, was designed and developed. The benefits of integrating observations on real volcanoes with seismo-acoustic signals generated in laboratory are many and include (i) the possibility to fix the controlling parameters such as the geometry of the structure where the gas flows, the gas flow rate, and the fluid viscosity; (ii) the possibility of performing acoustic measurements at different azimuthal and zenithal angles around the opening of the analog conduit, hence constraining the radiation pattern of different acoustic sources; (iii) the possibility to measure micro-seismic signals in distinct points of the analog conduit; (iv) finally, thanks to the transparent structure, it is possible to directly observe the degassing pattern through the optically clear analog magma and define the degassing regime producing the seismo-acoustic radiations. The above-described device represents a step forward in the analog volcano seismo-acoustic measurements.

Initial results from SKiYMET meteor radar at Thumba (8.5°N, 77°E): 2. Gravity wave observations in the MLT region

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Karanam Kishore; Antonita, T. Maria; Shelbi, S. T.

2007-12-01

In the present communication, allSKy interferometric METeor (SKiYMET) radar observations of gravity wave activity in the mesosphere lower thermosphere (MLT) region over Thumba (8.5°N, 77°E) are presented. The present meteor radar system provides hourly zonal and meridional winds in the MLT region, which can be readily used for studying the tides, planetary waves, gravity waves of periods 2-6 hours, and other long period oscillations in this region. However, these hourly winds are not sufficient for studying short period gravity waves having periods less than an hour, which demand high temporal resolution measurements. Even though the winds are estimated on an hourly basis, information such as zenith angle, azimuth angle, and radial velocity of each detected meteor are archived. Using these details of the meteor, an algorithm is developed to obtain the 15-min temporal resolution wind data. The output of the algorithm is compared with hourly wind data, and it showed a good agreement during the high meteor shower periods. Most of the times high meteor counts are observed during late night and early morning hours (local) over this latitude. Continuous wind measurements during the high meteor shower periods are used for studying the gravity wave activity in the MLT region. As the wave activity is intermittent and nonstationary, wavelet analysis has been used for delineating the wave features. The results showed the upward propagating intermittent gravity waves with periods 1-2 and 4-5 hours. The new aspect of the present communication is the usage of meteor radar for gravity wave studies for the first time over this latitude and studying their seasonal variability.

Contact angles on stretched solids

Science.gov (United States)

Mensink, Liz; Snoeijer, Jacco

2017-11-01

The surface energy of solid interfaces plays a central role in wetting, as they dictate the liquid contact angle. Yet, it has been challenging to measure the solid surface energies independently, without making use of Young's law. Here we present Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations by which we measure the surface properties for all interfaces, including the solids. We observe change in contact angles upon stretching the solid substrates, showing that the surface energy is actually strain dependent. This is clear evidence of the so-called Shuttleworth effect, making it necessary to distinguish surface energy from surface tension. We discuss how this effect gives rise to a new class of elasto-capillary phenomena. ERC Consolidator Grant No. 616918.

A 'conveyor belt' model for the dynamic contact angle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Volpe C, Della; Siboni, S, E-mail: stefano.siboni@ing.unitn.it [Department of Materials Engineering and Industrial Technologies, University of Trento, Mesiano di Povo 38050 Povo, Trento (Italy)

2011-07-15

The familiar Young contact angle measurement of a liquid at equilibrium on a solid is a fundamental aspect of capillary phenomena. But in the real world it is not so easy to observe it. This is due to the roughness and/or heterogeneity of real surfaces, which typically are not perfectly planar and chemically homogeneous. What can be easily detected, and in a repeatable way, are advancing and receding contact angles. In this paper, we discuss a simple model which accounts for the onset of advancing and receding contact angles measured by the Wilhelmy microbalance, one of the most powerful techniques for contact angle measurements. The model also explains the experimental observation that advancing and receding contact angles become closer to each other when the system is gently 'shaken', by supplying mechanical energy in an appropriate way. The model may be pedagogically useful in introducing students and teachers to aspects of capillary phenomena which are not usually discussed in basic physics courses.

Instrumentation development for an array of water Cherenkov detectors for extensive air shower experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Sheidaei, F.; Bahmanabadi, M.; Keivani, A.; Samimi, J.

2009-11-01

A new small array of Cherenkov detectors has been deployed in Tehran, 1200 m above sea level. This array contains four tanks of distilled water with a diameter of 64 cm and a height of 130 cm. The effective area of each tank is about 1382 cm2. They are used to detect air showers and to record the arrival time of the secondary particles. We have collected about 640 000 extensive air showers (EAS) in 8298 h of observation time from November 2006 to October 2007. The distribution of air showers in zenith and azimuth angles has been studied and a cosnθ distribution with n = 6.02 ± 0.01 was obtained for the zenith angle distribution. An asymmetry has been observed in the azimuthal distribution of EAS of cosmic rays due to geomagnetic field. The first and second amplitudes of the asymmetry are AI = 0.183 ± 0.001 and AII = 0.038 ± 0.001. Since the recent results are in good agreement with our previous results of scintillation detectors, and tanks of distilled water are cheaper, we prefer to use them instead of scintillators in a future larger array. By simulation, we have improved the size of the detectors to yield the highest efficiency. The best dimensions for each tank with a photomultiplier tube in the center of its lid are 40 cm in diameter and 60 cm in height.

Short- and long-term variability of spectral solar UV irradiance at Thessaloniki, Greece: effects of changes in aerosols, total ozone and clouds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Fountoulakis

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, we discuss the short- and the long-term variability of spectral UV irradiance at Thessaloniki, Greece, using a long, quality-controlled data set from two Brewer spectrophotometers. Long-term changes in spectral UV irradiance at 307.5, 324 and 350 nm for the period 1994–2014 are presented for different solar zenith angles and discussed in association with changes in total ozone column (TOC, aerosol optical depth (AOD and cloudiness observed in the same period. Positive changes in annual mean anomalies of UV irradiance, ranging from 2 to 6 % per decade, have been detected both for clear- and all-sky conditions. The changes are generally greater for larger solar zenith angles and for shorter wavelengths. For clear-skies, these changes are, in most cases, statistically significant at the 95 % confidence limit. Decreases in the aerosol load and weakening of the attenuation by clouds lead to increases in UV irradiance in the summer, of 7–9 % per decade for 64° solar zenith angle. The increasing TOC in winter counteracts the effect of decreasing AOD for this particular season, leading to small, statistically insignificant, negative long-term changes in irradiance at 307.5 nm. Annual mean UV irradiance levels are increasing from 1994 to 2006 and remain relatively stable thereafter, possibly due to the combined changes in the amount and optical properties of aerosols. However, no statistically significant corresponding turning point has been detected in the long-term changes of AOD. The absence of signatures of changes in AOD in the short-term variability of irradiance in the UV-A may have been caused by changes in the single scattering albedo of aerosols, which may counteract the effects of changes in AOD on irradiance. The anti-correlation between the year-to-year variability of the irradiance at 307.5 nm and TOC is clear and becomes clearer as the AOD decreases.

Apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis on liquid infused surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Semprebon, Ciro; McHale, Glen; Kusumaatmaja, Halim

2016-12-21

We theoretically investigate the apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis of a droplet placed on a liquid infused surface. We show that the apparent contact angle is not uniquely defined by material parameters, but also has a dependence on the relative size between the droplet and its surrounding wetting ridge formed by the infusing liquid. We derive a closed form expression for the contact angle in the limit of vanishing wetting ridge, and compute the correction for small but finite ridge, which corresponds to an effective line tension term. We also predict contact angle hysteresis on liquid infused surfaces generated by the pinning of the contact lines by the surface corrugations. Our analytical expressions for both the apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis can be interpreted as 'weighted sums' between the contact angles of the infusing liquid relative to the droplet and surrounding gas phases, where the weighting coefficients are given by ratios of the fluid surface tensions.

Analysing the Zenith Tropospheric Delay Estimates in On-line Precise Point Positioning (PPP) Services and PPP Software Packages.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez Astudillo, Jorge; Lau, Lawrence; Tang, Yu-Ting; Moore, Terry

2018-02-14

As Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals travel through the troposphere, a tropospheric delay occurs due to a change in the refractive index of the medium. The Precise Point Positioning (PPP) technique can achieve centimeter/millimeter positioning accuracy with only one GNSS receiver. The Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD) is estimated alongside with the position unknowns in PPP. Estimated ZTD can be very useful for meteorological applications, an example is the estimation of water vapor content in the atmosphere from the estimated ZTD. PPP is implemented with different algorithms and models in online services and software packages. In this study, a performance assessment with analysis of ZTD estimates from three PPP online services and three software packages is presented. The main contribution of this paper is to show the accuracy of ZTD estimation achievable in PPP. The analysis also provides the GNSS users and researchers the insight of the processing algorithm dependence and impact on PPP ZTD estimation. Observation data of eight whole days from a total of nine International GNSS Service (IGS) tracking stations spread in the northern hemisphere, the equatorial region and the southern hemisphere is used in this analysis. The PPP ZTD estimates are compared with the ZTD obtained from the IGS tropospheric product of the same days. The estimates of two of the three online PPP services show good agreement (<1 cm) with the IGS ZTD values at the northern and southern hemisphere stations. The results also show that the online PPP services perform better than the selected PPP software packages at all stations.

Analysing the Zenith Tropospheric Delay Estimates in On-line Precise Point Positioning (PPP Services and PPP Software Packages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Mendez Astudillo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available As Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS signals travel through the troposphere, a tropospheric delay occurs due to a change in the refractive index of the medium. The Precise Point Positioning (PPP technique can achieve centimeter/millimeter positioning accuracy with only one GNSS receiver. The Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD is estimated alongside with the position unknowns in PPP. Estimated ZTD can be very useful for meteorological applications, an example is the estimation of water vapor content in the atmosphere from the estimated ZTD. PPP is implemented with different algorithms and models in online services and software packages. In this study, a performance assessment with analysis of ZTD estimates from three PPP online services and three software packages is presented. The main contribution of this paper is to show the accuracy of ZTD estimation achievable in PPP. The analysis also provides the GNSS users and researchers the insight of the processing algorithm dependence and impact on PPP ZTD estimation. Observation data of eight whole days from a total of nine International GNSS Service (IGS tracking stations spread in the northern hemisphere, the equatorial region and the southern hemisphere is used in this analysis. The PPP ZTD estimates are compared with the ZTD obtained from the IGS tropospheric product of the same days. The estimates of two of the three online PPP services show good agreement (<1 cm with the IGS ZTD values at the northern and southern hemisphere stations. The results also show that the online PPP services perform better than the selected PPP software packages at all stations.

A New Method to Calibrate Attachment Angles of Data Loggers in Swimming Sharks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shizuka Kawatsu

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, animal-borne accelerometers have been used to record the pitch angle of aquatic animals during swimming. When evaluating pitch angle, it is necessary to consider a discrepancy between the angle of an accelerometer and the long axis of an animal. In this study, we attached accelerometers to 17 free-ranging scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini pups from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Although there are methods to calibrate attachment angles of accelerometers, we confirmed that previous methods were not applicable for hammerhead pups. According to raw data, some sharks ascended with a negative angle, which differs from tank observations of captive sharks. In turn, we developed a new method to account for this discrepancy in swimming sharks by estimating the attachment angle from the relationship between vertical speed (m/s and pitch angle obtained by each accelerometer. The new method can be utilized for field observation of a wide range of species.

A contact angle hysteresis model based on the fractal structure of contact line.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shuai; Ma, Ming

2017-11-01

Contact angle is one of the most popular concept used in fields such as wetting, transport and microfludics. In practice, different contact angles such as equilibrium, receding and advancing contact angles are observed due to hysteresis. The connection among these contact angles is important in revealing the chemical and physical properties of surfaces related to wetting. Inspired by the fractal structure of contact line, we propose a single parameter model depicting the connection of the three angles. This parameter is decided by the fractal structure of the contact line. The results of this model agree with experimental observations. In certain cases, it can be reduced to other existing models. It also provides a new point of view in understanding the physical nature of the contact angle hysteresis. Interestingly, some counter-intuitive phenomena, such as the binary receding angles, are indicated in this model, which are waited to be validated by experiments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sun-view angle effects on reflectance factors of corn canopies

Science.gov (United States)

Ranson, K. J.; Daughtry, C. S. T.; Biehl, L. L.; Bauer, M. E.

1985-01-01

The effects of sun and view angles on reflectance factors of corn (Zea mays L.) canopies ranging from the six leaf stage to harvest maturity were studied on the Purdue University Agronomy Farm by a multiband radiometer. The two methods of acquiring spectral data, the truck system and the tower systrem, are described. The analysis of the spectral data is presented in three parts: solar angle effects on reflectance factors viewed at nadir; solar angle effects on reflectance factors viewed at a fixed sun angle; and both sun and view angles effect on reflectance factors. The analysis revealed that for nadir-viewed reflectance factors there is a strong solar angle dependence in all spectral bands for canopies with low leaf area index. Reflectance factors observed from the sun angle at different view azimuth angles showed that the position of the sensor relative to the sun is important in determining angular reflectance characteristics. For both sun and view angles, reflectance factors are maximized when the sensor view direction is towards the sun.

"Radiative Closure Studies for Clear Skies During the ARM 2003 Aerosol Intensive Observation Period"

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. J. Michalsky, G. P. Anderson, J. Barnard, J. Delamere, C. Gueymard, S. Kato, P. Kiedron, A. McComiskey, and P. Ricchiazzi

2006-04-01

The Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program sponsored a large intensive observation period (IOP) to study aerosol during the month of May 2003 around the Southern Great Plains (SGP) Climate Research Facility (CRF) in north central Oklahoma. Redundant measurements of aerosol optical properties were made using different techniques at the surface as well as in vertical profile with sensors aboard two aircraft. One of the principal motivations for this experiment was to resolve the disagreement between models and measurements of diffuse horizontal broadband shortwave irradiance at the surface, especially for modest aerosol loading. This paper focuses on using the redundant aerosol and radiation measurements during this IOP to compare direct beam and diffuse horizontal broadband shortwave irradiance measurements and models at the surface for a wide range of aerosol cases that occurred during 30 clear-sky periods on 13 days of May 2003. Models and measurements are compared over a large range of solar-zenith angles. Six different models are used to assess the relative agreement among them and the measurements. Better agreement than previously achieved appears to be the result of better specification of input parameters and better measurements of irradiances than in prior studies. Biases between modeled and measured direct irradiances are less than 1%, and biases between modeled and measured diffuse irradiances are less than 2%.

Estimates of md-mu and left-angle bar dd right-angle -left-angle bar uu right-angle from QCD sum rules for D and D* isospin mass differences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eletsky, V.L.; Ioffe, B.L.

1993-01-01

The recent experimental data on D +- D0 and D *+- D*0 mass differences are used as inputs in the QCD sum rules to obtain new estimates on the mass difference of light quarks and on the difference of their condensates: m d -m u =3±1 MeV, left-angle bar dd right-angle -left-angle bar uu right-angle=-(2.5±1)x10 -3 left-angle bar uu right-angle (at a standard normalization point, μ=0.5 GeV)

INS as a probe of inter-monomer angles in polymers

CERN Document Server

Eijck, L V; Grozema, F C; Schepper, I M D; Kearley, G J

2002-01-01

The angle between monomers in conjugated polymers plays an important role in their conductivity. The vibrational spectrum is sensitive to this angle and can be used to probe the distribution of angles in poorly crystalline systems. We show that the INS spectrum is correctly calculated for bithiophene and shows the molecule to be planar in the solid - in agreement with crystallographic measurements. Poor agreement between observed and calculated spectra in the 700-cm sup - sup 1 region may be due to dynamic coupling, but this does not detract from the angle-sensitivity of the spectra. (orig.)

Scoliosis angle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marklund, T.

1978-01-01

The most commonly used methods of assessing the scoliotic deviation measure angles that are not clearly defined in relation to the anatomy of the patient. In order to give an anatomic basis for such measurements it is proposed to define the scoliotic deviation as the deviation the vertebral column makes with the sagittal plane. Both the Cobb and the Ferguson angles may be based on this definition. The present methods of measurement are then attempts to measure these angles. If the plane of these angles is parallel to the film, the measurement will be correct. Errors in the measurements may be incurred by the projection. A hypothetical projection, called a 'rectified orthogonal projection', is presented, which correctly represents all scoliotic angles in accordance with these principles. It can be constructed in practice with the aid of a computer and by performing measurements on two projections of the vertebral column; a scoliotic curve can be represented independent of the kyphosis and lordosis. (Auth.)

On the Ability of Space-Based Passive and Active Remote Sensing Observations of CO2 to Detect Flux Perturbations to the Carbon Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Crowell, Sean M. R.; Randolph Kawa, S.; Browell, Edward V.; Hammerling, Dorit M.; Moore, Berrien; Schaefer, Kevin; Doney, Scott C.

2018-01-01

Space-borne observations of CO2 are vital to gaining understanding of the carbon cycle in regions of the world that are difficult to measure directly, such as the tropical terrestrial biosphere, the high northern and southern latitudes, and in developing nations such as China. Measurements from passive instruments such as GOSAT and OCO-2, however, are constrained by solar zenith angle limitations as well as sensitivity to the presence of clouds and aerosols. Active measurements such as those in development for the Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days and Seasons (ASCENDS) mission show strong potential for making measurements in the high-latitude winter and in cloudy regions. In this work we examine the enhanced flux constraint provided by the improved coverage from an active measurement such as ASCENDS. The simulation studies presented here show that with sufficient precision, ASCENDS will detect permafrost thaw and fossil fuel emissions shifts at annual and seasonal time scales, even in the presence of transport errors, representativeness errors, and biogenic flux errors. While OCO-2 can detect some of these perturbations at the annual scale, the seasonal sampling provided by ASCENDS provides the stronger constraint.

The influence of erupting lateral teeth on maxillary anterior crowding in two Angle Class I maloclussion cases with high and low angles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroshi Ueda

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Two cases of anterior crowding, both Skeletal Class I and Angle Class I maloclussion, one being low angle and the other high angle respectively, respectively, were treated and evaluated to ascertain whether or not there is a relationship among disproportionate mesial axial angulation of the maxillary lateral teeth and the Frankfurt Horizontal-Functional Occlusal plane, therefore generating maxillary anterior crowding. Both cases were Japanese boys, the first one aged 9 years 10 months with chief complaint being anterior crowding and the second case aged 7 years and 8 months complaining of inadequate space for satisfying canine eruption. During and after the second stage of orthodontic treatment on both cases, several radiographic analysis were performed to assess treatment progress and retention; from these radiographs, it was noticed among other findings that in the high-angle case, the axial angulations of the maxillary lateral incisors were markedly smaller than in the low-angle case, thus indicating mesial tipping in the upper dental arch. This decreased mesial axial angulation of the lateral teeth observed at high angles may potentially cause maxillary space deficiency.

Let's talk about INO

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

going neutrinos travel short distance, little oscillation. Up-going neutrinos travel through earth, oscillate ⇒ lost. No Up-down symmetry any more. Measure ratio (# of upgoing νµ)/(# of downgoing νµ): mimics oscillations as zenith angle varies.

GLRS-R 2-colour retroreflector target design and predicted performance

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, Glenn

1993-01-01

This paper reports on the retroreflector ground-target design for the GLRS-R spaceborne dual-wavelength laser ranging system. The described passive design flows down from the requirements of high station autonomy, high global FOV (up to 60 degrees zenith angle), little or no multiple pulse returns, and adequate optical cross section for most ranging geometries. The proposed solution makes use of 5 hollow cube-corner retroreflectors of which one points to the zenith and the remaining four are inclined from the vertical at uniform azimuthal spacings. The need for fairly large (is approximately 10 cm) retroreflectors is expected (within turbulence limitations) to generate quite narrow diffraction lobes, thus placing non-trivial requirements on the vectorial accuracy of velocity aberration corrections. A good compromise solution is found by appropriately spoiling just one of the retroreflector dihedral angles from 90 degrees, thus generating two symmetrically oriented diffraction lobes in the return beam. The required spoil angles are found to have little dependence on ground target latitude. Various link budget analyses are presented, showing the influence of such factors as point-ahead optimization, turbulence, ranging angle, atmospheric visibility and ground target thermal deformations.

Laboratory-based bidirectional reflectance distribution functions of radiometric tarps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgiev, Georgi T.; Butler, James J.

2008-01-01

Laboratory-based bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDFs) of radiometric tarp samples used in the vicarious calibration of Earth remote sensing satellite instruments are presented in this paper. The results illustrate the BRDF dependence on the orientation of the tarps' weft and warp threads. The study was performed using the GSFC scatterometer at incident zenith angles of 0 deg., 10 deg., and 30 deg.; scatter zenith angles from 0 deg. to 60 deg.; and scatter azimuth angles of 0 deg., 45 deg., 90 deg., 135 deg., and 180 deg.. The wavelengths were 485 nm, 550 nm, 633 nm, and 800 nm. The tarp's weft and warp dependence on BRDF is well defined at all measurement geometries and wavelengths. The BRDF difference can be as high as 8% at 0 deg. incident angle and 12% at 30 deg. incident angle. The fitted BRDF data show a very small discrepancy from the measured ones. New data on the forward and backscatter properties of radiometric tarps are reported. The backward scatter is well pronounced for the white samples. The black sample has well-pronounced forward scatter. The provided BRDF characterization of radiometric tarps is an excellent reference for anyone interested in using tarps for radiometric calibrations. The results are NIST traceable

Laboratory-based bidirectional reflectance distribution functions of radiometric tarps.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, Georgi T; Butler, James J

2008-06-20

Laboratory-based bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDFs) of radiometric tarp samples used in the vicarious calibration of Earth remote sensing satellite instruments are presented in this paper. The results illustrate the BRDF dependence on the orientation of the tarps' weft and warp threads. The study was performed using the GSFC scatterometer at incident zenith angles of 0 degrees, 10 degrees, and 30 degrees; scatter zenith angles from 0 degrees to 60 degrees; and scatter azimuth angles of 0 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees, 135 degrees, and 180 degrees. The wavelengths were 485 nm, 550 nm, 633 nm, and 800 nm. The tarp's weft and warp dependence on BRDF is well defined at all measurement geometries and wavelengths. The BRDF difference can be as high as 8% at 0 degrees incident angle and 12% at 30 degrees incident angle. The fitted BRDF data show a very small discrepancy from the measured ones. New data on the forward and backscatter properties of radiometric tarps are reported. The backward scatter is well pronounced for the white samples. The black sample has well-pronounced forward scatter. The provided BRDF characterization of radiometric tarps is an excellent reference for anyone interested in using tarps for radiometric calibrations. The results are NIST traceable.

CONTACT ANGLE OF YUCCA MOUNTAIN WELDED TUFF WITH WATER AND BRINES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

H. Kalia

2006-01-01

A number of tests were performed to acquire contact angles between Yucca Mountain welded tuff from Topopah Springs Lower Lithophysal geologic unit and various brine solutions. The tests were performed on core disks received from Sample Management Facility (SMF), oven dried to a constant weight and the core disks vacuum saturated in: distilled water, J-13 water, calcium chloride brine and sodium chloride brine to constant weight. The contact angles were acquired from eight points on the surface of the core disks, four on rough surface, and four on polished surface. The contact angle was measured by placing a droplet of the test fluid, distilled water, J-13 water, calcium chloride brine and sodium chloride brine on the core disks. The objective of this test was to acquire contact angles as a potential input to estimating capillary forces in accumulated dust on the waste packages and drip shields slated for the proposed High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. It was noted that once the droplet contacts the test surface, it continues to spread hence the contact angle continues to decrease with elapsed time. The maximum observed angle was at time 0 or when the drop contacted the rock surface. The measured contact angle, in all cases has significant scatter. In general, the time zero contact angles for core disks saturated in sodium chloride brine were smaller than those saturated in calcium chloride brine, distilled water, and J-13 water. The contact angles for samples saturated in distilled water, J-13 water and calcium chloride brine at time zero were similar. There was slight difference between the observed contact angles for smooth and rough surface of the test samples. The contact angles for smooth surfaces were smaller than for the rough surfaces

A simulation of equatorial plasma bubble signatures on the OI 6300A nightglow meridional profile over Brazilian low latitude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Y.; Sobral, J.H.A.; Abdu, M.A.

1981-11-01

A quantitative interpretation of the meridional propagation of the airglow disturbance for events that have their onsets well westward of the photometer observing longitude, representing the post growth phase of a bubble, is attempted by carrying out a numerical simulation of the phenomenon. Airglow intensity as a function of zenith angle in the photometer scanning range was calculated using electron density profiles perturbed by field aligned plasma bubble whose vertical velocity and electron density depletion profile were determined from a numerical simulation of the nonlinear Rayleigh-Taylor instability under ionospheric conditions that best represented those of the observing period and location. (L.C.) [pt

Optimal reconstruction angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, G.O. Jr.; Knight, L.

1979-07-01

The question of optimal projection angles has recently become of interest in the field of reconstruction from projections. Here, studies are concentrated on the n x n pixel space, where literative algorithms such as ART and direct matrix techniques due to Katz are considered. The best angles are determined in a Gauss--Markov statistical sense as well as with respect to a function-theoretical error bound. The possibility of making photon intensity a function of angle is also examined. Finally, the best angles to use in an ART-like algorithm are studied. A certain set of unequally spaced angles was found to be preferred in several contexts. 15 figures, 6 tables

Exclusive Backward-Angle Omega Meson Electroproduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wenliang, Li [Univ. of Regina, Regina, SK (Canada)

2017-10-01

Exclusive meson electroproduction at different squared four-momenta of the exchanged virtual photon, Q² , and at different four-momentum transfers, t and u, can be used to probe QCD's transition from hadronic degrees of freedom at the long distance scale to quark-gluon degrees of freedom at the short distance scale. Backward-angle meson electroproduction was previously ignored, but is anticipated to offer complimentary information to conventional forward-angle meson electroproduction studies on nucleon structure. This work is a pioneering study of backward-angle ω cross sections through the exclusive ¹H(e, e'p)ω reaction using the missing mass reconstruction technique. The extracted cross sections are separated into the transverse (T), longitudinal (L), and LT, TT interference terms. The analyzed data were part of experiment E01-004 (Fπ-2), which used 2.6-5.2 GeV electron beams and HMS+SOS spectrometers in Jefferson Lab Hall C. The primary objective was to detect coincidence π in the forward-angle, where the backward-angle omega events were fortuitously detected. The experiment has central Q² values of 1.60 and 2.45 GeV² , at W = 2.21 GeV. There was significant coverage in phi and epsilon, which allowed separation of σ_T,L,LT,TT . The data set has a unique u coverage of -u ~ 0, which corresponds to -t > 4 GeV² . The separated σ_T result suggest a flat ~ 1/Q^1.33±1.21 dependence, whereas sigma_L seems to hold a stronger 1/Q^9.43±6.28 dependence. The σL/σ_T ratio indicate σ_T dominance at Q² = 2.45 GeV² at the ~90% confidence level. After translating the results into the -t space of the published CLAS data, our data show evidence of a backward-angle omega electroproduction peak at both Q² settings. Previously, this phenomenon showing both forward and backward-angle peaks was only observed in the meson

A variational technique to estimate snowfall rate from coincident radar, snowflake, and fall-speed observations

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Steven J.; Wood, Norman B.; L'Ecuyer, Tristan S.

2017-07-01

Estimates of snowfall rate as derived from radar reflectivities alone are non-unique. Different combinations of snowflake microphysical properties and particle fall speeds can conspire to produce nearly identical snowfall rates for given radar reflectivity signatures. Such ambiguities can result in retrieval uncertainties on the order of 100-200 % for individual events. Here, we use observations of particle size distribution (PSD), fall speed, and snowflake habit from the Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) to constrain estimates of snowfall derived from Ka-band ARM zenith radar (KAZR) measurements at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) North Slope Alaska (NSA) Climate Research Facility site at Barrow. MASC measurements of microphysical properties with uncertainties are introduced into a modified form of the optimal-estimation CloudSat snowfall algorithm (2C-SNOW-PROFILE) via the a priori guess and variance terms. Use of the MASC fall speed, MASC PSD, and CloudSat snow particle model as base assumptions resulted in retrieved total accumulations with a -18 % difference relative to nearby National Weather Service (NWS) observations over five snow events. The average error was 36 % for the individual events. Use of different but reasonable combinations of retrieval assumptions resulted in estimated snowfall accumulations with differences ranging from -64 to +122 % for the same storm events. Retrieved snowfall rates were particularly sensitive to assumed fall speed and habit, suggesting that in situ measurements can help to constrain key snowfall retrieval uncertainties. More accurate knowledge of these properties dependent upon location and meteorological conditions should help refine and improve ground- and space-based radar estimates of snowfall.

Effect of different electrode tip angles with tilted torch in stationary gas tungsten arc welding: A 3D simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abid, M.; Parvez, S.; Nash, D.H.

2013-01-01

In this study, the effect of different tip angles (30°, 60°, 90° and 120°) on the arc and weld pool behavior is analyzed in 2 mm and 5 mm arc lengths with tilted (70°) torch. Arc temperature, velocity, current density, heat flux and gas shear are investigated in the arc region and pool convection and puddle shapes are studied in the weld pool region. The arc temperature at the tungsten electrode is found the maximum with sharp tip and decreases as the tip angle increases. The arc temperature on the anode (workpiece) surface becomes concentrated with increase in tip angle. The arc velocity and gas shear stress are observed large with sharp tip and decreasing as the tip angle increases. Current density on the anode surface does not change with tip angle and observed almost the same in all the tip angles in both 2 mm and 5 mm arc lengths. Heat flux due to conduction and convection is observed more sensitive to the tip angle and decreases as the tip angle increases. The electromagnetic force is slightly observed increasing and the buoyancy force is observed slightly decreasing with increase in tip angle. Analyzing each driving force in the weld pool individually shows that the gas drag and Marangoni forces are much stronger than the electromagnetic and buoyancy forces. The weld pool shape is observed wide and shallow in sharp and narrow and deep in large tip angle. Increasing the arc length does not change the weld pool width; however, the weld pool depth significantly changes with arc length and is observed deep in short arc length. The arc properties and weld pool shapes are observed wide ahead of the electrode tip in the weld direction due to 70° torch angle. Good agreement is observed between the numerical and experimental weld pool shapes

BIPHASIC TREATMENT OF 2ND CLASS ANGLE ANOMALIES

OpenAIRE

C. Romanec; R. Stanciu; Anca Telmecea; Valentina Dorobat

2011-01-01

Our approach aims at presenting, based on clinical observations and complementary examinations, the effects of a treatment’s setting up during the mixed dentition period. The objectives include the identification of the optimal time of treatment of II/1, II/2 Angle malocclusions, as well as the therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of 2nd class Angle malocclusion during the period of mixed and permanent dentition. The study is based on data collected from 114 cli...

Characterisation of a smartphone image sensor response to direct solar 305nm irradiation at high air masses.

Science.gov (United States)

Igoe, D P; Amar, A; Parisi, A V; Turner, J

2017-06-01

This research reports the first time the sensitivity, properties and response of a smartphone image sensor that has been used to characterise the photobiologically important direct UVB solar irradiances at 305nm in clear sky conditions at high air masses. Solar images taken from Autumn to Spring were analysed using a custom Python script, written to develop and apply an adaptive threshold to mitigate the effects of both noise and hot-pixel aberrations in the images. The images were taken in an unobstructed area, observing from a solar zenith angle as high as 84° (air mass=9.6) to local solar maximum (up to a solar zenith angle of 23°) to fully develop the calibration model in temperatures that varied from 2°C to 24°C. The mean ozone thickness throughout all observations was 281±18 DU (to 2 standard deviations). A Langley Plot was used to confirm that there were constant atmospheric conditions throughout the observations. The quadratic calibration model developed has a strong correlation between the red colour channel from the smartphone with the Microtops measurements of the direct sun 305nm UV, with a coefficient of determination of 0.998 and very low standard errors. Validation of the model verified the robustness of the method and the model, with an average discrepancy of only 5% between smartphone derived and Microtops observed direct solar irradiances at 305nm. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using the smartphone image sensor as a means to measure photobiologically important solar UVB radiation. The use of ubiquitous portable technologies, such as smartphones and laptop computers to perform data collection and analysis of solar UVB observations is an example of how scientific investigations can be performed by citizen science based individuals and groups, communities and schools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Small angle neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernardini, G.; Cherubini, G.; Fioravanti, A.; Olivi, A.

1976-09-01

A method for the analysis of the data derived from neutron small angle scattering measurements has been accomplished in the case of homogeneous particles, starting from the basic theory without making any assumption on the form of particle size distribution function. The experimental scattering curves are interpreted with the aid the computer by means of a proper routine. The parameters obtained are compared with the corresponding ones derived from observations at the transmission electron microscope

Unified parametrization for quark and lepton mixing angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodejohann, Werner

2009-01-01

We propose a new parametrization for the quark and lepton mixing matrices: the two 12-mixing angles (the Cabibbo angle and the angle responsible for solar neutrino oscillations) are at zeroth order π/12 and π/5, respectively. The resulting 12-elements in the CKM and PMNS matrices, V us and U e2 , are in this order irrational but simple algebraic numbers. We note that the cosine of π/5 is the golden ratio divided by two. The difference between π/5 and the observed best-fit value of solar neutrino mixing is of the same order as the difference between the observed value and the one for tri-bimaximal mixing. In order to reproduce the central values of current fits, corrections to the zeroth order expressions are necessary. They are small and of the same order and sign for quarks and leptons. We parametrize the perturbations to the CKM and PMNS matrices in a 'triminimal' way, i.e., with three small rotations in an order corresponding to the order of the rotations in the PDG-description of mixing matrices

Apparent Contact Angle and Contact Angle Hysteresis on Liquid Infused Surfaces

OpenAIRE

Semprebon, Ciro; McHale, Glen; Kusumaatmaja, Halim

2016-01-01

We theoretically investigate the apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis of a droplet placed on a liquid infused surface. We show that the apparent contact angle is not uniquely defined by material parameters, but also has a strong dependence on the relative size between the droplet and its surrounding wetting ridge formed by the infusing liquid. We derive a closed form expression for the contact angle in the limit of vanishing wetting ridge, and compute the correction for small b...

Undetected angle closure in patients with a diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Varma, Devesh K; Simpson, Sarah M; Rai, Amandeep S; Ahmed, Iqbal Ike K

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to identify the proportion of patients referred to a tertiary glaucoma centre with a diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) who were found to have angle closure glaucoma. Retrospective chart review. Consecutive new patients referred for glaucoma management to a tertiary centre between July 2010 and December 2011 were reviewed. Patients whose referrals for glaucoma assessment specified angle status as "open" were included. The data collected included glaucoma specialist's angle assessment, diagnosis, and glaucoma severity. The status of those with 180 degrees or more Shaffer angle grading of 0 was classified as "closed." From 1234 glaucoma referrals, 179 cases were specified to have a diagnosis of OAG or when angles were known to be open. Of these, 16 (8.9%) were found on examination by the glaucoma specialist to have angle closure. Pseudoexfoliation was present in 4 of 16 patients (25%) in the missed angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) group and 22 of 108 patients (13.5%) in the remaining OAG group. There was no difference found in demographic or ocular biometric parameters between those with confirmed OAG versus those with missed ACG. Almost 1 in 11 patients referred by ophthalmologists to a tertiary glaucoma centre with a diagnosis of OAG were in fact found to have angle closure. Given the different treatment approaches for ACG versus OAG, this study suggests a need to strengthen angle evaluations. Copyright © 2017 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Design and Implementation of the Wide-Angle Michelson Interferometer to Observe Thermospheric Winds.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, William Edmund

The design and implementation of a Wide-Angle Michelson interferometer (WAMI) as a high spectral resolution device for measuring Doppler shifts and temperatures in the thermosphere is discussed in detail. A general theoretical framework is developed to describe the behavior of interferometers and is applied to the WAMI. Notions concerning the optical coupling of various surfaces within an interferometer are developed and used to investigate the effects of misalignments in the WAMI optics. In addition, these notions in combination with ideas on the polarization behavior of interferometers are used to suggest how complex multisurfaced interferometers might be developed, what features affect their behavior most strongly, and how this behavior might be controlled. Those aspects of the Michelson interferometer important to its use as a high resolution spectral device are outlined and expressions relating the physical features of the interferometer and the spectral features of the radiation passing through the instrument, to the form of the observed interference pattern are derived. The sensitivity of the WAMI to misalignments in its optical components is explored, and quantitative estimations of the effects of these misalignments made. A working WAMI with cube corners instead of plane mirrors was constructed and is described. The theoretical notions outlined above are applied to this instrument and found to account for most of its features. A general digital procedure is developed for the analysis of the observed interference fringes which permits an estimation of the amplitude, visibility and phase of the fringes. This instrument was taken to Bird, northern Manitoba as part of the ground based support for the Auroral Rocket and Image Excitation Study (ARIES) rocket campaign. Doppler shifts and linewidth variations in O(^1 D) and O(^1S) emissions in the aurora were observed during several nights and constitute the first synoptic wind measurements taken with a WAMI. The

A new software suite for NO2 vertical profile retrieval from ground-based zenith-sky spectrometers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denis, L.; Roscoe, H.K.; Chipperfield, M.P.; Roozendael, M. van; Goutail, F.

2005-01-01

Here we present an operational method to improve accuracy and information content of ground-based measurements of stratospheric NO 2 . The motive is to improve the investigation of trends in NO 2 , and is important because the current trend in NO 2 appears to contradict the trend in its source, suggesting that the stratospheric circulation has changed. To do so, a new software package for retrieving NO 2 vertical profiles from slant columns measured by zenith-sky spectrometers has been created. It uses a Rodgers optimal linear inverse method coupled with a radiative transfer model for calculations of transfer functions between profiles and columns, and a chemical box model for taking into account the NO 2 variations during twilight and during the day. Each model has parameters that vary according to season and location. Forerunners of each model have been previously validated. The scheme maps random errors in the measurements and systematic errors in the models and their parameters on to the retrieved profiles. Initialisation for models is derived from well-established climatologies. The software has been tested by comparing retrieved profiles to simultaneous balloon-borne profiles at mid-latitudes in spring

Radio tomography and scintillation studies of ionospheric electron density modification caused by a powerful HF-wave and magnetic zenith effect at mid-latitudes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tereshchenko, E.D.; Khudukon, B.Z.; Gurevich, A.V.; Zybin, K.P.; Frolov, V.L.; Myasnikov, E.N.; Muravieva, N.V.; Carlson, H.C.

2004-01-01

Observations of the ionospheric electron density modified by a powerful wave of the Sura HF heating facility were carried out in Russia at middle latitudes in August 2002. Amplitude scintillations and variations of the phase of VHF signals from Russian orbiting satellites passing over the heated region along the chain of three satellite receivers have been recorded. The experimental data were converted to electron density maps using a stochastic inversion. Tomographic measurements conducted during a low magnetic activity revealed that HF powerful waves can produce significant electron density disturbances up to heights significantly exceeding altitudes of the F layer peak. Both large-scale plasma enhancements and small-scale density irregularities can be generated by the HF radiation. Wavy density structures were also observed within a sector which is much wider than the area covered by the main lobe of the heating antenna. Small-scale density irregularities are mostly field-aligned although large-scale structures can be detected within a much larger area. A distinctive peculiarity of electron density changes occurred during heating is producing a zone of low density inside the area illuminated by the antenna beam. The results indicate that satellite radio tomography and scintillation measurements are effective diagnostic techniques giving a valuable information to studies of effects induced by HF modification. The complete system of plasma density disturbances describing by the theory of 'the magnetic zenith effect' has been for the first time studied in this Letter. A good agreement between the theory and experimental data has been obtained

Cloud Droplet Size and Liquid Water Path Retrievals From Zenith Radiance Measurements: Examples From the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program and the Aerosol Robotic Network

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, J. C.; Marshak, A.; Huang, C.-H.; Varnai, T.; Hogan, R. J.; Giles, D. M.; Holben, B. N.; Knyazikhin, Y.; O'Connor, E. J.; Wiscombe, W. J.

2012-01-01

The ground-based Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) and NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) routinely monitor clouds using zenith radiances at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Using the transmittance calculated from such measurements, we have developed a new retrieval method for cloud effective droplet size and conducted extensive tests for non-precipitating liquid water clouds. The underlying principle is to combine a water-absorbing wavelength (i.e. 1640 nm) with a nonwater-absorbing wavelength for acquiring information on cloud droplet size and optical depth. For simulated stratocumulus clouds with liquid water path less than 300 g/sq m and horizontal resolution of 201m, the retrieval method underestimates the mean effective radius by 0.8 m, with a root-mean-squared error of 1.7 m and a relative deviation of 13 %. For actual observations with a liquid water path less than 450 gm.2 at the ARM Oklahoma site during 2007-2008, our 1.5 min-averaged retrievals are generally larger by around 1 m than those from combined ground-based cloud radar and microwave radiometer at a 5min temporal resolution. We also compared our retrievals to those from combined shortwave flux and microwave observations for relatively homogeneous clouds, showing that the bias between these two retrieval sets is negligible, but the error of 2.6 m and the relative deviation of 22% are larger than those found in our simulation case. Finally, the transmittance-based cloud effective droplet radii agree to better than 11% with satellite observations and have a negative bias of 1 m. Overall, the retrieval method provides reasonable cloud effective radius estimates, which can enhance the cloud products of both ARM and AERONET.

New models to compute solar global hourly irradiation from point cloudiness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badescu, Viorel; Dumitrescu, Alexandru

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Kasten–Czeplak cloudy sky model is tested under the climate of South-Eastern Europe. ► Very simple cloudy sky models based on atmospheric transmission factors. ► Transmission factors are nonlinear functions of the cosine of zenith angle. ► New models’ performance is good for low and intermediate cloudy skies. ► Models show good performance when applied in stations other than the origin station. - Abstract: The Kasten–Czeplak (KC) model [16] is tested against data measured in five meteorological stations covering the latitudes and longitudes of Romania (South-Eastern Europe). Generally, the KC cloudy sky model underestimates the measured values. Its performance is (marginally) good enough for point cloudiness C = 0–1. The performance is good for skies with few clouds (C < 0.3), good enough for skies with medium amount of clouds (C = 0.3–0.7) and poor on very cloudy and overcast skies. New very simple empirical cloudy sky models are proposed. They bring two novelties in respect to KC model. First, new basic clear sky models are used, which evaluate separately the direct and diffuse radiation, respectively. Second, some of the new models assume the atmospheric transmission factor is a nonlinear function of the cosine of zenith angle Z. The performance of the new models is generally better than that of the KC model, for all cloudiness classes. One class of models (called S4) has been further tested. The sub-model S4TOT has been obtained by fitting the generic model S4 to all available data, for all stations. Generally, S4TOT has good accuracy in all stations, for low and intermediate cloudy skies (C < 0.7). The accuracy of S4TOT is good and good enough at intermediate zenith angles (Z = 30–70°) but worse for small and larger zenith angles (Z = 0–30° and Z = 70–85°, respectively). Several S4 sub-models were tested in stations different from the origin station. Almost all sub-models have good or good enough performance for skies

Variable field-to-normal angles in the shock foreshock boundary observed by ISEE 1 and 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenstadt, E.W.; Mellot, M.M.

1985-01-01

Saturated ULF waves in the foreshock, with amplitudes comparable to the magnitude of the average field, are convected by the solar wind to the quasi-parallel shock where the average field-normal angle is less than, or about, 45 0 . Several examples from ISEE 1 and 2 magnetometer data show waves that defined local, instantaneous field-normal angles very different periodically from the average. Local geometric conditions at the nominally quasi-parallel shock varied from nearly parallel to nearly perpendicular, at the periods of typical upstream waves. Clear magnetic shock transitions occurred under temporarily quasi-perpendicular geometry

Comparison of gonioscopy and anterior segment ocular coherence tomography in detecting angle closure in different quadrants of the anterior chamber angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakata, Lisandro M; Lavanya, Raghavan; Friedman, David S; Aung, Han T; Gao, Hong; Kumar, Rajesh S; Foster, Paul J; Aung, Tin

2008-05-01

To compare the performance of gonioscopy and anterior segment (AS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) in detecting angle closure in the different quadrants of the anterior chamber angle (ACA). Cross-sectional observational study. Five hundred two consecutive subjects more than 50 years of age with no previous ophthalmic problems recruited from a community clinic in Singapore. All subjects underwent gonioscopy and AS OCT imaging in the dark. Using gonioscopy, the ACA was graded using the Scheie system by a single examiner masked to AS OCT findings. The ACA in a particular quadrant was classified as closed if the posterior trabecular meshwork could not be seen on gonioscopy. A closed ACA on AS OCT imaging was defined by the presence of any contact between the iris and angle wall anterior to the scleral spur. After excluding eyes with poor image quality, a total of 423 right eyes were included in the analysis. A closed angle in at least 1 quadrant was observed in 59% of the eyes by AS OCT and in 33% of the eyes by gonioscopy (Pgonioscopy were 48% versus 29% superiorly, 43% versus 22% inferiorly, 18% versus 14% nasally, and 12% versus 20% temporally, respectively. Of the 119 of 1692 quadrants that were closed on gonioscopy but open on AS OCT, a steep iris profile was present in 61 (51%) of 119 quadrants on AS OCT, and of the 276 of 1692 quadrants that were open on gonioscopy but closed on AS OCT, 196 (71%) of 276 quadrants showed short iridoangle contact on AS OCT. The highest rates of closed angles on gonioscopy and AS OCT images were observed in the superior quadrant. Anterior segment OCT tended to detect more closed ACAs than gonioscopy, particularly in the superior and inferior quadrants. Variations in the iris profile and level of iridoangle contact also may explain some of the differences seen between gonioscopy and AS OCT.

RE-EXAMINING SUNSPOT TILT ANGLE TO INCLUDE ANTI-HALE STATISTICS

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McClintock, B. H. [University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350 (Australia); Norton, A. A. [HEPL, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305 (United States); Li, J., E-mail: u1049686@umail.usq.edu.au, E-mail: aanorton@stanford.edu, E-mail: jli@igpp.ucla.edu [Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)

2014-12-20

Sunspot groups and bipolar magnetic regions (BMRs) serve as an observational diagnostic of the solar cycle. We use Debrecen Photohelographic Data (DPD) from 1974-2014 that determined sunspot tilt angles from daily white light observations, and data provided by Li and Ulrich that determined sunspot magnetic tilt angle using Mount Wilson magnetograms from 1974-2012. The magnetograms allowed for BMR tilt angles that were anti-Hale in configuration, so tilt values ranged from 0 to 360° rather than the more common ±90°. We explore the visual representation of magnetic tilt angles on a traditional butterfly diagram by plotting the mean area-weighted latitude of umbral activity in each bipolar sunspot group, including tilt information. The large scatter of tilt angles over the course of a single cycle and hemisphere prevents Joy's law from being visually identified in the tilt-butterfly diagram without further binning. The average latitude of anti-Hale regions does not differ from the average latitude of all regions in both hemispheres. The distribution of anti-Hale sunspot tilt angles are broadly distributed between 0 and 360° with a weak preference for east-west alignment 180° from their expected Joy's law angle. The anti-Hale sunspots display a log-normal size distribution similar to that of all sunspots, indicating no preferred size for anti-Hale sunspots. We report that 8.4% ± 0.8% of all bipolar sunspot regions are misclassified as Hale in traditional catalogs. This percentage is slightly higher for groups within 5° of the equator due to the misalignment of the magnetic and heliographic equators.

RE-EXAMINING SUNSPOT TILT ANGLE TO INCLUDE ANTI-HALE STATISTICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClintock, B. H.; Norton, A. A.; Li, J.

2014-01-01

Sunspot groups and bipolar magnetic regions (BMRs) serve as an observational diagnostic of the solar cycle. We use Debrecen Photohelographic Data (DPD) from 1974-2014 that determined sunspot tilt angles from daily white light observations, and data provided by Li and Ulrich that determined sunspot magnetic tilt angle using Mount Wilson magnetograms from 1974-2012. The magnetograms allowed for BMR tilt angles that were anti-Hale in configuration, so tilt values ranged from 0 to 360° rather than the more common ±90°. We explore the visual representation of magnetic tilt angles on a traditional butterfly diagram by plotting the mean area-weighted latitude of umbral activity in each bipolar sunspot group, including tilt information. The large scatter of tilt angles over the course of a single cycle and hemisphere prevents Joy's law from being visually identified in the tilt-butterfly diagram without further binning. The average latitude of anti-Hale regions does not differ from the average latitude of all regions in both hemispheres. The distribution of anti-Hale sunspot tilt angles are broadly distributed between 0 and 360° with a weak preference for east-west alignment 180° from their expected Joy's law angle. The anti-Hale sunspots display a log-normal size distribution similar to that of all sunspots, indicating no preferred size for anti-Hale sunspots. We report that 8.4% ± 0.8% of all bipolar sunspot regions are misclassified as Hale in traditional catalogs. This percentage is slightly higher for groups within 5° of the equator due to the misalignment of the magnetic and heliographic equators

Dilemma of gonial angle measurement: Panoramic radiograph or lateral cephalogram

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Radhakrishnan, Pillai Devu; Varma, Nilambur Kovilakam Sapna; Ajith, Vallikat Velath [Dept. of Orthodontics, Amrita School of Dentistry, Kochi (India)

2017-06-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of panoramic imaging in measuring the right and left gonial angles by comparing the measured angles with the angles determined using a lateral cephalogram of adult patients with class I malocclusion. The gonial angles of 50 class I malocclusion patients (25 males and 25 females; mean age: 23 years) were measured using both a lateral cephalogram and a panoramic radiograph. In the lateral cephalograms, the gonial angle was measured at the point of intersection of the ramus plane and the mandibular plane. In the panoramic radiographs, the gonial angle was measured by drawing a line tangent to the lower border of the mandible and another line tangent to the distal border of the ascending ramus and the condyle on both sides. The data obtained from both radiographs were statistically compared. No statistically significant difference was observed between the gonial angle measured using the lateral cephalograms and that determined using the panoramic radiographs. Further, there was no statistically significant difference in the measured gonial angle with respect to gender. The results also showed a statistically insignificant difference in the mean of the right and the left gonial angles measured using the panoramic radiographs. As the gonial angle measurements using panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms showed no statistically significant difference, panoramic radiography can be considered in orthodontics for measuring the gonial angle without any interference due to superimposed images.

Polar transfer alignment of shipborne SINS with a large misalignment angle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Jianhua; Wang, Tongda; Guan, Dongxue; Li, Meiling

2016-01-01

Existing polar transfer alignment (TA) algorithms are designed based on linear Kalman filters (KF) to estimate misalignment angles. In the case of a large misalignment angle, these algorithms cannot be applied in order to achieve accurate TA. In this paper, a TA algorithm based on an unscented Kalman filter (UKF) is proposed to solve the problem of the large misalignment angle in the polar region. Based on a large misalignment angle, nonlinear navigation error equations, which are the UKF dynamic models, are derived under grid frames. This paper chooses the velocity plus attitude matching method as the TA matching method and errors of velocity and attitude as observations. The misalignment angle can be estimated by the designed UKF. The simulation results have demonstrated that the polar TA algorithm can be effective in improving the TA accuracy, especially when large misalignment angles occur. (paper)

Examination of solar simulators used for the determination of sunscreen UVA efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayre, Robert M; Dowdy, John C

2010-01-01

The U.S. FDA recently proposed both in vivo and in vitro UVA efficacy tests for sunscreen products with the lower result used to establish the sunscreen's labeled UVA protection claim. The FDA stated their rationale for dual tests was concern that the in vivo test method overemphasizes UVA-2 (320-340 nm) photoprotection. We attribute FDA's observation to the relative lack, compared to sunlight, of UVA-1 (340-400 nm) radiation in the current JCIA UVA solar simulator specification, allowing the method to generate higher UVA protection factors than sunscreens will provide in sunlight. Our work is based upon comparisons of Air Mass 1.0 sunlight to variously filtered UVA solar simulators. Sources near the JCIA UVA-2/UVA limits (8-20%) had a goodness of fit to solar UVA of only 67-79%. We propose that instead of using ratios of UVA-2 to UVA the standard should be a goodness of fit to the UVA region of an Air Mass 1 solar reference spectrum. As the spectral distribution of solar UVA varies much less than UVB, sunlight of reasonable zenith angles of < or = 60 degrees will have similar spectral shapes and approximate risk spectrum. Goodness of fit to this spectrum will produce UVA protection values predictive to those actually achieved in sunlight of different zenith angles.

Optimum Antenna Downtilt Angles for Macrocellular WCDMA Network

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Niemelä Jarno

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The impact of antenna downtilt on the performance of cellular WCDMA network has been studied by using a radio network planning tool. An optimum downtilt angle has been evaluated for numerous practical macrocellular site and antenna configurations for electrical and mechanical antenna downtilt concepts. The aim of this massive simulation campaign was expected to provide an answer to two questions: firstly, how to select the downtilt angle of a macrocellular base station antenna? Secondly, what is the impact of antenna downtilt on system capacity and network coverage? Optimum downtilt angles were observed to vary between – depending on the network configuration. Moreover, the corresponding downlink capacity gains varied between – . Antenna vertical beamwidth affects clearly the required optimum downtilt angle the most. On the other hand, with wider antenna vertical beamwidth, the impact of downtilt on system performance is not such imposing. In addition, antenna height together with the size of the dominance area affect the required downtilt angle. Finally, the simulation results revealed how the importance of the antenna downtilt becomes more significant in dense networks, where the capacity requirements are typically also higher.

Automated computation of femoral angles in dogs from three-dimensional computed tomography reconstructions: Comparison with manual techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, F; Nicetto, T; Banzato, T; Savio, G; Drigo, M; Meneghello, R; Concheri, G; Isola, M

2018-02-01

The aim of this ex vivo study was to test a novel three-dimensional (3D) automated computer-aided design (CAD) method (aCAD) for the computation of femoral angles in dogs from 3D reconstructions of computed tomography (CT) images. The repeatability and reproducibility of three manual radiography, manual CT reconstructions and the aCAD method for the measurement of three femoral angles were evaluated: (1) anatomical lateral distal femoral angle (aLDFA); (2) femoral neck angle (FNA); and (3) femoral torsion angle (FTA). Femoral angles of 22 femurs obtained from 16 cadavers were measured by three blinded observers. Measurements were repeated three times by each observer for each diagnostic technique. Femoral angle measurements were analysed using a mixed effects linear model for repeated measures to determine the levels of intra-observer agreement (repeatability) and inter-observer agreement (reproducibility). Repeatability and reproducibility of measurements using the aCAD method were excellent (intra-class coefficients, ICCs≥0.98) for all three angles assessed. Manual radiography and CT exhibited excellent agreement for the aLDFA measurement (ICCs≥0.90). However, FNA repeatability and reproducibility were poor (ICCscomputation of the 3D aCAD method provided the highest repeatability and reproducibility among the tested methodologies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber angle as a sign of angle closure

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Harsha L Rao

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber (AC angle are considered diagnostic of primary angle closure (PAC. But there are no reports either on the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles or the validity of this sign. Aims: To determine the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles and to evaluate their relationship with glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON in eyes with occludable angles. Setting and Design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Materials and Methods: Gonioscopy was performed in 1001 eyes of 526 subjects (245 eyes of 148 consecutive, occludable angle subjects and 756 eyes of 378 non-consecutive, open angle subjects, above 35 years of age. Quadrant-wise location of blotchy pigments was documented. Statistical Analysis: Odds of blotchy pigments in occludable angles against that in open angles were evaluated. Relationship of GON with blotchy pigments in occludable angle eyes was evaluated using a multivariate model. Results: Prevalence of blotchy pigments in occludable angles was 28.6% (95% CI, 22.9-34.3 and in open angles was 4.7% (95% CI, 3.2-6.3. Blotchy pigments were more frequently seen in inferior (16% and superior quadrants (15% of occludable angles, and inferior quadrant of open angles (4%. Odds of superior quadrant blotchy pigments in occludable angles were 33 times that in open angles. GON was seen in 107 occludable angle eyes. Blotchy pigments were not significantly associated with GON (odds ratio = 0.5; P = 0.1. Conclusions: Blotchy pigments were seen in 28.6% of occludable angle eyes and 4.7% of open angles eyes. Presence of blotchy pigments in the superior quadrant is more common in occludable angles. Presence of GON in occludable angle eyes was not associated with blotchy pigments.

Evaluation of blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber angle as a sign of angle closure

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Harsha L; Mungale, Sachin C; Kumbar, Tukaram; Parikh, Rajul S; Garudadri, Chandra S

2012-01-01

Background: Blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber (AC) angle are considered diagnostic of primary angle closure (PAC). But there are no reports either on the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles or the validity of this sign. Aims: To determine the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles and to evaluate their relationship with glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) in eyes with occludable angles. Setting and Design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Materials and Methods: Gonioscopy was performed in 1001 eyes of 526 subjects (245 eyes of 148 consecutive, occludable angle subjects and 756 eyes of 378 non-consecutive, open angle subjects), above 35 years of age. Quadrant-wise location of blotchy pigments was documented. Statistical Analysis: Odds of blotchy pigments in occludable angles against that in open angles were evaluated. Relationship of GON with blotchy pigments in occludable angle eyes was evaluated using a multivariate model. Results: Prevalence of blotchy pigments in occludable angles was 28.6% (95% CI, 22.9-34.3) and in open angles was 4.7% (95% CI, 3.2-6.3). Blotchy pigments were more frequently seen in inferior (16%) and superior quadrants (15%) of occludable angles, and inferior quadrant of open angles (4%). Odds of superior quadrant blotchy pigments in occludable angles were 33 times that in open angles. GON was seen in 107 occludable angle eyes. Blotchy pigments were not significantly associated with GON (odds ratio = 0.5; P = 0.1). Conclusions: Blotchy pigments were seen in 28.6% of occludable angle eyes and 4.7% of open angles eyes. Presence of blotchy pigments in the superior quadrant is more common in occludable angles. Presence of GON in occludable angle eyes was not associated with blotchy pigments. PMID:23202393

Effect of MLC leaf position, collimator rotation angle, and gantry rotation angle errors on intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

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Bai, Sen; Li, Guangjun; Wang, Maojie; Jiang, Qinfeng; Zhang, Yingjie [State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan (China); Wei, Yuquan, E-mail: yuquawei@vip.sina.com [State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan (China)

2013-07-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf position, collimator rotation angle, and accelerator gantry rotation angle errors on intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. To compare dosimetric differences between the simulating plans and the clinical plans with evaluation parameters, 6 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were selected for simulation of systematic and random MLC leaf position errors, collimator rotation angle errors, and accelerator gantry rotation angle errors. There was a high sensitivity to dose distribution for systematic MLC leaf position errors in response to field size. When the systematic MLC position errors were 0.5, 1, and 2 mm, respectively, the maximum values of the mean dose deviation, observed in parotid glands, were 4.63%, 8.69%, and 18.32%, respectively. The dosimetric effect was comparatively small for systematic MLC shift errors. For random MLC errors up to 2 mm and collimator and gantry rotation angle errors up to 0.5°, the dosimetric effect was negligible. We suggest that quality control be regularly conducted for MLC leaves, so as to ensure that systematic MLC leaf position errors are within 0.5 mm. Because the dosimetric effect of 0.5° collimator and gantry rotation angle errors is negligible, it can be concluded that setting a proper threshold for allowed errors of collimator and gantry rotation angle may increase treatment efficacy and reduce treatment time.

The Eddington approximation calculation of radiation flux in the atmosphere–ocean system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Chong; Nakajima, Teruyuki

2015-01-01

An analytical approximation method is presented to calculate the radiation flux in the atmosphere–ocean system using the Eddington approximation when the upwelling radiation from the ocean body is negligibly small. Numerical experiments were carried out to investigate the feasibility of the method in two cases: flat and rough ocean surfaces. The results show good consistency for the reflectivity at the top of atmosphere and transmissivity just above the ocean surface, in comparison with the exact values calculated by radiative transfer models in each case. Moreover, an obvious error might be introduced for the calculation of radiation flux at larger solar zenith angles when the roughness of the ocean surface is neglected. - Highlights: • The Eddington approximation method is extended to the atmosphere–ocean system. • The roughness of ocean surface cannot be neglected at lager solar zenith angles. • Unidirectional reflectivity for rough ocean surface is proposed

Study of the photon flux from the night sky at La Palma and Namibia, in the wavelength region relevant for imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preuss, S.; Hermann, G.; Hofmann, W.; Kohnle, A.

2002-01-01

The level of the night-sky background light at La Palma and Namibia was determined, with emphasis on the wavelength region and solid angle coverage relevant for the operation of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The dependence of the night-sky background light both on celestial coordinates (alt,az) and on galactic coordinates (b,l) was measured, with an angular resolution of about 1 deg. Average light levels near the zenith are similar in both locations -2.2x10 12 -2.6x10 12 photons sr -1 s -1 m -2 for 300 nm<λ<650 nm. With increasing zenith angle the level of background light increases at La Palma, whereas a constant level is measured in Namibia. Near the center of the Milky Way, background light levels are increased by a factor up to 4 and more. Also the level of light backscattered from the ground has been studied

Extended discrete-ordinate method considering full polarization state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Box, Michael A.; Qin Yi

2006-01-01

This paper presents an extension to the standard discrete-ordinate method (DOM) to consider generalized sources including: beam sources which can be placed at any (vertical) position and illuminate in any direction, thermal emission from the atmosphere and angularly distributed sources which illuminate from a surface as continuous functions of zenith and azimuth angles. As special cases, the thermal emission from the surface and deep space can be implemented as angularly distributed sources. Analytical-particular solutions for all source types are derived using the infinite medium Green's function. Radiation field zenith angle interpolation using source function integration is developed for all source types. The development considers the full state of polarization, including the sources (as applicable) and the (BRDF) surface, but the development can be reduced easily to scalar problems and is ready to be implemented in a single set of code for both scalar and vector radiative transfer computation

Solar-phase-angle effects on the taxonomic classification of asteroids

Science.gov (United States)

Carvano, J.; Davallos, J.

2014-07-01

Survey is affected by the solar phase angle of the observation. It is found that the number of observations assigned to several taxonomic classes has a clear dependency on the solar phase angle of the asteroid at the moment of the observation. In order to understand how variations of phase angles affect the reflectance spectra of the individual asteroids listed in the SDSS with multiple observations, we use the reflectance spectra derived from the SDSS colors to define two parameters, which measure the spectral slope in the visible and the depth of the 1-micron band, if present. It is found that most asteroids in the sample tend to be redder at higher phase angles, and that, for the classes showing a 1-μ m band, most show increasing band depth with increasing phase angle. This predominance of positive correlations for both band depth and spectral slope might suffice to explain the offsets in the distribution of classes. However, for both parameters there is a significant fraction in each sample for which there seem to be no correlation at all, and a comparable number seem to display anti-correlation between the parameters and the phase angle. Therefore, although phase-reddening effects, as currently understood in the literature, can account for the offsets in the distribution of taxonomic classes with phase angle, it cannot explain all variability seen in the SDSS data. There is also a dependency on composition and also shape effects involved, which can be reproduced using Hapke reflectance models.

Technical Note: Field-observed angles of repose for stored grain in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Bulk grain angle of repose (AoR) is a key parameter for inventorying grain, predicting flow characteristics, and designing bins and grain handling systems. The AoR is defined for two cases, piling (dynamic) or emptying (static), and usually varies with grain type. The objective of this study was to ...

Pre and post operative facial angles in patients submitted to rhinoplasty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soccol, Andréa T

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Parameters used in facial aesthetic surgeries are currently based on POWELL and HUMPHREYS (1. These authors have formulated suitable relations between the face and the nose, and defined the face angles. Objective: To compare pre and pos-operative nasolabial, nasofrontal, nasomental and nasofacial angles in patients submitted to rhinoseptoplasty. Method: Prospective analysis of 37 patients submitted to rhinoplasty, with an average of 30±11 years of age, being 13 (36% men and 24 (64% women. The nasolabial, nasofrontal, nasomental and nasofacial angles were measured and compared, before and after the surgery, in profile pictures. Results: An average increase of 8.6o in the nasolabial angle was observed, of 8.5o in the nasofrontal and reduction of 2.3o in the nasofacial angle, and all the measures presented a statistically significant difference between the pre and pos-operative period. The nasomental angle increased, on average, 1.6o, a difference without statistical importance. Conclusions: The nasolabial and nasofrontal angles increase significantly after rhinoseptoplasty, while the nasofacial angle diminishes. There was no significant alteration in the nasomental angle with the accomplishment of the surgery.

Iphone app use to Cobb angle in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Does this apply?

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Antenor Rafael de Oliveira Mazzuia

2015-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To validate a new method of measuring the Cobb angle for scoliosis from the mobile app CobbMeter to facilitate the evaluation and measurement in clinical practice.METHODS: Five observers with minimum experience of two years in the field performed radiographic measurements of Cobb angle in 24 radiographs of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis through the CobbMeter. Observers performed serial measures on the images with the application, which were repeated after one month. The most experienced appraiser of the group, after measurements were made through the application, determined the Cobb angle in each radiography by the traditional method.RESULTS: The mean standard deviation by comparing the angles electronically and manually measured had no clinical significance. Although 40% of electronic measurements are outside the confidence interval when compared to manual measurements, this difference was insignificant in clinical practice.CONCLUSIONS: The CobbMeter is another alternative for measuring Cobb angle in scoliosis.

Comparison of efficacy of procedures in the treatment of acute angle-closure glaucoma

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Lian-Rong Su

2013-06-01

Full Text Available AIM: To observe the clinical effects of 3 different surgery treatments for acute angle-closure glaucoma. METHODS: Totally 60 cases of acute angle-closure glaucoma were randomly divided into 3 groups. Iris root excision or laser iridotomy was applied to group A, cataract phacoemulsification with artificial lens implantation and goniosynechialysis for group B, crabeculectomy for group C. The changes of vision, intraocular pressure, chamber angle, anterior chamber depth before and after operation were observed, while the postoperative complications and following operations were analyzed. The period of follow-up was one week, one month, three months and six months.RESULTS: No statistical significance was found for treatments of group A and C(P>0.05. For group C the treatment was statistically significant(PPPCONCLUSION: Cataract phacoemulsification with artificial lens implantation and goniosynechialysis is a safe and effective surgery for treatment of acute angle-closure glaucoma, which can effectively improve vision, decrease intraocular pressure, open anterior chamber angle.

Reliability and reproducibility of disc-foveal angle measurements by non-mydriatic fundus photography.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Jeune, Caroline; Chebli, Fayçal; Leon, Lorette; Anthoine, Emmanuelle; Weber, Michel; Péchereau, Alain; Lebranchu, Pierre

2018-01-01

Abnormal torsion could be associated with cyclovertical strabismus, but torsion measurements are not reliable in children. To assess an objective fundus torsion evaluation in a paediatric population, we used Non-Mydriatic Fundus photography (NMFP) in healthy and cyclovertical strabismus patients to evaluate the disc-foveal angle over time and observers. We used a retrospective set of NMFP including 24 A or V-pattern strabismus and 27 age-matched normal children (mean age 6.4 and 6.7 years respectively), taken during 2 distinct follow-up consultations (separated by 251 and 479 days respectively). Each disc-foveal angle measurement (from which the ocular torsion can be assessed) was performed by 5 different observers, using graphical software and based on reproducible fundus anatomical marks. Statistical analysis was performed with a multivariate ANOVA using group, time and observers as factors, in addition to intraclass coefficient correlation (ICC) to assess measurement reproducibility. A significant difference of disc-foveal angle measures was observed between groups (p0,97). Abnormal amount of objective torsion could be associated with alphabet-pattern strabismus. Disc-foveal angle evaluation by NMFP in a children population appears as a non-invasive, reliable and reproducible method.

Measuring the Viewing Angle of GW170817 with Electromagnetic and Gravitational Waves

Science.gov (United States)

Finstad, Daniel; De, Soumi; Brown, Duncan A.; Berger, Edo; Biwer, Christopher M.

2018-06-01

The joint detection of gravitational waves (GWs) and electromagnetic (EM) radiation from the binary neutron star merger GW170817 ushered in a new era of multi-messenger astronomy. Joint GW–EM observations can be used to measure the parameters of the binary with better precision than either observation alone. Here, we use joint GW–EM observations to measure the viewing angle of GW170817, the angle between the binary’s angular momentum and the line of sight. We combine a direct measurement of the distance to the host galaxy of GW170817 (NGC 4993) of 40.7 ± 2.36 Mpc with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO)/Virgo GW data and find that the viewing angle is {32}-13+10 +/- 1.7 degrees (90% confidence, statistical, and systematic errors). We place a conservative lower limit on the viewing angle of ≥13°, which is robust to the choice of prior. This measurement provides a constraint on models of the prompt γ-ray and radio/X-ray afterglow emission associated with the merger; for example, it is consistent with the off-axis viewing angle inferred for a structured jet model. We provide for the first time the full posterior samples from Bayesian parameter estimation of LIGO/Virgo data to enable further analysis by the community.

Research on visible and near infrared spectral-polarimetric properties of soil polluted by crude oil

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Hui-yan; Zhou, Pu-cheng; Pan, Bang-long

2017-10-01

Hydrocarbon contaminated soil can impose detrimental effects on forest health and quality of agricultural products. To manage such consequences, oil leak indicators should be detected quickly by monitoring systems. Remote sensing is one of the most suitable techniques for monitoring systems, especially for areas which are uninhabitable and difficulty to access. The most available physical quantities in optical remote sensing domain are the intensity and spectral information obtained by visible or infrared sensors. However, besides the intensity and wavelength, polarization is another primary physical quantity associated with an optical field. During the course of reflecting light-wave, the surface of soil polluted by crude oil will cause polarimetric properties which are related to the nature of itself. Thus, detection of the spectralpolarimetric properties for soil polluted by crude oil has become a new remote sensing monitoring method. In this paper, the multi-angle spectral-polarimetric instrument was used to obtain multi-angle visible and near infrared spectralpolarimetric characteristic data of soil polluted by crude oil. And then, the change rule between polarimetric properties with different affecting factors, such as viewing zenith angle, incidence zenith angle of the light source, relative azimuth angle, waveband of the detector as well as different grain size of soil were discussed, so as to provide a scientific basis for the research on polarization remote sensing for soil polluted by crude oil.

Measurement of Critical Contact Angle in a Microgravity Space Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Concus, P.; Finn, R.; Weislogel, M.

1998-01-01

Mathematical theory predicts that small changes in container shape or in contact angle can give rise to large shifts of liquid in a microgravity environment. This phenomenon was investigated in the Interface Configuration Experiment on board the USMT,2 Space Shuttle flight. The experiment's "double proboscis" containers were designed to strike a balance between conflicting requirements of sizable volume of liquid shift (for ease of observation) and abruptness of the shift (for accurate determination of critical contact angle). The experimental results support the classical concept of macroscopic contact angle and demonstrate the role of hysteresis in impeding orientation toward equilibrium.

A LEGO Mindstorms Brewster angle microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Fernsler, Jonathan; Nguyen, Vincent; Wallum, Alison; Benz, Nicholas; Hamlin, Matthew; Pilgram, Jessica; Vanderpoel, Hunter; Lau, Ryan

2017-09-01

A Brewster Angle Microscope (BAM) built from a LEGO Mindstorms kit, additional LEGO bricks, and several standard optics components, is described. The BAM was built as part of an undergraduate senior project and was designed, calibrated, and used to image phospholipid, cholesterol, soap, and oil films on the surface of water. A BAM uses p-polarized laser light reflected off a surface at the Brewster angle, which ideally yields zero reflectivity. When a film of different refractive index is added to the surface a small amount of light is reflected, which can be imaged in a microscope camera. Films of only one molecule (approximately 1 nm) thick, a monolayer, can be observed easily in the BAM. The BAM was used in a junior-level Physical Chemistry class to observe phase transitions of a monolayer and the collapse of a monolayer deposited on the water surface in a Langmuir trough. Using a photometric calculation, students observed a change in thickness of a monolayer during a phase transition of 7 Å, which was accurate to within 1 Å of the value determined by more advanced methods. As supplementary material, we provide a detailed manual on how to build the BAM, software to control the BAM and camera, and image processing software.

BIPHASIC TREATMENT OF 2ND CLASS ANGLE ANOMALIES

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C. Romanec

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Our approach aims at presenting, based on clinical observations and complementary examinations, the effects of a treatment’s setting up during the mixed dentition period. The objectives include the identification of the optimal time of treatment of II/1, II/2 Angle malocclusions, as well as the therapeutic possibilities for the treatment of 2nd class Angle malocclusion during the period of mixed and permanent dentition. The study is based on data collected from 114 clinical cases (69 girls and 45 boys with an age span between 7 and 18 years.

Light pollution offshore: Zenithal sky glow measurements in the mediterranean coastal waters

Science.gov (United States)

Ges, Xavier; Bará, Salvador; García-Gil, Manuel; Zamorano, Jaime; Ribas, Salvador J.; Masana, Eduard

2018-05-01

Light pollution is a worldwide phenomenon whose consequences for the natural environment and the human health are being intensively studied nowadays. Most published studies address issues related to light pollution inland. Coastal waters, however, are spaces of high environmental interest, due to their biodiversity richness and their economical significance. The elevated population density in coastal regions is accompanied by correspondingly large emissions of artificial light at night, whose role as an environmental stressor is increasingly being recognized. Characterizing the light pollution levels in coastal waters is a necessary step for protecting these areas. At the same time, the marine surface environment provides a stage free from obstacles for measuring the dependence of the skyglow on the distance to the light polluting sources, and validating (or rejecting) atmospheric light propagation models. In this work we present a proof-of-concept of a gimbal measurement system that can be used for zenithal skyglow measurements on board both small boats and large vessels under actual navigation conditions. We report the results obtained in the summer of 2016 along two measurement routes in the Mediterranean waters offshore Barcelona, travelling 9 and 31.7 km away from the coast. The atmospheric conditions in both routes were different from the ones assumed for the calculation of recently published models of the anthropogenic sky brightness. They were closer in the first route, whose results approach better the theoretical predictions. The results obtained in the second route, conducted under a clearer atmosphere, showed systematic differences that can be traced back to two expected phenomena, which are a consequence of the smaller aerosol content: the reduction of the anthropogenic sky glow at short distances from the sources, and the slower decay rate of brightness with distance, which gives rise to a relative excess of brightness at large distances from the

The Cosmic Ray Energy Spectrum and Related Measurements with the Pierre Auger Observatory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abraham, : J.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Aguirre, C.; Ahn, E.J.; Allard, D.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Alvarez-Muniz, J.; Ambrosio, M.; Anchordoqui, L.

2009-06-01

These are presentations to be presented at the 31st International Cosmic Ray Conference, in Lodz, Poland during July 2009. It consists of the following presentations: (1) Measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum above 10{sup 18} eV with the Pierre Auger Observatory; (2) The cosmic ray flux observed at zenith angles larger than 60 degrees with the Pierre Auger Observatory; (3) Energy calibration of data recorded with the surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory; (4) Exposure of the Hybrid Detector of The Pierre Auger Observatory; and (5) Energy scale derived from Fluorescence Telescopes using Cherenkov Light and Shower Universality.

The Q-angle and sport

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hahn, Thomas; Foldspang, Anders

1997-01-01

Quadriceps muscle contraction tends to straighten the Q angle. We expected that sports comprising a high amount of quadriceps training could be associated with low Q angles. The aim of the present study was to estimate the Q angle in athletes and to investigate its potential associations with par......Quadriceps muscle contraction tends to straighten the Q angle. We expected that sports comprising a high amount of quadriceps training could be associated with low Q angles. The aim of the present study was to estimate the Q angle in athletes and to investigate its potential associations...... with participation in sport. Three hundred and thirty-nine athletes had their Q angle measured. The mean of right-side Q angles was higher than left side, and the mean Q angle was higher in women than in men. The Q angle was positively associated with years of jogging, and negatively with years of soccer, swimming...... and sports participation at all. It is concluded that the use of Q angle measurements is questionable....

The Relationship between Mg ii Broad Emission and Quasar Inclination Angle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Conor Wildy

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Several observed spectral properties of quasars are believed to be influenced by quasar orientation. In this investigation we examine the effect of orientation on the Mg ii line located at 2,798 Å in a sample of 36 radio-loud quasars, with orientation angles having been obtained in a previous study using radio observations. We find no significant relationship between orientation angle and either Mg ii line full-width at half-maximum or equivalent width. The lack of correlation with inclination angle contradicts previous studies which also use radio data as a proxy for inclination angle and suggests the Mg ii emission region does not occupy a disk-like geometry. The lack of correlation with Mg ii equivalent width, however, is reported in at least one previous study. Although the significance is not very strong (86%, there is a possible negative relationship between inclination angle and Fe ii strength which, if true, could explain the Fe ii anti-correlation with [O iii] strength associated with Eigenvector 1. Interestingly, there are objects having almost edge-on inclinations while still exhibiting broad lines. This could be explained by a torus which is either clumpy (allowing sight lines to the central engine or mis-aligned with the accretion disk.

The Relationship between Mg ii Broad Emission and Quasar Inclination Angle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wildy, Conor; Czerny, Bozena, E-mail: wildy@cft.edu.pl [Center for Theoretical Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw (Poland)

2017-11-14

Several observed spectral properties of quasars are believed to be influenced by quasar orientation. In this investigation we examine the effect of orientation on the Mg ii line located at 2,798 Å in a sample of 36 radio-loud quasars, with orientation angles having been obtained in a previous study using radio observations. We find no significant relationship between orientation angle and either Mg ii line full-width at half-maximum or equivalent width. The lack of correlation with inclination angle contradicts previous studies which also use radio data as a proxy for inclination angle and suggests the Mg ii emission region does not occupy a disk-like geometry. The lack of correlation with Mg ii equivalent width, however, is reported in at least one previous study. Although the significance is not very strong (86%), there is a possible negative relationship between inclination angle and Fe ii strength which, if true, could explain the Fe ii anti-correlation with [O iii] strength associated with Eigenvector 1. Interestingly, there are objects having almost edge-on inclinations while still exhibiting broad lines. This could be explained by a torus which is either clumpy (allowing sight lines to the central engine) or mis-aligned with the accretion disk.

Comparison of OMI NO2 Observations and Their Seasonal and Weekly Cycles with Ground-Based Measurements in Helsinki

Science.gov (United States)

Ialongo, Iolanda; Herman, Jay; Krotkov, Nick; Lamsal, Lok; Boersma, Folkert; Hovila, Jari; Tamminen, Johanna

2016-01-01

We present the comparison of satellite-based OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) NO2 products with ground-based observations in Helsinki. OMI NO2 total columns, available from standard product (SP) and DOMINO algorithm, are compared with the measurements performed by the Pandora spectrometer in Helsinki in 2012. The relative difference between Pandora 21 and OMI SP retrievals is 4 and 6 for clear sky and all sky conditions, respectively. DOMINO NO2 retrievals showed slightly lower total columns with median differences about 5 and 14 for clear sky and all sky conditions, respectively. Large differences often correspond to cloudy autumn-winter days with solar zenith angles above 65. Nevertheless, the differences remain within the retrieval uncertainties. Furthermore, the weekly and seasonal cycles from OMI, Pandora and NO2 surface concentrations are compared. Both satellite- and ground-based data show a similar weekly cycle, with lower NO2 levels during the weekend compared to the weekdays as result of reduced emissions from traffic and industrial activities. Also the seasonal cycle shows a similar behavior, even though the results are affected by the fact that most of the data are available during spring-summer because of cloud cover in other seasons. This is one of few works in which OMI NO2 retrievals are evaluated in an urban site at high latitudes (60N). Despite the city of Helsinki having relatively small pollution sources, OMI retrievals have proved to be able to describe air quality features and variability similar to surface observations. This adds confidence in using satellite observations for air quality monitoring also at high latitudes.

Contact Angle Goniometer

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Description:The FTA32 goniometer provides video-based contact angle and surface tension measurement. Contact angles are measured by fitting a mathematical expression...

Lighting measurement station: measurements of natural lighting for characterization of sky and zenith illuminance; Estacao de medicao de iluminacao: medicao de niveis de iluminacao natural para caracterizacao de iluminancias de ceu e luminancia de zenite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Souza, Roberta Vieira Goncalves de [Minas Gerais Univ., Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Escola de Arquitetura. Dept. de Tecnologia da Arquitetura e do Urbanismo]. E-mail: roberta@arq.ufmg.br; Pereira, Fernando Oscar Ruttkay [Santa Catarina Univ., Florianopolis, SC (Brazil). Dept. de Arquitetura. Lab. de Conforto Ambiental]. E-mail: feco@arq.ufsc.br

2002-07-01

This paper describes the assembly of a standard station for measuring the day lighting for evaluation of the natural light availability. The mounting and data obtention form will also be described from a standard IDMP day lighting station for measuring the data from measuring zenith, horizontal, and vertical illuminance of the sky and vertical irradiance for the cardinal points.

Modeling contact angle hysteresis of a liquid droplet sitting on a cosine wave-like pattern surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Promraksa, Arwut; Chen, Li-Jen

2012-10-15

A liquid droplet sitting on a hydrophobic surface with a cosine wave-like square-array pattern in the Wenzel state is simulated by using the Surface Evolver to determine the contact angle. For a fixed drop volume, multiple metastable states are obtained at two different surface roughnesses. Unusual and non-circular shape of the three-phase contact line of a liquid droplet sitting on the model surface is observed due to corrugation and distortion of the contact line by structure of the roughness. The contact angle varies along the contact line for each metastable state. The maximum and minimum contact angles among the multiple metastable states at a fixed viewing angle correspond to the advancing and the receding contact angles, respectively. It is interesting to observe that the advancing/receding contact angles (and contact angle hysteresis) are a function of viewing angle. In addition, the receding (or advancing) contact angles at different viewing angles are determined at different metastable states. The contact angle of minimum energy among the multiple metastable states is defined as the most stable (equilibrium) contact angle. The Wenzel model is not able to describe the contact angle along the three-phase contact line. The contact angle hysteresis at different drop volumes is determined. The number of the metastable states increases with increasing drop volume. Drop volume effect on the contact angles is also discussed. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Beyond Cassie equation: Local structure of heterogeneous surfaces determines the contact angles of microdroplets

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Wang, Jianjun; Liu, Zhiping; Zhang, Xianren

2014-01-01

The application of Cassie equation to microscopic droplets is recently under intense debate because the microdroplet dimension is often of the same order of magnitude as the characteristic size of substrate heterogeneities, and the mechanism to describe the contact angle of microdroplets is not clear. By representing real surfaces statistically as an ensemble of patterned surfaces with randomly or regularly distributed heterogeneities (patches), lattice Boltzmann simulations here show that the contact angle of microdroplets has a wide distribution, either continuous or discrete, depending on the patch size. The origin of multiple contact angles observed is ascribed to the contact line pinning effect induced by substrate heterogeneities. We demonstrate that the local feature of substrate structure near the contact line determines the range of contact angles that can be stabilized, while the certain contact angle observed is closely related to the contact line width. PMID:25059292

Measurement of the angle gamma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksan, R.; Kayser, B.; Sphicas, P.

1993-01-01

The angle γ at least as defined in the Wolfenstein approximation is not completely out of reach of current or proposed dedicated B experiments. This conclusion certainly depends crucially on the assumed trigger and tagging efficiencies and also on the expected backgrounds. The work summarized here represents but a first step in the direction of extracting the third angle of the unitarity triangle. The theoretical developments during the workshop have resulted in a clearer understanding of the quantities studied. On the experimental side, new decay modes (i.e. in addition to the traditional ρK s decay) have resulted in expections for observing CP violation in B s decays which are not unreasonable. It is conceivable that a dedicated B experiment can probe a fundamental aspect of the Standard Model, the CKM matrix, in multiple ways. In the process, new physics can appear anywhere along the line

Comparison and evaluation of datasets for off-angle iris recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtuncu, Osman M.; Cerme, Gamze N.; Karakaya, Mahmut

2016-05-01

In this paper, we investigated the publicly available iris recognition datasets and their data capture procedures in order to determine if they are suitable for the stand-off iris recognition research. Majority of the iris recognition datasets include only frontal iris images. Even if a few datasets include off-angle iris images, the frontal and off-angle iris images are not captured at the same time. The comparison of the frontal and off-angle iris images shows not only differences in the gaze angle but also change in pupil dilation and accommodation as well. In order to isolate the effect of the gaze angle from other challenging issues including dilation and accommodation, the frontal and off-angle iris images are supposed to be captured at the same time by using two different cameras. Therefore, we developed an iris image acquisition platform by using two cameras in this work where one camera captures frontal iris image and the other one captures iris images from off-angle. Based on the comparison of Hamming distance between frontal and off-angle iris images captured with the two-camera- setup and one-camera-setup, we observed that Hamming distance in two-camera-setup is less than one-camera-setup ranging from 0.05 to 0.001. These results show that in order to have accurate results in the off-angle iris recognition research, two-camera-setup is necessary in order to distinguish the challenging issues from each other.

Monitoring of desert dune topography by multi angle sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, J.; Kim, J.; Choi, Y.; Yun, H.

2011-12-01

Nowadays, the sandy desert is rapidly expanding world widely and results in a lot of risks in the socio-econimical aspects as well as the anthropogenic activities. For example, the increasing occurrences of mineral dust storm which presumably originated from the sandy deserts in northwest China become a serious threat in human activities as well as public health over Far East Asian area as the interpretation by the MODIS analysis (Zhang et al., 2007) and the particle trajectory simulation with HYSPLYT (HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) (Kim et al., 2011) identified. Since the sand dune activity has been recognized as an essential indicator of the progressive desertification, it is important to establish the monitoring method for the variations of topographic properties by the dune activities such as local roughness. Thus it will provide the crucial data about the extent and the transition of sandy desert. For example, it is well known the aerodynamic roughness lengths Zo which can be driven from the specialized sensor such as POLDER (POLarization and Directionality of the Earth's Reflectances) is essential to understand desert dune characteristics. However, for the multi temporal observation of dune fields, the availability of data set to extract Zo is limited. Therefore, we employed MISR (Multi angle imaging Spectro Radiometer) image sequence to extract multi angle topographic parameters such as NDAI (Normalized Difference Angular Index) or the variation of radiance with the viewing geometry which are representing the characteristics of target desert topography instead of Zo. In our approach, NDAI were expanded to the all viewing angles and then compared over the target sandy desert and the surrounding land covers. It showed very strong consistencies according to the land cover type and especially over the dynamic dune fields. On the other hands, the variation of NDAIs of sandy desert combining with the metrological observations were

Diminution of contact angle hysteresis under the influence of an oscillating force.

Science.gov (United States)

Manor, Ofer

2014-06-17

We suggest a simple quantitative model for the diminution of contact angle hysteresis under the influence of an oscillatory force invoked by thermal fluctuations, substrate vibrations, acoustic waves, or oscillating electric fields. Employing force balance rather than the usual description of contact angle hysteresis in terms of Gibbs energy, we highlight that a wetting system, such as a sessile drop or a bubble adhered to a solid substrate, appears at long times to be partially or fully independent of contact angle hysteresis and thus independent of static friction forces, as a result of contact line pinning. We verify this theory by studying several well-known experimental observations such as the approach of an arbitrary contact angle toward the Young contact angle and the apparent decrease (or increase) in an advancing (or a receding) contact angle under the influence of an external oscillating force.

A new software suite for NO{sub 2} vertical profile retrieval from ground-based zenith-sky spectrometers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denis, L. [British Antarctic Survey/NERC, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET (United Kingdom); Roscoe, H.K. [British Antarctic Survey/NERC, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: h.roscoe@bas.ac.uk; Chipperfield, M.P. [Environment Centre, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Roozendael, M. van [Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA/IASB), 1180 Brussels (Belgium); Goutail, F. [Service d' Aeronomie du CNRS, BP3, 91271 Verrieres le Buisson (France)

2005-05-15

Here we present an operational method to improve accuracy and information content of ground-based measurements of stratospheric NO{sub 2}. The motive is to improve the investigation of trends in NO{sub 2}, and is important because the current trend in NO{sub 2} appears to contradict the trend in its source, suggesting that the stratospheric circulation has changed. To do so, a new software package for retrieving NO{sub 2} vertical profiles from slant columns measured by zenith-sky spectrometers has been created. It uses a Rodgers optimal linear inverse method coupled with a radiative transfer model for calculations of transfer functions between profiles and columns, and a chemical box model for taking into account the NO{sub 2} variations during twilight and during the day. Each model has parameters that vary according to season and location. Forerunners of each model have been previously validated. The scheme maps random errors in the measurements and systematic errors in the models and their parameters on to the retrieved profiles. Initialisation for models is derived from well-established climatologies. The software has been tested by comparing retrieved profiles to simultaneous balloon-borne profiles at mid-latitudes in spring.

Emission-angle and polarization-rotation effects in the lensed CMB

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, Antony [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH (United Kingdom); Hall, Alex [Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ (United Kingdom); Challinor, Anthony, E-mail: antony@cosmologist.info, E-mail: ahall@roe.ac.uk, E-mail: a.d.challinor@ast.cam.ac.uk [Institute of Astronomy and Kavli Institute for Cosmology, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA (United Kingdom)

2017-08-01

Lensing of the CMB is an important effect, and is usually modelled by remapping the unlensed CMB fields by a lensing deflection. However the lensing deflections also change the photon path so that the emission angle is no longer orthogonal to the background last-scattering surface. We give the first calculation of the emission-angle corrections to the standard lensing approximation from dipole (Doppler) sources for temperature and quadrupole sources for temperature and polarization. We show that while the corrections are negligible for the temperature and E-mode polarization, additional large-scale B-modes are produced with a white spectrum that dominates those from post-Born field rotation (curl lensing). On large scales about one percent of the total lensing-induced B-mode amplitude is expected to be due to this effect. However, the photon emission angle does remain orthogonal to the perturbed last-scattering surface due to time delay, and half of the large-scale emission-angle B modes cancel with B modes from time delay to give a total contribution of about half a percent. While not important for planned observations, the signal could ultimately limit the ability of delensing to reveal low amplitudes of primordial gravitational waves. We also derive the rotation of polarization due to multiple deflections between emission and observation. The rotation angle is of quadratic order in the deflection angle, and hence negligibly small: polarization typically rotates by less than an arcsecond, orders of magnitude less than a small-scale image rotates due to post-Born field rotation (which is quadratic in the shear). The field-rotation B modes dominate the other effects on small scales.

Effects of ambient versus reduced UV-B radiation on high arctic ¤Salix arctica¤ assessed by measurements and calculations of chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters from fluorescence transients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albert, K.R.; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard; Ro-Poulsen, H.

2005-01-01

A UV-B exclusion-experiment was conducted in the high arctic Zackenberg, NE Greenland, in which Salix arctica leaves during most of the growing season were fixed perpendicular to the solar zenith angle, thereby receiving maximal solar radiation. Covered with Teflon and Mylar foil, the leaves...

Reconstruction of inclined air showers detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pierre Auger Collaboration, [No Value; Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahlers, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Samarai, I. Al; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Alves Batista, R.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Aramo, C.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Barber, K. B.; Bäuml, J.; Baus, C.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; Berat, C.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Billoir, P.; Blanco, F.; Blanco, M.; Bleve, C.; Blümer, H.; Boháčová, M.; Boncioli, D.; Bonifazi, C.; Bonino, R.; Borodai, N.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Brogueira, P.; Brown, W. C.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, B.; Caccianiga, L.; Candusso, M.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Chavez, A. G.; Cheng, S. H.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Cilmo, M.; Clay, R. W.; Cocciolo, G.; Colalillo, R.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Criss, A.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dallier, R.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; De Domenico, M.; de Jong, S. J.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; De Mitri, I.; de Oliveira, J.; de Souza, V.; del Peral, L.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; Di Giulio, C.; Di Matteo, A.; Diaz, J. C.; D\\'\\iaz Castro, M. L.; Diep, P. N.; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Docters, W.; D'Olivo, J. C.; Dong, P. N.; Dorofeev, A.; Dorosti Hasankiadeh, Q.; Dova, M. T.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Erfani, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Falcke, H.; Fang, K.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Fernandes, M.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Fox, B. D.; Fratu, O.; Fröhlich, U.; Fuchs, B.; Fuji, T.; Gaior, R.; Garc\\'\\ia, B.; Garcia Roca, S. T.; Garcia-Gamez, D.; Garcia-Pinto, D.; Garilli, G.; Gascon Bravo, A.; Gate, F.; Gemmeke, H.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Glaser, C.; Glass, H.; Gomez Albarracin, F.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Gookin, B.; Gorgi, A.; Gorham, P.; Gouffon, P.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Heimann, P.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Islo, K.; Jandt, I.; Jansen, S.; Jarne, C.; Josebachuili, M.; Kääpä, A.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Kasper, P.; Katkov, I.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuempel, D.; Kunka, N.; La Rosa, G.; LaHurd, D.; Latronico, L.; Lauer, R.; Lauscher, M.; Lautridou, P.; Le Coz, S.; Leão, M. S. A. B.; Lebrun, D.; Lebrun, P.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; López, R.; Lopez Agëra, A.; Louedec, K.; Lozano Bahilo, J.; Lu, L.; Lucero, A.; Ludwig, M.; Lyberis, H.; Maccarone, M. C.; Malacari, M.; Maldera, S.; Maller, J.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, V.; Mariş, I. C.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Mart\\'\\inez Bravo, O.; Martraire, D.; Mas\\'\\ias Meza, J. J.; Mathes, H. J.; Mathys, S.; Matthews, A. J.; Matthews, J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurel, D.; Maurizio, D.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menichetti, E.; Menshikov, A.; Messina, S.; Meyhandan, R.; Mićanović, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Minaya, I. A.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morello, C.; Moreno, J. C.; Mostafá, M.; Moura, C. A.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, G.; Münchmeyer, M.; Mussa, R.; Navarra, G.; Navas, S.; Necesal, P.; Nellen, L.; Nelles, A.; Neuser, J.; Newton, D.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Novotny, V.; Nožka, L.; Ochilo, L.; Olinto, A.; Oliveira, M.; Olmos-Gilbaja, V. M.; Ortiz, M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Papenbreer, P.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Pastor, S.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pȩkala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Pesce, R.; Petermann, E.; Peters, C.; Petrera, S.; Petrolini, A.; Petrov, Y.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Porcelli, A.; Porowski, C.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Purrello, V.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravel, O.; Ravignani, D.; Revenu, B.; Ridky, J.; Riggi, S.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rizi, V.; Roberts, J.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Cabo, I.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodr\\'\\iguez-Fr\\'\\ias, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Rühle, C.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Salesa Greus, F.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarmento, R.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Schmidt, A.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovánek, P.; Schulz, A.; Schulz, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Sima, O.; Śmiał kowski, A.; Šm\\'\\ida, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Squartini, R.; Srivastava, Y. N.; Stanič, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, M.; Stutz, A.; Suarez, F.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Sutherland, M. S.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Szuba, M.; Taborda, O. A.; Tapia, A.; Tartare, M.; Thao, N. T.; Theodoro, V. M.; Tiffenberg, J.; Timmermans, C.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Toma, G.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Torralba Elipe, G.; Torres Machado, D.; Travnicek, P.; Trovato, E.; Tueros, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van den Berg, A. M.; van Velzen, S.; van Vliet, A.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Varner, G.; Vázquez, J. R.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Videla, M.; Villaseñor, L.; Vlcek, B.; Vorobiov, S.; Wahlberg, H.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weidenhaupt, K.; Weindl, A.; Werner, F.; Whelan, B. J.; Widom, A.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyńska, B.; Wilczyński, H.; Will, M.; Williams, C.; Winchen, T.; Wittkowski, D.; Wundheiler, B.; Wykes, S.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zhou, J.; Zhu, Y.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.

2014-01-01

We describe the method devised to reconstruct inclined cosmic-ray air showers with zenith angles greater than 60° detected with the surface array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The measured signals at the ground level are fitted to muon density distributions predicted with atmospheric cascade

Angle Performance on Optima XE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

David, Jonathan; Satoh, Shu

2011-01-01

Angle control on high energy implanters is important due to shrinking device dimensions, and sensitivity to channeling at high beam energies. On Optima XE, beam-to-wafer angles are controlled in both the horizontal and vertical directions. In the horizontal direction, the beam angle is measured through a series of narrow slits, and any angle adjustment is made by steering the beam with the corrector magnet. In the vertical direction, the beam angle is measured through a high aspect ratio mask, and any angle adjustment is made by slightly tilting the wafer platen during implant.Using a sensitive channeling condition, we were able to quantify the angle repeatability of Optima XE. By quantifying the sheet resistance sensitivity to both horizontal and vertical angle variation, the total angle variation was calculated as 0.04 deg. (1σ). Implants were run over a five week period, with all of the wafers selected from a single boule, in order to control for any crystal cut variation.

Simulation of the time structure of Extensive Air Showers with CORSIKA initiated by various primary particles at Alborz-I observatory level

Science.gov (United States)

Bahmanabadi, Mahmud; Moghaddam, Saba Mortazavi

2018-05-01

A detailed simulation of showers with various zenith angles in atmosphere produced by different primary particles including gamma, proton, carbon, and iron at Alborz-I observatory level (35∘43‧N, 51∘20‧E, 1200 m a.s.l= 890 gcm-2), in the energy range 3 × 1013 eV-3 × 1015 eV, has been performed by means of the CORSIKA Monte Carlo code. The aim of this study is to examine the time structure of secondary particles in Extensive Air Showers (EAS) produced by the different primary particles. For each primary particle, the distribution of the mean values of the time delays of secondary particles relative to the first particle hitting the ground level in each EAS, = , and the distribution of their mean standard deviations, in terms of distance from the shower core are obtained. The mean thickness and profile of showers as a function of their energy, primary mass, and zenith angle is described.

Building Shadow Detection from Ghost Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, G.; Sha, J.; Yue, T.; Wang, Q.; Liu, X.; Huang, S.; Pan, Q.; Wei, J.

2018-05-01

Shadow is one of the basic features of remote sensing image, it expresses a lot of information of the object which is loss or interference, and the removal of shadow is always a difficult problem to remote sensing image processing. In this paper, it is mainly analyzes the characteristics and properties of shadows from the ghost image (traditional orthorectification). The DBM and the interior and exterior orientation elements of the image are used to calculate the zenith angle of sun. Then this paper combines the scope of the architectural shadows which has be determined by the zenith angle of sun with the region growing method to make the detection of architectural shadow areas. This method lays a solid foundation for the shadow of the repair from the ghost image later. It will greatly improve the accuracy of shadow detection from buildings and make it more conducive to solve the problem of urban large-scale aerial imagines.

BUILDING SHADOW DETECTION FROM GHOST IMAGERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Zhou

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Shadow is one of the basic features of remote sensing image, it expresses a lot of information of the object which is loss or interference, and the removal of shadow is always a difficult problem to remote sensing image processing. In this paper, it is mainly analyzes the characteristics and properties of shadows from the ghost image (traditional orthorectification. The DBM and the interior and exterior orientation elements of the image are used to calculate the zenith angle of sun. Then this paper combines the scope of the architectural shadows which has be determined by the zenith angle of sun with the region growing method to make the detection of architectural shadow areas. This method lays a solid foundation for the shadow of the repair from the ghost image later. It will greatly improve the accuracy of shadow detection from buildings and make it more conducive to solve the problem of urban large-scale aerial imagines.

Extended discrete-ordinate method considering full polarization state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Box, Michael A. [School of Physics, University of New South Wales (Australia)]. E-mail: m.box@unsw.edu.au; Qin Yi [School of Physics, University of New South Wales (Australia)]. E-mail: yi.qin@csiro.au

2006-01-15

This paper presents an extension to the standard discrete-ordinate method (DOM) to consider generalized sources including: beam sources which can be placed at any (vertical) position and illuminate in any direction, thermal emission from the atmosphere and angularly distributed sources which illuminate from a surface as continuous functions of zenith and azimuth angles. As special cases, the thermal emission from the surface and deep space can be implemented as angularly distributed sources. Analytical-particular solutions for all source types are derived using the infinite medium Green's function. Radiation field zenith angle interpolation using source function integration is developed for all source types. The development considers the full state of polarization, including the sources (as applicable) and the (BRDF) surface, but the development can be reduced easily to scalar problems and is ready to be implemented in a single set of code for both scalar and vector radiative transfer computation.

Interference-induced angle-independent acoustical transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qi, Lehua; Yu, Gaokun; Wang, Ning; Wang, Xinlong; Wang, Guibo

2014-01-01

It is revealed that the Fano-like interference leads to the extraordinary acoustic transmission through a slab metamaterial of thickness much smaller than the wavelength, with each unit cell consisting of a Helmholtz resonator and a narrow subwavelength slit. More importantly, both the theoretical analysis and experimental measurement show that the angle-independent acoustical transparency can be realized by grafting a Helmholtz resonator and a quarter-wave resonator to the wall of a narrow subwavelength slit in each unit cell of a slit array. The observed phenomenon results from the interferences between the waves propagating in the slit, those re-radiated by the Helmholtz resonator, and those re-radiated by the quarter-wave resonator. The proposed design may find its applications in designing angle-independent acoustical filters and controlling the phase of the transmitted waves

The Zeldovich approximation and wide-angle redshift-space distortions

Science.gov (United States)

Castorina, Emanuele; White, Martin

2018-06-01

The contribution of line-of-sight peculiar velocities to the observed redshift of objects breaks the translational symmetry of the underlying theory, modifying the predicted 2-point functions. These `wide angle effects' have mostly been studied using linear perturbation theory in the context of the multipoles of the correlation function and power spectrum . In this work we present the first calculation of wide angle terms in the Zeldovich approximation, which is known to be more accurate than linear theory on scales probed by the next generation of galaxy surveys. We present the exact result for dark matter and perturbatively biased tracers as well as the small angle expansion of the configuration- and Fourier-space two-point functions and the connection to the multi-frequency angular power spectrum. We compare different definitions of the line-of-sight direction and discuss how to translate between them. We show that wide angle terms can reach tens of percent of the total signal in a measurement at low redshift in some approximations, and that a generic feature of wide angle effects is to slightly shift the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation scale.

An investigation of the effects of droplet impact angle in thermal spray deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, M.F.; Neiser, R.A.; Dykhuizen, R.C.

1994-01-01

It is widely held that spraying at off-normal angles can influence deposition efficiency and the properties of the deposited material. However, little quantitative information on such effects has been published. This paper reports on a series of experiments to investigate the angular dependence of deposition efficiency, surface roughness, and porosity for several thermal spray materials and processes at incidence angles ranging from 90 degree to 30 degree relative to the substrate surface. At incidence angles from 90 degree out to 60 degree, the observed changes were small and often statistically insignificant. Some significant changes began to appear at 45 degree, and at 30 degree significant changes were observed for nearly all materials and processes: deposition efficiency decreased while surface roughness and porosity increased. It is proposed that droplet splashing may cause some of the observed effects

Long-term observations minus background monitoring of ground-based brightness temperatures from a microwave radiometer network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. De Angelis

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Ground-based microwave radiometers (MWRs offer the capability to provide continuous, high-temporal-resolution observations of the atmospheric thermodynamic state in the planetary boundary layer (PBL with low maintenance. This makes MWR an ideal instrument to supplement radiosonde and satellite observations when initializing numerical weather prediction (NWP models through data assimilation. State-of-the-art data assimilation systems (e.g. variational schemes require an accurate representation of the differences between model (background and observations, which are then weighted by their respective errors to provide the best analysis of the true atmospheric state. In this perspective, one source of information is contained in the statistics of the differences between observations and their background counterparts (O–B. Monitoring of O–B statistics is crucial to detect and remove systematic errors coming from the measurements, the observation operator, and/or the NWP model. This work illustrates a 1-year O–B analysis for MWR observations in clear-sky conditions for an European-wide network of six MWRs. Observations include MWR brightness temperatures (TB measured by the two most common types of MWR instruments. Background profiles are extracted from the French convective-scale model AROME-France before being converted into TB. The observation operator used to map atmospheric profiles into TB is the fast radiative transfer model RTTOV-gb. It is shown that O–B monitoring can effectively detect instrument malfunctions. O–B statistics (bias, standard deviation, and root mean square for water vapour channels (22.24–30.0 GHz are quite consistent for all the instrumental sites, decreasing from the 22.24 GHz line centre ( ∼  2–2.5 K towards the high-frequency wing ( ∼  0.8–1.3 K. Statistics for zenith and lower-elevation observations show a similar trend, though values increase with increasing air mass. O�

SU-E-T-195: Gantry Angle Dependency of MLC Leaf Position Error

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ju, S; Hong, C; Kim, M; Chung, K; Kim, J; Han, Y; Ahn, S; Chung, S; Shin, E; Shin, J; Kim, H; Kim, D; Choi, D [Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-06-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the gantry angle dependency of the multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf position error. Methods: An automatic MLC quality assurance system (AutoMLCQA) was developed to evaluate the gantry angle dependency of the MLC leaf position error using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). To eliminate the EPID position error due to gantry rotation, we designed a reference maker (RM) that could be inserted into the wedge mount. After setting up the EPID, a reference image was taken of the RM using an open field. Next, an EPID-based picket-fence test (PFT) was performed without the RM. These procedures were repeated at every 45° intervals of the gantry angle. A total of eight reference images and PFT image sets were analyzed using in-house software. The average MLC leaf position error was calculated at five pickets (-10, -5, 0, 5, and 10 cm) in accordance with general PFT guidelines using in-house software. This test was carried out for four linear accelerators. Results: The average MLC leaf position errors were within the set criterion of <1 mm (actual errors ranged from -0.7 to 0.8 mm) for all gantry angles, but significant gantry angle dependency was observed in all machines. The error was smaller at a gantry angle of 0° but increased toward the positive direction with gantry angle increments in the clockwise direction. The error reached a maximum value at a gantry angle of 90° and then gradually decreased until 180°. In the counter-clockwise rotation of the gantry, the same pattern of error was observed but the error increased in the negative direction. Conclusion: The AutoMLCQA system was useful to evaluate the MLC leaf position error for various gantry angles without the EPID position error. The Gantry angle dependency should be considered during MLC leaf position error analysis.

Analysis of Wetting and Contact Angle Hysteresis on Chemically Patterned Surfaces

KAUST Repository

Xu, Xianmin; Wang, Xiaoping

2011-01-01

Wetting and contact angle hysteresis on chemically patterned surfaces in two dimensionsare analyzed from a stationary phase-field model for immiscible two phase fluids. We first study the sharp-interface limit of the model by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. We then justify the results rigorously by the γ-convergence theory for the related variational problem and study the properties of the limiting minimizers. The results also provide a clear geometric picture of the equilibrium configuration of the interface. This enables us to explicitly calculate the total surface energy for the two phase systems on chemically patterned surfaces with simple geometries, namely the two phase flow in a channel and the drop spreading. By considering the quasi-staticmotion of the interface described by the change of volume (or volume fraction), we can follow the change-of-energy landscape which also reveals the mechanism for the stick-slip motion of the interface and contact angle hysteresis on the chemically patterned surfaces. As the interface passes throughpatterned surfaces, we observe not only stick-slip of the interface and switching of the contact angles but also the hysteresis of contact point and contact angle. Furthermore, as the size of the patternde creases to zero, the stick-slip becomes weaker but the hysteresis becomes stronger in the sense that one observes either the advancing contact angle or the receding contact angle (when the interface ismoving in the opposite direction) without the switching in between. © 2011 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Bogoliubov Angle, Particle-Hole Mixture and Angular Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy in Superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balatsky, A.

2010-05-04

Superconducting excitations - Bogoliubov quasiparticles - are the quantum mechanical mixture of negatively charged electron (-e) and positively charged hole (+e). We propose a new observable for Angular Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARPES) studies that is the manifestation of the particle-hole entanglement of the superconducting quasiparticles. We call this observable a Bogoliubov angle. This angle measures the relative weight of particle and hole amplitude in the superconducting (Bogoliubov) quasiparticle. We show how this quantity can be measured by comparing the ratio of spectral intensities at positive and negative energies.

Small angle neutron scattering and small angle X-ray scattering ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. The morphology of carbon nanofoam samples comprising platinum nanopar- ticles dispersed in the matrix was characterized by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. Results show that the structure of pores of carbon matrix exhibits a mass (pore) fractal nature ...

Associations between Narrow Angle and Adult Anthropometry: The Liwan Eye Study

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yuzhen; He, Mingguang; Friedman, David S.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Lee, Pak Sang; Nolan, Winifred P.; Yin, Qiuxia; Foster, Paul J.

2015-01-01

Purpose To assess the associations between narrow angle and adult anthropometry. Methods Chinese adults aged 50 years and older were recruited from a population-based survey in the Liwan District of Guangzhou, China. Narrow angle was defined as the posterior trabecular meshwork not visible under static gonioscopy in at least three quadrants (i.e. a circumference of at least 270°). Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between narrow angle and anthropomorphic measures (height, weight and body mass index, BMI). Results Among the 912 participants, lower weight, shorter height, and lower BMI were significantly associated with narrower angle width (tests for trend: mean angle width in degrees vs weight p<0.001; vs height p<0.001; vs BMI p = 0.012). In univariate analyses, shorter height, lower weight and lower BMI were all significantly associated with greater odds of narrow angle. The crude association between height and narrow angle was largely attributable to a stronger association with age and sex. Lower BMI and weight remained significantly associated with narrow angle after adjustment for height, age, sex, axial ocular biometric measures and education. In analyses stratified by sex, the association between BMI and narrow angle was only observed in women. Conclusion Lower BMI and weight were associated with significantly greater odds of narrow angle after adjusting for age, education, axial ocular biometric measures and height. The odds of narrow angle increased 7% per 1 unit decrease in BMI. This association was most evident in women. PMID:24707840

Muons in air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory: Mean number in highly inclined events

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Al Samarai, I.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Alves Batista, R.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Aramo, C.; Aranda, V. M.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Barber, K. B.; Bäuml, J.; Baus, C.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; Berat, C.; Bertaina, M. E.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Billoir, P.; Blanco, M.; Bleve, C.; Blümer, H.; Boháčová, M.; Boncioli, D.; Bonifazi, C.; Bonino, R.; Borodai, N.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Brogueira, P.; Brown, W. C.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buitink, S.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, B.; Caccianiga, L.; Candusso, M.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Chavez, A. G.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Cilmo, M.; Clay, R. W.; Cocciolo, G.; Colalillo, R.; Coleman, A.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Cordier, A.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dallier, R.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; De Domenico, M.; de Jong, S. J.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; De Mitri, I.; de Oliveira, J.; de Souza, V.; del Peral, L.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; Di Giulio, C.; Di Matteo, A.; Diaz, J. C.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Docters, W.; D'Olivo, J. C.; Dorofeev, A.; Dorosti Hasankiadeh, Q.; Dova, M. T.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Erfani, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Falcke, H.; Fang, K.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Fernandes, M.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Fox, B. D.; Fratu, O.; Fröhlich, U.; Fuchs, B.; Fujii, T.; Gaior, R.; García, B.; Garcia Roca, S. T.; Garcia-Gamez, D.; Garcia-Pinto, D.; Garilli, G.; Gascon Bravo, A.; Gate, F.; Gemmeke, H.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Glaser, C.; Glass, H.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, J. G.; González, N.; Gookin, B.; Gordon, J.; Gorgi, A.; Gorham, P.; Gouffon, P.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Hampel, M. R.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Hartmann, S.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Heimann, P.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Islo, K.; Jandt, I.; Jansen, S.; Jarne, C.; Josebachuili, M.; Kääpä, A.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Kasper, P.; Katkov, I.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuempel, D.; Kunka, N.; LaHurd, D.; Latronico, L.; Lauer, R.; Lauscher, M.; Lautridou, P.; Le Coz, S.; Leão, M. S. A. B.; Lebrun, D.; Lebrun, P.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; López, R.; Louedec, K.; Lozano Bahilo, J.; Lu, L.; Lucero, A.; Ludwig, M.; Malacari, M.; Maldera, S.; Mallamaci, M.; Maller, J.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, V.; Mariş, I. C.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Martraire, D.; Masías Meza, J. J.; Mathes, H. J.; Mathys, S.; Matthews, J. J.; Matthews, A. J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurel, D.; Maurizio, D.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menshikov, A.; Messina, S.; Meyhandan, R.; Mićanović, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Minaya, I. A.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morello, C.; Mostafá, M.; Moura, C. A.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, G.; Münchmeyer, M.; Mussa, R.; Navarra, G.; Navas, S.; Necesal, P.; Nellen, L.; Nelles, A.; Neuser, J.; Newton, D.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Novotny, V.; Nožka, L.; Ochilo, L.; Olinto, A.; Oliveira, M.; Olmos-Gilbaja, V. M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Papenbreer, P.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pekala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Petermann, E.; Peters, C.; Petrera, S.; Petrov, Y.; Phuntsok, J.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Porcelli, A.; Porowski, C.; Prado, R. R.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Purrello, V.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravel, O.; Ravignani, D.; Revenu, B.; Ridky, J.; Riggi, S.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rizi, V.; Roberts, J.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodríguez-Frías, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Saleh, A.; Salesa Greus, F.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarmento, R.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F. G.; Schulz, A.; Schulz, J.; Schumacher, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Sima, O.; Śmiałkowski, A.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Squartini, R.; Srivastava, Y. N.; Stanič, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, M.; Stutz, A.; Suarez, F.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Sutherland, M. S.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Szuba, M.; Taborda, O. A.; Tapia, A.; Tartare, M.; Tepe, A.; Theodoro, V. M.; Timmermans, C.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Toma, G.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Torralba Elipe, G.; Torres Machado, D.; Travnicek, P.; Trovato, E.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van den Berg, A. M.; van Velzen, S.; van Vliet, A.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Varner, G.; Vázquez, J. R.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Videla, M.; Villaseñor, L.; Vlcek, B.; Vorobiov, S.; Wahlberg, H.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weidenhaupt, K.; Weindl, A.; Werner, F.; Widom, A.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyńska, B.; Wilczyński, H.; Will, M.; Williams, C.; Winchen, T.; Wittkowski, D.; Wundheiler, B.; Wykes, S.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zhou, J.; Zhu, Y.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zuccarello, F.; Pierre Auger Collaboration, [No Value

2015-01-01

We present the first hybrid measurement of the average muon number in air showers at ultrahigh energies, initiated by cosmic rays with zenith angles between 62° and 80°. The measurement is based on 174 hybrid events recorded simultaneously with the surface detector array and the fluorescence

Incidence angle normalization of radar backscatter data

Science.gov (United States)

NASA’s Soil Moisture Passive Active (SMAP) satellite (~2014) will include a radar system that will provide L-band multi-polarization backscatter at a constant incidence angle of 40º. During the pre-launch phase of the project there is a need for observations that will support the radar-based soil mo...

Erosion Behaviour of API X100 Pipeline Steel at Various Impact Angles and Particle Speeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul C. Okonkwo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Erosion is the gradual removal of material due to solid particle impingement and results in a failure of pipeline materials. In this study, a series of erosion tests were carried out to investigate the influence of particle speed and impact angle on the erosion mechanism of API X100 pipeline steel. A dry erosion machine was used as the test equipment, while the particle speed ranged from 20 to 80 m/s and impact angles of 30° and 90° were used as test parameters. The eroded API X100 steel surface was characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. The weight loss and erosion rate were also investigated. The results showed that at a 90° impact angle, a ploughing mechanism was occurring on the tested specimens, while material removal through low-angle cutting was the dominant mechanism at lower impact angles. Embedment of alumina particles on the target steel surface, micro-cutting, and low-angle cutting were observed at low impact angles. Therefore, the scratches, cuttings, and severe ploughings observed on some failed oil and gas pipelines could be attributed to the erosion mechanism.

Measuring the influence of aerosols and albedo on sky polarization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreuter, A; Emde, C; Blumthaler, M

2010-11-01

All-sky distributions of the polarized radiance are measured using an automated fish-eye camera system with a rotating polarizer. For a large range of aerosol and surface albedo situations, the influence on the degree of polarization and sky radiance is investigated. The range of aerosol optical depth and albedo is 0.05-0.5 and 0.1-0.75, respectively. For this range of parameters, a reduction of the degree of polarization from about 0.7 to 0.4 was observed. The analysis is done for 90° scattering angle in the principal plane under clear sky conditions for a broadband channel of 450 ± 25 nm and solar zenith angles between 55° and 60°. Radiative transfer calculations considering three different aerosol mixtures are performed and and agree with the measurements within the statistical error.

Variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy of intact cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim Myung K

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM is a powerful tool for observing fluorescently labeled molecules on the plasma membrane surface of animal cells. However, the utility of TIRFM in plant cell studies has been limited by the fact that plants have cell walls, thick peripheral layers surrounding the plasma membrane. Recently, a new technique known as variable-angle epifluorescence microscopy (VAEM was developed to circumvent this problem. However, the lack of a detailed analysis of the optical principles underlying VAEM has limited its applications in plant-cell biology. Results Here, we present theoretical and experimental evidence supporting the use of variable-angle TIRFM in observations of intact plant cells. We show that when total internal reflection occurs at the cell wall/cytosol interface with an appropriate angle of incidence, an evanescent wave field of constant depth is produced inside the cytosol. Results of experimental TIRFM observations of the dynamic behaviors of phototropin 1 (a membrane receptor protein and clathrin light chain (a vesicle coat protein support our theoretical analysis. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that variable-angle TIRFM is appropriate for quantitative live imaging of cells in intact tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Cancer of the colon spleen angle. Presentation of a case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez Sanchez, Yariana; De la Rosa Perez, Nereida; Barcelo Casanova, Renato E

2010-01-01

The colon cancer is currently an important public health problem in developed countries. It is the fourth most common cancer in the world. We report the case of a 65-years-old, black, female patient, assisting our consultation with dyspeptic disturbances as the unique symptom, without known risk factors. We indicated a colon by enema and a distal narrowing was observed at the colon spleen angle, at the same zone of the physiologic narrowing at that level. A colonoscopy was carried out diagnosing a left colon tumor near the spleen angle. It was operated with segmental resection of the spleen angle and a biopsy was made. Pathologic anatomy informed a well-differentiated colon adenocarcinoma

Sharper angle, higher risk? The effect of cutting angle on knee mechanics in invasion sport athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Schreurs, Mervin J; Benjaminse, Anne; Lemmink, Koen A P M

2017-10-03

Cutting is an important skill in team-sports, but unfortunately is also related to non-contact ACL injuries. The purpose was to examine knee kinetics and kinematics at different cutting angles. 13 males and 16 females performed cuts at different angles (45°, 90°, 135° and 180°) at maximum speed. 3D kinematics and kinetics were collected. To determine differences across cutting angles (45°, 90°, 135° and 180°) and sex (female, male), a 4×2 repeated measures ANOVA was conducted followed by post hoc comparisons (Bonferroni) with alpha level set at α≤0.05a priori. At all cutting angles, males showed greater knee flexion angles than females (pcutting angles with no differences in the amount of knee flexion -42.53°±8.95°, females decreased their knee flexion angle from -40.6°±7.2° when cutting at 45° to -36.81°±9.10° when cutting at 90°, 135° and 180° (pcutting towards sharper angles (pcutting angles and then stabilized compared to the 45° cutting angle (pcutting to sharper angles (pcutting angles demand different knee kinematics and kinetics. Sharper cutting angles place the knee more at risk. However, females and males handle this differently, which has implications for injury prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of surfaces with extremely high contact angle hysteresis from polyelectrolyte multilayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liming; Wei, Jingjing; Su, Zhaohui

2011-12-20

High contact angle hysteresis on polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) ion-paired with hydrophobic perfluorooctanoate anions is reported. Both the bilayer number of PEMs and the ionic strength of deposition solutions have significant influence on contact angle hysteresis: higher ionic strength and greater bilayer number cause increased contact angle hysteresis values. The hysteresis values of ~100° were observed on smooth PEMs and pinning of the receding contact line on hydrophilic defects is implicated as the cause of hysteresis. Surface roughness can be used to further tune the contact angle hysteresis on the PEMs. A surface with extremely high contact angle hysteresis of 156° was fabricated when a PEM was deposited on a rough substrate coated with submicrometer scale silica spheres. It was demonstrated that this extremely high value of contact angle hysteresis resulted from the penetration of water into the rough asperities on the substrate. The same substrate hydrophobized by chemical vapor deposition of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane exhibits high advancing contact angle and low hysteresis. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Phenomena induced by powerful HF pumping towards magnetic zenith with a frequency near the F-region critical frequency and the third electron gyro harmonic frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. F. Blagoveshchenskaya

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Multi-instrument observational data from an experiment on 13 October 2006 at the EISCAT/HEATING facility at Tromsø, Norway are analysed. The experiment was carried out in the evening hours when the electron density in the F-region dropped, and the HF pump frequency fH was near and then above the critical frequency of the F2 layer. The distinctive feature of this experiment is that the pump frequency was just below the third electron gyro harmonic frequency, while both the HF pump beam and UHF radar beam were directed towards the magnetic zenith (MZ. The HF pump-induced phenomena were diagnosed with several instruments: the bi-static HF radio scatter on the London-Tromsø-St. Petersburg path, the CUTLASS radar in Hankasalmi (Finland, the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT UHF radar at Tromsø and the Tromsø ionosonde (dynasonde. The results show thermal electron excitation of the HF-induced striations seen simultaneously from HF bi-static scatter and CUTLASS radar observations, accompanied by increases of electron temperature when the heater frequency was near and then above the critical frequency of the F2 layer by up to 0.4 MHz. An increase of the electron density up to 25% accompanied by strong HF-induced electron heating was observed, only when the heater frequency was near the critical frequency and just below the third electron gyro harmonic frequency. It is concluded that the combined effect of upper hybrid resonance and gyro resonance at the same altitude gives rise to strong electron heating, the excitation of striations, HF ray trapping and extension of HF waves to altitudes where they can excite Langmuir turbulence and fluxes of electrons accelerated to energies that produce ionization.

Phenomena induced by powerful HF pumping towards magnetic zenith with a frequency near the F-region critical frequency and the third electron gyro harmonic frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. F. Blagoveshchenskaya

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Multi-instrument observational data from an experiment on 13 October 2006 at the EISCAT/HEATING facility at Tromsø, Norway are analysed. The experiment was carried out in the evening hours when the electron density in the F-region dropped, and the HF pump frequency f_H was near and then above the critical frequency of the F2 layer. The distinctive feature of this experiment is that the pump frequency was just below the third electron gyro harmonic frequency, while both the HF pump beam and UHF radar beam were directed towards the magnetic zenith (MZ. The HF pump-induced phenomena were diagnosed with several instruments: the bi-static HF radio scatter on the London-Tromsø-St. Petersburg path, the CUTLASS radar in Hankasalmi (Finland, the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT UHF radar at Tromsø and the Tromsø ionosonde (dynasonde. The results show thermal electron excitation of the HF-induced striations seen simultaneously from HF bi-static scatter and CUTLASS radar observations, accompanied by increases of electron temperature when the heater frequency was near and then above the critical frequency of the F2 layer by up to 0.4 MHz. An increase of the electron density up to 25% accompanied by strong HF-induced electron heating was observed, only when the heater frequency was near the critical frequency and just below the third electron gyro harmonic frequency. It is concluded that the combined effect of upper hybrid resonance and gyro resonance at the same altitude gives rise to strong electron heating, the excitation of striations, HF ray trapping and extension of HF waves to altitudes where they can excite Langmuir turbulence and fluxes of electrons accelerated to energies that produce ionization.

Spectral measurements of the cosmic microwave background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kogut, A.J.

1989-04-01

Three experiments have measured the intensity of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) at wavelengths 4.0, 3.0, and 0.21 cm. The measurement at 4.0 cm used a direct-gain total-power radiometer to measure the difference in power between the zenith sky and a large cryogenic reference target. Foreground signals are measured with the same instrument and subtracted from the zenith signal, leaving the CMB as the residual. The reference target consists of a large open-mouth cryostat with a microwave absorber submerged in liquid helium; thin windows block the radiative heat load and prevent condensation atmospheric gases within the cryostat. The thermodynamic temperature of the CMB at 4.0 cm is 2.59 +- 0.07 K. The measurement at 3.0 cm used a superheterodyne Dicke-switched radiometer with a similar reference target to measure the zenith sky temperature. A rotating mirror allowed one of the antenna beams to be redirected to a series of zenith angles, permitting automated atmospheric measurements without moving the radiometer. A weighted average of 5 years of data provided the thermodynamic temperature of the CMB at 3.0 cm of 2.62 +- 0.06 K. The measurement at 0.21 cm used Very Large Array observations of interstellar ortho-formaldehyde to determine the CMB intensity in molecular clouds toward the giant HII region W51A (G49.5-0.4). Solutions of the radiative transfer problem in the context of a large velocity gradient model provided estimates of the CMB temperature within the foreground clouds. Collisional excitation from neutral hydrogen molecules within the clouds limited the precision of the result. The thermodynamic temperature of the CMB at 0.21 cm is 3.2 +- 0.9 K. 72 refs., 27 figs., 38 tabs

Spectral measurements of the cosmic microwave background

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kogut, A.J.

1989-04-01

Three experiments have measured the intensity of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) at wavelengths 4.0, 3.0, and 0.21 cm. The measurement at 4.0 cm used a direct-gain total-power radiometer to measure the difference in power between the zenith sky and a large cryogenic reference target. Foreground signals are measured with the same instrument and subtracted from the zenith signal, leaving the CMB as the residual. The reference target consists of a large open-mouth cryostat with a microwave absorber submerged in liquid helium; thin windows block the radiative heat load and prevent condensation atmospheric gases within the cryostat. The thermodynamic temperature of the CMB at 4.0 cm is 2.59 +- 0.07 K. The measurement at 3.0 cm used a superheterodyne Dicke-switched radiometer with a similar reference target to measure the zenith sky temperature. A rotating mirror allowed one of the antenna beams to be redirected to a series of zenith angles, permitting automated atmospheric measurements without moving the radiometer. A weighted average of 5 years of data provided the thermodynamic temperature of the CMB at 3.0 cm of 2.62 +- 0.06 K. The measurement at 0.21 cm used Very Large Array observations of interstellar ortho-formaldehyde to determine the CMB intensity in molecular clouds toward the giant HII region W51A (G49.5-0.4). Solutions of the radiative transfer problem in the context of a large velocity gradient model provided estimates of the CMB temperature within the foreground clouds. Collisional excitation from neutral hydrogen molecules within the clouds limited the precision of the result. The thermodynamic temperature of the CMB at 0.21 cm is 3.2 +- 0.9 K. 72 refs., 27 figs., 38 tabs.

Exchange interpretation of anomalous back angle heavy ion elastic scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zisman, M.S.

1977-10-01

Anomalous back angle oscillations in the angular distributions obtained in the elastic scattering of 16 O + 28 Si and 12 C + 28 Si have been interpreted in terms of an elastic cluster transfer comparable to that observed in other heavy ion reactions. The calculations appear to at least qualitatively explain the data with respect to the existence and phase of the back angle oscillations. The results indicate that an exchange mechanism may play an important role in the oscillations

Directional reflectance factor distributions of a cotton row crop

Science.gov (United States)

Kimes, D. S.; Newcomb, W. W.; Schutt, J. B.; Pinter, P. J., Jr.; Jackson, R. D.

1984-01-01

The directional reflectance factor distribution spanning the entire exitance hemisphere was measured for a cotton row crop (Gossypium barbadense L.) with 39 percent ground cover. Spectral directional radiances were taken in NOAA satellite 7 AVHRR bands 1 and 2 using a three-band radiometer with restricted 12 deg full angle field of view at half peak power points. Polar co-ordinate system plots of directional reflectance factor distributions and three-dimensional computer graphic plots of scattered flux were used to study the dynamics of the directional reflectance factor distribution as a function of spectral band, geometric structure of the scene, solar zenith and azimuth angles, and optical properties of the leaves and soil. The factor distribution of the incomplete row crops was highly polymodal relative to that for complete vegetation canopies. Besides the enhanced reflectance for the antisolar point, a reflectance minimum was observed towards the forwardscatter direction in the principle plane of the sun. Knowledge of the mechanics of the observed dynamics of the data may be used to provide rigorous validation for two- or three-dimensional radiative transfer models, and is important in interpreting aircraft and satellite data where the solar angle varies widely.

An oilspill trajectory analysis model with a variable wind deflection angle

Science.gov (United States)

Samuels, W.B.; Huang, N.E.; Amstutz, D.E.

1982-01-01

The oilspill trajectory movement algorithm consists of a vector sum of the surface drift component due to wind and the surface current component. In the U.S. Geological Survey oilspill trajectory analysis model, the surface drift component is assumed to be 3.5% of the wind speed and is rotated 20 degrees clockwise to account for Coriolis effects in the Northern Hemisphere. Field and laboratory data suggest, however, that the deflection angle of the surface drift current can be highly variable. An empirical formula, based on field observations and theoretical arguments relating wind speed to deflection angle, was used to calculate a new deflection angle at each time step in the model. Comparisons of oilspill contact probabilities to coastal areas calculated for constant and variable deflection angles showed that the model is insensitive to this changing angle at low wind speeds. At high wind speeds, some statistically significant differences in contact probabilities did appear. ?? 1982.

Radio Occultation Bending Angle Anomalies During Tropical Cyclones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biondi, Riccardo; Neubert, Torsten; Syndergaard, Stig

signature in radio occultation profiles in the tropical tropopause layer. Using tropical cyclone best track database and data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC), we show that the bending angle anomaly of a GPS radio occultation signal is typically larger...

Changes in Anterior Segment Morphology and Predictors of Angle Widening after Laser Iridotomy in South Indian Eyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zebardast, Nazlee; Kavitha, Srinivasan; Krishnamurthy, Palaniswamy; Friedman, David S; Nongpiur, Monisha E; Aung, Tin; Quigley, Harry A; Ramulu, Pradeep Y; Venkatesh, Rengaraj

2016-12-01

To compare anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) angle morphology before and after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) in a cohort of South Indian subjects with primary angle-closure suspect (PACS) or primary angle-closure/primary angle-closure glaucoma (PAC/PACG) and to examine baseline parameters associated with angle widening. Prospective observational study. A total of 244 subjects aged ≥30 years with PACS or PAC/PACG in at least 1 eye. The ASOCT images and angle gonioscopic grades were analyzed for all subjects at baseline and 2 weeks after LPI. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to determine predictors of angle widening (change in mean angle opening distance [AOD750]) and angle opening (all 4 quadrants with trabecular meshwork [TM] visible on gonioscopy after LPI). Change in ASOCT parameters with LPI and baseline predictors of angle widening. Laser peripheral iridotomy resulted in angle widening on ASOCT with significant increases in AOD750, angle recess area, and trabecular iris surface area (P gonioscopy, although some degree of persistent iridotrabecular contact was present in approximately half of PACS eyes and approximately two thirds of PAC/PACG eyes on gonioscopy. The greatest widening by ASOCT was observed in eyes with features most consistent with greater baseline pupillary block. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. All rights reserved.

Survival and Growth of Cottonwood Clones After Angle Planting and Base Angle Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

W.K. Randall; Harvey E. Kennedy

1976-01-01

Presently, commercial cottonwood plantations in the lower Mississippi Valley are established using vertically planted, unrooted cuttings with a flat (90°) base. Neither survival nor first-year growth of a group of six Stoneville clones was improved by angle planting or cutting base angles diagonally. For one clone, survival was significantly better when base angle was...

Azimuthal and polar angle dependence of L X-ray differential cross-sections of Yb at 59.54 keV photon energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akkuş, T.; Şahin, Y.; Yılmaz, D., E-mail: ddemir@atauni.edu.tr

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The azimuthal and polar angle dependence of L X-ray for Yb is investigated. • The azimuthal angle dependence of Ll and Lα X-rays are observed. • The azimuthal anisotropy of Lβ and Lγ X-rays are not observed. • The polar anisotropy of Ll and Lα X-rays are observed. • The polar anisotropy of Lβ and Lγ X-rays are not observed. - Abstract: The azimuthal and polar angle dependence of L X-ray was investigated in the same experimental setup to remove the existing ambiguity about alignments measurements. We measured Ll, Lα, Lβ and Lγ X-ray differential cross sections of Yb for several different azimuthal angles (30°, 20°, 10°, 0°, −10° and −20°) and polar angles (90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130° and 140°) at 59.54 keV photon energy by using a Si(Li) detector. The azimuthal angle dependence of Ll and Lα X-rays were observed. The azimuthal anisotropy of Lβ and Lγ X-rays were not observed. On the other hand, differential cross-sections for Lβ and Lγ X-rays were found independent on the polar angle within experimental error, those for Ll and Lα X-rays depended on the polar angles. Azimuthal and polar angles dependence of L X-ray differential cross-sections contrast with the other experimental and theoretical results, which report evidence of the isotropic emission of Ll and Lα X-rays following photoionization.

Contact angle of sessile drops in Lennard-Jones systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Stefan; Urbassek, Herbert M; Horsch, Martin; Hasse, Hans

2014-11-18

Molecular dynamics simulations are used for studying the contact angle of nanoscale sessile drops on a planar solid wall in a system interacting via the truncated and shifted Lennard-Jones potential. The entire range between total wetting and dewetting is investigated by varying the solid-fluid dispersive interaction energy. The temperature is varied between the triple point and the critical temperature. A correlation is obtained for the contact angle in dependence of the temperature and the dispersive interaction energy. Size effects are studied by varying the number of fluid particles at otherwise constant conditions, using up to 150,000 particles. For particle numbers below 10,000, a decrease of the contact angle is found. This is attributed to a dependence of the solid-liquid surface tension on the droplet size. A convergence to a constant contact angle is observed for larger system sizes. The influence of the wall model is studied by varying the density of the wall. The effective solid-fluid dispersive interaction energy at a contact angle of θ = 90° is found to be independent of temperature and to decrease linearly with the solid density. A correlation is developed that describes the contact angle as a function of the dispersive interaction, the temperature, and the solid density. The density profile of the sessile drop and the surrounding vapor phase is described by a correlation combining a sigmoidal function and an oscillation term.

Magnetospheric particle detection efficiency of a conical telescope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miah, M.A.; Mitchell, J.W.; Wefel, J.P.

1989-01-01

A semianalytic program has been developed to map the pitch angles of magnetospheric particles onto a detector telescope acceptance cone. The telescope fractional efficiency is defined as the fraction of the pitch angle cone in common with the telescope cone multiplied by the fractional perpendicular component of the exposed detector area, and normalized by 2π. Calculations have been performed as a function of the satellite's location, orbital inclination and the zenith angle of the telescope axis, both in dipole and real geomagnetic field models. At the dipole equator, the peak efficiency occurs at 90 0 pitch angle. In the real geomagnetic field model, the average value of the pitch angle for maximum efficiency is ≅ 88 0 . The efficiency function depends strongly upon latitude and is independent of longitude in a dipole field, but depends on longitude in the real field model. In either field model, altitude, angle of tilt and orbital inclination have little effect upon efficiency. The efficiency function calculated at the dipole equator can be used at the minimum magnetic field equator with little error, but not for points away from the B min position. The results are applied to calculate the absolute flux of magnetospheric particles observed near the equator. (orig.)

Breathing pattern and head posture: changes in craniocervical angles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabatucci, A; Raffaeli, F; Mastrovincenzo, M; Luchetta, A; Giannone, A; Ciavarella, D

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to observe the influence of oral breathing on head posture and to establish possible postural changes observing the variation of craniocervical angles NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT between oral breathing subjects and physiological breathing subjects. A cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample included 115 subject, 56 boys and 59 girls, 5-22-year-old. Among these, 80 were classified as oral breathers and 35 as physiological breathers. The diagnosis of oral breathing was carried out thanks to characteristic signs and symptoms evaluated on clinical examination, the analysis of characteristic X-ray images, ENT examination with active anterior rhinomanometric (AAR) test. The structural and postural analysis was carried out, calculating the craniofacial angles NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT. Both NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT appear to be significantly greater to those observed in physiological breathing patients. This means that patients who tend to breathe through the mouth rather than exclusively through the nose show a reduction of cervical lordosis and a proinclination of the head. Our study confirms that the oral breathing modifies head position. The significant increase of the craniocervical angles NSL/OPT and NSL/CVT in patients with this altered breathing pattern suggests an elevation of the head and a greater extension of the head compared with the cervical spine. So, to correct the breathing pattern early, either during childhood or during adolescence, can lead to a progressive normalization of craniofacial morphology and head posture.

Atmospheric neutrino-induced muons in the MACRO detector

CERN Document Server

Ronga, F

1999-01-01

A measurement of the flux of neutrino-induced muons using the MACRO detector is presented. Different event topologies, corresponding to different neutrino parent energies can be detected. The upward throughgoing muon sample is the larger event sample. The observed upward-throughgoing muons are 26% fewer than expected and the zenith angle distribution does not fit with the expected one. Assuming neutrino oscillations, both measurements suggest maximum mixing and Dm2 of a few times 10-3 eV2. The other samples are due to the internally produced events and to upward-going stopping muons. These data show a regular deficit of observed events in each angular bin, as expected assuming neutrino oscillations with maximum mixing, in agreement with the analysis of the upward-throughgoing muon sample.

Effect of surface texturing on superoleophobicity, contact angle hysteresis, and "robustness".

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Hong; Park, Kyoo-Chul; Law, Kock-Yee

2012-10-23

was observed. On the other hand, the hexadecane drop is shown to wet the pillar surface and the side wall of the overhang. It then pins at the lower edge of the overhang structure. A plot of the thickness of the overhang as a function of the static, advancing, and receding contact angles and sliding angle of hexadecane reveals that static, advancing, and receding contact angles decrease and sliding angle increases as the thickness of the overhang increases. A larger overhang effect is observed with octane due to its lower surface tension. The robustness of the pillar array surface against external pressure induced wetting and abrasion was modeled. Surface Evolver simulation (with the hexadecane drop) indicates that wetting breakthrough pressure as high as ~70 kPa is achievable with 0.5-μm-diameter pillar array FOTS surfaces. Mechanical modeling shows that bending of the pillars is the key failure by abrasion, which can be avoided with a short pillar structure. The path to fabricate a superoleophobic surface that can withstand the external force equivalent of a gentle cleaning blade (up to ~30 kPa) without wetting and abrasion failure is discussed.

Preparation and observation of an artifact-free Ge2Sb2Te5 TEM specimen by the small angle cleavage technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, M.S.; Kim, H.G.

2006-01-01

The amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 thin film for the application to the non-volatile memory device was prepared by the pulsed laser deposition on a SiO2/Si substrate. The amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 which has the T C around 150 deg. C is readily crystallized when exposed to a comparable heat such as the Ar beam irradiation during the conventional ion milling process. Retaining its amorphous initial phase is important in order to precisely observe and understand the crystallization behaviour whether it be the sample for a pure materialistic research or applied into the device. To avoid such deterioration of the film's amorphous nature, the complete mechanical TEM specimen preparation which is called the small angle cleavage technique (SACT) was adopted to show thermally undisturbed, an artifact-free amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 TEM specimen. The two distinctive amorphous and crystalline phases has been observed by the HRTEM study

Undergraduate Observations of Separation and Position Angle of Double Stars ARY 6 AD and ARY 6 AE at Manzanita Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffert, Michael J.; Weise, Eric; Clow, Jenna; Hirzel, Jacquelyn; Leeder, Brett; Molyneux, Scott; Scutti, Nicholas; Spartalis, Sarah; Tokuhara, Corey

2014-05-01

Six beginning astronomy students, part of an undergraduate stellar astronomy course, one advanced undergraduate student assistant, and a professor measured the position angles and separations of Washington Double Stars (WDS) 05460 + 2119 (also known as ARY 6 AD and ARY 6 AE). The measurements were made at the Manzanita Observatory (116° 20'42" W, 32° 44' 5" N) of the Tierra Astronomical Institute on 10 Blackwood Rd. in Boulevard, California (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHVdcMGBGDU), at an elevation of 4,500 ft. A Celestron 11" HD Edge telescope was used to measure the position angles and separations of ARY 6 AD and ARY 6 AE. The averages of our measurements are as follows: separation AD: trial 1 124.1 arcseconds and trial 2 124.5 arcseconds. The average of separation for AE: trial 1 73.3 arcseconds and trial 2 73.8 arcseconds. The averages of position angle for AD: trial 1 159.9 degrees and trial 2 161.3 degrees. The averages of position angle for AE: trial 1 232.6 degrees and trial 2 233.7 degrees.

Association of iris crypts with acute primary angle closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Victor; Chua, Jacqueline; Shi, Yuan; Thakku, Sri Gowtham; Lee, Ryan; Nongpiur, Monisha E; Baskaran, Mani; Kumar, Rajesh S; Perera, Shamira; Aung, Tin; Cheng, Ching-Yu

2017-10-01

To determine the relationship between iris surface features and acute primary angle closure (APAC) in eyes with angle closure. Case-control study involving Asian patients diagnosed with previous APAC, primary angle closure suspect (PACS), primary angle closure (PAC) and primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) at an eye centre in Singapore between August 2012 and January 2015. Participants underwent ophthalmic examination and digital slit-lamp iris photography. Iris surface features were graded based on crypts, furrows and colour. Fellow eyes of APAC were compared with PACS and PAC/PACG eyes with regard to their iris surface features. Occurrence of APAC. A total of 309 patients (71 APAC, 139 PACS, 47 PAC and 52 PACG) were included (mean age: 67.7±7.2 years and 36.6% male). Compared with PACS, higher crypt grade was significantly associated with lower odds of APAC (OR=0.58 for one grade higher in crypt grade; p=0.027, adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity and pupil diameter). The results remained similar when compared with PAC/PACG group (OR=0.58 for one grade higher in crypt grade; p=0.043). We did not observe any significant associations between iris furrows or colour with presence of APAC. Our study comprising Asian eyes with angle closure suggests that the presence of a higher crypt grading may be protective for APAC. As such, assessing iris surface architecture for crypts could be a new measure for risk stratification of developing APAC in eyes with angle closure. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Quasars as Sources of Ultrahigh-Energy Cosmic Rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glushkov, A.V.

2005-01-01

The results are presented that were obtained by analyzing arrival directions for cosmic rays that the Yakutsk array for studying extensive air showers recorded between 1974 and 2002 in the energy region E 0 ≥5x10 17 eV for zenith angles in the region θ ≤60 deg. . It is shown that quasars for which the redshift lies in the region z≤2.5 can be sources of these cosmic rays. Ordered structures are observed in the disposition of quasars and in the cosmic-ray arrival directions. These structures can be associated in one way or another with the large-scale structure of the Universe

Modeling of Nonlinear Mechanical Response in CFRP Angle-Ply Laminates

Science.gov (United States)

Ogihara, Shinji

2014-03-01

It is known that the failure process in angle-ply laminate involves matrix cracking and delamination and that they exhibit nonlinear stress-strain relation. There may be a significant effect of the constituent blocked ply thickness on the mechanical behavior of angle-ply laminates. These days, thin prepregs whose thickness is, for example 50 micron, are developed and commercially available. Therefore, we can design wide variety of laminates with various constituent ply thicknesses. In this study, effects of constituent ply thickness on the nonlinear mechanical behavior and the damage behavior of CFRP angle-ply laminates are investigated experimentally. Based on the experimental results, the mechanical response in CFRP angle-ply laminates is modeled by using the finite strain viscoplasticity model. We evaluated the mechanical behavior and damage behavior in CFRP angle-ply laminates with different constituent ply thickness under tensile loading experimentally. It was found that as the constituent ply thickness decreases, the strength and failure strain increases. We also observed difference in damage behavior. The preliminary results of finite strain viscoplasticity model considering the damage effect for laminated composites are shown. A qualitative agreement is obtained.

Multi-instrument observations of the solar eclipse on 20 March 2015 and its effects on the ionosphere over Belgium and Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Stankov, Stanimir M.; Bergeot, Nicolas; Berghmans, David; Bolsée, David; Bruyninx, Carine; Chevalier, Jean-Marie; Clette, Frédéric; De Backer, Hugo; De Keyser, Johan; D'Huys, Elke; Dominique, Marie; Lemaire, Joseph F.; Magdalenić, Jasmina; Marqué, Christophe; Pereira, Nuno; Pierrard, Viviane; Sapundjiev, Danislav; Seaton, Daniel B.; Stegen, Koen; Van der Linden, Ronald; Verhulst, Tobias G. W.; West, Matthew J.

2017-08-01

A total solar eclipse occurred on 20 March 2015, with a totality path passing mostly above the North Atlantic Ocean, which resulted in a partial solar eclipse over Belgium and large parts of Europe. In anticipation of this event, a dedicated observational campaign was set up at the Belgian Solar-Terrestrial Centre of Excellence (STCE). The objective was to perform high-quality observations of the eclipse and the associated effects on the geospace environment by utilising the advanced space- and ground-based instrumentation available to the STCE in order to further our understanding of these effects, particularly on the ionosphere. The study highlights the crucial importance of taking into account the eclipse geometry when analysing the ionospheric behaviour during eclipses and interpreting the eclipse effects. A detailed review of the eclipse geometry proves that considering the actual obscuration level and solar zenith angle at ionospheric heights is much more important for the analysis than at the commonly referenced Earth's surface or at the plasmaspheric heights. The eclipse occurred during the recovery phase of a strong geomagnetic storm which certainly had an impact on (some of) the ionospheric characteristics and perhaps caused the omission of some "low-profile" effects. However, the analysis of the ionosonde measurements, carried out at unprecedented high rates during the eclipse, suggests the occurrence of travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs). Also, the high temporal and spatial resolution measurements proved very important in revealing and estimating some finer details of the delay in the ionospheric reaction and the ionospheric disturbances.

Possibility of measuring Adler angles in charged current single pion neutrino-nucleus interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez, F.

2016-05-01

Uncertainties in modeling neutrino-nucleus interactions are a major contribution to systematic errors in long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. Accurate modeling of neutrino interactions requires additional experimental observables such as the Adler angles which carry information about the polarization of the Δ resonance and the interference with nonresonant single pion production. The Adler angles were measured with limited statistics in bubble chamber neutrino experiments as well as in electron-proton scattering experiments. We discuss the viability of measuring these angles in neutrino interactions with nuclei.

Prospective case series on trabecular-iris angle status after an acute episode of phacomorphic angle closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacky Lee

2013-02-01

Full Text Available AIM:To investigate the trabecular-iris angle with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM post cataract extraction after an acute attack of phacomorphic angle closure.METHODS: This prospective study involved 10 cases of phacomorphic angle closure that underwent cataract extraction and intraocular lens insertion after intraocular pressure (IOP lowering. Apart from visual acuity and IOP, the trabecular-iris angle was measured by gonioscopy and UBM at 3 months post attack.RESULTS: In 10 consecutive cases of acute phacomorphic angle closure from December 2009 to December 2010, gonioscopic findings showed peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS ≤ 90° in 30% of phacomorphic patients and a mean Shaffer grading of (3.1±1.0. UBM showed a mean angle of (37.1°±4.5° in the phacomorphic eye with the temporal quadrant being the most opened and (37.1°±8.0° in the contralateral uninvolved eye. The mean time from consultation to cataract extraction was (1.4±0.7 days and the mean total duration of phacomorphic angle closure was (3.6±2.8 days but there was no correlation to the degree of angle closure on UBM (Spearman correlation P=0.7. The presenting mean IOP was (50.5±7.4 mmHg and the mean IOP at 3 months was (10.5±3.4 mmHg but there were no correlations with the degree of angle closure (Spearman correlations P=0.9.CONCLUSION:An open trabecular-iris angle and normal IOP can be achieved after an acute attack of phacomorphic angle closure if cataract extraction is performed within 1 day - 2 days after IOP control. Gonioscopic findings were in agreement with UBM, which provided a more specific and object angle measurement. The superior angle is relatively more narrowed compared to the other quadrants. All contralateral eyes in this series had open angles.

Constraining CKM $\\gamma$ angle at LHCb

CERN Document Server

Vallier, Alexis Roger Louis

2015-01-01

The current combination of all available tree-level measurements of the CKM angle gamma at LHCb is reported. It includes results obtained from time independent analyses of B+ -> DK+ and of B0 -> DK∗0 decays; and from a time-dependent analysis of Bs0 -> DsK decays. The results represent the world's best single-experiment determination of gamma. The first observation of the Bs->Ds*K decay and the first observation and amplitude analysis of B- -> D+K-pi- are also reported. In addition to these tree measurements, the estimation of gamma from charmless B meson decay, sensitive to loops contribution, is presented.

Evaluation of the anterior chamber angle in pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwanejko, Małgorzata; Turno-Kręcicka, Anna; Tomczyk-Socha, Martyna; Kaczorowski, Kamil; Grzybowski, Andrzej; Misiuk-Hojło, Marta

2017-08-01

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) is the most frequently identifiable cause of secondary open-angle glaucoma, known as pseudoexfoliation glaucoma. The exact pathophysiology and etiology of PEX and associated glaucoma remains obscure. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in the morphology of the anterior chamber angle in people with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma compared to a control group. We also evaluated the correlation between intraocular pressure (IOP) and pigmentation of the angle with the amount of exfoliated material in the anterior segment. The study group was composed of 155 eyes from 103 patients aged between 43 and 86 years. Each patient underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. Some difference was found in intraocular pressure between the PEX group and the control group and between the pseudoexfoliation glaucoma group and the control group, but no significant difference was found between the 2 study groups. There was a significant difference in the incidence of some degree of pigmentation in the anterior chamber angle and no difference in the widths of the angle between each group. A significant positive relationship was observed between intraocular pressure and the degree of pigmentation of the anterior chamber angle in both the PEX group and the pseudoexfoliation glaucoma group. The results of this study indicate that the amount of pigmentation and exfoliation material in the anterior segment significantly correlates with the level of IOP and possibly with the degree of trabecular dysfunction. It seems that for clear identification of PEX and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma factors, clinical assessment appears to be insufficient.

Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in primary angle-closure suspect, primary angle-closure and primary angle-closure glaucoma with cataract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun Zeng

2013-08-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the features and clinical outcomes of cataract extraction by phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in primary angle-closure suspect(PACS, primary angle-closure(PACand primary angle-closure glaucoma(PACGwith cataract.METHODS:Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation was performed on 86 cases(86 eyesdiagnosed as PACS, PAC and PACG co-existing cataract from January to December 2012. All cases were followed up for 3 months to 1 year. Pre-operative and post-operative visual acuity, intraocular pressure(IOP, gonioscopy, ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM, visual field and usage of anti-glaucomaous eye drops were recorded.RESULTS:Zonular dialysis existed in 19 eyes(22%. The post-operative visual acuity improved in 84 eyes(98%. The post-operative visual acuity was CONCLUSION: PACS, PAC and PACG co-existing zonular dialysis is common. Phacoemulsification with IOL implantation can reduce IOP, deepen anterior chamber and open angle.

Weak antilocalization effect in exfoliated black phosphorus revealed by temperature- and angle-dependent magnetoconductivity

KAUST Repository

Hou, Zhipeng; Gong, Chen; Wang, Yue; Zhang, Qiang; Yang, Bingchao; Zhang, Hongwei; Liu, Enke; Liu, Zhongyuan; Zeng, Zhongming; Wu, Guangheng; Wang, Wenhong; Zhang, Xixiang

2018-01-01

Recently, there have been increasingly debates on whether there exists a surface resonance state (SRS) in black phosphorus (BP), as suggested by recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) results. To resolve this issue, we have performed temperature- and angle-dependent magnetoconductivity measurements on exfoliated, high-quality BP single crystals. A pronounced weak-antilocalization (WAL) effect was observed within a narrow temperature range of 8 - 16 K, with the electrical current flowing parallel to the cleaved ac-plane (along the a- or c-axis) and the magnetic field along the b-axis. The angle-dependent magnetoconductivity and the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka (HLN) model-fitted results have revealed that the observed WAL effect shows surface-bulk coherent features, which supports the existence of SRS in black phosphorus.

Weak antilocalization effect in exfoliated black phosphorus revealed by temperature- and angle-dependent magnetoconductivity

KAUST Repository

Hou, Zhipeng

2018-01-10

Recently, there have been increasingly debates on whether there exists a surface resonance state (SRS) in black phosphorus (BP), as suggested by recent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) results. To resolve this issue, we have performed temperature- and angle-dependent magnetoconductivity measurements on exfoliated, high-quality BP single crystals. A pronounced weak-antilocalization (WAL) effect was observed within a narrow temperature range of 8 - 16 K, with the electrical current flowing parallel to the cleaved ac-plane (along the a- or c-axis) and the magnetic field along the b-axis. The angle-dependent magnetoconductivity and the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka (HLN) model-fitted results have revealed that the observed WAL effect shows surface-bulk coherent features, which supports the existence of SRS in black phosphorus.

Small angle spectrometers: Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courant, E.; Foley, K.J.; Schlein, P.E.

1986-01-01

Aspects of experiments at small angles at the Superconducting Super Collider are considered. Topics summarized include a small angle spectrometer, a high contingency spectrometer, dipole and toroid spectrometers, and magnet choices

Study on laser welding of austenitic stainless steel by varying incident angle of pulsed laser beam

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Nikhil; Mukherjee, Manidipto; Bandyopadhyay, Asish

2017-09-01

In the present work, AISI 304 stainless steel sheets are laser welded in butt joint configuration using a robotic control 600 W pulsed Nd:YAG laser system. The objective of the work is of twofold. Firstly, the study aims to find out the effect of incident angle on the weld pool geometry, microstructure and tensile property of the welded joints. Secondly, a set of experiments are conducted, according to response surface design, to investigate the effects of process parameters, namely, incident angle of laser beam, laser power and welding speed, on ultimate tensile strength by developing a second order polynomial equation. Study with three different incident angle of laser beam 89.7 deg, 85.5 deg and 83 deg has been presented in this work. It is observed that the weld pool geometry has been significantly altered with the deviation in incident angle. The weld pool shape at the top surface has been altered from semispherical or nearly spherical shape to tear drop shape with decrease in incident angle. Simultaneously, planer, fine columnar dendritic and coarse columnar dendritic structures have been observed at 89.7 deg, 85.5 deg and 83 deg incident angle respectively. Weld metals with 85.5 deg incident angle has higher fraction of carbide and δ-ferrite precipitation in the austenitic matrix compared to other weld conditions. Hence, weld metal of 85.5 deg incident angle achieved higher micro-hardness of ∼280 HV and tensile strength of 579.26 MPa followed by 89.7 deg and 83 deg incident angle welds. Furthermore, the predicted maximum value of ultimate tensile strength of 580.50 MPa has been achieved for 85.95 deg incident angle using the developed equation where other two optimum parameter settings have been obtained as laser power of 455.52 W and welding speed of 4.95 mm/s. This observation has been satisfactorily validated by three confirmatory tests.

The Impact of the Derotational Mobilization of Manual Therapy According to Kaltenborn-Evjenth on the Angle of Trunk Rotation in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis--Pilot Study, Direct Observation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wnuk, Bartosz; Blicharska, Irmina; Błaszczak, Edward; Durmała, Jacek

2015-01-01

The use of manual therapy in the treatment of scoliosis has been controversial. Scientific reports do not clearly indicate its effectiveness or harmfulness. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of passive and active derotation techniques of manual therapy according to Kaltenborn-Evjent on the reduction of the angle of trunk rotation in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. The study enrolled 33 female patients from the Department of Rehabilitation who were diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The patients were divided into two groups according to the curve location (SRS classification). Group A consisted of 17 women, aged 14.±2.4 years, with single-curve scoliosis in the thoracolumbar segment and group B was composed of 16 women, aged 15±2.24 years, with double-curve scoliosis in the thoracic and lumbar segments. In both groups, the angle of trunk rotation, the magnitude of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis were measured twice, before and after each session of derotation techniques. Both groups demonstrated a positive impact of active and passive derotation techniques on the angle of trunk inclination. The greatest difference was observed after a session of active derotation in the patients with lumbar scoliosis. The angle of trunk rotation decreased on average by 4.5°±1.14°. No correlations were found between the curve angle values and the degree of thoracic derotation after the application of these techniques. Derotational mobilization techniques may be a valuable complement to scoliosis treatment methods as they increase their effectiveness.

The search for primary particle tracks in nucleon-nucleus interactions with gamma ray energy ΣEγ ≥ 3 TeV registered in stratospheric X-ray emulsion chambers using data of the RUNJOB experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zayarnaya I.S.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We present here the result of a retreatment of data from the RUNJOB (RUssia-Nippon JOint Balloon experiment of nucleon-nucleus interactions registered in stratospheric X-ray emulsion chambers (REC using a new method for searching and tracing of galactic particles in nuclear emulsions. In about halfcof these interactions (∼ 50 recorded in REC RUNJOB‘96-3B, RUNJOB‘97-6A and RUNJOB‘99-11A,B with energy released in the electromagnetic component ΣEγ ≥ 3 TeV and ΣEγ ≥ 5 TeV respectively, single charged particle tracks are not found within the search area defined individually by the particle track location accuracy. The absence of primary proton tracks is consistent with the original treatment of the RUNJOB experimental data. There is a difference in the zenith angular distribution for two groups of events in which a single charged particle track is observed or absent. The average penetration depth of the primary particles in REC to the interaction vertex in the zenith angle range from 60∘ to 79∘ differs by a factor two for these groups.

The effect of the geomagnetic field on cosmic ray energy estimates and large scale anisotropy searches on data from the Pierre Auger Observatory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abreu, P.; /Lisbon, IST; Aglietta, M.; /IFSI, Turin; Ahn, E.J.; /Fermilab; Albuquerque, I.F.M.; /Sao Paulo U.; Allard, D.; /APC, Paris; Allekotte, I.; /Centro Atomico Bariloche; Allen, J.; /New York U.; Allison, P.; /Ohio State U.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; /Mexico U., ICN; Alvarez-Muniz, J.; /Santiago de Compostela U.; Ambrosio, M.; /Naples U. /INFN, Naples /Nijmegen U., IMAPP

2011-11-01

We present a comprehensive study of the influence of the geomagnetic field on the energy estimation of extensive air showers with a zenith angle smaller than 60{sup o}, detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The geomagnetic field induces an azimuthal modulation of the estimated energy of cosmic rays up to the {approx} 2% level at large zenith angles. We present a method to account for this modulation of the reconstructed energy. We analyse the effect of the modulation on large scale anisotropy searches in the arrival direction distributions of cosmic rays. At a given energy, the geomagnetic effect is shown to induce a pseudo-dipolar pattern at the percent level in the declination distribution that needs to be accounted for. In this work, we have identified and quantified a systematic uncertainty affecting the energy determination of cosmic rays detected by the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. This systematic uncertainty, induced by the influence of the geomagnetic field on the shower development, has a strength which depends on both the zenith and the azimuthal angles. Consequently, we have shown that it induces distortions of the estimated cosmic ray event rate at a given energy at the percent level in both the azimuthal and the declination distributions, the latter of which mimics an almost dipolar pattern. We have also shown that the induced distortions are already at the level of the statistical uncertainties for a number of events N {approx_equal} 32 000 (we note that the full Auger surface detector array collects about 6500 events per year with energies above 3 EeV). Accounting for these effects is thus essential with regard to the correct interpretation of large scale anisotropy measurements taking explicitly profit from the declination distribution.

D-region electron density and effective recombination coefficients during twilight – experimental data and modelling during solar proton events

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Osepian

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Accurate measurements of electron density in the lower D-region (below 70 km altitude are rarely made. This applies both with regard to measurements by ground-based facilities and by sounding rockets, and during both quiet conditions and conditions of energetic electron precipitation. Deep penetration into the atmosphere of high-energy solar proton fluxes (during solar proton events, SPE produces extra ionisation in the whole D-region, including the lower altitudes, which gives favourable conditions for accurate measurements using ground-based facilities. In this study we show that electron densities measured with two ground-based facilities at almost the same latitude but slightly different longitudes, provide a valuable tool for validation of model computations. The two techniques used are incoherent scatter of radio waves (by the EISCAT 224 MHz radar in Tromsø, Norway, 69.6° N, 19.3° E, and partial reflection of radio-waves (by the 2.8 MHz radar near Murmansk, Russia, 69.0° N, 35.7° E. Both radars give accurate electron density values during SPE, from heights 57–60 km and upward with the EISCAT radar and between 55–70 km with the partial reflection technique. Near noon, there is little difference in the solar zenith angle between the two locations and both methods give approximately the same values of electron density at the overlapping heights. During twilight, when the difference in solar zenith angles increases, electron density values diverge. When both radars are in night conditions (solar zenith angle >99° electron densities at the overlapping altitudes again become equal. We use the joint measurements to validate model computations of the ionospheric parameters f+, λ, αeff and their variations during solar proton events. These parameters are important characteristics of the lower ionosphere structure which cannot be determined by other methods.

Trabectome surgery for primary and secondary open angle glaucomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Jens F; Wecker, Thomas; van Oterendorp, Christian; Anton, Alexandra; Reinhard, Thomas; Boehringer, Daniel; Neuburger, Matthias

2013-12-01

In most forms of open angle glaucoma, the trabecular meshwork is the main barrier for aqueous humor outflow, causing elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). The Trabectome is a minimal invasive device for the surgical treatment of open angle glaucoma, particularly eliminating the juxtacanalicular meshwork. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness and complication profile among different glaucoma subgroups. Single center prospective observational study. There were 557 consecutive eyes of 487 patients included in this study. Trabectome surgery was performed either alone or in combination with cataract surgery. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were documented systematically. Main outcome measures were IOP reduction over time and the preoperative and postoperative number of IOP-lowering medications. Due to subgroup sizes, only data from eyes with primary open angle glaucoma and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma were processed for statistical analysis. For the 261 eyes classified as primary open angle glaucoma, preoperative IOP was 24 ± 5.5 mmHg (mean ± SD) under 2.1 ± 1.3 IOP-lowering medications. After a mean follow-up of 204 ± 238 days, IOP was reduced to 18 ± 6.1 mmHg, and medication was reduced to 1.2 ± 1.1. For the 173 eyes classified as pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, after a mean follow-up of 200 ± 278 days, IOP was reduced from 25 ± 5.9 mmHg to 18 ± 8.2 mmHg, and medication was reduced from 2.0 ± 1.2 to 1.1 ± 1.1. A Cox proportional hazards model hinted forward superiority of the combined surgery cases (Trabectome + Phaco + intraocular lens) in comparison to Trabectome surgery only in phakic or pseudophakic eyes. No serious complications were observed. Minimal invasive glaucoma surgery with the Trabectome seems to be safe and effective. The subgroup analysis of different kinds of open angle glaucomas presented in this study may help in first-line patient selection. The lack of ocular surface alterations makes it a valuable addition to

Long baseline neutrino experiments

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Atmospheric neutrino experiments (IMB, Kamiokande, Super-Kamiokande (SK)) show that νµ created in cosmic ray interactions with atmospheric nuclei are being converted into ντ but νe created in such interactions are unaffected. SK measure- ment of νµ and νe event rates as functions of zenith angle is the key ...

Small angle neutron scattering by polymer solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farnoux, B.; Jannink, G.

1980-08-01

Small angle neutron scattering is an experimental technique introduced since about 10 years for the observation of the polymer conformation in all the concentration range from dilute solution to the melt. After a brief recall of the elementary relations between scattering amplitude, index of refraction and scattered intensity, two concepts related to this last quantity (the contrast and the pair correlation function) are discussed in details

Car MAX-DOAS measurements around entire cities: quantification of NOx emissions from the cities of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen (Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Platt

2010-06-01

Full Text Available We present car Multi-Axis (MAX- DOAS observations of tropospheric NO2 carried out on circles around the cities of Mannheim and Ludwigshafen (Germany on 24 August 2006. Together with information on wind speed and direction, the total emissions of the encircled source(s are quantified from these measurements. In contrast to recent similar studies based on zenith scattered sun light (elevation angle of 90°, we use a MAX-DOAS instrument mounted on a car, which observes scattered sun light under different elevation angles (here 45°, and 90°. Compared to simple zenith sky observations, MAX-DOAS observations have higher sensitivity and reduced uncertainty, and avoid systematic offsets in the determination of the vertically integrated trace gas concentration. The determination of the absolute value of the integrated tropospheric trace gas concentrations is especially important for the calculation of absolute trace gas fluxes through arbitrary transects. However, even if emission sources are completely surrounded, systematic offsets in the measured vertically integrated trace gas concentration can lead to errors in the determined total emissions, especially for observations around extended areas. In this study we discuss and quantify different error sources. In most cases, the largest error source is the variability and imperfect knowledge of the wind field. In addition – depending on the trace species observed - also chemical transformations between the emission sources and the measurement location have to be considered. For that purpose we use local observations within the encircled area to quantify and/or correct these errors. From our observations we derive a total NOx emission from the Mannheim/Ludwigshafen area of (7.4±1.8×1024 molec/sec, which if assumed to be constant throughout the year would correspond to a total emission of 17 830±4340 t/yr (calculated with the mass of NO2 t/yr, consistent with existing emission estimates. From our

From lattice BF gauge theory to area-angle Regge calculus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonzom, Valentin

2009-01-01

We consider Riemannian 4D BF lattice gauge theory, on a triangulation of spacetime. Introducing the simplicity constraints which turn BF theory into simplicial gravity, some geometric quantities of Regge calculus, areas, and 3D and 4D dihedral angles, are identified. The parallel transport conditions are taken care of to ensure a consistent gluing of simplices. We show that these gluing relations, together with the simplicity constraints, contain the constraints of area-angle Regge calculus in a simple way, via the group structure of the underlying BF gauge theory. This provides a precise road from constrained BF theory to area-angle Regge calculus. Doing so, a framework combining variables of lattice BF theory and Regge calculus is built. The action takes a form a la Regge and includes the contribution of the Immirzi parameter. In the absence of simplicity constraints, the standard spin foam model for BF theory is recovered. Insertions of local observables are investigated, leading to Casimir insertions for areas and reproducing for 3D angles known results obtained through angle operators on spin networks. The present formulation is argued to be suitable for deriving spin foam models from discrete path integrals and to unravel their geometric content.

A Study of Radiation Incidence Angle in Anteroposterior Cervical Vertebra Examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeung, Seung Woon; Lim, Cheong Hwan; Jung, Hong Ryang; Joo, Yeong Cheol; Park, Mi Ja; Han, Beon Hee

2012-01-01

In anteroposterior projection for cervical vertebra, it is general that the incidence angle of X-ray is 15 degrees to 20 degrees to head in order to prevent overlap of mandible and occipital bone and to observe array of cervical interbody and shapes of joints. However, the angle is appropriate for foreigners that was determined by foreign literature review long ago, and there have been few researches of incidence angle for Koreans' body type. The purpose of in this study are to identify the incidence angle appropriate for Koreans and to present methodology. In order to measure the incidence angle, 1,044 patients who visited S Hospital located in Seosan were selected and measured of average length of cervical vertebra, OID, axis angle, and FID. The incidence angle was calculated from the applied formula by measuring average values per age groups and sex (see Formula 1 and 2). The average length of cervical vertebra was 6cm: the length was increased from teenagers to twenties but was decreased since thirties. The difference between males and females was around 1cm (p<.01). The OID was almost the same regardless of age groups and sex. As for axis angle, the slope was increased in teenagers and twenties, but was decreased since thirties. The difference between males and females was around 2 degrees (p<.01). The FID measurements were almost the same regardless of age groups and sex, and when the incidence angle was measured from these values, the teenagers were 15.9 degrees, the twenties were 16.9 degrees, the thirties were 16.6 degrees, the forties were 16.2 degrees, the fifties were 15.9 degrees, and the sixties were 14.5 degrees, indicating that the angle was increased from teenagers to the twenties but decreased since the thirties. While the angles of males and females were measured to be the same in the teenagers, the angle was different between males and females by 2 degrees. When the incidence angle statistically analyzed with measurement of average length of

A Study of Radiation Incidence Angle in Anteroposterior Cervical Vertebra Examination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeung, Seung Woon; Lim, Cheong Hwan; Jung, Hong Ryang; Joo, Yeong Cheol; Park, Mi Ja [Dept. of Radiological Science, Hanseo University, Seosan (Korea, Republic of); Han, Beon Hee [Dept. of Radiological Science, Seonam University, Namwon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-06-15

In anteroposterior projection for cervical vertebra, it is general that the incidence angle of X-ray is 15 degrees to 20 degrees to head in order to prevent overlap of mandible and occipital bone and to observe array of cervical interbody and shapes of joints. However, the angle is appropriate for foreigners that was determined by foreign literature review long ago, and there have been few researches of incidence angle for Koreans' body type. The purpose of in this study are to identify the incidence angle appropriate for Koreans and to present methodology. In order to measure the incidence angle, 1,044 patients who visited S Hospital located in Seosan were selected and measured of average length of cervical vertebra, OID, axis angle, and FID. The incidence angle was calculated from the applied formula by measuring average values per age groups and sex (see Formula 1 and 2). The average length of cervical vertebra was 6cm: the length was increased from teenagers to twenties but was decreased since thirties. The difference between males and females was around 1cm (p<.01). The OID was almost the same regardless of age groups and sex. As for axis angle, the slope was increased in teenagers and twenties, but was decreased since thirties. The difference between males and females was around 2 degrees (p<.01). The FID measurements were almost the same regardless of age groups and sex, and when the incidence angle was measured from these values, the teenagers were 15.9 degrees, the twenties were 16.9 degrees, the thirties were 16.6 degrees, the forties were 16.2 degrees, the fifties were 15.9 degrees, and the sixties were 14.5 degrees, indicating that the angle was increased from teenagers to the twenties but decreased since the thirties. While the angles of males and females were measured to be the same in the teenagers, the angle was different between males and females by 2 degrees. When the incidence angle statistically analyzed with measurement of average length

Application and development of non contact angle-wide viewing system in vitreous retinal surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rong-Hua He

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Wide-angle viewing system as an important auxiliary device can clearly observe the whole fundus field of vision in vitreous surgery, which enable vitreoretinal surgery more efficient, safer and more effective. So it has very high application value in ophthalmologic operation. In this paper, we studied the development and application of wide-angle viewing system in vitreoretinal surgery in recent years, from which we summed up the advantage of non-contact wide-angle viewing system in clinical field, and pointed out the shortcomings. The ultimate goal is to make the non-contact wide-angle viewing system better applied in vitreous surgery.

Torsion angle dependence of the rectifying performance in molecular device with asymmetrical anchoring groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L.H.; Guo, Y.; Tian, C.F.; Song, X.P.; Ding, B.J.

2010-01-01

Using first-principles density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's function formalism, we investigate the effect of torsion angle on the rectifying characteristics of 4'-thiolate-biphenyl-4-dithiocarboxylate sandwiched between two Au(111) electrodes. The results show that the torsion angle has an evident influence on rectifying performance of such devices. By increasing the dihedral angle between two phenyl rings, namely changing the magnitude of the intermolecular coupling effect, a different rectifying behavior can be observed in these systems. Our findings highlight that the rectifying characteristics are intimately related to dihedral angles and can provide fundamental guidelines for the design of functional molecular devices.

Auroral zone E-region conductivities during solar minimum derived from EISCAT data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlegel, K.

1988-01-01

From two years of EISCAT data (1985-1986, a period of low solar activity) 8337 E-region conductivity profiles have been calculated as 5-min averages. From these profiles the height of the conductivity maxima for the Hall and Pedersen conductivities (H max ), the height-integrated Hall and Pedersen conductivities and the ratio of both have been computed. Histograms as well as average values of these quantities are displayed as a function of K p and of magnetic local time. The former results showed quantitatively the increase of the conductivities and the decrease of H max with increasing magnetic activity. The latter results revealed that on the average the conductivities are maximal in the early morning hours due to hard particle precipitation, H max being affected both by the solar zenith angle and by particle precipitation. The solar zenith angle dependence of the conductivities is only significant for low K p -values. Latitudinal profiles of the height-integrated conductivities show quantitatively the southward shift of the average conductivity maximum with increasing magnetic activity

Measurement of horizontal air showers with the Auger Engineering Radio Array

Science.gov (United States)

Kambeitz, Olga

2017-03-01

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA), at the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina, measures the radio emission of extensive air showers in the 30-80 MHz frequency range. AERA consists of more than 150 antenna stations distributed over 17 km2. Together with the Auger surface detector, the fluorescence detector and the underground muon detector (AMIGA), AERA is able to measure cosmic rays with energies above 1017 eV in a hybrid detection mode. AERA is optimized for the detection of air showers up to 60° zenith angle, however, using the reconstruction of horizontal air showers with the Auger surface array, very inclined showers can also be measured. In this contribution an analysis of the AERA data in the zenith angle range from 62° to 80° will be presented. CoREAS simulations predict radio emission footprints of several km2 for horizontal air showers, which are now confirmed by AERA measurements. This can lead to radio-based composition measurements and energy determination of horizontal showers in the future and the radio detection of neutrino induced showers is possible.

Muons in air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory: Mean number in highly inclined events

Science.gov (United States)

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Al Samarai, I.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Alves Batista, R.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Aramo, C.; Aranda, V. M.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Barber, K. B.; Bäuml, J.; Baus, C.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; Berat, C.; Bertaina, M. E.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Billoir, P.; Blanco, M.; Bleve, C.; Blümer, H.; Boháčová, M.; Boncioli, D.; Bonifazi, C.; Bonino, R.; Borodai, N.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Brogueira, P.; Brown, W. C.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buitink, S.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, B.; Caccianiga, L.; Candusso, M.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Chavez, A. G.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Cilmo, M.; Clay, R. W.; Cocciolo, G.; Colalillo, R.; Coleman, A.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Cordier, A.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dallier, R.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; De Domenico, M.; de Jong, S. J.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; De Mitri, I.; de Oliveira, J.; de Souza, V.; del Peral, L.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; Di Giulio, C.; Di Matteo, A.; Diaz, J. C.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Docters, W.; D'Olivo, J. C.; Dorofeev, A.; Dorosti Hasankiadeh, Q.; Dova, M. T.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Erfani, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Falcke, H.; Fang, K.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Fernandes, M.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Fox, B. D.; Fratu, O.; Fröhlich, U.; Fuchs, B.; Fujii, T.; Gaior, R.; García, B.; Garcia Roca, S. T.; Garcia-Gamez, D.; Garcia-Pinto, D.; Garilli, G.; Gascon Bravo, A.; Gate, F.; Gemmeke, H.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Glaser, C.; Glass, H.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, J. G.; González, N.; Gookin, B.; Gordon, J.; Gorgi, A.; Gorham, P.; Gouffon, P.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Hampel, M. R.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Hartmann, S.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Heimann, P.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Islo, K.; Jandt, I.; Jansen, S.; Jarne, C.; Josebachuili, M.; Kääpä, A.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Kasper, P.; Katkov, I.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuempel, D.; Kunka, N.; LaHurd, D.; Latronico, L.; Lauer, R.; Lauscher, M.; Lautridou, P.; Le Coz, S.; Leão, M. S. A. B.; Lebrun, D.; Lebrun, P.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; López, R.; Louedec, K.; Lozano Bahilo, J.; Lu, L.; Lucero, A.; Ludwig, M.; Malacari, M.; Maldera, S.; Mallamaci, M.; Maller, J.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, V.; Mariş, I. C.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Martraire, D.; Masías Meza, J. J.; Mathes, H. J.; Mathys, S.; Matthews, J. J.; Matthews, A. J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurel, D.; Maurizio, D.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menshikov, A.; Messina, S.; Meyhandan, R.; Mićanović, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Minaya, I. A.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morello, C.; Mostafá, M.; Moura, C. A.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, G.; Münchmeyer, M.; Mussa, R.; Navarra, G.; Navas, S.; Necesal, P.; Nellen, L.; Nelles, A.; Neuser, J.; Newton, D.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Novotny, V.; Nožka, L.; Ochilo, L.; Olinto, A.; Oliveira, M.; Olmos-Gilbaja, V. M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Papenbreer, P.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pekala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Petermann, E.; Peters, C.; Petrera, S.; Petrov, Y.; Phuntsok, J.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Porcelli, A.; Porowski, C.; Prado, R. R.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Purrello, V.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravel, O.; Ravignani, D.; Revenu, B.; Ridky, J.; Riggi, S.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rizi, V.; Roberts, J.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodríguez-Frías, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Saleh, A.; Salesa Greus, F.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarmento, R.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F. G.; Schulz, A.; Schulz, J.; Schumacher, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Sima, O.; Śmiałkowski, A.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Squartini, R.; Srivastava, Y. N.; Stanič, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, M.; Stutz, A.; Suarez, F.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Sutherland, M. S.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Szuba, M.; Taborda, O. A.; Tapia, A.; Tartare, M.; Tepe, A.; Theodoro, V. M.; Timmermans, C.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Toma, G.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Torralba Elipe, G.; Torres Machado, D.; Travnicek, P.; Trovato, E.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van den Berg, A. M.; van Velzen, S.; van Vliet, A.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Varner, G.; Vázquez, J. R.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Videla, M.; Villaseñor, L.; Vlcek, B.; Vorobiov, S.; Wahlberg, H.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weidenhaupt, K.; Weindl, A.; Werner, F.; Widom, A.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyńska, B.; Wilczyński, H.; Will, M.; Williams, C.; Winchen, T.; Wittkowski, D.; Wundheiler, B.; Wykes, S.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zhou, J.; Zhu, Y.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zuccarello, F.; Pierre Auger Collaboration

2015-02-01

We present the first hybrid measurement of the average muon number in air showers at ultrahigh energies, initiated by cosmic rays with zenith angles between 62° and 80°. The measurement is based on 174 hybrid events recorded simultaneously with the surface detector array and the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The muon number for each shower is derived by scaling a simulated reference profile of the lateral muon density distribution at the ground until it fits the data. A 1019 eV shower with a zenith angle of 67°, which arrives at the surface detector array at an altitude of 1450 m above sea level, contains on average (2.68 ±0.04 ±0.48 (sys))×107 muons with energies larger than 0.3 GeV. The logarithmic gain d ln Nμ/d ln E of muons with increasing energy between 4 ×1018 eV and 5 ×1019 eV is measured to be (1.029 ±0.024 ±0.030 (sys)) .

The Impact of Indoor and Outdoor Radiometer Calibration on Solar Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habte, Aron; Sengupta, Manajit; Andreas, Afshin; Reda, Ibrahim; Robinson, Justin

2016-06-02

This study addresses the effect of calibration methodologies on calibration responsivities and the resulting impact on radiometric measurements. The calibration responsivities used in this study are provided by NREL's broadband outdoor radiometer calibration (BORCAL) and a few prominent manufacturers. The BORCAL method provides outdoor calibration responsivity of pyranometers and pyrheliometers at a 45 degree solar zenith angle and responsivity as a function of solar zenith angle determined by clear-sky comparisons to reference irradiance. The BORCAL method also employs a thermal offset correction to the calibration responsivity of single-black thermopile detectors used in pyranometers. Indoor calibrations of radiometers by their manufacturers are performed using a stable artificial light source in a side-by-side comparison of the test radiometer under calibration to a reference radiometer of the same type. These different methods of calibration demonstrated 1percent to 2 percent differences in solar irradiance measurement. Analyzing these values will ultimately enable a reduction in radiometric measurement uncertainties and assist in developing consensus on a standard for calibration.

Preliminary investigations on B0 and B1 parameters of equatorial ionospheric profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adeniyi, J.O.

1997-01-01

The data used for this study are those from Ouagadougou (Lat. 12.4 deg. N, Dip 5.9 deg. N) and Ibadan (Lat. 7.4 deg. N, Dip 6.3 deg. S). Analysis were done for only daytime period. The results indicate that B0 exhibit a solar zenith angle dependent diurnal variation and some seasonal effect is presented during certain hours of the day. B1 does not show pronounced seasonal effects or solar zenith angle dependence. Daytime average value of B0 varied from 70 to 180 while B1 varied from 1.5 to 3.1. The average magnitudes of B0 at 1000,1200 and 1400 at Ibadan are greater than those of Ouagadougou during the winter season and the corresponding values of B1 are also greater in Ibadan during summer and winter seasons. In summer, average IRI B0 at 1200 hour for Ibadan is about the same as the experimental value but during winter, the IRI average is less than the experimental one. (author). 5 refs, 5 tabs

The impact of inlet angle and outlet angle of guide vane on pump in reversal based hydraulic turbine performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, F X; Yang, J H; Wang, X H; Zhang, R H; Li, C E

2012-01-01

In this paper, in order to research the impact of inlet angle and outlet angle of guide vane on hydraulic turbine performance, a centrifugal pump in reversal is adopted as turbine. A numerical simulation method is adopted for researching outer performance and flow field of turbine. The results show: inlet angle has a crucial role to turbine, to the same flow, there is a noticeable decline for the efficiency and head of turbine with the inlet angle increases. At the best efficiency point(EFP),to a same inlet angle, when the inlet angle greater than inlet angle, velocity circulation in guide vane outlet decreases, which lead the efficiency of turbine to reduce, Contrarily, the efficiency rises. With the increase of inlet angle and outlet angle, the EFP moves to the big flow area and the uniformity of pressure distribution becomes worse. The paper indicates that the inlet angle and outlet angle have great impact on the turbine performance, and the best combination exists for the inlet angle and outlet angle of the guide vane.

Shear Capacity of C-Shaped and L-Shaped Angle Shear Connectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farzad Tahmasbi

Full Text Available This paper investigates the behaviour of C-shaped and L-shaped angle shear connectors embedded in solid concrete slabs. An effective finite element model is proposed to simulate the push out tests of these shear connectors that encompass nonlinear material behaviour, large displacement and damage plasticity. The finite element models are validated against test results. Parametric studies using this nonlinear model are performed to investigate the variations in concrete strength and connector dimensions. The finite element analyses also confirm the test results that increasing the length of shear connector increases their shear strength proportionately. It is observed that the maximum stress in L-shaped angle connectors takes place in the weld attachment to the beam, whereas in the C-shaped angle connectors, it is in the attached leg. The location of maximum concrete compressive damage is rendered in each case. Finally, a new equation for prediction of the shear capacity of C-shaped angle connectors is proposed.

Shear Capacity of C-Shaped and L-Shaped Angle Shear Connectors

Science.gov (United States)

Tahmasbi, Farzad; Maleki, Shervin; Shariati, Mahdi; Ramli Sulong, N. H.; Tahir, M. M.

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the behaviour of C-shaped and L-shaped angle shear connectors embedded in solid concrete slabs. An effective finite element model is proposed to simulate the push out tests of these shear connectors that encompass nonlinear material behaviour, large displacement and damage plasticity. The finite element models are validated against test results. Parametric studies using this nonlinear model are performed to investigate the variations in concrete strength and connector dimensions. The finite element analyses also confirm the test results that increasing the length of shear connector increases their shear strength proportionately. It is observed that the maximum stress in L-shaped angle connectors takes place in the weld attachment to the beam, whereas in the C-shaped angle connectors, it is in the attached leg. The location of maximum concrete compressive damage is rendered in each case. Finally, a new equation for prediction of the shear capacity of C-shaped angle connectors is proposed. PMID:27478894

Simulation of capillary flow with a dynamic contact angle

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Mourik, S; Veldman, AEP; Dreyer, ME

2005-01-01

A number of theoretical and empirical dynamic contact angle (DCA) models have been tested in a numerical simulation of liquid reorientation in microgravity for which experimental validation data are available. It is observed that the DCA can have a large influence on liquid dynamics in microgravity.

Relativistic electron dynamics produced by azimuthally localized poloidal mode ULF waves: Boomerang-shaped pitch angle evolutions

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Y.; Zong, Q.; Zhou, X.; Rankin, R.; Chen, X.; Liu, Y.; Fu, S.; Spence, H. E.; Blake, J. B.; Reeves, G. D.

2017-12-01

We present an analysis of "boomerang-shaped" pitch angle evolutions of outer radiation belt relativistic electrons observed by the Van Allen Probes after the passage of an interplanetary shock on June 7th, 2014. The flux at different pitch angles is modulated by Pc5 waves, with equatorially mirroring electrons reaching the satellite first. For 90º pitch angle electrons, the phase change of the flux modulations across energy exceeds 180º, and increasingly tilts with time. Using estimates of the arrival time of particles of different pitch angles at the spacecraft location, a scenario is investigated in which shock-induced ULF waves interact with electrons through the drift resonance mechanism in a localized region westward of the spacecraft. Numerical calculations on particle energy gain with the modified ULF wave field reproduce the observed boomerang stripes and modulations in the electron energy spectrogram. The study of boomerang stripes and their relationship to drift-resonance taking place at a location different from the observation point adds new understanding of the processes controlling the dynamics of the outer radiation belt.

Relativistic electron dynamics produced by azimuthally localized poloidal mode ULF waves: Boomerang-shaped pitch angle evolutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, Y. X.; Zong, Q.-G.; Zhou, X.-Z.; Rankin, R.; Chen, X. R.

2017-01-01

Here, we present an analysis of “boomerang-shaped” pitch angle evolutions of outer radiation belt relativistic electrons observed by the Van Allen Probes after the passage of an interplanetary shock on 7 June 2014. The flux at different pitch angles is modulated by Pc5 waves, with equatorially mirroring electrons reaching the satellite first. For 90° pitch angle electrons, the phase change of the flux modulations across energy exceeds 180° and increasingly tilts with time. Using estimates of the arrival time of particles of different pitch angles at the spacecraft location, a scenario is investigated in which shock-induced ULF waves interact with electrons through the drift resonance mechanism in a localized region westward of the spacecraft. Numerical calculations on particle energy gain with the modified ULF wavefield reproduce the observed boomerang stripes and modulations in the electron energy spectrogram. The study of boomerang stripes and their relationship to drift resonance taking place at a location different from the observation point adds new understanding of the processes controlling the dynamics of the outer radiation belt.

Low-angled peripheral intravenous catheter tip placement decreases phlebitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanabe, Hidenori; Murayama, Ryoko; Yabunaka, Koichi; Oe, Makoto; Takahashi, Toshiaki; Komiyama, Chieko; Sanada, Hiromi

2016-11-02

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are frequently removed due to phlebitis. We hypothesized that catheters made of polyurethane, which is more flexible than Teflon, would decrease phlebitis, and that flexibility could be estimated by measuring the catheter-tip angle. Ultrasonography in two groups of patients with different catheter types was then used to compare catheter-tip angles and phlebitis. Observational studies were carried out at a medical ward in a university hospital. Infusion therapy was administered to one group of patients in 2014 using Teflon catheters (control group, n = 200), and to another group of patients in 2015 using polyurethane catheters (investigational group, n = 207). The symptoms were assessed according to a scale developed by the Infusion Nurses Society. Long-axis ultrasonography images taken immediately before catheter removal were used to measure the angle between the central line of the catheter within 2 mm from the distal point and a tangent to the vessel wall. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to sex, age, and medical diagnosis. In the control and investigational groups, the rates of phlebitis were 37% (73/200) and 17% (36/207), respectively (pPhlebitis occurred more frequently when the catheter-tip was placed at angle >5.8°. The frequency of phlebitis was lower in the polyurethane, in which the catheter was placed at lower angle, almost parallel to the vessel. Our results will aid in developing new catheters and in improving PIVC-securement techniques.

"Angle to Be Corrected" in Preoperative Evaluation for Hallux Valgus Surgery: Analysis of a New Angular Measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Cristian; Wagner, Pablo; Vela, Omar; Fischman, Daniel; Cavada, Gabriel; Wagner, Emilio

2016-02-01

The most common methods for assessing severity of hallux valgus deformity and the effects of an operative procedure are the angular measurements in weightbearing radiographs, specifically the hallux valgus angle and intermetatarsal angle (IMA). Our objective was to analyze the interobserver variability in hallux valgus patients of a new angle called the "angle to be corrected" (ATC), and to compare its capacity to differentiate between different deformities against IMA. We included 28 symptomatic hallux valgus patients with 48 weightbearing foot x-rays. Three trained observers measured the 1 to 2 IMA and the ATC. We then identified retrospectively 45 hallux valgus patients, which were divided into 3 operative technique groups having used the ATC as reference, and analyzed the capacity of the IMA to differentiate between them. The IMA average value was 13.6 degrees, and there was a significant difference between observer 3 and observer 1 (P = .001). The average value for the ATC was 8.9 degrees, and there was no difference between observers. Both angles showed a high intraclass correlation. Regarding the capacity to differentiate between operative technique groups, the ATC was different between the 3 operative technique groups analyzed, but the IMA showed differences only between 2. The ATC was at least as reliable as the intermetatarsal angle for hallux valgus angular measurements, showing a high intraclass correlation with no interobserver difference. It can be suggested that the ATC was better than the IMA to stratify hallux valgus patients when deciding between different operative treatments. Level III, comparative study. © The Author(s) 2015.

Statistical analysis of monochromatic whistler waves near the Moon detected by Kaguya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Tsugawa

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Observations are presented of monochromatic whistler waves near the Moon detected by the Lunar Magnetometer (LMAG on board Kaguya. The waves were observed as narrowband magnetic fluctuations with frequencies close to 1 Hz, and were mostly left-hand polarized in the spacecraft frame. We performed a statistical analysis of the waves to identify the distributions of their intensity and occurrence. The results indicate that the waves were generated by the solar wind interaction with lunar crustal magnetic anomalies. The conditions for observation of the waves strongly depend on the solar zenith angle (SZA, and a high occurrence rate is recognized in the region of SZA between 40° to 90° with remarkable north-south and dawn-dusk asymmetries. We suggest that ion beams reflected by the lunar magnetic anomalies are a possible source of the waves.

1012 - 1015 eV interaction deduced from energy spectra of gamma-ray and hadrons at airplane altitude

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Yoshiyuki

1978-01-01

The present paper deals with the latest results of the spectral measurements of high energy cosmic ray performed on an airplane with an emulsion chamber. The hadronic component together with the gamma-ray component were observed in the region of gamma energy not smaller than 30 GeV and gamma energy sum not larger than 40 TeV. It was observed that the integral spectra of hadronic showers showed less steep power than those obtained at mountain stations. On the other hand, the integral spectra of gamma-ray in the energy region from 40 GeV to 40 TeV showed steeper power than those of hadronic component. The zenith angle distributions of hadrons and gamma-ray were inspected, and it was confirmed that the observed distributions were well reproduced by the theoretical curves with the appropriate attenuation length. (Yoshimori, M.)

Angle alignment evokes perceived depth and illusory surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapley, Robert; Maertens, Marianne

2008-01-01

There is a distinct visual process that triggers the perception of illusory surfaces and contours along the intersections of aligned, zigzag line patterns. Such illusory contours and surfaces are qualitatively different from illusory contours of the Kanizsa type. The illusory contours and surfaces in this case are not the product of occlusion and do not imply occlusion of one surface by another. Rather, the aligned angles in the patterns are combined by the visual system into the perception of a fold or a 3-D corner, as of stairs on a staircase or a wall ending on a floor. The depth impression is ambiguous and reversible like the Necker cube. Such patterns were used by American Indian artists of the Akimel O'odham (Pima) tribe in basketry, and also by modern European and American artists like Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Victor Vasarely, and Frank Stella. Our research aims to find out what manipulations of the visual image affect perceived depth in such patterns in order to learn about the perceptual mechanisms. Using paired comparisons, we find that human observers perceive depth in such patterns if, and only if, lines in adjacent regions of the patterns join to form angles, and also if, and only if, the angles are aligned precisely to be consistent with a fold or 3-D corner. The amount of perceived depth is graded, depending on the steepness and the density of angles in the aligned-angle pattern. The required precision of the alignment implies that early retinotopic visual cortical areas may be involved in this perceptual behavior, but the linkage of form with perceived depth suggests involvement of higher cortical areas as well.

In-Situ Observation of Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation in Ordered Mesoporous Hard Carbon by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bridges, Craig A.; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans; Sun, Xiao-Guang; Zhao, Jinkui; Dai, Sheng

2012-01-01

The aim of this work was to better understand the electrochemical processes occurring during the cycling of a lithium-ion half-cell containing ordered mesoporous hard carbon using time-resolved in situ small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Utilizing electrolytes containing mixtures of deuterated (2H) and non-deuterated (1H) carbonates, we have addressed the challenging task of monitoring the formation and evolution of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. An evolution occurs in the SEI layer during discharge from a composition dominated by a higher scattering length density (SLD) lithium salt, to a lower SLD lithium salt for the ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate (EC/DMC) mixture employed. By comparing half-cells containing different solvent deuteration levels, we show that it is possible to observe both SEI formation and lithium intercalation occurring concurrently at the low voltage region in which lithium intercalates into the hard carbon. These results demonstrate that SANS can be employed to monitor complicated electrochemical processes occurring in rechargeable batteries, in a manner that simultaneously provides information on the composition and microstructure of the electrode.

Polarization properties of Gendrin mode waves observed in the Earth's magnetosphere: observations and theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. P. Verkhoglyadova

2009-12-01

Full Text Available We show a case of an outer zone magnetospheric electromagnetic wave propagating at the Gendrin angle, within uncertainty of the measurements. The chorus event occurred in a "minimum B pocket". For the illustrated example, the measured angle of wave propagation relative to the ambient magnetic field θkB was 58°±4°. For this event the theoretical Gendrin angle was 62°. Cold plasma model is used to demonstrate that Gendrin mode waves are right-hand circularly polarized, in excellent agreement with the observations.

Pathlength distributions of atmospheric neutrinos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gaisser, T.K.; Stanev, Todor

1999-01-01

We discuss the distribution of the production heights of atmospheric neutrinos as a function of zenith angle and neutrino energy. The distributions can be used as the input for evaluation of neutrino propagation under various hypotheses for neutrino flavor oscillations. Their use may alter substantially the estimates of the oscillation parameters for almost horizontal atmospheric neutrinos.

Wafer scale oblique angle plasma etching

Science.gov (United States)

Burckel, David Bruce; Jarecki, Jr., Robert L.; Finnegan, Patrick Sean

2017-05-23

Wafer scale oblique angle etching of a semiconductor substrate is performed in a conventional plasma etch chamber by using a fixture that supports a multiple number of separate Faraday cages. Each cage is formed to include an angled grid surface and is positioned such that it will be positioned over a separate one of the die locations on the wafer surface when the fixture is placed over the wafer. The presence of the Faraday cages influences the local electric field surrounding each wafer die, re-shaping the local field to be disposed in alignment with the angled grid surface. The re-shaped plasma causes the reactive ions to follow a linear trajectory through the plasma sheath and angled grid surface, ultimately impinging the wafer surface at an angle. The selected geometry of the Faraday cage angled grid surface thus determines the angle at with the reactive ions will impinge the wafer.

Angles in hyperbolic lattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risager, Morten S.; Södergren, Carl Anders

2017-01-01

It is well known that the angles in a lattice acting on hyperbolic n -space become equidistributed. In this paper we determine a formula for the pair correlation density for angles in such hyperbolic lattices. Using this formula we determine, among other things, the asymptotic behavior of the den......It is well known that the angles in a lattice acting on hyperbolic n -space become equidistributed. In this paper we determine a formula for the pair correlation density for angles in such hyperbolic lattices. Using this formula we determine, among other things, the asymptotic behavior...... of the density function in both the small and large variable limits. This extends earlier results by Boca, Pasol, Popa and Zaharescu and Kelmer and Kontorovich in dimension 2 to general dimension n . Our proofs use the decay of matrix coefficients together with a number of careful estimates, and lead...

Optimum Tilt Angle at Tropical Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Soulayman

2015-02-01

Full Text Available : One of the important parameters that affect the performance of a solar collector is its tilt angle with the horizon. This is because of the variation of tilt angle changes the amount of solar radiation reaching the collector surface. Meanwhile, is the rule of thumb, which says that solar collector Equator facing position is the best, is valid for tropical region? Thus, it is required to determine the optimum tilt as for Equator facing and for Pole oriented collectors. In addition, the question that may arise: how many times is reasonable for adjusting collector tilt angle for a definite value of surface azimuth angle? A mathematical model was used for estimating the solar radiation on a tilted surface, and to determine the optimum tilt angle and orientation (surface azimuth angle for the solar collector at any latitude. This model was applied for determining optimum tilt angle and orientation in the tropical zones, on a daily basis, as well as for a specific period. The optimum angle was computed by searching for the values for which the radiation on the collector surface is a maximum for a particular day or a specific period. The results reveal that changing the tilt angle 12 times in a year (i.e. using the monthly optimum tilt angle maintains approximately the total amount of solar radiation near the maximum value that is found by changing the tilt angle daily to its optimum value. This achieves a yearly gain in solar radiation of 11% to 18% more than the case of a solar collector fixed on a horizontal surface.

Assessment of the Impact of GNSS Processing Strategies on the Long-Term Parameters of 20 Years IWV Time Series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zofia Baldysz

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Advanced processing of collected global navigation satellite systems (GNSS observations allows for the estimation of zenith tropospheric delay (ZTD, which in turn can be converted to the integrated water vapour (IWV. The proper estimation of GNSS IWV can be affected by the adopted GNSS processing strategy. To verify which of its elements cause deterioration and which improve the estimated GNSS IWV, we conducted eight reprocessings of 20 years of GPS observations (01.1996–12.2015. In each of them, we applied a different mapping function, the zenith hydrostatic delay (ZHD a priori value, the cut-off angle, software, and the positioning method. Obtained in such a way, the ZTD time series were converted to the IWV using the meteorological parameters sourced from the ERA-Interim. Then, based on them, the long-term parameters were estimated and compared to those obtained from the IWV derived from the radio sounding (RS observations. In this paper, we analyzed long-term parameters such as IWV mean values, linear trends, and amplitudes of annual and semiannual oscillations. A comparative analysis showed, inter alia, that in terms of the investigation of the IWV linear trend the precise point positioning (PPP method is characterized by higher accuracy than the differential one. It was also found that using the GPT2 model and the higher elevation mask brings benefits to the GNSS IWV linear trend estimation.

Peeling-angle dependence of the stick-slip instability during adhesive tape peeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalbe, Marie-Julie; Santucci, Stéphane; Vanel, Loïc; Cortet, Pierre-Philippe

2014-12-28

The influence of peeling angle on the dynamics observed during the stick-slip peeling of an adhesive tape has been investigated. This study relies on a new experimental setup for peeling at a constant driving velocity while keeping constant the peeling angle and peeled tape length. The thresholds of the instability are shown to be associated with a subcritical bifurcation and bistability of the system. The velocity onset of the instability is moreover revealed to strongly depend on the peeling angle. This could be the consequence of peeling angle dependance of either the fracture energy of the adhesive-substrate joint or the effective stiffness at play between the peeling front and the point at which the peeling is enforced. The shape of the peeling front velocity fluctuations is finally shown to progressively change from typical stick-slip relaxation oscillations to nearly sinusoidal oscillations as the peeling angle is increased. We suggest that this transition might be controlled by inertial effects possibly associated with the propagation of the peeling force fluctuations through elongation waves in the peeled tape.

Behaviour of C-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic and fully reversed cyclic loading: An experimental study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shariati, Mahdi; Ramli Sulong, N.H.; Suhatril, Meldi; Shariati, Ali; Arabnejad Khanouki, M.M.; Sinaei, Hamid

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► C-shaped angle connectors show 8.8–33.1% strength degradation under cyclic loading. ► Connector fracture type of failure was experienced in C-shaped angle shear connectors. ► In push-out samples, more cracking was observed in those slabs with longer angles. ► C-shaped angle connectors show good behaviour in terms of the ultimate shear capacity. ► C-shaped angle connectors did not fulfil the requirements for ductility criteria. -- Abstract: This paper presents an evaluation of the structural behaviour of C-shaped angle shear connectors in composite beams, suitable for transferring shear force in composite structures. The results of the experimental programme, including eight push-out tests, are presented and discussed. The results include resistance, strength degradation, ductility, and failure modes of C-shaped angle shear connectors, under monotonic and fully reversed cyclic loading. The results show that connector fracture type of failure was experienced in C-shaped angle connectors and after the failure, more cracking was observed in those slabs with longer angles. On top of that, by comparing the shear resistance of C-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic and cyclic loading, these connectors showed 8.8–33.1% strength degradation, under fully reversed cyclic loading. Furthermore, it was concluded that the mentioned shear connector shows a proper behaviour, in terms of the ultimate shear capacity, but it does not satisfy the ductility criteria, imposed by the Eurocode 4, to perform a plastic distribution of the shear force between different connectors along the beam length.

VERY HIGH ENERGY OBSERVATIONS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS WITH STACEE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jarvis, A.; Ong, R. A.; Ball, J.; Carson, J. E.; Zweerink, J.; Williams, D. A.; Aune, T.; Covault, C. E.; Driscoll, D. D.; Fortin, P.; Mukherjee, R.; Gingrich, D. M.; Hanna, D. S.; Kildea, J.; Lindner, T.; Mueller, C.; Ragan, K.

2010-01-01

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful explosions known in the universe. Sensitive measurements of the high-energy spectra of GRBs can place important constraints on the burst environments and radiation processes. Until recently, there were no observations during the first few minutes of GRB afterglows in the energy range between 30 GeV and ∼1 TeV. With the launch of the Swift GRB Explorer in late 2004, GRB alerts and localizations within seconds of the bursts became available. The Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE) was a ground-based, gamma-ray telescope with an energy threshold of ∼150 GeV for sources at zenith. At the time of Swift's launch, STACEE was in a rare position to provide >150 GeV follow-up observations of GRBs as fast as three minutes after the burst alert. In addition, STACEE performed follow-up observations of several GRBs that were localized by the HETE-2 and INTEGRAL satellites. Between 2002 June and 2007 July, STACEE made follow-up observations of 23 GRBs. Upper limits are placed on the high-energy gamma-ray fluxes from 21 of these bursts.

A proposed simple method for measurement in the anterior chamber angle: biometric gonioscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Congdon, N G; Spaeth, G L; Augsburger, J; Klancnik, J; Patel, K; Hunter, D G

1999-11-01

To design a system of gonioscopy that will allow greater interobserver reliability and more clearly defined screening cutoffs for angle closure than current systems while being simple to teach and technologically appropriate for use in rural Asia, where the prevalence of angle-closure glaucoma is highest. Clinic-based validation and interobserver reliability trial. Study 1: 21 patients 18 years of age and older recruited from a university-based specialty glaucoma clinic; study 2: 32 patients 18 years of age and older recruited from the same clinic. In study 1, all participants underwent conventional gonioscopy by an experienced observer (GLS) using the Spaeth system and in the same eye also underwent Scheimpflug photography, ultrasonographic measurement of anterior chamber depth and axial length, automatic refraction, and biometric gonioscopy with measurement of the distance from iris insertion to Schwalbe's line using a reticule based in the slit-lamp ocular. In study 2, all participants underwent both conventional gonioscopy and biometric gonioscopy by an experienced gonioscopist (NGC) and a medical student with no previous training in gonioscopy (JK). Study 1: The association between biometric gonioscopy and conventional gonioscopy, Scheimpflug photography, and other factors known to correlate with the configuration of the angle. Study 2: Interobserver agreement using biometric gonioscopy compared to that obtained with conventional gonioscopy. In study 1, there was an independent, monotonic, statistically significant relationship between biometric gonioscopy and both Spaeth angle (P = 0.001, t test) and Spaeth insertion (P = 0.008, t test) grades. Biometric gonioscopy correctly identified six of six patients with occludable angles according to Spaeth criteria. Biometric gonioscopic grade was also significantly associated with the anterior chamber angle as measured by Scheimpflug photography (P = 0.005, t test). In study 2, the intraclass correlation coefficient

Radiographic measures of thoracic kyphosis in osteoporosis: Cobb and vertebral centroid angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Briggs, A.M.; Greig, A.M.; Wrigley, T.V.; Tully, E.A.; Adams, P.E.; Bennell, K.L.

2007-01-01

Several measures can quantify thoracic kyphosis from radiographs, yet their suitability for people with osteoporosis remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the vertebral centroid and Cobb angles in people with osteoporosis. Lateral radiographs of the thoracic spine were captured in 31 elderly women with osteoporosis. Thoracic kyphosis was measured globally (T1-T12) and regionally (T4-T9) using Cobb and vertebral centroid angles. Multisegmental curvature was also measured by fitting polynomial functions to the thoracic curvature profile. Canonical and Pearson correlations were used to examine correspondence; agreement between measures was examined with linear regression. Moderate to high intra- and inter-rater reliability was achieved (SEM = 0.9-4.0 ). Concurrent validity of the simple measures was established against multisegmental curvature (r = 0.88-0.98). Strong association was observed between the Cobb and centroid angles globally (r = 0.84) and regionally (r 0.83). Correspondence between measures was moderate for the Cobb method (r 0.72), yet stronger for the centroid method (r = 0.80). The Cobb angle was 20% greater for regional measures due to the influence of endplate tilt. Regional Cobb and centroid angles are valid and reliable measures of thoracic kyphosis in people with osteoporosis. However, the Cobb angle is biased by endplate tilt, suggesting that the centroid angle is more appropriate for this population. (orig.)

Radiographic measures of thoracic kyphosis in osteoporosis: Cobb and vertebral centroid angles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Briggs, A.M.; Greig, A.M. [University of Melbourne, Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, School of Physiotherapy, Victoria (Australia); University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria (Australia); Wrigley, T.V.; Tully, E.A.; Adams, P.E.; Bennell, K.L. [University of Melbourne, Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, School of Physiotherapy, Victoria (Australia)

2007-08-15

Several measures can quantify thoracic kyphosis from radiographs, yet their suitability for people with osteoporosis remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the vertebral centroid and Cobb angles in people with osteoporosis. Lateral radiographs of the thoracic spine were captured in 31 elderly women with osteoporosis. Thoracic kyphosis was measured globally (T1-T12) and regionally (T4-T9) using Cobb and vertebral centroid angles. Multisegmental curvature was also measured by fitting polynomial functions to the thoracic curvature profile. Canonical and Pearson correlations were used to examine correspondence; agreement between measures was examined with linear regression. Moderate to high intra- and inter-rater reliability was achieved (SEM = 0.9-4.0 ). Concurrent validity of the simple measures was established against multisegmental curvature (r = 0.88-0.98). Strong association was observed between the Cobb and centroid angles globally (r = 0.84) and regionally (r = 0.83). Correspondence between measures was moderate for the Cobb method (r = 0.72), yet stronger for the centroid method (r = 0.80). The Cobb angle was 20% greater for regional measures due to the influence of endplate tilt. Regional Cobb and centroid angles are valid and reliable measures of thoracic kyphosis in people with osteoporosis. However, the Cobb angle is biased by endplate tilt, suggesting that the centroid angle is more appropriate for this population. (orig.)

Amplitude and angle of arrival measurements on a 28.56 GHz Earth-space path

Science.gov (United States)

Devasirvatham, D. M. J.; Hodge, D. B.

1981-01-01

The amplitude and angle of arrival measurements on an Earth-space path using the 28.56 GHz COMSTAR D3 satellite beacon are described. These measurements were made by the Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory during the period September 1978 to September 1979. Monthly, quarterly, and annual distributions of attenuation, angle of arrival, and variance of both these parameters are reported. During this period, fades exceeding 29 dB for .00% of the time and angle of arrival fluctuations exceeding .12 degrees for .01% of the time were observed.

Phase-Angle Dependence of Determinations of Diameter, Albedo, and Taxonomy: A Case Study of NEO 3691 Bede

Science.gov (United States)

Wooden, Diane H.; Lederer, Susan M.; Jehin, Emmanuel; Howell, Ellen S.; Fernandez, Yan; Harker, David E.; Ryan, Erin; Lovell, Amy; Woodward, Charles E.; Benner, Lance A.

2015-01-01

Parameters important for NEO risk assessment and mitigation include Near-Earth Object diameter and taxonomic classification, which translates to surface composition. Diameters of NEOs are derived from the thermal fluxes measured by WISE, NEOWISE, Spitzer Warm Mission and ground-based telescopes including the IRTF and UKIRT. Diameter and its coupled parameters Albedo and IR beaming parameter (a proxy for thermal inertia and/or surface roughness) are dependent upon the phase angle, which is the Sun-target-observer angle. Orbit geometries of NEOs, however, typically provide for observations at phase angles greater than 20 degrees. At higher phase angles, the observed thermal emission is sampling both the day and night sides of the NEO. We compare thermal models for NEOs that exclude (NEATM) and include (NESTM) night-side emission. We present a case study of NEO 3691 Bede, which is a higher albedo object, X (Ec) or Cgh taxonomy, to highlight the range of H magnitudes for this object (depending on the albedo and phase function slope parameter G), and to examine at different phase angles the taxonomy and thermal model fits for this NEO. Observations of 3691 Bede include our observations with IRTF+SpeX and with the 10 micrometer UKIRT+Michelle instrument, as well as WISE and Spitzer Warm mission data. By examining 3691 Bede as a case study, we highlight the interplay between the derivation of basic physical parameters and observing geometry, and we discuss the uncertainties in H magnitude, taxonomy assignment amongst the X-class (P, M, E), and diameter determinations. Systematic dependencies in the derivation of basic characterization parameters of H-magnitude, diameter, albedo and taxonomy with observing geometry are important to understand. These basic characterization parameters affect the statistical assessments of the NEO population, which in turn, affects the assignment of statistically-assessed basic parameters to discovered but yet-to-be-fully-characterized NEOs.

Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering. History, developments and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koizumi, Satoshi; Yamaguchi, Daisuke

2011-01-01

Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS), which is a scattering method observing in a q-region of q=10 -3 nm -1 , was initiated by double crystal (Bonse-Hart) method. Recently, a focusing USANS method was developed by combining a pin-hole type spectrometer and focusing lenses. These two methods, which are complementary to each other, were employed to achieve wide q-observations on microbial cellulose, actin cytoskeleton, tire, and membrane-electrolyte assembly of fuel cell. (author)

Laser peripheral iridoplasty for angle-closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Wai Siene; Ang, Ghee Soon; Azuara-Blanco, Augusto

2012-02-15

Angle-closure glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Treatment is aimed at opening the anterior chamber angle and lowering the IOP with medical and/or surgical treatment (e.g. trabeculectomy, lens extraction). Laser iridotomy works by eliminating pupillary block and widens the anterior chamber angle in the majority of patients. When laser iridotomy fails to open the anterior chamber angle, laser iridoplasty may be recommended as one of the options in current standard treatment for angle-closure. Laser peripheral iridoplasty works by shrinking and pulling the peripheral iris tissue away from the trabecular meshwork. Laser peripheral iridoplasty can be used for crisis of acute angle-closure and also in non-acute situations.   To assess the effectiveness of laser peripheral iridoplasty in the treatment of narrow angles (i.e. primary angle-closure suspect), primary angle-closure (PAC) or primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) in non-acute situations when compared with any other intervention. In this review, angle-closure will refer to patients with narrow angles (PACs), PAC and PACG. We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 12), MEDLINE (January 1950 to January 2012), EMBASE (January 1980 to January 2012), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) (January 1982 to January 2012), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). There were no date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. The electronic databases were last searched on 5 January 2012. We included only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in this review. Patients with narrow angles, PAC or PACG were eligible. We excluded studies that included only patients with acute presentations

Angle parameter changes of phacoemulsification and combined phacotrabeculectomy for acute primary angle closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Wei Li

2015-08-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the difference in angle parameters and clinical outcome following phacoemulsification and combined phacotrabeculectomy in patients with acute primary angle closure (APAC using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM.METHODS: Patients (n=23, 31 eyes were randomized to receive phacoemulsification or combined phacotrabeculectomy (n=24, 31 eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, intraocular pressure (IOP, the main complications following surgery, and indentation gonioscopy and angle parameters measured using UBM were documented preoperatively and postoperatively.RESULTS:The improvement in BCVA in the phacoemulsification group was significantly greater than in the combined group (P<0.05. IOP in the phacoemulsification group was slightly higher than in the combined group following 1wk of follow-up (P<0.05, whereas there was no significant difference between the two groups at the latter follow-up (P>0.05. Phacoemulsification alone resulted in a slight increase in the trabecular ciliary processes distance compared with the combined surgery (P<0.05, whereas the other angle parameters showed no significant difference between the groups. Complications in combined group were greater than phacoemulsification only group.CONCLUSION:Both surgeries effectively opened the drainage angle and deepened the anterior chamber, and IOP was well controlled postoperatively. However, phacoemulsification showed better efficacy in improving visual function and showed reduced complications following surgery.

The role of cloud-scale resolution on radiative properties of oceanic cumulus clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kassianov, Evgueni; Ackerman, Thomas; Kollias, Pavlos

2005-01-01

Both individual and combined effects of the horizontal and vertical variability of cumulus clouds on solar radiative transfer are investigated using a two-dimensional (x- and z-directions) cloud radar dataset. This high-resolution dataset of typical fair-weather marine cumulus is derived from ground-based 94GHz cloud radar observations. The domain-averaged (along x-direction) radiative properties are computed by a Monte Carlo method. It is shown that (i) different cloud-scale resolutions can be used for accurate calculations of the mean absorption, upward and downward fluxes; (ii) the resolution effects can depend strongly on the solar zenith angle; and (iii) a few cloud statistics can be successfully applied for calculating the averaged radiative properties

Meteorological applications of a surface network of Global Positioning System receivers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haan, de S.

2008-01-01

This thesis presents meteorological applications of water vapour observations from a surface network of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. GPS signals are delayed by the atmo¬sphere due to atmospheric refraction and bending. Mapped to the zenith, this delay is called Zenith Total Delay

The effect of finite geometry on the three-dimensional transfer of solar irradiance in clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, R.

1978-01-01

Results are presented for a Monte Carlo model applied to a wide range of cloud widths and heights, and for an analytical model restricted in its application to cuboidally shaped clouds whose length, breadth, and depth may be varied independently; the clouds must be internally homogeneous with respect to their intrinsic radiative properties. Comparative results from the Monte Carlo method and the derived analytical model are presented for a wide range of cloud sizes, with special emphasis on the effects of varying the single scatter albedo, the solar zenith angle, and the scattering phase angle.

Modification of the morphology and optical properties of SnS films using glancing angle deposition technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sazideh, M.R., E-mail: Mohammadrezasazideh@gmail.com [Thin Film Lab., Faculty of Physics, Semnan University, Semnan, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Dizaji, H. Rezagholipour, E-mail: hrgholipour@semnan.ac.ir [Faculty of Physics, Semnan University, P.O. Box: 35195-363, Semnan, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ehsani, M.H., E-mail: mhe_ehsani@yahoo.com [Faculty of Physics, Semnan University, P.O. Box: 35195-363, Semnan, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moghadam, R. Zarei, E-mail: r.zarei1991@gmail.com [Thin Film Lab., Faculty of Physics, Semnan University, Semnan, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-05-31

Highlights: • SnS thin films produced by thermal evaporation method using glancing angle deposition technique. • At α = 85° the layers show a considerable change in effective refractive index (Δn = 1.7) at near-IR spectral range. • FESEM images showed drastic changes in the structure and morphology of individual nano-plates as a function of incident angle deposition. - Abstract: Tin sulfide (SnS) films were prepared by thermal evaporation method using Glancing Angle Deposition (GLAD) technique at zero and different oblique incident flux angles (α = 45°, 55°, 65°, 75° and 85°). The physical properties of prepared films were systematically investigated. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the film deposited at α = 0° formed as single phase with an orthorhombic structure. However, the layers became amorphous at α = 45°, 55°, 65°, 75° and 85°. Beside the appearance of amorphous feature in the film prepared at α higher than zero, Sn{sub 2}S{sub 3} phase was also observed. The top and cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images of the samples showed noticeable changes in the structure and morphology of individual nano-plates as a function of incident angle. The band gap and refractive index values of the films were calculated by optical transmission measurements. The optical band-gap values were observed to increase with increasing the incident flux angle. This can be due to presence of Sn{sub 2}S{sub 3} phase observed in the samples produced at α values other than zero. The effective refractive index and porosity exhibit an opposite evolution as the incident angle α rises. At α = 85° the layers show a considerable change in effective refractive index (Δn = 1.7) at near-IR spectral range.

The association between primary open-angle glaucoma and fall: an observational study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanabe S

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Sachiko Tanabe1,2*, Kenya Yuki1*, Naoki Ozeki1, Daisuke Shiba1, Kazuo Tsubota11Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Tokyo, Japan; 2Tanabe Eye Clinic, Kai City, Yamanashi, Japan*These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: Falls are among the most serious public health concerns for the elderly. Information conveyed via the visual sense is relevant to postural balance and movement, and proper visual function is essential to avoid falls. Here we investigated the prevalence of injurious falls among patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG who were more than 45 years old, compared with comparably aged healthy subjects.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients who visited the Tanabe Eye Clinic, Yamanashi, Japan between January 1 and March 30, 2009 were screened for eligibility by ophthalmic examination. A total of 117 control subjects (77 men, 40 women; aged 60.2 ± 7.5 years who were free of ocular disease and 101 POAG patients (58 men, 43 women; aged 62.3 ± 8.7 years were consecutively enrolled. Participants answered a questionnaire on injurious fall experience during the previous 10 years. The prevalence of injurious fall in subjects with POAG versus healthy controls was examined with Fisher's exact test. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated with logistic regression models for the subjects with POAG (factors: age, gender, mean deviation in the better eye or worse eye.Results: The self-reported prevalence of injurious fall was 0.9% (1/117 in the control group and 6.9% (7/101 in the POAG group. The association between injurious fall and POAG was statistically significant (P = 0.026, Fisher's exact test. Within the POAG patients, the group reporting falls was significantly older and had a lower BMI, worse BCVA, and worse mean deviation in both the better and worse eye than the group reporting no falls. Worse mean deviation in the eye with

Uncertainty in T1 mapping using the variable flip angle method with two flip angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schabel, Matthias C; Morrell, Glen R

2009-01-01

Propagation of errors, in conjunction with the theoretical signal equation for spoiled gradient echo pulse sequences, is used to derive a theoretical expression for uncertainty in quantitative variable flip angle T 1 mapping using two flip angles. This expression is then minimized to derive a rigorous expression for optimal flip angles that elucidates a commonly used empirical result. The theoretical expressions for uncertainty and optimal flip angles are combined to derive a lower bound on the achievable uncertainty for a given set of pulse sequence parameters and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). These results provide a means of quantitatively determining the effect of changing acquisition parameters on T 1 uncertainty. (note)

Visible and near-ultraviolet spectroscopy at Thule AFB (76.5 N) from January 28 - February 15, 1988

Science.gov (United States)

Mount, G. H.; Sanders, R. W.; Jakoubek, R. O.; Schmeltekopf, A. L.; Solomon, S.

1988-01-01

Near-ultraviolet and visible spectrographs identical to those employed at McMurdo Station, Antarctica (77.8 S) during the austral spring seasons of 1986 and 1987 were used to study the stratosphere above Thule, Greenland (76.5 N) during early spring, 1988. Observations were carried out both at night using the direct moon as a light source, and during the day by collecting the scattered light from the zenith sky when solar zenith angles were less than about 94.5 degrees. Excellent meteorological conditions prevailed in the troposphere and stratosphere at Thule. Surface weather was extremely clear over most of the period, facilitating measurements of the direct light from the moon. The lower stratospheric arctic polar vortex was located very near Thule throughout the observing period, and temperature at the 30 mbar level were typically below -80 C above Thule, according to the National Meteorological Center daily analyses. Thus conditions were favorable for polar stratospheric cloud formation above Thule. Total column ozone abundances were about 350 to 400 Dobson units, and did not suggest a clear temporal trend over the observing period. Stratospheric nitrogen dioxide measurements were complicated by the presence of a large component of tropospheric pollution on many occasions. Stratospheric nitrogen dioxide could be identified on most days using the absorption in the scattered light from the zenith sky, which greatly enhances the stratospheric airmass while suppressing the tropospheric contribution. These measurements suggest that the total vertical column abundance of nitrogen dioxide present over Thule in February was extremely low, sometimes as low as 3 x 10 to the 14th per sq cm. The abundance of nitrogen dioxide increased systemically from about 3 x 10 to the 14th in late January to 1.0 x 10 to the 15th per sq cm in mid-February, perhaps because of photolysis of N2O5 in the upper part of the stratosphere, near 25 to 35 km.