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Johnson, J. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Johnson, J. M..

Enhanced metallic properties of SrRuO 3 thin films via kinetically controlled pulsed laser epitaxy

Metal electrodes are a universal element of all electronic devices. Conducting SrRuO 3 (SRO) epitaxial thin films have been extensively used as electrodes in complex-oxide heterostructures due to good lattice mismatches with perovskite substrates. However, when compared to SRO single crystals, SRO thin films have shown reduced conductivity and Curie temperatures (T C ), which can lead to higher Joule heating and energy loss in the devices. In this paper, we report that high-quality SRO thin films can be synthesized by controlling the plume dynamics and growth rate of pulsed laser epitaxy (PLE) with real-time optical spectroscopic monitoring. The SRO thin films grown under the kinetically controlled conditions, down to ca. 16 nm in thickness, exhibit both enhanced conductivity and T C as compared to bulk values, due to their improved stoichiometry and a strain-mediated increase of the bandwidth of Ru 4d electrons. Finally, this result provides a direction for enhancing the physical properties of PLE-grown thin films and paves a way to improved device applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Determination of Erosion/Corrosion Rates in Hanford Tank Farms Radioactive Waste Transfer System Pipelines

The twenty-eight double-shell underground radioactive waste storage tanks at the U. S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site near Richland, WA are interconnected by the Waste Transfer System network of buried steel encased pipelines and pipe jumpers in below-grade pits. The pipeline material is stainless steel or carbon steel in 51 mm to 152 mm (2 in. to 6 in.) sizes. The pipelines carry slurries ranging up to 20 volume percent solids and supernatants with less than one volume percent solids at velocities necessary to prevent settling. The pipelines, installed between 1976 and 2011, were originally intended to last until the 2028 completion of the double-shell tank storage mission. The mission has been subsequently extended. In 2010 the Tank Operating Contractor began a systematic evaluation of the Waste Transfer System pipeline conditions applying guidelines from API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 (2007), Fitness-For-Service. Between 2010 and 2014 Fitness-for-Service examinations of the Waste Transfer System pipeline materials, sizes, and components were completed. In parallel, waste throughput histories were prepared allowing side-by-side pipeline wall thinning rate comparisons between carbon and stainless steel, slurries and supernatants and throughput volumes. The work showed that for transfer volumes up to 6.1E+05 m 3 (161 million gallons), the highest throughput of any pipeline segment examined, there has been no detectable wall thinning in either stainless or carbon steel pipeline material regardless of waste fluid characteristics or throughput. The paper describes the field and laboratory evaluation methods used for the Fitness-for-Service examinations, the results of the examinations, and the data reduction methodologies used to support Hanford Waste Transfer System pipeline wall thinning conclusions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Hanford single-shell tanks leak causes and locations - 15509

Historically 67 assumed and known leaking tanks in the single-shell tank (SST) system were identified at the Hanford Site. The US DOE, Washington River Protection Solutions LLC., and the State of Washington, Department of Ecology identified 25 of the 67 tanks as likely having had liner leaks by a comprehensive review of current and historical data. The remaining tanks are those with potential leaks from sources other than liner failures such as overfilling the tanks or the failure of process lines connecting SSTs. The location of the leaks was determined, based largely on logging radiological data from dry wells installed around the tank and/or radiological data from laterals installed under select tanks. The dry wells and laterals provide the best indication of the vicinity of the leak location, but not necessarily the exact location of the leak. Twenty of the 25 liner leaks appear to have occurred at or near the bottom of the tanks. Many of the tanks appeared to have multiple leak locations. Leak locations could not be determined for all tanks with the available data. Three of the tanks showed apparent sidewall leaks. Potential causes for liner leaks that were evaluated included tank design features, tank construction conditions, waste temperature, tank waste chemistry conducive to different types of corrosion (uniform corrosion, nitrate induced stress corrosion cracking, pitting, crevice, and liquid-air interface corrosion), and bulges in the tank bottom. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Double-Shell tank Integrity program - 15533

Waste at Hanford is stored in 149 single-shell tanks and 28 double-shell tanks (DSTs). Concerns related to aging radioactive waste storage facilities throughout the US DOE complex led to Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) developing guidelines for structural integrity programs for tank systems (BNL-52527, Guidelines for Development of Structural Integrity Programs for DOE High-Level Waste Storage Tanks). The committee of experts who developed these guidelines is commonly known as the Tank Structural Integrity Panel (TSIP). The US DOE has subsequently adopted these guidelines, and requires site operators to have a program consistent with them (DOE M 435.1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual). The Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) manages the tanks for the US DOE Office of River Protection (ORP) under the Tank Operations Contract (TOC). The US DOE-ORP contractual agreement with the TOC (11-NSD-010) includes a requirement to 'maintain the tank structural integrity program as described in RPP-7574, Double-Shell tank Integrity Project Plan'. The DST integrity is maintained with a variety of activities such as ultrasonic and visual inspections, chemistry controls, corrosion monitoring and structural analyses methods. The recent loss of tank 241-AY-102 has led to the formation of the High-Level Waste Integrity Assessment Panel to evaluate the DST integrity project (DSTIP) and to recommend improvements to the DSTIP. This panel continues the DOE practice of seeking expert advice to guide the formulation and continuous assessment of tank integrity activities. The panel has concluded its work and WRPS has developed a series of tasks to implement their recommendations. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Muscle metaboreceptor modulation of cutaneous active vasodilation

PURPOSE: Isometric handgrip exercise in hyperthermia has been shown to reduce cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) by inhibiting the cutaneous active vasodilator system. METHODS: To identify whether this response was initiated by muscle metaboreceptors, in seven subjects two 3-min bouts of isometric handgrip exercise in hyperthermia were performed, followed by 2 min of postexercise ischemia (PEI). An index of forearm skin blood flow (laser-Doppler flowmetry) was measured on the contralateral arm at an unblocked site and at a site at which adrenergic vasoconstrictor function was blocked via bretylium iontophoresis to reveal active cutaneous vasodilator function unambiguously. Sweat rate was measured via capacitance hygrometry, CVC was indexed from the ratio of skin blood flow to mean arterial pressure and was expressed as a percentage of maximal CVC at that site. In normothermia, neither isometric exercise nor PEI affected CVC (P > 0.05). RESULTS: The first bout of isometric handgrip exercise in hyperthermia reduced CVC at control sites and this reduction persisted through PEI (pre-exercise: 59.8 +/- 5.4, exercise: 49.8 +/- 4.9, PEI: 49.7 +/- 5.3% of maximum; both P < 0.05), whereas there were no significant changes in CVC at the bretylium treated sites. The succeeding bout of isometric exercise in hyperthermia significantly reduced CVC at both untreated (pre-exercise: 59.0 +/- 4.8, exercise: 47.3 +/- 4.0, PEI: 50.1 +/- 4.1% of maximum; both P < 0.05) and bretylium treated sites (pre-exercise: 61.4 +/- 7.3, exercise: 50.6 +/- 5.1, PEI: 53.9 +/- 6.0% of maximum, both P < 0.05). At both sites, CVC during PEI was lower than during the pre-exercise period (P < 0.05). Sweat rate rose significantly during both bouts of isometric exercise and remained elevated during PEI. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the reduction in CVC during isometric exercise in hyperthermia, including the inhibition of the active vasodilator system, is primarily mediated by muscle metaboreceptors, whereas central command or muscle mechanoreceptors have less influence.

Non-NASA Center↗

Managing fatigue in operational settings 2: An integrated approach

The six domains that must be addressed in managing fatigue in operational settings are identified, and examples of how the aviation industry is dealing with the problems in each domain are given. Challenges facing healthcare providers in managing fatigue are also discussed.

Non-programmatic↗

Managing fatigue in operational settings. 1: Physiological considerations and countermeasures

The authors consider three aspects of managing fatigue in the workplace. They provide a brief overview of important scientific findings related to sleep and circadian physiology that establish the psychobiological foundation of fatigue. Their major focus is on the relevance of these findings to operational settings. In addition, they provide examples to describe practical fatigue countermeasures that can be used in operational settings.

Review, Tutorial↗

Fatigue Countermeasures: Alertness Management in Flight Operations

Since 1980, the NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program has studied the effects and impact of fatigue on flight operations . Sleep loss and circadian disruption are two of the primary physiological factors that underlie fatigue in flight operations. The Program has developed an array of fatigue countermeasure recommendations that can be used to combat the effects of fatigue and continues to research potential new countermeasures. For example, one such strategy involved a NASA/FAA study on the effects of planned cockpit rest to improve crewmember alertness and performance. Based partly on the study results, the FAA is currently reviewing a proposed Advisory Circular for controlled rest on the flight deck. Since there is no simple answer to the issue of fatigue in aviation, an Education and Training Module has been developed to provide the industry with pertinent information on sleep, circadian rhythms, how flight operations affect these physiological factors, and recommendations for fatigue countermeasures. The Module will be updated as the Program's continued research efforts uncover new information and develop new countermeasure strategies,

Co, E. L.↗

The measurement of atmospheric water vapor - Radiometer comparison and spatial variations

Two water vapor radiometer (WVR) experiments were conducted to evaluate whether such instruments are both suitable and necessary to correct for propagation effects that are induced by precipitable water vapor (PWV) on signals from GPS and VLBI. WVRs are suitable for these corrections if they provide wet path delays to better than 0.5 cm. They are needed if spatial variations of PWV result in complicated, direction-dependent propagation effects that are too complex to be parametrized in the GPS or VLBI geodetic solution. The suitability of radiometers was first addressed by comparing six airport WVRs for two weeks. While two WVRs showed an average wet path delay bias of only 0.1 cm, others were biased by 1-3 cm relative to each other and relative to radiosondes. The second experiment addressed the question whether radiometers are needed for the detection of inhomogeneities in the wet delay. Three JPL D-series radiometers were operated at three sites 50 km apart. The WVRs simultaneously sampled PWV at different azimuths and elevations in search of spatial variations of PWV. On one day of this second experiment evidence was found for spatial variations of the wet path delay as high as 20 percent of the total wet path delay.

Rocken, C.↗

Solar powered hybrid sensor module program

Geo-orbital systems of the near future will require more sophisticated electronic and electromechanical monitoring and control systems than current satellite systems with an emphasis in the design on the electronic density and autonomy of the subsystem components. Results of a project to develop, design, and implement a proof-of-concept sensor system for space applications, with hybrids forming the active subsystem components are described. The design of the solar power hybrid sensor modules is discussed. Module construction and function are described. These modules combined low power CMOS electronics, GaAs solar cells, a crystal oscillatory standard UART data formatting, and a bidirectional optical data link into a single 1.25 x 1.25 x 0.25 inch hybrid package which has no need for electrical input or output. Several modules were built and tested. Applications of such a system for future space missions are also discussed.

Johnson, J. M.↗

Utilization of LANDSAT data for water quality surveys in the Choptank River

Computer processing of LANDSAT-1 multispectral digital data demonstrated the applicability of remotely sensed data to water quality survey in the Choptank River. Water classes derived by automated analysis correlate to river nuisance levels of chlorophyll a and sediment loading as defined by the Maryland Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Results indicate that an increase in chlorophyll a concentration corresponds, relative to MSS 5, to decreases in 4 and increases in 6 relative to the trends with increasing sediment load. It appears that for the purpose of water quality analysis, under favorable atmospheric conditions, only MSS 4, 5 and 6 are necessary.

Johnson, J. M.↗

Control of skin blood flow, sweating, and heart rate - Role of skin vs. core temperature

A study was conducted to generate quantitative expressions for the influence of core temperature, skin temperature, and the rate of change of skin temperature on sweat rate, skin blood flow, and heart rate. A second goal of the study was to determine whether the use of esophageal temperature rather than the right atrial temperature as a measure of core temperature would lead to different conclusions about the control of measured effector variables.

Wyss, C. R.↗

Competition between cutaneous vasodilator and vasoconstrictor reflexes in man

A two-part experiment was carried out on seven men to determine whether skin will respond to increased neurogenic vasoconstrictor activity during heating. The latter was induced by lower body negative pressure of -50 mm Hg applied for 5 of each 15 min in 12 studies with constant, neutral skin temperature (32.2-34.4 C) in a 40-min control period and with skin temperature held at 38 C for 40-70 min. We conclude that during heating, skin retains the ability to vasoconstrict but that this vasoconstriction cannot completely override heat-induced vasodilatation.

Johnson, J. M.↗