Engineering Papers⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Liu, C

Publications and source records attributed to Liu, C.

68 records · Page 4

A New Polyethylene Scattering Law Determined Using Inelastic Neutron Scattering

Monte Carlo neutron transport codes such as MCNP rely on accurate data for nuclear physics cross-sections to produce accurate results. At low energy, this takes the form of scattering laws based on the dynamic structure factor, S (Q, E). High density polyethylene (HDPE) is frequently employed as a neutron moderator at both high and low temperatures, however the only cross-sections available are for T =300 K, and the evaluation has not been updated in quite some time. In this paper we describe inelastic neutron scattering measurements on HDPE at 5 and 300 K which are used to improve the scattering law for HDPE. We describe the experimental methods, review some of the past HDPE scattering laws, and compare computations using these models to the measured S (Q, E). The total cross-section is compared to available data, and the treatment of the carbon secondary scatterer as a free gas is assessed. We also discuss the use of the measurement itself as a scattering law via the 1 phonon approximation. We show that a scattering law computed using a more detailed model for the Generalized Density of States (GDOS) compares more favorably to this experiment, suggesting that inelastic neutron scattering can play an important role in both the development and validation of new scattering laws for Monte Carlo work.

Lavelle, Christopher M↗

Error localization in RHIC by fitting difference orbits

The presence of realistic errors in an accelerator or in the model used to describe the accelerator are such that a measurement of the beam trajectory may deviate from prediction. Comparison of measurements to model can be used to detect such errors. To do so the initial conditions (phase space parameters at any point) must be determined which can be achieved by fitting the difference orbit compared to model prediction using only a few beam position measurements. Using these initial conditions, the fitted orbit can be propagated along the beam line based on the optics model. Measurement and model will agree up to the point of an error. The error source can be better localized by additionally fitting the difference orbit using downstream BPMs and back-propagating the solution. If one dominating error source exist in the machine, the fitted orbit will deviate from the difference orbit at the same point.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Near real-time response matrix calibration for 10 Hz GOFB

The 10 Hz global orbit feedback (GOFB), for damping the trajectory perturbation ({approx}10 Hz) due to the vibrations of the triplet quadrupoles, is operational. The correction algorithm uses transfer functions between the beam position monitors and correctors obtained from the online optics model and a correction algorithm based on singular value decomposition (SVD). Recently the calibration of the transfer functions was measured using beam position measurements acquired while modulating dedicated correctors. In this report, the feedback results with model matrix and measured matrix are compared.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Weighted SVD algorithm for close-orbit correction and 10 Hz feedback in RHIC

Measurements of the beam position along an accelerator are typically treated equally using standard SVD-based orbit correction algorithms so distributing the residual errors, modulo the local beta function, equally at the measurement locations. However, sometimes a more stable orbit at select locations is desirable. In this paper, we introduce an algorithm for weighting the beam position measurements to achieve a more stable local orbit. The results of its application to close-orbit correction and 10 Hz orbit feedback are presented.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Polarization transmission at RHIC, numerical simulations

Typical tracking simulations regarding the transmission of the polarization in the proton-proton collider RHIC are discussed. They participate in general studies aimed at understanding and improving polarization performances during polarized proton-proton runs.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

In planta production of the highly potent resveratrol analogue pterostilbene via stilbene synthase and O-methyltransferase co-expression

Resveratrol and related stilbenes are thought to play important roles in defence responses in several plant species and have also generated considerable interest as nutraceuticals owing to their diverse health-promoting properties. Pterostilbene, a 3,5-dimethylether derivative of resveratrol, possesses properties similar to its parent compound and, additionally, exhibits significantly higher fungicidal activity in vitro and superior pharmacokinetic properties in vivo. Recombinant enzyme studies carried out using a previously characterized O-methyltransferase sequence from Sorghum bicolor (SbOMT3) demonstrated its ability to catalyse the A ring-specific 3,5-bis-O-methylation of resveratrol, yielding pterostilbene. A binary vector was constructed for the constitutive co-expression of SbOMT3 with a stilbene synthase sequence from peanut (AhSTS3) and used for the generation of stably transformed tobacco and Arabidopsis plants, resulting in the accumulation of pterostilbene in both species. A reduced floral pigmentation phenotype observed in multiple tobacco transformants was further investigated by reversed-phase HPLC analysis, revealing substantial decreases in both dihydroquercetin-derived flavonoids and phenylpropanoid-conjugated polyamines in pterostilbene-producing SbOMT3/AhSTS3 events. These results demonstrate the potential utility of this strategy for the generation of pterostilbene-producing crops and also underscore the need for the development of additional approaches for minimizing concomitant reductions in key phenylpropanoid-derived metabolites.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗