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At least 181 records · Page 10

Evaluation of the Validity of Bio-Mathematical Models in Predicting Fatigue in an Operational Environment

During long-duration spaceflight missions, crewmembers and ground-support staff experience irregular sleep schedules, erratic natural light patterns, and high workload due to mission demands. Such conditions can cause circadian misalignment and sleep loss, which in turn cause deficits in cognitive performance. While bio-mathematical models have been implemented within workplace settings to predict fatigue profiles, the accuracy of sleep-wake models under conditions of non-traditional shiftwork is little known. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the validity of four sleep-wake models (e.g., SAFTE-FAST, the Unified Model of Performance, the Adenosine-Circadian Model, and the State-Space Model) designed to predict human performance and fatigue levels against objective measures of performance in a spaceflight analog. To accomplish this aim, we will collect Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) data from four crews (n=16) in the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) over 45 days. HERA is a closed, 3-story habitat at Johnson Space Center where inhabitants are exposed to extreme space exploration scenarios under varying sleep-wake conditions. The PVT is a simple reaction time test that involves minimal learning, making it sensitive to the effects of sleep loss and circadian misalignment. Findings from this study will help inform work scheduling and implementation of effective countermeasures (e.g., caffeine, lighting) to improve work efficiency and combat fatigue, as well as offer valuable insight into the applicability of bio-mathematical fatigue models in future space exploration missions.

fatigue↗

A Goddard Multi-Scale Modeling System with Unified Physics

A multi-scale modeling system with unified physics has been developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The system consists of an MMF, the coupled NASA Goddard finite-volume GCM (fvGCM) and Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCE, a CRM); the state-of-the-art Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) and the stand alone GCE. These models can share the same microphysical schemes, radiation (including explicitly calculated cloud optical properties), and surface models that have been developed, improved and tested for different environments. The following is presented in this report: (1) a brief review of the GCE model and its applications on the impact of aerosols on deep precipitation processes, (2) the Goddard MMF and the major difference between two existing MMFs (CSU MMF and Goddard MMF), and preliminary results (the comparison with traditional GCMs), and (3) a discussion on the Goddard WRF version (its developments and applications).

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗

A Goddard Multi-Scale Modeling System with Unified Physics

A multi-scale modeling system with unified physics has been developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The system consists of an MMF, the coupled NASA Goddard finite-volume GCM (fvGCM) and Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCE, a CRM); the state-of-the-art Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) and the stand alone GCE. These models can share the same microphysical schemes, radiation (including explicitly calculated cloud optical properties), and surface models that have been developed, improved and tested for different environments. In this talk, I will present: (1) A brief review on GCE model and its applications on the impact of the aerosol on deep precipitation processes, (2) The Goddard MMF and the major difference between two existing MMFs (CSU MMF and Goddard MMF), and preliminary results (the comparison with traditional GCMs), and (3) A discussion on the Goddard WRF version (its developments and applications). We are also performing the inline tracer calculation to comprehend the physical processes (i.e., boundary layer and each quadrant in the boundary layer) related to the development and structure of hurricanes and mesoscale convective systems. In addition, high - resolution (spatial. 2km, and temporal, I minute) visualization showing the model results will be presented.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗

A Goddard Multi-Scale Modeling System with Unified Physics

A multi-scale modeling system with unified physics has been developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The system consists of an MMF, the coupled NASA Goddard finite-volume GCM (fvGCM) and Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCE, a CRM); the state-of-the-art Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) and the stand alone GCE. These models can share the same microphysical schemes, radiation (including explicitly calculated cloud optical properties), and surface models that have been developed, improved and tested for different environments. In this talk, I will present: (1) A brief review on GCE model and its applications on the impact of the aerosol on deep precipitation processes, (2) The Goddard MMF and the major difference between two existing MMFs (CSU MMF and Goddard MMF), and preliminary results (the comparison with traditional GCMs), and (3) A discussion on the Goddard WRF version (its developments and applications). We are also performing the inline tracer calculation to comprehend the ph ysical processes (i.e., boundary layer and each quadrant in the boundary layer) related to the development and structure of hurricanes and mesoscale convective systems.

Tao, Wei-Kuo↗

A MASSIVE PROTOSTAR FORMING BY ORDERED COLLAPSE OF A DENSE, MASSIVE CORE

We present 30 and 40 {mu}m imaging of the massive protostar G35.20-0.74 with SOFIA-FORCAST. The high surface density of the natal core around the protostar leads to high extinction, even at these relatively long wavelengths, causing the observed flux to be dominated by that emerging from the near-facing outflow cavity. However, emission from the far-facing cavity is still clearly detected. We combine these results with fluxes from the near-infrared to mm to construct a spectral energy distribution (SED). For isotropic emission the bolometric luminosity would be 3.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 4} L{sub Sun }. We perform radiative transfer modeling of a protostar forming by ordered, symmetric collapse from a massive core bounded by a clump with high-mass surface density, {Sigma}{sub cl}. To fit the SED requires protostellar masses {approx}20-34 M{sub Sun} depending on the outflow cavity opening angle (35 Degree-Sign -50 Degree-Sign ), and {Sigma}{sub cl} {approx} 0.4-1 g cm{sup -2}. After accounting for the foreground extinction and the flashlight effect, the true bolometric luminosity is {approx}(0.7-2.2) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} L{sub Sun }. One of these models also has excellent agreement with the observed intensity profiles along the outflow axis at 10, 18, 31, and 37 {mu}m. Overall our results support a model of massive star formation involving the relatively ordered, symmetric collapse of a massive, dense core and the launching bipolar outflows that clear low-density cavities. Thus a unified model may apply for the formation of both low- and high-mass stars.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Performance evaluation of an air conditioning system based on quasi isothermal dehumidifcation

This work presents a first study of novel air conditioning system based on quasi isothermal dehumidification combined with dew-point evaporative cooling through the Maisotsenko cycle (M-Cycle). The dehumidification process is realized in desiccant coated heat exchanger with heat rejection system. The key idea behind the solution is to maximize the cooling effectiveness by creating favourable conditions for dehumidification and evaporative cooling process. This is achieved by rejecting the heat of sorption in the desiccant system and providing cold and dry air for M-Cycle air cooler, which allows the system to be powered by using low-grade heat energy at 50 °C. The analysis is performed on the basis of experimentally validated numerical models of each component combined in a unified model of the system. The goal of the study is to determine the performance of the solution under different operational conditions. In addition two types of M-Cycle air coolers (i.e. cross-flow and regenerative unit) are compared to establish which unit is more suitable as the source of cooling energy for the system. It was established that proposed system is able to provide comfortable room parameters (supply air temperature equal 17 °C and humidity ratio equal 0.010 kg/kg-da) for outdoor air temperatures ranging from 28 to 36 °C and outdoor air humidity ranging from 0.010 to 0.018 kg/kg-da. This means that the proposed solution is able to provide comfortable conditions in temperate and humid climates. Results also indicate that the system consisting of the regenerative M-Cycle HMX allows better cooling load management, offers higher thermal Coefficient of Performance (COP th ) and uses less water compared to the system with the cross-flow HMX. However, the system with cross-flow heat and mass exchanger (HMX) has a relatively greater electrical Coefficient of Performance (COP el ) in most cases.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Impact of host climate model on contrail cirrus effective radiative forcing estimates

Estimates of aviation effective radiative forcing (ERF) indicate that contrail cirrus is currently its largest contributor, although with a substantial associated uncertainty of ∼ 70 %. Here, we implement the contrail parameterisation developed for the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) in the UK Met Office Unified Model (UM), allowing us to compare, for the first time, the impact of key features of the host climate model on contrail cirrus ERF. We find that differences in background humidity between the models result in the UM-simulated contrail fractions being 2 to 3 times larger than in CAM. Additionally, the models show contrasting responses in overall global cloud fraction, with contrails increasing the total cloud fraction in the UM and decreasing it in CAM. Differences in the complexity of the cloud microphysics schemes lead to significant differences in simulated changes to cloud ice water content due to aviation. After compensating for the unrealistically low contrail optical depth in the UM, we estimate the 2018 contrail cirrus ERF to be 40.8 mW m−2 in the UM, compared to 60.1 mW m−2 in CAM. These values highlight the substantial uncertainty in contrail cirrus ERF due to differences in microphysics and radiation schemes between the two models. We also find a factor-of-8 uncertainty in contrail cirrus ERF due to existing uncertainty in contrail cirrus optical depth. Future research should focus on better representing microphysical and radiative contrail characteristics in climate models and on improved observational constraints.

Zhang, Weiyu [University of Leeds (United Kingdom)↗

Suspended and Restored Activities of a Nearby Supermassive Black Hole

The discovery of spectral type transition of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), the so-called “changing-look” (CL) phenomenon, challenges the widely accepted AGN paradigm, not only in the orientation-based unified model, but also in the standard disk model. In past decades, only a couple of nearby repeat changing-look active galactic nuclei (CL-AGNs) have been identified. Here we report spectroscopic observations of UGC 3223 over the course of 18 yr, from 2001 onwards. Combining the spectrum taken in 1987 by Stirpe, we have witnessed its type transitions from 1.5→2.0→1.8 over 32 yr, and captured a long-lived (at least 10 yr) thorough “turn-off” state with a spectrum typical of a Seyfert 2 galaxy. The long-term thorough turn-off state probably suggests a once-dormant and an awakening central engine in UGC 3223. We argue that the (dis)appearance of the broad Balmer emission lines can be explained by the disk–wind broad-line region model given the evolution of the calculated Eddington ratio of accretion of the supermassive black hole.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A Near-infrared View of Nearby Galaxies: The Case of NGC 6300

We present a near-infrared study of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 6300, based on subarcsecond images and long slit spectroscopy obtained with Flamingos-2 at Gemini South. We have found that the peak of the nuclear continuum emission in the K {sub s} band and the surrounding nuclear disk are 25 pc off-center with respect to the center of symmetry of the larger scale circumnuclear disk, suggesting that this black hole is still not fixed in the galaxy potential well. The molecular gas radial velocity curve yields a central black hole upper mass estimation of M{sub SMBH}{sup upper}=(6.25±2.5)×10{sup 7} M{sub ⊙}. The Paβ emission line has a strongly asymmetric profile with a blueshifted broad component that we associate with a nuclear ionized gas outflow. We have found in the K {sub s}-band spectra that the slope of the continuum becomes steeper with increasing radii, which can be explained as the presence of large amounts of hot dust not only in the nucleus but also in the circumnuclear region up to r = 27 pc. In fact, the nuclear red excess obtained after subtracting the stellar contribution resembles to that of a blackbody with temperatures around 1200 K. This evidence supports the idea that absorbing material located around the nucleus, but not close enough to be the torus of the unified model, could be responsible for at least part of the nuclear obscuration in this Seyfert 2 nucleus.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Multi-soliton management by the integrable nonautonomous nonlinear integro-differential Schrödinger equation

We consider a wide class of integrable nonautonomous nonlinear integro-differential Schrödinger equation which contains the models for the soliton management in Bose–Einstein condensates, nonlinear optics, and inhomogeneous Heisenberg spin chain. With the help of the nonisospectral AKNS hierarchy, we obtain the N-fold Darboux transformation and the N-fold soliton-like solutions for the equation. The soliton management, especially the synchronized dispersive and nonlinear management in optical fibers is discussed. It is found that in the situation without external potential, the synchronized dispersive and nonlinear management can keep the integrability of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation; this suggests that in optical fibers, the synchronized dispersive and nonlinear management can control and maintain the propagation of a multi-soliton. - Highlights: • We consider a unified model for soliton management by an integrable integro-differential Schrödinger equation. • Using Lax pair, the N-fold Darboux transformation for the equation is presented. • The multi-soliton management is considered. • The synchronized dispersive and nonlinear management is suggested.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Differences in halo-scale environments between type 1 and type 2 AGNs at low redshift

Using low-redshift (z<0.09) samples of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), normal galaxies and groups of galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, we study the environments of Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs, both on small and large scales. Comparisons are made for galaxy samples matched in redshift, r-band luminosity, [O iii] luminosity, and also the position in groups (central or satellite). We find that Type 2 AGNs and normal galaxies reside in similar environments. Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs have similar clustering properties on large scales (≳1 h{sup −1} Mpc), but at scales smaller than 100 h{sup −1} kpc, Type 2s have significantly more neighbors than Type 1s (3.09 ± 0.69 times more for central AGNs at ≲30 h{sup −1} kpc). These results suggest that Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs are hosted by halos of similar masses, as can also be seen directly from the mass distributions of their host groups (∼10{sup 12} h{sup −1} M{sub ⊙} for centrals and ∼10{sup 13} h{sup −1} M{sub ⊙} for satellites). Type 2s have significantly more satellites around them, and the distribution of their satellites is also more centrally concentrated. The host galaxies of both types of AGNs have similar optical properties, but their infrared colors are significantly different. Our results suggest that the simple unified model based solely on torus orientation is not sufficient, but that galaxy interactions in dark matter halos must have played an important role in the formation of the dust structure, which obscures AGNs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

SYNCHROTRON SELF-COMPTON EMISSION AS THE ORIGIN OF THE GAMMA-RAY AFTERGLOW OBSERVED IN GRB 980923

GRB 980923 was one of the brightest bursts observed by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment. Previous studies have detected two distinct components in addition to the main prompt episode, which is well described by a Band function. The first of these is a tail with a duration of {approx_equal} 400 s, while the second is a high-energy component lasting {approx_equal} 2 s. We summarize the observations and argue for a unified model in which the tail can be understood as the early {gamma}-ray afterglow from forward shock synchrotron emission, while the high-energy component arises from synchrotron self-Compton from the reverse shock. Consistency between the main assumption of thick shell emission and agreement between the observed and computed values for fluxes, break energies, starting times, and spectral indices leads to a requirement that the ejecta must be highly magnetized.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

CO LINE EMISSION FROM COMPACT NUCLEAR STARBURST DISKS AROUND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

There is substantial evidence for a connection between star formation in the nuclear region of a galaxy and growth of the central supermassive black hole. Furthermore, starburst activity in the region around an active galactic nucleus (AGN) may provide the obscuration required by the unified model of AGNs. Molecular line emission is one of the best observational avenues to detect and characterize dense, star-forming gas in galactic nuclei over a range of redshift. This paper presents predictions for the carbon monoxide (CO) line features from models of nuclear starburst disks around AGNs. These small-scale ({approx}< 100 pc), dense and hot starbursts have CO luminosities similar to scaled-down ultra-luminous infrared galaxies and quasar host galaxies. Nuclear starburst disks that exhibit a pc-scale starburst and could potentially act as the obscuring torus show more efficient CO excitation and higher brightness temperature ratios than those without such a compact starburst. In addition, the compact starburst models predict strong absorption when J{sub Upper} {approx}> 10, a unique observational signature of these objects. These findings allow for the possibility that CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs) could be used to determine if starburst disks are responsible for the obscuration in z {approx}< 1 AGNs. Directly isolating the nuclear CO line emission of such compact regions around AGNs from galactic-scale emission will require high-resolution imaging or selecting AGN host galaxies with weak galactic-scale star formation. Stacking individual CO SLEDs will also be useful in detecting the predicted high-J features.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Advanced Gamma-Ray Imaging System (AGIS): Science Highlights

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS), a future gamma-ray telescope consisting of an array of {approx}50 atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes distributed over an area of {approx}1 km{sup 2}, will provide a powerful new tool for exploring the high-energy universe. The order-of-magnitude increase in sensitivity and improved angular resolution could provide the first detailed images of {gamma}-ray emission from other nearby galaxies or galaxy clusters. The large effective area will provide unprecedented sensitivity to short transients (such as flares from AGNs and GRBs) probing both intrinsic spectral variability (revealing the details of the acceleration mechanism and geometry) as well as constraining the high-energy dispersion in the velocity of light (probing the structure of spacetime and Lorentz invariance). A wide field of view ({approx}4 times that of current instruments) and excellent angular resolution (several times better than current instruments) will allow for an unprecedented survey of the Galactic plane, providing a deep unobscured survey of SNRs, X-ray binaries, pulsar-wind nebulae, molecular cloud complexes and other sources. The differential flux sensitivity of {approx}10{sup -13} erg cm{sup -2} sec{sup -1} will rival the most sensitive X-ray instruments for these extended Galactic sources. The excellent capabilities of AGIS at energies below 100 GeV will provide sensitivity to AGN and GRBs out to cosmological redshifts, increasing the number of AGNs detected at high energies from about 20 to more than 100, permitting population studies that will provide valuable insights into both a unified model for AGN and a detailed measurement of the effects of intergalactic absorption from the diffuse extragalactic background light. A new instrument with fast-slewing wide-field telescopes could provide detections of a number of long-duration GRBs providing important physical constraints from this new spectral component. The new array will also have excellent background rejection and very large effective area, providing the very high sensitivity needed to detect emission from dark matter annihilation in Galactic substructure or nearby Dwarf spheroidal galaxies.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A robust derivation of the tight relationship of radio core dominance to inclination angle in high redshift 3CRR sources

It is believed that, in radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs), the core radio flux density can be normalized to the flux density of the extended lobe emission to infer the orientation of a radio source. However, very little is known about the reliability and precision of this method, and we are unaware of any robust conversion recipe to infer the inclination from the core dominance. Investigating whether or not the radio core dominance parameter R separates the quasars from the radio galaxies in the z ⩾ 1 3CRR catalog, we found excellent agreement of R with optical type, infrared flux ratios, and optical polarization. This indicates that probably both R and optical classification are very good orientation indicators, and the unified model is strongly predictive for these objects. The relative number densities indicate half-opening angles close to 60°, as expected from large surveys. The separations of optical types according to radio core dominance as well as near-infrared/MIR ratios, which are essentially perfect, mean that there can be only a small dispersion of torus half-opening angles. Also, even though torus dust is thought to be clumpy, there is an almost zero probability to see a type-1 source at high inclination. Finally, using only the Copernican Principle, i.e., the assumption that solid angle is filled uniformly with source axis orientations, we estimated a semi-empirical relation between core dominance and AGN inclination. This makes it possible to use R to infer the inclination of a source to an accuracy of ∼10° or less, at least for this type of object.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Hidden Broad-line Regions in Seyfert 2 Galaxies: From the Spectropolarimetric Perspective

The hidden broad-line regions (BLRs) in Seyfert 2 galaxies, which display broad emission lines (BELs) in their polarized spectra, are a key piece of evidence in support of the unified model for active galactic nuclei (AGNs). However, the detailed kinematics and geometry of hidden BLRs are still not fully understood. The virial factor obtained from reverberation mapping of type 1 AGNs may be a useful diagnostic of the nature of hidden BLRs in type 2 objects. In order to understand the hidden BLRs, we compile six type 2 objects from the literature with polarized BELs and dynamical measurements of black hole masses. All of them contain pseudobulges. We estimate their virial factors, and find the average value is 0.60 and the standard deviation is 0.69, which agree well with the value of type 1 AGNs with pseudobulges. This study demonstrates that (1) the geometry and kinematics of BLR are similar in type 1 and type 2 AGNs of the same bulge type (pseudobulges), and (2) the small values of virial factors in Seyfert 2 galaxies suggest that, similar to type 1 AGNs, BLRs tend to be very thick disks in type 2 objects.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Turbulence elasticity—A new mechanism for transport barrier dynamics

We present a new, unified model of transport barrier formation in “elastic” drift wave-zonal flow (DW-ZF) turbulence. A new physical quantity—the delay time (i.e., the mixing time for the DW turbulence)—is demonstrated to parameterize each stage of the transport barrier formation. Quantitative predictions for the onset of limit-cycle-oscillation (LCO) among DW and ZF intensities (also denoted as I-mode) and I-mode to high-confinement mode (H-mode) transition are also given. The LCO occurs when the ZF shearing rate (|〈v〉{sub ZF}{sup ′}|) enters the regime Δω{sub k}<|〈V〉{sub ZF}{sup ′}|<τ{sub cr}{sup −1}, where Δω{sub k} is the local turbulence decorrelation rate and τ{sub cr} is the threshold delay time. In the basic predator-prey feedback system, τ{sub cr} is also derived. The I-H transition occurs when |〈V〉{sub E×B}{sup ′}|>τ{sub cr}{sup −1}, where the mean E × B shear flow driven by ion pressure “locks” the DW-ZF system to the H-mode by reducing the delay time below the threshold value.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗