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At least 199 records · Page 11

Rapid Crossing of a Resonance During Tune Modulation by Synchrotron Oscillations

It had become a standard practice to constrain the particle’s tune footprint while designing the ring lattice so that the particle tunes fit between harmful resonances that limit ring dynamic aperture (DA). This approach, known as “tune confinement”, puts tight limits on the magnitude of the tune shifts with amplitude and with momentum. The latter requires labor-intensive optimization of the off-energy dynamic aperture and control over the corresponding tune footprint for the large energy deviations and is a prerequisite to achieving reasonable lifetime if it is dominated by the Touschek scattering. As nonlinearities of the modern ring lattices are much enhanced as compared with the previous generation of synchrotron light sources, it is becoming more and more difficult to keep the off-momentum tune footprint confined. While one could reach reasonable on-energy DA suitable for injection into the machine, the off-energy DA optimization is much more complex and needs to satisfy more constraints so to reach large energy acceptance and secure decent lifetime at the high ring current. In certain cases when the lattice solution with the confined off-energy tune footprint cannot be found, one may ask whether crossing of a resonance stopband from off-momentum particle will lead to loss of this particle. Intuitively, if the particle crosses the stopband quickly, one may expect that the betatron oscillation amplitude will not increase substantially thereby keeping the particle within the machine acceptance. At the same time the tight tolerances of the modern lattice elements as designed and produced afford much narrower resonance stopbands being compared with the machines built decades ago. Under these circumstances the question above may be asked as what are the conditions for operating a ring with a large chromatic tune footprint, which crosses resonances, while not observing particle losses. In this paper we try to answer the questions above by studying the model of a particle with large initial momentum deviation (as, for example, driven by the Touschek scattering event), which crosses stopband of a half-integer resonance while executing synchrotron oscillations in the highly chromatic ring lattice.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Impact of buildings on surface solar radiation over urban Beijing

The rugged surface of an urban area due to varying buildings can interact with solar beams and affect both the magnitude and spatiotemporal distribution of surface solar fluxes. Here we systematically examine the impact of buildings on downward surface solar fluxes over urban Beijing by using a 3-D radiation parameterization that accounts for 3-D building structures vs. the conventional plane-parallel scheme. We find that the resulting downward surface solar flux deviations between the 3-D and the plane-parallel schemes are generally ±1–10 W m -2 at 800 m grid resolution and within ±1 W m -2 at 4 km resolution. Pairs of positive–negative flux deviations on different sides of buildings are resolved at 800 m resolution, while they offset each other at 4 km resolution. Flux deviations from the unobstructed horizontal surface at 4 km resolution are positive around noon but negative in the early morning and late afternoon. The corresponding deviations at 800 m resolution, in contrast, show diurnal variations that are strongly dependent on the location of the grids relative to the buildings. Both the magnitude and spatiotemporal variations of flux deviations are largely dominated by the direct flux. Furthermore, we find that flux deviations can potentially be an order of magnitude larger by using a finer grid resolution. Atmospheric aerosols can reduce the magnitude of downward surface solar flux deviations by 10–65 %, while the surface albedo generally has a rather moderate impact on flux deviations. The results imply that the effect of buildings on downward surface solar fluxes may not be critically significant in mesoscale atmospheric models with a grid resolution of 4 km or coarser. However, the effect can play a crucial role in meso-urban atmospheric models as well as microscale urban dispersion models with resolutions of 1 m to 1 km.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Experimental measurement of the orbital paths of particles sedimenting within a rotating viscous fluid as influenced by gravity

Measurements were taken of the path of a simulated typical tissue segment or 'particle' within a rotating fluid as a function of gravitational strength, fluid rotation rate, particle sedimentation rate, and particle initial position. Parameters were examined within the useful range for tissue culture in the NASA rotating wall culture vessels. The particle moves along a nearly circular path through the fluid (as observed from the rotating reference frame of the fluid) at the same speed as its linear terminal sedimentation speed for the external gravitational field. This gravitationally induced motion causes an increasing deviation of the particle from its original position within the fluid for a decreased rotational rate, for a more rapidly sedimenting particle, and for an increased gravitational strength. Under low gravity conditions (less than 0.1 G), the particle's motion through the fluid and its deviation from its original position become negligible. Under unit gravity conditions, large distortions (greater than 0.25 inch) occur even for particles of slow sedimentation rate (less than 1.0 cm/sec). The particle's motion is nearly independent of the particle's initial position. Comparison with mathematically predicted particle paths show that a significant error in the mathematically predicted path occurs for large particle deviations. This results from a geometric approximation and numerically accumulating error in the mathematical technique.

Wolf, David A.↗

Permeability and Strength Measurements on Sintered, Porous, Hollow Turbine Blades Made by the American Electro Metal Corporation under Office of Naval Research Contract N-ONR-295 (01)

An experimental investigation was made to determine the permeability and strength characteristics of a number of sintered, porous, hollow turbine rotor blades and to determine the effectiveness of the blade fabrication method on permeability control. The test blades were fabricated by the American Electro Metal Corporation under a contract with the Office of Naval Research, Department of the Navy, and were submitted to the NACA for testing. Of the 22 test blades submitted, ten were sintered but not coined, five were sintered and coined, and seven were sintered and not coined but contained perforated reinforcements integral with the blade shells. Representative samples of each group of blades were tested. Large variations in permeability in both chordwise and spanwise directions were found. Local deviations as large as 155 to -85 percent from prescribed values were found in chordwise permeability. Only one blade, an uncoined one, had a chordwise permeability variations which reasonably approached that specified. Even for this blade, local deviations exceeded 10 percent. Spanwise permeability, specified to be held constant, varied as much as 50 percent from root to tip for both an uncoined and a coined blade. Previous NACA analyses have shown that in order to maintain proper control of blade wall temperatures, permeability variations must not exceed plus or minus 10 percent. Satisfactory control of permeability in either the chordwise or the spanwise direction was not achieved in the blades tested. Spin tests made at room temperature for six blades revealed the highest material rupture strength to be 8926 pounds per square inch. This value is about one third the strength required for rotor blades in present-day turbojet engines. The lowest value of blade strength was 1436 pounds per square inch.

Richards, Hadley T.↗

Circularity-Measuring System

Shape gauge and associated computer constitute system measuring deviations of large cylinders from roundness. Shaped and held somewhat like crossbow, measures relative locations of three points on surface of large, round object. By making connected series of measurements around periphery technician using gauge determines deviation of object from perfect circularity. Used to measure straightness, roundness, or complicated shapes of such large geometrical objects as surfaces of aircraft and hulls of ships.

WHIPPO. WALTER B.↗

Adaptive Gain-based Stable Power Smoothing of a DFIG

In a power system that has a high wind penetration, the output power fluctuation of a large-scale wind turbine generator (WTG) caused by the varying wind speed increases the maximum frequency deviation, which is an important metric to assess the quality of electricity, because of the reduced system inertia. This paper proposes a stable power-smoothing scheme of a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) that can suppress the maximum frequency deviation, particularly for a power system with a high wind penetration. To do this, the proposed scheme employs an additional control loop relying on the system frequency deviation that operates in combination with the maximum power point tracking control loop. To improve the power-smoothing capability while guaranteeing the stable operation of a DFIG, the gain of the additional loop is modified with the rotor speed and frequency deviation. The gain is set to be high if the rotor speed and/or frequency deviation is large. Here, the simulation results based on the IEEE 14-bus system demonstrate that the proposed scheme significantly lessens the output power fluctuation of a WTG under various scenarios by modifying the gain with the rotor speed and frequency deviation, and thereby it can regulate the frequency deviation within a narrow range.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Derivation of Model Topography

The Fourth-Order model necessitates representation of the topography. The problem of the representation of the topography at grid points is addressed. The attempted was to derive an envelope topography. The TI is obtained by taking local mean plus one standard deviation at each grid point and sigma filtering it. The method was greatly influenced by large standard deviations at steep mountains. The O1 topography is the local mean. The S1 is obtained by Sigma filtering in both latitude and longitude the mean O1. The S2 is when the operation is applied twice and S3 thrice, the Q3 is the sigma filtered local mean of the upper third quantile of the source data.

Balgovind, R. C.↗

Finite-time correlations boost large voltage angle fluctuations in electric power grids

Abstract Decarbonization in the energy sector has been accompanied by an increased penetration of new renewable energy sources in electric power systems. Such sources differ from traditional productions in that, first, they induce larger, undispatchable fluctuations in power generation and second, they lack inertia. Recent measurements have indeed reported long, non-Gaussian tails in the distribution of local voltage frequency data. Large frequency deviations may induce grid instabilities, leading in worst-case scenarios to cascading failures and large-scale blackouts. In this article, we investigate how correlated noise disturbances, characterized by the cumulants of their distribution, propagate through meshed, high-voltage power grids. For a single source of fluctuations, we show that long noise correlation times boost non-Gaussian voltage angle fluctuations so that they propagate similarly to Gaussian fluctuations over the entire network. However, they vanish faster, over short distances if the noise fluctuates rapidly. We furthermore demonstrate that a Berry–Esseen theorem leads to the vanishing of non-Gaussianities as the number of uncorrelated noise sources increases. Our predictions are corroborated by numerical simulations on realistic models of power grids.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

SU-E-T-98: An Analysis of TG-51 Electron Beam Calibration Correction Factor Uncertainty

Purpose: To analyze the uncertainty of the TG-51 electron beam calibration correction factors for farmer type ion chambers currently used by institutions visited by IROC Houston. Methods: TG-51 calibration data were collected from 181 institutions visited by IROC Houston physicists for 1174 and 197 distinct electron beams from modern Varian and Elekta accelerators, respectively. Data collected and analyzed included ion chamber make and model, nominal energy, N{sub D,w}, I{sub 50}, R{sub 50}, k’R{sub 50}, d{sub ref}, P{sub gr} and pdd(d{sub ref}). k’R{sub 50} data for parallel plate chambers were excluded from the analysis. Results: Unlike photon beams, electron nominal energy is a poor indicator of the actual energy as evidenced by the range of R{sub 50} values for each electron beam energy (6–22MeV). The large range in R{sub 50} values resulted k’R{sub 50} values with a small standard deviation but large range between maximum value used and minimum value (0.001–0.029) used for a specific Varian nominal energy. Varian data showed more variability in k’R{sub 50} values than the Elekta data (0.001–0.014). Using the observed range of R{sub 50} values, the maximum spread in k’R{sub 50} values was determined by IROC Houston and compared to the spread of k’R{sub 50} values used in the community. For Elekta linacs the spreads were equivalent, but for Varian energies of 6 to 16MeV, the community spread was 2 to 6 times larger. Community P{sub gr} values had a much larger range of values for 6 and 9 MeV values than predicted. The range in Varian pdd(d{sub ref} ) used by the community for low energies was large, (1.4–4.9 percent), when it should have been very close to unity. Exradin, PTW Roos and PTW farmer chambers N{sub D,w} values showed the largest spread, ≥11 percent. Conclusion: While the vast majority of electron beam calibration correction factors used are accurate, there is a surprising spread in some of the values used.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗

Accuracy of Modelled Stratospheric Temperatures in the Winter Arctic Vortex from Infra Red Montgolfier Long Duration Balloon Measurements

The temperature of the stratosphere has been measured in the Arctic vortex every 9-10 minutes along the trajectory of four Infra Red Montgolfier long duration balloons flown for 7 to 22 days during the winters of 1997 and 1999. From a number of comparisons to independent sensors, the accuracy of the measurements is demonstrated to be plus or minus 0.5 K during nighttime and at altitude below 28 km (10 hPa). The performances of the analyses of global meteorological models, European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) 31 and 50 levels, United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO), Data Assimilation Office (DAO), National Climatic Prediction Center (NCEP) and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, used in photochemical simulations of ozone destruction and interpretation of satellite data, are evaluated by comparison to this large (3500 data points) and homogeneous experimental data set. Most of models, except ECMWF31 in 1999, do show a smal1 average warm bias of between 0 and 1.6 K, with deviations particularly large, up to 20 K at high altitude (5hPa) in stratospheric warming conditions in 1999. Particularly wrong was ECMWF 31 levels near its top level at 10 hPa in 1999 where temperature 25 K colder than the real atmosphere were reported. The average dispersion between models and measurements varies from plus or minus 1.0 to plus or minus 3.0 K depending on the model and the year. It is shown to be the result of three contributions. The largest is a long wave modulation likely caused by the displacement of the temperature field in the analyses compared to real atmosphere. The second is the overestimation of the vertical gradient of temperature particularly in warming conditions, which explains the increase of dispersion from 1997 to 1999. Unexpectedly, the third and smallest (plus or minus 0.6-0.7 K) is the contribution of meso and subgrid scale vertical and horizontal features associated to the vertical propagation of orographic or gravity waves. Compared to other models, the newly available ECMWF 50 levels version assimilating the high vertical resolution radiances of the space borne Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit, performs significantly better (0.03 plus or minus 1.12 K on average between 10 and 140 hPa in 1999) than other models.

Pommereau, J.-P.↗

Testing quantum gravity using pulsed optomechanical systems

An interesting idea, dating back to Feynman [Report from Chapel Hill Conference, edited by C. M. DeWitt and D. Rickles (1957)], argues that quantum mechanics may break down for large masses if one entertains the possibility that gravity can be “classical,” thereby leading to predictions different from conventional low-energy quantum gravity. Despite the technical difficulty in testing such deviations, a large number of experimental proposals have been put forward due to the high level of fundamental interest. Here, we consider the Schrödinger-Newton (SN) theory and the correlated worldline (CWL) theory, and show that they can be distinguished from conventional quantum mechanics, as well as each other, by performing pulsed optomechanics experiments. For CWL specifically we develop a framework resembling the commonly used “Heisenberg-picture” treatment of coupled oscillators, allowing one to perform simple calculations for such systems without delving into the deeper path-integral formalism. We find that discriminating between the theories will be very difficult until experimental control over low frequency quantum optomechanical systems is pushed much further. Furthermore, the predicted departures of SN and CWL from quantum mechanics occur at the same scale, so both alternative models could in principle be probed by a single experiment.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Identifying High Ionic Conductivity Compositions of Ionic Liquid Electrolytes Using Features of the Solvation Environment

Binary mixtures of ionic liquids with molecular solvents are gaining interest in electrochemical applications due to the improvement in their performance over neat ionic liquids. Dilution with suitable molecular solvents can reduce the viscosity and facilitate faster diffusion of ions, thereby yielding substantially higher ionic conductivity than that for a pure ionic liquid. Although viscosity and diffusion coefficients typically behave as monotonic functions of concentration, ionic conductivity often passes through a peak value at an optimum molar ratio of the molecular solvent to the ionic liquid. The ionic conductivity maximum is generally explained in terms of a balance between the ease of charge transport and the concentration of the charge carriers. In this work, fluctuation in the local environment surrounding an ion is invoked as a plausible explanation for the ionic conductivity mechanism with a binary mixture of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and ethylene glycol as an example. The magnitude of the dynamism in the local environment is captured by measuring the spatial and temporal features of the solvation environment. Standard deviation in the number of ions in the solvation environment serves as a spatial feature, while the cage correlation lifetimes for oppositely charged ions within the first solvation shell serve as a temporal feature. Large standard deviations in the cluster ion population and short cage correlation lifetimes are indicators of highly dynamic ionic environment at the molecular level and consequently yield high ionic conductivity. Such compositions were found to be in good agreement with the optimum ionic liquid mole fractions obtained through experimental measurement. Short cage correlation lifetimes enable the identification of optimum mixture compositions using simulation trajectories significantly shorter than those required to implement the Nernst–Einstein or Einstein formalisms for calculating ionic conductivity. We validated the applicability of this approach across force fields and in six ionic liquid-molecular solvent electrolytes formed with combination of cations, anions, and solvents. We offer a computationally efficient approach of screening ionic liquid-molecular solvent binary mixture electrolytes to identify molar ratios that yield high ionic conductivity.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Galaxy distances and deviations from the Hubble flow - Summary remarks

A summary is presented of the issues addressed by the papers delivered at this conference. Papers addressing classical cosmological topics, including the distances to nearby objects, the intermediate scale distance determination, the local peculiar velocity, the local Hubble constant and other age parameters, and the density parameter from Virgo infall are reviewed. Papers discussing new cosmological developments, including large-scale inhomogeneities, large-scale deviations from Hubble flow, and the origin of the velocity and density inhomogeneities are briefly summarized. Prospects for the next 10 years are examined.

Ostriker, Jeremiah P.↗

SU-E-T-401: Evaluation of TG-43 Dose Calculation Accuracy for SAVI-Based Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) Via Monte Carlo Simulations

Purpose: The current standard TG-43 dose calculation method for SAVI-based Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) assumes an ideal geometry of infinite homogeneous water. However, in SAVI treatments, the air cavity inside the device and the short source-to-skin distance raise concerns about the dose accuracy of the TG-43 method. This study is to evaluate TG-43 dose calculation accuracy in SAVI treatments using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Methods: We recalculated the dose distributions of 15 APBI patients treated with SAVI devices, including five cases with a size of 6–1, five with 8−1 and five with 10−1, using our in-house developed fast MC dose package for HDR brachytherapy (gBMC). A phase-space file was used to model the Ir-192 HDR source. For each case, the patient CT was converted into a voxelized phantom and the dwell positions and times were extracted from treatment plans for MC dose calculations. Clinically relevant dosimetric parameters of the recalculated dose were compared to those computed via the TG-43 approach. Results: A systematic overestimation of doses was found for the 15 cases in TG-43 results, with D90, V150, and V200 for PTV-eval 2.8±1.8%, 2.0±2.2%, and 1.8±3.5% higher than MC results. TG-43 also overestimated the dose to skin with the maximum dose 4.4±8.4% higher on average. The relatively large standard deviation seen in the difference of maximum skin dose is partially ascribed to the statistical uncertainty of MC simulations when computing the maximum dose. It took gBMC ∼1 minute to compute dose for a SAVI plan. Conclusion: The high efficiency of our gBMC package facilitated the studies with a relatively large number of cases. An overestimation of TG-43 doses was found when using this MC package to recompute doses in SAVI cases. Clinical utilization of TG-43 dose calculation method in this scenario should be aware of this fact.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Investigation of the Short-Time Variability of Tropical Tropospheric Ozone

Since 1998, a ground based tropospheric ozone lidar has been running at Reunion Island and has been involved with a daily measurement campaign that was performed in the latter part of the biomass burning season, during November-December 1999. The averaged ozone profile obtained during November-December 1 999 agrees well with averaged ozone profile obtained from ozonesondes launch at Reunion during November-December (1992- 2001). Comparing weekly sonde launches (part of the Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes: SHADOZ program) with the daily ground-based lidar observations shows that some striking features of the day to day variability profiles are not observed in the sonde measurements. Ozone profiles respond to the nature of disturbances which vary from the one day to the next. The vertical ozone distribution at Reunion is examined as a function of prevailing atmospheric circulation. Backtrajectories show that most of the enhanced ozone crossed over biomass burning and convectively active regions in Madagascar and the southern African continent. The analyses of the meteorological data show that ozone stratification profiles are in agreement with the movement of the synoptical situations in November-December 1999. Three different sequences of transport are explained using wind fields. The first sequence from 23 to 25 November is characterized by Northerly transport, the second sequence from 26 to 30 November, the air masses are influenced by meridional transport. The third sequence from 2 to 6 December is characterized by westerly transport associated with the subtropical jet stream. The large standard deviations of lidar profiles in the middle and upper troposphere are in agreement with the upper wind variabilities which evidence passing ridge and trough disturbances. During the transition period between the dry season and the wet season, multiple ozone sources including stratosphere-troposphere exchanges, convection and biomass burning contribute to tropospheric ozone at Reunion Island through sporadic events characterized by a large spatial and temporal variability.

Randriambelo, Tantely↗

Payload and General Support Computer (PGSC) Detailed Test Objective (DTO) number 795 postflight report: STS-41

Since 1983, the Space Transportation System (STS) had routinely flown the GRiD 1139 (80286) laptop computer as a portable onboard computing resource. In the spring of 1988, the GRiD 1530, an 80386 based machine, was chosen to replace the GRiD 1139. Human factors ground evaluations and detailed test objectives (DTO) examined the usability of the available display types under different lighting conditions and various angle deviations. All proved unsuitable due to either flight qualification of usability problems. In 1990, an Electroluminescent (EL) display for the GRiD 1530 became flight qualified and another DTO was undertaken to examine this display on-orbit. Under conditions of indirect sunlight and low ambient light, the readability of the text and graphics was only limited by the observer's distance from the display. Although a problem of direct sunlight viewing still existed, there were no problems with large angular deviations nor dark adaptation. No further evaluations were deemed necessary. The GRiD 1530 with the EL display was accepted by the STS program as the new standard for the PGSC.

Adolf, Jurine A.↗

Spin and charge density waves in quasi-one-dimensional KMn 6 Bi 5

The recent observation that pressure could suppress antiferromagnetic (AFM) order in quasi-one-dimensional AMn 6 Bi 5 Mn-cluster chain materials (A=Na, K, Rb, and Cs) and lead to a superconducting dome offers an alternative Mn-based class of materials with which to study unconventional superconductivity. Using neutron diffraction, we elucidate the exact nature of the previously unknown AFM ground state of KMn 6 Bi 5 and report finding transverse incommensurate spin density waves (SDWs) for the Mn atoms with a propagating direction along the chains. The SDWs have distinct refined amplitudes of ~2.46μ B for the Mn atoms in the pentagons and ~0.29μ B with a large standard deviation for Mn atoms at the center between the pentagons. AFM coupling dominates both the nearest-neighbor Mn-Mn interactions within the pentagon and next-nearest-neighbor Mn-Mn interactions out of the pentagon (along the propagating wave). The SDWs exhibit both local and itinerant characteristics potentially due to cooperative interactions between local magnetic exchange and conduction electrons. Single crystal x-ray diffraction below the AFM transition revealed satellite peaks originating from charge density waves along the chain direction with a q vector twice as large as that of the SDW, pointing to a strong real space coupling between them. Additionally, we report a significant magnetoelastic effect during the AFM transition, especially along the chain direction, observed in temperature-dependent x-ray powder diffraction. Our work not only reveals fascinating intertwined spin, charge, and lattice orders in one-dimensional KMn 6 Bi 5 , but also provides an essential piece of information on its magnetic structure to understand the mechanism of superconductivity in this Mn-based family.

1-dimensional systems↗

Propagation of non-Gaussian voltage angle fluctuations in high-voltage power grids

Recent measurements have reported non-Gaussian tails in the distribution of frequency data in electric power grids. Large frequency deviations may induce grid instabilities and it is therefore crucial to understand how noise disturbances with long, non-Gaussian tails propagate. Here, we investigate how fluctuations in power feed-in, characterized by non-zero cumulants of their distribution, propagate through high-voltage power grids. Unlike previous investigations which focused on the white-noise limit, we consider the limit of long noise correlation time, where power feed-in fluctuates over times longer than the inherent dynamical time scales of the grid - the relevant regime for large-scale, high-voltage distribution grids. In this work, we show that in this limit, the skewness and kurtosis of the power feed-in distribution propagate similarly as its variance, independently of the distribution of inertia. Non-Gaussianities from individual sources of noise therefore persist throughout the entire network. This finding is corroborated by numerical results on a realistic model of the synchronous grid of continental Europe.

42 ENGINEERING↗