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At least 199 records · Page 11

Theoretical investigation of charge density wave instability in CuS 2

The existence of a charge density wave (CDW) in transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) CuS 2 has remained undetermined since its first experimental synthesis nearly 50 years ago. Despite conflicting experimental literature regarding its low-temperature structure, there exists no theoretical investigation of the phonon properties and lattice stability of this material. By studying the first-principles electronic structure and phonon properties of CuS 2 at various electronic temperatures, we identify temperature-sensitive soft phonon modes which unveil a previously unreported Kohn anomaly at approximately 100 K. Variation of the electronic temperature shows the presence of two distinct phases, characterized at low electronic temperature by a 2 × 2 × 2 periodic charge modulation associated with the motion of the S 2 dimers. We find this is driven by a slight orbital occupation imbalance of the copper d and sulfur p orbitals, reminiscent of the Jahn-Teller effect in finite systems. Investigation of the Fermi surface presents a potential Fermi surface nesting vector related to the location of the Kohn anomaly and observed band splittings in the unfolded band structure. The combination of these results suggests a strong possibility of CDW order in CuS 2 . Further study of CuS 2 in monolayer form finds no evidence of a CDW phase, as the identified bulk periodic distortions cannot be realized in two dimensions. This behavior sets this material apart from other transition-metal dichalcogenide materials, which exhibit a charge density wave phase down to the two-dimensional limit. As CDW in TMDC materials is considered to compete with superconductivity, the lack of a CDW in monolayer CuS 2 suggests the possibility of enhanced superconductivity relative to other transition-metal dichalcogenides. Altogether, our work identifies CuS 2 as a previously unrealized candidate to study the interplay of superconductivity, CDW order, and dimensionality.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Supercirculation effects induced by vectoring a partial-span rectangular jet

Thrust-induced supercirculation effects from thrust vectoring have indicated a potential for not only increasing maneuverability of fighter aircraft but also as a means of improving cruise performance. The current study investigated a partial-span rectangular jet-exhaust nozzle located at the wing trailing edge that acts similar to a jet flap by increasing lift due to supercirculation. This paper summarizes experimental studies including the effects of nozzle deflection angle, wing camber, and nozzle shape and exit location on lift, drag and load distributions. The results indicate that significant increases in thrust-induced lift along with substantial decreases in drag are possible.

Capone, F. J.↗

A review of thrust-vectoring schemes for fighter applications

This paper presents a review of thrust vectoring schemes for advanced fighter applications. Results are presented from wind tunnel and system integration studies on thrust vectoring nozzle concepts. Vectoring data are presented from wind tunnel tests of axisymmetric C-D (convergent-divergent) and nonaxisymmetric wedge, C-D, single ramp and USB (upper-surface blowing) nozzle concepts. Results from recent airframe/nozzle integration studies on the impact of thrust vectoring on weight, cooling and performance characteristics are discussed. This review indicates that the aircraft designer has, at his disposal, a wide range of thrust vectoring schemes which offer potential for added or improved aircraft capability.

Berrier, B. L.↗

Magnetic field configuration associated with solar gamma ray flares in June, 1991

The vector magnetic field configuration of the solar active region AR 6659 that produced very high levels of flare activity in Jun. 1991 is described. The morphology and evolution of the photospheric fields are described for the period 7-10 Jun., and the flares taking place around these dates and their locations relative to the photospheric fields are indicated. By comparing the observed vector field with the potential field calculated from the observed line-of-sight flux, we identify the nonpotential characteristics of the fields along the magnetic neutral lines where the flares were observed. These results are compared with those from the earlier study of gamma-ray flares.

Hagyard, M. J.↗

A FGGE water vapor wind data set

It has been recognized for some time that water vapor structure visible in infrared imagery offers a potential for obtaining motion vectors when several images are considered in sequence (Fischer et al., 1981). A study evaluating water vapor winds obtained from the VISSR atmospheric sounder (Stewart et al., 1985) has confirmed the viability of the approach. More recently, 20 data sets have been produced from METEOSAT water vapor imagery for the FGGE period of 10-25 November 1979. Where possible, two data sets were prepared for each day at 0000 and 1200 GMT and compared with rawinsondes over Europe, Africa, and aircraft observations over the oceans. Procedures for obtaining winds were, in general, similar to the earlier study. Motions were detected both by a single pixel tracking and a cross correlation method by using three images individually separated by one hour. A height assignment was determined by matching the measured brightness temperature to the temperature structure represented by the FGGE-IIIB analyses. Results show that the METEOSAT water vapor winds provide uniform horizontal coverage of mid-level flow over the globe with good accuracy.

Stewart, Tod R.↗

Application of Spaceborne Scatterometer to Study Typhoon, Tropical Hydrologic Balance and El Nino

The high spatial resolution and global coverage of a spaceborne microwave scatterometer make it a power instrument to study phenomena ranging from typhoon to El Nino Southern Oscillation which have regional and short term economic and ecological impacts as well as effects on long term and global climate changes. In this report, the application of scatterometer data, by itself, to study the intensity and the evolution of typhoon is demonstrated. The potential of combining wind vector and precipitable water derived from two spaceborne sensors to study the hydrologic balance in the tropics is discussed. The role of westerly wind bursts as a precursor of anomalous warming in the equatorial Pacific is investigated with coincident data from microwave scatterometer, altimeter and radiometer.

Liu, W. Timothy↗

Forecasting disease risk for increased epidemic preparedness in public health

Emerging infectious diseases pose a growing threat to human populations. Many of the world's epidemic diseases (particularly those transmitted by intermediate hosts) are known to be highly sensitive to long-term changes in climate and short-term fluctuations in the weather. The application of environmental data to the study of disease offers the capability to demonstrate vector-environment relationships and potentially forecast the risk of disease outbreaks or epidemics. Accurate disease forecasting models would markedly improve epidemic prevention and control capabilities. This chapter examines the potential for epidemic forecasting and discusses the issues associated with the development of global networks for surveillance and prediction. Existing global systems for epidemic preparedness focus on disease surveillance using either expert knowledge or statistical modelling of disease activity and thresholds to identify times and areas of risk. Predictive health information systems would use monitored environmental variables, linked to a disease system, to be observed and provide prior information of outbreaks. The components and varieties of forecasting systems are discussed with selected examples, along with issues relating to further development.

Disease Outbreaks↗

Data-constrained Solar Modeling with GX Simulator

To facilitate the study of solarflares and active regions, we have created a modeling framework, the freelydistributed GX Simulator IDL package, that combines 3D magnetic and plasma structures with thermal andnonthermal models of the chromosphere, transition region, and corona. Its object-based modular architecture,which runs on Windows, Mac, and Unix/Linux platforms, offers the ability to either import 3D density andtemperature distribution models, or to assign numerically defined coronal or chromospheric temperatures anddensities, or their distributions, to each individual voxel. GX Simulator can apply parametric heating modelsinvolving average properties of the magneticfield lines crossing a given voxel, as well as compute and investigatethe spatial and spectral properties of radio,(sub)millimeter, EUV, and X-ray emissions calculated from the model,and quantitatively compare them with observations. The package includes a fully automatic model productionpipeline that, based on minimal users input, downloads the required SDO/HMI vector magneticfield data,performs potential or nonlinear force-freefield extrapolations, populates the magneticfield skeleton withparameterized heated plasma coronal models that assume either steady-state or impulsive plasma heating, andgenerates non-LTE density and temperature distribution models of the chromosphere that are constrained byphotospheric measurements. The standardized models produced by this pipeline may be further customizedthrough specialized IDL scripts, or a set of interactive tools provided by the graphical user interface. Here, wedescribe the GX Simulator framework and its applications.

Solar active regions↗

Experimental Study of an Axisymmetric Dual Throat Fluidic Thrust Vectoring Nozzle for Supersonic Aircraft Application

An axisymmetric version of the Dual Throat Nozzle concept with a variable expansion ratio has been studied to determine the impacts on thrust vectoring and nozzle performance. The nozzle design, applicable to a supersonic aircraft, was guided using the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code, PAB3D. The axisymmetric Dual Throat Nozzle concept was tested statically in the Jet Exit Test Facility at the NASA Langley Research Center. The nozzle geometric design variables included circumferential span of injection, cavity length, cavity convergence angle, and nozzle expansion ratio for conditions corresponding to take-off and landing, mid climb and cruise. Internal nozzle performance and thrust vectoring performance was determined for nozzle pressure ratios up to 10 with secondary injection rates up to 10 percent of the primary flow rate. The 60 degree span of injection generally performed better than the 90 degree span of injection using an equivalent injection area and number of holes, in agreement with computational results. For injection rates less than 7 percent, thrust vector angle for the 60 degree span of injection was 1.5 to 2 degrees higher than the 90 degree span of injection. Decreasing cavity length improved thrust ratio and discharge coefficient, but decreased thrust vector angle and thrust vectoring efficiency. Increasing cavity convergence angle from 20 to 30 degrees increased thrust vector angle by 1 degree over the range of injection rates tested, but adversely affected system thrust ratio and discharge coefficient. The dual throat nozzle concept generated the best thrust vectoring performance with an expansion ratio of 1.0 (a cavity in between two equal minimum areas). The variable expansion ratio geometry did not provide the expected improvements in discharge coefficient and system thrust ratio throughout the flight envelope of typical a supersonic aircraft. At mid-climb and cruise conditions, the variable geometry design compromised thrust vector angle achieved, but some thrust vector control would be available, potentially for aircraft trim. The fixed area, expansion ratio of 1.0, Dual Throat Nozzle provided the best overall compromise for thrust vectoring and nozzle internal performance over the range of NPR tested compared to the variable geometry Dual Throat Nozzle.

Flamm, Jeffrey D.↗

Deletions at short direct repeats and base substitutions are characteristic mutations for bleomycin-induced double- and single-strand breaks, respectively, in a human shuttle vector system

Using the radiomimetic drug, bleomycin, we have determined the mutagenic potential of DNA strand breaks in the shuttle vector pZ189 in human fibroblasts. The bleomycin treatment conditions used produce strand breaks with 3'-phosphoglycolate termini as > 95% of the detectable dose-dependent lesions. Breaks with this end group represent 50% of the strand break damage produced by ionizing radiation. We report that such strand breaks are mutagenic lesions. The type of mutation produced is largely determined by the type of strand break on the plasmid (i.e. single versus double). Mutagenesis studies with purified DNA forms showed that nicked plasmids (i.e. those containing single-strand breaks) predominantly produce base substitutions, the majority of which are multiples, which presumably originate from error-prone polymerase activity at strand break sites. In contrast, repair of linear plasmids (i.e. those containing double-strand breaks) mainly results in deletions at short direct repeat sequences, indicating the involvement of illegitimate recombination. The data characterize the nature of mutations produced by single- and double-strand breaks in human cells, and suggests that deletions at direct repeats may be a 'signature' mutation for the processing of DNA double-strand breaks.

NASA Discipline Radiation Health↗

Controlling Malaria and Other Diseases Using Remote Sensing

Remote sensing offers the vantage of monitoring a vast area of the Earth continuously. Once developed and launched, a satellite gives years of service in collecting data from the land, the oceans, and the atmosphere. Since the 1980s, attempts have been made to relate disease occurrence with remotely sensed environmental and geophysical parameters, using data from Landsat, SPOT, AVHRR, and other satellites. With higher spatial resolution, the recent satellite sensors provide a new outlook for disease control. At sub-meter to I 10m resolution, surface types associated with disease carriers can be identified more accurately. The Ikonos panchromatic sensor with I m resolution, and the Advanced Land Imager with 1 Om resolution on the newly launched Earth Observing-1, both have displayed remarkable mapping capabilities. In addition, an entire array of geophysical parameters can now be measured or inferred from various satellites. Airborne remote sensing, with less concerns on instrument weight, size, and power consumption, also offers a low-cost alternative for regional applications. NASA/GSFC began to collaborate with the Mahidol University on malaria and filariasis control using remote sensing in late 2000. The objectives are: (1) To map the breeding sites for the major vector species; (2) To identify the potential sites for larvicide and insecticide applications; (3) To explore the linkage of vector population and transmission intensity to environmental variables; (4) To monitor the impact of climate change and human activities on vector population and transmission; and (5) To develop a predictive model for disease distribution. Field studies are being conducted in several provinces in Thailand. Data analyses will soon begin. Malaria data in South Korea are being used as surrogates for developing classification techniques. GIS has been shown to be invaluable in making the voluminous remote sensing data more readily understandable. It will be used throughout this study to clearly demonstrate the spatial relationship between the disease intensities, geophysical variables, and socioeconomic parameters. Asides from malaria and filariasis, application of remote sensing to the control of other diseases have been vigorously pursued by NASA's Environment and Health Initiative. The current program includes projects on Rift Valley fever, St. Louis encephalitis, dengue fever, ebola, African dust and diseases, meningitis, asthma, bartonellosis, cholera, and urban health concerns. Results from these projects indicate that remote sensing will play an increasingly important role in disease control in the future.

Kiang, Richard K.↗

Contribution of zonal harmonics to gravitational moment

It is presently demonstrated that a recursive vector-dyadic expression for the contribution of a zonal harmonic of degree n to the gravitational moment about a small body's center-of-mass is obtainable with a procedure that involves twice differentiating a celestial body's gravitational potential with respect to a vector. The recursive property proceeds from taking advantage of a recursion relation for Legendre polynomials which appear in the gravitational potential. The contribution of the zonal harmonic of degree 2 is consistent with the gravitational moment exerted by an oblate spheroid.

Roithmayr, Carlos M.↗

Damage detection in elastic structures using vibratory residual forces and weighted sensitivity

A methodology is presented for detecting structural damage in elastic structures by nondestructive means. Measured modal test data along with a correlated analytical structural model are used to locate potentially damaged regions using residual modal force vectors and to conduct a weighted sensitivity analysis to assess the extent of mass and/or stiffness variations, where damage is characterized as a stiffness reduction. The current approach is unique among other approaches in that it accounts for (1) variations in system mass, system stiffness, and mass center (locations), (2) perturbations of both the natural frequencies and modal vectors, and (3) statistical confidence factors for the structural parameters and potential experimental instrumentation error. Moreover, this procedure can be used with either full or reduced models. A wide variety of numerical examples are presented that show that the current method provides a precise indication of both the location and the extent of structural damage.

Ricles, J. M.↗

Path planning for assembly of strut-based structures

A path planning method with collision avoidance for a general single chain nonredundant or redundant robot is proposed. Joint range boundary overruns are also avoided. The result is a sequence of joint vectors which are passed to a trajectory planner. A potential field algorithm in joint space computes incremental joint vectors delta-q = delta-q(sub a) + delta-q(sub c) + delta-q(sub r). Adding delta-q to the robot's current joint vector leads to the next step in the path. Delta-q(sub a) is obtained by computing the minimum norm solution of the underdetermined linear system J delta-q(sub a) = x(sub a) where x(sub a) is a translational and rotational force vector that attracts the robot to its goal position and orientation. J is the manipulator Jacobian. Delta-q(sub c) is a collision avoidance term encompassing collisions between the robot (links and payload) and obstacles in the environment as well as collisions among links and payload of the robot themselves. It is obtained in joint space directly. Delta-q(sub r) is a function of the current joint vector and avoids joint range overruns. A higher level discrete search over candidate safe positions is used to provide alternatives in case the potential field algorithm encounters a local minimum and thus fails to reach the goal. The best first search algorithm A* is used for graph search. Symmetry properties of the payload and equivalent rotations are exploited to further enlarge the number of alternatives passed to the potential field algorithm.

Muenger, Rolf↗

The preloadable vector sensitive latch for orbital docking/berthing

The workings and function of the Preloader Vector Sensitive Latch are described. A discussion of docking systems used in the U.S. manned space flight programs is included to show how docking systems have evolved, and to highlight the potential advantages of a preloadable vector sensitive latch in such systems.

Acres, William R.↗

Elucidating the Dynamics of Electroweak Symmetry Breaking through Study of High-Multiplicity Boson Final States at the LHC

To understand the full story of the electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) and how the universe arrived at today’s universe, the structure of the Higgs potential needs to be probed. We must carefully select and study processes at the LHC that are sensitive to the Higgs potential. In this context, longitudinal vector boson scattering (VBS) processes, V L V L →V L V L , and di-Higgs production, including V L V L →HH at the LHC have been studied for any potential deviation from SM prediction. However, many classes of models beyond the Standard Model (BSM) may result in the 2→2 process being perfectly well-behaved and SM-like but show interesting deviations in 2→3, 2→4, or 2→n(3) processes. If we are to complete the mission objectives the P5 laid out, then a large swath of 2→n(3) must be thoroughly searched and checked. The research supported by this award used data collected at the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to explore VBS produced VVH process in the semi-merged channel. In addition, in the electroweak sector, there are open questions in the multi-gauge boson couplings and the Higgs couplings to the gauge bosons. The research supported by the award also studied the triboson production WWZ process at the LHC, which is a crossed diagram of a VBS process. During the funded period of 9 months, the analysis designs have been finalized.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Surveillance and Control of Malaria Transmission in Thailand using Remotely Sensed Meteorological and Environmental Parameters

These slides address the use of remote sensing in a public health application. Specifically, this discussion focuses on the of remote sensing to detect larval habitats to predict current and future endemicity and identify key factors that sustain or promote transmission of malaria in a targeted geographic area (Thailand). In the Malaria Modeling and Surveillance Project, which is part of the NASA Applied Sciences Public Health Applications Program, we have been developing techniques to enhance public health's decision capability for malaria risk assessments and controls. The main objectives are: 1) identification of the potential breeding sites for major vector species; 2) implementation of a risk algorithm to predict the occurrence of malaria and its transmission intensity; 3) implementation of a dynamic transmission model to identify the key factors that sustain or intensify malaria transmission. The potential benefits are: 1) increased warning time for public health organizations to respond to malaria outbreaks; 2) optimized utilization of pesticide and chemoprophylaxis; 3) reduced likelihood of pesticide and drug resistance; and 4) reduced damage to environment. !> Environmental parameters important to malaria transmission include temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, and vegetation conditions. The NASA Earth science data sets that have been used for malaria surveillance and risk assessment include AVHRR Pathfinder, TRMM, MODIS, NSIPP, and SIESIP. Textural-contextual classifications are used to identify small larval habitats. Neural network methods are used to model malaria cases as a function of the remotely sensed parameters. Hindcastings based on these environmental parameters have shown good agreement to epidemiological records. Discrete event simulations are used for modeling the detailed interactions among the vector life cycle, sporogonic cycle and human infection cycle, under the explicit influences of selected extrinsic and intrinsic factors. The output of the model includes the individual infection status and the quantities normally observed in field studies, such as mosquito biting rates, sporozoite infection rates, gametocyte prevalence and incidence. Results are in good agreement with mosquito vector and human malaria data acquired by Coleman et al. over 4.5 years in Kong Mong Tha, a remote village in western Thailand. Application of our models is not restricted to the Greater Mekong Subregion. Our models have been applied to malaria in Indonesia, Korea, and other regions in the world with similar success.

Kiang, Richard K.↗