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At least 703 records · Page 39
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Regional-Scale 3D Ground-Motion Simulations of M w 7 Earthquakes on the Hayward Fault, Northern California Resolving Frequencies 0–10 Hz and Including Site-Response Corrections

Large earthquake ground-motion simulations in 3D Earth models provide constraints on site-specific shaking intensities but have suffered from limited frequency resolution and ignored site response in soft soils. In this work we report new regional-scale 3D simulations for moment magnitude 7.0 scenario earthquakes on the Hayward Fault, northern California with SW4. Simulations resolved significantly broader band frequencies (0–10 Hz) than previous studies and represent the highest resolution simulations for any such earthquake to date. Seismic waves were excited by a kinematic rupture following Graves and Pitarka (2016) and obeyed wave propagation in a 3D Earth model with topography from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assuming a minimum shear wavespeed, VSmin, of 500 m/s. We corrected motions for linear and nonlinear site response for the shear wavespeed, VS, from the USGS 3D model, using a recently developed ground-motion model (GMM) for Fourier amplitude spectra . At soft soil locations subjected to strong shaking, the site-corrected intensities reflect the competing effects of linear amplification by low V S material, reduction of stiffness during nonlinear deformation, and damping of high frequencies. Sites with near-surface V S of 500 m/s or greater require no linear site correction but can experience amplitude reduction due to nonlinear response. Averaged over all sites, we obtained reasonable agreement with empirical ergodic median GMMs currently used for seismic hazard and design ground motions (epsilon less than 1), with marked improvement at soft sedimentary sites. At specific locations, the simulated shaking intensities show systematic differences from the GMMs that reveal path and site effects not captured in these ergodic models. Results suggest how next generation regional-scale earthquake simulations can provide higher spatial and frequency resolution while including effects of soft soils that are commonly ignored in scenario earthquake ground-motion simulations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Vertical air motions over the Tropical Western Pacific for validating cloud resolving and regional models

The objective of this project was to estimate the vertical air motion using Doppler velocity spectra from two side-by-side vertically pointing radars. The retrieval technique was applied to two different sets of radars. This first set was 50- and 920-MHz vertically pointing radars near Darwin, Australia. The second set was 449-MHz and 2.8-GHz vertically pointing radars deployed at SGP for MC3E. The retrieval technique uses the longer wavelength radar (50 or 449 MHz) to observe both the vertical air motion and precipitation motion while the shorter wavelength radar (920 MHz or 2.8 GHz) observes just the precipitation motion. By analyzing their Doppler velocity spectra, the precipitation signal in the 920 MHz or 2.8 GHz radar is used to mask-out the precipitation signal in the 50 or 449 MHz radar spectra, leaving just the vertical air motion signal.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Investigation of Needle Motion Profile Effect on Diesel Spray in Near-Nozzle Field

A variety of needle-motion profiles are used in diesel injectors. However, it is unclear what the underlying mechanism is to determine the needle-motion profiles and how they affect the spray dynamics. It has been of significant interest to examine how the spray dynamics will change if only altering the needle valve opening speed or closing speed while all other parameters are kept the same. The different needle-motion profiles were obtained using a piezo nozzle (Nozzle #P) and a solenoid nozzle (Nozzle #S), which have identical nozzle geometry. By utilizing the X-ray imaging technique, it was observed that the average needle valve speed of Nozzle #P was 51% higher at the opening stage but 17% lower at the closing stage than Nozzle #S. When the needle valve lift is low (approximately 200 μm), the needle valve opening speed has a crucial effect on spray dynamics. The faster needle valve opening of Nozzle #P results in a 42% larger spray spreading angle and 34% lower spray velocity at the downstream field. The spray dynamics may be controllable by properly designing the needle-motion profiles in the scenarios of the low needle lifts. However, when the needle valve is sufficiently open (approximately over 200 μm), almost identical spray characteristics were observed regardless of the needle-motion profiles.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Proper Motion of Pyxis: The First Use of Adaptive Optics in Tandem with HST on a Faint Halo Object

We present a proper motion measurement for the halo globular cluster Pyxis, using Hubble Space Telescope/ACS data as the first epoch and GeMS/GSAOI Adaptive Optics data as the second, separated by a baseline of ∼5 years. This is both the first measurement of the proper motion of Pyxis and the first calibration and use of Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics data to measure an absolute proper motion for a faint, distant halo object. Consequently, we present our analysis of the Adaptive Optics data in detail. We obtain a proper motion of μ{sub α} cos (δ) = 1.09 ± 0.31 mas yr{sup −1} and μ {sub δ} = 0.68 ± 0.29 mas yr{sup −1}. From the proper motion and line-of-sight velocity, we find that the orbit of Pyxis is rather eccentric, with its apocenter at more than 100 kpc and its pericenter at about 30 kpc. We also investigate two literature-proposed associations for Pyxis with the recently discovered ATLAS stream and the Magellanic system. Combining our measurements with dynamical modeling and cosmological numerical simulations, we find it unlikely Pyxis is associated with either system. We examine other Milky Way satellites for possible association using the orbit, eccentricity, metallicity, and age as constraints and find no likely matches in satellites down to the mass of Leo II. We propose that Pyxis probably originated in an unknown galaxy, which today is fully disrupted. Assuming that Pyxis is bound and not on a first approach, we derive a 68% lower limit on the mass of the Milky Way of 0.95 × 10{sup 12} M {sub ⊙}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2003

Human discrimination of visual direction of motion with and without smooth pursuit eye movements

It has long been known that ocular pursuit of a moving target has a major influence on its perceived speed (Aubert, 1886; Fleischl, 1882). However, little is known about the effect of smooth pursuit on the perception of target direction. Here we compare the precision of human visual-direction judgments under two oculomotor conditions (pursuit vs. fixation). We also examine the impact of stimulus duration (200 ms vs. ~800 ms) and absolute direction (cardinal vs. oblique). Our main finding is that direction discrimination thresholds in the fixation and pursuit conditions are indistinguishable. Furthermore, the two oculomotor conditions showed oblique effects of similar magnitudes. These data suggest that the neural direction signals supporting perception are the same with or without pursuit, despite remarkably different retinal stimulation. During fixation, the stimulus information is restricted to large, purely peripheral retinal motion, while during steady-state pursuit, the stimulus information consists of small, unreliable foveal retinal motion and a large efference-copy signal. A parsimonious explanation of our findings is that the signal limiting the precision of direction judgments is a neural estimate of target motion in head-centered (or world-centered) coordinates (i.e., a combined retinal and eye motion signal) as found in the medial superior temporal area (MST), and not simply an estimate of retinal motion as found in the middle temporal area (MT).

Saccades/physiology↗
NASA NTRS2002

Predicting motion sickness during parabolic flight

BACKGROUND: There are large individual differences in susceptibility to motion sickness. Attempts to predict who will become motion sick have had limited success. In the present study, we examined gender differences in resting levels of salivary amylase and total protein, cardiac interbeat intervals (R-R intervals), and a sympathovagal index and evaluated their potential to correctly classify individuals into two motion sickness severity groups. METHODS: Sixteen subjects (10 men and 6 women) flew four sets of 10 parabolas aboard NASA's KC-135 aircraft. Saliva samples for amylase and total protein were collected preflight on the day of the flight and motion sickness symptoms were recorded during each parabola. Cardiovascular parameters were collected in the supine position 1-5 days before the flight. RESULTS: There were no significant gender differences in sickness severity or any of the other variables mentioned above. Discriminant analysis using salivary amylase, R-R intervals and the sympathovagal index produced a significant Wilks' lambda coefficient of 0.36, p=0.006. The analysis correctly classified 87% of the subjects into the none-mild sickness or the moderate-severe sickness group. CONCLUSIONS: The linear combination of resting levels of salivary amylase, high-frequency R-R interval levels, and a sympathovagal index may be useful in predicting motion sickness severity.

manned↗
NASA NTRS1992

Comparison of treatment strategies for Space Motion Sickness

Treatment strategies for Space Motion Sickness were compared using the results of postflight oral debriefings. Standardized questionnaires were administered to all crewmembers immediately following Space Shuttle flights by NASA flight surgeons. Cases of Space Motion Sickness were graded as mild, moderate or severe based on published criteria, and medication effectiveness was judged based on subjective reports of symptom relief. Since October 1989, medication effectiveness is reported inflight through Private Medical Conferences with the crew. A symptom matrix was analyzed for 19 crewmembers treated with an oral combination of scopolamine and dextroamphetamine (scopdex) and 15 crewmembers treated with promethazine delivered by intramuscular (IM) or suppository routes. Scopdex has been given preflight as prophaxis for Space Motion Sickness but analysis showed delayed symptom presentation in 9 crewmembers or failed to prevent symptoms in 7. Only three crewmembers who took scopdex had no symptoms inflight. Fourteen out of 15 crewmembers treated with IM promethazine and 6 of 8 treated with promethazine suppositories after symptom development had immediate (within 12 h) symptom relief and required no additional medication. There were no cases of delayed symptom presentation in the crewmembers treated with promethazine. This response is in contrast to untreated crewmembers who typically have slow symptom resolution over 72-96 h. We conclude that promethazine is an effective treatment of Space Motion Sickness symptoms inflight. NASA policy currently recommends treating crewmembers with Space Motion Sickness after symptom development, and no longer recommends prophylaxis with scopdex due to delayed symptom development and apparent variable absorption of oral medications during early flight days.

STS Shuttle Project↗
NASA NTRS1999

Speed tuning of motion segmentation and discrimination

Motion transparency requires that the visual system distinguish different motion vectors and selectively integrate similar motion vectors over space into the perception of multiple surfaces moving through or over each other. Using large-field (7 degrees x 7 degrees) displays containing two populations of random-dots moving in the same (horizontal) direction but at different speeds, we examined speed-based segmentation by measuring the speed difference above which observers can perceive two moving surfaces. We systematically investigated this 'speed-segmentation' threshold as a function of speed and stimulus duration, and found that it increases sharply for speeds above approximately 8 degrees/s. In addition, speed-segmentation thresholds decrease with stimulus duration out to approximately 200 ms. In contrast, under matched conditions, speed-discrimination thresholds stay low at least out to 16 degrees/s and decrease with increasing stimulus duration at a faster rate than for speed segmentation. Thus, motion segmentation and motion discrimination exhibit different speed selectivity and different temporal integration characteristics. Results are discussed in terms of the speed preferences of different neuronal populations within the primate visual cortex.

NASA Center ARC↗
NASA NTRS1998

Human heart rate variability relation is unchanged during motion sickness

In a study of 18 human subjects, we applied a new technique, estimation of the transfer function between instantaneous lung volume (ILV) and instantaneous heart rate (HR), to assess autonomic activity during motion sickness. Two control recordings of ILV and electrocardiogram (ECG) were made prior to the development of motion sickness. During the first, subjects were seated motionless, and during the second they were seated rotating sinusoidally about an earth vertical axis. Subjects then wore prism goggles that reverse the left-right visual field and performed manual tasks until they developed moderate motion sickness. Finally, ILV and ECG were recorded while subjects maintained a relatively constant level of sickness by intermittent eye closure during rotation with the goggles. Based on analyses of ILV to HR transfer functions from the three conditions, we were unable to demonstrate a change in autonomic control of heart rate due to rotation alone or due to motion sickness. These findings do not support the notion that moderate motion sickness is manifested as a generalized autonomic response.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
NASA NTRS1992

Effects of eating on vection-induced motion sickness, cardiac vagal tone, and gastric myoelectric activity

This study investigated the effect of food ingestion on motion sickness severity and its physiological mechanisms. Forty-six fasted subjects were assigned either to a meal group or to a no-meal group. Electrogastrographic (EGG) indices (normal 3 cpm activity and abnormal 4-9 cpm tachyarrhythmia) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were measured before and after a meal and during a subsequent exposure to a rotating drum in which illusory self-motion was induced. The results indicated that food intake enhanced cardiac parasympathetic tone (RSA) and increased gastric 3 cpm activity. Postprandial effects on motion sickness severity remain equivocal due to group differences in RSA baseline levels. During drum rotation, dysrhythmic activity of the stomach (tachyarrhythmia) and vagal withdrawal were observed. Furthermore, high levels of vagal tone prior to drum rotation predicted a low incidence of motion sickness symptoms, and were associated positively with gastric 3 cpm activity and negatively with tachyarrhythmia. These data suggest that enhanced levels of parasympathetic activity can alleviate motion sickness symptoms by suppressing, in part, its dysrhythmic gastric underpinnings.

NASA Discipline Neuroscience↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NESC GN&C TDT Workshop on 2D Image Motion Optical Transfer Functions, Pointing Performance Analysis, and Requirements

What You Will Learn: The focus is on payload imaging performance due to pointing motion. Some historical background on pointing performance analysis is given. The Optical Transfer Function (OTF) and Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) are defined. The imaging performance due to pointing motion is measured by image motion optical transfer functions (IM OTF). IM OTFs are defined for displacement, smear, and jitter motions, which are all rigorously defined. Deterministic and Statistical IM OTFs are briefly derived and graphically illustrated and compared. The IM OTFs are parameterized by pointing error metrics(PEM), which are means and covariances of displacement, smear, and jitter. Emphasis is on procedures and algorithms to evaluate the image motion optical transfer functions and pointing error metrics. Three procedures are covered, which depend on whether the pointing error data is from time-domain simulation, frequency-domain analysis, or stochastic modeling. A method to evaluate the relative contribution of disturbance sources and to identify the most significant contributors is presented. The presentation includes pertinent discussion of flexible structures and control-structure interaction. No single book can adequately cover this subject, so a book is not required for the course. A list of selected articles, reports, documents, and books is provided for reference and further study. Mathis kept to the minimum necessary to convey principles; lengthy derivations are left to the reference material. Graphics are used to illustrate concepts. As with any such learning endeavor, the knowledge gained will be retained and strengthened through actual practice.c©2019–2021 Mark E. Pittelkau— 5

NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC)↗
NASA NTRS1984

What you thought you knew about motion sickness isn't necessarily so

Motion sickness symptoms, stimuli, and drug therapy are discussed. Autogenic feedback training (AFT) methods of preventing motion sickness are explained. Research with AFT indicates that participants who had AFT could withstand longer periods of Coriolis acceleration, participants with high or low susceptibility to motion sickness could control their symptoms with AFT, AFT for Coriolis acceleration is transferable to other motion sickness stimuli, and most people can learn AFT, though with varying rates of learning.

Autogenic Training↗
DOE OSTI2016

Coherent motions and time scales that control heat and mass transfer at wind-swept water surfaces

Forecast of the heat and chemical budgets of lakes, rivers, and oceans requires improved predictive understanding of air-water interfacial transfer coefficients. Here in this paper we present laboratory observations of the coherent motions that occupy the air-water interface at wind speeds (U 10 ) 1.1–8.9 m/s. Spatiotemporal near-surface velocity data and interfacial renewal data are made available by a novel flow tracer method. The relative activity, velocity scales, and time scales of the various coherent interfacial motions are measured, namely for Langmuir circulations, streamwise streaks, nonbreaking wind waves, parasitic capillary waves, nonturbulent breaking wind waves, and turbulence-generating breaking wind waves. Breaking waves exhibit a sudden jump in streamwise interfacial velocity wherein the velocity jumps up to exceed the wave celerity and destroys nearby parasitic capillary waves. Four distinct hydrodynamic regimes are found to exist between U 10 =0 and 8.9 m/s, each with a unique population balance of the various coherent motions. The velocity scales, time scales, and population balance of the different coherent motions are input to a first-principles gas transfer model to explain the waterside transfer coefficient (k w ) as well as experimental patterns of temperature and gas concentration. The model mixes concepts from surface renewal and divergence theories and requires surface divergence strength (β), the Lagrangian residence time inside the upwelling zone (t Lu ), and the total lifetime of new interface before it is downwelled (t LT ). The model’s output agrees with time-averaged measurements k w , patterns of temperature in infrared photographs, and spatial patterns of gas concentration and k w from direct numerical simulations. Finally, several nondimensional parameters, e.g. βt Lu and τ s t LT where ss is the interfacial shear rate, determine the effectiveness of a particular type of coherent motion for affecting k w .

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2017

Pivotal role of hMT+ in long‐range disambiguation of interhemispheric bistable surface motion

Abstract It remains an open question whether long‐range disambiguation of ambiguous surface motion can be achieved in early visual cortex or instead in higher level regions, which concerns object/surface segmentation/integration mechanisms. We used a bistable moving stimulus that can be perceived as a pattern comprehending both visual hemi‐fields moving coherently downward or as two widely segregated nonoverlapping component objects (in each visual hemi‐field) moving separately inward. This paradigm requires long‐range integration across the vertical meridian leading to interhemispheric binding. Our fMRI study ( n = 30) revealed a close relation between activity in hMT+ and perceptual switches involving interhemispheric segregation/integration of motion signals, crucially under nonlocal conditions where components do not overlap and belong to distinct hemispheres. Higher signal changes were found in hMT+ in response to spatially segregated component (incoherent) percepts than to pattern (coherent) percepts. This did not occur in early visual cortex, unlike apparent motion, which does not entail surface segmentation. We also identified a role for top–down mechanisms in state transitions. Deconvolution analysis of switch‐related changes revealed prefrontal, insula, and cingulate areas, with the right superior parietal lobule (SPL) being particularly involved. We observed that directed influences could emerge either from left or right hMT+ during bistable motion integration/segregation. SPL also exhibited significant directed functional connectivity with hMT+, during perceptual state maintenance (Granger causality analysis). Our results suggest that long‐range interhemispheric binding of ambiguous motion representations mainly reflect bottom–up processes from hMT+ during perceptual state maintenance. In contrast, state transitions maybe influenced by high‐level regions such as the SPL. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4882–4897, 2017 . © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Duarte, João Valente↗
DOE OSTI2013

Maximum Principle for General Controlled Systems Driven by Fractional Brownian Motions

We obtain a maximum principle for stochastic control problem of general controlled stochastic differential systems driven by fractional Brownian motions (of Hurst parameter H>1/2). This maximum principle specifies a system of equations that the optimal control must satisfy (necessary condition for the optimal control). This system of equations consists of a backward stochastic differential equation driven by both fractional Brownian motions and the corresponding underlying standard Brownian motions. In addition to this backward equation, the maximum principle also involves the Malliavin derivatives. Our approach is to use conditioning and Malliavin calculus. To arrive at our maximum principle we need to develop some new results of stochastic analysis of the controlled systems driven by fractional Brownian motions via fractional calculus. Our approach of conditioning and Malliavin calculus is also applied to classical system driven by standard Brownian motions while the controller has only partial information. As a straightforward consequence, the classical maximum principle is also deduced in this more natural and simpler way.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Management of Respiratory Motion in Extracorporeal High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Treatment in Upper Abdominal Organs: Current Status and Perspectives

Extracorporeal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a minimally invasive therapy considered with increased interest for the ablation of small tumors in deeply located organs while sparing surrounding critical tissues. A multitude of preclinical and clinical studies have showed the feasibility of the method; however, concurrently they showed several obstacles, among which the management of respiratory motion of abdominal organs is at the forefront. The aim of this review is to describe the different methods that have been proposed for managing respiratory motion and to identify their advantages and weaknesses. First, we specify the characteristics of respiratory motion for the liver, kidneys, and pancreas and the problems it causes during HIFU planning, treatment, and monitoring. Second, we make an inventory of the preclinical and clinical approaches used to overcome the problem of organ motion. Third, we analyze their respective benefits and drawbacks to identify the remaining physical, technological, and clinical challenges. We thereby consider the outlook of motion compensation techniques and those that would be the most suitable for clinical use, particularly under magnetic resonance thermometry monitoring.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Motion of Solid Grains During Magnetic Field-Assisted Directional Solidification

In this paper, we report the visible evidence for thermoelectric magnetic forces (TEMFs) during magnetic field-assisted directional solidification, and their potential to control the motion of solid grains(dendrite fragments or equiaxed grains). These motions are observed by means of synchrotron X-ray radiography and compared with analytic calculations for a spherical particle’s motion driven only by TEMFs, which confirms that the observed solid grain motions are the combined result of the TEMFs and gravity. We also carried out corresponding 3D numerical simulations to validate the calculations and further prove our conclusion that TEMF acts on the solid grain and affects its motion trajectory.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Dynamic MRI Analysis of Tumor and Organ Motion During Rest and Deglutition and Margin Assessment for Radiotherapy of Head-and-Neck Cancer

Purpose: To quantify swallowing frequency and tumor and normal structure displacements during deglutition using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine planning target volume (PTV) margins to account for resting and deglutition-induced displacements in patients with head-and-neck cancer (HNC). Methods and Materials: Twenty-two patients with HNC were imaged in the treatment position using dynamic MRI. Sagittal images were acquired. Two-dimensional displacement was analyzed using contours of normal structures and GTV drawn for one swallowing event. Deglutition-induced displacements were quantified based on position change during deglutition relative to preswallow structure location for anterior (A), posterior (P), superior (S), and inferior (I) directions. Additional long-time MRI series were obtained from a subset of 11 patients while they were resting in order to determine swallowing frequency and duration. PTV margins to account for setup error, frequency and duration of deglutition, and resting and deglutition-induced GTV motion were calculated. Results: Mean maximum resting displacements ranged from 1.5 to 3.1 mm for combined GTV subsites. Mean maximum swallowing GTV displacement for combined subsites ranged from 4.0 to 11.6 mm. Swallowing was nonperiodic, with a frequency ranging from 0 to 19 swallows over 12.8 min and mean swallow duration of 3.5 s. Based on the average swallowing characteristics in this cohort, the average PTV margins to account for setup error and tumor motion are estimated to be 4.7 mm anteriorly, 4.2 mm posteriorly, 4.7 mm inferiorly, and 6.0 mm superiorly. Conclusions: The measurable mean maximum resting displacement for the GTV indicates that tumor motion occurs even when the patient is not swallowing. Nonuniform margins should be used as a standard PTV margin that accounts for setup error and tumor motion in radiotherapy of HNC unless adaptive radiotherapy with respect to intrafraction tumor motion is performed. The PTV margin can be individualized to a single patient's swallowing characteristics or calculated as an average based on the swallowing data from the cohort.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗