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At least 1,063 records · Page 59

Optimizing Probability of Detection Point Estimate Demonstration

Probability of detection (POD) analysis is used in assessing reliably detectable flaw size in nondestructive evaluation (NDE). MIL-HDBK-18231and associated mh18232POD software gives most common methods of POD analysis. Real flaws such as cracks and crack-like flaws are desired to be detected using these NDE methods. A reliably detectable crack size is required for safe life analysis of fracture critical parts. The paper provides discussion on optimizing probability of detection (POD) demonstration experiments using Point Estimate Method. POD Point estimate method is used by NASA for qualifying special NDE procedures. The point estimate method uses binomial distribution for probability density. Normally, a set of 29 flaws of same size within some tolerance are used in the demonstration. The optimization is performed to provide acceptable value for probability of passing demonstration (PPD) and achieving acceptable value for probability of false (POF) calls while keeping the flaw sizes in the set as small as possible.

Koshti, Ajay M.↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-16529-DND

This work is reporting progress made for CERES GGEO LW improvement using Narrowband to Broadband radiance conversion algorithm and LW Angular Distribution Model (ADM) and normalization technique.

Moguo Sun↗

INTERFEROMETRIC OPTICAL SIGNATURE OF ELECTRON MICROBUNCHING IN LASER-DRIVEN PLASMA ACCELERATORS

We report observations of coherent optical transition radiation interferometry (COTRI) patterns generated by microbunched ~200-MeV electrons as they emerge from a laser-plasma accelerator. The divergence of the microbunched portion of electrons, deduced by comparison to an analytical COTRI model, is ~6x smaller than the ~3 mrad ensemble beam divergence, while the radius of the microbunched beam, obtained from COTR images on the same shot, is < 3 microns. The combined results show that the microbunched distribution has estimated transverse normalized emittance ~0.5 mm mrad.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

The distribution of emission-line galaxies in selected areas of the sky

The spatial distribution of emission-line galaxies (ELGs) relative to normal galaxies in several areas of the sky is discussed. Current evidence supports the notion that ELGs trace a low-density population in all the surveyed areas with the possible exception of the CfA 'Slice of the Universe' survey. Based on this and other survey data in the north galactic cap, it is suggested that the ELGs inside the Bootes void may actually define the edge of a totally empty volume within an underdense distribution of normal galaxies.

Moody, J. Ward↗

Detection of the fracture zone by the method of recurrence plot

Recurrence plots (RPs) and recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) characteristics for the normal component of the displacement vector upon excitation of a defect steel plate by a sound pulse are analyzed. Different cases of spatial distribution of defects (uniform and normal) are considered, and a difference in the RQA parameters in these cases is revealed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Line sources of instability waves in a Blasius boundary layer

Numerical solutions of the instability wave pattern behind a harmonic point source in a Blasius boundary layer are used to form line sources by superposition. For infinite-length spanwise line sources of constant amplitude and phase, the result is just the two-dimensional normal mode of the same frequency; for a sinusoidal amplitude or linear phase distribution, the result is an oblique normal mode of the same spanwise wavenumber. A finite-length spanwise source simulates a vibrating ribbon. In a study of the influence of the source length on the downstream amplitude, the effective field of view is found to have a half-angle of about 16 deg. If the source tips are within this field, the amplitude may be either greater than or less than the comparable normal-mode amplitude, depending on the distance from the source and the spanwise location. For an oblique line source, the downstream wave development at each spanwise location is found to be close to, but not identical with, that of an oblique normal mode which originates at the source with the initial wave angle of the source and satisfies the irrotationality condition on the wavenumber vector.

Mack, L. M.↗

QCD Theory and Transverse Momentum Dependent Physics

A major challenge for QCD theorists is to understand how to different categories of QCD physics contribute to a single observable. This is the goal of QCD factorization theory. Today, QCD physicists are tasked with describing increasingly detailed properties of transverse momentum dependent particle distributions, including their shapes and normalizations, their variation with energy and other kinematical variables, the identity of particles involved, correlations with spin, and the relationship between transverse momentum distributions in different processes. Embedded within that broad effort are specific fundamental questions at the heart of QCD theory. Namely, how does one give precise, quantitative meaning to quark and gluon concepts in hard scattering events, and what are the limits of those concepts? In the past two decades, there has been a renaissance in TMD QCD, with a broad spectrum of motivations driving the study of TMD observables. TMD QCD studies are in a transformative stage; subfields that traditionally progressed nearly independently of one other, such as hadronic structure studies and the study of perturbative QCD gluon radiation in high-energy collisions, are becoming intertwined. It is thus becoming increasingly clear that unified approaches -- those that incorporate all the relevant phenomena into a single formalism rooted in QCD fundamentals -- will be critical to the mission to expand the current understanding of QCD nuclear/hadronic dynamics. TMD QCD factorization theorems and their generalizations will be central to these efforts. The factorization theorems, in addition, provide the practical prescription for applying specific calculations to phenomenology. The goal of this project was to unify and push the boundaries of traditional TMD research and prepare it for use in future phenomenological applications.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Generalized Bayesian MARS: Tools for Stochastic Computer Model Emulation

The multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) approach of Friedman and its Bayesian counterpart are effective approaches for the emulation of computer models. The traditional assumption of Gaussian errors limits the usefulness of MARS, and many popular alternatives, when dealing with stochastic computer models. Here, we propose a generalized Bayesian MARS (GBMARS) framework which admits the broad class of generalized hyperbolic distributions as the induced likelihood function. This allows us to develop tools for the emulation of stochastic simulators which are parsimonious, scalable, and interpretable and require minimal tuning, while providing powerful predictive and uncertainty quantification capabilities. GBMARS is capable of robust regression with t distributions, quantile regression with asymmetric Laplace distributions, and a general form of “Normal-Wald” regression in which the shape of the error distribution and the structure of the mean function are learned simultaneously. We demonstrate the effectiveness of GBMARS on various stochastic computer models, and we show that it compares favorably to several popular alternatives.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Light quark Yukawa couplings from Higgs kinematics

We show that the normalized Higgs production p T and y h distributions are sensitive probes of Higgs couplings to light quarks. For up and/or down quark Yukawa couplings comparable to the SM b quark Yukawa the $\bar{u}u$ or $\bar{d}d$ fusion production of the Higgs could lead to appreciable softer p T distribution than in the SM. The rapidity distribution, on the other hand, becomes more forward. Here, we find that, owing partially to a downward fluctuation, one can derive competitive bounds on the two couplings using ATLAS measurements of normalized p T distribution at 8TeV. With 300 fb -1 at 13TeV LHC one could establish flavor non-universality of the Yukawa couplings in the down sector.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Simulation of flight maneuver-load distributions by utilizing stationary, non-Gaussian random load histories

Random numbers were generated with the aid of a digital computer and transformed such that the probability density function of a discrete random load history composed of these random numbers had one of the following non-Gaussian distributions: Poisson, binomial, log-normal, Weibull, and exponential. The resulting random load histories were analyzed to determine their peak statistics and were compared with cumulative peak maneuver-load distributions for fighter and transport aircraft in flight.

Leybold, H. A.↗

A positive correlation between energetic electron butterfly distributions and magnetosonic waves in the radiation belt slot region

Energetic (hundreds of keV) electrons in the radiation belt slot region have been found to exhibit the butterfly pitch angle distributions. Resonant interactions with magnetosonic and whistler-mode waves are two potential mechanisms for the formation of these peculiar distributions. Here we perform a statistical study of energetic electron pitch angle distribution characteristics measured by Van Allen Probes in the slot region during a three-year period from May 2013 to May 2016. Our results show that electron butterfly distributions are closely related to magnetosonic waves rather than to whistlermode waves. Both electron butterfly distributions and magnetosonic waves occur more frequently at the geomagnetically active times than at the quiet times. In a statistical sense, more distinct butterfly distributions usually correspond to magnetosonic waves with larger amplitudes and vice versa. The averaged magnetosonic wave amplitude is less than 5 pT in the case of normal and flat-top distributions with a butterfly index BI = 1 but reaches ~ 35–95 pT in the case of distinct butterfly distributions with BI > 1:3. For magnetosonic waves with amplitudes > 50 pT, the occurrence rate of butterfly distribution is above 80%. Our study suggests that energetic electron butterfly distributions in the slot region are primarily caused by magnetosonic waves.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

SU-E-T-454: Impact of Calculation Grid Size On Dosimetry and Radiobiological Parameters for Head and Neck IMRT

Purpose: IMRT has become standard of care for complex treatments to optimize dose to target and spare normal tissues. However, the impact of calculation grid size is not widely known especially dose distribution, tumor control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) which is investigated in this study. Methods: Ten head and neck IMRT patients treated with 6 MV photons were chosen for this study. Using Eclipse TPS, treatment plans were generated for different grid sizes in the range 1–5 mm for the same optimization criterion with specific dose-volume constraints. The dose volume histogram (DVH) was calculated for all IMRT plans and dosimetric data were compared. ICRU-83 dose points such as D2%, D50%, D98%, as well as the homogeneity and conformity indices (HI, CI) were calculated. In addition, TCP and NTCP were calculated from DVH data. Results: The PTV mean dose and TCP decreases with increasing grid size with an average decrease in mean dose by 2% and TCP by 3% respectively. Increasing grid size from 1–5 mm grid size, the average mean dose and NTCP for left parotid was increased by 6.0% and 8.0% respectively. Similar patterns were observed for other OARs such as cochlea, parotids and spinal cord. The HI increases up to 60% and CI decreases on average by 3.5% between 1 and 5 mm grid that resulted in decreased TCP and increased NTCP values. The number of points meeting the gamma criteria of ±3% dose difference and ±3mm DTA was higher with a 1 mm on average (97.2%) than with a 5 mm grid (91.3%). Conclusion: A smaller calculation grid provides superior dosimetry with improved TCP and reduced NTCP values. The effect is more pronounced for smaller OARs. Thus, the smallest possible grid size should be used for accurate dose calculation especially in H and N planning.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Comparison of Equivalence Ratio Transients on Combustion Instability in Single-Nozzle and Multi-Nozzle Combustors

Low-emissions gas turbine combustion, achieved through the use of lean, premixed fueling strategies, is susceptible to combustion instability. The driving mechanism for this instability arises from fluctuations of pressure, fuel/air flow rate, and heat release rate. If these fluctuations are relatively in-phase, the combustion system will evolve to a self-excited state. The self-excited instability frequency and amplitude depend mainly on the operating condition and the geometry of the combustor. In this study, we consider the onset and decay of self-excited instabilities, resulting from transients in fuel/air ratio, in both single-nozzle and multi-nozzle combustors. In particular, we examine the differences in the instability onset and decay processes between these two flame configurations, as most gas turbine combustors have multiple nozzles, but most gas turbine combustor experiments utilize a single-nozzle. A nonlinear logistic regression analysis is applied to study the timescales of the decay and onset transients. Variations in the equivalence ratio change the heat release rate distribution inside the combustor, which is captured using chemiluminescence imaging. The normalized Rayleigh index, which shows the spatial distribution of the instability driving, is calculated to analyze the driving strength in different regions of the flame. Comparisons between the single- and multi-nozzle flame transients, including both center and outer flames for the multi-nozzle combustor, suggest that both confinement from the wall and flame-flame interaction are crucial to determining flame dynamics as the equivalence ratio transient changes the heat release rate distribution near corner recirculation zone and flame shear layers.

Chen, Xiaoling↗

Comparison of equivalence ratio transients on combustion instability in single-nozzle and multi-nozzle combustors

Low-emissions gas turbine combustion, achieved through the use of lean, premixed fueling strategies, is susceptible to combustion instability. The driving mechanism for this instability arises from fluctuations of pressure, fuel/air flow rate, and heat release rate. If these fluctuations are relatively in-phase, the combustion system will evolve to a self-excited state. The self-excited instability frequency and amplitude depend mainly on the operating condition and the geometry of the combustor. In this study, we consider the onset and decay of self-excited instabilities, resulting from transients in fuel/air ratio, in both single-nozzle and multi-nozzle combustors. In particular, we examine the differences in the instability onset and decay processes between these two flame configurations, as most gas turbine combustors have multiple nozzles, but most gas turbine combustor experiments utilize a single-nozzle. A nonlinear logistic regression analysis is applied to study the timescales of the decay and onset transients. Variations in the equivalence ratio change the heat release rate distribution inside the combustor, which is captured using chemiluminescence imaging. The normalized Rayleigh index, which shows the spatial distribution of the instability driving, is calculated to analyze the driving strength in different regions of the flame. Comparisons between the single- and multi-nozzle flame transients, including both center and outer flames for the multi-nozzle combustor, suggest that both confinements from the wall and flame-flame interaction are crucial to determining flame dynamics as the equivalence ratio transient changes the heat release rate distribution near corner recirculation zone and flame shear layers.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Parametric Evaluation of SiC/SiC Composite Cladding with UO 2 Fuel for LWR Applications: Fuel Rod Interactions and Impact of Nonuniform Power Profile in Fuel Rod

SiC/SiC composites are candidates for accident tolerant fuel cladding in light water reactors. In the extreme nuclear reactor environment, SiC-based fuel cladding will be exposed to neutron damage, significant heat flux, and a corrosive environment. Here, to ensure reliable and safe operation of accident tolerant fuel cladding concepts such as SiC-based materials, it is important to assess thermo-mechanical performance under in-reactor conditions including irradiation and realistic temperature distributions. The effect of non-uniform dimensional changes caused by neutron irradiation with spatially varying temperatures, along with the closing of the fuel–cladding gap, on the stress development in the cladding over the course of irradiation were evaluated. The effect of non-uniform circumferential power profile in the fuel rod on the mechanical performance of the cladding is also evaluated. These analyses have been performed using the BISON fuel performance modeling code and the commercial finite element analysis code Abaqus. A constitutive model is constructed and solved numerically to predict the stress distribution in the cladding under normal operating conditions. The dependence of dimensions and thermophysical properties on irradiation dose and temperature has been incorporated into the models. Initial scoping results from parametric analyses provide time varying stress distributions in the cladding as well as the interaction of fuel rod with the cladding under different conditions of initial fuel rod-cladding gap and linear heat rate. It is found that a non-uniform circumferential power profile in the fuel rod may cause significant lateral bowing in the cladding, and motivates further analysis and evaluation.

Accident tolerant fuel↗

The Influence of Tip Shape on the Wing Load Distribution as Determined by Flight Tests

Pressure measurements were made in flight on the right upper wing of an M-3 airplane. The effects of tip plan form, washout, and transverse camber were investigated with eight tip forms in unyawed conditions through the range of positive lift coefficients from zero lift to the stall. The conclusion is that the tip plan form does not influence the span distribution of the coefficients of normal force and moment. It is shown inferentially that temperature, humidity, and the aging of the wood and fabric wing structure used on the M-3 airplane have an appreciable influence on the load distribution.

Rhode, Richard V↗

Mobility of the Two-Dimensional Electron Gas in DA-pHEMT Heterostructures with Various δ–n-Layer Profile Widths

The effect of the silicon-atom distribution profile in donor δ-layers of AlGaAs/InGaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures with donor–acceptor doping on the mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas is studied. The parameters of the δ-layer profiles are determined using the normal approximation of the spatial distributions of silicon atoms, measured by secondary-ion mass spectroscopy. It is shown that the standard deviation σ of the δ-layer profile can be reduced from 3.4 to 2.5 nm by the proper selection of growth conditions. Measurements of the magnetic-field dependences of the Hall effect and conductivity show that such a decrease in σ allowed an increase in the mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas in heterostructures by 4000 cm{sup 2}/(V s) at 77 K and 600 cm{sup 2}/(V s) at 300 K. The mobility calculation taking into account filling of the first two size-quantization subbands shows that an increase in the mobility is well explained by a reduction in the Coulomb scattering at ionized donors due to an increase in the effective thickness of the spacer layer with decreasing σ of the δ-layer profile.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Evaluation of Variable Facesheet Liner Configurations for Broadband Noise Reduction

This paper investigates the broadband noise reduction properties of a distributed (variable) facesheet liner. Candidate uniform samples are selected using the Wave Propagation Model and Two-Parameter Model developed at the NASA Langley Research Center. Three uniform and one distributed facesheet samples are tested in the Normal Incidence Tube (NIT) at NASA Langley. Initial results show that the distributed facesheet sample possesses broadband noise reduction properties. Acoustic impedances educed from these NIT tests are used as inputs into the Convected Helmholtz Equation (CHE) propagation code developed at NASA Langley to synthesize the acoustic pressure field in the Grazing Flow Impedance Tube (GFIT) with no flow. Three uniform, one distributed, as well as one three-zone liner, oriented in two different directions, are investigated. Preliminary results showed the distributed facesheet and three-zone liners exhibit broadband noise reduction properties.

M C Brown↗