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At least 1,063 records · Page 59

Search for H2D(+) at 372 GHz in dense interstellar clouds

The 1(10)-1(11) transition of ortho-H2D(+) at 372 GHz has been sought in several dark clouds. The transition was not detected; the best upper limits obtained are about 0.3 K (3 sigma). We derive upper limits for the ortho-H2D(+) column density and briefly discuss their meaning in comparison with a simple chemical model we have developed (Pagani et al., 1992).

Pagani, L.↗

Investigate wave-mean flow interaction and transport in the extratropical winter stratosphere

The grant supported studies using several models along with observations in order to investigate some questions of wave-mean flow interaction and transport in the extratropical winter stratosphere. A quasi-geostrophic wave model was used to investigate the possibility that resonant growth of planetary wave 2 may have played a role in the sudden stratospheric warming of February 1979. The results of the time-dependent integration support the interpretation of resonance during February, 1979. Because of the possibility that the model treatment of critical line interactions exerted a controlling influence on the atmospheric dynamics, a more accurate model was needed for wave-mean flow interaction studies. A new model was adapted from the 3-dimensional primitive equation model developed by K. Rose and G. Brasseur. In its present form the model is global, rather than hemispheric; it contains an infrared cooling algorithm and a parameterized solar heating; it has parameterized gravity wave drag; and the chemistry has been entirely revised.

Smith, Anne K.↗

Flow interaction experiment. Volume 1: Aerothermal modeling, phase 2

An experimental and computational study is reported for the flow of a turbulent jet discharging into a rectangular enclosure. The experimental configurations consisting of primary jets only, annular jets only, and a combination of annular and primary jets are investigated to provide a better understanding of the flow field in an annular combustor. A laser Doppler velocimeter is used to measure mean velocity and Reynolds stress components. Major features of the flow field include recirculation, primary and annular jet interaction, and high turbulence. A significant result from this study is the effect the primary jets have on the flow field. The primary jets are seen to create statistically larger recirculation zones and higher turbulence levels. In addition, a technique called marker nephelometry is used to provide mean concentration values in the model combustor. Computations are performed using three levels of turbulence closures, namely k-epsilon model, algebraic second moment (ASM), and differential second moment (DSM) closure. Two different numerical schemes are applied. One is the lower-order power-law differencing scheme (PLDS) and the other is the higher-order flux-spline differencing scheme (FSDS). A comparison is made of the performance of these schemes. The numerical results are compared with experimental data. For the cases considered in this study, the FSDS is more accurate than the PLDS. For a prescribed accuracy, the flux-spline scheme requires a far fewer number of grid points. Thus, it has the potential for providing a numerical error-free solution, especially for three-dimensional flows, without requiring an excessively fine grid. Although qualitatively good comparison with data was obtained, the deficiencies regarding the modeled dissipation rate (epsilon) equation, pressure-strain correlation model, and the inlet epsilon profile and other critical closure issues need to be resolved before one can achieve the degree of accuracy required to analytically design combustion systems.

Nikjooy, M.↗

Flow interaction experiment. Volume 2: Aerothermal modeling, phase 2

An experimental and computational study is reported for the flow of a turbulent jet discharging into a rectangular enclosure. The experimental configurations consisting of primary jets only, annular jets only, and a combination of annular and primary jets are investigated to provide a better understanding of the flow field in an annular combustor. A laser Doppler velocimeter is used to measure mean velocity and Reynolds stress components. Major features of the flow field include recirculation, primary and annular jet interaction, and high turbulence. A significant result from this study is the effect the primary jets have on the flow field. The primary jets are seen to create statistically larger recirculation zones and higher turbulence levels. In addition, a technique called marker nephelometry is used to provide mean concentration values in the model combustor. Computations are performed using three levels of turbulence closures, namely k-epsilon model, algebraic second moment (ASM), and differential second moment (DSM) closure. Two different numerical schemes are applied. One is the lower-order power-law differencing scheme (PLDS) and the other is the higher-order flux-spline differencing scheme (FSDS). A comparison is made of the performance of these schemes. The numerical results are compared with experimental data. For the cases considered in this study, the FSDS is more accurate than the PLDS. For a prescribed accuracy, the flux-spline scheme requires a far fewer number of grid points. Thus, it has the potential for providing a numerical error-free solution, especially for three-dimensional flows, without requiring an excessively fine grid. Although qualitatively good comparison with data was obtained, the deficiencies regarding the modeled dissipation rate (epsilon) equation, pressure-strain correlation model, and the inlet epsilon profile and other critical closure issues need to be resolved before one can achieve the degree of accuracy required to analytically design combustion systems.

Nikjooy, M.↗

The 27-28 October 1986 FIRE IFO Cirrus Case Study: Cirrus Parameter Relationships Derived from Satellite and Lidar Data

Cirrus cloud radiative and physical characteristics are determined using a combination of ground based, aircraft, and satellite measurements taken as part of the First ISCCP Region Experiment (FIRE) cirrus intensive field observations (IFO) during October and November 1986. Lidar backscatter data are used with rawinsonde data to define cloud base, center and top heights and the corresponding temperatures. Coincident GOES-4 4-km visible (0.65 micrometer) and 8-km infrared window (11.5 micrometer) radiances are analyzed to determine cloud emittances and reflectances. Infrared optical depth is computed from the emittance results. Visible optical depth is derived from reflectance using a theoretical ice crystal scattering model and an empirical bidirectional reflectance model. No clouds with visible optical depths greater than 5 or infrared optical depths less than 0.1 were used in the analysis. Average cloud thickness ranged from 0.5 km to 8.0 km for the 71 scenes. Mean vertical beam emittances derived from cloud-center temperatures were 062 for all scenes compared to 0.33 for the case study (27-28 October) reflecting the thinner clouds observed for the latter scenes. Relationships between cloud emittance , extinction coefficients, and temperature for the case study are very similar to those derived from earlier surface-based studies. The thicker clouds seen during the other IFO days yield different results. Emittances derived using cloud-top temperature wer ratioed to those determined from cloud-center temperature. A nearly linear relationship between these ratios and cloud-center temperature holds promise for determining actual cloud-top temperature and cloud thickness from visible and infrared radiance pairs. The mean ratio of the visible scattering optical depth to the infrared absorption optical depth was 2.13 for these data. This scattering efficiency ratio shows a significant dependence on cloud temperature. Values of mean scattering efficiency as high as 2.6 suggest the presence of small ice particles at temperatures below 230 K. the parameterization of visible reflectance in terms of cloud optical depth and clear sky reflectance shows promise as a simplified method for interpreting visible satellite data reflected from cirrus clouds. Large uncertainties in the optical parameters due to cloud reflectance anisotropy and shading were found by analyzing data for various solar zenith angles and for simultaneous advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) data. Inhomogeneities in the cloud fields result in uneven cloud shading that apparently causes the occurrence of anomalously dark, cloud pixels in the GOES data. These shading effects complicate the interpretation of the satellite data. The results highlight the need for additional study or cirrus cloud scattering processes and remote sensing techniques.

Minnis, Patrick↗

The 27-28 October 1986 FIRE IFO Cirrus Case Study: Cirrus Parameter Relationships Derived from Satellite and Lidar Data

Cirrus cloud radiative and physical characteristics are determined using a combination of ground-based, aircraft, and satellite measurements taken as part of the FIRE Cirrus Intensive Field Observations (IFO) during October and November 1986. Lidar backscatter data are used with rawinsonde data to define cloud base, center, and top heights and the corresponding temperatures. Coincident GOES 4-km visible (0.65 micro-m) and 8-km infrared window (11.5 micro-m) radiances are analyzed to determine cloud emittances and reflectances. Infrared optical depth is computed from the emittance results. Visible optical depth is derived from reflectance using a theoretical ice crystal scattering model and an empirical bidirectional reflectance model. No clouds with visible optical depths greater than 5 or infrared optical depths less than 0.1 were used in the analysis. Average cloud thickness ranged from 0.5 km to 8.0 km for the 71 scenes. Mean vertical beam emittances derived from cloud-center temperatures were 0.62 for all scenes compared to 0.33 for the case study (27-28 October) reflecting the thinner clouds observed for the latter scenes. Relationships between cloud emittance, extinction coefficients, and temperature for the case study are very similar to those derived from earlier surface- based studies. The thicker clouds seen during the other IFO days yield different results. Emittances derived using cloud-top temperature were ratioed to those determined from cloud-center temperature. A nearly linear relationship between these ratios and cloud-center temperature holds promise for determining actual cloud-top temperatures and cloud thicknesses from visible and infrared radiance pairs. The mean ratio of the visible scattering optical depth to the infrared absorption optical depth was 2.13 for these data. This scattering efficiency ratio shows a significant dependence on cloud temperature. Values of mean scattering efficiency as high as 2.6 suggest the presence of small ice particles at temperatures below 230 K. The parameterization of visible reflectance in terms of cloud optical depth and clear-sky reflectance shows promise as a simplified method for interpreting visible satellite data reflected from cirrus clouds. Large uncertainties in the optical parameters due to cloud reflectance anisotropy and shading were found by analyzing data for various solar zenith angles and for simultaneous AVHRR data. Inhomogeneities in the cloud fields result in uneven cloud shading that apparently causes the occurrence of anomalously dark, cloudy pixels in the GOES data. These shading effects complicate the interpretation of the satellite data. The results highlight the need for additional study of cirrus cloud scattering processes and remote sensing techniques.

Minnis, Patrick↗

Structured Course Objects in a Digital Library

We are developing an Undergraduate Digital Library Framework (UDLF) that will support creation/archiving of courses and reuse of existing course material to evolve courses. UDLF supports the publication of course materials for later instantiation for a specific offering and allows the addition of time-dependent and student-specific information and structures. Instructors and, depending on permissions, students can access the general course materials or the materials for a specific offering. We are building a reference implementation based on NCSTRL+, a digital library derived from NCSTRL. Digital objects in NCSTRL+ are called buckets, self-contained entities that carry their own methods for access and display. Current bucket implementations have a two level structure of packages and elements. This is not a rich enough structure for course objects in UDLF. Typically, courses can only be modeled as a multilevel hierarchy and among different courses, both the syntax and semantics of terms may vary. Therefore, we need a mechanism to define, within a particular library, course models, their constituent objects, and the associated semantics in a flexible, extensible way. In this paper, we describe our approach to define and implement these multilayered course objects. We use XML technology to emulate complex data structures within the NCSTRL+ buckets. We have developed authoring and browsing tools to manipulate these course objects. In our current implementation a user downloading an XML based course bucket also downloads the XML-aware tools: an applet that enables the user to edit or browse the bucket. We claim that XML provides an effective means to represent multi-level structure of a course bucket.

Maly, K.↗

Three-dimensional ballistocardiography and respiratory motion in sustained microgravity

BACKGROUND: We measured the three-dimensional ballistocardiogram (BCG) in a free-floating subject in sustained microgravity during spaceflight to test the usefulness of such measurements for future non-invasive monitoring of cardiac function, and to examine the effects of respiratory movement on the BCG in three axes. METHODS: Acceleration was measured using a three-axis accelerometer fastened to the lumbar region of the subject while simultaneous recordings of ECG, and respiratory motion via impedance plethysmography were also made. Data were recorded during a 146-s period of inactivity on the part of the subject during which time there was no contact with the spacecraft. RESULTS: Total body motion due to respiratory activity was consistent with that calculated from the known action of the diaphragm and conservation of momentum. The accelerations due to cardiac activity, ensemble averaged over the R-R interval, were greatest along the head-to-foot axis. Maximum amplitude of the HIJK complex of the BCG generated by ventricular ejection was greatest in the head to foot axis (approximately 70 x 10(-3) m x s(-2)), but there were also substantial accelerations along the dorsoventral axis of up to 43 10(-3) m x s(-2), that are not measured interrestrial two-dimensional studies. The amplitude of the BCG was strongly affected by lung volume, with accelerations being reduced 50 to 70% between end-inspiration and end-expiration. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a greatly reduced transmission of the cardiac motion to the body at end-expiration (FRC) than at higher lung volumes. The BCG might be further developed as a non-invasive means of monitoring parameters such as stroke volume in microgravity.

Flight Experiment↗

Assessment of metabolic bone diseases by quantitative computed tomography

Advances in the radiologic sciences have permitted the development of numerous noninvasive techniques for measuring the mineral content of bone, with varying degrees of precision, accuracy, and sensitivity. The techniques of standard radiography, radiogrammetry, photodensitometry, Compton scattering, neutron activation analysis, single and dual photon absorptiometry, and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) are described and reviewed in depth. Results from previous cross-sectional and longitudinal QCT investigations are given. They then describe a current investigation in which they studied 269 subjects, including 173 normal women, 34 patients with hyperparathyroidism, 24 patients with steroid-induced osteoporosis, and 38 men with idiopathic osteoporosis. Spinal quantitative computed tomography, radiogrammetry, and single photon absorptiometry were performed, and a spinal fracture index was calculated on all patients. The authors found a disproportionate loss of spinal trabecular mineral compared to appendicular mineral in the men with idiopathic osteoporosis and the patients with steroid-induced osteoporosis. They observed roughly equivalent mineral loss in both the appendicular and axial regions in the hyperparathyroid patients. The appendicular cortical measurements correlated moderately well with each other but less well with spinal trabecular QCT. The spinal fracture index correlated well with QCT and less well with the appendicular measurements. Knowledge of appendicular cortical mineral status is important in its own right but is not a valid predictor of axial trabecular mineral status, which may be disproportionately decreased in certain diseases. Quantitative CT provides a reliable means of assessing the latter region of the skeleton, correlates well with the spinal fracture index (a semiquantitative measurement of end-organ failure), and offers the clinician a sensitive means of following the effects of therapy.

Minerals/analysis↗

Microwave ice accretion meter

A system for indicating ice thickness and rate of ice thickness growth on surfaces is disclosed. The region to be monitored for ice accretion is provided with a resonant surface waveguide which is mounted flush, below the surface being monitored. A controlled oscillator provides microwave energy via a feed point at a controllable frequency. A detector is coupled to the surface waveguide and is responsive to electrical energy. A measuring device indicates the frequency deviation of the controlled oscillator from a quiescent frequency. A control means is provided to control the frequency of oscillation of the controlled oscillator. In a first, open-loop embodiment, the control means is a shaft operated by an operator. In a second, closed-loop embodiment, the control means is a processor which effects automatic control.

Magenheim, Bertram↗

Fiber optic accelerometer

An inexpensive, light weight fiber optic accelerometer to convert input mechanical motion (e.g. acceleration) into digitized optical output signals. The output of the accelerometer may be connected directly to data processing apparatus without the necessity of space consuming analog to digital interface means.

August, Rudolf R.↗

Mineralogy and Thermal Properties of V-Type Asteroid 956 Elisa: Evidence for Diogenitic Material from the Spitzer IRS (5-35 Micrometers) Spectrum

We present the thermal infrared (5-35 micrometer) spectrum of 956 Elisa as measured by the Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph ("IRS"; Houck,1.R. et .11. [20041. Astrophys, 1. SuppL 154, 18-24) together with new ground-based lightcurve data and near-IR spectra. From the visible lightcurve photometry, we determine a rotation period of 16.494 +/- 0.001 h, identify the rotational phase of the Spitzer observations, and estimate the visible absolute magnitude (Hv) at that rotational phase to be 12.58 +/- 0.04. From radiometric analysis of the thermal flux spectrum, we find that at the time of observation 956 Elisa had a projected radius of 5.3 +/- 0.4 km with a visible albedo pv = 0.142+/- 0.022, significantly lower than that of the prototype V-type asteroid, 4 Vesta. (This corresponds to a radius of 5.2 +/- 0.4 km at lightcurve mean.) Analysis with the standard thermal model (STM) results in a sub-solar temperature of 292.3 +/- 2.8 K and beaming parameter eta = 1.16 +/- 0.05. Thermophysical modeling places a lower limit of 20 J m(exp -2)K(exp -1)s(exp -1/2) on the thermal inertia of the asteroid's surface layer (if the surface is very smooth) but more likely values fall between 30 and 150 J m(exp -2)K(exp -1)s(exp -1/2) depending on the sense of rotation. The emissivity spectrum, calculated by dividing the measured thermal flux spectrum by the modeled thermal continuum, exhibits mineralogically interpretable spectral features within the 9-12 micrometer reststrahlen band, the 15-16.5 micrometer Si-O-Si stretching region, and the 16-25 micrometer reststrahlen region that are consistent with pyroxene of diogenitic composition: extant diogenitic pyroxenes fall within the narrow compositional range W0(sub 2+/-1)En(sub 74+/-2)Fs(sub 24+/-1). Spectral deconvolution of the 9-12 micrometer reststrahlen features indicates that up to approximately 20% olivine may also be present, suggesting an olivine-diogenite-like mineralogy. The mid-IR spectrum is inconsistent with non-cumulate eucrite as the major component on the surface of 956 Elisa, although cumulate eucrite material may be present at abundances lower than that of the diogenite component. Analysis of new near-IR spectra of 956 Elisa with the Modified Gaussian Model (MGM; Sunshine, J,M., Pieters, C.M., Pratt, S.F.[1990]. J. Geophys. Res, 95 (May), 6955-6966) results in two pyroxene compositions: 75% magnesian low-Ca pyroxene and 25% high-Ca pyroxene. High-Ca pyroxene is not evident in the mid-IR data, but may belong to a component that is underrepresented in the mid-IR spectrum either because of its spatial distribution on the asteroid or because of its particle size. High-Ca pyroxenes that occur as exsolution lamellae may also be more evident spectrally in the NIR than in the mid-IR. In any case, we find that the mid-IR spectrum of 956 Elisa is dominated by emission from material of diogenite- like composition, which has very rarely been observed among asteroids.

Lim, Lucy F.↗

Effects of Radiation and Dietary Iron on Expression of Genes and Proteins Involved in Drug Metabolism

Liver function, especially the rate of metabolic enzyme activities, determines the concentration of circulating drugs and the duration of their efficacy. Most pharmaceuticals are metabolized by the liver, and clinically-used medication doses are given with normal liver function in mind. A drug overdose can result in the case of a liver that is damaged and removing pharmaceuticals from the circulation at a rate slower than normal. Alternatively, if liver function is elevated and removing drugs from the system more quickly than usual, it would be as if too little drug had been given for effective treatment. Because of the importance of the liver in drug metabolism, we want to understand any effects of spaceflight on the enzymes of the liver. Dietary factors and exposure to radiation are aspects of spaceflight that are potential oxidative stressors and both can be modeled in ground experiments. In this experiment, we examined the effects of high dietary iron and low dose gamma radiation (individually and combined) on the gene expression of enzymes involved in drug metabolism, redox homeostasis, and DNA repair. METHODS All procedures were approved by the JSC Animal Care and Use Committee. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups (n=8); control, high Fe diet (650 mg iron/kg), radiation (fractionated 3 Gy exposure from a Cs- 137 source) and combined high Fe diet + radiation exposure. Animals were euthanized 24h after the last treatment of radiation; livers were removed immediately and flash -frozen in liquid nitrogen. Expression of genes thought to be involved in redox homeostasis, drug metabolism and DNA damage repair was measured by RT-qPCR. Where possible, protein expression of the same genes was measured by western blotting. All data are expressed as % change in expression normalized to reference gene expression; comparisons were then made of each treatment group to the sham exposed/ normal diet control group. Data was considered significant at p< 0.5. RESULTS Among the redox homeostasis genes examined, metallothionein showed a significant down regulation in the radiation treated group (-3.85 fold) and a trend toward down regulation in the high Fe + rad group. Metallothionein is involved in the regulation of physiological metals and also has antioxidant activities. Among the drug metabolism genes examined, ATP binding cassette subfamily B (Abcb1b) gene expression increased more than 10-fold in both groups that received radiation treatments. This increased expression was also seen at the protein level. This ABC transporter carries many different compounds across cell membranes, including administered medications. The cytochrome P450 2E1 enzyme, a mixed-function oxidase that deactivates some medications and activates others, showed about a 2-fold increase in gene expression in both radiation-treated groups, with a trend toward increased expression at the protein level. Expression of epoxide hydrolase, which detoxifies polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, showed similar 2-fold increases. Among the DNA repair genes examined, expression of RAD51 was significantly down regulated (1.5 fold) in the radiation treated group. RAD51 is involved in repair of double-stranded DNA breaks. CONCLUSION This experiment used 2 different sources of physiological oxidative stress, administered separately and together, and examined their impacts on liver gene and protein expression. It is clear that significant changes occurred in expression of several genes and proteins in the radiation-treated animals. If the results from this ground analog of portions of the spaceflight environment hold true for the spaceflight environment itself, the physiological roles of the affected enzymes (drug transport and metabolism, redox homeostasis) could mean consequences in redox homeostasis or the pharmacokinetics of administered medications

Faust, K. M.↗

Petrologic and Oxygen-Isotopic Investigations of Eucritic and Anomalous Mafic Achondrites

The most common asteroidal igneous meteorites are eucrite-type basalts and gabbros rocks composed of ferroan pigeonite and augite, calcic plagioclase, silica, ilmenite, troilite, Ca-phosphate, chromite and Fe-metal. These rocks are thought to have formed on a single asteroid along with howardites and diogenites (HEDs). However, Northwest Africa (NWA) 011 is mineralogically identical to eucrites, but has an O-isotopic composition distinct from them and was derived from a different asteroid. Modern analyses with higher precision have shown that some eucrites have smaller O-isotopic differences that are nevertheless well-resolved from the group mean.

Mittlefehldt, D. W.↗

An L-Band Brightness Temperature Disaggregation Method Using S-Band Radiometer Data for the Water Cycle Observation Mission (WCOM)

The Water Cycle Observation Mission (WCOM) will build upon previous L and C band passive microwave soil moisture satellite missions. WCOM will consist of a passive microwave synthetic aperture radiometer operating at L, S, and C bands. The WCOM requirements for passive soil moisture are to estimate soil moisture in the top 5 cm of soil layer with an error less than 0.04 cu m/cu m, at 15 km resolution and with a 3-day revisit. A new set of algorithms for these multi-frequency platforms will need to be developed for estimating the data products at the desired resolution. To accomplish this, a brightness temperature (TB) downscaling methodology is developed that uses passive S-band TB (30 km) to downscale L-band TB (50 km) and to estimate soil moisture at a 30 km resolution, based on the linear relationships between the passive signals of L-band and S-band. To test this downscaling method, analysis was performed using PALS data from the Soil Moisture Experiments in 2002 (SMEX02). For this study, 4 km L-band observations were downscaled to 800 m. The root mean square errors (RMSE) between the downscaled TBL at 800m with the observed TBL at 800m are 2.63 K and 1.60 K for H and V polarizations respectively. The results also showed that it was possible to use these disaggregated TB to estimate soil moisture to meet the mission requirement of 0.04 cu m/cu m. These results showed that we can obtain higher resolution soil moisture from L band passive TB with a high accuracy (<0.04 cu m/cu m) by using S-band information.

Disaggregation↗

Dissecting the Roles of Stability and Dynamic Regimes in Tropical Cloud Feedbacks Simulated from an Upgraded Multiscale Modeling Framework (MMF)

In this study, we analyze the tropical cloud feedback from a 2 K sea surface temperature perturbation experiment performed with a multiscale modeling framework (MMF). We sort the monthly-mean cloud and radiative properties according to circulation and stability regimes. It is found that the dynamic component of cloud feedback for a given dynamic regime dominates the thermodynamic component in terms of the absolute magnitude.

Kuan-Man Xu↗

Exploring the Limits of the Data-Model-Theory Synergy: “Hot” MW Transitions for Rovibrational IR Studies

In order to further improve the accuracy of rovibrational IR line lists generated from the “Best Theory +Reliable High-resolution Experiment” (BTRHE) strategy from 0.01-0.05 cm-1, or 300-1500 MHz, to ~10 MHz, we explore the current limits of the Data-Model-Theory synergy by examining the accuracy and consistency of existing data, then propose that “hot” bands in microwave (MW) spectra is the solution we need for future enhancements. The Ames SO2 J=0-20 rovibrational energy levels computed on the semi-empirically refined Ames-2 potential energy surface (PES) are fit to the Effective Hamiltonian (EH) model regularly used in the experimental infrared (IR) analysis for SO2 isotopologues. In the fitted EH(Ames) model, the rotational constants A/B/C and all 5 quartic centrifugal distortion constants display clear, systematic, and consistent patterns along the vibrational state energy or quanta. Such consistent patterns may facilitate the vibrational assignments for MW hot bands and extract more information from high temperature MW spectra. Some EH(Expt) analyses were carried out with the lowest order Coriolis Coupling term, C1. Their constants should not be directly compared with other EH(Expt) and EH(Ames) results. After excluding them, our  = EH(Ames)- EH(Expt) analyses for 5 isotopologues (626, 636, 646, 628 and 828) indicates some loss of accuracy and consistency starting from vibrational states as low as 22 or 1000 cm-1. Some EH parameters, e.g. K, may have relative deviations as large as 50-100% and totally lose any recognizable patterns. This simply means that current EH(Expt) models do not have the system-wide consistency we need to further refine the EH(Ames) and Ames rovibrational IR line lists. A large part of such defects are probably inherited from the limited precision of experimental line positions, i.e. 1E-3 ~ 1E-4 cm-1, or 3-30 MHz. This is confirmed in a series of truncation tests using the Ames data. Although the EH(Ames) consistency may help identify unreliable rovibrational EH(Expt) parameters, and make reliable predictions for minor isotopologues and unobserved vibrational bands, we believe only the highly accurate “hot” MW transitions can provide real enhancements for EH(Expt) accuracy and consistency. “Hot” MW spectra should play a more significant role in the future synergy of Data, Model, and Theory in the field of rovibrational IR studies.

Xinchuan Huang↗

Environmental fatigue of an Al-Li-Cu alloy. Part 1: Intrinsic crack propagation kinetics in hydrogenous environments

Deleterious environmental effects on steady-state, intrinsic fatigue crack propagation (FCP) rates (da/dN) in peak aged Al-Li-Cu alloy 2090 are established by electrical potential monitoring of short cracks with programmed constant delta K and K(sub max) loading. The da/dN are equally unaffected by vacuum, purified helium, and oxygen but are accelerated in order of decreasing effectiveness by aqueous 1 percent NaCl with anodic polarization, pure water vapor, moist air, and NaCl with cathodic polarization. While da/dN depends on delta K(sup 4.0) for the inert gases, water vapor and chloride induced multiple power-laws, and a transition growth rate 'plateau'. Environmental effects are strongest at low delta K. Crack tip damage is ascribed to hydrogen embrittlement because of the following: (1) accelerated da/dN due to part-per-million levels of H2O without condensation; (2) impeded molecular flow model predictions of the measured water vapor pressure dependence of da/dN as affected by mean crack opening; (3) the lack of an effect of film-forming O2; (4) the likelihood for crack tip hydrogen production in NaCl, and (5) the environmental and delta K-process zone volume dependencies of the microscopic cracking modes. For NaCl, growth rates decrease with decreasing loading frequency, with the addition of passivating Li2CO3, and upon cathodic polarization. These variables increase crack surface film stability to reduce hydrogen entry efficiency. The hydrogen environmental FCP resistance of 2090 is similar to other 2000 series alloys and is better than 7075.

Piascik, Robert S.↗