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At least 1,549 records · Page 86

EPCAPE-PT-LANL Measurements: Gas Monitors

Coastal cities offer a unique environment for studying aerosol-cloud interactions and the effects of urban emissions on cloud properties. As part of the Eastern Pacific Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (EPCAPE), the Partitioning Thrust by Los Alamos National Laboratory (EPCAPE-PT-LANL) was conducted. Our campaign focused on measuring the optical and chemical properties of aerosols and their interactions within marine stratocumulus clouds in La Jolla, California. EPCAPE-PT-LANL enhances the primary goals of EPCAPE through innovative observations of vapor-phase transitions between aerosols and cloud droplets, the impact of black carbon on aerosol-cloud dynamics, and the effects of cloud processing on aerosol optical properties. Instrument: G2401 Gas Concentration Analyzer (Picarro) Data Notes: The Picarro G2401 gas concentration analyzer provides simultaneous, precise measurement of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) at parts-per-billion (ppb), and water (H2O) vapor at parts per-million (ppm) sensitivity with negligible drift for atmospheric science, air quality, and emissions quantification. Header: - CO[ppm]: Concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) measured at the time of sampling, expressed in parts per million (ppm). - CO2[ppm]: Concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) measured at the time of sampling, expressed in parts per million (ppm). - CH4[ppm]: Concentration of methane (CH4) measured at the time of sampling, expressed in parts per million (ppm). - H2O[%]: Water vapor content in the air at the time of the measurement, expressed as a percentage

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A novel bivalent chromatin associates with rapid induction of camalexin biosynthesis genes in response to a pathogen signal in Arabidopsis

Temporal dynamics of gene expression underpin responses to internal and environmental stimuli. In eukaryotes, regulation of gene induction includes changing chromatin states at target genes and recruiting the transcriptional machinery that includes transcription factors. As one of the most potent defense compounds in Arabidopsis thaliana , camalexin can be rapidly induced by bacterial and fungal infections. Though several transcription factors controlling camalexin biosynthesis genes have been characterized, how the rapid activation of genes in this pathway upon a pathogen signal is enabled remains unknown. By combining publicly available epigenomic data with in vivo chromatin modification mapping, we found that camalexin biosynthesis genes are marked with two epigenetic modifications with opposite effects on gene expression, trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone 3 (H3K27me3) (repression) and acetylation of lysine 18 of histone 3 (H3K18ac) (activation), to form a previously uncharacterized type of bivalent chromatin. Mutants with reduced H3K27me3 or H3K18ac suggested that both modifications were required to determine the timing of gene expression and metabolite accumulation at an early stage of the stress response. Our study indicates that the H3K27me3-H3K18ac bivalent chromatin, which we name as kairostat, plays an important role in controlling the timely induction of gene expression upon stress stimuli in plants.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Cyclic debonding of unidirectional composite bonded to aluminum sheet for constant-amplitude loading

Cyclic debonding rates were measured during constant-amplitude loading of specimens made of graphite/epoxy bonded to aluminum and S-glass/epoxy bonded to aluminum. Both room-temperature and elevated-temperature curing adhesives were used. Debonding was monitored with a photoelastic coating technique. The debonding rates were compared with three expressions for strain-energy release rate calculated in terms of the maximum stress, stress range, or a combination of the two. The debonding rates were influenced by both adherent thickness and the cyclic stress ratio. For a given value of maximum stress, lower stress ratios and thicker specimens produced faster debonding. Microscopic examination of the debonded surfaces showed different failure mechanisms both for identical adherends bonded with different adhesive and, indeed, even for different adherends bonded with identical adhesives. The expressions for strain-energy release rate correlated the data for different specimen thicknesses and stress ratios quite well for each material system, but the form of the best correlating expression varied among material systems. Empirical correlating expressions applicable to one material system may not be appropriate for another system.

Roderick, G. L.↗

A theory for creep crack growth

The paper derives an analytical expression for creep crack growth rate based on a model in which the higher and concentrated stresses ahead of the crack tip enhance creep deformation, thus progressively causing stress rupture and continuous crack advance. The equation derived for creep crack growth rate is expressed in terms of a geometrical factor in the stress intensity expression and in terms of the crack tip radius whose lower limit estimate is the fracture mechanics crack-tip opening displacement. The functional features of the derived creep crack growth rate equation can be compared with those of a pertinent empirical equation. The analytical expression provides some guidelines for alloy and microstructure design.

Purushothaman, S.↗

Compliance calibration of specimens used in the R-curve practice

The compliance calibrations for the compact (CS) and crack-line-wedge-loaded (CLWL) specimens have been determined by experimental measurements and by boundary-collocation analysis. The CS and CLWL specimen configurations were modeled more accurately than those used in previous analytical investigations. Polynomial expressions for the compliance at various stations along the crack line for CS and CLWL specimens are presented. The compliance calibrations for the center-crack tension (CCT) specimen have been determined theoretically by boundary-collocation and finite-element analysis. The calculated compliance values for the CCT specimen are compared with values obtained from the Irwin-Westergaard expression and from a modification to the Irwin-Westergaard expression proposed by Eftis and Liebowitz. The Eftis-Liebowitz expression was found to be in good agreement (plus or minus 2 percent) with both analyses for crack aspect ratios up to 0.8 and for gage half-span to specimen width ratios up to 0.5.

Mccabe, D. E.↗

Metastable sound speed in gas-liquid mixtures

A new method of calculating speed of sound for two-phase flow is presented. The new equation assumes no phase change during the propagation of an acoustic disturbance and assumes that only the total entropy of the mixture remains constant during the process. The new equation predicts single-phase values for the speed of sound in the limit of all gas or all liquid and agrees with available two-phase, air-water sound speed data. Other expressions used in the two-phase flow literature for calculating two-phase, metastable sound speed are reviewed and discussed. Comparisons are made between the new expression and several of the previous expressions -- most notably a triply isentropic equation as used, a triply isentropic equation as used, among others, by Karplus and by Wallis. Appropriate differences are pointed out and a thermodynamic criterion is derived which must be satisfied in order for the triply isentropic expression to be thermodynamically consistent. This criterion is not satisfied for the cases examined, which included two-phase nitrogen, air-water, two-phase parahydrogen, and steam-water. Consequently, the new equation derived is found to be superior to the other equations reviewed.

Bursik, J. W.↗

Synchrotron emissivity from mildly relativistic particles

Approximate analytic expressions are presented for evaluation of the frequency and angular dependence of synchrotron emissivity from mildly relativistic particles with arbitrary energy spectrum and pitch angle distribution in a given magnetic field. Results agree with previous expressions for a nonrelativistic Maxwellian particle distribution, and when extrapolated to nonrelativistic and extreme relativistic regimes, they also agree with the previous expressions obtained under those limiting conditions. The results from the analytic expression are compared with results from detailed numerical evaluations. Excellent agreement is found not only at frequencies large compared to the gyro-frequency but also at lower frequencies, in fact, all the way down to the gyro-frequency, where the analytic approximations are expected to be less accurate.

Petrosian, V.↗

Finite amplitude Alfven waves in a multi-ion plasma - Propagation, acceleration, and heating

An expression is derived for the wave action flux of finite-amplitude Alfven waves in a multi-ion plasma. The expression is valid in the presence of dissipative forces and permits an arbitrary angle between the average magnetic field and the wave vector. Applying the conservation of wave action and the first law of thermodynamics yields, for a multi-ion plasma, an expression for the spatial evolution of Alfven wave amplitude in the absence of dissipation. It also gives the relationship between the wave amplitude and the dissipative heating, as well as an expression for the acceleration of an ion species by finite-amplitude Alfven waves. It is pointed out that the acceleration comprises a nondissipative wave pressure that is identical to that derived previously under more restrictive conditions and a new term giving the acceleration that must accompany dissipative heating. The results are discussed in the context of the observations of heavy ions in the solar wind.

Isenberg, P. A.↗

A study of the applicability of nucleation theory to quasi-thermodynamic transitions of second and higher Ehrenfest-order

The applicability of classical nucleation theory to second (and higher) order thermodynamic transitions in the Ehrenfest sense has been investigated and expressions have been derived upon which the qualitative and quantitative success of the basic approach must ultimately depend. The expressions describe the effect of temperature undercooling, hydrostatic pressure, and tensile stress upon the critical parameters, the critical nucleus size, and critical free energy barrier, for nucleation in a thermodynamic transition of any general order. These expressions are then specialized for the case of first and second order transitions. The expressions for the case of undercooling are then used in conjunction with literature data to estimate values for the critical quantities in a system undergoing a pseudo-second order transition (the glass transition in polystyrene). Methods of estimating the interfacial energy gamma in systems undergoing a first and second order transition are also discussed.

Barker, R. E., Jr.↗

Viscosity and the Chew-Goldberger-Low equations in the solar corona

A general discussion of the dominant terms in the stress tensor in a magnetized plasma such as the solar corona is presented. The importance of dissipative terms such as electrical resistivity, heat conduction, and interspecies collisions is assessed. For average coronal conditions, the proton stress tensor is found to reduce to the dominant terms in the classical expression for the viscous stress. The classical expression can fail in the transition region, however. In the diffusion region of reconnection, classical viscosity will be appropriate if the resistivity is very large, so that the diffusion region is broad, but in that case the viscous heating is small compared to the resistive heating. On the other hand, the more general expression for the stress tensor is required if the diffusion region is thin; the stress tensor will be important in this case. The electron stress tensor is also considered, and it is shown how the classical expression for electron viscosity can fail in the transition region and lower corona.

Hollweg, J. V.↗

Slew maneuver dynamics of the Spacecraft Control Laboratory experiment

Mathematical expressions for slew maneuver dynamics are presented. The total kinetic energy expression of the system is given as T = T(0) + T(1) + T(2), where T(0), T(1), and T(2) refer to the kinetic energies of the shuttle, the flexible beam, and the tip mass (the reflector), respectively. The specific equations for each of these are defined and integrated into the total energy expression. Using the chain rule in the Lagrange equations and an expression allowing the transformation of the orbiter angular velocity from the inertial frame to the body-fixed frame, the rotational equations are obtained. Finally, the vibration equations for the beam are derived, again using the Lagrange equations.

Kakad, Y. P.↗

Analytic evaluation of two-center molecular integrals

By using the Fourier-transform technique, the explicit expressions for the one-electron - two-center overlap integrals of Slater-type atomic orbitals up to 3d are derived. The final expressions are analytic, simple, and independent of local coordinates. Furthermore, they do not contain the nonclosed-form of exponential integrals which were presented in expressions given in earlier work. It is shown that the two-electron - two-center Coulomb integrals, as well as the hybrid integrals, can simply be expressed in terms of these integrals. The numerical instability arising from the situation in which the exponents of the two orbitals are almost equal is discussed, and a solution for this problem based on a Taylor-series expansion of the integral is suggested.

Tai, H.↗

Kinetic effects of Alfven wave nonlinearity. I - Ponderomotive density fluctuations

The Vlasov theory is used to study kinetic corrections to fluid descriptions of Alfven wave nonlinearity. The method is to obtain an expression for the second-order perturbed distribution function produced by a nonlinear Alfven wave. From this distribution function a kinetically correct expression is obtained for the plasma density perturbation associated with an envelope-modulated Alfven wave. This kinetic theory result differs substantially from the fluid expression when the plasma beta is greater than about 1, and the electron and ion temperatures are approximately equal. This result is of interest because density fluctuations are an observationally accessible indicator of wave nonlinearity in solar system Alfven waves. It also will assist in the determination of properties of Alfven waves in the interstellar medium. Finally, this analysis also yields a kinetically correct expression for u, the magnetic field-aligned component of the plasma fluid velocity.

Spangler, Steven R.↗

Maximum-entropy probability distributions under Lp-norm constraints

Continuous probability density functions and discrete probability mass functions are tabulated which maximize the differential entropy or absolute entropy, respectively, among all probability distributions with a given L sub p norm (i.e., a given pth absolute moment when p is a finite integer) and unconstrained or constrained value set. Expressions for the maximum entropy are evaluated as functions of the L sub p norm. The most interesting results are obtained and plotted for unconstrained (real valued) continuous random variables and for integer valued discrete random variables. The maximum entropy expressions are obtained in closed form for unconstrained continuous random variables, and in this case there is a simple straight line relationship between the maximum differential entropy and the logarithm of the L sub p norm. Corresponding expressions for arbitrary discrete and constrained continuous random variables are given parametrically; closed form expressions are available only for special cases. However, simpler alternative bounds on the maximum entropy of integer valued discrete random variables are obtained by applying the differential entropy results to continuous random variables which approximate the integer valued random variables in a natural manner. All the results are presented in an integrated framework that includes continuous and discrete random variables, constraints on the permissible value set, and all possible values of p. Understanding such as this is useful in evaluating the performance of data compression schemes.

Dolinar, S.↗

Kinematics and constraints associated with swashplate blade pitch control

An important class of techniques to reduce helicopter vibration is based on using a Higher Harmonic controller to optimally define the Higher Harmonic blade pitch. These techniques typically require solution of a general optimization problem requiring the determination of a control vector which minimizes a performance index where functions of the control vector are subject to inequality constraints. Six possible constraint functions associated with swashplate blade pitch control were identified and defined. These functions constrain: (1) blade pitch Fourier Coefficients expressed in the Rotating System, (2) blade pitch Fourier Coefficients expressed in the Nonrotating System, (3) stroke of the individual actuators expressed in the Nonrotating System, (4) blade pitch expressed as a function of blade azimuth and actuator stroke, (5) time rate-of-change of the aforementioned parameters, and (6) required actuator power. The aforementioned constraints and the associated kinematics of swashplate blade pitch control by means of the strokes of the individual actuators are documented.

Leyland, Jane A.↗

A pseudo-sound constitutive relationship for the dilatational covariances in compressible turbulence: An analytical theory

The mathematical consequences of a few simple scaling assumptions about the effects of compressibility are explored using a simple singular perturbation idea and the methods of statistical fluid mechanics. Representations for the pressure-dilation and dilatational dissipation covariances appearing in single-point moment closures for compressible turbulence are obtained. While the results are expressed in the context of a second-order statistical closure they provide some interesting and very clear physical metaphors for the effects of compressibility that have not been seen using more traditional linear stability methods. In the limit of homogeneous turbulence with quasi-normal large-scales the expressions derived are - in the low turbulent Mach number limit - asymptotically exact. The expressions obtained are functions of the rate of change of the turbulence energy, its correlation length scale, and the relative time scale of the cascade rate. The expressions for the dilatational covariances contain constants which have a precise and definite physical significance; they are related to various integrals of the longitudinal velocity correlation. The pressure-dilation covariance is found to be a nonequilibrium phenomena related to the time rate of change of the internal energy and the kinetic energy of the turbulence. Also of interest is the fact that the representation for the dilatational dissipation in turbulence, with or without shear, features a dependence on the Reynolds number. This article is a documentation of an analytical investigation of the implications of a pseudo-sound theory for the effects of compressibility.

Ristorcelli, J. R.↗

A Potato cDNA Encoding a Homologue of Mammalian Multidrug Resistant P-Glycoprotein

A homologue of the multidrug resistance (MDR) gene was obtained while screening a potato stolon tip cDNA expression library with S-15-labeled calmodulin. The mammalian MDR gene codes for a membrane-bound P-glycoprotein (170-180 kDa) which imparts multidrug resistance to cancerous cells. The potato cDNA (PMDR1) codes for a polypeptide of 1313 amino acid residues (ca. 144 kDa) and its structural features are very similar to the MDR P-glycoprotein. The N-terminal half of the PMDR1-encoded protein shares striking homology with its C-terminal half, and each half contains a conserved ATP-binding site and six putative transmembrane domains. Southern blot analysis indicated that potato has one or two MDR-like genes. PMDR1 mRNA is constitutively expressed in all organs studied with higher expression in the stem and stolon tip. The PMDR1 expression was highest during tuber initiation and decreased during tuber development.

Wang, W.↗

Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase Genes in Corn Roots

Two cDNAs encoding Ca-2(+) - Dependent Protein Kinases (CDPKs), Corn Root Protein Kinase 1 and 2 (CRPK 1, CRPK 2) were isolated from the root tip library of corn (Zea mays L., cv. Merit) and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Deduced amino acid sequences of both the clones have features characteristic of plant CDPKS, including all 11 conserved serine/threonine kinase subdomains, a junction domain and a calmodulin-like domain with four Ca-2(+), -binding sites. Northern analysis revealed that CRPKI mRNA is preferentially expressed in roots, especially in the root tip; whereas, the expression of CRPK2 mRNA was very low in all the tissues tested. In situ hybridization experiments revealed that CRPKI mRNA is highly expressed in the root apex, as compared to other parts of the root. Partially purified CDPK from the root tip phosphorylates syntide-2, a common peptide substrate for plant CDPKs, and the phosphorylation was stimulated 7-fold by the addition of Ca-2(+). Our results show that two CDPK isoforms are expressed in corn roots and they may be involved in the Ca-2(+)-dependent signal transduction process.

Takezawa, D.↗