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At least 361 records · Page 20

Evaluation of scenario-specific modeling approaches to predict plane of array solar irradiation

The two main objectives of this study are to evaluate the extent to which the prediction of plane of array irradiance is improved when diffuse radiation is predicted using location-specific regression models developed from onsite measured data as against using generalized models and to estimate the expected uncertainties associated with plane of array irradiance predictions under different data collection scenarios likely to be encountered in practical situations.

Moslehi, Salim↗

Role of Coulomb interaction in the phase formation of fcc Ce: Correlation matrix renormalization theory

The effect of electronic Coulomb interaction on the phase formation of fcc Ce lattice is investigated by full ab initio calculations without adjustable Coulomb U and J parameters using the Gutzwiller wavefunction-based correlation matrix renormalization theory (CMRT). Its total energy and pressure as a function of volume agree reasonably well with existing DFT+Gutzwiller calculations and experiments, indicating correct capture of electronic correlation and screening effects within the CMRT formalism. Here, a stable phase is found in line with the experimental α-Ce phase, and a lurking phase is identified supposedly linked with the experimental γ-Ce phase. A criterion based on the local 4f electron charge fluctuation is introduced to confirm the distinct electronic correlation natures of both phases.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Band models and correlations for infrared radiation

Absorption of infrared radiation by various line and band models are briefly reviewed. Narrow band model relations for absorptance are used to develop 'exact' formulations for total absorption by four wide band models. Application of a wide band model to a particular gas largely depends upon the spectroscopic characteristic of the absorbing-emitting molecule. Seven continuous correlations for the absorption of a wide band model are presented and each one of these is compared with the exact (numerical) solutions of the wide band models. Comparison of these results indicate the validity of a correlation for a particular radiative transfer application. In radiative transfer analyses, use of continuous correlations for total band absorptance provides flexibilities in various mathematical operations.

Tiwari, S. N.↗

Correlation of chlorophyll, suspended matter, and related parameters of waters in the lower Chesapeake Bay area to LANDSAT-1 imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. An effort to relate water parameters of the lower Chesapeake Bay area to multispectral scanner images of LANDSAT 1 has shown that some spectral bands can be correlated to water parameters, and has demonstrated the feasibility of synoptic mapping of estuaries by satellite. Bands 5 and 6 were shown to be useful for monitoring total particles. Band 5 showed high correlation with suspended sediment concentration. Attenuation coefficients monitored continuously by ship along three baselines were cross correlated with radiance values on three days. Improved correlations resulted when tidal conditions were taken into consideration. A contouring program was developed to display sediment variation in the lower Chesapeake Bay from the MSS bands.

Fleischer, P.↗

C IV line profile correlations in NGC 4151

Novel correlations are presented between the peak emission of the two components of the strong UV resonance line C IV in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4151 and the total luminosity of the line. These correlations are distinctly different for the red and the blue peaks of the double-peaked C IV profile, implying that the physical parameters involved in their formation are quite different. The behavior of the red component appears more in accordance with the behavior of lines observed in other objects, while that of the blue peak appears more directly and strongly related to C IV luminosity and shows greater sensitivity to C IV flux changes. These findings imply the existence of specific, hitherto unknown, underlying physical processes.

Fahey, R. P.↗

Spatial Correlation Function of the Chandra Selected Active Galactic Nuclei

We present the spatial correlation function analysis of non-stellar X-ray point sources in the Chandra Large Area Synoptic X-ray Survey of Lockman Hole Northwest (CLASXS). Our 9 ACIS-I fields cover a contiguous solid angle of 0.4 deg(exp 2) and reach a depth of 3 x 10(exp -15) erg/square cm/s in the 2-8 keV band. We supplement our analysis with data from the Chandra Deep Field North (CDFN). The addition of this field allows better probe of the correlation function at small scales. A total of 233 and 252 sources with spectroscopic information are used in the study of the CLASXS and CDFN fields respectively. We calculate both redshift-space and projected correlation functions in co-moving coordinates, averaged over the redshift range of 0.1 < z < 3.0, for both CLASXS and CDFN fields for a standard cosmology with Omega(sub Lambda) = 0.73,Omega(sub M) = 0.27, and h = 0.71 (H(sub 0) = 100h km/s Mpc(exp -1). The correlation function for the CLASXS field over scales of 3 Mpc< s < 200 Mpc can be modeled as a power-law of the form xi(s) = (S/SO)(exp - gamma), with gamma = 1.6(sup +0.4 sub -0.3) and S(sub o) = 8.0(sup +.14 sub -1.5) Mpc. The redshift-space correlation function for CDFN on scales of 1 Mpc< s < 100 Mpc is found to have a similar correlation length so = 8.55(sup +0.74 sub -0.74) Mpc, but a shallower slope (gamma = 1.3 +/- 0.1). The real-space correlation functions derived from the projected correlation functions, are found to be tau(sub 0 = 8.1(sup +1.2 sub -2.2) Mpc, and gamma = 2.1 +/- 0.5 for the CLASXS field, and tau(sub 0) = 5.8(sup +.1.0 sub -1.5) Mpc, gamma = 1.38(sup +0.12 sub -0.14 for the CDFN field. By comparing the real- and redshift-space correlation functions in the combined CLASXS and CDFN samples, we are able to estimate the redshift distortion parameter Beta = 0.4 +/- 0.2 at an effective redshift z = 0.94. We compare the correlation functions for hard and soft spectra sources in the CLASXS field and find no significant difference between the two groups. We have also found that the correlation between X-ray luminosity and clustering amplitude is weak, which, however, is fully consistent with the expectation using the simplest relations between X-ray luminosity, black hole mass, and dark halo mass. We study the evolution of the AGN clustering by dividing the samples into 4 redshift bins over 0.1 Mpc< z <3.0 Mpc. We find a very mild evolution in the clustering amplitude, which show the same evolution trend found in optically selected quasars in the 2dF survey. We estimate the evolution of the bias, and find that the bias increases rapidly with redshift (b(z = 0.45) = 0.95 +/- 0.15 and b(z = 2.07) = 3.03 +/- 0.83): The typical mass of the dark matter halo derived from the bias estimates show little change with redshift. The average halo mass is found to be log (M(sub halo)/M(sun))approximates 12.1. Subject headings: cosmology: observations - large-scale structure of the universe - x-rays: diffuse background - galaxies: nuclei

Yang, Y.↗

Grazing disturbance increases transient but decreases persistent soil seed bank

Abstract Very few studies have examined whether the impacts of grazing disturbance on soil seed banks occur directly or indirectly through aboveground vegetation and soil properties. The potential role of the seed bank in alpine wetland restoration is also unknown. We used SEM (structural equation modeling) to explore the direct effect of grazing disturbance on the seed bank and the indirect effect through aboveground vegetation and soil properties. We also studied the role of the seed bank on the restoration potential in wetlands with various grazing intensities: low (fenced, winter grazed only), medium (seasonally grazed), and high (whole‐year grazed). For the seed bank, species richness and density per plot showed no difference among grazing intensities for each depth (0–5, 5–10, 10–15 cm) and for the whole depth (0–15 cm) in spring and summer. There was no direct effect of grazing disturbance on seed bank richness and density both in spring and summer, and also no indirect effect on the seed bank through its direct effect on vegetation richness and abundance. Grazing disturbance indirectly increased spring seed bank density but decreased summer seed bank density through its direct effect (negative correlation) on soil moisture and total nitrogen and its indirect effect on vegetation abundance. Species composition of the vegetation changed with grazing regime, but that of the seed bank did not. An increased trend of similarity between the seed bank and aboveground vegetation with increased grazing disturbance was found in the shallow depth and in the whole depth only in spring. Although there was almost no change in seed bank size with grazing intensities, grazing disturbance increased the quantity of transient seeds but decreased persistent seeds. Persistent seeds stored in the soil could play a crucial role in vegetation regeneration and in restoration of degraded wetland ecosystems. The seed bank should be an integral part of alpine wetland restoration programs.

Ma, Miaojun↗

The potential value of early (1939-1967) upper-air data in atmospheric climate reanalysis

In recent years a number of reanalysis datasets have been published that cover the past century or more, including the ‘Twentieth Century Reanalysis’ 20CRv2 and the European Reanalysis of the twentieth century ERA-20C. These datasets are widely used, showing the need for, and possible benefit of, reanalysis data products designed for climate applications.The twentieth-century reanalyses so far have assimilated only surface observations, and rely on independent estimates of monthly averaged sea-surface temperatures and sea ice concentrations as boundary conditions. While 20CRv2 uses only observations of surface and sea-level pressure, ERA-20C additionally assimilates marine winds.Here we describe an experimental reanalysis, referred to as ERA-PreSAT, which covers the period 1939–1967 and also assimilates historical upper-air data. Assessments of this dataset including comparisons with independent data show that (i) temperature biases in the Northern Hemisphere are largely reduced compared to reanalyses that assimilate surface data only, (ii) concentration of 1940s upper-air data in the northern extra tropics created a strong interhemispheric asymmetry which is likely not realistic, (iii) the forecast skill in the Northern Hemisphere has increased substantially compared to reanalyses that assimilate surface data only, (iv) day-to-day and (in the northern extratropics) month-to-month correlations with independent observations (of total column ozone, upper-air data) increase over time, (v) interannual variability is well captured in the reanalysis, (vi) a signature of the stratospheric Quasi-Biennial Oscillation is present as far back as the 1940s,and (vii) tropical cyclones are not well represented. Furthermore, the generally encouraging results from the experimental ERA-PreSAT reanalysis underline that early upper-air data greatly contribute to our knowledge on the troposphere and lower stratosphere over the twentieth century.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Simulation of hardened cement degradation and estimation of uncertainty in predicted failure times with peridynamics

Modeling the degradation of cement-based infrastructure due to aqueous environmental conditions continues to be a challenge. In order to develop a capability to predict concrete infrastructure failure due to chemical degradation, here we created a chemomechanical model of the effects of long-term water exposure on cement paste. The model couples the mechanical static equilibrium balance with reactive–diffusive transport and incorporates fracture and failure via peridynamics (a meshless simulation method). The model includes fundamental aspects of degradation of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) paste, including the observed softening, reduced toughness, and shrinkage of the cement paste, and increased reactivity and transport with water induced degradation. This version of the model focuses on the first stage of cement paste decalcification, the dissolution of portlandite. Given unknowns in the cement paste degradation process and the cost of uncertainty quantification (UQ), we adopt a minimally complex model in two dimensions (2D) in order to perform sensitivity analysis and UQ. We calibrate the model to existing experimental data using simulations of common tests such as flexure, compression and diffusion. Then we calculate the global sensitivity and uncertainty of predicted failure times based on variation of eleven unique and fundamental material properties. We observed particularly strong sensitivities to the diffusion coefficient, the reaction rate, and the shrinkage with degradation. Also, the predicted time of first fracture is highly correlated with the time to total failure in compression, which implies fracture can indicate impending degradation induced failure; however, the distributions of the two events overlap so the lead time may be minimal. Extension of the model to include the multiple reactions that describe complete degradation, viscous relaxation, post-peak load mechanisms, and to three dimensions to explore the interactions of complex fracture patterns evoked by more realistic geometry is straightforward and ongoing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Patients with idiopathic endplate inflammation displayed aberrant Th17 responses resulting in proinflammatory monocyte activation

Endplate inflammation remains a difficult task to diagnose and treat, partly due to the absence of in-depth understanding of the cellular and molecular factors driving this condition. In the current study, we investigated the circulating immune cells in patients with idiopathic endplate inflammation. Compared to healthy controls, the patients with endplate inflammation presented a significant upregulation of Th17 cells, characterized by higher frequencies of circulating IL-17{sup +}CD4{sup +} T cells examined directly ex vivo and after PMA and ionomycin (PMA/I) stimulation. The frequency of Th17 cells in patients was not correlated with patient age, sex, or smoking status, but was significantly correlated with patient BMI. The total CD4{sup +} T cells from patients with end plate inflammation also presented significantly higher levels of IL-17 secretion directly ex vivo and after PMA/I stimulation. The IL-17 secretion was primarily mediated by CCR4{sup +}CCR6{sup +} CD4{sup +} T cells, followed by CCR4{sup -}CCR6{sup +} CD4{sup +} T cells and was nearly absent in CCR4{sup -}CCR6{sup -} CD4{sup +} T cells. Monocytes incubated with CCR4{sup +}CCR6{sup +} CD4{sup +} T cells presented significantly higher MHC class II expression, as well as higher CD80 and CD86 expression. The secretion of IL-6 and TNF was significantly higher in cell cultures containing CCR4{sup +}CCR6{sup +} CD4{sup +} T cells than in cell cultures containing CCR4{sup -}CCR6{sup -} CD4{sup +} T cells. These effects were reduced when the IL-17A cytokine was neutralized. Together, we identified a systemic upregulation of Th17 responses that could contribute to proinflammatory monocyte activation in patients with endplate inflammation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Spatial Dependence of Reduced Sulfur in Everglades Dissolved Organic Matter Controlled by Sulfate Enrichment

Sulfate inputs to the Florida Everglades stimulate sulfidic conditions in freshwater wetland sediments that affect ecological and biogeochemical processes. An unexplored implication of sulfate enrichment is alteration of the content and speciation of sulfur in dissolved organic matter (DOM), which influences the reactivity of DOM with trace metals. Here, we describe the vertical and lateral spatial dependence of sulfur chemistry in the hydrophobic organic acid fraction of DOM from unimpacted and sulfate-impacted Everglades wetlands using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry. Spatial variation in DOM sulfur content and speciation reflects the degree of sulfate enrichment and resulting sulfide concentrations in sediment pore waters. Sulfur is incorporated into DOM predominantly as highly reduced species in sulfidic pore waters. Sulfur-enriched DOM in sediment pore waters exchanges with overlying surface waters and the sulfur likely undergoes oxidative transformations in the water column. Across all wetland sites and depths, the total sulfur content of DOM correlated with the relative abundance of highly reduced sulfur functionality. Here, the results identify sulfate input as a primary determinant on DOM sulfur chemistry to be considered in the context of wetland restoration and sulfur and trace metal cycling.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Probing Hydrogen-Bonding Interactions of Water Molecules Adsorbed on Silica, Sodium Calcium Silicate, and Calcium Aluminosilicate Glasses

Vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy was used to study how hydrogen bonding interactions of physisorbed water layers vary with the glass composition and surface condition. Three different glass materials were used: amorphous silica (fused quartz), sodium calcium silicate (also called soda lime silica), and calcium aluminosilicate (boron-/fluorine-free E-glass). Two different surface conditions were compared: (i) a mechanically polished, fire-polished, and then annealed surface and (ii) an acid-leached surface (pH 1, 90 °C, 24 h). Compositional and structural information obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy were correlated with SFG spectral features. The temperature dependence of SFG spectral features revealed that regardless of the glass composition, the glass surface is free of physisorbed water at 250 °C, and during cooling in ambient air, it starts absorbing water at a temperature corresponding to a relative humidity of 1–2%. Humidity-controlled SFG measurements at room temperature showed that the hydrogen bonding interactions of water physisorbed on the glass surface cleaned with UV/O 3 are quite different depending on the glass composition and surface preparation history. This finding will be useful in understanding how surface properties of different glasses are altered by humidity in ambient air.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Uncertainty Quantification of Extratropical Forest Biomass in CMIP5 Models over the Northern Hemisphere

Abstract Simplified representations of processes influencing forest biomass in Earth system models (ESMs) contribute to large uncertainty in projections. We evaluate forest biomass from eight ESMs outputs archived in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) using the biomass data synthesized from radar remote sensing and ground-based observations across northern extratropical latitudes. ESMs exhibit large biases in the forest distribution, forest fraction, and mass of carbon pools that contribute to uncertainty in forest total biomass (biases range from −20 Pg C to 135 Pg C). Forest total biomass is primarily positively correlated with precipitation variations, with surface temperature becoming equally important at higher latitudes, in both simulations and observations. Relatively small differences in forest biomass between the pre-industrial period and the contemporary period indicate uncertainties in forest biomass were introduced in the pre-industrial model equilibration (spin-up), suggesting parametric or structural model differences are a larger source of uncertainty than differences in transient responses. Our findings emphasize the importance of improved (1) models of carbon allocation to biomass compartments, (2) distribution of vegetation types in models, and (3) reproduction of pre-industrial vegetation conditions, in order to reduce the uncertainty in forest biomass simulated by ESMs.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Method for conducting in situ high-temperature digital image correlation with simultaneous synchrotron measurements under thermomechanical conditions

This work presents a novel method of obtaining in situ strain measurements at high temperature by simultaneous digital image correlation (DIC), which provides the total strain on the specimen surface, and synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD), which provides lattice strains of crystalline materials. DIC at high temperature requires specialized techniques to overcome the effects of increased blackbody radiation that would otherwise overexpose the images. The technique presented herein is unique in that it can be used with a sample enclosed in an infrared heater, remotely and simultaneously with synchrotron XRD measurements. The heater included a window for camera access, and the light of the heater lamps is used as illumination. High-temperature paint is used to apply a random speckle pattern to the sample to allow the tracking of displacements and the calculation of the DIC strains. An inexpensive blue theatrical gel filter is used to block interfering visible and infrared light at high temperatures. This technique successfully produces properly exposed images at 870 °C and is expected to perform similarly at higher temperatures. The average strains measured by DIC were validated by an analytical calculation of the theoretical strain. Simultaneous DIC and XRD strain measurements of Inconel 718 (IN718) tensile test specimens were performed under thermal and mechanical loads and evaluated. Finally, this approach uses the fact that with DIC, the total strain is measured, including plastic strain, while with XRD, only elastic strain is captured. The observed differences were discussed with respect to the effective deformation mechanisms.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Spatially-resolved study of the Meissner effect in superconductors using NV-centers-in-diamond optical magnetometry

Non-invasive magnetic field sensing using optically-detected magnetic resonance of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond was used to study spatial distribution of the magnetic induction upon penetration and expulsion of weak magnetic fields in several representative superconductors. Vector magnetic fields were measured on the surface of conventional, elemental Pb and Nb, and compound LuNi 2 B 2 C and unconventional iron-based superconductors Ba 1-x K x Fe 2 As 2 (x = 0.34 optimal hole doping), Ba(Fe 1-x Co x )2As2 (x = 0.07 optimal electron doping), and stoichiometric CaKFe 4 As 4 , using variable-temperature confocal system with diffraction-limited spatial resolution. Magnetic induction profiles across the crystal edges were measured in zero-field-cooled and field-cooled conditions. While all superconductors show nearly perfect screening of magnetic fields applied after cooling to temperatures well below the superconducting transition, T c , a range of very different behaviors was observed for Meissner expulsion upon cooling in static magnetic field from above T c . Substantial conventional Meissner expulsion is found in LuNi 2 B 2 C, paramagnetic Meissner effect is found in Nb, and virtually no expulsion is observed in iron-based superconductors. In all cases, good correlation with macroscopic measurements of total magnetic moment is found.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Crystallographic analyses illustrate significant plasticity and efficient recoding of meganuclease target specificity

The retargeting of protein–DNA specificity, outside of extremely modular DNA binding proteins such as TAL effectors, has generally proved to be quite challenging. Here, we describe structural analyses of five different extensively retargeted variants of a single homing endonuclease, that have been shown to function efficiently in ex vivo and in vivo applications. The redesigned proteins harbor mutations at up to 53 residues (18%) of their amino acid sequence, primarily distributed across the DNA binding surface, making them among the most significantly reengineered ligand-binding proteins to date. Specificity is derived from the combined contributions of DNA-contacting residues and of neighboring residues that influence local structural organization. Changes in specificity are facilitated by the ability of all those residues to readily exchange both form and function. The fidelity of recognition is not precisely correlated with the fraction or total number of residues in the protein–DNA interface that are actually involved in DNA contacts, including directional hydrogen bonds. The plasticity of the DNA-recognition surface of this protein, which allows substantial retargeting of recognition specificity without requiring significant alteration of the surrounding protein architecture, reflects the ability of the corresponding genetic elements to maintain mobility and persistence in the face of genetic drift within potential host target sites.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗

Development of Ambient Mass Spectrometry Rapid Analysis Methods for Trace Inorganics

Ambient mass spectrometry is being investigated as a new method for rapidly characterizing trace inorganic species, including nuclear materials. SRNL is currently developing electrospray ionization (ESI) and paper spray ionization (PSI) methods for mass spectrometry for the detection of trace inorganic compounds JEOL AccuTOF™-DART ® LP 4G mass spectrometer. Sample analysis generates a complex three-dimensional data set with 10 2 -10 3 individual mass spectra spread temporally. To improve the quality and ease of data extraction from this amount of information, a simple data analysis pipeline written in R/R Studio has been improved and expanded upon. Specifically, the software now has header inputs to set base input/output filenames, isotopes of interest, and a list of concentrations analyzed on the instrument. Using list-based structures to enable batch processing of many concentrations at once, it then loads each file, extracts the relevant intensities for masses of interest from each spectrum, and iterates through each concentration to generate graphs of internal standard & analyte correlations, measured isotope ratios, and total ion chromatograms. It then filters the data to remove points at background levels or at the detector saturation limit. Using this filtered data, the pipeline re-creates the graphs to reveal high-quality information from a low-quality raw dataset. All graphs of the R software then output to PowerPoint format. Additionally, faster 3D visualization functionality was added to the pipeline for viewing the entire data file produced by the instrument as an intensity map. With these data analysis tools ready, samples of strontium nitrate/yttrium nitrate as an analyte/internal standard combination were measured on the AccuTOF. From the filtered data, calibration curves were prepared and limits of detection (LOD) of 1 ppb for ESI-MS and 20 ppb for PSI-MS were obtained. The quality available from the calibration curves and the low limits of detection demonstrate the value of the instrument/analysis pipeline system in characterizing trace inorganics.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗