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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Satellite-Derived Management Zones

The term "satellite-derived management zones" (SAMZ) denotes agricultural management zones that are subdivisions of large fields and that are derived from images of the fields acquired by instruments aboard Earth-orbiting satellites during approximately the past 15 years. "SAMZ" also denotes the methodology and the software that implements the methodology for creating such zones. The SAMZ approach is one of several products of continuing efforts to realize a concept of precision agriculture, which involves optimal variations in seeding, in application of chemicals, and in irrigation, plus decisions to farm or not to farm certain portions of fields, all in an effort to maximize profitability in view of spatial and temporal variations in the growth and health of crops, and in the chemical and physical conditions of soils. As used here, "management zone" signifies, more precisely, a subdivision of a field within which the crop-production behavior is regarded as homogeneous. From the perspective of precision agriculture, management zones are the smallest subdivisions between which the seeding, application of chemicals, and other management parameters are to be varied. In the SAMZ approach, the main sources of data are the archives of satellite imagery that have been collected over the years for diverse purposes. One of the main advantages afforded by the SAMZ approach is that the data in these archives can be reused for purposes of precision agriculture at low cost. De facto, these archives contain information on all sources of variability within a field, including weather, crop types, crop management, soil types, and water drainage patterns. The SAMZ methodology involves the establishment of a Web-based interface based on an algorithm that generates management zones automatically and quickly from archival satellite image data in response to requests from farmers. A farmer can make a request by either uploading data describing a field boundary to the Web site or else drawing the boundary on a reference image. Hence, a farmer can start to engage in precision farming shortly after gaining access to the Web site, without the need for incurring the high costs of conventional precision-agriculture data-collection practices that include collecting soil samples, mapping electrical conductivity of soil, and compiling multiyear crop-yield data. Given the boundary of a field, a SAMZ server computes the zones within the field in a three-stage process. In the first stage, a vector-valued image of the field is constructed by assembling, from the archives, the equivalent of a stack of the available images of the field (see figure). In the second stage, the vector-valued image is analyzed by use of a wavelet transform that detects spatial variations considered significant for precision farming while suppressing small-scale heterogeneities that are regarded as insignificant. In the third stage, a segmentation algorithm assembles the zones from smaller regions that have been identified in the wavelet analysis.

Lepoutre, Damien↗
NASA NTRS1976

Beaufort Sea ice zones as delineated by microwave imagery

Microwave and infrared data were obtained from a research aircraft over the Beaufort Sea ice from the shoreline of Harrison Bay northward to a latitude of almost 81 deg N. The data acquired were compared with microwave data obtained on the surface at an approximate position of 75 deg N, 150 deg W. Over this north-south transect of the polar ice canopy it was discovered that the sea ice could be divided into five distinct zones. The shorefast sea ice was found to consist uniformly of first-year sea ice. The second zone was found to be a mixture of first-year sea ice, medium size multiyear floes, and many recently refrozen leads, polynyas, and open water; considerable shearing activity was evident in this zone. The third zone was a mixture of first-year and multiyear sea ice which had a uniform microwave signature. The fourth zone was found to be a mixture of first-year sea ice and medium-to-large size multiyear floes which was similar in composition to the second zone. The fifth zone was almost exclusively multiyear ice extending to the North Pole.

Campbell, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

On the structure of the solar transition zone and lower corona

Recent observations of the solar transition zone and corona obtained primarily from NRL spectrographs on Skylab are summarized and used to examine the structure of the transition zone. The transition zone is revealed to be more inhomogeneous than is apparent from spectroheliograms with spatial resolution of about 3 arcsec. Transition-zone emission appears to arise in spicularlike structures. The effective area covered by the emitting structures at lower transition-zone temperatures (about 100,000 K) is only about 1% of the total surface area of the sun. The transition zone is highly inhomogeneous even over cell interior regions, where fluctuations in brightness by factors of 25 can occur. It is shown that homogeneous coronal models are not valid for the inner corona. Most of the higher-density inner corona is concentrated into looplike structures that extend down to the white-light limb. These structures are unrelated to the spicular-type structures that produce most of the transition-zone emission.

Feldman, U.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Diffusive modification of primary zoning in olivine cores in Angrite LEW 87051

Angrite LEW 87051 consists of large olivine crystals set in a fine-grained groundmass that clearly represents a crystallized melt. A few olivines contain Ca-poor, Cr-rich cores that crystallized from a very different melt than the outer part of the crystals constituting the majority of olivine in LEW 87051. We evaluate a model in which the cores formed through fractional crystallization of one melt, then were incorporated into a different melt as xenocrysts, whereupon the original zoning patterns were modified by diffusion. Using a similar approach, we calculate zoning patterns for the cores that would result from perfect fractional crystallization, compare them with the observed zoning, and determine whether the differences could result from diffusive modification consistent with known diffusion rates for Ca, Mn, and Cr. Using distribution coefficients from the 1400 C, IW + 1 experiments, we computed CaO, Cr2O3, and MnO abundances in the hypothetical parent melt by inverting the olivine at the centers of the cores. We further assumed that the primary zoning profile for CaO is essentially unmodified, because the diffusion rate of Ca in olivine is slow. We carried out the fractional crystallization calculation until the calculated Ca content was that observed at break in zoning profiles at the outer edge of the core. We then normalized the distance of this calculated profile to the length of the observed profile in the olivine core and calculated profiles for MnO and Cr2O3. The CaO zoning profile agrees well with the observed profile. The observed MnO profile is slightly higher than the calculated profile near the edge. Diffusion calculations indicate that reversal of the general trend of primary zoning through diffusion would require that diffusion of Cr is 5-10x faster than that of Mn.

Mikouchi, T.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Role of Vibration-Induced Streaming in Float-Zone Crystal Growth

This presentation will examine in detail the role of vibration-induced streaming flow in the context of float-zone crystal growth. It is very well known that during float-zone materials processing, the naturally occurring temperature gradients along the zone surface impose a thermocapillary flow in the zone. Under certain processing conditions, the thermocapillary flow can also become nonsteady (oscillatory). The presence of thermocapillary flow is detrimental to crystal quality, for it can promote non-uniform dopant distribution and crystal striations. To null this effect we have imposed a counter streaming flow in the zone, via end-wall vibration. This technique has been adapted to float-zone processing of Sodium Nitrate-Barium Nitrate eutectic alloys, under both steady and nonsteady thermocapillary flow conditions. The beneficial effects of counter streaming flow have been clearly brought out through the before and after comparisons of the crystal microstructure. In addition, we are also examining the theoretical underpinnings of the balancing of thermocapillary flows with vibration-driven counter flows in float-zones.

Anilkumar, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Role of Vibration-Induced Streaming in Float-Zone Crystal Growth

This presentation will examine in detail the role of vibration-induced streaming flow in the context of float-zone crystal growth. It is very well known that during float-zone materials processing, the naturally occurring temperature gradients along the zone surface impose a thermocapillary flow in the zone. Under certain processing conditions, the thermocapillary flow can also become nonsteady (oscillatory). The presence of thermocapillary flow is detrimental to crystal quality, for it can promote non-uniform dopant distribution and crystal striations. To null this effect we have imposed a counter streaming flow in the zone, via end-wall vibration. This technique has been adapted to float-zone processing of Sodium Nitrate-Barium Nitrate eutectic alloys, under both steady and nonsteady thermocapillary flow conditions. The beneficial effects of counter streaming flow have been clearly brought out through the before and after comparisons of the crystal microstructure. In addition, we are also examining the theoretical underpinnings of the balancing of thermocapillary flows with vibration-driven counter flows in float-zones.

Anikumar, A. V.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The locations and amounts of endogenous ions and elements in the cap and elongating zone of horizontally oriented roots of Zea mays L.: an electron-probe EDS study

We used quantitative electron-probe energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis to localize endogenous Na, Cl, K, P, S, Mg and Ca in cryofixed and freeze-dried cryosections of the cap (i.e. the putative site of graviperception) and elongating zone (i.e. site of gravicurvature) of horizontally oriented roots of Zea mays. Ca, Na, Cl, K and Mg accumulate along the lower side of caps of horizontally oriented roots. The most dramatic asymmetries of these ions occur in the apoplast, especially the mucilage. We could not detect any significant differences in the concentrations of these ions in the central cytoplasm of columella cells along the upper and lower sides of caps of horizontally-oriented roots. However, the increased amounts of Na, Cl, K and Mg in the longitudinal walls of columella cells along the lower side of the cap suggest that these ions may move down through the columella tissue of horizontally-oriented roots. Ca also accumulates (largely in the mucilage) along the lower side of the elongating zone of horizontally-oriented roots, while Na, P, Cl and K tend to accumulate along the upper side of the elongating zone. Of these ions, only K increases in concentration in the cytoplasm and longitudinal walls of cortical cells in the upper vs lower sides of the elongating zone. These results indicate that (1) gravity-induced asymmetries of ions differ significantly in the cap and elongating zone of graviresponding roots, (2) Ca accumulates along the lower side of the cap and elongating zone of graviresponding roots, (3) increased growth of the upper side of the elongating zone of horizontally-oriented roots correlates positively with increased amounts of K in the cytoplasm and longitudinal walls of cortical cells, and (4) the apoplast (especially the mucilage) may be an important component of the pathway via which ions move in graviresponding rots of Zea mays. These results are discussed relative to mechanisms for graviperception and gravicurvature of roots.

NASA Program Space Biology↗
NASA NTRS1993

Contactless heater floating zone refining and crystal growth

Floating zone refining or crystal growth is carried out by providing rapid relative rotation of a feed rod and finish rod while providing heat to the junction between the two rods so that significant forced convection occurs in the melt zone between the two rods. The forced convection distributes heat in the melt zone to allow the rods to be melted through with a much shorter melt zone length than possible utilizing conventional floating zone processes. One of the rods can be rotated with respect to the other, or both rods can be counter-rotated, with typical relative rotational speeds of the rods ranging from 200 revolutions per minute (RPM) to 400 RPM or greater. Zone refining or crystal growth is carried out by traversing the melt zone through the feed rod.

Kou, Sindo↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dissolution zone model of the oxide structure in additively manufactured dispersion-strengthened alloys

The structural evolution of oxides in dispersion-strengthened superalloys during laser-powder bed fusion is considered in detail. Alloy chemistry and process parameter effects on oxide structure are assessed through a parameter study on the model alloy Ni-20Cr, doped with varying concentrations of Y 2 O 3 and Al. Small angle neutron scattering measurements of the dispersoid size distribution show the dispersoid size increases with higher laser power, slower scan speed, and increasing Y 2 O 3 and Al content. Complementary electron microscopy measurements reveal reactions between Y 2 O 3 and Al, even in nanoscale dispersoids, and the presence of micron-scale oxide slag inclusions in select specimens. A scaling analysis of mass and momentum transport within the melt pool, presented here, establishes that diffusional structural evolution mechanisms dominate for nanoscale dispersoids, while fluid forces and advection become significant for larger slag inclusions. These findings are developed into a theory of dispersoid structural evolution, integrating quantitative models of diffusional processes – dispersoid dissolution, nucleation, growth, coarsening – with a reduced order model of time-temperature trajectories of fluid parcels within the melt pool. Calculations of the dispersoid size in single-pass melting reveal a zone in the center of the melt track in which the oxide feedstock fully dissolves. Within this zone the final Y 2 O 3 size is independent of feedstock size and determined by nucleation and growth kinetics. If the dissolution zones of adjacent melt tracks overlap sufficiently with each other to dissolve large oxides, formed during printing or present in the powder feedstock, then the dispersoid structure throughout the build volume is homogeneous and matches that from a single pass within the dissolution zone. Gaps between adjacent dissolution zones result in oxide accumulation into larger slag inclusions. Predictions of final dispersoid size and slag formation using this dissolution zone model match the present experimental data and explain process-structure linkages speculated in the open literature.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Sulfur Species in Zinc-Rich Condylar Zones of a Rat Temporomandibular Joint

We performed synchrotron-based micro-X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (µ-XANES) coupled with micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) for the identification of elements that included biometal zinc (Zn) and nonmetal sulfur (S) (and its species) in the condylar zones of a rat temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Zone-specific spatial localization of biometal Zn and nonmetal S from a materials viewpoint when correlated with hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) (a surrogate for tissue oxygenation) can provide insights into Zn-specific redox pathways at the vulnerable subchondral interface. Histologic localization of Zn, HIF-1α, and sulfur-rich proteoglycans (PGs) were mapped using an optical microscope. The µ-XRF maps coupled with site-specific micro-X-ray diffraction (µ-XRD) patterns were used to underline Zn-incorporated biological apatite in the subchondral bone and the bone of a rat TMJ condyle. Results demonstrated an association between Zn, PG, and HIF-1α histologic maps with µ-XRF, µ-XANES, and µ-XRD data and provided insights into plausible biological S species in Zn-enriched zones of a rat TMJ condyle. Spatially localized Zn and S underscore their roles in cell and tissue functions in a zone-specific manner. Elemental Zn with organic and inorganic S species at the cartilage-bone interface and the biomineral phase of Zn-enriched biological apatite from subchondral bone to condylar bone were ascertained using µ-XRF-XANES and µ-XRF-XRD. The coupled µ-XRF-XANES in situ complemented with µ-XRF-XRD in situ and immunohistochemistry provided valuable biological insights into zone-specific biological pathways in rat TMJ condyles. Based on these data, we present a workflow to reliably map and correlate S species within Zn-enriched regions of cartilage, bone, and their interface. We suggest the use of this correlative and complementary microspectroscopic spatial information for zone-specific localization of biometal Zn and nonmetal S to gain insights into plausible microanatomy-specific oxidative stress in the TMJ.

apatites↗
DOE OSTI2024

Using a 1D Radially Symmetric Coda Envelope Model for Robust Moment Magnitude ( M w ) Estimation in Iraq’s Tectonically Diverse Zones

Robust estimation of moment magnitude (M w ) can be challenging for Iraq due to the strong lateral heterogeneity across diverse tectonic zones. We aim to improve moment magnitude estimation by investigating the reliability of using a 1D coda envelope model in diverse tectonic zones of different lateral effects and offer a way forward for reliable estimates of M w for small events that are difficult to waveform model. Iraq comprises two main tectonic zones: (1) the Outer platform, consisting of the northwestern Zagros fold-thrust belt and the Mesopotamian foredeep, and (2) the Inner Arabian platform which is overlain by the Iraqi desert. A simple 1D coda envelope model was used because coda waves have a low sensitivity to the source and path heterogeneity. Three separate coda calibrations were conducted to investigate the robustness of a single 1D calibration to fit the country: Whole-region calibration, Zagros calibration, and Mesopotamia calibration. In the whole-region calibration, we used stations from both the Zagros and Mesopotamia zones. In the two other calibration models, we used only stations that were in those particular zones. Ground-truth reference spectra derived from the coda spectral ratio method were used to constrain high-frequency site terms. There was no drastic difference when comparing the moment magnitudes calculated from the waveform modeling and the three calibration models. The results show that the 1D coda envelope model is a reliable method even for a region with diverse tectonic zones. Therefore, we recommend using the whole-region calibration model for moment magnitude estimation that provides more complete path coverage and avoids biases introduced by path correction failures. The proposed calibration is a fundamental step in updating the comprehensive earthquake catalog and probabilistic seismic hazard assessments for Iraq.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Monitoring of Liquid Metal Reactor Heater Zones with Recurrent Neural Network Learning of Temperature Time Series

Advanced high-temperature fluid reactors (ARs), such as sodium fast reactors (SFRs) and molten salt cooled reactors (MSCRs) utilize high-temperature fluids at ambient pressure. To melt the fluid during reactor startup and prevent fluid freezing during cooldown, the thermal–hydraulic systems of such ARs include heater zones consisting of specific heaters with controllers, temperature sensors, and thermal insulation. The failure of heater zones due to insulation material degradation or improper installation, resulting in parasitic heat losses, can lead to fluid freezing. The detection of faults using a heat-transfer model is difficult because of a lack of knowledge of the experimental details. Data-driven machine learning of heater zone temperature time series offers a viable alternative. In this study, we benchmarked the performance of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) in an analysis of heat-up transient temperature time series of heater zones installed on a liquid sodium vessel. The RNN models include long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) networks, as well as their bi-directional variants, BiLSTM and BiGRU. Anomalous temperature points were designated using a percentile-based threshold applied to residual fluctuations in the detrended temperature time series. Additionally, the impact of the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) method on detection accuracy was examined. The RNN models’ performance was assessed using precision, recall, and F 1 score metrics. Results demonstrated that RNN models effectively detect anomalies in temperature time series with the best models for each heater zone achieving F 1 scores of over 93%. To explain the variations in RNN model performance across different heater zones, we used Kullback–Leibler (KL) divergence to quantify the relative entropy between training and testing data, and the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) to assess long-range temporal correlations. For datasets with strong long-range correlations and minimal relative entropy between training and testing data, GRU is the best-performing model. When the data exhibits weaker long-term correlations and a significant relative entropy between training and testing distributions, BiGRU shows the best performance. For the data sets with intermediate values of both KL divergence and DFA, the best performance is obtained with LSTM and BiLSTM, respectively.

gated recurrent unit↗
NASA NTRS1973

Evidence of a major fault zone along the California-Nevada state line 35 deg 30 min to 36 deg 30 min north latitude

The author has identified the following significant results. Geologic reconnaissance guided by analysis of ERTS-1 and Apollo-9 satellite imagery and intermediate scale photography from X-15 and U-2 aircraft has confirmed the presence of a major fault zone along the California-Nevada state line, between 35 deg 30 min and 36 deg 30 min north latitude. The name Pahrump Fault Zone has been suggested for this feature after the valley in which it is best exposed. Field reconnaissance has indicated the existence of previously unreported faults cutting bedrock along range fronts, and displacing Tertiary and Quaternary basin sediments. Gravity data support the interpretation of regional structural discontinuity along this zone. Individual fault traces within the Pahrump Fault Zone form generally left-stepping en echelon patterns. These fault patterns, the apparent offset of a Laramide age thrust fault, and possible drag folding along a major fault break suggest a component of right lateral displacement. The trend and postulated movement of the Pahrump Fault Zone are similar to the adjacent Las Vegas Shear Zone and Death Valley-Furnace Creek Faults, which are parts of a regional strike slip system in the southern Basin-Range Province.

Liggett, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

An analytical and experimental study of zoning in plagioclase

A detailed electron microprobe study has been conducted on natural and experimentally grown zoned plagioclase feldspars. Discontinuous, sector, and oscillatory chemical zoning are observed superimposed on continuous normal or reverse zoning trends. The relative accuracy of 3 element (Na, Ca, K) microprobe traverses was found statistically to be 2 mole percent. Comparison of microprobe data on natural zoned plagioclase with zoned plagioclase grown in controlled experiments has shown that it may be possible to distinguish zonal development resulting from physio-chemical changes to the bulk magma from zoning related to local kinetic control on the growth of individual crystals.

Smith, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The Control of Float Zone Interfaces by the Use of Selected Boundary Conditions

Since the float zone process involves two solid-melt interfaces, possible gas interfaces, heat and mass transfers, various driving forces and complex heating sources, an analysis of the entire process would be very complex. For an initial investigation, a more feasible approach is to examine each component of the process separately. The three principal components are: (1) the shapes of the melt and solid-melt interfaces, (2) the heat and mass transfers, and (3) the heating and cooling sources. This study combined facets of all three components. The purpose of this effort was to study and compute the surface boundary conditions required to give flat (float zone) FZ solid-melt interfaces. This study was undertaken in two phases. The first phase was to investigate the solid zones surface boundary conditions required for flat solid-melt interfaces when given the melt zone surface boundary conditions. The second phase complemented the first and was to investigate the melt zone surface boundary conditions required for flat solid-melt interfaces if given the solid zones surface boundary conditions. Dual integral transform methods were used in both phases; in addition, the use of various numerical methods for differential equations and linear systems of equations were required.

Foster, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Analytical and numerical studies of the thermocapillary flow in a uniformly floating zone

The microgravity environment of an orbiting vehicle permits crystal growth experiments in the presence of greatly reduced buoyant convection in the liquid melt. Crystals grown in ground-based laboratories do not achieve their potential properties because of dopant variations caused by flow in the melt. The floating zone crystal growing system is widely used to produce crystals of silicon and other materials. However, in this system the temperature gradient on the free sidewall surface of the melt is the source of a thermocapillary flow which does not disappear in the low-gravity environment. The idea of using a uniform rotation of the floating zone system to confine the thermocapillary flow to the melt sidewall leaving the interior of the melt passive is examined. A cylinder of fluid with an axial temperature gradient imposed on the cylindrical sidewall is considered. A half zone and the linearized, axisymmetric flow in the absence of crystal growth is examined. Rotation is found to confine the linear thermocapillary flow. A simplified model is extended to a full zone and both linear and nonlinear thermocapillary flows are studied theoretically. Analytical and numerical methods are used for the linear flows and numerical methods for the nonlinear flows. It was found that the linear flows in the full zone have more complicated and thicker boundary layer structures than in the half zone, and that these flows are also confined by the rotation. However, for the simplified model considered and for realistic values for silicon, the thermocapillary flow is not linear. The fully nonlinear flow is strong and unsteady (a weak oscillation is present) and it penetrates the interior. Some non-rotating flow results are also presented. Since silicon as a large value of thermal conductivity, one would expect the temperature fields to be determined by conduction alone. This is true for the linear and weakly nonlinear flows, but for the stronger nonlinear flow the results show that temperature advection is also important. Uniform rotation may still be a means of confining the flow and the results obtained define the procedure to be used to examine this hypothesis.

Fowlis, W. W.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Structure of the Melajo clay near Arima, Trinidad and strike-slip motion in the El Pilar fault zone

No consensus has yet emerged on the sense, timing and amount of motion in the El Pilar fault zone. As a contribution to the study of this problem, a critical area within the zone in North Central Trinidad has been mapped. On the basis of the mapping, it is concluded that the El Pilar zone has been active in right-lateral strike-slip motion during the Pleistocene. Recognition of structural styles akin to those of the mapped area leads to the suggestion that the El Pilar zone is part of a 300 km wide plate boundary zone extending from the Orinoco delta northward to Grenada. Lateral motion of the Caribbean plate with respect to South America has been suggested to amount to 1900 km in the last 38 Ma. Part of this displacement since the Miocene can be readily accommodated within the broad zone identified here. No one fault system need account for more than a fraction of the total motion and all faults need not be active simultaneously.

Robertson, P.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Distribution of flares on the sun - Superactive regions and active zones of 1980-1985

The author analyzed coordinates of energetic solar flares observed with the hard X-ray burst spectrometer during the period from February 1980 through August 1985. A small number of 'superactive regions' produced the majority of the major flares during this period. There exist active zones, in which the flare occurrence rate is much higher. Two active zones are in the northern hemisphere, and two are in the southern hemisphere. The longitudinal separation of the two active zones in the same hemisphere is about 180 deg, but tha active zones of the southern hemisphere are misaligned from those of the northern hemisphere by about 80 deg. The rotation period of the active zones is 26.75 d. Active zones last several years or longer. There is a hint of active centers rotating at a period of 23.7 d.

Bai, Taeil↗