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At least 1,477 records · Page 82

Multicolor Three-Dimensional Tracking for Single-Molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Measurements

Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) remains a widely utilized and powerful tool for quantifying heterogeneous interactions and conformational dynamics of biomolecules. However, traditional smFRET experiments either are limited to short observation times (typically less than 1 ms) in the case of “burst” confocal measurements or require surface immobilization which usually has a temporal resolution limited by the camera framing rate. We developed a smFRET 3D tracking microscope that is capable of observing single particles for extended periods of time with high temporal resolution. The confocal tracking microscope utilizes closed-loop feedback to follow the particle in solution by recentering it within two overlapping tetrahedral detection elements, corresponding to donor and acceptor channels. We demonstrated the microscope’s multicolor tracking capability via random walk simulations and experimental tracking of 200 nm fluorescent beads in water with a range of apparent smFRET efficiency values, 0.45-0.69. We also demonstrated the microscope’s capability to track and quantify double-stranded DNA undergoing intramolecular smFRET in a viscous glycerol solution. In future experiments, the smFRET 3D tracking system will be used to study protein conformational dynamics while diffusing in solution and native biological environments with high temporal resolution.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Beam dynamics corrections in the measurement of the anomalous precession frequency at the Muon $g-2$ experiment at Fermilab

The Muon $g-2$ experiment at Fermilab (E989) aims to measure the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon with an accuracy of 140 ppb (parts per billions). This accuracy, obtained by adding in quadrature a statistical and a systematic contribution of comparable value (100 ppb), will allow to reduce the experimental uncertainty (from the previous E821 experiment at BNL \cite{bnl}) of a factor of 4, and represents one of the most precise tests of the Standard Model (SM) theory of elementary particles. The first result on the Run-1 dataset \cite{prl} was released on April 7, 2021, showing a very good agreement with the previous result from BNL experiment, with a slightly better uncertainty. The corresponding experimental average increases the significance of the discrepancy between the measured and Standard Model prediction of 4.2$\sigma$ \cite{white_paper}.\\ \noindent The measured quantity is the muon magnetic anomaly a$_\mu$=$\frac{g_\mu-2}{2}$ where g$_\mu$ is the gyromagnetic factor of the muon. Dirac's equation predicts g$_\mu$ = 2, while radiative corrections, dominated by the QED contribution due to an exchange of a virtual photon, causes a per-mille correction on this quantity. By including all the SM contributions, a$_\mu$ is known at 370 ppb. The E989 experiment measures $a_\mu$ injecting positive muons with momentum of 3.1 GeV/$c$ polarized longitudinally in bunches (called $fills$) with an average rate of 12 Hz, in a storage ring of 14 meters diameter. Due to the parity violation in the weak muon decay, high energy positrons produced are emitted preferably in the muon's spin direction. By counting the number of positrons with energy greater then 1.7 GeV in function of the time, the frequency precession of the muon spin is measured, that together with the measurement of the magnetic field, allows to extract $a_\mu$. The positrons are detected with 24 electromagnetic calorimeters, that measure the energy and the arrival time of the positrons, each made of 54 crystals of lead fluoride (PbF$_2$) read by silicon photomultipliers (SiPM). Together with calorimeters, two tracking detectors are used to make non-destructive measurements of the muon beam characteristic by reconstructing the muon decay position extrapolating backward the decay positrons. The knowledge of the beam motion inside the ring plays a fundamental role in the analysis of $a_{\mu}$, where the measured anomalous precession frequency $\omega_a$ must be corrected for four main beam dynamics effects. A first correction is associated with the presence of an electric field responsible of the vertical focusing on the storage ring, where vertical direction is orthogonal to the orbit and horizontal direction is along the storage ring radius. Due to the oscillations in the vertical direction, the so called vertical betatron oscillations, a second correction is necessary to account for an average angle associated with the muon motion off the ideal orbit. A third correction is caused by lost muons in the ring which have a different spin phase at the injection respect to the decay ones. Finally, due to the correlation between the vertical and horizontal beam motion of the muons and the acceptance of the calorimeter, a correction (called ``phase-acceptance") arises. In Run1, due to the presence of two damaged resistors in one electrostatic quadrupole, this correction had a prominent role. The replacement of the damaged resistors before Run2 decreased this effect by one order of magnitude, and a further reduction in Run-3 was provided by an improved orbit.\\ \noindent The work of this Thesis focuses on the beam dynamics corrections on $\omega_a$. Due to the prominent role in Run-1 a special attention has been put to the phase-acceptance correction\footnote{The effect of this correction on the E821 BNL measurement of the $g-2$ has been evaluated to be within the quoted systematic error.}. Chapter \ref{ch:anomalous_magnetic_moment} introduces the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. Chapter \ref{ch:early_experiment} describes the history of the Muon $g-2$ experiments. Chapter \ref{ch:theory} discusses the Standard Model prediction and possible new physics scenario. Chapter \ref{ch:muon_g2_experiment} describes the E989 experiment, whose experimental technique and the apparatus are discussed focusing on the improvements needed to reach the final goal on $a_\mu$ measurement. The original work of the Thesis is discussed in the last 5 chapters. Chapter \ref{ch:experiment_technique} presents the analysis technique to extract $\omega_a$, Chapter \ref{ch:beam_dynamics} describes the beam dynamics in the E989 experiment, Chapter \ref{ch:beam_dynamics_correction} discusses the beam dynamics correction to $\omega_a$, and Chapter \ref{sec:pa_corr} focuses on the phase acceptance correction. Finally Chapter \ref{ch:run23_analysis_improvements} contains the Run-2/3 improvements which are expected to allow for an increased precision ons the beam dynamics co...

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Filling data analysis gaps in time-resolved crystallography by machine learning

There is a growing understanding of the structural dynamics of biological molecules fueled by x-ray crystallography experiments. Time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography (TR-SFX) with x-ray Free Electron Lasers allows the measurement of ultrafast structural changes in proteins. Nevertheless, this technique comes with some limitations. One major challenge is the quality of data from TR-SFX measurements, which often faces issues like data sparsity, partial recording of Bragg reflections, timing errors, and pixel noise. To overcome these difficulties, conventionally, large volumes of data are collected and grouped into a few temporal bins. The data in each bin are then averaged and paired with the mean of their corresponding jittered timestamps. This procedure provides one structure per bin, resulting in a limited number of averaged structures for the entire time interval spanned by the experiment. Therefore, the information on ultrafast structural dynamics at high temporal resolution is lost. This has initiated research for advanced methods of analyzing experimental TR-SFX data beyond the standard binning and averaging method. To address this problem, we use a machine learning algorithm called Nonlinear Laplacian Spectral Analysis (NLSA), which has emerged as a promising technique for studying the dynamics of complex systems. In this work, we demonstrate the power of this algorithm using synthetic x-ray diffraction snapshots from a protein with significant data incompleteness, timing uncertainties, and noise. Our study confirms that NLSA is a suitable approach that effectively mitigates the effects of these artifacts in TR-SFX data and recovers accurate structural dynamics information hidden in such data.

Trujillo, Justin (ORCID:0000000285505360)↗

Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project Phase 3 (PlioMIP3) – Science Plan and Experimental Design

The Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) was initiated in 2008. Over two phases PlioMIP has helped co-ordinate the experimental design and publication strategy of the community, which has included an increasing number of climate models and modelling groups from around the world. It has engaged with palaeoenvironmental scientists to foster new data synthesis supporting the construction of new model boundary conditions, as well as to facilitate new data-model comparisons. The work has advanced our understanding of Pliocene climates and environments, enhanced our knowledge regarding the ability of complex climate and Earth System models to accurately simulate climate change, and helped to refine our estimates of how sensitive the climate system is to forcing conditions. In this community protocol paper, we outline the scientific plan for PlioMIP Phase 3 (PlioMIP3). This plan provides the required guidance to participating modelling groups from around the world to successfully set up and perform PlioMIP3 climate model experiments. The project is open to new participants from the scientific community (both from the climate modelling and geosciences communities). In PlioMIP3, we retain the PlioMIP2 Core experiments (Eoi 400 , E 280 ) and extend the Core requirements to include either an experiment focussed on the Early Pliocene or an alternative Late Pliocene simulation (or both). These additions (a) allow a comparison of Early and Late Pliocene warm intervals and help build research connections and synergy with the MioMIP (Miocene Model Intercomparison Project - also known as DeepMIP-Miocene) and PlioMioVAR projects (Pliocene-Miocene Variability Working Group), and (b) create an alternative time slice simulation for 3.205 Ma (MIS KM5c) through removal of some of the largest palaeogeographic differences introduced between PlioMIP1 and 2 resulting in minimal land-sea mask variations from the modern. In addition, we present ten optional experiments designed to enhance our assessment of climate sensitivity and to explore the uncertainty in greenhouse gas-related forcing. For the first time, we introduce orbital sensitivity experiments into the science plan, as well as simulations incorporating dynamic vegetation-climate feedbacks and an experiment designed to examine the potential significance of East Antarctic Ice Sheet boundary condition uncertainty. These changes enhance palaeo-to-future scientific connections and enable an exploration of the significance of palaeogeographic uncertainties on climate simulations.

Climate modelling↗

The effects of type of knowledge upon human problem solving in a process control task

The question of what the operator of a dynamic system needs to know was investigated in an experiment using PLANT, a simulation of a generic dynamic production process. Knowledge of PLANT was manipulated via different types of instruction, so that four different groups were created: (1) minimal instructions only; (2) minimal instructions and guidelines for operation (procedures); (3) minimal instructions and dynamic relationships (principles); and (4) minimal instructions, and procedures, and principles. Subjects controlled PLANT in a variety of situations which required maintaining production while also diagnosing familiar and unfamiliar failures. Despite the fact that these manipulations resulted in differences in subjects' Knowledge, as assessed via a written test at the end of the experiment, instructions had no effect upon achievement of the primary goal of production, or upon subjects' ability to diagnose unfamiliar failures. However, those groups receiving procedures controlled the system in a more stable manner. Possible reasons for the failure to find an effect of principles are presented, and the implications of these results for operator training and aiding are discussed.

Morris, N. M.↗

Selection of Solar Simulator for Solar Dynamic Ground Test

The 2 kWe Solar Dynamic (SD) Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) experiment will be conducted in 1995 at NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC). This solar dynamic power system test will be conducted in a simulated space environment and will require an artificial sun. To address the solar simulator requirements for the GTD, Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) was hired under contract to review and visit four existing solar simulator facilities. The four facilities included, AEDC's Mark 1 Chamber, NASA-JSC Chamber A, AEDC's 12V Chamber, and NASA-JPL Space Simulator Chamber. Two design concepts were considered following several months of evaluating existing solar simulator facilities throughout the United States. To satisfy system requirements for the SD GTD experiment the solar simulator needs to provide a uniform light flux to the SD concentrator, provide the light within a subtense angle of one degree, and provide an intensity of one solar constant (1.37 kW/sq m) at airmass zero. Most solar simulators are designed for supplying heat loads to spacecraft where a cone angle as large as 3 degrees is acceptable. It was also concluded that a solar simulator, such like these considered in the AEDC study, would require major facility modifications for NASA LeRC and result in significant impacts to the program. The advanced solar simulator concept developed by NASA LeRC will meet the system requirements for the SD GTD experiment Since SD GTD solar simulator requirements could not be addressed by existing simulator, an advanced concept was considered.

Tolbert, Carol M.↗

Pump-depletion dynamics and saturation of stimulated Brillouin scattering in shock ignition relevant experiments

As an alternative inertial confinement fusion scheme, shock ignition requires a strong converging shock driven by a high-intensity laser pulse to ignite a pre-compressed fusion capsule. Understanding nonlinear laser-plasma instabilities is crucial to assess and improve the laser-shock energy coupling. Recent experiments conducted on the OMEGA EP laser facility have for the first time demonstrated that such instabilities can 100% deplete the first 0.5 ns of the high-intensity laser. Here, analyses of the observed laser-generated blast wave suggest that this pump-depletion starts at 0.02 critical density and progresses to 0.1-0.2 critical density, which is also confirmed by the time-resolved stimulated Raman backscattering spectra. The pump-depletion dynamics can be explained by the breaking of ion-acoustic waves in stimulated Brillouin scattering. Such pump-depletion would inhibit the collisional laser energy absorption but may benefit the generation of hot electrons with moderate temperatures for electron shock ignition.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The spectroscopy of the atmosphere using far-infrared emission experiment (SAFIRE)

The goal of the SAFIRE experiment is to improve understanding of the middle-atmospher ozone distribution by conducting and analyzing global-scale measurements of important chemical, radiative and dynamical processes, including coupling among these processes and atmospheric regions. This will be accomplished by observing vertical profiles of temperature and key gases in the main chemical families. A detailed listing of SAFIRE measurements, including sepctral ranges, altitude ranges, IFOV, spatial and temporal resolution, latitude coverage and estimated precision is provided. The temperature, O3, CH4, and H2O observations will be useful for deriving and studying dynamical quantities such as geopotential height, potential vorticity, balanced winds and Eliassen-Palm fluxes. The SAFIRE observations will provide important data for study of chemistry, dynamics and transport processes. This experiment was conceived in response to a need for simultaneous measurements of odd hydrogen gases. These include gases such as OH, HO2, and atomic oxygen, which have not been observed by past satellite experiments and which will not be measured by any of teh Upper Atmosophere Reserach Satellite (UARS) experiments to be launched in 1991.

Russell, J. M., III↗

The effects of the ionosphere on ground-based detection of the global 21 cm signal from the cosmic dawn and the dark ages

Detection of the global H i 21 cm signal from the Cosmic Dawn and the Epoch of Reionization is the key science driver for several ongoing ground-based and future ground-/space-based experiments. The crucial spectral features in the global 21 cm signal (turning points) occur at low radio frequencies ≲100 MHz. In addition to the human-generated radio frequency interference, Earth’s ionosphere drastically corrupts low-frequency radio observations from the ground. In this paper, we examine the effects of time-varying ionospheric refraction, absorption, and thermal emission at these low radio frequencies and their combined effect on any ground-based global 21 cm experiment. It should be noted that this is the first study of the effect of a dynamic ionosphere on global 21 cm experiments. The fluctuations in the ionosphere are influenced by solar activity with flicker noise characteristics. The same characteristics are reflected in the ionospheric corruption to any radio signal passing through the ionosphere. As a result, any ground-based observations of the faint global 21 cm signal are corrupted by flicker noise (or 1/f noise, where f is the dynamical frequency) which scales as ν{sup −2} (where ν is the frequency of radio observation) in the presence of a bright galactic foreground (∝ν{sup −s}, where s is the radio spectral index). Hence, the calibration of the ionosphere for any such experiment is critical. Any attempt to calibrate the ionospheric effects will be subject to the inaccuracies in the current ionospheric measurements using Global Positioning System (GPS) ionospheric measurements, riometer measurements, ionospheric soundings, etc. Even considering an optimistic improvement in the accuracy of GPS–total electron content measurements, we conclude that Earth’s ionosphere poses a significant challenge in the absolute detection of the global 21 cm signal below 100 MHz.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A coarse-grained simulation model for colloidal self-assembly via explicit mobile binders

Colloidal particles with mobile binding molecules constitute a powerful platform for probing the physics of self-assembly. Binding molecules are free to diffuse and rearrange on the surface, giving rise to spontaneous control over the number of droplet–droplet bonds, i.e., valence, as a function of the concentration of binders. This type of valence control has been realized experimentally by tuning the interaction strength between DNA-coated emulsion droplets. Optimizing for valence two yields droplet polymer chains, termed ‘colloidomers’, which have recently been used to probe the physics of folding. To understand the underlying self-assembly mechanisms, here we present a coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) model to study the self-assembly of this class of systems using explicit representations of mobile binding sites. Further, we explore how valence of assembled structures can be tuned through kinetic control in the strong binding limit. More specifically, we optimize experimental control parameters to obtain the highest yield of long linear colloidomer chains. Subsequently tuning the dynamics of binding and unbinding via a temperature-dependent model allows us to observe a heptamer chain collapse into all possible rigid structures, in good agreement with recent folding experiments. Our CGMD platform and dynamic bonding model (implemented as an open-source custom plugin to HOOMD-Blue) reveal the molecular features governing the binding patch size and valence control, and opens the study of pathways in colloidomer folding. This model can therefore guide programmable design in experiments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Frenkel pairs cause elastic softening in zirconia: theory and experiments

Abstract Recent results from molecular dynamics simulations have shown that significant concentrations of Frenkel pairs can be introduced by the proliferation of phonons lying at the edge of the Brillouin zone and when above the Debye temperature. Following the work of Granato (2014 Eur. Phys. J. B 87 18) we extend those calculations to the influence of Frenkels on the elastic modulus. Significant softening is predicted which is confirmed by in situ measurements of the elastic modulus during flash. Frenkel pairs have been proposed to play a central role in the flash phenomena.

Physics↗

Influence of systematic radiation differences on the dynamics of a model atmosphere

Numerical experiments were run on the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheric Sciences (GLAS) nine-level GCM using two different long-wave radiation routines - the Hogan routine and the Wu-Kaplan routine - to determine whether systematic radiation difference is important in the modeling of the general circulation of the atmosphere. The climatologies produced from GCM runs using the different radiation routines were compared for both winter and summer. Systematic differences were found in the mean zonal temperatures, in the location and shape of the zonal west wind maximum, in the strength of the Hadley and Ferrel cells, in the cloud and precipitation distributions, and in the mass distributions. On the basis of comparisons with observations, it was found that the Wu-Kaplan routine had a positive impact or at least made improvements in the right direction in most respects.

Wu, M.-L. C.↗

A laser tracking dynamic robot metrology instrument

Research work over several years has resulted in the development of a laser tracking instrument capable of dynamic 3-D measurements of robot end-effector trajectories. The instrument characteristics and experiments to measure the static and dynamic performance of a robot in an industrial manufacturing environment are described. The use of this technology for space applications is examined.

Parker, G. A.↗

Proceedings of the First NASA Ada Users' Symposium

Ada has the potential to be a part of the most significant change in software engineering technology within NASA in the last twenty years. Thus, it is particularly important that all NASA centers be aware of Ada experience and plans at other centers. Ada activity across NASA are covered, with presenters representing five of the nine major NASA centers and the Space Station Freedom Program Office. Projects discussed included - Space Station Freedom Program Office: the implications of Ada on training, reuse, management and the software support environment; Johnson Space Center (JSC): early experience with the use of Ada, software engineering and Ada training and the evaluation of Ada compilers; Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC): university research with Ada and the application of Ada to Space Station Freedom, the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle, the Aero-Assist Flight Experiment and the Secure Shuttle Data System; Lewis Research Center (LeRC): the evolution of Ada software to support the Space Station Power Management and Distribution System; Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL): the creation of a centralized Ada development laboratory and current applications of Ada including the Real-time Weather Processor for the FAA; and Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC): experiences with Ada in the Flight Dynamics Division and the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) project and the implications of GSFC experience for Ada use in NASA. Despite the diversity of the presentations, several common themes emerged from the program: Methodology - NASA experience in general indicates that the effective use of Ada requires modern software engineering methodologies; Training - It is the software engineering principles and methods that surround Ada, rather than Ada itself, which requires the major training effort; Reuse - Due to training and transition costs, the use of Ada may initially actually decrease productivity, as was clearly found at GSFC; and real-time work at LeRC, JPL and GSFC shows that it is possible to use Ada for real-time applications.

Source record↗

Dust Particle Charging near Surfaces in Space

Dust dynamics, as observed on the lunar surface, are thought to be due to the interaction between charged dust and a photoelectron sheath above the surface. We perform experiments on the charging and dynamics of dust near a surface having a sheath Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Sickafoose, A. A.↗

Control and dynamics of an anti-friction levitation system

A novel anti-friction levitator concept has been devised and analytically evaluated to overcome support bearing friction and thereby minimize the structural damping of the Large Spacecraft Control Laboratory (LSCL) experiment structure at JPL. A dynamic model and controller design have been developed for the new levitation system. Simulation results show excellent system performance even when the system is subjected to significant measurement noise and hardware saturation effects.

Ih, C.-H. C.↗