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New facets of the STS polytope generated from known facets of the ATS polytope

Proposed for publication in the Journal of the Discrete Optimization.

Carr, Robert D.

While it had been known for a long time how to transform an asymmetric traveling salesman (ATS) problem on the complete graph with n vertices into a symmetric traveling salesman (STS) problem on an incomplete graph with 2n vertices, no method was available for using this correspondence to derive facets of the symmetric polytope from facets of the asymmetric polytope until the work of E. Balas and M. Fischetti in [Lifted cycle inequalities for the asymmetric traveling salesman problem, Mathematics of Operations Research 24 (2) (1999) 273-292] suggested an approach. The original Balas-Fischetti method uses a standard sequential lifting procedure for the computation of the coefficient of the edges that are missing in the incomplete STS graph, which is a difficult task when addressing classes of (as opposed to single) inequalities. In this paper we introduce a systematic procedure for accomplishing the lifting task. The procedure exploits the structure of the tight STS tours and organizes them into a suitable tree structure. The potential of the method is illustrated by deriving large new classes of facet-defining STS inequalities.

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Distributed-feedback terahertz quantum-cascade lasers using laterally corrugated metal waveguides

Proposed for publication in Optics Letters.

Reno, John L.

We report the demonstration of distributed-feedback terahertz quantum-cascade lasers based on a first-order grating fabricated via a lateral corrugation in a double-sided metal ridge waveguide. The phase of the facet reflection was precisely set by lithographically defined facets by dry etching. Single-mode emission was observed at low to moderate injection currents, although multimode emission was observed far beyond threshold owing to spatial hole burning. Finite-element simulations were used to calculate the modal and threshold characteristics for these devices, with results in good agreement with experiments.

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Staggered-grid finite-difference acoustic modeling with the Time-Domain Atmospheric Acoustic Propagation Suite (TDAAPS)

Symons, Neill P.; Aldridge, David F.

This document is intended to serve as a users guide for the time-domain atmospheric acoustic propagation suite (TDAAPS) program developed as part of the Department of Defense High-Performance Modernization Office (HPCMP) Common High-Performance Computing Scalable Software Initiative (CHSSI). TDAAPS performs staggered-grid finite-difference modeling of the acoustic velocity-pressure system with the incorporation of spatially inhomogeneous winds. Wherever practical the control structure of the codes are written in C++ using an object oriented design. Sections of code where a large number of calculations are required are written in C or F77 in order to enable better compiler optimization of these sections. The TDAAPS program conforms to a UNIX style calling interface. Most of the actions of the codes are controlled by adding flags to the invoking command line. This document presents a large number of examples and provides new users with the necessary background to perform acoustic modeling with TDAAPS.

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X-ray absorption spectroscopy to probe surface composition and surface deprotection in photoresist films

Langmuir

Lenhart, Joseph L.; Fischer, Daniel A.; Sambasivan, Sharadha; Lin, Eric K.; Jones, Ronald L.; Soles, Christopher L.; Wu, Wen L.; Goldfarb, Dario L.; Angelopoulos, Marie

Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) is utilized to provide insight into surface chemical effects in model photoresist films. First, NEXAFS was used to examine the resist/air interface including surface segregation of a photoacid generator (PAG) and the extent of surface deprotection in the film. The concentration of PAG at the resist-air interface was higher than the bulk concentration, which led to a faster deprotection rate at that interface. Second, a NEXAFS depth profiling technique was utilized to probe for compositional gradients in model resist line edge regions. In the model line edge region, the surface composition profile for the developed line edge was dependent on the post exposure bake time. © 2005 American Chemical Society.

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Characterization of adsorption sites on aggregate soil samples using synchrotron X-ray computerized microtomography

Environmental Science and Technology

Altman, Susan J.; Rivers, Mark L.; Reno, Marissa D.; Cygan, Randall T.; Mclain, Angela A.

Synchrotron-source X-ray computerized microtomography (CMT) was used to evaluate the adsorptive properties of aggregate soil samples. A linear relationship between measured mean mass attenuation coefficient (σ) and mass fraction iron was generated by imaging mineral standards with known iron contents. On the basis of reported stoichiometries of the clay minerals and identifications of iron oxyhydroxides (1), we calculated the mass fraction iron and iron oxyhydroxide in the intergranular material. The mass fractions of iron were estimated to range from 0.17 to 0.22 for measurements made at 18 keV and from 0.18 to 0.21 for measurements made at 26 keV. One aggregate sample also contained regions within the intergranular material with mass fraction iron ranging from 0.29 to 0.31 and from 0.33 to 0.36 for the 18 and 26 keV measurements, respectively. The mass fraction iron oxyhydroxide ranged from 0.18 to 0.35 for the low-iron intergranular material and from 0.40 to 0.59 for the high-iron intergranular material. Using absorption edge difference imaging with CMT, we visualized cesium on the intergranular material, presumably because of adsorption and possible exchange reactions. By characterizing the mass fraction iron, the mass fraction iron oxyhydroxide, and the adsorptive capacity of these soil mineral aggregates, we provide information useful for conceptualization, development, and parametrization of transport models. © 2005 American Chemical Society.

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Using triaxial magnetic fields to create optimal particle composites

Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

Martin, James E.

The properties of a particle composite can be controlled by organizing the particles into assemblies. The properties of the composite will depend on the structure of the particle assemblies, and for any give property there is some optimal structure. Through simulation and experiment we show that the application of heterodyned triaxial magnetic or electric fields generates structures that optimize the magnetic and dielectric properties of particle composites. We suggest that optimizing these properties optimizes other properties, such as transport properties, and we give as one example of this optimization the magnetostriction of magnetic particle composites formed in a silicone elastomer. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Microporous sol-gel derived aminosilicate membrane for enhanced carbon dioxide separation

Separation and Purification Technology

Xomeritakis, George; Tsai, Chung Y.; Brinker, C.J.

A new aminosilicate, sol-gel derived microporous inorganic membrane has been developed for enhanced CO2 separation in applications such as removal of metabolic CO2 from the breathing loop of the NASA extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), natural gas purification, or CO2 capture from coal-fired power plant emissions. This membrane consists of an inorganic, amorphous silica matrix of pore size 4-5 Å, containing randomly dispersed amine (NH2) functional groups in order to enhance its CO2 selectivity, due to preferential adsorption of CO 2 in the membrane pore walls and simultaneous blocking of permeation of other gases (O2, N2 and CH4). It is found that the gas feed condition during permeation (partial pressure of CO 2, relative humidity), post-synthetic treatments and aging, affect significantly the separation performance of the membranes. At this stage of development, with feeds of 1-20 vol.% CO2 and 0-40% relative humidity at 22 °C, the highest CO2:N2 separation factor was in the range 100-200, while the CO2 permeance was in the range 0.1-1.5 cm3 (STP)/(cm2 min atm). The results suggest that controlling the membrane pore size and method of activation of amine groups are the most critical factors for improving the CO 2-permselectivity of the membrane. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Pulse shaping techniques for testing elastic-plastic materials with a split Hopkinson pressure bar

Experimental Mechanics

Frew, Danny J.; Forrestal, M.J.; Chen, W.

We present pulse shaping techniques to obtain compressive stress - strain data for elastic - plastic materials with a split Hopkinson pressure bar. The conventional split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus is modified by placing a combination of copper and steel pulse shapers on the impact surface of the incident bar. After impact by the striker bar, the copper - steel pulse shaper deforms plastically and spreads the pulse in the incident bar so that the sample is nearly in dynamic stress equilibrium and has a nearly constant strain rate in the plastic response region. We present analytical models and data that show a broad range of incident strain pulses can be obtained by varying the pulse shaper geometry and striking velocity. For an application, we present compressive stress - strain data for 4340 Rc 43 steel. © 2005 Society for Experimental Mechanics.

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A finite element multiscale capability for nonlinear quasistatic stress analysis

Finite Elements in Analysis and Design

Heinstein, Martin

Failure modeling is inherently a multi length scale phenomenon that requires a failure model and a computational method that solves for stress/strain gradients at interesting locations. Focusing on the computational method, we recognize that the mesh resolution must be relatively fine in regions where failure is expected and relatively coarse elsewhere. Furthermore, in some modeling approaches the topology in the structural model is different than that required in the fine scale model where failure is to be predicted. This necessarily precludes approaches such as h-adaptivity. We are therefore led to consider multiscale approaches to solve these problems.This work describes an approach to solve multiple (a reference scale and fine scale) coupled boundary value problems for the purpose of nonlinear quasistatic stress analysis. Two examples are included: one example illustrates the multiscale solution strategy to perform quasistatic stress analysis and the other demonstrates the computational beginnings of the ability to model material failure. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Dismantlement and Radioactive Waste Management of DPRK Nuclear Facilities

Baldwin, George T.

One critical aspect of any denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) involves dismantlement of its nuclear facilities and management of their associated radioactive wastes. The decommissioning problem for its two principal operational plutonium facilities at Yongbyun, the 5MWe nuclear reactor and the Radiochemical Laboratory reprocessing facility, alone present a formidable challenge. Dismantling those facilities will create radioactive waste in addition to existing inventories of spent fuel and reprocessing wastes. Negotiations with the DPRK, such as the Six Party Talks, need to appreciate the enormous scale of the radioactive waste management problem resulting from dismantlement. The two operating plutonium facilities, along with their legacy wastes, will result in anywhere from 50 to 100 metric tons of uranium spent fuel, as much as 500,000 liters of liquid high-level waste, as well as miscellaneous high-level waste sources from the Radiochemical Laboratory. A substantial quantity of intermediate-level waste will result from disposing 600 metric tons of graphite from the reactor, an undetermined quantity of chemical decladding liquid waste from reprocessing, and hundreds of tons of contaminated concrete and metal from facility dismantlement. Various facilities for dismantlement, decontamination, waste treatment and packaging, and storage will be needed. The shipment of spent fuel and liquid high level waste out of the DPRK is also likely to be required. Nuclear facility dismantlement and radioactive waste management in the DPRK are all the more difficult because of nuclear nonproliferation constraints, including the call by the United States for “complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement,” or “CVID.” It is desirable to accomplish dismantlement quickly, but many aspects of the radioactive waste management cannot be achieved without careful assessment, planning and preparation, sustained commitment, and long completion times. The radioactive waste management problem in fact offers a prospect for international participation to engage the DPRK constructively. DPRK nuclear dismantlement, when accompanied with a concerted effort for effective radioactive waste management, can be a mutually beneficial goal.

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Laboratory evaluation of time domain reflectometry for continuous monitoring of stream stage, channel profile, and aqueous conductivity

Water Resources Research

Tidwell, Vincent C.; Brainard, James R.

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) operates by propagating a radar frequency electromagnetic pulse down a transmission line while monitoring the reflected signal. As the electromagnetic pulse propagates along the transmission line, it is subject to impedance by the dielectric properties of the media along the transmission line (e.g., air, water, and sediment), reflection at dielectric discontinuities (e.g., air-water or water-sediment interface), and attenuation by electrically conductive materials (e.g., salts and clays). Taken together, these characteristics provide a basis for integrated stream monitoring, specifically, concurrent measurement of stream stage, channel profile, and aqueous conductivity. Requisite for such application is a means of extracting the desired stream parameters from measured TDR traces. Analysis is complicated by the fact that interface location and aqueous conductivity vary concurrently and multiple interfaces may be present at any time. For this reason a physically based multisection model employing the S11 scatter function and Debeye parameters for dielectric dispersion and loss is used to analyze acquired TDR traces. Here we explore the capability of this multisection modeling approach for interpreting TDR data acquired from complex environments, such as encountered in stream monitoring. A series of laboratory tank experiments was performed in which the depth of water, depth of sediment, and conductivity were varied systematically. Comparisons between modeled and independently measured data indicate that TDR measurements can be made with an accuracy of ±3.4 × 10-3 m for sensing the location of an air-water or water-sediment interface and ±7.4% of actual for the aqueous conductivity.

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Detonation tube impulse in sub-atmospheric environments

Proposed for publication in AIAA Journal of Propulsion and Power.

Cooper, Marcia

The thrust from a multi-cycle, pulse detonation engine operating at practical flight altitudes will vary with the surrounding environment pressure. We have carried out the first experimental study using a detonation tube hung in a ballistic pendulum arrangement within a large pressure vessel in order to determine the effect that the environment has on the single-cycle impulse. The air pressure inside the vessel surrounding the detonation tube varied between 100 and 1.4 kPa while the initial pressure of the stoichiometric ethylene-oxygen mixture inside the tube varied between 100 and 30 kPa. The original impulse model (Wintenberger et al., Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 19, No. 1, 2002) was modified to predict the observed increase in impulse and blow down time as the environment pressure decreased below one atmosphere. Comparisons between the impulse from detonation tubes and ideal, steady flow rockets indicate incomplete expansion of the detonation tube exhaust, resulting in a 37% difference in impulse at a pressure ratio (ratio of pressure behind the Taylor wave to the environment pressure) of 100.

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Results 86576–86600 of 99,299
Results 86576–86600 of 99,299