Assessing the Social Preference for Historic Preservation of United States Air Force Facilities

The Air Force is required to inform the public and solicit their comments when proposing actions to historic facilities. However, the Department of Defense has been criticized for the lack of consistent and adequate public involvement in this process. This research effort developed a hierarchy to capture public\u27s general preferences for historic preservation treatments. This information could be utilized as an early input to the decision making process. Expert participants provided inputs regarding the building characteristics which influence historic preservation decisions, the objectives of preservation, and the treatments which are applied to historic buildings. Focus group discussions were conducted with members of the public to gather qualitative data about historic preservation. Experts and members of the interested public completed questionnaires consisting of pairwise comparisons. The questionnaires provided the data needed to determine preferences for the building characteristics, action objectives, and treatments. The results of the research were weighted priorities for historic preservation treatments based on specific combinations of building characteristics

Real-Time Aerodynamic Flow and Data Visualization in an Interactive Virtual Environment

Significant advances have been made to non-intrusive flow field diagnostics in the past decade. Camera based techniques are now capable of determining physical qualities such as surface deformation, surface pressure and temperature, flow velocities, and molecular species concentration. In each case, extracting the pertinent information from the large volume of acquired data requires powerful and efficient data visualization tools. The additional requirement for real time visualization is fueled by an increased emphasis on minimizing test time in expensive facilities. This paper will address a capability titled LiveView3D, which is the first step in the development phase of an in depth, real time data visualization and analysis tool for use in aerospace testing facilities

The Infrared Evolution of Dust in V838 Monocerotis

Luminous Red Variables (LRVs) are most likely eruptions that are the outcome of stellar mergers. V838 Mon is one of the best-studied members of this class, representing an archetype for stellar mergers resulting from B-type stars. As result of the merger event, nova-like eruptions occur driving mass-loss from the system. As the gas cools considerable circumstellar dust is formed. V838 Mon erupted in 2002 and is undergoing very dynamic changes in its dust composition, geometry, and infrared luminosity providing a real-time laboratory to validate mineralogical condensation sequences in stellar mergers and evolutionary scenarios. We discuss recent NASA Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy SOFIA 5 to 38 micron observations combined with archival NASA Spitzer spectra that document the temporal evolution of the freshly formed (within the last 20 yrs) circumstellar material in the environs of V838 Mon. Changes in the 10 micron spectral region are strong evidence that we are witnessing a classical dust condensation sequence expected to occur in oxygen-rich environments where alumina formation is followed by that of silicates at the temperature cools.Comment: 12 Pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, To be published in the Astronomical Journa

SOFIA/FORCAST Observations of the Luminous Blue Variable Candidates MN 90 and HD 168625

We present SOFIA/FORCAST imaging of the circumstellar dust shells surrounding the luminous blue variable (LBV) candidates MN 90 and HD 168625 to quantify the mineral abundances of the dust and to constrain the evolutionary state of these objects. Our image at 37.1 micron of MN 90 shows a limb-brightened, spherical dust shell. A least-squares fit to the spectral energy distribution of MN 90 yields a dust temperature of 59 \pm 10 K, with the peak of the emission at 42.7 micron. Using 2-Dust radiative transfer code, we estimate for MN 90 that mass-loss occurred at a rate of (7.3 \pm 0.4)x10^-7 M_sun/yr x (v_exp/50 km/s) to create a dust shell with a dust mass of (3.2 \pm 0.1)x10^-2 M_sun. Our images between 7.7 - 37.1 micron of HD 168625 complement previously obtained mid-IR imaging of its bipolar nebulae. The SOFIA/FORCAST imaging of HD 168625 shows evidence for the limb-brightened peaks of an equatorial torus. We estimate a dust temperature of 170 \pm 40 K for the equatorial dust surrounding HD 168625, with the peak of the emission at 18.3 micron. Our 2-Dust model for HD 168625 estimates that mass-loss occurred at a rate of (3.2 \pm 0.2)x10^-7 M_sun/yr to create a dust torus/shell with a dust mass of (2.5 \pm 0.1)x10^-3 M_sun.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Supernova 2017eaw: Molecule and Dust Formation from Infrared Observations

We present infrared (IR) photometry and spectroscopy of the Type II-P SN 2017eaw and its progenitor in the nearby galaxy NGC 6946. Progenitor observations in the Ks band in four epochs from 1 yr to 1 day before the explosion reveal no significant variability in the progenitor star greater than 6% that lasts longer than 200 days. SN 2017eaw is a typical SN II-P with near-IR and mid-IR photometric evolution similar to those of SNe 2002hh and 2004et, other normal SNe II-P in the same galaxy. Spectroscopic monitoring during the plateau phase reveals a possible high-velocity He I 1.083 μm absorption line, indicative of a shock interaction with the circumstellar medium. Spectra between 389 and 480 days postexplosion reveal a strong CO first overtone emission at 389 days, with a line profile matching that of SN 1987A from the same epoch, indicating ~10^(−3) M⊙ of CO at 1800 K. From the 389 days epoch until the most recent observation at 566 days, the first overtone feature fades while the 4.5 μm excess, likely from the CO fundamental band, remains. This behavior indicates that the CO has not been destroyed, but that the gas has cooled enough that the levels responsible for first overtone emissions are no longer populated. Finally, the evolution of Spitzer 3.6 μm photometry shows evidence for dust formation in SN 2017eaw, with a dust mass of 10^(−6) or 10^(−4) M⊙ assuming carbonaceous or silicate grains, respectively

Defense Infrastructure: Changes in Funding Priorities and Strategic Planning Needed to Improve the Condition of Military Facilities

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO prepared this report in response to its basic legislative responsibilities. Its objectives are threefold: (1) to examine the historical funding trends and their impact on the condition of the active forces' facilities, (2) to evaluate the consistency of the services' information on facility conditions, and (3) to assess the Department of Defense's (DOD) long-term strategic plan and objectives to improve facility conditions.

A Proposed Military Construction Facility Investment Model

The fiscal year (FY) 1999 and FY2000 National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA) amended Title 10 USC, Section 17, and directed the secretary of defense to report annually on the capability of installations and facilities to provide support to forces in the conduct of their missions. This has come to be known as the Installations\u27 Readiness Report (IRR). The Air Force\u27s IRR links facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization (SRM) requirements, with the impact on the installation\u27s ability to support the mission associated with the particular facility class. The Air Force\u27s centralized military construction (MILCON) program model used to program major facility requirements does not directly target facility investment in the deficient facility classes defined in the Installations\u27 Readiness Report. This research combined the system dynamics and value-focused thinking methodologies together to develop a proposed MILCON model that might better target funding of deficient facility class requirements. The results from a system dynamics analysis of the existing MILCON model were used to better understand the MILCON program and leverage management policies in a proposed MILCON model. The proposed MILCON model was then developed using a gold standard value-focused thinking approach. The Air Force\u27s goals and objectives for the MILCON program were derived from a literature review of key doctrine, policies, and guidance. The proposed model was also evaluated to identify relevant favorable or unfavorable behavior trends in eliminating deficient facility class requirements. The proposed model provides a significant short and long-term improvement over the existing model in targeting and eliminating deficient facility class requirements. The model demonstrates a 20 percent improvement in targeting these facility requirements in FY2004 and a long-term trend towards completely eliminating these requirements

Analyze the Air Force Methods for Facility Sustainment and Restoration

The Department of Defense (DoD) is improving the procedures for identifying, advocating, allocating funding, and accomplishing facility requirements to improve the readiness capability to support the mission. The purposes of this research were to fully explore the methodologies employed by the Air Force (AF) and try to capitalize on industry standard practices to improve the AF methods. Industry has conducted extensive research devoted to the development of predictive models to estimate facility maintenance or sustainment requirements. The DoD and the AF have already implemented the facility sustainment model (FSM) to predict facility sustainment requirements; now however, they are struggling with a justifiable methodology for predicting facility repair or restoration requirements. This research used statistical stepwise regression with historical AF facility requirement cost data for the last five years, in an attempt to develop a predictive model. The analysis results were not significant and did not result in an accurate predictive model, but the methodology and background research did produce some positive results. Observations regarding AF facility requirement reporting tools were identified and recommendations for improved integration were made in the research

Supernova 2017eaw: Molecule and Dust Formation from Infrared Observations

We present infrared (IR) photometry and spectroscopy of the Type II-P SN 2017eaw and its progenitor in the nearby galaxy NGC 6946. Progenitor observations in the Ks band in four epochs from 1 yr to 1 day before the explosion reveal no significant variability in the progenitor star greater than 6% that lasts longer than 200 days. SN 2017eaw is a typical SN II-P with near-IR and mid-IR photometric evolution similar to those of SNe 2002hh and 2004et, other normal SNe II-P in the same galaxy. Spectroscopic monitoring during the plateau phase reveals a possible high-velocity He I 1.083 μm absorption line, indicative of a shock interaction with the circumstellar medium. Spectra between 389 and 480 days postexplosion reveal a strong CO first overtone emission at 389 days, with a line profile matching that of SN 1987A from the same epoch, indicating ~10^(−3) M⊙ of CO at 1800 K. From the 389 days epoch until the most recent observation at 566 days, the first overtone feature fades while the 4.5 μm excess, likely from the CO fundamental band, remains. This behavior indicates that the CO has not been destroyed, but that the gas has cooled enough that the levels responsible for first overtone emissions are no longer populated. Finally, the evolution of Spitzer 3.6 μm photometry shows evidence for dust formation in SN 2017eaw, with a dust mass of 10^(−6) or 10^(−4) M⊙ assuming carbonaceous or silicate grains, respectively

Development of a Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide

The Air Force has adopted the United States Green Building Council\u27s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating System as the preferred self-assessment metric for sustainable development. LEED™ is designed for new construction and major renovations, and, within the Air Force, is most applicable for Military Construction (MILCON) projects. The Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence developed the Air Force Sustainable Facilities Guide to provide guidance and strategies to meet LEED™ requirements. The Air Force has not adopted a sustainable development guide or rating system that is most applicable for construction projects that are relatively low (compared to MILCON projects) in cost or complexity. This research developed a Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide that can identify and assess sustainable development opportunities in all facility and infrastructure projects. This guide, modeled after the Air Force Sustainable Facilities Guide, simplifies most LEED™ requirements to reduce the time, cost, and expertise level required to incorporate sustainable development concepts while preserving the intent of LEED™. This guide is designed to quickly identify opportunities in projects that are relatively low in cost and complexity; where using the more robust LEED™. Requirements may not be justified. The Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide, in conjunction with existing Air Force guidance, provides a means to address sustainable development issues in all facility and construction projects regardless of cost or complexity