Cold molecular welding study in ultra-high vacuum Final report, 8 Oct. 1964 - 17 Dec. 1965

Cold molecular welding in ultrahigh vacuum of metals for use in Apollo projec

Surface energy fluxes in complex terrain

The emphasis of the 1985 NASA project activity was on field measurements of wind data and heat balance data. Initiatives included a 19 station mountaintop monitoring program, testing and refining the surface flux monitoring systems and packing and shipping equipment to the People's Republic of China in preparation for the 1986 Tibet Experiment. Other work included more extensive analyses of the 1984 Gobi Desert and Rocky Mountain observations plus some preliminary analyses of the 1985 mountaintop network data. Details of our field efforts are summarized and results of our data analyses are presented

Regional-scale flows in complex terrain: an observational and numerical investigation

Fall 1990.Also issued as author's dissertation (Ph.D.) -- Colorado State University, 1990.Includes bibliographical references.An observational program has been conducted to obtain information concerning thermally driven flows in complex terrain on meso-(3 to meso-a scales (100 - 500 km). Data were collected from remote surface observing systems at exposed mountaintop locations throughout the state of Colorado, over the summers of 1984-1988. These field experiments have been called the Rocky Mountain Peaks Experiments (ROMPEX). The observations from ROMPEX have been supplemented with data from other remote surface networks, special soundings, upper-air observations, and radar and lightning strike information to provide an adequate description of the flows and weather of interest. The observations have shown the development of a recurrent "regional-scale" circulation system across the Colorado mountain barrier, operating on a diurnal time scale. The basic structure of the flow system consists of a daytime inflow phase toward the mountains along the Continental Divide, and a nocturnal outflow away from this high terrain. Long-term averages show this circulation system to be the dominant wind pattern at several high altitude stations, revealing its climatological significance. Attention has been focused upon the nocturnal phase of the circulation system along the western slope of the mountain barrier. Here, the winds are particularly strong and from a southeasterly direction, which is generally counter to the upper-level winds, and onset abruptly in early evening with steady flow thereafter. Soundings have shown this nocturnal current to be shallow and within a distinct stable air mass. Convective storms are found to enhance this southeasterly flow regime. Numerical simulations have been performed with the Colorado State University Regional Atmospheric Modelling System (CSU-RAMS) to provide further insight into the physical mechanisms forcing the observed regional-scale circulation system. The model simulations include both idealized two- and three-dimensional experiments, as well as a three-dimensional case study experiment using actual data for the initialization. The three-dimensional simulations use two-way interactive grid nesting and a realistic representation of topography over the region of interest. The idealized three-dimensional experiment showed that thermal forcing over realistic topography in conditions of negligible, or weak ambient flow, is capable of producing many of the flow features observed throughout the diurnal cycle. his experiment further showed how the deep mountain-plains solenoid along and above the Front Range crest evolves in late afternoon into a shallower density current, which then propagates westward over the mountains of the western slope. This unexpected flow phenomenon is the primary process responsible for the strong nocturnal southeasterly winds found in observations. Sensitivity experiments show that the particular terrain configuration through an east-west cross-section of the Colorado mountains is important to the generation of this unusual circulation. The strong thermal gradient produced by differential heating of the topography is the primary driving force in the density current evolution. Coriolis influence maintains the steady nocturnal south-southeast winds over the western slope. Additional experiments show that the diurnally evolving regional-scale circulation system over the Colorado Rocky Mountains is a robust feature which can occur over a range of ambient flow and stratification conditions. Soil moisture experiments reveal that wet soil along the eastern slope and dry along the western slope aids the development of the westward propagating density current. The diurnal evolution of the circulation system on the case study day was in fair agreement with many of the observed circulation features. This experiment also revealed that synoptic-scale forcing can influence the development of the regional-scale circulations in preferential regions along the eastern slope of the mountain barrier. As a result of the numerical experiments four phases of the thermally forced regional-scale diurnal circulation system have been identified. These consist of a daytime mountain boundary layer development phase, a late afternoon transitional phase, an evening propagating density current phase, and a latte night adjustment phase.Sponsored by the National Science Foundation ATM-8610796; the Air Force Office of Scientific Research F49620-85-C-0077DEF; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration NAGW601; and the Army Research Office DAAL03-86-K-0175

Economic insecurity breeds support for the right

Economic insecurity is attracting growing attention in social, academic, and policy circles. It has arguably risen for a number of reasons in recent years: the Great Recession (with its associated job instability), automation and the fear of job loss, the Chinese import shock, and ageing populations and migration, amongst others. As well as its obvious implications for family finances and [...

Numerical simulation of explosive volcanism and its effects on the atmosphere

This is the final report of a one-year, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The objective of this project was to begin work on combining two modeling approaches in order to advance the state-of-the-art in simulating and predicting explosive volcanic eruption dynamics and their effects. The authors began applying the CFDLIB family of codes for the near field (high temperature, velocity, and particle concentration) region of an explosive eruption. The authors also applied the RAMS meteorological code to model the far-field dynamics of eruption clouds and ash fallout. Initial test runs were conducted in preparation for full-scale simulations that would eventually couple the two models for the most comprehensive volcano simulation tool to date. Eventual applications include aviation hazards, risk assessment, and extension to atmospheric collateral effects of conventional and nuclear weapons

Application of an advanced atmospheric mesoscale model to dispersion in the Rocky Flats, Colorado vicinity

Atmospheric Studies in Complex Terrain (ASCOT) program sponsored a field experiment in the winter of 1991 near Rocky Flats, Colorado. Both meteorological and tracer dispersion measurements were taken. These two data sets provided an opportunity to investigate the influence of terrain-generated, radiatively-driven flows on the dispersion of the tracer. We use the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), originally developed at Colorado State University, to simulate meteorological conditions and tracer dispersion on the case night of 4-5 February 1991. The simulations described herein reveal considerable information about the extent to which the Rocky Mountains influence the flow along the Front Range , the importance of diffusion when simulating drainage flows and the computing needs of simulations in complex terrain regions

Examining decentralization and managerial decision making for child immunization program performance in India

Despite widespread adoption of decentralization reforms, the impact of decentralization on health system attributes, such as access to health services, responsiveness to population health needs, and effectiveness in affecting health outcomes, remains unclear. This study examines how decision space, institutional capacities, and accountability mechanisms of the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) in India relate to measurable performance of the immunization program. Data on decision space and its related dimensions of institutional capacity and accountability were collected by conducting structured interviews with managers based in 24 districts, 61 blocks, and 279 subcenters. Two measures by which to assess performance were selected: (1) proportion reduction in the DTP3 coverage gap (i.e., effectiveness), and (2) total IMI doses delivered per incremental USD spent on program implementation (i.e., efficiency). Descriptive statistics on decision space, institutional capacity, and accountability for IMI managers were generated. Structural equation models (SEM) were specified to detect any potential associations between decision space dimensions and performance measures. The majority of districts and blocks indicated low levels of decision space. Institutional capacity and accountability were similar across areas. Increases in decision space were associated with less progress towards closing the immunization coverage gap in the IMI context. Initiatives to support health workers and managers based on their specific contextual challenges could further improve outcomes of the program. Similar to previous studies, results revealed strong associations between each of the three decentralization dimensions. Health systems should consider the impact that management structures have on the efficiency and effectiveness of health services delivery. Future research could provide greater evidence for directionality of direct and indirect effects, interaction effects, and/or mediators of relationships

Water resources simulation in the Rio Grande basin using coupled models

Regional assessments of water resources under global climate change require models that can resolve management, land use, and climate effects. Los Alamos National Laboratory is developing a coupled model of water resources that places a river basin in its global context. The upper Rio Grande basin above El Paso, Texas is the testbed for this model. The model structure and computational approach are emphasize and issues such as nonlinear feedback between components and spatial and temporal scaling of processes are discussed. Using simulations of regional meteorology, the effects of high spatial resolution simulations on the distribution of precipitation are demonstrated

Does health worker performance affect clients' health behaviors? A multilevel analysis from Bangladesh

Background Suboptimal healthcare quality may be a barrier to achieving child health improvements, yet little is known about the relationship between provider compliance with evidence-based practices and client behavior change. We assess provider compliance in the context of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) counseling, its relationship with client IYCF behaviors in Bangladesh, and explore its potential determinants. Methods We use data from a 2017 evaluation of an IYCF program that includes a health worker survey (n = 74), caregiver survey (n = 232), and direct service observation checklists of counseling sessions (n = 232 observations of 74 health workers). We assess the relationship between provider compliance with recommended IYCF counseling topics and behaviors (standardized to a 100-point scale) and three reported IYCF behaviors among clients using multi-level models with random effects at the health worker and sub-district (sampling) levels. We also evaluate whether health worker self-efficacy, satisfaction, and technical knowledge are associated with provider compliance. Results Health worker compliance was significantly associated with reported exclusive breastfeeding for children under 6 months of age (adjusted odds ratio per 1 percentage point increase in counseling compliance score = 1.06, 95% CI 1.01, 1.12) and marginally associated with minimum dietary diversity (adjusted odds ratio per 1 percentage point increase in counseling compliance score = 1.05, 95% CI 1.00, 1.11). Counseling compliance was significantly and positively associated with both health worker self-efficacy and technical knowledge. Conclusions We find evidence for an association between health worker compliance and client health behaviors; however, small effect sizes suggest that behavior change is multifactorial and affected by factors beyond care quality. Improvements to technical quality of care may contribute to desired health outcomes; but policies and programs seeking to change health behaviors through counseling may also wish to target upstream factors such as self-efficacy, alongside technical skill-building and knowledge, for maximum impact.This research was conducted with support from FHI Solutions LLC, via the Alive & Thrive project which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the governments of Canada and Ireland