Reactant Jetting in Unstable Detonation

We note the common existence of a supersonic jet structure locally embedded within a surrounding transonic flow field in the hitherto unrelated phenomena of unstable gaseous detonation and hypervelocity blunt body shock wave interaction. Extending prior results that demonstrate the consequences of reduced endothermic reaction rate for the supersonic jet fluid in the blunt body case, we provide an explanation for observations of locally reduced OH PLIF signal in images of the keystone reaction zone structure of weakly unstable detonations. Modeling these flow features as exothermically reacting jets with similarly reduced reaction rates, we demonstrate a mechanism for jetting of bulk pockets of unreacted fluid with potentially differing kinetic pathways into the region behind the primary detonation front of strongly unstable mixtures. We examine the impact of mono-atomic and diatomic diluents on transverse structure. The results yield insight into the mechanisms of transition and characteristic features of both weakly and strongly unstable mixtures

Transonic cryogenic test section for the Goettingen tube facility

The design of modern aircraft requires the solution of problems related to transonic flow at high Reynolds numbers. To investigate these problems experimentally, it is proposed to extend the Ludwieg tube facility by adding a transonic cryogenic test section. After stating the requirements for such a test section, the technical concept is briefly explained and a preliminary estimate of the costs is given

Flexible Computing Architecture for Real Time Skin Detection

In both the Air Force and Search and Rescue Communities, there is a current need to detect and characterize persons. Existing methods use red-green-blue (RGB) imagery, but produce high false alarm rates. New technology in multi-spectral skin detection is better than the existing RGB methods, but lacks a control and processing architecture to make them efficient for real time problems. We hypothesize that taking a minimalistic approach to the software design, we can perform image preprocessing, feature computation, and skin detection in real time. A number of applications require accurate detection and characterization of persons, human measurement and signature intelligence (H-MASINT), and SAR in particular. H-MASINT requires it for the detection of persons in images so other processing can be performed. It is useful in the SAR community as a method of finding persons partly obscured, in remote regions, and either living or deceased. We have developed a modular computing architecture to perform the acquisition and processing in real time, as well as separate programs to perform processing and analysis of images post-acquisition. The architecture is flexible, as one can easily add additional functionality to meet growing demands. All programs were organized using a basic Model-View-Controller design, designed using Universal Modeling Language principles, and coded using a bottom-up approach. Based on the results presented in this thesis, image acquisition, processing, skin detection, viewing, and saving can be performed in real time, at nearly 10 fps. Not only does this support the SAR community, the Air Force now has a new capability to help address its H-MASINT mission

Efficient Large-scale Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search on the GPU

We present a new approach for efficient approximate nearest neighbor (ANN) search in high dimensional spaces, extending the idea of Product Quantization. We propose a two-level product and vector quantization tree that reduces the number of vector comparisons required during tree traversal. Our approach also includes a novel highly parallelizable re-ranking method for candidate vectors by efficiently reusing already computed intermediate values. Due to its small memory footprint during traversal, the method lends itself to an efficient, parallel GPU implementation. This Product Quantization Tree (PQT) approach significantly outperforms recent state of the art methods for high dimensional nearest neighbor queries on standard reference datasets. Ours is the first work that demonstrates GPU performance superior to CPU performance on high dimensional, large scale ANN problems in time-critical real-world applications, like loop-closing in videos

Derivation of a homogenized von-Kármán shell theory from 3D elasticity

We derive homogenized von Kármán shell theories starting from three dimensional nonlinear elasticity. The original three dimensional model contains two small parameters: the period of oscillation $\epsilon$ of the material properties and the thickness $h$ of the shell. Depending on the asymptotic ratio of these two parameters, we obtain different asymptotic theories. In the case $h<<\epsilon$ we identify two different asymptotic theories, depending on the ratio of $h$ and $\epsilon^2$. In the case of convex shells we obtain a complete picture in the whole regime $h<<\epsilon$

Appendix E - Environmental Indices.pdf

Deep-sea bamboo coral (Isidella sp.) SE000901A from the southern Oregon coast (water depth 1048m) provides a high-resolution record of variability of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) and carbon rain to the sea floor, related to coastal upwelling, from 1808 to 2000AD. Counting of annual layers in magnesium to calcium (Mg/Ca) variations, measured by electron microprobe analysis, yields a detailed age model that is transferred directly to records of carbon and oxygen isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry and trace element ratios measured by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). A significant linear relationship between δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O measured on the carbonate internode of the coral specimen revealed disequilibrium kinetic isotopic variations that depend on calcification rate. The stable isotopic time series are significantly correlated to cadmium to calcium ratios (Cd/Ca) in the carbonate internode, suggesting that cadmium uptake also reflects the rate of calcification. Comparison of phosphorus to calcium ratios (P/Ca) in the carbonate internode to historical records of oxygen concentrations of NPIW suggests that coralline P/Ca is related to the phosphate content of the ambient bottom water, which covaries inversely with oxygen concentration. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) were measured on two organic gorgonin nodes of our bamboo coral, but incomplete understanding of the gorgonin growth patterns and the difficulty in translating ages between the proteinaceous node and calcareous internode preclude detailed comparison between organic stable isotopes and the trace element and isotopic composition of the well-dated carbonate proxies. Based on correlation of the measured properties to historical variations in coastal upwelling, and high-latitude climate variability, we demonstrate the potential and challenges in using deep-sea bamboo corals to extend records of climate variability into the pre-historical past

Gene–Environment Interactions and Intermediate Phenotypes: Early Trauma and Depression

This review focuses on current research developments in the study of gene by early life stress (ELS) interactions and depression. ELS refers to aversive experiences during childhood and adolescence such as sexual, physical or emotional abuse, emotional or physical neglect as well as parental loss. Previous research has focused on investigating and characterizing the specific role of ELS within the pathogenesis of depression and linking these findings to neurobiological changes of the brain, especially the stress response system. The latest findings highlight the role of genetic factors that increase vulnerability or, likewise, promote resilience to depression after childhood trauma. Considering intermediate phenotypes has further increased our understanding of the complex relationship between early trauma and depression. Recent findings with regard to epigenetic changes resulting from adverse environmental events during childhood promote current endeavors to identify specific target areas for prevention and treatment schemes regarding the long-term impact of ELS. Taken together, the latest research findings have underscored the essential role of genotypes and epigenetic processes within the development of depression after childhood trauma, thereby building the basis for future research and clinical interventions

Stability of Boundary Conditions for the Sadowsky Functional

It has been proved by the authors that the (extended) Sadowsky functional can be deduced as the Γ -limit of the Kirchhoff energy on a rectangular strip, as the width of the strip tends to 0. In this paper, we show that this Γ -convergence result is stable when affine boundary conditions are prescribed on the short sides of the strip. These boundary conditions include those corresponding to a Möbius band. This provides a rigorous justification of the original formal argument by Sadowsky about determining the equilibrium shape of a free-standing Möbius strip. We further write the equilibrium equations for the limit problem and show that, under some regularity assumptions, the centerline of a developable Möbius band at equilibrium cannot be a planar curve

Report on a collecting trip of the British Myriapod Group to Hungary in 1994

During a collecting trip participated jointly by the members of the British Myriapod Group and by Hungarian experts in 1994, 34 species of millipedes, 14 of centipedes, 8 of woodlice and 73 of spiders were recorded from Hungary. Two records of the millipede species Boreoiulus tenuis (Bigler, 1913) and Styrioiulus styricus (Verhoeff, 1896) were new to the fauna of Hungary