31 research outputs found
Young and Intermediate-age Distance Indicators
Distance measurements beyond geometrical and semi-geometrical methods, rely
mainly on standard candles. As the name suggests, these objects have known
luminosities by virtue of their intrinsic proprieties and play a major role in
our understanding of modern cosmology. The main caveats associated with
standard candles are their absolute calibration, contamination of the sample
from other sources and systematic uncertainties. The absolute calibration
mainly depends on their chemical composition and age. To understand the impact
of these effects on the distance scale, it is essential to develop methods
based on different sample of standard candles. Here we review the fundamental
properties of young and intermediate-age distance indicators such as Cepheids,
Mira variables and Red Clump stars and the recent developments in their
application as distance indicators.Comment: Review article, 63 pages (28 figures), Accepted for publication in
Space Science Reviews (Chapter 3 of a special collection resulting from the
May 2016 ISSI-BJ workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space
Age
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Krypton retention on solid adsorbents. [Activated alumina; hydrogen mordenite, silver mordenite, sodium mordenite, cerium mordenite-H, cerium mordenite-Na, potassium mordenite-H, potassium mordenite-Na]
An experimental laboratory program was conducted to develop economical solid adsorbents for the retention of krypton from a dissolver off-gas stream. The study indicates that a solid adsorbent system is feasible and competitive with other developing systems which utilize fluorocarbon absorption nd cryogenic distillation. This technology may have potential applications not only in nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, but also in nuclear reactors and in environmental monitoring. Of the 13 prospective adsorbents evaluated with respect to adsorption capacity and cost, the commercially available hydrogen mordenite was the most cost-effective material at subambient temperatures (-40/sup 0/ to -80/sup 0/C). Silver mordenite has a higher capacity for krypton retention, but is 50 times more expensive than hydrogen mordenite
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Characterization of the airborne activity confinement system prefilter material
A general concern with assessing the effects of postulated severe accidents is predicting and preventing the release of radioactive isotopes to the environment at the Savannah River Site (SRS) reactor. Unless the confinement systems are breached in an accident the Airborne Activity Confinement System forces all of the internal air through the filter compartments. Proper modeling of the radioactivity released to the environment requires knowledge of the filtering characteristics of the demisters, the HEPA's, and the charcoal beds. An investigation of the mass loading characteristics for a range of particle sizes was performed under the direction of Vince Novick of Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) for the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) in connection with the restart of the K reactor. Both solid and liquid aerosols were used to challenge sample prefilter and HEPA filters. The results of the ANL investigation are reported in this document
Thorium oxalate solubility and morphology
Thorium was used as a stand-in for studying the solubility and precipitation of neptunium and plutonium oxalates. Thorium oxalate solubility was determined over a range of 0.001 to 10.0 in the concentration parameter (H/sub 2/C/sub 2/O/sub 4/)/(HNO/sub 3/)/sup 2/. Morphology of thorium oxide made from the oxalate precipitates was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The different morphologies found for oxalate-lean and oxalate-rich precipitations were in agreement with predictions based on precipitation theory
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Nuclear metallic fuel melt behavior during severe accidents
An assessment of fuel melt behavior during hypothetical overheating and melting incidents was made for nuclear reactors that use aluminum alloy fuels, which are typically composed of an aluminium/uranium alloy with an aluminum cladding. The assessment was based on analyses of several overheating incidents and on the results of a number of experimental test programs. The analyses indicated that the fuel failed in three distinct stages. At temperatures below melting, blistering of the cladding was observed, followed by cracking of the aluminium cladding at higher temperatures. When low-burnup fuel method, it flowed in rivulets through the gaps in the cracked cladding over the oxidized cladding surface, and higher-burnup fuels exuded a metallic molten foam through the cracks. 6 refs
Effect of humidity and particle hygroscopicity on the mass loading capacity of high efficiency particulate air (hepa) filters
Environmental and developmental controls over the seasonal pattern of isoprene emission from aspen leaves
Isoprene emission from plants represents one of the principal biospheric controls over the oxidative capacity of the continental troposphere. In the study reported here, the seasonal pattern of isoprene emission, and its underlying determinants, were studied for aspen trees growing in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The springtime onset of isoprene emission was delayed for up to 4 weeks following leaf emergence, despite the presence of positive net photosynthesis rates. Maximum isoprene emission rates were reached approximately 6 weeks following leaf emergence. During this initial developmental phase, isoprene emission rates were negatively correlated with leaf nitrogen concentrations. During the autumnal decline in isoprene emission, rates were positively correlated with leaf nitrogen concentration. Given past studies that demonstrate a correlation between leaf nitrogen concentration and isoprene emission rate, we conclude that factors other than the amount of leaf nitrogen determine the early-season initiation of isoprene emission. The late-season decline in isoprene emission rate is interpreted as due to the autumnal breakdown of metabolic machinery and loss of leaf nitrogen. In potted aspen trees, leaves that emerged in February and developed under cool, springtime temperatures did not emit isoprene until 23 days after leaf emergence. Leaves that emrged in July and developed in hot, midsummer temperatures emitted isoprene within 6 days. Leaves that had emerged during the cool spring, and had grown for several weeks without emitting isoprene, could be induced to emit isoprene within 2 h of exposure to 32°C. Continued exposure to warm temperatures resulted in a progressive increase in the isoprene emission rate. Thus, temperature appears to be an important determinant of the early season induction of isoprene emission. The seasonal pattern of isoprene emission was examined in trees growing along an elevational gradient in the Colorado Front Range (1829-2896 m). Trees at different elevations exhibited staggered patterns of bud-break and initiation of photosynthesis and isoprene emission in concert with the staggered onset of warm, springtime temperatures. The springtime induction of isoprene emission could be predicted at each of the three sites as the time after bud break required for cumulative temperatures above 0°C to reach approximately 400 degree days. Seasonal temperature acclimation of isoprene emission rate and photosynthesis rate was not observed. The temperature dependence of isoprene emission rate between 20 and 35°C could be accurately predicted during spring and summer using a single algorithm that describes the Arrhenius relationship of enzyme activity. From these results, it is concluded that the early season pattern of isoprene emission is controlled by prevailing temperature and its interaction with developmental processes. The late-season pattern is determined by controls over leaf nitrogen concentration, especially the depletion of leaf nitrogen during senescence. Following early-season induction, isoprene emission rates correlate with photosynthesis rates. During the season there is little acclimation to temperature, so that seasonal modeling simplifies to a single temperature-response algorithm
High carbon dioxide and sun/shade effects on isoprene emission from oak and aspen tree leaves
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Modeling requirements for full-scope reactor simulators of fission-product transport during severe accidents
This paper describes in the needs and requirements to properly and efficiently model fission product transport on full scope reactor simulators. Current LWR simulators can be easily adapted to model severe accident phenomena and the transport of radionuclides. Once adapted these simulators can be used as a training tool during operator training exercises for training on severe accident guidelines, for training on containment venting procedures, or as training tool during site wide emergency training exercises