170 Nanometer Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging using Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy

We demonstrate one-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the semiconductor GaAs with 170 nanometer slice separation and resolve two regions of reduced nuclear spin polarization density separated by only 500 nanometers. This is achieved by force detection of the magnetic resonance, Magnetic Resonance Force Microscopy (MRFM), in combination with optical pumping to increase the nuclear spin polarization. Optical pumping of the GaAs creates spin polarization up to 12 times larger than the thermal nuclear spin polarization at 5 K and 4 T. The experiment is sensitive to sample volumes containing $\sim 4 \times 10^{11}$ $^{71}$Ga$/\sqrt{Hz}$. These results demonstrate the ability of force-detected magnetic resonance to apply magnetic resonance imaging to semiconductor devices and other nanostructures.Comment: Submitted to J of Magnetic Resonanc

Development of fuel cell electrodes, Electrode improvement and life testing, tasks 1 and 3 Final report, 30 Jun. 1966 - 30 Apr. 1968

Volt-ampere characteristics improvement and life testing of electrodes for hydrogen oxygen fuel cell

Multi-Scan Correlation to Separate Radar Tracks from False Alarms

An algorithm and computer software have been developed to filter out clutter in radar displays in order to clarify real tracks. Detections are generally declared valid when found to be part of a reasonable pattern of three or four detections in an eight scan history. The filtering process reduces the number of spurious reports by several orders of magnitude, providing significant improvement in distinguishing ships from waves and other sources of undesired radar reflections. The algorithm is being incorporated into radar system hardware in order to improve tracking of ships as signals are received. The method also shows promise for air tracking

Viral outbreak in corals associated with an in situ bleaching event: atypical herpes-like viruses and a new megavirus infecting Symbiodinium

Previous studies of coral viruses have employed either microscopy or metagenomics, but few have attempted to comprehensively link the presence of a virus-like particle (VLP) to a genomic sequence. We conducted transmission electron microscopy imaging and virome analysis in tandem to characterize the most conspicuous viral types found within the dominant Pacific reef-building coral genus Acropora. Collections for this study inadvertently captured what we interpret as a natural outbreak of viral infection driven by aerial exposure of the reef flat coincident with heavy rainfall and concomitant mass bleaching. All experimental corals in this study had high titers of viral particles. Three of the dominant VLPs identified were observed in all tissue layers and budding out from the epidermis, including viruses that were ∼70, ∼120, and ∼150 nm in diameter; these VLPs all contained electron dense cores. These morphological traits are reminiscent of retroviruses, herpesviruses, and nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), respectively. Some 300–500 nm megavirus-like VLPs also were observed within and associated with dinoflagellate algal endosymbiont (Symbiodinium) cells. Abundant sequence similarities to a gammaretrovirus, herpesviruses, and members of the NCLDVs, based on a virome generated from five Acropora aspera colonies, corroborated these morphology-based identifications. Additionally sequence similarities to two diagnostic genes, a MutS and (based on re-annotation of sequences from another study) a DNA polymerase B gene, most closely resembled Pyramimonas orientalis virus, demonstrating the association of a cosmopolitan megavirus with Symbiodinium. We also identified several other virus-like particles in host tissues, along with sequences phylogenetically similar to circoviruses, phages, and filamentous viruses. This study suggests that viral outbreaks may be a common but previously undocumented component of natural bleaching events, particularly following repeated episodes of multiple environmental stressors

Energy Gradients Structure Microbial Communities Across Sediment Horizons in Deep Marine Sediments of the South China Sea

The deep marine subsurface is a heterogeneous environment in which the assembly of microbial communities is thought to be controlled by a combination of organic matter deposition, electron acceptor availability, and sedimentology. However, the relative importance of these factors in structuring microbial communities in marine sediments remains unclear. The South China Sea (SCS) experiences significant variability in sedimentation across the basin and features discrete changes in sedimentology as a result of episodic deposition of turbidites and volcanic ashes within lithogenic clays and siliceous or calcareous ooze deposits throughout the basin\u27s history. Deep subsurface microbial communities were recently sampled by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) at three locations in the SCS with sedimentation rates of 5, 12, and 20 cm per thousand years. Here, we used Illumina sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene to characterize deep subsurface microbial communities from distinct sediment types at these sites. Communities across all sites were dominated by several poorly characterized taxa implicated in organic matter degradation, including Atribacteria, Dehalococcoidia, and Aerophobetes. Sulfate-reducing bacteria comprised only 4% of the community across sulfate-bearing sediments from multiple cores and did not change in abundance in sediments from the methanogenic zone at the site with the lowest sedimentation rate. Microbial communities were significantly structured by sediment age and the availability of sulfate as an electron acceptor in pore waters. However, microbial communities demonstrated no partitioning based on the sediment type they inhabited. These results indicate that microbial communities in the SCS are structured by the availability of electron donors and acceptors rather than sedimentological characteristics

A Checkout Language for Future Space Vehicles

To support an increased emphasis on automated checkout of future space vehicles, a procedureoriented computer language is required. This language needs to be more user-oriented and needs to have a more complete set of capabilities than existing languages. Such a language, named TOTAL, was developed under contract to NASAKSC. This paper presents an overall view of the language in terms of its major characteristics as derived from the basic design objectives

Electrodeposition of Cu–Ni Composite Coatings

The electrodeposition of Cu–Ni incorporated with nano- to microparticles to produce metal matrix composites has been reviewed in this chapter. The inclusion of particles into the metal matrix produced enhanced properties in the areas of electronics, mechanics, electrochemistry, and corrosion. In electronics, an increase in the magnetic properties and durability for microactuators was observed. Measurements of the mechanical properties showed an increase in hardness, wear resistance, shear adhesion, and tensile strength for the material. The corrosion resistance of the metal matrix coatings was improved over that of pure Cu–Ni. As the accessibility of nanoparticles continues to increase, the interest in reduced cost and low-temperature electrodeposited metal matrix composites continues to rise. However, only a small number of articles have investigated Cu–Ni composite coatings; these composite coatings need further examination due to their advantageous properties

Macroalgae Decrease Growth and Alter Microbial Community Structure of the Reef-Building Coral, Porites astreoides

With the continued and unprecedented decline of coral reefs worldwide, evaluating the factors that contribute to coral demise is of critical importance. As coral cover declines, macroalgae are becoming more common on tropical reefs. Interactions between these macroalgae and corals may alter the coral microbiome, which is thought to play an important role in colony health and survival. Together, such changes in benthic macroalgae and in the coral microbiome may result in a feedback mechanism that contributes to additional coral cover loss. To determine if macroalgae alter the coral microbiome, we conducted a field-based experiment in which the coral Porites astreoides was placed in competition with five species of macroalgae. Macroalgal contact increased variance in the coral-associated microbial community, and two algal species significantly altered microbial community composition. All macroalgae caused the disappearance of a γ-proteobacterium previously hypothesized to be an important mutualist of P. astreoides. Macroalgal contact also triggered: 1) increases or 2) decreases in microbial taxa already present in corals, 3) establishment of new taxa to the coral microbiome, and 4) vectoring and growth of microbial taxa from the macroalgae to the coral. Furthermore, macroalgal competition decreased coral growth rates by an average of 36.8%. Overall, this study found that competition between corals and certain species of macroalgae leads to an altered coral microbiome, providing a potential mechanism by which macroalgae-coral interactions reduce coral health and lead to coral loss on impacted reefs