1,763 research outputs found
Biofilm Origin of Clay-Coated Sand Grains
The presence of clay-sized particles and clay minerals in modern sands and ancient sandstones has long presented an interesting problem, because primary depositional processes tend to lead to physical separation of fine- and coarse-grained materials. Numerous processes have been invoked to explain the common presence of clay minerals in sandstones, including infiltration, the codeposition of flocculated muds, and bioturbation-induced sediment mixing. How and why clay minerals form as grain coats at the site of deposition remains uncertain, despite clay-coated sand grains being of paramount importance for subsequent diagenetic sandstone properties. We have identified a new biofilm mechanism that explains clay material attachment to sand grain surfaces that leads to the production of detrital clay coats. This study focuses on a modern estuary using a combination of field work, scanning electron microscopy, petrography, biomarker analysis, and Raman spectroscopy to provide evidence of the pivotal role that biofilms play in the formation of clay-coated sand grains. This study shows that within modern marginal marine systems, clay coats primarily result from adhesive biofilms. This bio-mineral interaction potentially revolutionizes the understanding of clay-coated sand grains and offers a first step to enhanced reservoir quality prediction in ancient and deeply buried sandstones
Damage and repair classification in reinforced concrete beams using frequency domain data
This research aims at developing a new vibration-based damage classification technique that can efficiently be applied to a real-time large data. Statistical pattern recognition paradigm is relevant to perform a reliable site-location damage diagnosis system. By adopting such paradigm, the finite element and other inverse models with their intensive computations, corrections and inherent inaccuracies can be avoided. In this research, a two-stage combination between principal component analysis and Karhunen-Loéve transformation (also known as canonical correlation analysis) was proposed as a statistical-based damage classification technique. Vibration measurements from frequency domain were tested as possible damage-sensitive features. The performance of the proposed system was tested and verified on real vibration measurements collected from five laboratory-scale reinforced concrete beams modelled with various ranges of defects. The results of the system helped in distinguishing between normal and damaged patterns in structural vibration data. Most importantly, the system further dissected reasonably each main damage group into subgroups according to their severity of damage. Its efficiency was conclusively proved on data from both frequency response functions and response-only functions. The outcomes of this two-stage system showed a realistic detection and classification and outperform results from the principal component analysis-only. The success of this classification model is substantially tenable because the observed clusters come from well-controlled and known state conditions
Dynamical response of the "GGG" rotor to test the Equivalence Principle: theory, simulation and experiment. Part I: the normal modes
Recent theoretical work suggests that violation of the Equivalence Principle
might be revealed in a measurement of the fractional differential acceleration
between two test bodies -of different composition, falling in the
gravitational field of a source mass- if the measurement is made to the level
of or better. This being within the reach of ground based
experiments, gives them a new impetus. However, while slowly rotating torsion
balances in ground laboratories are close to reaching this level, only an
experiment performed in low orbit around the Earth is likely to provide a much
better accuracy.
We report on the progress made with the "Galileo Galilei on the Ground" (GGG)
experiment, which aims to compete with torsion balances using an instrument
design also capable of being converted into a much higher sensitivity space
test.
In the present and following paper (Part I and Part II), we demonstrate that
the dynamical response of the GGG differential accelerometer set into
supercritical rotation -in particular its normal modes (Part I) and rejection
of common mode effects (Part II)- can be predicted by means of a simple but
effective model that embodies all the relevant physics. Analytical solutions
are obtained under special limits, which provide the theoretical understanding.
A simulation environment is set up, obtaining quantitative agreement with the
available experimental data on the frequencies of the normal modes, and on the
whirling behavior. This is a needed and reliable tool for controlling and
separating perturbative effects from the expected signal, as well as for
planning the optimization of the apparatus.Comment: Accepted for publication by "Review of Scientific Instruments" on Jan
16, 2006. 16 2-column pages, 9 figure
Potential of observations from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer to constrain continental sources of carbon monoxide
The Effects of Negative Legacies on the Adjustment of Parentally Bereaved Children and Adolescents
This is a report of a qualitative analysis of a sample of bereaved families in which one parent died and in which children scored in the clinical range on the Child Behavior Check List. The purpose of this analysis was to learn more about the lives of these children. They were considered to be at risk of developing emotional and behavioral problems associated with the death. We discovered that many of these “high risk” children had a continuing bond with the deceased that was primarily negative and troubling for them in contrast to a comparison group of children not at risk from the same study. Five types of legacies, not mutually exclusive, were identified: health related, role related, personal qualities, legacy of blame, and an emotional legacy. Coping behavior on the part of the surviving parent seemed to make a difference in whether or not a legacy was experienced as negative
Runaway dilaton and equivalence principle violations
In a recently proposed scenario, where the dilaton decouples while
cosmologically attracted towards infinite bare string coupling, its residual
interactions can be related to the amplitude of density fluctuations generated
during inflation, and are large enough to be detectable through a modest
improvement on present tests of free-fall universality. Provided it has
significant couplings to either dark matter or dark energy, a runaway dilaton
can also induce time-variations of the natural "constants" within the reach of
near-future experiments.Comment: 4 pages, minor change
The genome of Clostridium difficile 5.3
Background Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of infectious diarrhea in humans and responsible for large outbreaks of enteritis in neonatal pigs in both North America and Europe. Disease caused by C. difficile typically occurs during antibiotic therapy and its emergence over the past 40 years is linked with the widespread use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in both human and veterinary medicine. Results We sequenced the genome of Clostridium difficile 5.3 using the Illumina Nextera XT and MiSeq technologies. Assembly of the sequence data reconstructed a 4,009,318 bp genome in 27 scaffolds with an N50 of 786 kbp. The genome has extensive similarity to other sequenced C. difficile genomes, but also has several genes that are potentially related to virulence and pathogenicity that are not present in the reference C. difficile strain. Conclusion Genome sequencing of human and animal isolates is needed to understand the molecular events driving the emergence of C. difficile as a gastrointestinal pathogen of humans and food animals and to better define its zoonotic potential
A cryogenic liquid-mirror telescope on the moon to study the early universe
We have studied the feasibility and scientific potential of zenith observing
liquid mirror telescopes having 20 to 100 m diameters located on the moon. They
would carry out deep infrared surveys to study the distant universe and follow
up discoveries made with the 6 m James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with more
detailed images and spectroscopic studies. They could detect objects 100 times
fainter than JWST, observing the first, high-red shift stars in the early
universe and their assembly into galaxies. We explored the scientific
opportunities, key technologies and optimum location of such telescopes. We
have demonstrated critical technologies. For example, the primary mirror would
necessitate a high-reflectivity liquid that does not evaporate in the lunar
vacuum and remains liquid at less than 100K: We have made a crucial
demonstration by successfully coating an ionic liquid that has negligible vapor
pressure. We also successfully experimented with a liquid mirror spinning on a
superconducting bearing, as will be needed for the cryogenic, vacuum
environment of the telescope. We have investigated issues related to lunar
locations, concluding that locations within a few km of a pole are ideal for
deep sky cover and long integration times. We have located ridges and crater
rims within 0.5 degrees of the North Pole that are illuminated for at least
some sun angles during lunar winter, providing power and temperature control.
We also have identified potential problems, like lunar dust. Issues raised by
our preliminary study demand additional in-depth analyses. These issues must be
fully examined as part of a scientific debate we hope to start with the present
article.Comment: 35 pages, 11 figures. To appear in Astrophysical Journal June 20 200
Electrostatic Patch Effect in Cylindrical Geometry. I. Potential and Energy between Slightly Non-Coaxial Cylinders
We study the effect of any uneven voltage distribution on two close
cylindrical conductors with parallel axes that are slightly shifted in the
radial and by any length in the axial direction. The investigation is
especially motivated by certain precision measurements, such as the Satellite
Test of the Equivalence Principle (STEP). By energy conservation, the force can
be found as the energy gradient in the vector of the shift, which requires
determining potential distribution and energy in the gap. The boundary value
problem for the potential is solved, and energy is thus found to the second
order in the small transverse shift, and to lowest order in the gap to cylinder
radius ratio. The energy consists of three parts: the usual capacitor part due
to the uniform potential difference, the one coming from the interaction
between the voltage patches and the uniform voltage difference, and the energy
of patch interaction, entirely independent of the uniform voltage. Patch effect
forces and torques in the cylindrical configuration are derived and analyzed in
the next two parts of this work.Comment: 26 pages, 1 Figure. Submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravit
Acceleration disturbances and requirements for ASTROD I
ASTRODynamical Space Test of Relativity using Optical Devices I (ASTROD I)
mainly aims at testing relativistic gravity and measuring the solar-system
parameters with high precision, by carrying out laser ranging between a
spacecraft in a solar orbit and ground stations. In order to achieve these
goals, the magnitude of the total acceleration disturbance of the proof mass
has to be less than 10−13 m s−2 Hz−1/2 at 0.1 m Hz. In this
paper, we give a preliminary overview of the sources and magnitude of
acceleration disturbances that could arise in the ASTROD I proof mass. Based on
the estimates of the acceleration disturbances and by assuming a simple
controlloop model, we infer requirements for ASTROD I. Our estimates show that
most of the requirements for ASTROD I can be relaxed in comparison with Laser
Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).Comment: 19 pages, two figures, accepted for publication by Class. Quantum
Grav. (at press
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