Depositional environments of the lower Tullock Formation (Paleocene), Slope County, southwestern North Dakota

The lower Tullock Formation (Paleocene), which consists of a section 5 to 30 feet thick, was studied in Slope County, southwestern North Dakota to determine its depositional environments. The lithol ogies present are sand, silt, clay and lignite. A bed of lignite or yellow silt marks the base of the Tullock Formation throughout the study area. The silt beds are interpreted as having been deposited as natural levees because they are wedge-shaped and contain climbing ripple cross-stratification, interbedded sand lenses and lignitized paleo-raot systems. Well-drained swamp deposits are difficult to distinguish, but are probably located in the silt beds. There are two types of clay beds which were deposited in different envirorunents. The first type of clay bed is dark-colored, rich in organic matter, silty and shaly. It is interpreted as having been deposited in a poorly-drained swamp in a fluvial floodbasin because of its organic content and interbedded relationships with lignite beds. The other type of clay bed is light-colored and contains less organic material and silt than the first type. It is interpreted as having been deposited in small lakes within a floodbasin because of its low organic content, massively bedded clay and stratigraphic position above lignite beds. Lignite beds are interpreted as having been deposited in poorly drained swamps in fluyial floodbasins because of their wood content, lateral persistence, thickness and interbedded relationships with dark colored clay beds. The sand beds of the lower Tullock Formation are interpreted as having been deposited as crevasse-splays because their grain size (very fine- to medium-grained) is coarser than levee deposits, and they show lateral thinning, scoured bases and small-scale ripple cross stratification. The sand beds are underlain by lignite and overlain by dark-colored clay indicating the sand was rapidly dispersed into poorly-drained swamps. Prodelta and near- and off-shore lacustrine environments of deposition are rejected because of incorrect vertical successions of beds. Commonly clay beds rich in organic matter are overlain by lignite beds, which, in turn, are overlain by silt beds. Lacustrine deposits would show clay beds overlain by silt and sand beds, in turn overlain by lignite beds. The succession present is what would be expected for a fluvial environment

The effect of the low Earth orbit environment on space solar cells

The results of a space flight experiment designed to provide reference cell standards for photovoltaic measurements as well as to investigate the solar spectrum and the effect of long-term exposure of solar cells to the space environment are presented. This experiment, the Advanced Photovoltaic Experiment (APEX), was launched into low Earth orbit as part of the Long Duration Exposure Facility in 1984 and retrieved 69 months later. APEX contained over 150 solar cells of a wide variety of materials, designs and coverglasses. Data on cell performance was recorded for the first year-on-orbit

Regrowth-related defect formation and evolution in 1 MeV amorphized (001) Ge

Geimplanted with 1MeV Si⁺ at a dose of 1×10¹⁵cm⁻² creates a buried amorphous layer that, upon regrowth, exhibits several forms of defects–end-of-range (EOR), regrowth-related, and clamshell defects. Unlike Si, no planar {311} defects are observed. The minimal EOR defects are small dotlike defects and are very unstable, dissolving between 450 and 550°C. This is in contrast to Si, where the EOR defects are very stable. The amorphous layer results in both regrowth-related defects and clamshell defects, which were more stable than the EOR damage.This work is supported by Semiconductor Research Corporation Contract No. 00057787

Size selective hydrophobic adsorbent for organic molecules

The present invention relates to an adsorbent formed by the pyrolysis of a hydrophobic silica with a pore size greater than 5 .ANG., such as SILICALITE.TM., with a molecular sieving polymer precursor such as polyfurfuryl alcohol, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene chloride, phenol-formaldehyde resin, polyvinylidene difluoride and mixtures thereof. Polyfurfuryl alcohol is the most preferred. The adsorbent produced by the pyrolysis has a silicon to carbon mole ratio of between about 10:1 and 1:3, and preferably about 2:1 to 1:2, most preferably 1:1. The pyrolysis is performed as a ramped temperature program between about 100.degree. and 800.degree. C., and preferably between about 100.degree. and 600.degree. C. The present invention also relates to a method for selectively adsorbing organic molecules having a molecular size (mean molecular diameter) of between about 3 and 6 .ANG. comprising contacting a vapor containing the small organic molecules to be adsorbed with the adsorbent composition of the present invention

FORCES AND MOMENTS AT THE L4/L5 VERTEBRAL LEVEL WHILE FORWARD BENDING IN A SUPPORTED POSTURE

INTRODUCTION Chronic lower back pain has been associated with improper body mechanics while lifting. Forces and moments imposed on the lumbar spine have been investigated while performing a variety of lifting tasks to better understand the mechanical nature of injury to this region. Research focused on the injured patient has been sparse. The purpose of this line of study is to determine the mechanical effects at the L4/L5 vertebral level while using a supported lifting posture. METHODS Nine males (mean age 49.6± 9.7 yrs) participating in a chronic back pain program volunteered as subjects. Each subject performed two styles of lift while removing a wash cloth from a support structure constructed to simulate the dimensions of a washing machine. The lifting postures were(1) a common bowed-back lift performed with both feet in a stationary position, and (2) a rotation about the hip joint of the weight-bearing leg while the contra-lateral leg was allowed to rotate posteriorly to maintain the standing curvature of the spine ("golfer's lift"). Data was recorded using a 60 Hz S-VHS video camcorder and a Bertec force platform (500 Hz). A sagittal plane inverse dynamic model was developed and used to calculate forces and moments imparted on the L4/L5 vertebral level. Self-reported subjective ratings of lower back pain were recorded on an ordinal scale from 0 to 10. RESULTS Two profiles of lifts were identified based on the direction of the net moment at L4/L5. Negative moments, requiring a contraction of the spinal extensors to maintain equilibrium, were found in the majority of subjects while performing the bowed-back posture, while only in one subject performing the golfer's lift posture. Positive moments, resulting in an unloading of the spinal extensors, were found in the majority of subjects while performing the golfer's lift posture. Significant differences F(1.68) = 64.74, p < .001] were found between the peak L4/L5 moments for the two lifting postures. A Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test revealed a significant increase (

New Era Begins: Mental Health Law Reform in Virginia

Amidst calls for mental health reform and a sense of urgency stemming from the tragic events at Virginia Tech, the 2008 session of the Virginia General Assembly convened. The legislative reaction was overwhelming: Legislators introduced a vast array of bills relating to mental health. By the end of the session, the General Assembly enacted the most sweeping revisions to Virginia\u27s mental health laws since the 1970s

Calibration of the Ames Anechoic Facility. Phase 1: Short range plan

A calibration was made of the acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of a small, open-jet wind tunnel in an anechoic room. The jet nozzle was 102 mm diameter and was operated subsonically. The anechoic-room dimensions were 7.6 m by 5.5 m by 3.4 m high (wedge tip to wedge tip). Noise contours in the chamber were determined by various jet speeds and exhaust collector positions. The optimum nozzle/collector separation from an acoustic standpoint was 2.1 m. Jet velocity profiles and turbulence levels were measured using pressure probes and hot wires. The jet was found to be symmetric, with no unusual characteristics. The turbulence measurements were hampered by oil mist contamination of the airflow