Modeling, Visualizing, and Understanding Complex Tectonic Structures on the Surface and in the Sub-Surface

Plate tectonics is a relatively new theory with many details of plate dynamics which remain to be worked out. Moving plates can interact by divergence, lateral sliding, convergence, or collision. At a convergent plate boundary, a lithospheric slab of oceanic crust and upper mantle is subducted at a trench and dips down under a magmatic arc — either oceanic or continental. Textbooks show a static view of convergent boundaries but plate dynamics require that subduction zones and magmatic arcs must migrate with time. Therefore I develop animated models to help convey this motion. Also, convergent plate boundaries cannot continue along strike or down dip indefinitely without changing. Subduction zones change orientation and eventually terminate. They may bend and shear or tear and open a window for asthenospheric flow. Two different convergent plate boundaries are the primary focus of my studies: the Tonga subduction zone where the Pacific plate moving beneath an island arc is torn along the Samoan Island Archipelago, and the Andean subduction zone in central South America where the Nazca plate moves beneath a continental arc. I choose these zones because they exhibit tears or shears, where subduction stops, or changes dip suddenly. To examine these features I use several modeling and visualization techniques. COLLADA (COLLabrative Design Activity) models in Google Earth and Google Earth Application Programming Interface (API) are used for visualizing and teaching of plate boundary systems. The testing of COLLADA models for geoscience concepts showed positive learning gains. Kinematic models are made to study strain rates and possible methods of plate evolution. Dynamic COMSOL numerical models are created to probe temperature and flow fields in the subduction zone. Animated COLLADA models are designed for different models of subduction initiation and development for the Tonga trench for both research and educational purposes. The development of these models led to a new hypothesis of this region\u27s formation. Using these models and Google Earth materials studies in undergraduate classes tested the effectiveness of Google Earth based lab activities for enhancing student understanding of geoscience. In the central Andean subduction zone, emergent COLLADA models are made from mining GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org) and published contour data to demonstrate the unique geometry of the Nazca plate having adjacent subduction angles of 10° and 30°. This led to the research question, can theNazca plate support this geometry by shearing without tearing? A literature review shows efforts to explore this topic by means of hypocenter, teleseismic, and thermal data to have no consensus on the topic. To this end a new approach is taken to examine this region by applying the methods of kinematic and dynamic modeling to further explore this question. These different models of the Andean system lead to the conclusion that no major magmatic window could have opened between the fiat and steep subduction areas given the time and deformation mechanisms available

Optimisation of Power Detection Interrogation Methods for Fibre Bragg Grating Sensors

We present a method to optimise the performance of power detection interrogation systems for fibre Bragg grating sensors. The performance of the different systems can be optimised in terms of their sensitivity and/or dynamic range

Spatial Performance of Acousto-Ultrasonic Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor

In this letter, we present results for the spatial performance of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor to continuous-wave acousto-ultrasonic (AU) signals. The FBG AU sensor is an intensity sensor, using a transmit reflect detection system. The AU sensor was used to receive actively generated continuous-wave ultrasonic signals from a PZT transducer. We present results showing the received signal strength as a function of longitudinal, lateral, and angular separation in small aluminum panels. Measurements were taken for distances of less then 100 mm and at angles from 0 to 90 degrees between the sensor and the transducer. These results show no direct dependence between the received signal strength and the spatial separation, in the range considered. Only variations due to interference were observed

Pspice simulation of an electro-acoustic communications channel

In this paper, we present results from a circuit simulation of a proposed electro-acoustic communications channel. The communications channel was modeled in PSpice using Redwood\u27s version of Mason\u27s equivalent circuit. The simulations used binary phase shift keyed communications signals with a carrier frequency of 1.12 MHz. Results obtained from the model are comparable with the results obtained experimentally. The frequency response of the model matched the measured frequency response, predicting lower frequency resonances obtained in the experimental data. The transient response of the model compares almost identically with the transient response observed experimentally. This is a significant characteristic as the acoustic communications are transient limited, which suggests that the model can be used with good confidence in the optimization of the transducers and algorithms used for acoustic communications

Fibre Bragg Grating Sensors for Acoustic Emission and Transmission Detection Applied to Robotic NDE in Structural Health Monitoring

Distributed acoustic emission sensors are used in structural health monitoring (SHM) for the detection of impacts and/or strain, in real time. Secondary damage may result from the initial impact or strain. This damage may include surface pitting, erosion, or cracking. This type of damage may not be detectable by the SHM system, specifically in passive fiber optic based sensing systems. The integration of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) by robots into SHM enables the detection and monitoring of a wider variety of damage. Communicating via acoustic transmissions represents a wireless communications method for use by NDE inspection robots to communicate with an integrated SHM system that does not require any additional hardware, as piezoelectric transducers are commonly used in the NDE of materials. In this paper, we demonstrate the detection of both acoustic emissions and transmissions with a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor. The acoustic communications channel comprises of a piezoelectric transmitter, an aluminum panel as the transmission medium, and a FBG receiver. Phase Shift Keying was used to encode the acoustic transmissions. Results for the frequency and transient response of the channel are presented

Wireless Acoustic Communications and Power Supply for In-vivo Biomedical Devices

Pacemakers are common biomedical devices used in the treatment of specific cardiovascular problems. Current research in biomedical engineering is investigating the use of so called brain pacemakers to regulate conditions such as Parkinson\u27s and other neurological conditions. In this paper, we demonstrate the principle of acoustic communications and power harvesting, in vivo. The signals are intended to be used for fixed in vivo biomedical devices, such as pacemakers, were wired and wireless RF communications cannot be used. Results show the performance of the communications channel. The frequency response, transfer function and transient response (at resonance) of the communications channel were measured. Successful communication was achieved through the communications channel using phase shift keying. A data rate of 40kbps could be achieved. Preliminary results harvesting these acoustic signals to recharge the in vivo biomedical devices give a maximum AC power of 1.12mW

Wireless Communications and Power Supply for In Vivo Biomedical Devices Using Acoustic Transmissions

Introduction:- Acoustic transmissions are investigated for use in the wireless transmission of digital communications signals and power supply for in vivo biomedical devices. The acoustic transmissions are intended to be used for fixed implanted biomedical devices, such as pacemakers, but more importantly, neural implants were wired and wireless radio frequency communications cannot be used. The acoustic transmissions can be used for both wireless communications and to recharge the device, in vivo, using conventional piezoelectric power harvesting techniques. (cont.

Low Coherence Interferometry Modelling using Combined Broadband Gaussian Light Sources

Using a Low Coherence Interferometry (LCI) model, a comparison of broadband single-Gaussian and multi-Gaussian light sources has been undertaken. For single-Gaussian sources, the axial resolution improved with source bandwidth, confirming the coherence length relation that resolution for single Gaussian sources improves with increasing spectral bandwidth. However, narrow bandwidth light sources resulted in interferograms with overlapping strata peaks and the loss of individual strata information. For multiple-Gaussian sources with the same bandwidth, spectral side lobes increased, reducing A-scan reliability to show accurate layer information without eliminating the side lobes. The simulations show the conditions needed for resolution of strata information for broadband light sources using both single and multiple Gaussian models. The potential to use the model to study LCI and OCT light sources, optical delays and sample structures can better characterise these LCI and OCT elements. Forecasting misinformation in the interferogram, may allow preliminary corrections. With improvements to the LCI-OCT model, more applications are envisaged

A Fibre Bragg Grating Sensor as a Receiver for Acoustic Communications Signals

A Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) acoustic sensor is used as a receiver for acoustic communications signals. Acoustic transmissions were generated in aluminium and Carbon Fibre Composite (CFC) panels. The FBG receiver was coupled to the bottom surface opposite a piezoelectric transmitter. For the CFC, a second FBG was embedded within the layup for comparison. We show the transfer function, frequency response, and transient response of the acoustic communications channels. In addition, the FBG receiver was used to detect Phase Shift Keying (PSK) communications signals, which was shown to be the most robust method in a highly resonant communications channel