Academic literature on the topic 'Airborne Mass Balance Experiments'

Abstract. Prognostic experiments for fast-flowing ice streams on the southern side of the Academy of Sciences Ice Cap on Komsomolets Island, Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, were undertaken in this study. The experiments were based on inversions of basal friction coefficients using a two-dimensional flow-line thermocoupled model and Tikhonov's regularization method. The modeled ice temperature distributions in the cross sections were obtained using ice surface temperature histories that were inverted previously from borehole temperature profiles derived at the summit of the Academy of Sciences Ice Cap and the elevational gradient of ice surface temperature changes (about 6.5 °C km−1). Input data included interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) ice surface velocities, ice surface elevations, and ice thicknesses obtained from airborne measurements, while the surface mass balance was adopted from previous investigations for the implementation of both the forward and inverse problems. The prognostic experiments revealed that both ice mass and ice stream extent declined for the reference time-independent surface mass balance. Specifically, the grounding line retreated: (a) along the B–B′ flow line from ∼ 40 to ∼ 30 km (the distance from the summit), (b) along the C–C′ flow line from ∼ 43 to ∼ 37 km, and (c) along the D–D′ flow line from ∼ 41 to ∼ 32 km, when considering a time period of 500 years and assuming a time-independent surface mass balance. Ice flow velocities in the ice streams decreased with time and this trend resulted in the overall decline of the outgoing ice flux. Generally, the modeled glacial evolution was in agreement with observations of deglaciation of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago.

Abstract. The prognostic experiments for fast-flowing ice streams on the southern side of the Academy of Sciences Ice Cap in the Komsomolets Island, Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, are implemented in this study. These experiments are based on inversions of basal friction coefficients using a two-dimensional flow-line thermo-coupled model and the Tikhonov's regularization method. The modeled ice temperature distributions in the cross-sections were obtained using the ice surface temperature histories that were inverted previously from the borehole temperature profiles derived at the Academy of Sciences Ice Cap. Input data included InSAR ice surface velocities, ice surface elevations, and ice thicknesses obtained from airborne measurements and the surface mass balance, were adopted from the prior investigations for the implementation of both the forward and inverse problems. The prognostic experiments reveal that both ice mass and ice stream extents decline for the reference time-independent surface mass balance. Specifically, the grounding line retreats (a) along the B–B' flow line from ~ 40 to ~ 30 km (the distance from the summit), (b) along the C–C' flow line from ~ 43 to ~ 37 km, and (c) along the D–D' flow line from ~ 41 to ~ 32 km considering a time period of 500 years and assuming time-independent surface mass balance. Ice flow velocities in the ice streams decrease with time and this trend results in the overall decline of the outgoing ice flux. Generally, the modeled histories are in agreement with observations of sea ice extent and thickness indicating a continual ice decline in the Arctic.

Abstract. Aerosol sulfate is a major component of submicron particulate matter (PM1). Sulfate can be present as inorganic (mainly ammonium sulfate, AS) or organosulfate (OS). Although OS is thought to be a smaller fraction of total sulfate in most cases, recent literature argues that this may not be the case in more polluted environments. Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometers (AMSs) measure total submicron sulfate, but it has been difficult to apportion AS vs. OS as the detected ion fragments are similar. Recently, two new methods have been proposed to quantify OS separately from AS with AMS data. We use observations collected during several airborne field campaigns covering a wide range of sources and air mass ages (spanning the continental US, marine remote troposphere, and Korea) and targeted laboratory experiments to investigate the performance and validity of the proposed OS methods. Four chemical regimes are defined to categorize the factors impacting sulfate fragmentation. In polluted areas with high ammonium nitrate concentrations and in remote areas with high aerosol acidity, the decomposition and fragmentation of sulfate in the AMS is influenced by multiple complex effects, and estimation of OS does not seem possible with current methods. In regions with lower acidity (pH > 0) and ammonium nitrate (fraction of total mass < 0.3), the proposed OS methods might be more reliable, although application of these methods often produced nonsensical results. However, the fragmentation of ambient neutralized sulfate varies somewhat within studies, adding uncertainty, possibly due to variations in the effect of organics. Under highly acidic conditions (when calculated pH < 0 and ammonium balance < 0.65), sulfate fragment ratios show a clear relationship with acidity. The measured ammonium balance (and to a lesser extent, the HySOx+ / SOx+ AMS ratio) is a promising indicator of rapid estimation of aerosol pH < 0, including when gas-phase NH3 and HNO3 are not available. These results allow an improved understanding of important intensive properties of ambient aerosols.

Abstract. Contemporary climate warming over the Arctic is accelerating mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet through increasing surface melt, emphasizing the need to closely monitor its surface mass balance in order to improve sea-level rise predictions. Snow accumulation is the largest component of the ice sheet's surface mass balance, but in situ observations thereof are inherently sparse and models are difficult to evaluate at large scales. Here, we quantify recent Greenland accumulation rates using ultra-wideband (2–6.5 GHz) airborne snow radar data collected as part of NASA's Operation IceBridge between 2009 and 2012. We use a semiautomated method to trace the observed radiostratigraphy and then derive annual net accumulation rates for 2009–2012. The uncertainty in these radar-derived accumulation rates is on average 14 %. A comparison of the radar-derived accumulation rates and contemporaneous ice cores shows that snow radar captures both the annual and long-term mean accumulation rate accurately. A comparison with outputs from a regional climate model (MAR) shows that this model matches radar-derived accumulation rates in the ice sheet interior but produces higher values over southeastern Greenland. Our results demonstrate that snow radar can efficiently and accurately map patterns of snow accumulation across an ice sheet and that it is valuable for evaluating the accuracy of surface mass balance models.

Abstract. Seasonal measurements of glacier mass balance provide insight into the relation between climate forcing and glacier change. To evaluate the feasibility of using remotely sensed methods to assess seasonal balance, we completed tandem airborne laser scanning (ALS) surveys and field-based glaciological measurements over a 4-year period for six alpine glaciers that lie in the Columbia and Rocky Mountains, near the headwaters of the Columbia River, British Columbia, Canada. We calculated annual geodetic balance using coregistered late summer digital elevation models (DEMs) and distributed estimates of density based on surface classification of ice, snow, and firn surfaces. Winter balance was derived using coregistered late summer and spring DEMs, as well as density measurements from regional snow survey observations and our glaciological measurements. Geodetic summer balance was calculated as the difference between winter and annual balance. Winter mass balance from our glaciological observations averaged 1.95±0.09 m w.e. (meter water equivalent), 4 % larger than those derived from geodetic surveys. Average glaciological summer and annual balance were 3 % smaller and 3 % larger, respectively, than our geodetic estimates. We find that distributing snow, firn, and ice density based on surface classification has a greater influence on geodetic annual mass change than the density values themselves. Our results demonstrate that accurate assessments of seasonal mass change can be produced using ALS over a series of glaciers spanning several mountain ranges. Such agreement over multiple seasons, years, and glaciers demonstrates the ability of high-resolution geodetic methods to increase the number of glaciers where seasonal mass balance can be reliably estimated.

AbstractPrecise airborne laser surveys were conducted during spring in 1996 and 2002 on 17 ice caps and glaciers in the Svalbard archipelago covering the islands of Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet. We present the derived elevation changes. Lower-elevation glaciers in south Spitsbergen show the largest thinning rates of ∼ 0.5 m a-1, while some of the higher, more northerly ice caps appear to be close to balance. The pattern of elevation change is complex, however, due to several factors including glacier aspect, microclimatological influences and the high natural annual variability in local accumulation and ablation rates. Anomalous changes were observed on Fridtjovbreen, which started surging in 1996, at the start of the measurement period. On this glacier, thinning (of > 0.6 m a-1) was observed in the accumulation area, coincident with thickening at lower elevations. Asymmetric thinning was found on two ice caps on Nordaustlandet, with the largest values on the eastern side of Vestfonna but the western slopes of Vegafonna. The mean elevation change for all ice masses was -0.19 m a-1 w.e., which is 1.6 times the net mass-balance value determined for the last 30 years. Using mass-balance sensitivity estimates for Svalbard suggests that the implied increase in negative balance is linked to warmer air temperatures in the late 1990s. Multiple linear regression suggests that mass balance is most closely correlated with latitude, rather than mean altitude or longitude.

Abstract. The mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) in a warming climate is of critical interest to scientists and the general public in the context of future sea-level rise. An improved understanding of temporal and spatial variability of snow accumulation will reduce uncertainties in GrIS mass balance models and improve projections of Greenland's contribution to sea-level rise, currently estimated at 0.089 ± 0.03 m by 2100. Here we analyze 25 NASA Operation IceBridge accumulation radar flights totaling > 17 700 km from 2013 to 2014 to determine snow accumulation in the GrIS dry snow and percolation zones over the past 100–300 years. IceBridge accumulation rates are calculated and used to validate accumulation rates from three regional climate models. Averaged over all 25 flights, the RMS difference between the models and IceBridge accumulation is between 0.023 ± 0.019 and 0.043 ± 0.029 m w.e. a−1, although each model shows significantly larger differences from IceBridge accumulation on a regional basis. In the southeast region, for example, the Modèle Atmosphérique Régional (MARv3.5.2) overestimates by an average of 20.89 ± 6.75 % across the drainage basin. Our results indicate that these regional differences between model and IceBridge accumulation are large enough to significantly alter GrIS surface mass balance estimates. Empirical orthogonal function analysis suggests that the first two principal components account for 33 and 19 % of the variance, and correlate with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and wintertime North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), respectively. Regions that disagree strongest with climate models are those in which we have the fewest IceBridge data points, requiring additional in situ measurements to verify model uncertainties.

This study was conducted to assess the effect of plant–native endophytic bacteria interactions on indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), ethylene levels, and hormonal balance of Euphorbia milii under different airborne pollutants. IAA levels and airborne formaldehyde removal by E. milii enhanced when inoculated with endophytic isolates. However, one isolate, designated as root endophyte 4, with the highest levels of IAA production individually, declined gaseous formaldehyde removal of plant, since it disturbed hormonal balance of E. milii, leading to IAA levels higher than physiological concentrations, which stimulated ethylene biosynthesis and stomatal closure under light conditions. However, plant–root endophyte 4 interactions favored airborne benzene removal, since benzene was more phytotoxic and the plant needed more IAA to protect against benzene phytotoxicity. As trimethylamine (TMA) was not toxic, it did not affect plant-endophyte interactions. Therefore, IAA levels of root endophyte 4–inoculated E. milii was not significantly different from a noninoculated one. Under mixed-pollutant stress (formaldehyde, benzene, TMA), root endophyte 4–inoculated E. milii removed benzene at the lowest rate, since benzene was the most phytotoxic pollutant with the greatest molecular mass. However, TMA (with greater molecular mass) was removed faster than formaldehyde due to higher phytotoxicity of formaldehyde. Plant-endophyte interactions were affected differently under various airborne pollutants.

Abstract. The surface mass balance (SMB) of the Larsen C ice shelf (LCIS), Antarctica, is poorly constrained due to a dearth of in situ observations. Combining several geophysical techniques, we reconstruct spatial and temporal patterns of SMB over the LCIS. Continuous time series of snow height (2.5–6 years) at five locations allow for multi-year estimates of seasonal and annual SMB over the LCIS. There is high interannual variability in SMB as well as spatial variability: in the north, SMB is 0.40 ± 0.06 to 0.41 ± 0.04 m w.e. year−1, while farther south, SMB is up to 0.50 ± 0.05 m w.e. year−1. This difference between north and south is corroborated by winter snow accumulation derived from an airborne radar survey from 2009, which showed an average snow thickness of 0.34 m w.e. north of 66° S, and 0.40 m w.e. south of 68° S. Analysis of ground-penetrating radar from several field campaigns allows for a longer-term perspective of spatial variations in SMB: a particularly strong and coherent reflection horizon below 25–44 m of water-equivalent ice and firn is observed in radargrams collected across the shelf. We propose that this horizon was formed synchronously across the ice shelf. Combining snow height observations, ground and airborne radar, and SMB output from a regional climate model yields a gridded estimate of SMB over the LCIS. It confirms that SMB increases from north to south, overprinted by a gradient of increasing SMB to the west, modulated in the west by föhn-induced sublimation. Previous observations show a strong decrease in firn air content toward the west, which we attribute to spatial patterns of melt, refreezing, and densification rather than SMB.

Column leaching experiments were conducted to simulate in-situ leaching processes and to provide information on the mechanisms and extent of copper recovery, acid consumption, and chemical composition of recycled raffinate. Two 1.52-meter by 0.30-meter columns, each loaded with approximately 150 kilograms of copper oxide ore from the Florence porphyry copper deposit, were leached with a dilute sulfuric acid solution for 84 days. Computer simulation of the saturation state and aqueous mass transfer of predominant elements during the column tests was performed using EQ3NR, an aqueous solution speciation-solubility modeling code and the geochemical mass balance modeling code NETPATH. These modeling codes were used to quantify the amount of minerals dissolved and precipitated in the columns during the column leaching experiments. NETPATH mass balance models containing Cu-montmorillonite and chrysocolla as sources of copper match observations of pre-leach material. Cu-montmorillonite contributed 55% and 34% of the dissolved copper in the columns effluent.

In einem Verbundprojekt im Rahmen des Programms „Energie 2020+“ gefördert durch das BMBF koordiniert durch das HZDR arbeiteten 4 Universitäten, 2 Forschungszentren und ANSYS zusammen. Der vorliegende Bericht beschreibt die Arbeiten des HZDR, die im Zeitraum September 2009 bis Januar 2013 durchgeführt wurden. Das Vorhaben war auf die Entwicklung und Validierung von CFD-Modellen von unterkühltem Sieden bis zu Filmsieden gerichtet. Im Bericht werden die entwickelten und verwendeten Modelle dargestellt. Anhand der Nachanalyse von Experimenten wird auf die vorgeschlagene Kalibrierung der Modelle eingegangen. Wichtig ist hierbei eine genauere Beschreibung der Zwischenphasengrenzfläche, die durch Kopplung des Wandsiedemodells mit einem Populationsmodell erreicht werden kann. Anhand der Analyse von Bündelexperimenten konnte gezeigt werden, dass die gemessenen querschnittsgemittelten Messwerte mit einem Satz im Rahmen der Modellunsicherheiten kalibrierter Modellparameter reproduziert werden kann. Für die Berechnung der Verteilungsmuster des Dampfgehaltes im Kanalquerschnitt muss die Modellierung der Turbulenz beachtet werden. Die experimentellen Arbeiten waren auf die Untersuchung eines Brennelementbündels gerichtet. An einer Versuchsanordnung zu einem Brennelementbündel werden die turbulente einphasige Geschwindigkeit (PIV), der mittlere Gasgehalt (Gamma-Densitometrie) sowie der zeitlich und räumlich aufgelöste Gasgehalt (Hochgeschwindigkeits-Röntgentomographie) gemessen. Letztere Methode wurde in Rossendorf entwickelt.

Bones are multifunctional passive organs of movement that supports soft tissue and directly attached muscles. They also protect internal organs and are a reserve of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Each bone is covered with periosteum, and the adjacent bone surfaces are covered by articular cartilage. Histologically, the bone is an organ composed of many different tissues. The main component is bone tissue (cortical and spongy) composed of a set of bone cells and intercellular substance (mineral and organic), it also contains fat, hematopoietic (bone marrow) and cartilaginous tissue. Bones are a tissue that even in adult life retains the ability to change shape and structure depending on changes in their mechanical and hormonal environment, as well as self-renewal and repair capabilities. This process is called bone turnover. The basic processes of bone turnover are: • bone modeling (incessantly changes in bone shape during individual growth) following resorption and tissue formation at various locations (e.g. bone marrow formation) to increase mass and skeletal morphology. This process occurs in the bones of growing individuals and stops after reaching puberty • bone remodeling (processes involve in maintaining bone tissue by resorbing and replacing old bone tissue with new tissue in the same place, e.g. repairing micro fractures). It is a process involving the removal and internal remodeling of existing bone and is responsible for maintaining tissue mass and architecture of mature bones. Bone turnover is regulated by two types of transformation: • osteoclastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone resorption • osteoblastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone formation (bone matrix synthesis and mineralization) Bone maturity can be defined as the completion of basic structural development and mineralization leading to maximum mass and optimal mechanical strength. The highest rate of increase in pig bone mass is observed in the first twelve weeks after birth. This period of growth is considered crucial for optimizing the growth of the skeleton of pigs, because the degree of bone mineralization in later life stages (adulthood) depends largely on the amount of bone minerals accumulated in the early stages of their growth. The development of the technique allows to determine the condition of the skeletal system (or individual bones) in living animals by methods used in human medicine, or after their slaughter. For in vivo determination of bone properties, Abstract 10 double energy X-ray absorptiometry or computed tomography scanning techniques are used. Both methods allow the quantification of mineral content and bone mineral density. The most important property from a practical point of view is the bone’s bending strength, which is directly determined by the maximum bending force. The most important factors affecting bone strength are: • age (growth period), • gender and the associated hormonal balance, • genotype and modification of genes responsible for bone growth • chemical composition of the body (protein and fat content, and the proportion between these components), • physical activity and related bone load, • nutritional factors: – protein intake influencing synthesis of organic matrix of bone, – content of minerals in the feed (CA, P, Zn, Ca/P, Mg, Mn, Na, Cl, K, Cu ratio) influencing synthesis of the inorganic matrix of bone, – mineral/protein ratio in the diet (Ca/protein, P/protein, Zn/protein) – feed energy concentration, – energy source (content of saturated fatty acids - SFA, content of polyun saturated fatty acids - PUFA, in particular ALA, EPA, DPA, DHA), – feed additives, in particular: enzymes (e.g. phytase releasing of minerals bounded in phytin complexes), probiotics and prebiotics (e.g. inulin improving the function of the digestive tract by increasing absorption of nutrients), – vitamin content that regulate metabolism and biochemical changes occurring in bone tissue (e.g. vitamin D3, B6, C and K). This study was based on the results of research experiments from available literature, and studies on growing pigs carried out at the Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences. The tests were performed in total on 300 pigs of Duroc, Pietrain, Puławska breeds, line 990 and hybrids (Great White × Duroc, Great White × Landrace), PIC pigs, slaughtered at different body weight during the growth period from 15 to 130 kg. Bones for biomechanical tests were collected after slaughter from each pig. Their length, mass and volume were determined. Based on these measurements, the specific weight (density, g/cm3) was calculated. Then each bone was cut in the middle of the shaft and the outer and inner diameters were measured both horizontally and vertically. Based on these measurements, the following indicators were calculated: • cortical thickness, • cortical surface, • cortical index. Abstract 11 Bone strength was tested by a three-point bending test. The obtained data enabled the determination of: • bending force (the magnitude of the maximum force at which disintegration and disruption of bone structure occurs), • strength (the amount of maximum force needed to break/crack of bone), • stiffness (quotient of the force acting on the bone and the amount of displacement occurring under the influence of this force). Investigation of changes in physical and biomechanical features of bones during growth was performed on pigs of the synthetic 990 line growing from 15 to 130 kg body weight. The animals were slaughtered successively at a body weight of 15, 30, 40, 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kg. After slaughter, the following bones were separated from the right half-carcass: humerus, 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone, femur, tibia and fibula as well as 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone. The features of bones were determined using methods described in the methodology. Describing bone growth with the Gompertz equation, it was found that the earliest slowdown of bone growth curve was observed for metacarpal and metatarsal bones. This means that these bones matured the most quickly. The established data also indicate that the rib is the slowest maturing bone. The femur, humerus, tibia and fibula were between the values of these features for the metatarsal, metacarpal and rib bones. The rate of increase in bone mass and length differed significantly between the examined bones, but in all cases it was lower (coefficient b <1) than the growth rate of the whole body of the animal. The fastest growth rate was estimated for the rib mass (coefficient b = 0.93). Among the long bones, the humerus (coefficient b = 0.81) was characterized by the fastest rate of weight gain, however femur the smallest (coefficient b = 0.71). The lowest rate of bone mass increase was observed in the foot bones, with the metacarpal bones having a slightly higher value of coefficient b than the metatarsal bones (0.67 vs 0.62). The third bone had a lower growth rate than the fourth bone, regardless of whether they were metatarsal or metacarpal. The value of the bending force increased as the animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. The rate of change in the value of this indicator increased at a similar rate as the body weight changes of the animals in the case of the fibula and the fourth metacarpal bone (b value = 0.98), and more slowly in the case of the metatarsal bone, the third metacarpal bone, and the tibia bone (values of the b ratio 0.81–0.85), and the slowest femur, humerus and rib (value of b = 0.60–0.66). Bone stiffness increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. Abstract 12 The rate of change in the value of this indicator changed at a faster rate than the increase in weight of pigs in the case of metacarpal and metatarsal bones (coefficient b = 1.01–1.22), slightly slower in the case of fibula (coefficient b = 0.92), definitely slower in the case of the tibia (b = 0.73), ribs (b = 0.66), femur (b = 0.59) and humerus (b = 0.50). Bone strength increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, bone strength was as follows femur > tibia > humerus > 4 metacarpal> 3 metacarpal> 3 metatarsal > 4 metatarsal > rib> fibula. The rate of increase in strength of all examined bones was greater than the rate of weight gain of pigs (value of the coefficient b = 2.04–3.26). As the animals grew, the bone density increased. However, the growth rate of this indicator for the majority of bones was slower than the rate of weight gain (the value of the coefficient b ranged from 0.37 – humerus to 0.84 – fibula). The exception was the rib, whose density increased at a similar pace increasing the body weight of animals (value of the coefficient b = 0.97). The study on the influence of the breed and the feeding intensity on bone characteristics (physical and biomechanical) was performed on pigs of the breeds Duroc, Pietrain, and synthetic 990 during a growth period of 15 to 70 kg body weight. Animals were fed ad libitum or dosed system. After slaughter at a body weight of 70 kg, three bones were taken from the right half-carcass: femur, three metatarsal, and three metacarpal and subjected to the determinations described in the methodology. The weight of bones of animals fed aa libitum was significantly lower than in pigs fed restrictively All bones of Duroc breed were significantly heavier and longer than Pietrain and 990 pig bones. The average values of bending force for the examined bones took the following order: III metatarsal bone (63.5 kg) <III metacarpal bone (77.9 kg) <femur (271.5 kg). The feeding system and breed of pigs had no significant effect on the value of this indicator. The average values of the bones strength took the following order: III metatarsal bone (92.6 kg) <III metacarpal (107.2 kg) <femur (353.1 kg). Feeding intensity and breed of animals had no significant effect on the value of this feature of the bones tested. The average bone density took the following order: femur (1.23 g/cm3) <III metatarsal bone (1.26 g/cm3) <III metacarpal bone (1.34 g / cm3). The density of bones of animals fed aa libitum was higher (P<0.01) than in animals fed with a dosing system. The density of examined bones within the breeds took the following order: Pietrain race> line 990> Duroc race. The differences between the “extreme” breeds were: 7.2% (III metatarsal bone), 8.3% (III metacarpal bone), 8.4% (femur). Abstract 13 The average bone stiffness took the following order: III metatarsal bone (35.1 kg/mm) <III metacarpus (41.5 kg/mm) <femur (60.5 kg/mm). This indicator did not differ between the groups of pigs fed at different intensity, except for the metacarpal bone, which was more stiffer in pigs fed aa libitum (P<0.05). The femur of animals fed ad libitum showed a tendency (P<0.09) to be more stiffer and a force of 4.5 kg required for its displacement by 1 mm. Breed differences in stiffness were found for the femur (P <0.05) and III metacarpal bone (P <0.05). For femur, the highest value of this indicator was found in Pietrain pigs (64.5 kg/mm), lower in pigs of 990 line (61.6 kg/mm) and the lowest in Duroc pigs (55.3 kg/mm). In turn, the 3rd metacarpal bone of Duroc and Pietrain pigs had similar stiffness (39.0 and 40.0 kg/mm respectively) and was smaller than that of line 990 pigs (45.4 kg/mm). The thickness of the cortical bone layer took the following order: III metatarsal bone (2.25 mm) <III metacarpal bone (2.41 mm) <femur (5.12 mm). The feeding system did not affect this indicator. Breed differences (P <0.05) for this trait were found only for the femur bone: Duroc (5.42 mm)> line 990 (5.13 mm)> Pietrain (4.81 mm). The cross sectional area of the examined bones was arranged in the following order: III metatarsal bone (84 mm2) <III metacarpal bone (90 mm2) <femur (286 mm2). The feeding system had no effect on the value of this bone trait, with the exception of the femur, which in animals fed the dosing system was 4.7% higher (P<0.05) than in pigs fed ad libitum. Breed differences (P<0.01) in the coross sectional area were found only in femur and III metatarsal bone. The value of this indicator was the highest in Duroc pigs, lower in 990 animals and the lowest in Pietrain pigs. The cortical index of individual bones was in the following order: III metatarsal bone (31.86) <III metacarpal bone (33.86) <femur (44.75). However, its value did not significantly depend on the intensity of feeding or the breed of pigs.

Computer models of wildfires are an important tool for fire managers and scientists. However, fuel inputs to wildfire models can be difficult to represent with sufficient detail in a computationally efficient manner. Recent advances in fuel mapping with airborne and terrestrial laser scanning (LIDAR) techniques present new opportunities to capture variation in fuels within a tree canopy and on a landscape. In this paper, we develop a technique for building 3D representations of vegetation from point clouds created by Terrestrial Laser Scans (TLS). Our voxel based approach is capable of representing heterogeneous crown fuels as collections of fuel cells in modern 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics wildfire models such as FDS, QUIC-Fire, or FIRETEC. We evaluated the effectiveness of our technique at different fuel cell resolutions by using the DAKOTA optimization toolkit to compare simulated fire behavior in FDS with observed burn data collected during a series of experiments at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory. The difference between simulated and observed fire behavior was quantified by taking the Root Mean Square Error between the observed and simulated mass curves over time. Our primary finding was that the point cloud derived fuel cells accurately describe observed fire behavior when evaluated over fuel moisture content and dry foliage mass. We also found that the global minimum RMSE persists across fuel cells at each resolution. However, the RMSE gradient increases with fuel cell size. This result implies that while both low and high resolution fuel cells are capable of accurately representing complex fuel distributions in 3D fire models, low resolution fuel cells are more sensitive to changes in fuel moisture content and dry foliage mass. The results of this paper offer fire managers and scientists responsible for simulating fire behavior guidelines for how best to translate LIDAR data to 3D fire models, and what fuel cell resolution can best capture accurate fire behavior. With these best practices in mind, fire managers will be able to generate improved fire behavior predictions for prescribed burns, forest thinning plans, and suppression activities.

In view of the current thermal safety and thermal balance of power lithium batteries, it takes the heat generation, heat transfer and heat dissipation of batteries as the main line, and uses the method of combining CFD simulation with experimental research to explore the application of expanded graphite based composite micro heat pipe coupling heat dissipation technology to BTMS. The reliability of the battery heat generation model is verified by experiments. The structure of the heat pipe is designed based on the phase change heat transfer and heat generation of the pipe. The CPCM heat transfer and micro heat pipe heat transfer models are coupled to form a hybrid BTMS numerical heat transfer model, and the optimal design of the system is carried out, so that the system mass is reduced by 15∼50%, the volume is reduced by 10∼50%, so as to prevent the battery temperature from being too high.Finally, a set of perfect BTMS thermal design, simulation analysis methods and processes are summarized, which provides a set of theoretical basis for the development and design of complex BTMS.

This paper presents a methodology for optimally fusing experiments and numerical simulations in the design of a combined plant and control system. The proposed methodology uses G-optimal Design of Experiments to balance the need for experimental data with the expense of collecting a multitude of experimental results. Specifically, G-optimal design is used to first select a batch of candidate experimental configurations, then determine which of those points to test experimentally and which to numerically simulate. The optimization process is carried out iteratively, where the set of candidate design configurations is shrunken at each iteration using a Z-test, and the numerical model is corrected according to the most recent experimental results. The methodology is presented on a model of an airborne wind energy system, wherein both the center of mass location (plant parameter) and trim pitch angle (controller parameter) are critical to system performance.

The Planck-Balance (PB) is a table-top Kibble balance that was developed in a cooperation between the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and the Technische Universität Ilmenau (TUIL). The PB2 version of this system aims for a mass range from 1 mg to 100 g with uncertainties corresponding to class E2 mass standards as described in OIML-R111. In order to reduce the costs of the system, it is mostly set up by using commercially available standard parts and operates in air. A modified EMFC load cell is used to guide and drive the coil that is utilized in the Kibble experiment, while a homodyne interferometer system measures the displacement of the coil. The induced voltage is measured by a calibrated digital multimeter, which is also used to measure the voltage drop caused by the compensation current that is necessary to balance the system when a weight under test is applied. The paper presents the main components of the system while evaluating the different uncertainty contributions to the calibration of a mass standard. Recent experiments are presented that show the possibilities of a direct implementation of the new kilogram definition on the uncertainty level of class E2 mass standards.

Kibble balance experiments have allowed the kilogram to be redefined in terms of the Planck constant. Now that the redefinition is in place, the Kibble balance will allow SI traceable mass (or force) to be realised at any value and at any location. A feasibility study for a novel, scalable electrostatic ‘µKibble balance’, based on the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) next-generation Kibble balance system is presented and its expected performance calculated. A µKibble will allow in-situ, dynamic, small-scale (< g) mass measurements without the current precision limitation caused by subdivision of the kilogram. The measurements will be traceable through electrical calibration rather than transferable mass standards. The instrument will have a wide range of applications in both industry and research.

Evaporation of the thin film formed in microgrooves is associated with high heat transfer rates. One of the factors that limits this heat transfer is the capacity of the microgroove to drive fluid into the thin film. The mass flow rate and mass flux in the corner flow region of a microgroove is experimentally and theoretically investigated in this work. The experiments yield the speed at which wetting occurs in vertical microgrooves. The wetting speed reflects the balance between the gravitational, viscous and capillary forces acting on the film. A force balance is also conducted on the liquid in the corner flow region of the microgrooves. This analysis allows a calculation of the maximum amount of liquid that the microgrooves can drive to the evaporating surface in the corner flow region, which in turn determines the maximum evaporation rate in this localized area.

The International System of Units (SI), which provides the basis for all physical measurements, is due to be revised in 2018. The current system, defined by seven base units, will be replaced by a "New SI" where all units are defined in terms of a set of seven reference constants, to be known as the "defining constants of the SI". The aim is to provide a simpler and more fundamental definition of the entire SI, which will also dispense with the last of the definitions based on a material artifact • the international prototype kilogram. In the new SI the kilogram will be defined in terms of a fixed value of the Planck constant, h. This definition theoretically gives universal access to the unit and facilitates a robust and egalitarian mass scale, but only if sufficient laboratories are able to realise mass from the new definition. Currently the projects able to realise the mass unit to the level of accuracy required are the Kibble (watt) balance and Avogadro experiments. The present implementations of these experiments are extremely expensive, difficult to duplicate and complicated and time consuming to operate. The Kibble balance experiment, which originated at NPL in 1975, equates virtual electrical and mechanical power. Once a numerical value of h has been fixed the Kibble balance can be used to determine mass in terms of quantum electrical phenomena (the Josephson and quantum Hall effects) and measurements of velocity and local gravity. NPL has proposed improvements to the Kibble balance which have the potential to significantly reduce the cost and complexity of both constructing and operating the balance. NPL is currently working on a technology demonstrator to test the viability of the proposed improvements. A second technology demonstrator will test the viability of a Kibble balance based on a "seismometer" mechanism using flexures for both weighing and moving, and incorporating a highly stable electromagnetic “tare” system making the apparatus much less sensitive to alignment issues. This paper outlines the proposed improvements in the Kibble balance design and examine more generally the likely effect of the revision of the SI on mass metrology in the future.

A study of the gasification of corn kernels has been performed on an experimental, pilot-scale (50–100 lbs/hour) gasification unit. Analysis was made on the performance of the gasifier in terms of producer gas generation and composition, char production and process mass balance. In these experiments corn kernels was used so that the shapes and sized of the materials did not influence the results. Experiments were conducted with varying temperature of fuel bed. For each experimental condition, the permanent gas composition was measured continuously by gas chromatography (GC). Tar was collected according to CEN Standard. Bio-char were weighted for mass balance. The results from the study indicate that there were differences between various operational parameters in terms of producer gas concentration and char percentage.

Abstract The dependence of pool scrubbing performance on particle number density is studied through numerical simulation of experimental results. The DF values obtained from the authors’ experiments (Sun et al., Sci. Technol. Nucl. Inst., Article ID 1743982, 2019) indicate a sharp decrease with an increase in the inlet particle number density beyond 1011/m3. The mechanisms underlying such dependence is yet to be studied. In this paper, a simple model is developed to study the factors affecting the experimentally observed dependence of DF. The test results suggest that the condensational growth of particles plays an essential role in the inertial capture. The vapor condensation on the particles has an effect to deplete the vapor supersaturation in the bubble by both lowering the vapor concentration and raising the temperature. This effect will become important at high particle number densities. The bubble mass and energy balance is calculated to derive the particle growth and the inertial DF as a function of the bubble rise distance through the pool water. The balance is assumed to be quasi-steady, and the vapor concentration and the temperature to be uniform in the bubble. It is shown that the model reproduces the tendency observed in the experimental DF. The model predicts that the degree of supersaturation is affected when particle concentration exceeds 1011/m3, curbing the condensational growth of particles, and thereby retarding the inertial capture.

One approach to vibration control is to apply a force to a primary structure which opposes excitation, effectively canceling the external disturbance. A familiar passive example of this approach is the linear tuned mass absorber. In this spirit, the utility of a bistable attachment for attenuating vibrations, especially in terms of the high-orbit, snap through dynamic, is investigated using the harmonic balance method and experiments. Analyses demonstrate the fundamental harmonic snap through dynamic, having commensurate frequency with the single-frequency harmonic excitation, may yield displacements either substantially in-phase or out-of-phase with the primary structure. During in-phase snap through, forces are generated by the bistable oscillator which reinforce the applied loading, resulting in dramatic amplification of primary system response. During out-of-phase snap through, forces are generated which are only partially opposed to the input, leading to a measure of host structure attenuation. The experiments verify the analytical findings and also uncover nonlinear dynamics not predicted by the analysis that have slightly favorable vibration suppression performance when compared with the out-of-phase, fundamental harmonic snap through action.

Abstract Turbo pumps for rocket engines often equipped balance piston (BP) systems at the back-shroud of the impellers for cancelling their axial thrust. The BP system is self-balancing and stable under quasi-static conditions, but it is known that the BP systems can be unstable under certain dynamic conditions. The performance characteristics of turbo pumps equipped with unshrouded impellers might be affected by the axial position of the rotor. Thus it is necessary to consider this effect when calculating the balance of axial thrust. Few experiments have determined the characteristics of unshrouded impellers equipped with BP systems yet. In this research, an experimental study of a model turbo pump for rocket engines was carried out. This pump had an unshrouded impeller, a BP system, a vaned diffuser, and a volute. Axial forced oscillations were applied on the rotor of the pump by an active magnetic bearing (AMB) test facility. This setup can oscillate with freely-selected amplitude and frequency applying thrust to the rotor. During the oscillations, the fluctuation of axial thrust under the operating conditions was monitored using strain gauges. The axial thrust compensation ability and the response of the BP system were evaluated by analyzing the magnitude, amplitude and phase delay of the axial position of the rotor. Moreover, 3D simulations and 1D simulations were carried out for the model pump. In the 3D simulations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to calculate the internal flow of the model pumps. The BP system was equipped with an impeller on which were applied forced oscillations. The impeller movement was modeled using a mesh morphing method. The 1D simulation predicted the axial thrust by calculating the mass flow balance using the geometry of the model pump. The phase lag between the axial position and the thrust was dominated by the pressure fluctuation at the BP chamber caused by the mass flow balance. The 3D simulations well predicted the fluctuation, but the characteristics of the BP system estimated by the 3D simulations were more stable than those determined by the experiments. On the other hand, the characteristics estimated by the 1D simulation was less stable than those by the experiments. However, these simulations grasped the tendency of the BP system to become unstable as the oscillation frequency increases, and are effective in predicting the characteristics.

Tethered airborne wind energy systems are among emerging renewable energy technologies in recent years. These systems can harness greater power densities at higher altitudes with lower costs of installation and energy production in comparison with those from conventional ground-based energy harnessing technologies. A Buoyant Airborne Turbine (BAT) as a flying aerostat has a horizontal axis wind turbine within its shell and can elevate up to 600m. There are a number of pertinent parameters such as BAT configurations/component dimensions or its aerodynamic characteristics that impact the system total power performance. Identifying the optimum values of these parameters by conducting theoretical and computational analysis will benefit both lab- and full-scale experiments with more accurate dimensional and aerodynamic analysis. This paper presents an analytical model for investigating the impact of a BAT system scaling and in particular the BAT shell dimensions on its power performance/coefficient. The model uses the flying conditions and BAT shell dimensions from literature to derive the system total mass as a function of BAT shell dimensions. The effect of BAT shell variations/scaling on system power coefficient and its optimum value for stable/safe system design are determined. This work provides a basis for the follow on research phases of this project that has focus on studying BAT system aerodynamic performance and its wake behavior at different scales and environmental conditions.