Smuggling interdiction using an adaptation of the AN/APG-76multimode radar

The AN/APG-76 multimode radar was designed and developed for a multimode attack fighter application requiring rapid search, detection, identification, and precision location of both airborne and surface targets from long standoff ranges under adverse weather conditions. Unique is the radar's ability to generate SAR images of a selected area while simultaneously detecting and tracking all-speed moving objects located within that imaged region. Northrop Grumman Norden Systems has recently upgraded and adapted this radar to smuggling interdiction and related law enforcement missions. These adaptations have added an integrated GPS/INS subsystem for enhanced self-navigation and target location accuracy, a long range wide-band digital data link and ground station for mission control and data dissemination, a 3-D interferometric SAR imaging capability for detailed high resolution topographic mapping, and 1 meter and 0.3 meter resolution SAR modes for positive target identification. Additionally, the radar has been installed into wing-mounted pods and adapted for side-looking and 360 degree coverage applications. Automatic target detection and enhanced-range sea-surveillance and air-targeting modes are also now available through the use of open architecture commercial processors and non-proprietary transportable programming languages     

Discrete energy release in microwave emission in the preflare stage

Examples of solar microwave precursors and estimates of their energetic characteristics are discussed based on spectral investigations of the preflare activity.     

Greener batteries cooperation between industry and the EPA

Cooperation between the Eveready Battery Company and the Environmental Protection Agency has already led to significant improvements for the environment. Eveready Battery Company, Inc. and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have for many years worked successfully in partnership for the benefit of the environment. This article examines an example of successful cooperation and partnership between Eveready and the EPA. In the early 1980's, the environmental community began to focus its attention on the mercury in household batteries. Studies had been performed in the US, Japan and the United Kingdom regarding the potential environmental harm resulting from the disposal of household batteries containing mercury     

High phosphorylase activity is correlated with increased potato minituber formation and starch content during extended clinorotation.

The major purpose of these experiments were to investigate growth of potato storage organs and starch synthesis in minitubers at slow horizontal clinorotation (2 rpm), which partly mimics microgravity, and a secondary goal was to study the activity and localization of phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.1) in storage parenchyma under these conditions. Miniplants of Solanum tuberosum L. (cv Adreta) were grown in culture for 30 days for both the vertical control and the horizontal clinorotation. During long-term clinorotation, an acceleration of minituber formation, and an increase of amyloplast number and size in storage parenchyma cells, as well as increased starch content, was observed in the minitubers. The differences among cytochemical reaction intensity, activity of phosphorylase, and carbohydrate content in storage parenchyma cells of minitubers grown in a horizontal clinostat were established by electron-cytochemical and biochemical methods. It is shown that high phosphorylase activity is correlated with increased starch content during extended clinorotation. The results demonstrate the increase in carbohydrate metabolism and possible accelerated growth of storage organs under the influence of microgravity, as mimicked by clinorotation; therefore, clinorotation can be used as a basis for future studies on mechanisms of starch synthesis under microgravity.     

Track structure and DNA damage.

Heavy particles like protons or heavier ions are different in their biological efficiency when compared to sparsely ionizing radiation. These differences have been attributed to the different pattern of energy deposition in the track of the particles. In radiobiological models two different approaches are used for the characterization of the radiation quality: the continuous dose distribution of the various track structure models and the separation in small compartments inside the track which are used in microdosimetry. In a recent Monte Carlo calculation using the binary encounter approximation as input for the electron emission process, the radial distribution of the dose is calculated for heavy ions. The result of this calculation is compared to other models and used for a qualitative interpretation of the induction of DNA damage by particles.     

Radiation biodosimetry: applications for spaceflight.

The multiparametric dosimetry system that we are developing for medical radiological defense applications could be adapted for spaceflight environments. The system complements the internationally accepted personnel dosimeters and cytogenetic analysis of chromosome aberrations, considered the best means of documenting radiation doses for health records. Our system consists of a portable hematology analyzer, molecular biodosimetry using nucleic acid and antigen-based diagnostic equipment, and a dose assessment management software application. A dry-capillary tube reagent-based centrifuge blood cell counter (QBC Autoread Plus, Becton [correction of Beckon] Dickinson Bioscience) measures peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes, which could determine radiation dose based on the kinetics of blood cell depletion. Molecular biomarkers for ionizing radiation exposure (gene expression changes, blood proteins) can be measured in real time using such diagnostic detection technologies as miniaturized nucleic acid sequences and antigen-based biosensors, but they require validation of dose-dependent targets and development of optimized protocols and analysis systems. The Biodosimetry Assessment Tool, a software application, calculates radiation dose based on a patient's physical signs and symptoms and blood cell count analysis. It also annotates location of personnel dosimeters, displays a summary of a patient's dosimetric information to healthcare professionals, and archives the data for further use. These radiation assessment diagnostic technologies can have dual-use applications supporting general medical-related care.     

Ultracapacitors + DC-DC converters in regenerative braking system

An ultracapacitor system for an electric vehicle has been implemented. The device allows higher accelerations and decelerations of the vehicle with minimal loss of energy and minimal degradation of the main battery pack. The system uses a DC-DC power converter, which is connected between the ultracapacitor and the main battery pack. The design has been optimized in weight and size, by using water-cooled heat sinks for the power converter, and an aluminum coil with air core for the smoothing inductance. The ratings of the ultracapacitor are: nominal voltage: 300 Vdc; nominal current: 200 Adc; capacitance: 20 Farads. The amount of energy stored allows us to have 40 kW of power during 20 seconds, which is enough to accelerate the vehicle without the help of the traction batteries. The vehicle uses a brushless DC motor with a nominal power of 32 kW and a peak power of 53 kW. A control system based on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) manipulates all the aforementioned variables and controls the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) switching pattern of the converter transistors. The car used for the implementation of this system is a Chevrolet LUV truck.     

Initial closed operation of the CELSS Test Facility Engineering Development Unit.

As part of the NASA Advanced Life Support Flight Program, a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) Test Facility Engineering Development Unit has been constructed and is undergoing initial operational testing at NASA Ames Research Center. The Engineering Development Unit (EDU) is a tightly closed, stringently controlled, ground-based testbed which provides a broad range of environmental conditions under which a variety of CELSS higher plant crops can be grown. Although the EDU was developed primarily to provide near-term engineering data and a realistic determination of the subsystem and system requirements necessary for the fabrication of a comparable flight unit, the EDU has also provided a means to evaluate plant crop productivity and physiology under controlled conditions. This paper describes the initial closed operational testing of the EDU, with emphasis on the hardware performance capabilities. Measured performance data during a 28-day closed operation period are compared with the specified functional requirements, and an example of inferring crop growth parameters from the test data is presented. Plans for future science and technology testing are also discussed.     

Population dynamics of transgenic microorganisms in the different microecosystem conditions.

The role of key environmental factors in adaptation of spore-forming and non-spore-forming transgenic microorganisms (TM) have been studied in model ecosystems. Model TM Escherichia coli Z905 (bearing plasmid genes of bacterial luminescence Ap (r) Lux+) has been found to have a higher adaptation potential than TM Bacillus subtilis 2335/105 (bearing genes of human alpha 2-interferon Km (r) Inf+), planned for employment as a living vaccine under varying environmental conditions. Effects of abiotic factors on migration of natural and recombinant plasmids between microorganisms under model ecosystem conditions has been estimated. The transgenic microorganisms with low copy number survived better under introduction conditions in the microcosms studied. This trend has been shown to be independent of the microcosm type and its complexity. Grant numbers: 99-04-96017, 25, 00-07-9011.     

Energy storage at 77 K in multilayer ceramic capacitors

A ceramic material having a large dielectric constant at 77 K, ε=8000-12000, has been developed for capacitive energy storage at this temperature. A large matrix of multilayer ceramic capacitors were fabricated using conventional tape-casting methods to optimize the dielectric breakdown strength at 77 K, and measured energy storage values on these capacitors range up to 6 J/cm³ at 77 K. An unfused bank of these capacitors was voltage-cycled 10⁵ times at 77 K without failure, and the heating effects during cycling were immeasurably small (i.e., nitrogen boiloff was monitored). An electrocaloric effect on discharge (ΔT~1 K) contributes to the thermal stability. Measurements of the frequency dependence of the dielectric properties of the ceramic at 77 K indicate a fundamental limit of about 8 μs for the switching repetition rate. Improved capacitor-manufacturing methods are discussed which can increase the energy density to the 20-30 J/cm³ range