International Research Facility Research Articles

Upscaled Dynamic Relative Permeability for Unstable CO2 Flow in Stratified Porous Media

In geologic porous media, layering is ubiquitous on all length scales ranging from sub-mm compositional laminations to km-thick formations. The current study presents a general framework for estimating the two-phase viscous limit dynamic relative permeability (k_{r} ) for non-communicating stratified sedimentary rocks. The approach is a two-stage upscaling taking into account the influence of nested heterogeneity at intra- and inter-layer scales. Sub-layer heterogeneities, promoting microflow instabilities in individual layers, are modelled by tuning input relative permeability parameters based on the viscosity contrast between fluids. Macroscopic flow instability at the domain scale is tackled by a new analytical solution for the saturation distribution in stratified media considering the complexities of frontal advance theory. For each layer, three flow stages are considered, each with its unique time-dependent behaviour. The overall solution is presented as a set of equations derived by overlapping of the solutions in different layers. The upscaled dynamic k_{r} is figured out by history matching. The practicality of the method is demonstrated in application to measurements collected from the Otway International Research Facility, Victoria, Australia. The results show the significant impact of layer separation on the upscaled endpoint saturations in addition to required modifications on the current k_{r} formulas. A comparison with conventionally modelled steady-state sweep highlights the inadequacy of steady-state upscaling for viscous limit flows. The applicability of the method to estimate k_{r} from the unsteady-state lab experiments conducted on heterogeneous cores is also discussed.

Building Biosecurity Capacity in Africa to Respond to Biological Threats

The recent Ebola outbreak in West African is reported to have started in December 2013 in Guinea from where it spread to the neighboring countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal (Abayomi et al., 2016). Consequently, this attracted a great attention from all quarters such as humanitarian NGOs, local and international health organisations, governmental agencies, research and development facilities as well as pharmaceutical companies. During the outbreak, a large number of patients were screened for the Ebola Virus (EBOV) with thousands of biomedical samples generated over a short period of time and in rapid succession. These samples were sent to laboratories including mobile laboratories hastily formed to manage the situation due to the absence of infrastructure to deal with such instance in West Africa. A good number of these samples were destroyed, exported out of the country of origin with the government’s consent and documentation and in other cases without such consent while the remaining samples were stored in facilities without adequate biosafety or biosecurity (Abayomi et al., 2016). Ebola virus along with other pathogens of high consequence requires specialized facilities such as Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) and Biosafety Level 4 (BSL4) to handle during research and identification for surveillance. Similarly, facilities of such high infrastructure and security are needed to store and secure such samples and their products.

Advanced Laboratory Testing Methods Using Real-Time Simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop Techniques: A Survey of Smart Grid International Research Facility Network Activities

The integration of smart grid technologies in interconnected power system networks presents multiple challenges for the power industry and the scientific community. To address these challenges, researchers are creating new methods for the validation of: control, interoperability, reliability of Internet of Things systems, distributed energy resources, modern power equipment for applications covering power system stability, operation, control, and cybersecurity. Novel methods for laboratory testing of electrical power systems incorporate novel simulation techniques spanning real-time simulation, Power Hardware-in-the-Loop, Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop, Power System-in-the-Loop, and co-simulation technologies. These methods directly support the acceleration of electrical systems and power electronics component research by validating technological solutions in high-fidelity environments. In this paper, members of the Survey of Smart Grid International Research Facility Network task on Advanced Laboratory Testing Methods present a review of methods, test procedures, studies, and experiences employing advanced laboratory techniques for validation of range of research and development prototypes and novel power system solutions.

Epilepsy in nonhuman primates.

Nonhuman primates (NHPs) are model organisms for understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of epilepsy in humans, while data from human patients informs the diagnosis and treatment of NHP with seizures and epilepsy. We reviewed the literature and surveyed veterinarians at zoos and NHP research centers to (a) better define the range of seizures and epilepsy in NHP, (b) understand how NHPs can inform our knowledge of the pathophysiology and treatment of epilepsy in humans, and (c) identify gaps of knowledge and develop more effective guidelines to treat seizures and epilepsy in NHP. We searched PrimateLit, PubMed, and Google Scholar for studies on experimental models of epilepsy in NHPs and on naturally occurring seizures and epilepsy in NHPs in captivity. In addition, we created a survey to assess methods to diagnose and treat epilepsy in NHPs. This survey was sent to 41 veterinarians at major international zoos and research facilities with NHP populations to study seizure phenomenology, diagnostic criteria for seizures and epilepsy, etiology, and antiseizure therapies in NHPs. We summarize the data from experimental and natural models of epilepsy in NHPs and case reports of epilepsy of unknown origin in captive primates. In addition, we present survey data collected from veterinarians at eight zoos and one research facility. Experimental data from NHP epilepsy models is abundant, whereas data from primates who develop epilepsy in the wild or in zoos is very limited, constraining our ability to advance evidence-based medicine. Characterization of seizure or epilepsy models in NHPs will provide insights into mechanisms and new therapies that cannot be addressed by other animal models. NHP research will better inform species-specific diagnoses and outcomes.

Speculative Volcanology

In 2009, exploratory drilling of geothermal wells in Iceland’s Krafla volcanic caldera unexpectedly struck magma. The fact that the encounter didn’t have catastrophic consequences has excited considerable interest - and an international research facility is now being set up to explore energy generation and other possibilities of closer engagement with magma. We take this event as an incitement to explore how the Earth-changing `violence’ of volcanic or igneous processes might be seen not simply as happening in time, but as both generative and destructive of time itself. We approach volcanism through the construct of a `speculative geology’ that draws on a recent return to metaphysical themes in philosophy as well as a growing interest in geological processes in the arts, humanities and popular culture. In this way, alongside cause-effect relations, we explore the more enigmatic processes through which subterranean geological forces offer an excessive potentiality from which humans and other life forms select and actualise a narrower range of creative or generative possibilities. The paper explores three significant volcanic episodes: a series of massive magma extrusions around 1.9 billion years ago linked to the ascendance of multicellular life, volcanism present in the East African Rift during pivotal phases of human evolution and the volcanic activity of the early-mid Holocene viewed as a contextual factor in the emergence of ancient practices of artisanal pyrotechnology. Our reading of the dynamic and violent interchange between the inner and outer Earth in these examples points to a non-self-identical planetary condition, on which the very structure of temporality emerges through a play of destruction and generativity. In this light, we circle back on the Krafla project to consider questions of risk, uncertainty and responsibility that attend the potential new interface with the underworld of magma.

Stellarator Research Opportunities: A Report of the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee

This document is the product of a stellarator community workshop, organized by the National Stellarator Coordinating Committee and referred to as Stellcon, that was held in Cambridge, Massachusetts in February 2016, hosted by MIT. The workshop was widely advertised, and was attended by 40 scientists from 12 different institutions including national labs, universities and private industry, as well as a representative from the Department of Energy. The final section of this document describes areas of community wide consensus that were developed as a result of the discussions held at that workshop. Areas where further study would be helpful to generate a consensus path forward for the US stellarator program are also discussed. The program outlined in this document is directly responsive to many of the strategic priorities of FES as articulated in “Fusion Energy Sciences: A Ten-Year Perspective (2015–2025)” [1]. The natural disruption immunity of the stellarator directly addresses “Elimination of transient events that can be deleterious to toroidal fusion plasma confinement devices” an area of critical importance for the US fusion energy sciences enterprise over the next decade. Another critical area of research “Strengthening our partnerships with international research facilities,” is being significantly advanced on the W7-X stellarator in Germany and serves as a test-bed for development of successful international collaboration on ITER. This report also outlines how materials science as it relates to plasma and fusion sciences, another critical research area, can be carried out effectively in a stellarator. Additionally, significant advances along two of the Research Directions outlined in the report; “Burning Plasma Science: Foundations—Next-generation research capabilities”, and “Burning Plasma Science: Long pulse—Sustainment of Long-Pulse Plasma Equilibria” are proposed.

Status of the NICA project at JINR

The NICA (Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility) is the new international research facility under construction at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. The main targets of the facility are the following: 1) study of hot and dense baryonic matter at the energy range of the maximum baryonic density; 2) investigation of nucleon spin structure and polarization phenomena; 3) development of JINR accelerator facility for high energy physics research based on the new collider of relativistic ions from protons to gold and polarized protons and deuterons as well with the maximum collision energy of √SNN ~11GeV (Au79+ +Au79+) and ~ 27 GeV (p+p). Two collider detector setups MPD and SPD are foreseen. The setup BM@N (Baryonic Matter at Nuclotron) is commissioned for data taken at the existing Nuclotron beam fixed target area. The MPD construction is in progress whereas the SPD is still at the beginning design stage. An average luminosity of the collider is expected at the level of 1027 cm-2 s-1 for Au79+ and 1032 cm-2 s-1 for polarized protons at 27 GeV. The status of NICA design and construction work is briefly described below.

Status of NICA

The NICA (Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility) is the new international research facility under construction at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. The main targets of the facility are the following: 1) study of hot and dense baryonic matter at the energy range of the maximum baryonic density; 2) investigation of nucleon spin structure and polarization phenomena; 3) development of JINR accelerator facility for high energy physics research based on the new collider of relativistic ions from protons to gold and polarized protons and deuterons as well with the maximum collision energy of sqrt(sNN) ~11GeV (Au79+ +Au79+) and ~ 27 GeV (p+p). Two collider detector setups MPD and SPD are foreseen. The setup BM@N (Baryonic Matter at Nuclotron) is commissioned for data taken at the existing Nuclotron beam fixed target area. The MPD construction is in progress whereas the SPD is still at the beginning design stage. An average luminosity of the collider is expected at the level of 1027 cm-2 s-1 for Au (79+) and 1032 cm-2 s-1 for polarized protons at 27 GeV. The status of NICA design and construction work is briefly described below.

Software tool solutions for the design of W7-X

As an international research facility, the W7-X project hosts many types of components designed not only by the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) teams, but also by external partners. At IPP the Design Engineering (DE) division is responsible for design and spatial integration of all the components within the Torus Hall. Two software tools, interfacing with Computer Aided Design (CAD) models, have been developed in-house to assist in the design and installation of components of W7-X. The first, the Digital MockUp (DMU) is a full scale 3D graphical representation of W7-X generated by a Python script using CATIA and information from the Product Data Management system (PDM), SmarTeam. The second, the Collision Analysis Report (CAR) is an Excel table listing the critical distances between a selection of components and their surroundings using the DMU and SmarTeam. SmarTeam along with the DMU and the CAR reduces the risk of design iteration, increases the efficiency of the designers and promotes the communication within the project teams.

Sharing with Python

Sharing with Python

Geo-information Science for Sustainable Development of Mount Stong F.R., Kelantan, Malaysia

The state of Kelantan covers an area of 1.5 million hectares of which about 894,271 hectares or 60% is under forest cover. It is still very much endowed with a rich and diverse biodiversity, such as in the dipterocarp forests of the reserves, in the National Park, limestone hills of Gua Musang, mountain forests of the Main Range, and Virgin Jungle Reserves. It is fortunate in that it has vast areas of lowlands, high rolling mountains and hills, with a rich and unique biodiversity associated with those ecosystems. A scientific expedition to the Mount Stong Tengah Forest Reserve in 2003 discovered that the area has a unique and diverse ecosystem, rich in bio-diversity and many endemic species. These findings prompted the State of Kelantan to gazette the entire central Mt. Stong Permanent Forest Reserve, one of its prime production forests, totaling 21,950 hectares, into a state forest park. Consequently, the State Forestry Department of Kelantan planned to turn these mountain forest resources into the best managed and successful state forest park and to achieve this, an integrated and multi functional approach has to be adopted. Initially, a thorough study of the mountain forest park resources involving Universiti Putra Malaysia-Aeroscan Precision (M) Sdn Bhd’s airborne hyperspectral imaging technology system has been undertaken. Preliminary results indicated that airborne hyperspectral sensing can easily identify individual timber species, estimate their timber volume, locate and map cultural, historical, mountain peaks, caves, waterfalls, picnic and camping sites potential and suitable for forest eco-tourism and recreational activities in Mt. Stong to be developed as a state forest park. Once completed, a 100 Year Management Plan will be formulated to assist the state government to undertake the best strategies towards implementing programs such as forest eco-tourism, publicity, local or international events, research facilities, and infrastructure, appropriate for a best managed and successful mountain state forest park.

The Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory at Homestake

The National Science Foundation and the international underground science community are well into establishing a world-class, multidisciplinary Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at the former Homestake mine in Lead South Dakota. The NSF's review committee, following the first two NSF solicitations, selected the Homestake Proposal and site as the prime location to be developed into an international research facility. Homestake DUSEL will provide much needed underground research space to help relieve the worldwide shortage, particularly at great depth, and will develop research campuses at several different depths to satisfy the research requirements for the coming decades. The State of South Dakota has demonstrated remarkable support for the project and has secured the site with the transfer from the Homestake Mining Corp. The State, through its Science and Technology Authority with state funds and those of a philanthropic donor has initiated rehabilitation of the surface and underground infrastructure including the Ross and Yates hoists accessing the 4850 Level (feet below ground, 4100 to 4200 mwe). The scientific case for DUSEL and the progress in establishing the preliminary design of the facility and the associated suite of experiments to be funded along with the facility by the NSF are presented.

The central tracker of the [formula omitted]ANDA detector

One of the main components of the new international research facility called FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) [Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research. http://www.gsi.de/fair/index e.html], to be constructed in Darmstadt, Germany, is a storage ring for phase-space-cooled antiprotons—High Energy Storage Ring ( HESR). The P ¯ ANDA ( P ¯ (antiproton) ANnihilation in DArmstadt) [Strong Interaction Studies with Antiprotons, Technical Progress Report for P ¯ ANDA. http://www-panda.gsi.de/archive/public/panda_tpr.pdf] experiment is a state-of-the-art detector at HESR covering almost the complete solid angle with an internal target. This experiment will investigate QCD in the charmonium mass region. The central tracker is the essential part of the P ¯ ANDA detector, providing information about primary and secondary decay vertices, momenta of charged particles and particle identification.

The US National Science Foundation's deep underground laboratory at Homestake- DUSEL

The US National Science Foundation has launched a program to establish a world-class, multi-disciplinary deep underground science and engineering laboratory - DUSEL. The NSF has selected as the prime site to be developed for an international world-class research facility. Recently there has been increasing interest in underground physics, astrophysics and other fields of science that require deep underground laboratory and research facilities. I will review the scientific case for DUSEL and the near-term experiments anticipated in Homestake, as well as presenting the efforts to create the Sanford Laboratory at Homestake in advance of DUSEL.

Accelerator vacuum systems at DESY

The research center DESY in Germany is one of the leading accelerator centers worldwide. At the facilities located in Hamburg more than 3000 scientists from all over the world do research with photons and in the field of particle physics. Since 1992 the 6-km-long HERA storage ring was used for high energy collisions of electrons/positrons and protons. It consists of two rings. The one for the 27.5 GeV electrons/positrons uses normal conducting magnets. The other one bends the up to 920 GeV protons with superconducting magnets. Data taking at HERA has been terminated only recently. Synchrotron light for 36 experimental stations is generated by the 4.5 GeV storage ring DORIS. The 2.3 km long storage ring PETRA is presently rebuilt into PETRA III, one of the most brilliant X-ray sources worldwide, to start user operation in 2009. Therefore the vacuum system is completely replaced. The construction of the European X-ray Free Electron Laser XFEL, a new international research facility, just has started next to DESY. Its extremely intense X-ray laser flashes with tunable wavelengths down to 0.1 nm will open up completely new experimental possibilities for nearly all fields of natural sciences. The basic process adopted to generate the X-ray pulses is SASE (Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission). Therefore electron bunches are brought to high energy of about 20 GeV through a superconducting linear accelerator, and conveyed to up to 250 m long undulators where the X-rays are generated. The beam vacuum system of this 3.4 km long straight facility contains sections operated at room temperature as well as at 2 K in the areas of the superconducting accelerating structures. In addition to standard UHV requirements the vacuum system needs to preserve the particle cleanliness of the superconducting cavity surfaces. Further challenges are the undulator vacuum chambers filling more than 750 m with extreme requirements to the surface quality. Unique research opportunities worldwide are offered already now by the 250 m long free-electron laser FLASH, the prototype for the XFEL, which is under operation since several years as a user facility. The vacuum systems of the various DESY accelerator facilities will be discussed in this paper in more detail.

The vacuum system of the European X-ray free electron laser XFEL

The European X-ray Free Electron Laser XFEL, a new international research facility, will be built at DESY/Hamburg. The XFEL will generate extremely brilliant and ultra short pulses of spatially coherent X-rays with tuneable wavelengths down to 0.1 nm, and exploit them for revolutionary scientific experiments at various disciplines. The basic process adopted to produce the X-ray pulses is SASE (Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission). Therefore electron bunches are produced in a high-brightness gun, brought to high energy of about 20 GeV through a superconducting linear accelerator, and transported to up to 250 m long undulators, where the X-rays are generated. The beam vacuum system of the accelerator contains sections operated at room temperature as well as at 2 K in the areas of the superconducting accelerating structures, thus requiring an insulating vacuum system. In addition to standard UHV requirements, the vacuum system for this facility needs to preserve the cleanliness of the superconducting cavity surfaces. Therefore the preparation of all vacuum components for the 1.6 km long main linac includes cleaning of the components in a clean room to remove particles, installation into the accelerator in local clean rooms, and special procedures for pump down and venting. Further challenges are the undulator vacuum chambers filling more than 700 m, where a high surface quality with respect to surface roughness and thickness of oxide layers is mandatory to reduce wake field effects, and the vacuum systems for the various beam dumps, where exit windows acting as vacuum barriers of sufficient reliability need to be developed. In addition, a large amount of about 1.7 km of transport beam lines is required. The layout of the various vacuum sections as well as experience with prototype components will be described.

CHARMONIUM AND EXOTIC HADRONS AT PANDA

Recently GSI presented the plans for a major new international research facility, called FAIR. A key feature of this new facility will be the delivery of intense, high-quality secondary beams which embody the production of antiprotons. For the antiproton beams a High Energy Storage Ring (HESR) is comprised. The design luminosity is 2·1032 cm -2 s -1. Experiments will take place at an internal target. The rich spectroscopy program on exotic hadrons with antiproton beams is presented.

Containment of Polioviruses After Eradication and OPV Cessation: Characterizing Risks to Improve Management

The goal of the World Health Organization is to stop routine use of oral poliovirus vaccine shortly after interruption of wild poliovirus transmission. A key component of this goal is to minimize the risk of reintroduction by destruction of polioviruses except in an absolute minimum number of facilities that serve essential functions and implement effective containment. Effective containment begins with a complete facility risk assessment. This article focuses on characterizing the risks of exposure to polioviruses from the essential vaccine production, quality control, and international reference and research facilities that remain. We consider the potential exposure pathways that might lead to a poliovirus reintroduction, including para-occupational exposures and releases to the environment, and review the literature to provide available estimates and a qualitative assessment of containment risks. Minimizing the risk of poliovirus transmission from a poliovirus facility to increasingly susceptible communities is a crucial and ongoing effort requiring understanding and actively managing the potential exposure pathways.

CHARMONIUM AND EXOTIC HADRONS AT PANDA

Recently GSI presented the plans for a major new international research facility, called FAIR. A key feature of this new facility will be the delivery of intense, high-quality secondary beams which embody the production of antiprotons. For the antiproton beams a High Energy Storage Ring (HESR) is comprised. The design luminosity is 2·1032 cm -2 s -1. Experiments will take place at an internal target. The rich spectroscopy program on exotic hadrons with antiproton beams is presented.

B28 実大三次元震動破壊実験装置(E-ディフェンス)の加振性能と活用について(OS3-3 振動試験手法II)

National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED) started operation of E-Defense, the world's largest three-dimensional full-scale shaking table, in June 2005 after its 10-year construction period. After the fundamental performance check on the shaking table in 2005, E-Defense will conduct various shaking tests for the investigation of reinforced concrete buildings, wooden structures and soil-pile-structure interactions, and for some research projects committed by other institutes. E-Defense is positioned as an international research facility to cooperate with other research groups in Japan as well as in the world. Regarding this, the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) in the U.S. and NIED have worked the preparation tasks for a future collaboration research project since this year. In this U.S-Japan research project, NEES and NIED will jointly perform shaking tests on bridges and steel structures three years later.