Showing papers by "Swedish Defence Research Agency published in 2008"

Role of productivity and protozoan abundance for the occurrence of predation-resistant bacteria in aquatic systems.

Abstract: Top-down control of lower trophic levels, e.g., bacteria, has been suggested to increase along aquatic productivity gradients. The response by the bacterial community may be to become more predation resistant in highly productive environments. To test this hypothesis, samples were taken from 20 aquatic systems along a productivity gradient (dissolved organic carbon from 7 to 71 mg/L), during late summer. The results showed that the biomass of bacteria, phytoplankton, and ciliates increased along the gradient (r2 = 0.532, 0.426, and 0.758, P < 0.01, respectively). However, the organisms did not increase equally, and the ratio of protozoan to bacterial biomass showed a 100-fold increase along the gradient. Ciliates dominated the protozoan biomass in the more nutrient-rich waters. The edibility of colony-forming bacteria was tested using a ciliate predator, Tetrahymena pyriformis. Bacterial edibility was found to decrease with increases in nutrient richness and ciliate biomass in the aquatic systems (r2 = 0.358, P < 0.01; r2 = 0.242, P < 0.05, respectively). Quantile regression analysis indicated that the selection pressures on edible bacteria were increasing along the productivity gradient. Thus, inedible forms of bacteria were selected for in the transition from oligotrophic to eutrophic conditions. Isolated bacteria were distributed among the alpha-, beta-, and gamma- Proteobacteria and the Actinobacteria and Firmicutes taxa. We conclude that bacterial predation resistance increases in nutrient-rich waters with high protozoan predation.

A detailed investigation of HPGe detector response for improved Monte Carlo efficiency calculations

Abstract: A detailed investigation of HPGe detector response for improved Monte Carlo efficiency calculations

Aging of Cholinesterases Phosphylated by Tabun Proceeds through O-Dealkylation.

Abstract: Human butyrylcholinesterase (hBChE) hydrolyzes or scavenges a wide range of toxic esters, including heroin, cocaine, carbamate pesticides, organophosphorus pesticides, and nerve agents. Organophosphates (OPs) exert their acute toxicity through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by phosphorylation of the catalytic serine. Phosphylated cholinesterase (ChE) can undergo a spontaneous, time-dependent process called "aging", during which the OP-ChE conjugate is dealkylated. This leads to irreversible inhibition of the enzyme. The inhibition of ChEs by tabun and the subsequent aging reaction are of particular interest, because tabun-ChE conjugates display an extraordinary resistance toward most current oxime reactivators. We investigated the structural basis of oxime resistance for phosphoramidated ChE conjugates by determining the crystal structures of the non-aged and aged forms of hBChE inhibited by tabun, and by updating the refinement of non-aged and aged tabun-inhibited mouse AChE (mAChE). Structures for non-aged and aged tabun-hBChE were refined to 2.3 and 2.1 A, respectively. The refined structures of aged ChE conjugates clearly show that the aging reaction proceeds through O-dealkylation of the P(R) enantiomer of tabun. After dealkylation, the negatively charged oxygen forms a strong salt bridge with protonated His438N epsilon2 that prevents reactivation. Mass spectrometric analysis of the aged tabun-inhibited hBChE showed that both the dimethylamine and ethoxy side chains were missing from the phosphorus. Loss of the ethoxy is consistent with the crystallography results. Loss of the dimethylamine is consistent with acid-catalyzed deamidation during the preparation of the aged adduct for mass spectrometry. The reported 3D data will help in the design of new oximes capable of reactivating tabun-ChE conjugates.

C-SAM: Multi-Robot SLAM using square root information smoothing

Abstract: This paper presents collaborative smoothing and mapping (C-SAM) as a viable approach to the multi-robot map- alignment problem. This method enables a team of robots to build joint maps with or without initial knowledge of their relative poses. To accomplish the simultaneous localization and mapping this method uses square root information smoothing (SRIS). In contrast to traditional extended Kalman filter (EKF) methods the smoothing does not exclude any information and is therefore also better equipped to deal with non-linear process and measurement models. The method proposed does not require the collaborative robots to have initial correspondence. The key contribution of this work is an optimal smoothing algorithm for merging maps that are created by different robots independently or in groups. The method not only joins maps from different robots, it also recovers the complete robot trajectory for each robot involved in the map joining. It is also shown how data association between duplicate features is done and how this reduces uncertainty in the complete map. Two simulated scenarios are presented where the C-SAM algorithm is applied on two individually created maps. One basically joins two maps resulting in a large map while the other shows a scenario where sensor extension is carried out.

Numerical design of Alberich anechoic coatings with superellipsoidal cavities of mixed sizes

Abstract: Thin rubber coatings with cavities in a doubly periodic lattice are able to reduce reflections of underwater sound by redistributing normally incident energy such that absorption in the surrounding rubber is enhanced. For spherical scatterers, the anechoic effect can be studied numerically by the layer-multiple-scattering (LMS) method. In comparison to more flexible but also more computer intensive methods, such as finite-element method modeling, there are two important advantages. An improved physical understanding of the anechoic effect can be achieved by simplified semianalytical analysis, and the high computational speed allows modern global optimization techniques to be applied for coating design. In this paper, the flexibility of the LMS method is improved by combination with an efficient algorithm for numerical computation of transition matrices for superellipsoidal scatterers. (A superellipsoid is a generalization of an ellipsoid, allowing more box-filling shapes, for example.) Extensions to mixtures of nonspherical scatterers of different types are also considered, in order to enhance the broadband performance. Symmetry properties are used to reduce the size of the pertinent equation systems. Examples of numerical coating design for underwater acoustic applications are presented, using differential evolution algorithms for the optimization.

Vulnerability of European Rail Traffic Management System to Radiated Intentional EMI

Abstract: In this paper, the vulnerability of the future electrified railway system in Europe from a high-power microwave (HPM) source is investigated. The scenario of in-band disturbances radiated toward a GSM-R antenna and damaging the connected communications system is evaluated for different classes of HPM sources and situations. The minimum realistic distances for the different HPM sources from the antenna to cause permanent damage is shown, and the severity of threat from the different sources is discussed.

Click chemistry for photonic applications: triazole-functionalized platinum(II) acetylides for optical power limiting

Abstract: Three different triazole-containing platinum(II) acetylide compounds were synthesized by click chemistry and evaluated for their use in optical power limiting (OPL) applications. The triazole unit was incorporated at three different positions within, or at the end of, the conjugation path of the chromophore. The aim is to explore the possibilities of using click chemistry to prepare dendronized chromophores, and to evaluate how the triazole structure affects the photophysical properties and the optical power limiting abilities of these acetylide compounds. It is shown that the concept of click chemistry can be used to attach branched monomer units to ethynyl-phenyl arms by Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, forming triazole units within the chromophore. Photophysical characterization of these triazole-containing materials shows an absorption maximum within the UV-A region and emission through both fluorescence and phosphorescence. Bright phosphorescence was emitted from argon purged samples, and decay measurements thereof showed triplet lifetimes of up to 100 µs. The results from the photophysical characterization suggest that the triazole does break the conjugation path, and in order to gain maximum optical limiting the triazole needs to be placed at the end of the conjugation. All three investigated triazole-containing platinum(II) acetylides show good optical power limiting at 532 nm (10 ns pulse, f/5 set-up, 2 mm cells). The most efficient compound, with the triazole positioned at the end of the conjugation, reaches a defined clamping level of 2.5 µJ for a sample with a concentration of 50 mM in THF and a linear transmission above 80% at 532 nm. These data can be compared to the OPL properties of Zn-based porphyrins or derivatized thiophenes, reaching clamping levels of 6–15 µJ.

Susceptibility of Civilian GPS Receivers to Electromagnetic Radiation

Abstract: Civilian handheld global positioning system receivers were tested for their susceptibility against radiated electromagnetic disturbances of different characteristics and field levels. This susceptibility data were compared to the existing electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) immunity requirements for electronic devices. Some of the receivers were disrupted by continues waves at in- as well as out-of-band frequencies, at field levels far below the existing EMC requirements. The possible reason for this is discussed. In general, due to the ever-growing use of commercial-off-the-shelf equipment even for critical functions, certificates of conformity to current EMC requirements may be inadequate.

Earthquake swarms at Upptyppingar, north-east Iceland: A sign of magma intrusion?

Abstract: In 2007, intense swarms of deep, tectonic earthquakes, amounting to at least 5 300 epicentres, were detected near to Mount Upptyppingar, which forms part of the Kverkfjoll volcano system in Iceland’s Northern Volcanic Zone. Although micro-seismicity is common within such volcanic regions, the Upptyppingar swarms have been more intensive and persistent than any other deep-seated seismicity observed in Iceland. Here we outline the spatial and temporal changes in ongoing seismicity that began in February 2007; in addition, we document enhanced levels of GPS-derived crustal deformation, recorded within 25 km of the area of swarming. Besides displaying spatial clustering, the Upptyppingar micro-earthquakes are noteworthy because: (i) they concentrate at focal depths of 14–22 km; (ii) the swarms comprise brittle-type earthquakes < 2 in magnitude, yielding a b-value of 2.1; and (iii) several of the swarms originate at focal depths exceeding 18 km. Additionally, different parts of the affected region have exhibited seismicity at different times, with swarm sites alternating between distinct areas. The activity moved with time towards east-north-east and to shallower depths. Linear regression approximates the seismicity on a southward-dipping, ∼41° plane. Alongside sustained earthquake activity, significant horizontal displacement was registered at two permanent GPS stations in the region. High strain rates are required to explain brittle fracturing under visco-elastic conditions within the Earth’s crust; similarly, intense, localised deformation at considerable depth is necessary to reconcile the measured surface deformation. Such remarkable seismicity and localised deformation suggests that magma is ascending into the base of the crust.

Atmospheric impact on beryllium isotopes as solar activity proxy

Abstract: Reconstructing solar activity variability beyond the time scale of actual measurements provides invaluable data for modeling of past and future climate change. The 10 Be isotope has been a primary ...

Efficient Nonlinear Absorbing Platinum (II) Acetylide Chromophores in Solid PMMA Matrices

Abstract: Platinum(II) acetylides were incorporated into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) glasses to obtain solid-state nonlinear optical devices. We report on device fabrication, structural, chemical, and m ...

Reassembly of Fragmented JPEG Images Containing Restart Markers

Abstract: A fragmented JPEG image is currently not possible to reassemble without knowing the ordering of the fragments. This is a problem for the police when they search for illegal digital images. This paper presents a method to reassemble fragmented JPEG images containing restart markers. Empirical evaluations show that it is possible to reassemble images taken from a set containing fragments of several images.

Definition on SAR image quality measurements for UWB SAR

Abstract: Analyses in this study show that measurements under currently used definitions on SAR image quality measurement may be unsuitable for UWB SAR. The main objective of this paper is therefore to propose a definition based on the shape of a single point target in a SAR image which is more suitable for UWB SAR. We use both real and simulated data based on the airborne UWB low frequency SAR CARABAS-II in experiments. The time-domain algorithm Global Backprojection (GBP) is selected for the image formation in this study.

Implicit and Explicit Subgrid Modeling in LES Applied to a Marine Propeller

Abstract: The flow around a four-bladed marine propeller in homogeneous inflow and in non-cavitating conditions is investigated using Large Eddy Simulation, LES. Explicit, using a k-equation eddy viscosity model, and implicit subgrid modeling are compared for both the standard LES formulation as well as a mixed formulation containing the, so called, scale similarity term. A wall-modeled approach is used on a relatively coarse grid, containing 5.5 million cells, for the full propeller in order to mimic a future applied computation including the ship hull. The implicit modeling is of particular interest in cavitation simulation, where the interaction between an explicit subgrid model and the liquid-vapor interface may cause numerical and modeling problems. All simulations yield fairly similar results, although the implicit LES gives better prediction of the global performance of the propeller. The agreement with experimental data is good close to the propeller, but the simulated flow structures diffuses quickly at the present grid resolution.

Experimental Studies of Anode and Cathode Materials in a Repetitive Driven Axial Vircator

Abstract: Repetitive use of a high-power-microwave radiation source implies strong erosion on cathode and anode materials. Electrode-material endurance has been studied in a series of experiments with an axial virtual cathode oscillator powered by a compact Marx generator. The Marx generator is operated in a 10-Hz repetitive mode with a burst of ten pulses. Velvet and graphite was used as electron-emitting materials, and they showed markedly different pulse characteristics. The following three different anode materials were used: stainless-steel mesh, stainless-steel wires, and molybdenum wires, which all had different influence on the pulse characteristics.

Multicarrier spread spectrum for Covert Acoustic Communications

Abstract: A multicarrier modulation scheme is presented to achieve the objective of clandestine acoustic communications. The modulation consists of a single bit sequence simultaneously modulated onto multiple carriers. As all bands carry the same symbol stream, they can be adaptively combined with a multi-channel equalizer. A multiband equalizer with K feedforward filters is thus devised for joint equalization and despreading of K frequency bands. The idea is tested on acoustic data collected during sea experiments in the Baltic Sea. Eight carriers were used to divide the available bandwidth up into K = 8 binary phaseshift keyed bands of 460 Hz each. Covert operation at low SNR is enabled by the spread-spectrum gain delivered by the adaptive combiner, a rate-1/3 turbo coding scheme, and through the use of periodic training. Results are shown for three experiments over ranges of 8, 28, and 52 km, using a prototype acoustic modem as the transmitter and a hydrophone at the receiving end. Both the modem and the hydrophone were lowered into the Baltic sound channel from surface ships. At an effective data rate of 75 bit/s, the user message is correctly recovered at SNRs down to -12 dB under various multipath conditions. A comparison is made with two other modulations, direct-sequence spread spectrum and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing. These signals were broadcast during the same experiments, in the same frequency band, and at the same data rate. The proposed multicarrier scheme compares favorably with the other modulations.

Antibiotic susceptibility of faecal bacteria in Antarctic penguins

Abstract: Faecal bacteria from 49 Gentoo penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula were identified by biochemical methods and sequencing, and tested for antibiotic susceptibility using agar dilution. Of the 42 Enterobacteriaceae isolates found, 39 belonged to the genus Edwardsiella. All isolates were susceptible to the 17 antibiotics tested. This implies that antibiotic selection pressure is a prerequisite to a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance, and in the absence of contact with human activities, antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae remains undetectable.

Between reluctance and necessity: the utility of military force in humanitarian and development operations

Abstract: Between reluctance and necessity : the utility of military force in humanitarian and development operations

Laser beam propagation in jet engine plume environments: a review

Abstract: Laser beam propagation through adverse turbulent environments such as the region close to a jet engine exhaust need to be studied in order to predict performance degradations on airborne laser systems. The turbulent plume region may introduce severe perturbations which accumulate and cause beam degradation in terms of beam wander, intensity scintillations and beam broadening at longer ranges. Applications of interest with respect to laser beam propagation in jet engine plume environments include e.g. directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) and active imaging. By characterising and evaluating the perturbation effects schemes for compensation or avoiding performance degradation can be devised. The turbulence effects in the plume region occur by mixing of hot exhaust flow from the jet engine with surrounding ambient air causing spatial and temporal fluctuations in the refractive index. In comparison to atmospheric turbulence considerably shorter outer- and inner scales have been observed. Typical values of the structure constant within the plume region range from 10-10 to 10-9 m-2/3 making the turbulence several order in magnitude stronger in contrast to propagation through the atmosphere. Of importance in characterisation of the jet engine plume with respect to laser beam propagation are turbulent length scales, the extent of the turbid region, variation of the structure constant and temporal flow properties. In this paper reported experimental results and modelling approaches aimed for predicting laser beam propagation degradation in jet engine plume regions are reviewed. The results will be discussed in perspective of system performance.

Urban peer-to-peer MIMO channel measurements and analysis at 300 MHz

Abstract: Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems operating at frequencies in the upper VHF and lower UHF region is attractive for peer-to-peer communication applications where robustness is of high importance, e.g., in tactical networks and emergency response systems. When designing and evaluating such systems, knowledge of realistic propagation conditions is required. This paper presents results from an urban MIMO measurement campaign at 300 MHz. Measurements are performed along 25 receiver routes and for three fixed transmitter locations, using antenna arrays mounted on two cars. Channel characteristics and ergodic capacity for the 7 times 7 MIMO channels are extracted from the measured data. A path-loss model is derived for the measured scenario, and the distributions of the large-scale fading, the Ricean K-factor, the delay spread, and the ergodic capacity are studied in detail. The correlation distance for the different channel parameters is also examined. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that several of the channel parameters are correlated, and also have a strong correlation with the capacity.

Pressure-distension relationship in arteries and arterioles in response to 5 wk of horizontal bedrest.

Abstract: We hypothesized that exposure to prolonged recumbency (bedrest), and thus reductions of intravascular pressure gradients, increases pressure distension in arteries/arterioles in the legs. Ten subje...

Drag Prediction for the DLR-F6 Wing-Body Configuration Using the Edge Solver

Abstract: Numerical investigations are reported on the DLR-F6 wing-body configuration with and without fairing. The configurations have been adopted as test cases for the Third AIAA Drag Prediction Workshop. The addition of the fairing is to eliminate the flow separation bubble in the junction between the wing trailing edge and the fuselage. The computations have been carried out using two groups of unstructured grids with different sizes. In addition to the effect of incidences, studies of grid convergence have also been performed. The computational fluid dynamics solver Edge is used for the investigation. The calculations confirm that the flow separation can be removed in the wing-fuselage junction with the fairing. For this configuration, the results obtained with the two groups of grid are very similar. Without fairing, however, one group of grids has pronounced a lower lift and produced a more extended trailing-edge separation. Because no experimental data are available for the flow condition as swerved in Drag Prediction Workshop-3, additional calculations have been carried out with the clean wing-body configuration at the Drag Prediction Workshop-2 Reynolds number to validate the numerical results against available experimental data. Very good agreement is obtained, in particular, for the global forces and moments. The calculation indicates that, as compared with experimental data, the grid which predicts a relatively large separation region provides improved predictions.