Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology最新文献

A new registration algorithm based on Newton-Raphson iteration is proposed to align images with rigid body transformation. A set of transformation parameters consisting of translation in x and y and rotation angle around z is calculated by optimizing a specified similarity metric using the Newton-Raphson method. This algorithm has been tested by registering and correlating pairs of topography measurements of nominally identical NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM 2461) standard cartridge cases, and very good registration accuracy has been obtained.

Air kerma calibration coefficients for a reference class ionization chamber from narrow x-ray spectra and cesium 137 gamma-ray beams were compared between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). A NIST reference-class transfer ionization chamber was calibrated by each laboratory in terms of the quantity air kerma in four x-ray reference radiation beams of energies between 80 kV and 150 kV and in a cesium 137 gamma-ray beam. The reference radiation qualities used for this comparison are described in detail in the ISO 4037 publication.[1] The comparison began in September 2008 and was completed in March 2009. The results reveal the degree to which the participating calibration facility can demonstrate proficiency in transferring air kerma calibrations under the conditions of the said facility at the time of the measurements. The comparison of the calibration coefficients is based on the average ratios of calibration coefficients.

An assessment of uncertainties for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate apparatus is presented. The uncertainties are reported in a format consistent with current NIST policy on the expression of measurement uncertainty. The report describes a procedure for determination of component uncertainties for thermal conductivity and thermal resistance for the apparatus under operation in either the double-sided or single-sided mode of operation. An extensive example for computation of uncertainties for the single-sided mode of operation is provided for a low-density fibrous-glass blanket thermal insulation. For this material, the relative expanded uncertainty for thermal resistance increases from 1 % for a thickness of 25.4 mm to 3 % for a thickness of 228.6 mm. Although these uncertainties have been developed for a particular insulation material, the procedure and, to a lesser extent, the results are applicable to other insulation materials measured at a mean temperature close to 297 K (23.9 °C, 75 °F). The analysis identifies dominant components of uncertainty and, thus, potential areas for future improvement in the measurement process. For the NIST 1016 mm Guarded-Hot-Plate apparatus, considerable improvement, especially at higher values of thermal resistance, may be realized by developing better control strategies for guarding that include better measurement techniques for the guard gap thermopile voltage and the temperature sensors.

Maintaining the integrity of analytical data over time is a challenge. Years ago, data were recorded on paper that was pasted directly into a laboratory notebook. The digital age has made maintaining the integrity of data harder. Nowadays, digitized analytical data are often separated from information about how the sample was collected and prepared for analysis and how the data were acquired. The data are stored on digital media, while the related information about the data may be written in a paper notebook or stored separately in other digital files. Sometimes the connection between this "scientific meta-data" and the analytical data is lost, rendering the spectrum or chromatogram useless. We have been working with ASTM Subcommittee E13.15 on Analytical Data to create the Analytical Information Markup Language or AnIML-a new way to interchange and store spectroscopy and chromatography data based on XML (Extensible Markup Language). XML is a language for describing what data are by enclosing them in computer-useable tags. Recording the units associated with the analytical data and metadata is an essential issue for any data representation scheme that must be addressed by all domain-specific markup languages. As scientific markup languages proliferate, it is very desirable to have a single scheme for handling units to facilitate moving information between different data domains. At NIST, we have been developing a general markup language just for units that we call UnitsML. This presentation will describe how UnitsML is used and how it is being incorporated into AnIML.

A comparison has been made of the air-kerma standards for low-energy x rays at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). The comparison involved a series of measurements at the PTB and the NIST using the air-kerma standards and two NIST reference-class transfer ionization chamber standards. Results are presented for the reference radiation beam qualities in the range from 25 kV to 50 kV for low energy x rays, including the techniques used for mammography dose traceability. The tungsten generated reference radiation qualities, between 25 kV and 50 kV used for this comparison, are new to NIST; therefore this comparison will serve as the preliminary comparison for NIST and a verification of the primary standard correction factors. The mammography comparison will repeat two previously unpublished comparisons between PTB and NIST. The results show the standards to be in reasonable agreement within the standard uncertainty of the comparison of about 0.4 %.

Using resonance ultrasound spectroscopy, we measured the monocrystal elastic-stiffness coefficients, the Voigt C ij, of TiB2. With hexagonal symmetry, TiB2 exhibits five independent C ij: C 11, C 33, C 44, C 12, C 13. Using Voigt-Reuss-Hill averaging, we converted these monocrystal values to quasiisotropic (polycrystal) elastic stiffnesses. Briefly, we comment on effects of voids. From the C ij, we calculated the Debye characteristic temperature, the Grüneisen parameter, and various sound velocities. Our study resolves the enormous differences between two previous reports of TiB2's C ij.

National user facilities such as the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) require a significant base of software to treat the data produced by their specialized measurement instruments. There is no universally accepted and used data treatment package for the reduction, visualization, and analysis of inelastic neutron scattering data. However, we believe that the software development approach adopted at the NCNR has some key characteristics that have resulted in a successful software package called DAVE (the Data Analysis and Visualization Environment). It is developed using a high level scientific programming language, and it has been widely adopted in the United States and abroad. In this paper we describe the development approach, elements of the DAVE software suite, its usage and impact, and future directions and opportunities for development.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed new gamma-ray and neutron emitting sources for testing radiation detection systems. These radioactive sources were developed for testing of detection systems in maritime applications. This required special source characteristics.

This paper discusses a procedure for measuring the absolute spectral responsivity of optical-fiber power meters and computation of the calibration uncertainty. The procedure reconciles measurement results associated with a monochromator-based measurement system with those obtained with laser sources coupled with optical fiber. Relative expanded uncertainties based on the methods from the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement and from Supplement 1 to the "Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement"-Propagation of Distributions using a Monte Carlo Method are derived and compared. An example is used to illustrate the procedures and calculation of uncertainties.

The effects of different Ca-addition rates on calcium fluoride (CaF2) precipitation and deposition were investigated in 12 mmol/L sodium fluoride solutions to which 0.1 mol/L calcium chloride solution was continuously added at average rates of (5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 or 20) mmol L(-1) min(-1). The changes in ionic fluoride and calcium concentrations, as well as turbidity, were continuously recorded by F and Ca electrodes, and a fiber optic based spectrophotometer, respectively. The F(-) concentration decreased and turbidity increased with time indicating precipitation of CaF2. For the systems with Ca-addition rates of (5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, and 20) mmol L(-1) min(-1), the 1 min CaF2 depositions in the model substrate (cellulose filter paper, pores 0.2 µm) expressed as mean ± SD of deposited F per substrate surface area were (3.78 ± 0.31, 11.45 ± 0.89, 9.31 ± 0.68, 8.20 ± 0.56, 6.63 ± 0.43, and 2.09 ± 0.28) µg/cm(2), respectively (n = 10 for each group). The 1-min F depositions did not show positive correlation to Ca-addition rates. The lowest 1-min F deposition was obtained in the systems with the highest Ca-addition rate of 20 mmol L(-1) min(-1) for which CaF2 precipitation rate reached the maximum value of 0.31 mmol L(-1) s(-1) almost immediately after beginning of reaction (6 s). The largest 1-min F depositions were obtained from the systems with Ca addition rates of (7.5 to 12.5) mmol L(-1) min(-1) in which CaF2 precipitation rates continuously increased reaching the maximum values of (0.13 to 0.20) mmol L(-1) s(-1) after (18 to 29) s, respectively. The 1-min F depositions were greatly enhanced in comparison with the control F solutions that did not have continuous Ca-addition. This indicates that continuous Ca addition that controls the rate of CaF2 formation could be a critical factor for larger F depositions from F solutions. The efficacy of conventional F mouthrinses could be improved with addition of a substance that continuously releases Ca.