The Mohorovičič discontinuity (Moho), which is the surface separating the Earth’s crust from the mantle, is of great interest among geoscientists. The Moho depth can be determined by seismic and gravimetric methods. The seismic methods are expensive, time-consuming and suffer from lack of global coverage of data, while the gravimetric methods use inexpensive and mostly already available global and regional data based on an isostatic model. The main reasons for studying an isostatic model are on one hand the gaps and uncertainties of the seismic models, and, on the other hand, the generous availability of gravity data from global models for the gravimetric-isostatic model. In this study, we present a new gravimetric-isostatic Moho model, called the Vening Meinesz-Moritz (VMM) model. Also, a combined Moho model based on seismic and gravimetric models is presented. Classical isostatic hypotheses assume that the topographic potential is fully compensated at all wavelengths, while is not the case in reality. We found that the maximum degree of compensation for the topographic potential based on the new Moho model is 60, corresponding to the resolution of about 330 km. Other (dynamic) isostatic effects (such as temporal compensation, plate tectonics, post-glacial rebound, etc) should be considered as well, which are disregarded in this thesis. Numerical results imply that the dynamic phenomena affect mostly the long-wavelengths. The VMM model is applied for different purposes. The Moho density contrast is an important parameter for estimating the Moho depth, and we present a technique to simultaneously estimate Moho depth and density contrast by the VMM and seismic models. Another application is the recovery of gravity anomaly from Satellite Gravity Gradiometry (SGG) data by a smoothing technique, and we show that the VMM model performs better than the Airy-Heiskanen isostatic model. We achieved an rms difference of 4 mGal for the gravity anomaly estimated from simulated GOCE data in comparison with EGM08, and this result is better than direct downward continuation of the data without smoothing. We also present a direct method to recover Moho depth from the SGG mission, and we show that the recovered Moho is more or less of the same quality as that obtained from terrestrial gravimetric data (with an rms error of 2 km). Moreover, a strategy is developed for creating substitutes for missing GOCE data in Antarctica, where there is a polar gap of such data. The VMM model is further used for constructing a Synthetic Earth Gravity Model (SEGM). The topographic-isostatic potential is simple to apply for the SEGM, and the latter can be an excellent tool to fill data gaps, extending the EGMs to higher degrees and validating a recovery technique of the gravity field from a satellite mission. Regional and global tests of the SEGM yield a relative error of less than 3 % vs. EGM08 to degree 2160. / QC 20110405

A presente Tese de Doutorado analisa as modificações induzidas por prensagem isostática a quente (HIP) após a sinterização na resistência à fadiga de compósitos de metal duro com partículas de carboneto de tamanho médio na faixa de 0,6 a 2,0 ?m. A correlação entre a redução de porosidade no processo de prensagem isostática a quente e o aumento de resistência à ruptura transversal é bem conhecida. No entanto, existem questões em relação à eficácia deste processo no aumento da resistência à fadiga, devido à existência de outras imperfeições na microestrutura do material. Um aumento maior na resistência transversal é reportado na literatura para temperaturas de HIP acima do ponto eutético da liga. Os experimentos foram realizados em dois níveis diferentes de pressão de HIP, simulando condições de processo que existem em fornos de média e alta pressão (5,4 MPa e 150 MPa). Também são analisadas duas condições de temperatura de sinterização, 1.350ºC e 1.430ºC. A análise das diferentes condições de processamento mostra que a microestrutura mais homogênea, praticamente sem presença de lagos de cobalto, foi obtida a 1.430°C de temperatura de sinterização e de HIP. Esta condição de processamento resultou em melhores valores de resistência mecânica (estática e dinâmica). As diferenças de microestrutura e propriedades mecânicas obtidas nas duas condições de pressão de HIP (5,4 MPa e 150 MPa) são pouco significativas, tendo maior impacto a correlação entre a microestrutura e propriedades mecânicas em função dos diferentes ciclos de temperatura e tempo de sinterização. A análise das superfícies de fratura do material em fadiga indica uma importante influência de defeitos microestruturais, como regiões alinhadas da fase ? entre grãos de carboneto de tungstênio na iniciação e na propagação da trinca de fratura. / The present Thesis evaluates modifications induced by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) after sintering on fatigue strength of WC-11Co (in weight %) composites with sintered tungsten carbide grains of 0.6 to 2 ?m. The correlation between decreasing porosity due to hot isostatic pressing process and subsequent increase on transversal rupture strength is well known. Nevertheless, there are questions related to the efficiency of HIP process to increase fatigue strength, mainly due to the existence of microstructure defects besides porosity. An increase on transversal rupture strength is reported in the literature for HIP temperatures above the eutectic point of the composite. Experiments were carried out at two different levels of HIP pressure (5.4 and 150 MPa) covering conditions existing on medium and high pressure furnaces. Two temperatures were also evaluated (1,350 and 1,430°C). The analysis of different processing conditions shows that a more uniform microstructure, without the presence of cobalt lakes, was obtained at a sintering and HIP temperature of 1,430°C. This processing condition also resulted in better statical and dynamical mechanical properties. Microstructure and mechanical properties obtained at two different HIP pressure conditions (5.4 and 150 MPa) were rather similar. Major changes in microstructure and mechanical properties were found as a function of different cycles of temperature and sintering time. Fatigue fracture surfaces were evaluated revealing major influence of microstructural defects such as regions of aligned ? phase where crack initiation and fracture propagation are favored.

A presente Tese de Doutorado analisa as modificações induzidas por prensagem isostática a quente (HIP) após a sinterização na resistência à fadiga de compósitos de metal duro com partículas de carboneto de tamanho médio na faixa de 0,6 a 2,0 ?m. A correlação entre a redução de porosidade no processo de prensagem isostática a quente e o aumento de resistência à ruptura transversal é bem conhecida. No entanto, existem questões em relação à eficácia deste processo no aumento da resistência à fadiga, devido à existência de outras imperfeições na microestrutura do material. Um aumento maior na resistência transversal é reportado na literatura para temperaturas de HIP acima do ponto eutético da liga. Os experimentos foram realizados em dois níveis diferentes de pressão de HIP, simulando condições de processo que existem em fornos de média e alta pressão (5,4 MPa e 150 MPa). Também são analisadas duas condições de temperatura de sinterização, 1.350ºC e 1.430ºC. A análise das diferentes condições de processamento mostra que a microestrutura mais homogênea, praticamente sem presença de lagos de cobalto, foi obtida a 1.430°C de temperatura de sinterização e de HIP. Esta condição de processamento resultou em melhores valores de resistência mecânica (estática e dinâmica). As diferenças de microestrutura e propriedades mecânicas obtidas nas duas condições de pressão de HIP (5,4 MPa e 150 MPa) são pouco significativas, tendo maior impacto a correlação entre a microestrutura e propriedades mecânicas em função dos diferentes ciclos de temperatura e tempo de sinterização. A análise das superfícies de fratura do material em fadiga indica uma importante influência de defeitos microestruturais, como regiões alinhadas da fase ? entre grãos de carboneto de tungstênio na iniciação e na propagação da trinca de fratura. / The present Thesis evaluates modifications induced by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) after sintering on fatigue strength of WC-11Co (in weight %) composites with sintered tungsten carbide grains of 0.6 to 2 ?m. The correlation between decreasing porosity due to hot isostatic pressing process and subsequent increase on transversal rupture strength is well known. Nevertheless, there are questions related to the efficiency of HIP process to increase fatigue strength, mainly due to the existence of microstructure defects besides porosity. An increase on transversal rupture strength is reported in the literature for HIP temperatures above the eutectic point of the composite. Experiments were carried out at two different levels of HIP pressure (5.4 and 150 MPa) covering conditions existing on medium and high pressure furnaces. Two temperatures were also evaluated (1,350 and 1,430°C). The analysis of different processing conditions shows that a more uniform microstructure, without the presence of cobalt lakes, was obtained at a sintering and HIP temperature of 1,430°C. This processing condition also resulted in better statical and dynamical mechanical properties. Microstructure and mechanical properties obtained at two different HIP pressure conditions (5.4 and 150 MPa) were rather similar. Major changes in microstructure and mechanical properties were found as a function of different cycles of temperature and sintering time. Fatigue fracture surfaces were evaluated revealing major influence of microstructural defects such as regions of aligned ? phase where crack initiation and fracture propagation are favored.

To minimize the production cost and time of the heat treatment of critical application aluminum castings within the automotive industry a combined hot isostatic pressing (HIP)/solution heat treat process is desired. A successfully combined process would produce parts of equal quality to those produced by the individual processes of HIP and subsequent heat treatment with increased efficiency in time and energy. In this study, an experimental combined process was designed and implemented in a production facility. Industrially produced aluminum castings were subjected to the combined process and results were quantified via tensile and fatigue testing and microscopic examination. Comparisons in fatigue and tensile strength were made to raditionally HIPed and heat treated samples, as well as un-HIPed samples in the T6 condition. Results show that castings produced with the combined process show fatigue properties that are equal in magnitude to castings produced with the independent HIP and heat treatment processes. Furthermore, an order of magnitude improvement in the fatigue life in those castings that were produced with the combined process exists compared to the castings that were only heat treated. This study shows no difference in the tensile properties that result from any of the processing routes compared. Also, microstructural comparison of the castings processed show no difference between the process routes other than porosity, which is only evident in the un-HIPed samples. Dendrite cell size and dendritic structure of the samples that were solutionized for the same time is identical. Theoretical examination of the combined process was also completed to quantify the energy consumption of the combined process compared to the independent processes. Thermodynamic calculations revealed that the energy consumed by the combined process for a typically loaded HIP vessel is fifty percent less than the energy required to process the same quantity of castings with the two individual processes. However, it was determined that a critical ratio of the volume occupied in the HIP vessel by castings to the total HIP vessel volume exists that ultimately determines the efficiency of the combined process. This critical ratio was calculated to be approximately fifteen percent. If the volume ratio is less than fifteen percent then the combined process is less energy efficient then conventional processing. These thermodynamic calculations were experimentally verified with power consumption process data in a production facility. In addition, the time required for the combined process of HIP and solution heat treatment was calculated as thirty-percent less than the conventional two-step process. This calculation was verified via the comparison of data compiled from the experimental combined process.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND SCIENCE. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Gordon Bruce Hunter. / M.S.

Transparent ceramics are used in a variety of applications such as protective visors, thermo-graphic lens, night vision devices and windowpane of an armed vehicle, missile domes and in aircrafts. Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG, Y3Al5O12) exhibits uniform index of refraction without birefringence owing to its cubic crystal structure and offers a range of optical and mechanical properties that makes it suitable for transparent applications.

This thesis focuses on the physics of static sea-level changes following variations in the distribution of grounded ice and the influence of these changes on the stability and dynamics of marine ice sheets. Gravitational, deformational and rotational effects associated with changes in grounded ice mass lead to markedly non-uniform spatial patterns of sea-level change. I outline a revised theory for computing post-glacial sea-level predictions and discuss the dominant physical effects that contribute to the patterns of sea-level change associated with surface loading on different timescales. I show, in particular, that a large sea-level fall (rise) occurs in the vicinity of a retreating (advancing) ice sheet on both short and long timescales. I also present an application of the sea-level theory in which I predict the sea-level changes associated with a new model of North American ice sheet evolution and consider the implications of the results for efforts to establish the sources of Meltwater Pulse 1A. These results demonstrate that viscous deformational effects can influence the amplitude of sea-level changes observed at far-field sea-level sites, even when the time window being considered is relatively short (≤ 500 years). / Earth and Planetary Sciences

The structure and properties of chemical vapor deposited zinc sulfide (CVD ZnS) were assessed before and after heat treatments, involving different annealing and hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) profiles. Samples were characterized using optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, electron diffraction, polycrystalline and powder x-ray diffraction, x-ray chemical microanalysis, photoluminescence, ultraviolet through longwave infrared transmission, and mechanical testing. Before heat treatment, CVD ZnS consists of lamellar twinned structures in 10 to 100 nm layers aggregated into domains which compose grains typically 5 to 10 μm in diameter with an overall crystallographic texture on the {100} planes. The scattering behavior of CVD ZnS was investigated and described by a surface scattering model based on internal surface roughness and refractive index variations due to onedimensional stacking disorder. The two to five percent hexagonality measured by x-ray diffraction is believed to form due to oxygen impurities at the twin boundaries which cause nanostructural polytypism and result in differential refractive index and scattering. CVD ZnS variants in low temperature deposited red ZnS and sulfur precursor elemental ZnS are examined as well. Color in CVD ZnS is believed to be due to band edge position, probably due to oxygen content, and not directly related to the hydride absorption at 6 μm. After annealing or hot isostatic pressing above 850 °C for sufficient time, CVD ZnS recrystallizes and becomes strongly textured on the {111} planes. This recrystallization is required to remove stacking disorder, resulting in a structure with less than half a percent hexagonality and low visible scattering. The recrystallization is believed to proceed by diffusing the oxygen at the nano-twin boundaries back into the lattice, thus unpinning the boundaries and allowing them to move and grow into the tabular recrystallized morphology by polytype induced exaggerated grain growth. The presence of active metals like platinum, silver, copper, or nickel during hot isostatic pressing causes a reaction with sulfur and lowers the temperature required for recrystallization. The optical scattering model is consistent in describing standard CVD ZnS, elemental ZnS, and multispectral recrystallized ZnS as having successively lower birefringence at internal surfaces.

Currently, there is a high demand for lightweight aerospace materials, driven by the desire to provide enhanced fuel efficiency by reducing vehicular weight. Aluminum alloys are attractive due to their excellent mechanical properties and high strength to weight ratios. Powder metallurgy (PM), which converts metal powder into a high performance product, presents an alternative to traditional forming techniques, which are often unable to provide adequate dimensional tolerances. The challenge is to determine if aluminum PM alloys and technologies can be successfully employed within aerospace applications. This research focuses on the PM processing technologies (die compaction, cold isostatic pressing (CIP), and spark plasma sintering (SPS)) of two alloys, PM2024 and PM7075. Processing parameters were assessed using attributes such as density, hardness, and tensile properties. Both powders showed comparable densities and tensile properties to their wrought equivalents. Ultimately, the groundwork was laid for future research into these alloys and their processing methods.

Meltwater pulse 1A (MWP-1A) is the largest land ice melt event of the last deglaciation. In a period of no more than 340 years, between 14.65 and 14.31 ka (Dechamps et al, 2012), ~10% of the total deglacial sea-level rise occurred (Hanebuth et al, 2000; Peltier and Fairbanks, 2006; Deschamps et al, 2012), resulting in the highest reported rate of global mean sea-level rise in the geological record, which may have exceeded 4 m per century (Deschamps et al, 2012). Yet, the implications of MWP-1A for constraining the rates of the underlying processes and its role in the sequence of climate events during Termination 1 remain unclear due to the lack of information on its melt source distribution. While glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) modelling experiments (Clark et al, 2002; Bassett et al, 2005; Deschamps et al, 2012) and recent assessments of ice-sheet histories (Carlson and Clark, 2012) suggest that at least 50% of the event may have come from Antarctica, other interpretations of Antarctic ice-extent and sea-level records suggest a substantially smaller (including zero) Antarctic contribution (Ackert et al, 2007; Mackintosh et al, 2011; Whitehouse et al, 2012). In this study, we show that after reassessments of local MWP-1A amplitudes at Barbados and Sunda Shelf based on the well-constrained timing derived from the Tahiti sea-level record (Deschamps et al, 2012), the sea-level data from Barbados, Sunda Shelf, and Tahiti do not provide as tight of a constraint on the Antarctic contribution as previously thought. We find that between 1 to 10 m sea-level equivalent (sle) could have melted from the Antarctic, compared to 7 to 15 m sle from previous analyses (Clark et al, 2002; Bassett et al, 2005; Deschamps et al, 2012). To better constrain the source of MWP-1A, we also consider sea-level data from Scotland (Shennan et al, 2000), which have, until now, been excluded from MWP-1A fingerprinting experiments because they are strongly influenced by local ice unloading. To overcome this, we isolate the elastic MWP-1A amplitude (i.e. fingerprint signal) at this location using a suite of models that provide optimal fits to the Scottish data, and thereby remove near-field contamination. Preliminary results show that the inclusion of these data leads to an improved MWP-1A source distribution constraint compared to that obtained using the far- and intermediate-field data alone.