Degradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates in eutrophic reservoir

During the summers of 1999-2001 the dynamics of polyhydroxyalkanoate degradation in a small recreational eutrophic reservoir was studied experimentally. It has been shown that biodegradation of polyhydroxyalkanoates in the environment is determined by the structure and physicochemical properties of the polymer and by local weather conditions, which influence the state of the aquatic ecosystem. Species (clones) of bacteria able to utilize polyhydroxyalkanoates in the reservoir were identified using molecular phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes.     

Tunable single-frequency diode laser at wavelength λ=1.65 μm for methane concentration measurements

This paper deals with the development of a novel single-frequency tunable diode laser with fiber-optic output for gas-analysis applications. The approach we propose is a convenient, simple and cheap solution for spectroscopy of single absorption lines of any gases having absorption bands in the optical fiber transparency window (0.7 microm/1.7 microm). The presence of fiber-optic output is an additional advantage for remote sensing applications. The laser operation is demonstrated as applied to R7 line of 2 nu(3) methane absorption band at lambda = 1.645 microm. The mode-hop-free tuning range of 35 GHz (1.2 cm(-1)) has been achieved.     

Electromagnetic radiation in a medium with a velocity gradient

A relativistic expression has been obtained for the curvature of trajectory of the wave vector of an electromagnetic wave in a moving optically transparent medium. It has been shown that the curvature of the trajectory and angular deviation of rays appear in a homogeneous isotropic medium if the gradient of the velocity field in the medium is nonzero. The bending of the trajectory in the medium with the velocity gradient is a firstorder effect in the ratio u/c.     

Preparation of calcium peroxide in a UHF field at atmospheric pressure

The kinetics of free moisture removal from a CaO₂ paste under the conditions of convective drying and UHF field at atmospheric pressure were compared. Drying under the action of UHF radiation is characterized by the absence of the heat-up period. The use of the microwave radiation at atmospheric pressure decreases the drying time in production of anhydrous calcium peroxide by a factor of approximately 10 compared to convective drying.

     

Determination of Barium by Classical and Alternating-Current Polarography

The behavior of barium(II) in 0.1–5.0 M CaCl₂ solutions was studied by classical and alternating-current polarography. The kinetic parameters of barium(II) reduction and the diffusion coefficients were determined. A procedure for the determination of barium in calcium salts was proposed.     

Effects of plasmonic resonances and transparency of nanoshells for optical filtering

We show that narrow optical band pass filters can be created by means of nanoparticles which consist of a dielectric sphere and a metallic shell. The components can be adjusted such that there is a remarkable transparency at the desired wavelength range, while a strong absorption takes place outside of this region.     

Anomalous scaling in helical turbulent environment

The influence of helicity on the anomalous scaling of the single-time structure functions of a passive scalar advected by a non-Gaussian velocity field driven by the stochastic Navier-Stokes equation is investigated by the field theoretic renormalization group and the operator-product expansion within the second order of the perturbation theory (two-loop approximation). The set of compositeoperators with the minimal critical dimensions is identified and their dependence on the helicity parameter is found. It is shown that the contribution to the critical dimensions of the structure functions of a passive scalar is given only by parts of the composite operators which are independent of the helicity parameter. Therefore, it is shown that the spatial parity violation has no impact on the anomalous scaling behavior of the passively advected scalar quantity in the turbulent environment.     

A molecular dynamic model for analyzing concentrations of electrolytes: Fractional molar dependences of microstructure properties

Aqueous electrolyte solutions play an important role in many electrophysical and chemical processes in aerospace technology and industrial applications. As noncovalent interactions, the interactions between ions are crucially important for biomolecular structures as well (protein structure folding, molecular level processes followed by ionic pair correlations, the formation of flexible hydrate shells, and so on). Specifically, ions (cations and anions with the same valence charges) can form stable pairs if their sizes match. The formation of ionic pairs can substantially affect the thermodynamic stabilities of proteins in the alkali salts physiologically present in the human body. Research aims and problems impose severe demands on readjustments of the ionic force fields and potential parameters developed to describe aqueous solutions and electrolytic systems. Ionic solutions and their interaction with biomolecules have been observed for over 100 years [1], but the behavior of such solutions remains poorly studied today. New data obtained in this work deals with parameterization strategies and adjustments for the ionic force fields of the alkali cations and halide anions that should be helpful in biomolecular research. Using molecular dynamics (MD) models, four electrolytic systems (HCl-H₂O, LiCl-H₂O, NaCl-H₂O, and KCl-H₂O) are investigated as binary mixtures of water and cations and anions, respectively. The intermolecular interaction parameters are varied for two of the four model electrolytes (HCl-H₂O and NaCl-H₂O) to simulate the possibility of different ionic shells forming during interaction with water. It is found that varying the potential parameters strongly affects the dynamic and structural characteristics of electrolyte systems. MD simulations are performed in the temperature range of 300 to 600 K with a step of 50 K. MD simulations for all electrolyte models (HCl-H₂O, LiCl-H₂O, NaCl-H₂O, KCl-H₂O) are also conducted for different molar fractions of electrolyte concentration: 16, 8, and 1 mol/kg. Energies of diffusion activation are calculated using the Arrhenius equation, thereby constructing temperature dependence graphs of diffusion coefficients for all four electrolyte systems. The observed diffusion properties of the electrolyte systems are found to correlate well with the energy and structural radial distribution data.     

Nonequilibrium Ionization Behind a Strong Shock Wave in the Mars Atmosphere

The paper reports results of experimental and numerical studies of nonequilibrium ionization behind a strong shock wave in the Mars atmosphere. The calculated kinetic model is verified by measuring the electron concentrations and temperature in the relaxation zone     

Beam-plasma discharge in the propagation of a long-pulse relativistic electron beam in a medium-pressure rarefied gas

A theoretical model is given, along with a numerical analysis of the evolution of beam-plasma discharge in the propagation of a long-pulse relativistic electron beam in a rarefied gas at medium pressure. It is shown that the self-stabilization of beam-plasma discharge as a result of longitudinal inhomogeneity of the density of the discharge plasma makes it possible for the beam to traverse the beam chamber with relatively low total energy losses, including ionization losses and energy losses in the generation of oscillations. During the dissociative recombination of electrons and ions of the discharge-driven plasma, heat is released and spent in raising the temperature of the gas. The investigated collective-discharge mechanism underlying heating of the gas for a relativistic beam can be more efficient than the classical heating mechanism due to ionization losses of the beam in pair collisions of its electrons with gas particles. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 94–98 (May 1997)