Calibration of broadband active acoustic systems using a single standard spherical target

When calibrating a broadband active acoustic system with a single standard target such as a sphere, the inherent resonances associated with the scattering by the sphere pose a significant challenge. In this paper, a method is developed which completely eliminates the source of resonances through isolating and exploiting the echo from the front interface of a sphere. This echo is relatively insensitive to frequency over a wide range of frequencies, lacking resonances, and is relatively insensitive to small changes in material properties and, in the case of spherical shells, shell thickness. The research builds upon the concept of using this echo for calibration in the work of Dragonette et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 69, 1186-1189 (1981)]. This current work generalizes that of Dragonette by (1) incorporating a pulse compression technique to significantly improve the ability to resolve the echo, and (2) rigorously accounting for the scattering physics of the echo so that the technique is applicable over a wide range of frequencies and material properties of the sphere. The utility of the new approach is illustrated through application to data collected at sea with an air-filled aluminum spherical shell and long broadband chirp signals (30-105 kHz).     

Stimulated light emission and inelastic scattering by a classical linear system of rotating particles

The rotational dynamics of particles subject to external illumination is found to produce light amplification and inelastic scattering at high rotation velocities. Light emission at frequencies shifted with respect to the incident light by twice the rotation frequency dominates over elastic scattering within a wide range of light and rotation frequencies. Remarkably, net amplification of the incident light is produced in this classical linear system via stimulated emission. Large optically induced acceleration rates are predicted in vacuum accompanied by moderate heating of the particle, thus supporting the possibility of observing these effects under extreme rotation conditions.     

Two-photon correlations of luminescence at the Bose-Einstein condensation of dipolar excitons

Correlations of the luminescence intensity (the second-order correlation function g ⁽²⁾(τ)), where τ is the delay time between the photons detected in pairs) under the conditions of the Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of dipolar excitons has been studied in a temperature range of 0.45–4.2 K. Photoexcited dipolar excitons have been accumulated in a lateral trap in a GaAs/AlGaAs Schottky diode with a 25-nm wide single quantum well with an electric bias applied across the heterolayers. Two-photon correlations have been measured with the use of a two-beam intensity interferometer with a time resolution of }~0.4 ns according to the well-known classical Hanbury-Brown-Twiss scheme. The photon bunching has been observed at the onset of Bose-Einstein condensation manifested by the appearance of a narrow exciton condensate line in the luminescence spectrum at an increase in the optical pumping (the line width near the threshold is ?200 μeV). At the same time, the two-photon correlation function itself obeys the super-Poisson distribution, g ⁽²⁾(τ) > 1, at time scale τ_c ? 1 ns of the system coherence. The photon bunching is absent at a pumping level substantially below the condensation threshold. The effect of bunching also decreases at pumping significantly above the threshold, when the narrow exciton condensate line starts to dominate in the luminescence spectra, and finally disappears with the further increase in the optical excitation. In this region, the distribution of pair photon correlations is a Poisson distribution manifesting the united quantum coherent state of the exciton condensate. Under the same conditions, the first-order spatial correlation function g ⁽¹⁾(r) determined from the interference pattern of the luminescence signals from the spatially separated parts of the condensate at constant pumping remains noticeable at distances of no less than 4 μm. The discovered effect of photon bunching is very sensitive to temperature and decreases by several times with a temperature increase in the range of 0.45–4.2 K. Assuming that the luminescence of the dipolar excitons directly reflects the coherence properties of the gas of interacting excitons, the discovered photon bunching at the onset of condensation, where the fluctuations of the exciton density and, consequently, of the luminescence intensity are most significant, indicates a phase transition in the interacting Bose gas of excitons, which is an independent way of detecting the Bose-Einstein condensation of excitons.     

Direct conversion of EPR dipolar time evolution data to distance distributions

Shallow electron spin echo envelope modulations due to dipole-dipole couplings between electron spins provide information on the radial distribution function of the spins in disordered systems while angular correlations between spin pairs are negligible. Under these conditions and in the absence of orientational selection, the dipolar time evolution data can be quantitatively simulated for arbitrary radial distribution functions by shell factorization, i.e., by performing the orientational average separately for thin spherical shells and multiplying the signals of all the shells. For distances below 5 nm, a linear superposition of the signals of the shells is sufficient. The dipolar time evolution data can be separated into this linear contribution and a nonlinear background. The linear contribution can then be converted directly to a radial distribution function. For a series of shape-persistent and flexible biradicals with end-to-end distances between 2 and 5 nm, shell factorization and direct conversion of the data are in good agreement with each other and with force-field computations of the end-to-end distances. The neglect of orientation selection does not cause significant distortions of the determined distance distributions.     

径向浓淡旋流煤粉燃烧器气流湍流特性的冷态试验研究

本文利用ＩＦＡ３００型一维热膜风速仪系统对径向浓淡旋流煤粉燃烧器单相冷态湍流流场进行了试验研究,测量了流场内不同位置瞬时速度的数值,同时测量了脉动速度均方根、湍流度、平坦因子和偏斜因子在流场内的分布,得到了新型旋流燃烧器气流湍流特性参数的分布规律,可以用于研究径向浓淡旋流煤粉燃烧器的燃烧特性。     

Dynamic ground compliance in multistorey buildings

A study is presented of the changes in the characteristics of the natural modes of vibration for multistorey structures which are founded on flexible foundations. First a standard eigenvalue problem is formulated for the proportionally damped case. Then general relationships of changes in natural frequencies and mode shapes are derived for the linear vibration theory. By means of an example problem it is demonstrated, however, that only the first mode obeys the predicted changes of frequencies and mode shapes over a wide range of foundation stiffness. The higher modes are shown to deviate substantially from the linear behaviour. This deviation is ascribed to geometric changes in mode shapes.     

Internal consistency of NMR data obtained in partially aligned biomacromolecules

A method of testing structure-related NMR data prior to structure calculations is presented. The test is applicable to second rank tensor interactions (dipolar coupling, anisotropic chemical shielding, and quadrupolar interaction) observed in partially aligned samples of biomacromolecules. The method utilizes the fact that only limited number of frequencies corresponding to the mentioned interactions can be measured independently in a rigid fragment of the macromolecule. Additional values can be predicted as linear combinations of the set of independent frequencies. Internal consistency of sufficiently large sets of frequencies measured in individual molecular fragments is tested by comparing the experimental data with their predicted values. The method requires only knowledge of local geometry (i.e., definition of the interaction tensors in the local coordinate frames of the fragments). No information about the alignment or shape of the molecule is required. The test is best suited for planar fragments. Application to peptide bonds and nucleic acid bases is demonstrated.     

Exploring azimuth effects with an anthropometric manikin.

In these experiments, the effects of sound direction on the eardrum response of an anthropometric manikin (the KEMAR manikin) were investigated. Pure tones and pink noise (analyzed in 1/3-octave bandwidths) over a wide frequency range were used as signals as the manikin rotated 360 degrees with respect to a point source in a anechoic chamber. The simulated eardrum SPL was compared with the averaged human field-to-eardrum data reported by Shaw [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 56, 1848--1861 (1974)]. It was concluded that the KEMAR manikin can be used up to frequencies of approximately 8.0 kHz, with (1) 1/3-octave pink noise signals to measure a response equivalent to tht obtained by averaging over a number of humans, and (2) pure-tone signals to measure the response equivalent to that of a single human having average head and ear dimensions.     

Double Electron–Electron Resonance Between Trapped Electron and Hole in a Semiconductor

We demonstrate the spin interactions between dispersedly trapped electrons and holes in a semiconductor using the double electron–electron resonance (DEER) method of the pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques. An aluminum-doped titanium dioxide crystal is adopted as a spin system, in which optically generated electrons and holes are trapped, to reveal EPR signals that appear close to each other at a selected crystal orientation under an external magnetic field. We used the four-pulse DEER method by applying two microwave frequencies to a microwave cavity for pumping electrons and probing holes at the optimum temperature of 32 K. The dipolar modulation in the probed signal by pumping interacting spins was successfully detected. The observed non-oscillating decay shape indicates that the detected interaction is caused by widely distributed trapped electron and hole spins over long distances. We were able to extract a spin-pair distribution function by the first derivative of a background-corrected curve, referring to a previously reported method.     

Predictions of formant-frequency discrimination in noise based on model auditory-nerve responses

To better understand how the auditory system extracts speech signals in the presence of noise, discrimination thresholds for the second formant frequency were predicted with simulations of auditory-nerve responses. These predictions employed either average-rate information or combined rate and timing information, and either populations of model fibers tuned across a wide range of frequencies or a subset of fibers tuned to a restricted frequency range. In general, combined temporal and rate information for a small population of model fibers tuned near the formant frequency was most successful in replicating the trends reported in behavioral data for formant-frequency discrimination. To explore the nature of the temporal information that contributed to these results, predictions based on model auditory-nerve responses were compared to predictions based on the average rates of a population of cross-frequency coincidence detectors. These comparisons suggested that average response rate (count) of cross-frequency coincidence detectors did not effectively extract important temporal information from the auditory-nerve population response. Thus, the relative timing of action potentials across auditory-nerve fibers tuned to different frequencies was not the aspect of the temporal information that produced the trends in formant-frequency discrimination thresholds.     

Determination of structural and dynamic characteristics of biodegradable polymers by the NMR relaxation method

A theory of the NMR spectra of heterogeneous polymer systems is proposed that makes it possible to simulate signals observed over a wide temperature range with account of spectral diffusion. Based on this theory, a technique of rapid analysis of molecular structure parameters, including the degree of crystallinity and NMR line shape, is developed. The degree of crystallinity is demonstrated to be a linear function of the area under the NMR spectrum. It is shown that this dependence, universal for a given substance, makes it possible to reliably determine the degree of crystallinity over a wide temperature range (or the fraction of low-molecular additives in composites). The NMR spectra of chitosan is simulated and compared to experimental data. The universal dependence of the degree of crystallinity on the area under the spectrum of chitosan is calculated. A comparison with experimental signals allowed determining the degree of crystallinity.     

Distribution function of relaxation times for a 4-<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl liquid crystal

The distribution function of relaxation times is reconstructed from the dielectric loss spectrum measured over a wide range of frequencies for a 4-n-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) liquid crystal. It is demonstrated that the distribution function for the isotropic and nematic phases is asymmetric in shape. Comparison shows that the reconstructed distribution function is in qualitative agreement with similar functions that are analytically derived from the Cole-Davidson and Havriliak-Negami empirical equations. The specific features observed in the behavior of the distribution function with a variation in the angle between the direction of polarization of a microwave electric field and the director of the liquid-crystal molecules are analyzed. A complex dependence of the permittivity for the liquid crystal in the range of ultrahigh frequencies is explained in terms of additional relaxation mechanisms associated with different motions of molecular fragments of alkyl chains.     

The determination of the average 27Al-31P distance in aluminophosphate molecular sieves with SEDOR NMR.

The average 27Al-31P distances in an aluminophosphate, AlPO4-5, and in a silicoaluminophosphate, SAPO-11, were determined by using Spin Echo DOuble Resonance (SEDOR). A calculated SEDOR curve was fitted to the data in order to obtain the dipolar coupling constant. The tetrahedral surrounding of 27Al by four 31P atoms in the second coordination sphere was taken into account in the calculation of the theoretical SEDOR curve. The average 27Al-31P distances obtained by using this technique proved to be in good agreement with X-ray diffraction data.     

Longitudinally detected ESR magnetometer for wide-range measurements of low fields

A new magnetometer utilizing a longitudinally detected ESR (LODESR) method was developed. The probe head of the LODESR magnetometer is equipped with a single-turn coil (8 mm in diameter) which has a very wide bandwidth because the reactance of the coil is always smaller than the resistance of the transmission line (50 ohm) at frequencies less than 700 MHz. Thus, an absolute magnetic field could be measured over a wide range (2 to 9 mT) using this magnetometer without changing the probe head.     

Distance measurements in the borderline region of applicability of CW EPR and DEER: a model study on a homologous series of spin-labelled peptides

Inter-spin distances between 1 nm and 4.5 nm are measured by continuous wave (CW) and pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) methods for a series of nitroxide-spin-labelled peptides. The upper distance limit for measuring dipolar coupling by the broadening of the CW spectrum and the lower distance limit for the present optimally-adjusted double electron electron resonance (DEER) set-up are determined and found to be both around 1.6-1.9 nm. The methods for determining distances and corresponding distributions from CW spectral line broadening are reviewed and further developed. Also, the work shows that a correction factor is required for the analysis of inter-spin distances below approximately 2 nm for DEER measurements and this is calculated using the density matrix formalism.     

Selective Hole-Burning in RIDME Experiment: Dead-Time Free Measurement of Dipolar Modulation

The most common technique used in pulse electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine interspin distances in the nanometer range is pulse electron double resonance, while relaxation-induced dipolar modulation enhancement (RIDME) is a promising alternative to this method. In this article we introduced a selective hole-burning technique for RIDME experiment, which allows dead-time free measurement of dipolar modulation without the use of the second microwave frequency or a magnetic field jump. This technique was tested on a short, stable biradical in a frozen solution, and the optimal experimental conditions for the measurement of dipolar modulation were found. Interspin distances in the range of 13 Å ≤ r ≤ 25 Å can be measured by the proposed method.     

Underwater sound pressure variation and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) hearing thresholds in a small pool

Studies of underwater hearing are often hampered by the behavior of sound waves in small experimental tanks. At lower frequencies, tank dimensions are often not sufficient for free field conditions, resulting in large spatial variations of sound pressure. These effects may be mitigated somewhat by increasing the frequency bandwidth of the sound stimulus, so effects of multipath interference average out over many frequencies. In this study, acoustic fields and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) hearing thresholds were compared for pure tone and frequency modulated signals. Experiments were conducted in a vinyl-walled, seawater-filled pool approximately 3.7 x 6 x 1.5 m. Acoustic signals were pure tone and linear and sinusoidal frequency modulated tones with bandwidths/modulation depths of 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, and 20%. Thirteen center frequencies were tested between 1 and 100 kHz. Acoustic fields were measured (without the dolphin present) at three water depths over a 60 x 65 cm grid with a 5-cm spacing. Hearing thresholds were measured using a behavioral response paradigm and up/down staircase technique. The use of FM signals significantly improved the sound field without substantially affecting the measured hearing thresholds.     

Calculation of dipolar correlation function in solids with internal mobility

A general equation for the dipolar correlation function, to be used to analyze various kinds of independent internal motions, described by some correlation times tau(cm) (m = 1,2 em...k), has been obtained. The obtained expression has been used to analyze the temperature dependencies of different NMR measured values: second moment: spin-lattice relaxation times; amplitude of solid echoes signals.     

Response dynamics of goldfish saccular fibers: effects of stimulus frequency and intensity on fibers with different tuning, sensitivity, and spontaneous activity

The effects of stimulus frequency and intensity on response patterns (PST histograms) to tone burst stimulation were examined in differently tuned saccular fibers of the goldfish. In addition, the sensitivity of these fibers to amplitude-modulated (AM) signals of different carrier frequencies was measured. The response patterns evoked by unmodulated signals were a complex function of tuning, spontaneous activity and sensitivity of the fiber, and the frequency and intensity of the signal. Frequency-dependent response patterns were found in low-frequency fibers with best frequencies (BF) below 200 Hz. Responses in these fibers ranged from tonic to phasic in nonspontaneous fibers and included more complex patterns in spontaneously active fibers, such as suppression of evoked activity below spontaneous levels. Midfrequency fibers (BF = 500-600 Hz) showed responses similar to those in low-frequency fibers, but with less dependence on frequency. In contrast, both high-frequency (BF = 800-1000 Hz) and wideband, untuned fibers showed frequency-invariant patterns of adaptation. High-frequency fibers were equally sensitive to AM signals at all frequencies tested. The sensitivity of low-frequency fibers to AM, however, increased as a function of carrier frequency and corresponded to the degree of adaptation in response to unmodulated tones. In general, the AM sensitivity of a fiber could be predicted more by its pattern of response to unmodulated signals than by its tuning characteristics.     

A general equation describing frequency discrimination as a function of frequency and sensation level

Frequency-discrimination thresholds, for a wide range of stimulus frequencies and stimulus levels, were obtained from three normal-hearing listeners. Linear regression analyses of the present data, and of data from two previous studies, indicate that an SL-1 transformation of stimulus level and a square root F transformation of stimulus frequency yield linear dimensions that allow accurate predictions of frequency-discrimination thresholds from normal-hearing listeners over a wide range of stimulus frequencies (125-8000 Hz) and stimulus levels (5-8 dB SL) with a single prediction equation.