Evaluation and use of the Pd | SrCe0.95Yb0.05O3| Pd electrochemical reactor for equilibrium-limited hydrogenation reactions

The current — overpotential characteristics of the H₂ - Pd - SCY interphase have been studied at atmospheric total pressure and temparatures between 400 – 550 °C in the single chamber reactor — cell: Pd | SCY | Pd. The results of I−η measurements indicate that the apparent anodic and cathodic charge tranfer coefficients are equal to: α_a=α_c=0.5. The present results are compared to those obtained with the single — chamber reactor cell: Ag | SCY | Ag. A solid state proton (H⁺) conducting reactor — cell with Pd electrodes was tested for the ammonia synthesis from its elements at atmospheric pressure. At 570 °C, over 75% of the ectrochemically supplied hydrogen was converted into NH₃. The thermodynamic requirement for a high pressure process was eliminated. Paper presented at the 5th Euroconference on Solid State Ionics, Benalmádena, Spain, Sept. 13–20, 1998.     

Recent developments in the theory of orographic cyclogenesis: Impact of orographic modifications on statistical properties

Summary Recent developments in the normal mode theory of lee cyclogenesis are presented. The topographic modifications of the most unstable eigenmode are computed in the most general case of primitive equations and isolated topography. The basic state about which linearization is performed is a midlatitude jet with maximum speed at tropopause level. The orographic modification consists in a pressure dipole scaling on the Rossby deformation radius already found in previous theoretical and numerical studies. The modifications of the statistical properties introduced by topography on the nonlinear feedback between zonal wind and transient waves are determined using a simple quasi-geostrophic two-layer model. Systematic differences are found to be consistent with the predictions of linear theories. A brief discussion on the limits of the linear theory is also included Paper presented at the IV Congresso del Gruppo Nazionale per la Fisica dell'Atmosfera e dell'Oceano, June 22–24, 1987, Rome.     

Plane and cylindrical shock waves in magnetogasdynamics

Summary The Chisnell-Chester-Whitham method has been used to study the propagation of diverging plane and cylindrical shock waves through an ideal gas in the presence of a magnetic field having only constant axial and azimuthal components, simultaneously for both weak and strong cases. By assuming an initial density distribution ϱ₀ = ϱ′r ^−W , where ϱ′ is the density at the plane/axis of symmetry andw is a constant, the analytical expressions for shock velocity and shock strength have been obtained. The expressions for the pressure, the density and the particle velocity immediately behind the shock have been derived for both the cases.

---

Riassunto Il metodo di Chisnell-Chester-Whitham è stato usato per studiare la propagazione di onde d’urto divergenti cilindriche e piane attraverso un gas ideale in presenza di un campo magnetico che ha solo componenti costanti assiali e azimutali, contemporaneamente per casi deboli e forti. Assumendo una distribuzione di densità iniziale ϱ₀ = ϱ′r ^−W , dove ϱ′ è la densità al piano/asse di simmetria ew è una costante, si sono ottenute le espressioni analitiche per la velocità d’urto e la forza d’urto. Le espressioni per la pressione, la densità e la velocità delle particelle immediatamente dopo l’urto sono state determinate per entrambi i casi.

     

Dispersion of electromagnetic waves in the presence of magnetic monopoles of electron mass in a uniform magnetic field

The dispersion relation of electromagnetic waves in the presence of magnetic monopoles of electron mass in a uniform magnetic field is obtained. The waves of the frequencyω in the range ω_ϱi<Ω_i<ω<Ω _e <ω_ϱa are analysed. It is shown that the monopole charges lead to observable effects. Finally, the results are applied to a typical pulsar.     

Influence of annealing on the spatial distribution of thermoelectric properties in bismuth-telluride specimens

A p-type (Bi_0.25Sb_0.75)₂Te₃ specimen doped with 8 wt. % excess Te alone and an n-type Bi₂(Te_0.94Se_0.06)₃ specimen codoped with 0.017 wt. % Te and 0.068 wt. % I were grown by the Bridgeman method and were cut into a parallelepiped of 5×5×15 mm³, where the length of 15 mm is parallel to the freezing direction. Their local Seebeck coefficient α_ℓ and local electrical resistivity ϱ_ℓ were measured before and after annealing at a scan step of 1 mm along the freezing direction of the specimen, where annealing was done at 673 K for 2 h in vacuum. The specimen was mounted on an X–Y stage and the temperature difference between two probes set at an interval of 1 mm apart was approximately 2.6 K and measured with an accuracy of 0.1 K. The ϱ_ℓ of the as-grown and annealed specimens changed more significantly from place to place than their α_ℓ, so that the effect of annealing on the local power factor P_ℓ (=α_ℓ ²/ϱ_ℓ) was not uniform throughout the specimen surface. Such a spatial variation in P_ℓ is considered to result mainly from the spatial variation in ϱ_ℓ which originates from only a slight deviation of the melt composition from the stoichiometry inside a specimen, and also from a difference in the degree of alignment of the c planes of grains inside a specimen. The maximum P_ℓ (=α_ℓ ²/ϱ_ℓ) of the annealed p- and n-type specimens reached surprisingly high values of 7.78 and 8.93 mW/K² m, respectively, which correspond to being about twice as large as the macroscopic P values obtained by conventional methods. PACS 72.15.Jf; 84.60.Rb; 85.30.De     

A study of greenhouse gases and air trajectories at Plateau Rosa

Summary The attention paid to changes in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases has recently increased, with particular regard to the relationships between variations of their annual trends and of their shorter-period fluctuations on the one hand, and some geophysical and biological natural processes (like atmospheric transport, volcanic eruptions, ENSO events, seasonal vegetation cycles, and so on) on the other hand. Careful analysis and interpretation of the above relationships, in fact, can often disclose unknown mechanisms acting on modulations of these gases and make it possible for us to better understand the contributions made to them by natural causes, contrasted with anthropogenic ones. This paper presents and discusses the results of a series of CO₂ air concentration data, measured at Plateau Rosa (3480 m a.s.l.—Italian Western Alps) over a period of about four years, and correlated with atmospheric transport processes on synoptic scale. These results have shown the leading role played by some kinds of atmospheric circulation patterns in creating situations of not fully mixed air streams (and, as such, not representative of background conditions) and have also suggested a ?meteorological? selection scheme for CO₂ data to be used in evaluating more reliable annual trends.     

Stratospheric ozone descent into the troposphere: Case studies

Summary The penetration of stratospheric air into the troposphere, revealed by high ozone concentrations measured both by an aircraft (Electra) and at a mountain station (Mt. Cimone) during a lee cyclogenesis event (April 24–25, 1982), is investigated. A detailed analysis of the meteorological fields and the application of the isentropic-trajectory method allowed us to reveal the dynamical processes responsible for the ozone transport into the troposphere. We show that the two episodes of high ozone concentrations have to be attributed to the evolution of two distinct upper vortexes, only one of which was associated with surface lee cyclone development. Paper presented at the 1° Congresso del Gruppo Nazionale per la Fisica dell'Atmosfera e dell'Oceano, June 19–22, 1984, Rome.     

Localization and correlation effects on the magnetoresistance of a degenerate electron gas in InAs below the quantum limit

Summary Measurements of the resistivity tensor of a range of moderately dopedn-InAs samples were carried out at low temperatures in the ionized impurity scattering regime. Analyses were performed while the electron gas was in a degenerate state and below the quantum limit. The temperature and the magnetic-field dependences of the two components of the resistivity tensor, ϱ_‖ (longitudinal) and ϱ_⊥ (transverse), were discussed in terms of localization and correlation effects.     

Electron momentum density in Cu<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>Al<Subscript>0.1</Subscript>

A reconstruction technique based on the solution of the Radon transform in terms of Jacobi polynomials is used to obtain the 3D electron momentum density, ϱ(p), from nine high-resolution Compton profiles (CPs) for a Cu_0.9Al_0.1 disordered alloy single crystal. The method was also applied to theoretical CPs computed within the Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker coherent potential approximation (KKR-CPA) first-principles scheme for the same nine orientations of the crystal. The experimental ϱ(p) is in satisfactory agreement with the theoretical ϱ(p), shows most details of the Fermi surface (FS) and exhibits electron correlation effects. We comment on the map of the FS obtained by folding the reconstructed ϱ(p) into the first Brillouin zone, which yields the occupation number density, ϱ(k). A test of the validity of data via a consistency condition (within our reconstruction algorithm) as well as the propagation of experimental noise in the reconstruction of both ϱ(p) and ϱ(k) are investigated. Received: 24 October 2001 / Accepted: 20 January 2002 / Published online: 3 June 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +48-71/344-10-29, E-mail: samsel@int.pan.wroc.pl     

Free stream turbulence effect on the flow structure over the finite span straight wing

Flow visualization tests have been performed to examine the structure of the near-wall flow over a low-aspect ratio straight wing installed at various angles of attack a and chord Reynolds numberRe _c=U_∞c/ν=1.76×10⁵. The experiments were carried out at two free-stream turbulence levels, ε=0.1% and ε=1%, the latter one having been achieved using a baffling grid. To visualize the flow, termochromic cholesteric liquid crystals and digital processing of video images were used. At the low turbulence level and α=27°, a flow stall on the lee side of the wing was observed, with a pair of largescale vortices rotating in the wing plane. Simultaneously, no vortex structures were observed on the windward wing surface. It was found the flow patterns on either side of the wing significantly changed with increasing free-stream turbulence level. A separation bubble appeared near the leading edge on the lee side of the airfoil at ε=1%, and large-scale stationary longitudinal vortices originated over the wing windward surface. The number and sizes of the longitudinal structures were found to be dependent on the angle of attack.     

Elastic properties and spectroscopic studies of lithium lead borate glasses

Elastic properties of xLi₂O — 20PbO — (80-x)B₂O₃ glasses have been measured at a frequency of 10 MHz using X-cut and Y-cut quartz transducers. The trends in the variation of elastic moduli, Poisson’s ratio and Debye temperature have been studied. The elastic moduli namely longitudinal and young’s modulus show strong linear dependence while bulk and shear modulus vary marginally as a function of Li₂O concentration. The Poisson’s ratio is found to be almost constant and Debye temperature increases with the increase of Li₂O concentration. IR, MAS-NMR and glass transition temperature studies have been also carried out. Glass transition temperature is found to increase with increase of Li₂O concentration. IR and MAS-NMR spectra show characteristic features of borate network and systematic change as a function of Li₂O concentration. The variation in the elastic properties and structural features of IR and MAS-NMR indicate that Pb²⁺ ions are likely to occupy network forming positions in this glass system. Paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Ionic Devices, Anna University, Chennai, India, Nov. 28–30, 2003.     

Effect of vacuum magnetic field on the gravitodynamic stability of liquid jet

Summary  The MHD stability of a liquid jet (radiusR ₀ and density ϱ) under the influence of self-gravitating force has traditionally been studied using a normal-mode type of analysis. The dispersion relation is obtained and studied analytically and numerically. The axial magnetic fields inside and outside the jet have always stabilizing effects. The transverse magnetic field has a destabilizing effect. It is found that the largest doman of instability is fastly shrinking (as α> ?) with increasingH ₀ /H _G values,H _G 4(4πGϱ² R ² ₀ μ)^1/2, whereG is the gravitational constant. Some reported works are recovered as limiting cases from the present work.     

Experimental study of transalpine transport of trace effluents: a comparison with synoptic trajectories of airflow

Summary It is aim of this work to acquire information useful to understand the trasborder transport of atmospheric trace elements passing through the Alps. To this end it is necessary to know with a good accuracy the atmospheric movements and their thermodynamic structure at the synoptic scale. With these objects in view, from the one hand a measuring campaign on the Western Alps (Sestrieres Pass) has been performed, during which the concentration of some gaseous constituents of the atmosphere (O₃, NO _x , SO₂) and thermodynamic structure of the air masses which carried them have been measured; on the other hand, synoptic air trajectoris (based on the Reading ECMWF data) passing through that measuring station have been computed. Such calculations have been carried out by two algorithms: the first one computes the 3D air mass trajectory on the ground of the three wind velocity components only (which are known on the Reading model grid points). The second one behaves as the first one as far as the horizontal movement is concerned, but compels the atmosphere to move along surfaces of equal pseudopotential temperature (isentropic surface) in the vertical plane. Paper presented at the IV Congresso del Gruppo Nazionale per la Fisica dell'Atmosfera e dell'Oceano, June 22–24, 1987, Rome.     

Structure of zinc-borate low-melting glasses derived from IR spectroscopy data

The IR spectra of glasses of the ZnO—SrO—B₂O₃ system with constant additions of PbO, Al₂O₃, and Li₂O (20 mol. % in sum) were studied. It is established that on replacement of B₂O₃ by ZnO, the structure of the glasses is characterized by the presence of groupings with the bridge bonds B^III— O—B^III, B^III—O—B^IV, B^IV—O—B^IV and end groups B^III— O⁻; ZnO practically exerts no influence on the coordination transition [BO₃] → [BO₄]. At a high content of ZnO, zinc ions are present in both a six-and a four-coordinated state. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 72, No. 6, pp. 778–781, November–December, 2005.     

First measurement of the ϱ spectral function in nuclear collisions

The NA60 experiment at the CERN SPS has studied low-mass muon pairs in 158 A GeV In–In collisions. A strong excess of pairs is observed above the yield expected from neutral meson decays. The unprecedented sample size close to 400000 events and the good mass resolution of about 2% made it possible to isolate the excess by subtraction of the decay sources. The shape of the resulting mass spectrum shows some non-trivial centrality dependence, but is largely consistent with a dominant contribution from π⁺π^-→ϱ→μ⁺μ^- annihilation. The associated ϱ spectral function exhibits considerable broadening, but essentially no shift in mass. The p_T-differential mass spectra show the excess to be much stronger at low p_T than at high p_T. The results are compared to theoretical model predictions; they tend to rule out models linking hadron masses directly to the chiral condensate. PACS 25.75.-q; 12.38.Mh; 13.85.Qk     

Mathematical simulation of conjugate turbulent natural convection in an enclosure with local heat source

A numerical analysis of turbulent regimes of the natural convection in a closed rectangular region with heat-conducting walls of finite thickness was carried out in the presence of a locally concentrated heat source under the conditions of the radiative-convective heat exchange with the ambient medium on one of the external boundaries. The mathematical model was constructed on the basis of the Reynolds equations in dimensionless variables stream function — vorticity vector — temperature. Special attention was paid to the investigation of the influence of the Grashof number er 10⁸≤Gr<10¹⁰, of the unsteadiness factor 0< τ <1000, and the thermal conductivity ratio λ _2,1 = 5.7·10⁻⁴, 6.8·10⁻⁵ on both the local and integral characteristics of the problem.     

An improved model for band tail states inn-type degenerate semiconductors

Summary Using two screened donor potential energy models and a wave vectork-positionr uncertainty relation, the results of the exponential band tail states, inn-type degenerate semiconductors, obtained in our previous paper, are improved. The second-order cumulant or the correlation functionW (ϱ,E) is expressed as a function of the total donor concentration ϱ and total carrier energyE. Near band edges, the conduction and valence band tails are, respectively, proportional to exp [E/E ₀(ϱ)] and exp [−E/E ₀(ϱ)], whereE ₀(ϱ) is the energy characteristic of the appropriate band tail, in good accordance with those experimentally obtained by Pankove. Far below the conduction band edge, our result of the conduction band tail is proportional to exp [−BE ² exp [A ]], whereA andB are the functions of ϱ, which is reduced to zero more rapidly in comparison with the corresponding result obtained by Halperin and Lax (i.e. exp [−|E| ⁿ , wheren varies between 1/2 and 2). To speed up publication, the authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Low-temperature properties of CePd2In

We report measurements of the specific heatC _p(T), electrical resistivity ϱ(T) and magnetic susceptibility ξ(T) of hexagonal CePd₂In, at low temperatures. Anomalies inC _p(T), χ(T) and ϱ(T) atT=1.23 K, indicate a phase transition, most likely to an antiferromagnetically-ordered phase. The electronic entropy reachesR ln2 per mole Ce at 9.2K, suggesting that the phase transition involves a doublet state. The ordered phase coexists with moderately correlated itinerant electrons.     

Unsteady conjugate thermogravitational convection in a cylindrical region with local energy source

The mathematical modelling of unsteady regimes of natural convection in a closed cylindrical region with a heat-conducting shell of finite thickness was carried out in the presence of a local heat source under the conditions of convective heat exchange with the ambient medium. The mathematical model was constructed in dimensionless variables “stream function — vorticity vector — temperature” in the cylindrical coordinate system. The influence of the Rayleigh number, 10⁴ ≤ Ra ≤ 10⁶, of the unsteadiness factor 0 < τ < 300, of the thermal conductivity ratio λ _2,1 = 5.7·10⁻⁴, 4.3·10⁻², and the energy source sizes on both local characteristics (streamlines and temperature fields) and on the integral complex (the mean Nusselt number on typical boundaries) was analysed in detail. Thermohydrodynamic peculiarities due to the geometry of the object of research were established.     

Nonlinear internal waves in a stratified fluid in a closed basin

Summary The problem of two layers of homogeneous inviscid incompressible fluid of density ϱ₁ and ϱ₂ (ϱ₁>ϱ₂) separated by a free surface in a closed basin is studied via a variational principle. A system of ordinary differential equations in the time variable, which approximate the original problem, is derived and discussed.

---

Riassunto Si usa un principio variazionale per studiare il problema del moto di due fluidi omogenei incompressibili non viscosi di densità ϱ₁, ϱ₂ (ϱ₁>ϱ₂) separati da una superficie libera in un bacino chiuso. Dopo alcune approssimazioni si deriva e discute un sistema di equazioni differenziali ordinarie.

---

Резюме С помоыью вариационного принципа исследуется проблема двух слоев однородной невязкой несжимаемой жидкости с плотностями ϱ₁ и ϱ₂ (ϱ₁>ϱ₂), раазделенных свободной поверхностью в замкнутом резервуаре. Выводится и обсуждается система обыкновенных дифференциальных уравнений по временной переменной, которая аппроксимирует исходную проблему.

---

---

Work done under the auspices of C.N.R.-G.N.A.F.A.

---

Partially supported by NSF under grant PHY77-18762.