Formant frequencies, bandwidths, and Qs in helium speech

We used linear prediction analysis to estimate a diver's vocal tract response for isolated vowels spoken in air at 1 atm and in heliox at simulated depths of 54-, 120-, 300-, and 500-m seawater. We specifically measured formant frequency, bandwidth, and Q changes as a function of environment. The formant frequencies shifted upward nonlinearly in helium speech. The formant bandwidths in helium speech increased as much as 14 times their corresponding bandwidths in normal speech. The ratios of formant Qs (helium speech to normal speech) ranges from 0.3 (low formants) to 2 (high formants).     

金属表面下氦泡融合与释放研究

采用分子动力学方法研究了钛金属表面下不同深度处氦泡的行为,分析了氦泡融合与释放的竞争,对比了不同深度处氦泡的释放对金属的影响。结果表明：在接近金属表面处,氦泡很难通过融合无限长大,当达到临界尺寸后,氦泡将会释放而不再与邻近的氦泡发生融合;植入深度对氦泡的融合有一定的影响,深度越大,越有利于形成具有较高氦密度的大氦泡;较深处氦泡的释放会在金属表面形成较大的突起和表面针孔。实验中观察到的不同尺寸的表面孔,其部分原因来自于金属表面下不同深度处氦泡的释放。     

氦语音增强算法的研究

当潜水员深海作业时，由于生理方面的原因，需要以氦氧混合气体为呼吸介质替代空气，但这时会出现所谓的“氦语音”现象，语音产生很大畸变，清晰度极低。本文给出了氦语音的基本变化规律，介绍了两种分别基于短时傅立叶变换和线性预测模型的增强算法。我们的实验结果表明，两种算法均能显著校正氦语音，提高清晰度。     

金属表面下氦泡融合与释放研究

采用分子动力学方法研究了钛金属表面下不同深度处氦泡的行为,分析了氦泡融合与释放的竞争,对比了不同深度处氦泡的释放对金属的影响.结果表明:在接近金属表面处,氦泡很难通过融合无限长大,当达到临界尺寸后,氦泡将会释放而不再与邻近的氦泡发生融合;植入深度对氦泡的融合有一定的影响,深度越大,越有利于形成具有较高氦密度的大氦泡;较深处氦泡的释放会在金属表面形成较大的突起和表面针孔.实验中观察到的不同尺寸的表面孔,其部分原因来自于金属表面下不同深度处氦泡的释放.     

海水温度测量传感器链

本文对海水温度探测器进行研究，研制了一种新型的海水温测量传感器链，用以测量浅海中水层薄，温度变化剧烈的不同深度动态变化，能实时显示现场温度，声速剖面，为海洋环境数值预报和灾害性海况遥测提供监视技术，水温环境数据也能用于声呐作用距离预报，拖线列阵布放深度选择，潜艇航行安全保障。     

温度及深度对钛中氦泡释放过程影响的分子动力学研究

利用分子动力学模拟方法对温度及He泡深度给金属Ti内He泡的体积、压强和释放过程等带来的影响进行了研究. 首先, 通过研究室温下He泡在金属Ti内不同深度处的状态, 得到He泡的形状、压强、体积等物理量随其深度的变化规律. 发现He泡压强随其深度增加逐渐变大, 体积则逐渐减小, 但当He泡深度增大到2.6 nm时, 二者均维持在某个固定值附近. 然后对包含有He泡的Ti体系在温度作用下的演化过程进行了模拟, 发现不同深度处He泡从金属Ti内释放出来所需要的临界温度有很大差别, 总体来看He泡越深, 释放所需的临界温度越高. 但不同温度下He原子的释放速率没有明显差别, 释放过程几乎均为瞬间完成. 最后通过对He泡内部压强和其上方金属Ti薄层的抗张强度进行统计对比, 阐述了金属Ti 体内He泡的释放机制: 当He泡内部压强大于其上方Ti薄层抗张强度时, He泡就会将Ti 薄层撕裂, 从而使He原子得到释放.     

Melting of helium: A comparison with He - N2

Abstract

We have studied the influence of a small admixture of nitrogen on the melting line of helium. The existence of a triple point at 116.5 kbar enables us to determine whether nitrogen dissolves in solid helium. Therefore, the three-phase line fluid-solid-solid in this mixture has been investigated from 50 up to 170 kbar. We have found no evidence for a quadruple point.     

Kinetics of the Excited States of Helium in an Atmospheric-Pressure Glow Discharge in a Helium-Nitrogen Mixture

Using an atomic-absorption spectral analysis technique, we determined the concentrations of helium atoms in states 2¹S, 2¹P, 2³S, and 2³P in an atmospheric-pressure glow discharge in helium (99.98%) and in a mixture of helium with nitrogen (99.5%He+0.5%N₂). It is shown that the population of the lower excited levels of helium atoms (n = 2) in its mixture with nitrogen is almost an order of magnitude smaller than in the case of a discharge in helium. The maximum of the concentration of excited atoms in a discharge both in helium and in its mixture with nitrogen is in the cathode region at a distance of about 0.1 mm from the cathode. The reaction of quenching of excited helium atoms by nitrogen molecules is responsible for the sharp decrease in the concentration of He(n = 2) on addition of nitrogen into helium. Presented at the 5th Symposium on Physics and Diagnostics of Laboratory and Astrophysical Plasmas, Belarus, Serbia and Montenegro, Minsk, Belarus, September 20–23, 2004; 12th International Congress on Plasma Physics, October 25–29, 2004, Nice, France. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 72, No. 4, pp. 530–537, July–August, 2005.     

Dependence of flame propagation on pressure and pressurizing gas for an Al/CuO nanoscale thermite

The pressure dependence of flame propagation in an Al/CuO nanoscale thermite was studied. Experiments were performed by loosely packing the Al/CuO mixture in an instrumented burn tube, which was placed in a large volume, constant pressure chamber with optical windows. A high-speed camera was used to take photographic data, and six pressure transducers equally spaced along the length of the burn tube were used to measure the local transient pressure. Ambient pressures were varied between 0 and 15 MPa, and three different pressurizing gases were used: argon, helium, and nitrogen. Three modes of propagation were observed. The pressure at which the mode of propagation changed was similar for argon and nitrogen, however, when pressurized with helium, transition occurred at lower pressures. In the low-pressure regime (0–2 MPa) a constant velocity mode with speeds on the order of 1000 m/s was observed. In this region, a convective mode of propagation was dominant. An accelerating regime was observed for a pressure range of approximately 2–5 MPa in argon and nitrogen, with speeds ranging from 100 to 800 m/s. In helium, however, if an accelerating region existed it occurred over a narrow pressure range which was not observed in the present experiments. An oscillating regime was observed in all three gases, in a pressure range of 5–9 MPa for argon and nitrogen, and a range of 2–4 MPa for helium. Velocities in this region are bimodal, and differ by orders of magnitude, suggesting that the propagation mechanism was oscillating between convective and conductive. At relatively high ambient pressures, a constant velocity mode with speeds on the order of 1 m/s was observed for all three gases. The conductive mode of propagation was likely dominant in this region.     

Optical characteristics and plasma parameters of a blue-green exciplex lamp

The optical characteristics and plasma parameters of an exciplex lamp radiating in the blue-green spectral range are studied. A plasma is generated by an atmospheric-pressure barrier discharge initiated in a quaternary mixture including mercury dibromide, sulfur hexafluoride, nitrogen, and helium. It is shown that the exciplex lamp can radiate at an elevated repetition rate of pump pulses (1–12 kHz) under the conditions of mixture self-heating. A tradeoff between the radiation power and nitrogen partial pressure is found. The mean specific radiation power in the blue-green range at a level of 480 mW/cm³ is achieved at partial vapor pressures of mercury dibromide, sulfur hexafluoride, nitrogen, and helium of 0.70, 0.07, 4.00, and 117.20 kPa, respectively. The plasma parameters, namely, the electron energy distribution function; concentration, temperature, and mean energy of electrons; transport properties; and rate constants of elastic and inelastic electron scattering by the working mixture components are determined as functions of ratio E/N (where E is the electric field strength and N is the total concentration of mercury dibromide, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen molecules and helium atoms). It is found that mercury monobromide molecules and also excited and higher energy states take part in the population of exciplex molecules HgBr* (B²Σ₁^2/+ states) in the course of quenching these exciplexes by sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen molecules.     

Cryogenics for the future accelerator complex NICA at JINR

The NICA cryogenics will be based on the modernized liquid helium plant that was b uilt in the early 90’s for the superconducting synchrotron known as the Nuclotron. The main goals of the modernization are: increasing of the total refrigerator capacity from 4000 W to 8000 W at 4.5 K, making a new distribution system of liquid helium, and ensuring the shortest possible cool down time. These goals will be achieved by means of an additional 1000 l/hour helium liquefier and “satellite” refrigerators located near the accelerator rings. This report describes the design choices of the NICA, demonstrates helium flow diagrams with major new components and briefly informs of the liquid nitrogen system that will be used for shield cooling at 77 K and at the first stage of cooling down of three accelerator rings with the total length of about 1 km and “cold” mass of 290 tons.     

Optical characteristics of barrier discharge plasma based on mixtures of mercury diiodide and dibromide vapors with gases

We analyze the spectral, integrated, and durability characteristics of radiation from atmospheric-pressure gas-discharge plasma based on multicomponent mixtures (mercury diiodide and dibromide with helium and small admixtures of molecular nitrogen and xenon). We produced the gas-discharge plasma and excited the components of the working mixture by a pulsed (pulse repetition rates 500, 2000, and 4000 Hz; pulse duration ～150 ns) barrier discharge. Visible radiation was detected from excimer molecules of mercury monoiodide and monobromide, nitrogen and helium molecules, and helium and mercury atoms. Patterns were found in the variations of optical plasma characteristics with pumping pulse repetition rate and with component and quantitative mixture composition.     

Model of Helium and Water Vapor Adsorption by a Microsphere-Based Porous Composite Sorbent

Doklady Physics - In this paper, we propose a mathematical model to describe the dynamics of a mixture of gases, including helium and water vapor, in a layer of a resting composite sorbent based on...     

Temporal characteristics of emission of working mixtures of a HgBr/HgCl excimer lamp

Results of a study of temporal characteristics of the emission of gas-discharge plasma of atmospheric pressure in multicomponent mixtures (mercury dibromide and dichloride with helium and additions of molecular nitrogen and xenon) of working media of HgBr/HgCl excimer lamps are presented. Gas-discharge plasma was produced and components of the working mixture were excited by high-frequency barrier and surface discharges occurring simultaneously. The repetition rate of the pumping pulse and its duration are 1000 Hz and ～100 ns, respectively. It is found that the amplitude and the length of emission pulses and their trailing edge are modified in HgBr₂: HgCl₂: Xe: He and HgBr₂: HgCl₂: N₂: He mixtures when xenon and molecular nitrogen are added, as compared to a HgBr₂: HgCl₂: He mixture. Regularities observed in temporal characteristics of gas-discharge plasma emission are discussed.     

短脉冲激光加热下液氮爆发沸腾实验观测

21世纪的超导研究将步入实用化阶段。在超导体工作中,其所处的低温环境(液氮、液氦)有可能受到瞬时高热流的冲击,从而导致爆发沸腾的发生,甚至影响到超导体的安全、稳定工作。对此,有必要进行系统的实验和理论研究,揭示低温工质的爆发沸腾现象与过程特征。本文就是基于这一目的,首次从实验角度观察液氮的爆发沸腾行为,拍摄到液氮爆发沸腾时的系列照片,并测量了脉冲加热期间以及之后的温度变化。发现了一些新颖并值得关注的现象。     

Sound propagation from the shelfbreak to deep water

Motivated by a phenomenon in an experiment conducted in the Northwestern Pacific indicating that the energy of the received signal around the sound channel axis is much greater than that at shallower depths,we study sound propagation from the transitional area(shelfbreak)to deep water.Numerical simulations with different source depths are first performed,from which we reach the following conclusions.When the source is located near the sea surface,sound will be strongly attenuated by bottom losses in a range-independent oceanic environment,whereas it can propagate to a very long range because of the continental slope.When the source is mounted on the bottom in shallow water,acoustic energy will be trapped near the sound channel axis,and it converges more evidently than the case where the source is located near the sea surface.Then,numerical simulations with different source ranges are performed.By comparing the relative energy level in the vertical direction between the numerical simulations and the experimental data,the range of the air-gun source can be approximated.     

Co-extraction of water vapor and helium from natural gas

A study of the sorption properties of a composite sorbent prepared from pseudoboehmite and synthetic sodium-borosilicate glass microspheres was performed with the aim of using the sorbent in membrane-sorption processes of helium extraction from natural gas with its simultaneous drying. Experimentally, permeability of the composite sorbent under study with respect to helium and its impermeability to air and methane has been demonstrated. Under experimental conditions, the absolute moisture content of the gas mixture having passed through the sorbent has reduced from 21.1 to 0.013 g/m³. The rate of helium adsorption by the composite sorbent has increased nearly by two orders of magnitude in comparison with the initial microspheres. It was found that the degree of saturation of the sorbent with water vapor had almost no influence on the rate of helium adsorption. A possibility of optimal use of the composite sorbent by combining the process of natural-gas drying from water vapor and the process of helium extraction from natural gas is shown. This possibility permits shortening of the process sequence for natural gas pre-conditioning prior to helium extraction.     

用激光拉曼光谱研究液态乙醇的水合作用过程

为研究室温下乙醇-水二元混合物内部的分子间缔合情形,测得了不同体积配比溶液的拉曼光谱,发现位于2 800~3 050 cm-1波数区间的C—H伸缩振动频率随乙醇中加入水量的增加整体呈现蓝移趋势,而位于1 048 cm-1附近的CO伸缩振动频率的变化规律却与此相反。分析认为,这种现象主要由溶液内部分子间发生的不同水合作用所致,并据此阐明了液态乙醇的水合作用过程:水分子首先与纯乙醇中的自缔合短链发生氢键缔合作用,形成了含有较多乙醇分子数的乙醇水合团簇,直到溶液中水的体积含量达到50%时,乙醇的水合作用达到暂时饱和;而当水的体积含量继续增加到70%以后,水分子致使原有乙醇水合团簇解离形成较小尺寸的团簇,并与解离点位上的乙醇分子羟基发生进一步水合作用;而后,当水体积含量增至一定程度后,还会导致乙醇分子疏水基CH基团与水分子间形成弱氢键C—H…O。     

Some notes on the role of meta-stable excited state of helium atom in laser-induced helium gas breakdown spectroscopy

A study of the experimental results on the plasma emissions of water and ethanol vapor samples, induced by Nd:YAG laser in ambient helium and nitrogen gases at atmospheric pressure, is presented here. The result reveals distinct geometrical and spectral characteristics of the plasma emissions generated in the helium gas when compared to those observed from nitrogen gas plasma. Most remarkable is the narrow line width and low continuum background exhibited by emission lines of the analyte atoms from helium plasma, including the hydrogen emission line which is known to suffer from notorious broadening effects in conventional laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). It is further shown on the basis of the measured spatial distributions and time profiles of the emission intensities, that the excellent spectral quality is attained by taking advantage of the meta-stable excited state of helium atoms for the delayed excitation of the hydrogen and other analyte atoms, this allows the detection of those atomic emissions to be performed under more favorable conditions. The result of this study has thus demonstrated the feasibility of achieving high-quality spectrochemical analysis, including hydrogen analysis with laser-induced helium gas breakdown spectroscopy. PACS 52.38.Mf