Principles and recent developments in ultrasound contrast agents

The behaviour of gas bubbles and gas encapsulated spheres as echographic contrast agents is reviewed. Compared with rigid spheres, gas bubbles are superior scattering agents and they offer a number of useful properties which can be exploited in a variety of ways. The analysis of their velocity of sound, back-scatter intensity, second harmonic emission and resonant frequency opens up new perspectives in the development of contrast agents for echocardiographic research with potential clinical applications.     

Speckle metrology employing LCTV spatial light modulators

Liquid crystal televisions have been employed as spatial light modulators in a variety of optical image processing applications. We have used such devices to develop techniques in speckle metrology for the electronic addition of speckle patterns and the display of speckle correlation, and also for the real-time display of object motion. Factors which affect the performance in terms of the useful working range and the accuracy of displacement measurement are discussed. Some modifications to the LCTV which should increase the potential of these devices as spatial light modulators, when used in both amplitude and phase modulation, are considered briefly.     

Analysis of plane and axisymmetric flows of incompressible fluids with the stream tube method: Numerical simulation by trust-region optimization algorithm

New concepts for the study of incompressible plane or axisymmetric flows are analysed by the stream tube method. Flows without eddies and pure vortex flows are considered in a transformed domain where the mapped streamlines are rectilinear or circular. The transformation between the physical domain and the computational domain is an unknown of the problem. In order to solve the non-linear set of relevant equations, we present a new algorithm based on a trust region technique which is effective for non-convex optimization problems. Experimental results show that the new algorithm is more robust compared to the Newton-Raphson method.     

Matrix representation of three-dimensional astigmatic resonators

Three-dimensional astigmatic resonators, typical examples of which are the resonators bounded by cylindrical-spherical mirrors and cylindrical-cylindrical mirrors oriented at an arbitrary crossed angle, are investigated in detail by using a complex curvature tensor concept and generalized tensor ABCD law. Computerized numerical calculations illustrate some interesting characteristics of these astigmatic resonators.     

Nonlinear oblique propagation of magnetohydrodynamic waves in the solar wind

Summary Oblique propagating magnetohydrodynamic waves with various wave forms and amplitudes are observed both at the Earth's foreshock and at comets. The possibility of interpreting some observational results in terms of nonlinear evolution of one- and two-dimensional hydromagnetic waves is investigated. For this purpose both analytical and numerical techniques are employed. It is found that an initial monochromatic wave changes its polarization giving origin to magnetosonic shocks and rotational discontinuities; the time evolution of density-magnetic-field correlation is studied, as a function of the plasma parameters and of the propagation angle. In the two-dimensional case both a transverse instability and a self-focusing effect may take place. Moreover, a two-dimensional magnetosonic solution is found, in which the density fluctuations are driven by the total pressure fluctuation as in a one-dimensional simple wave. These theoretical predictions compare well with the features observed in the solar-wind waves. Paper presented at the V Cosmic Physics National Conference, S. Miniato, November 27–30, 1990.     

Growth of InP/InGaAs multiple quantum well structures by chemical beam epitaxy

InP/InGaAs multiple quantum well structures with up to 200 periods have been grown by CBE. These structures exhibit exceptional lateral uniformity, measured as ±1 Å in period, ±13 ppm in lattice mismatch and ±0.5 nm in wavelength across a 2 inch wafer. Good surface morphology, sharp interfaces and excellent growth control have all been demonstrated.     

Temperature studies of Fe−Mn nodules

Sea nodules were extensively studied over a wide range of temperature ranging from 77K to 1175K using Mossbauer effect and ESR. The Mossbauer studies of the nodules at 77K and room temperature show a quadrupole doublet whereas at higher temperatures magnetic spectra were obtained starting at around 875K which ultimately gives a hyperfine field of around 390 KOe at 1175 K. The Mossbauer spectra recorded at 30K did not show any significant change in the room temperature spectra. The analysis of the spectra upto 775K showed two positions of Fe^R+, vie., octahedral and tetrahedral which were varified by ESR of the diluted samples.