Acetone laser induced fluorescence for low pressure/low temperature flow visualization

Acetone fluorescence provides a useful way to visualize the fluid mixing process within supersonic wind tunnels, some of which operate in the low temperature (240–300 K) and low pressure range (0.1–1 atm). Measurements are presented to quantify the dependence of the acetone laser induced fluorescence (LIF) signal on temperature and pressure in this range. The temperature and pressure sensitivity of the acetone LIF signal resulted in less than an 8% variation over the experimental conditions for a laser excitation wavelength of 266 nm. Condensation of the acetone vapor was identified as a potential problem for this diagnostic technique. Methods to prevent and check for condensation are discussed. Received: 5 October 1998/Accepted: 10 April 1999     

Scalar Conservation Laws and Spatially Dependent Flux Functions

In this paper, we carry out a detailed analysis of the signaling and initial value problems associated with a general scalar conservation law that admits spatial variation in the flux function. The approach adopted here is to introduce a nonlinear phase variable directly into the problem and carry out the analysis in the space and phase variables rather than in space-time. This facilitates our efforts to create, through a bifurcation analysis, a clear picture of the process by which a smooth wave breaks to generate a propagating shock wave.     

Asymptotic Analysis of a Nonlinear Problem in Thermoelasticity

In this paper we employ our previously formulated constitutive relations for an elastic heat conductor to examine the nonlinear influence of the temperature on the propagation of second sound. Utilizing the method of geometric optics we ascertain that large values of second sound travel more slowly than do smaller ones. As well, numerical results for a signaling problem are displayed graphically in order to highlight the qualitative properties of the temperature and strain waves. The choice of signaling data was motivated by experimental studies.     

Torsional-mode transients in variable-thickness shells of revolution

For thin shells of revolution the existence of torsional-vibration modes, uncoupled from bending and extensional modes, has been established[1]. Here a linear second-order differential equation for the uncoupled torsional stress mode is obtained and its solution for impact loading of shells is sought. The mode-superposition method which utilizes the natural modes of vibration predicted by elementary theory, is, in general, not satisfactory for sharp impact loading as many modes are often required for convergence. Hence we employ two novel techniques for solving the impact problems. Firstly a formal asymptotic procedure, based on extensions to geometrical optics, is employed to generate asymptotic wavefront expansions. Rigorous justifications for this formal technique are provided in an appendix. Secondly a transform technique whereby solutions are sought in terms of Bessel functions is discussed and applied to particular impact loading problems. The Bessel function solutions found here can be used to determine the natural frequencies of the shells. Shells both finite and infinite in extent are discussed and reflections at a stress-free end are examined.     

Linear and non-linear pulse propagation in fluid-filled compliant tubes

Summary Here we study impact-initiated disturbances in fluid-filled elastic tubes. The undeformed tube diameter, wall thickness, and elastic modulus of the tube material are assumed to be functions of the distance along the centre line of the tube. The linearized version of the governing equations are solved by the Laplace transform, which is inverted by means of an approximate method. The original non-linear system of governing equations is solved numerically by the method of characteristics. Relationships between the axial fluid velocity and axial coordinate as well as between velocity and time are displayed for fixed values of time and axial coordinate respectively for the linear and nonlinear theory for ease of comparison.

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Sommario Si studiano le perturbazioni prodotte da impatto in tubi elastici riempiti di fluidi. Si assume che il diametro del tubo indeformato, lo spessore della parete e il modulo elastico del materiale del tubo siano funzioni della distanza misurata lungo la linea centrale del tubo. La versione linearizzata delle equazioni che governano il fenomeno è risolta con la trasformata di Laplace, invertita con un metodo approssimato. Il sistema originale non lineare delle equazioni è risolto numericamente con il metodo delle caratteristiche. Vengono rappresentate, per valori fissati del tempo e della coordinata assiale, le relazioni tra la velocità assiale del fluido e la coordinata assiale oltre alle relazioni fra velocità e tempo, sia per la teoria lineare sia per quella non lineare.

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Manganese(III) complexes of bis(hydroxyphenyl)dipyrromethenes are potent orally active peroxynitrite scavengers

We report a new series of biscyclohexano-fused Mn(III) complexes of bis(hydroxyphenyl)dipyrromethenes, 4a-c, as potent and orally active peroxynitrite scavengers. Complexes 4a-c are shown to reduce peroxynitrite through a two-electron mechanism, thereby forming the corresponding Mn(V)O species, which were characterized by UV, NMR, and LC-MS methods. Mn(III) complex 4b and its strained BODIPY analogue 9b were analyzed by X-ray crystallography. Finally, complex 4a is shown to be an orally active and potent analgesic in a model carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia known to be driven by the overproduction of peroxynitrite.     

Absorption linear dichroism measured directly on a single light-harvesting system: the role of disorder in chlorosomes of green photosynthetic bacteria

Chlorosomes are light-harvesting antennae of photosynthetic bacteria containing large numbers of self-aggregated bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) molecules. They have developed unique photophysical properties that enable them to absorb light and transfer the excitation energy with very high efficiency. However, the molecular-level organization, that produces the photophysical properties of BChl molecules in the aggregates, is still not fully understood. One of the reasons is heterogeneity in the chlorosome structure which gives rise to a hierarchy of structural and energy disorder. In this report, we for the first time directly measure absorption linear dichroism (LD) on individual, isolated chlorosomes. Together with fluorescence-detected three-dimensional LD, these experiments reveal a large amount of disorder on the single-chlorosome level in the form of distributions of LD observables in chlorosomes from wild-type bacterium Chlorobaculum tepidum . Fluorescence spectral parameters, such as peak wavelength and bandwidth, are measures of the aggregate excitonic properties. These parameters obtained on individual chlorosomes are uncorrelated with the observed LD distributions and indicate that the observed disorder is due to inner structural disorder along the chlorosome long axis. The excitonic disorder that is also present is not manifested in the LD distributions. Limiting values of the LD parameter distributions, which are relatively free of the effect of structural disorder, define a range of angles at which the excitonic dipole moment is oriented with respect to the surface of the two-dimensional aggregate of BChl molecules. Experiments on chlorosomes of a triple mutant of Chlorobaculum tepidum show that the mutant chlorosomes have significantly less inner structural disorder and higher symmetry, compatible with a model of well-ordered concentric cylinders. Different values of the transition dipole moment orientations are consistent with a different molecular level organization of BChl's in the mutant and wild-type chlorosomes.     

A rapid and economical method for profiling feature heights during microfabrication

Quality control is an important and integral part to any microfabrication process. While the widths of features often can be easily assessed by light microscopy, the heights of the fabricated structures are more difficult to determine. Here, we present a rapid, accurate, and low-cost method to measure the heights of microfabricated structures during and after the fabrication process. This technique is based on white-light interferometry, which offers accuracy on the submicrometre scale.