Novel fused-LEDs devices as optical sensors for colorimetric analysis

The development of a novel, low power optical sensing platform based on light emitting diodes (LEDs) is described. The sensor is constructed from a pair of LEDs fused together at an angle where one LED functions as the light source and the other LED is reverse biased to function as a light detector. Sensor function is based on the level of light received by the detector diode, which varies with the reflectance of the interface between the device and its environment, or the chemochromic membrane that covers the device. A simple microprocessor circuit is used to measure the time taken for the photon-induced current to discharge the detector LED from an initial 5 V (logic 1) to 1.7 V (logic zero). This sensing device has been successfully used for colour and colour-based pH measurements and offers extremely high sensitivity, enabling detection down to the sub micro molar level of dyes.     

Matrix analytic methods for a multi-server retrial queue with buffer

We present numerical methods for obtaining the stationary distribution of states for multi-server retrial queues with Markovian arrival process, phase type service time distribution with two states and finite buffer; and moments of the waiting time. The methods are direct extensions of the ones for the single server retrial queues earlier developed by the authors. The queue is modelled as a level dependent Markov process and the generator for the process is approximated with one which is spacially homogeneous above some levelN. The levelN is chosen such that the probability associated with the homogeneous part of the approximated system is bounded by a small tolerance and the generator is eventually truncated above that level. Solutions are obtained by efficient application of block Gaussian elimination.     

Development of a volatile amine sensor for the monitoring of fish spoilage

A sensor with potential for the development of a “chemical barcode” for real-time monitoring of fish freshness is described. This on-package sensor contains a pH sensitive dye, bromocresol green, that responds through visible colour change to basic volatile spoilage compounds, such as trimethylamine (TMA), ammonia (NH₃) and dimethylamine (DMA) collectively known as Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N). The sensor characteristics were studied as well as its response with standard ammonia gas. Trials on cod and under-utilised species have verified that the sensor response correlates with bacterial growth patterns in fish samples thus enabling the “real-time” monitoring of spoilage in various fish species. The sensor response can be interrogated with a simple, inexpensive reflectance colorimeter that we have developed based on two light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a photodetector.     

Basin of attraction of cycles of discretizations of dynamical systems with SRB invariant measures

Computer simulations of dynamical systems arediscretizations, where the finite space of machine arithmetic replaces continuum state spaces. So any trajectory of a discretized dynamical system is eventually periodic. Consequently, the dynamics of such computations are essentially determined by the cycles of the discretized map. This paper examines the statistical properties of the event that two trajectories generate the same cycle. Under the assumption that the original system has a Sinai-Ruelle-Bowen invariant measure, the statistics of the computed mapping are shown to be very close to those generated by a class of random graphs. Theoretical properties of this model successfully predict the outcome of computational experiments with the implemented dynamical systems.     

Semihyperbolic mappings

Summary Semihyperbolic dynamical systems generated by Lipschitz mappings are investigated. A special form of robustness of topological entropy under perturbations of a Semihyperbolic mapping is discussed, and weakened forms of persistence and of structural stability are considered. Proofs are based on the concept of bi-shadowing, which is a stronger version of the shadowing lemma.     

Cohomology in one-dimensional substitution tiling spaces

Anderson and Putnam showed that the cohomology of a substitution tiling space may be computed by collaring tiles to obtain a substitution which ``forces its border.' One can then represent the tiling space as an inverse limit of an inflation and substitution map on a cellular complex formed from the collared tiles; the cohomology of the tiling space is computed as the direct limit of the homomorphism induced by inflation and substitution on the cohomology of the complex. For one-dimensional substitution tiling spaces, we describe a modification of the Anderson-Putnam complex on collared tiles that allows for easier computation and provides a means of identifying certain special features of the tiling space with particular elements of the cohomology.

     

Order-to-chaos transition in rotational nuclei

We have developed a new method to study the order-to-chaos transition in rotational nuclei. Correlations between successive gamma rays are used to determine the average complexity of the intermediate levels and thereby the ratio of the interaction potential between levels to the level spacing. The measured ratios, 0.15 to 1.5, span the range from nearly fully ordered to nearly fully chaotic.     

Superdeformation in the N = Z nucleus 36Ar: experimental, deformed mean field, and spherical shell model descriptions

A superdeformed rotational band has been identified in 36Ar, linked to known low-spin states, and observed to its high-spin termination at Ipi = 16(+). Cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky and spherical shell model calculations assign the band to a configuration in which four pf-shell orbitals are occupied, leading to a low-spin deformation beta(2) approximately 0.45. Two major shells are active for both protons and neutrons, yet the valence space remains small enough to be confronted with the shell model. This band thus provides an ideal case to study the microscopic structure of collective rotational motion.     

Superdeformed bands in193Hg and194Hg

By analyzing the thick target yield curve of resonant (p,γ) reactions on²³Na and²⁶Mg for various target temperatures within a Monte Carlo approach, we are able to define the Debye and Einstein temperature of the target material in the surface region. The obtained surface temperatures are noticeably higher than the respective calorimetric values.