Coherence freeze in an optical lattice investigated via pump-probe spectroscopy

Motivated by our observation of fast echo decay and a surprising coherence freeze, we have developed a pump-probe spectroscopy technique for vibrational states of 85Rb atoms in an optical lattice to gain information about the memory dynamics of the system. We monitor the time-dependent changes of frequencies experienced by atoms and characterize the probability distribution of these frequency trajectories. We show that the inferred distribution, unlike a naive microscopic model of the lattice, correctly predicts the main features of the observed echo decay.     

A dynamic wind farm aggregate model for the simulation of power fluctuations due to wind turbulence

An important aspect related to wind energy integration into the electrical power system is the fluctuation of the generated power due to the stochastic variations of the wind speed across the area where wind turbines are installed. Simulation models are useful tools to evaluate the impact of the wind power on the power system stability and on the power quality. Aggregate models reduce the simulation time required by detailed dynamic models of multiturbine systems.In this paper, a new behavioral model representing the aggregate contribution of several variable-speed-pitch-controlled wind turbines is introduced. It is particularly suitable for the simulation of short term power fluctuations due to wind turbulence, where steady-state models are not applicable.The model relies on the output rescaling of a single turbine dynamic model. The single turbine output is divided into its steady state and dynamic components, which are then multiplied by different scaling factors. The smoothing effect due to wind incoherence at different locations inside a wind farm is taken into account by filtering the steady state power curve by means of a Gaussian filter as well as applying a proper damping on the dynamic part.The model has been developed to be one of the building-blocks of a model of a large electrical system, therefore a significant reduction of simulation time has been pursued. Comparison against a full model obtained by repeating a detailed single turbine model, shows that a proper trade-off between accuracy and computational speed has been achieved.     

Singular spectrum analysis and Fisher–Shannon analysis of spring flow time series: An application to Anjar Spring,Lebanon

In this study, the time dynamics of water flow from Anjar Spring was investigated, which is one of the major issuing springs in the central part of Lebanon. Likewise, many water sources in Lebanon, this spring has no continuous records for the discharge, and this would prevent the application of standard time series analysis tools. Furthermore, the highly nonstationary character of the series implies that suited methodologies can be employed to get insight into its dynamical features. Therefore, the Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and Fisher–Shannon (FS) method, which are useful methods to disclose dynamical features in noisy nonstationary time series with gaps, are jointly applied to analyze the Anjar Spring water flow series. The SSA revealed that the series can be considered as the superposition of meteo-climatic periodic components, low-frequency trend and noise-like high-frequency fluctuations. The FS method allowed to extract and to identify among all the SSA reconstructed components the long-term trend of the series. The long-term trend is characterized by higher Fisher Information Measure (FIM) and lower Shannon entropy, and thus, represents the main informative component of the whole series. Generally water discharge time series presents very complex time structure, therefore the joint application of the SSA and the FS method would be very useful in disclosing the main informative part of such kind of data series in the view of existing climatic variability and/or anthropogenic challenges.     

Optical Diagnosis for Thyroid and Parathyroid Tissues—A Review

Abstract

This article presents an overview of optical methodologies to aid the diagnosis and differentiation of thyroid and parathyroid tissues. In particular, we review the several techniques and associated methodologies that allow in vivo and ex vivo optical characterization of thyroid and parathyroid tissues. Emphasis is placed on the research potential of these techniques and whether intrinsic characteristics can provide useful contrast for the diagnosis of human thyroid and parathyroid malignant lesions.     

Efficient portfolios in financial markets with proportional transaction costs

In this article, we characterize efficient portfolios, i.e. portfolios which are optimal for at least one rational agent, in a very general multi-currency financial market model with proportional transaction costs. In our setting, transaction costs may be random, time-dependent, have jumps and the preferences of the agents are modeled by multivariate expected utility functions. We provide a complete characterization of efficient portfolios, generalizing earlier results of Dybvig (Rev Financ Stud 1:67–88, 1988) and Jouini and Kallal (J Econ Theory 66: 178–197, 1995). We basically show that a portfolio is efficient if and only if it is cyclically anticomonotonic with respect to at least one consistent price system that prices it. Finally, we introduce the notion of utility price of a given contingent claim as the minimal amount of a given initial portfolio allowing any agent to reach the claim by trading, and give a dual representation of it as the largest proportion of the market price necessary for all agents to reach the same expected utility level.     

Fisher–Shannon analysis of seismograms of tsunamigenic and non-tsunamigenic earthquakes

Recognizing the tsunamigenic potential of an earthquake presents a challenge in the context of studies devoted to early warnings of tsunami events. In this paper, we show the feasibility of discriminating between tsunamigenic and non-tsunamigenic earthquakes by analyzing seismograms on the basis of the Fisher–Shannon method, which is used to analyze the order/organization structure of a complex and nonstationary time series. The results obtained results show that by combining the measures of the Shannon entropy power and the Fisher information measure, the discrimination between the two groups—tsunamigenic and non-tsunamigenic earthquakes—is very efficiently achieved. These results could contribute to the assessment of tsunami early warning systems.     

Investigating the time dynamics of seismicity by using the visibility graph approach: Application to seismicity of Mexican subduction zone

By using the method of the visibility graph (VG), five magnitude time series extracted from the seismic catalog of the Mexican subduction zone were investigated. The five seismic sequences represent the seismicity which occurred between 2005 and 2012 in five seismic areas: Guerrero, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Jalisco and Michoacán. Among the five seismic sequences, the Jalisco sequence shows VG properties significantly different from those shown by the other four. Such a difference could be inherent in the different tectonic settings of Jalisco with respect to those characterizing the other four areas. The VG properties of the seismic sequences have been put in relationship with the more typical seismological characteristics (b$b$-value and a$a$-value of the Gutenberg–Richter law).     

Luminescent Langmuir-Blodgett film of a new amphiphilic Eu β-diketonate

This work reports on the synthesis and characterization of the ligand 3-hexadecylpentane-2,4-dione (Hhdacac) and its Eu³⁺ complexes Eu(hdacac)₆·2H₂O, Eu(hdacac)₆·phen and Eu(hdacac)₆·tta, where phen and tta denote 1,10-phenanthroline and thenoyltrifluoroacetone, respectively. These new compounds present long carbon chains and their expected miscibility into non-polar ambients is confirmed by the emission spectra of Eu(hdacac)₆·tta in hexane. Moreover, the amphiphilic properties of Eu(hdacac)₆ complexes allow the obtainment of thin luminescent films by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. In both cases (solids and films), the typical antenna effect of β-diketonates is observed. The alluring characteristics of these compounds raise great interest in many fields of Materials Science, like photo- and electro-luminescent materials (mainly thin “organic” films), metal catalysts or probes in non-polar solutions, and Langmuir-Blodgett films of several compositions. For the characterization of these products, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), thermogravimetric analysis, elementary analyses (C, H), scanning electron microscopy (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), absorption (UV-vis/FT-IR) and photoluminescence spectroscopies were used.     

Thioetherphenolate group 4 metal complexes in the ring opening polymerization of rac‐β‐Butyrolactone

Group 4 complexes 1 – 3 [ 1 = (t‐BuOS)₂Ti(O‐i‐Pr)₂; 2 = (t‐BuOS)₂Zr(O‐t‐Bu)₂; 3 = (t‐BuOS)₂Hf(O‐t‐Bu)₂] supported by two phenolate bidentate ligands (t‐BuOS‐H = 4,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2‐phenylsulfanylphenol) promote the well‐controlled ring opening polymerization of rac‐β‐butyrolactone. In presence of isopropanol, low dispersities and molecular weights proportional to the equivalents of isopropanol are achieved. Moreover, the zirconium complex is effective in the copolymerization of rac‐β‐butyrolactone with rac‐lactide. The 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that the obtained copolymers have a tapered diblock microstructure consisting of an initial block composed of lactide sequences and a terminal block composed of butyrolactone sequences. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3132–3139