Measurements of climatic parameters and ground-level ozone at Terra Nova Bay in Antarctica

Summary The results of local meteorology, solar radiation and ground-level ozone measurements taken in Antarctica during the second Italian expedition (December 86–February 87) at Terra Nova Bay are presented. During the summer months the site of the Italian base camp is characterized by a thin strip of deglaciated ground, along which the temperature measurements close to the ground and up to 6 m high show a strongly superdiabatic profile. This irregular trend of the temperature in the surface layer is mainly due to the notable incoming amounts of radiation and to the extreme transparency of the atmosphere. This is also shown by the low values of the ratio between total radiation and diffuse radiation. The ground is thus subjected to intense heating, especially in the warmer hours of the day, while the surface layer of the atmosphere will be characterized by strong upward heat fluxes and by turbulent convective movements. Vertical-temperature-profile measurements show an almost forced persistence in the superdiabatic trend, which tends towards isothermic values only as a resultof rapid variations in the direction and intensity of the wind, connected to the downward flux of cold air masses, shown also by the simultaneous increases in ground-level ozone concentrations which would support the presence of dry-deposition processes in the lower layer. However, the complex local orography and the horizontal discontinuity (sea, deglaciated coast, snow-covered surfaces) do not permit a correct application of profile flux relations, normally used in studies on groundlevel dry-deposition. Paper presented at the IV Congresso del Gruppo Nazionale per la Fisica dell'Atmosfera e dell'Oceano, June 22–24, 1987, Rome.     

Production and characterization of refractive index gratings in high-birefringence fibre optics

In this work, we report production and modelling of both Bragg gratings and rocking filters in high birefringence fibre optics. Bragg gratings are produced by UV (257.0 nm) external interferometric exposition of a frequency-doubled Ar⁺ ion laser, whereas for rocking filters formation the visible Ar⁺ ion laser lines in 488.0 and 514.5 nm are used in an internal method. The spectral characteristics due to the birefringence properties are studied through numerical methods and experimental techniques. The spectral responsivity of the structures under temperature changes and stress application is presented.     

In‐situ synthesis of transparent and conductive carbon nanotube networks

A method for the production of transparent carbon nanotube networks (CNTNs) over transparent substrates was developed. In this method, CNTNs were grown directly in the target surface by applying the catalyst in specific zones of the substrate through lithographic techniques. The networks can be also transferred from the original substrate to other surfaces. The newly grown carbon nanotubes have a very high aspect ratio (>50000). Thus far, networks with an optical transmittance of 94% at 550 nm and a surface resistivity of 3.6 kΩ/sq have been produced. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Thermal and chemical nanofractal relaxation

We studied shape relaxation of nano-fractal islands, during annealing, after their growth from antimony cluster deposition on graphite surface. Annealing at 180^°C shows evidence of an increase of the fractal branch width with time followed by branch fragmentation, without changing the fractal dimension. The time evolution of the width of the arm suggests the surface self-diffusion mechanism as the main relaxation process. With Monte Carlo simulations, we confirmed the observed behavior. Comparison is done with our previous results on fragmentation of nano-fractal silver islands when impurity added to the incident cluster promotes rapid fragmentation by surface self-diffusion enhancement [1].     

High-order harmonic generation with a strong laser field and an attosecond-pulse train: The Dirac-Delta comb and monochromatic limits

In recent publications, it has been shown that high-order harmonic generation can be manipulated by employing a time delayed attosecond-pulse train superposed to a strong, near-infrared laser field. It is an open question, however, which is the most adequate way to approximate the attosecond-pulse train in a semianalytic framework. Employing the strong-field approximation and saddle-point methods, we make a detailed assessment of the spectra obtained by modeling the attosecond-pulse train by either a monochromatic wave or a Dirac-Delta comb. These are the two extreme limits of a real train, which is composed by a finite set of harmonics. Specifically, in the monochromatic limit, we find the downhill and uphill sets of orbits reported in the literature, and analyze their influence on the high-harmonic spectra. We show that, in principle, the downhill trajectories lead to stronger harmonics, and pronounced enhancements in the low plateau region. These features are analyzed in terms of quantum interference effects between pairs of quantum orbits, and compared to those obtained in the Dirac-Delta limit.     

On the approximation of convex functions by Bernstein-type operators

As a consequence of Jensen's inequality, centered operators of probabilistic type (also called Bernstein-type operators) approximate convex functions from above. Starting from this fact, we consider several pairs of classical operators and determine, in each case, which one is better to approximate convex functions. In almost all the discussed examples, the conclusion follows from a simple argument concerning composition of operators. However, when comparing Szász-Mirakyan operators with Bernstein operators over the positive semi-axis, the result is derived from the convex ordering of the involved probability distributions. Analogous results for non-centered operators are also considered.     

Melting of heterogeneous vortex matter: The vortex ‘nanoliquid’

Disorder and porosity are parameters that strongly influence the physical behavior of materials, including their mechanical, electrical, magnetic and optical properties. Vortices in superconductors can provide important insight into the effects of disorder because their size is comparable to characteristic sizes of nanofabricated structures. Here we present experimental evidence for a novel form of vortex matter that consists of inter-connected nanodroplets of vortex liquid caged in the pores of a solid vortex structure, like a liquid permeated into a nanoporous solid skeleton. Our nanoporous skeleton is formed by vortices pinned by correlated disorder created by high-energy heavy ion irradiation. By sweeping the applied magnetic field, the number of vortices in the nanodroplets is varied continuously from a few to several hundred. Upon cooling, the caged nanodroplets freeze into ordered nanocrystals through either a first-order or a continuous transition, whereas at high temperatures a uniform liquid phase is formed upon delocalization-induced melting of the solid skeleton. This new vortex nanoliquid displays unique properties and symmetries that are distinct from both solid and liquid phases.