Application of 3-D Fluorescence: Characterization of Natural Organic Matter in Natural Water and Water Purification Systems

Natural organic matter (NOM) found in water sources is broadly defined as a mixture of polyfunctional organic molecules, characterized by its complex structure and paramount influence on water quality. Because the inevitable release of pollutants into aquatic environments due to an ineffective control of industrial and agricultural pollution, the evaluation of the interaction of NOM with heavy metals, nanoparticles, organic pollutants and other pollutants in the aquatic environment, has greatly increased. Three-dimensional (3-D) fluorescence has the potential to reveal the interaction mechanisms between NOM and pollutants as well as the source of NOM pollution. In water purification engineering system, the 3-D fluorescence can indicate the variations of NOM composition and gives an effective prediction of water quality as well as the underline water purification mechanisms. Inadequately treated NOM is a cause of precursors of disinfection byproducts (DBPs), posing a potential threat to human health. Effective control and measurement/evaluation of NOM have long been an important factors in the prevention of water pollution. Overall, 3-D fluorescence allows for a rapid identification of organic components thus indicating possible sources of water pollution, mechanisms of pollutant interactions, and possible DBPs formed during conventional treatment of this water. This article reviews the 3-D fluorescence characteristics of NOM in natural water and typical water purification systems. The 3-D fluorescence was effective for indicating the variabilities in NOM composition and chemistry thus providing a better understanding of NOM in natural water system and water engineering system.     

A High-Power,Long-Wavelength Infrared ZnGeP<Subscript>2</Subscript> Opo Pumped by a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis>-Switched Tm,Ho:GdVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> Laser

We report a high-power, long-wavelength infrared ZnGeP₂ (ZGP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a Q-switched Tm,Ho:GdVO₄ laser. The wavelength tuning range of 7.8–9.9 μm is realized by rotating the external angle of the ZGP crystal. We obtain an output power over 30 mW across the whole wavelength range and achieve a 1.71 W output power at 8.08 μm by transmitting the OPO parameters, corresponding to an idler laser slope efficiency of 12.1%.     

Concurrence and Negativity as a Family of Two Measures Elaborated for Pure Qudit States

We investigate entangled states of an atomic trapped ion interacting with two phonons in the Λ configuration forming a twelve-dimensional Hilbert space. We study two elaborated measures, namely, the concurrence C and negativity N, which are important in current theoretical studies. Therefore, we work with the three-dimensional reduced density matrix in calculating the measures elaborated for pure qudit states in the ionic–phononic system. To demonstrate the benefits of the family of the two measures elaborated, we perform the calculations for different values of the Lamb–Dicke (LD) parameter η = 0.01, 0.3, and 0.5. Finally, we show that the pure qudit states under study are maximum entangled states.     

Narrow Linewidth Tm:YLF Laser with Volume Bragg Grating Dual-End-Pumped by Equidirectional-Polarization Fiber-Coupled Laser Diode

We demonstrate a narrow linewidth Tm:YLF laser with a volume Bragg grating (VBG) that was pumped by an equidirectional-polarization fiber-coupled laser diode using a dual-end-pumping configuration. For an optimized output coupler with a radius of curvature of 150 mm and transmission of 15% at a wavelength of 1.91 μm, the maximum output power was 15.6 W for an absorbed pump power of 51.7 W at 1,907.93 nm, and the output had a narrow linewidth of 0.22 nm. This corresponds to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 30.2% and the slope efficiency was 36.7%.     

Cross over of recurrence networks to random graphs and random geometric graphs

Recurrence networks are complex networks constructed from the time series of chaotic dynamical systems where the connection between two nodes is limited by the recurrence threshold. This condition makes the topology of every recurrence network unique with the degree distribution determined by the probability density variations of the representative attractor from which it is constructed. Here we numerically investigate the properties of recurrence networks from standard low-dimensional chaotic attractors using some basic network measures and show how the recurrence networks are different from random and scale-free networks. In particular, we show that all recurrence networks can cross over to random geometric graphs by adding sufficient amount of noise to the time series and into the classical random graphs by increasing the range of interaction to the system size. We also highlight the effectiveness of a combined plot of characteristic path length and clustering coefficient in capturing the small changes in the network characteristics.     

Where is SUSY?

The searches for supersymmetry at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have so far yielded only null results and have considerably tightened the bounds on the sparticle masses. This has generated some skepticism in the literature regarding the ‘naturalness of SUSY’ which qualitatively requires some sparticles to be relatively light. Re-examining some of the bounds from LHC searches, it is argued with specific examples that the above skepticism is a red herring because (i) a quantitative and universally accepted definition of ‘naturalness’ is not available and (ii) even if some conventional definitions of naturalness is accepted at their face values, the alleged tension with the apparently stringent LHC bounds wither away once the strong assumptions, by no means compelling, underlying such bounds are relaxed.