A recursive construction of t‐wise uniform permutations

We present a recursive construction of a (2t + 1)‐wise uniform set of permutations on 2n objects using a combinatorial design, a t‐wise uniform set of permutations on n objects and a (2t + 1)‐wise uniform set of permutations on n objects. Using the complete design in this procedure gives a t‐wise uniform set of permutations on n objects whose size is at most t²ⁿ, the first non‐trivial construction of an infinite family of t‐wise uniform sets for . If a non‐trivial design with suitable parameters is found, it will imply a corresponding improvement in the construction. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 46, 531–540, 2015     

Mild pre-heating of organic cation-exchanged clays enhances their interactions with nitrobenzene in aqueous environment

Aqueous sorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms of nitrobenzene were studied on two series of sorbents that were prepared by (i) replacing inorganic exchangeable cations in Wyoming bentonite with tetraethylammonium (TEA) and benzyltrimethylammonium (BTMA) and (ii) heating synthesized complexes in air at different temperatures (between 150 and 420°C). The aim of this work was to examine recently observed enhancement of aqueous sorption of a probe organic sorbate on organoclays after mild thermal pre-treatment of sorbents. Thermal pre-treatment of TEA- and BTMA-clays at 150°C results in the maximal enhancement of nitrobenzene–sorbent interactions as compared with treatment of original bentonite and its exchange complexes formed with long-chain quaternary ammonium (n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium, HDTMA). Based on C, N content data and FTIR spectra of TEA- and BTMA-clay complexes, no indications of decomposition of organic matter were found in organoclays heated at 250°C (and below this temperature). Suppressed hydration of pre-heated sorbents resulting in a lessening of water–organic sorbate competition for sorption sites is considered to be responsible for thermally induced enhancement of nitrobenzene–sorbent interactions. In the HDTMA-based organoclays, the long-chain aliphatic groups of the quaternary ammonium can additionally interact with clay surface thus competing with organic sorbate–sorbent surface interactions and, in this way, mitigating the enhancement of nitrobenzene sorption on thermally treated sorbents.     

Ring fiber resonators based on fused-fiber grating add-drop filters:application to resonator coupling

We introduce a fiber ring optical resonator based on adiabatic fused-fiber grating couplers. The coupling of a through fiber to the resonator is controlled by the strength of the fiber Bragg gratings. By using two of these couplers and incorporating erbium-doped (ED) fiber in the ring, we control the internal loss of the ring by pumping the ED fiber. The transmission spectra of the through port and the drop port of a four-port configuration, a ring coupled to two waveguides, are measured. We show that the loss/coupling ratio of the ring-fiber system can be changed and thus that the transmission properties of the fiber can be controlled.     

Algebraic and geometric space-time analogies in nonlinear optical pulse propagation

We extend recently developed algebraic space-time analogies for the dispersive and nonlinear propagation of optical breathers. Geometrical arguments can explain the similarity of evolutionary behavior between spatial and temporal phenomena even when strict algebraic translation of solutions may not be possible. This explanation offers a new set of tools for understanding and predicting the evolutionary structure of self-consistent Gaussian breathers in nonlinear optical fibers.     

Thermo-IR-spectroscopy study of the adsorption of terbuthylazine by soil from the Jezreel Valley

Adsorption of the herbicide terbuthylazine by a soil from the Jezreel Valley was investigated by thermo-IR-spectroscopy. The adsorption took place mainly by the clay mineral montmorillonite. The adsorbed molecule was hydrogen bonded via the aniline groups to water molecules which were coordinated to the exchangeable metallic cations. When the sample was thermally treated at 115°C interlayer water was evolved, part of the herbicide decomposed and the other part became directly coordinated to the exchangeable metallic cations. The decomposition product contained a CO group.Dedicated to Prof. Menachem Steinberg on the occasion of his 65th birthdayThis research was supported in part under Project number C12-219, Grant number HRN5544 G002069, Program in Science and Technology Corporation, Human Capacity Development, Bureau for Global Programs, Field Support and Research, USAID.     

The mechanochemical reactions between CsF and kaolinite

The grinding of a mixture containing kaolinite and CsF was carried out by three different techniques, short manual grinding, Fisher mechanical mortar and Retsch ball mill. In addition to different cesium aluminium silicates which were detected by X-ray powder diffraction, a new type of intercalation complex was identified by FTIR spectroscopy. The X-ray diffractogram of this complex did not show any basal spacing, which may characterize the complex but the 0.715 nm characteristic peak of the untreated kaolinite became very weak. The Retsch ball mill led to a slight destruction of the kaolinite and the formation of small amounts of the new intercalation complex. The delamination of book-like kaolinite assemblages was observed after the manual and Fisher mortar grindings. In the latter grinding techniques the kaolin-like layers persisted and served as the framework for the intercalation complexes. Received: 4 February 1998 Accepted: 11 March 1998     

Measurement and simulation of the cross sections for nuclide production in natW and 181Ta targets irradiated with 0.04- to 2.6-GeV protons

The cross sections for nuclide production in thin ^natWand ¹⁸¹Ta targets irradiated by 0.04–2.6-GeV protons have been measured by direct γ spectrometry using two γ spectrometers with the resolutions of 1.8 and 1.7 keV in the ⁶⁰Co 1332-keV γ line. As a result, 1895 yields of radioactive residual product nuclei have been obtained. The ²⁷Al(p, x)²²Na reaction has been used as a monitor reaction. The experimental data have been compared with the MCNPX (BERTINI, ISABEL), CEM03.02, INCL4.2, INCL4.5, PHITS, and CASCADE07 calculations.     

Measurement and simulation of the cross sections for nuclide production in 56Fe and natCr targets irradiated with 0.04- to 2.6-GeV protons

The cross sections for nuclide production in thin ⁵⁶Fe and ^natCr targets irradiated by 0.04–2.6-GeV protons are measured by direct γ spectrometry using two γ spectrometers with the resolutions of 1.8 and 1.7 keV for the ⁶⁰Co 1332-keV γ line. As a result, 649 yields of radioactive residual product nuclei have been obtained. The ²⁷Al(p, x)²²Na reaction has been used as a monitor reaction. The experimental data are compared with the MCNPX (BERTINI, ISABEL), CEM03.02, INCL4.2, INCL4.5, PHITS, and CASCADE07 calculations.     

Transmission characteristics of a Fabry-Perot etalon-microtoroid resonator coupled system

The transmission spectra of a Fabry-Perot etalon coupled to a microtoroid resonator are studied theoretically and experimentally. The resonance line shapes depend strongly on the resonance wavelength detuning and coupling strength between the two resonators. A wide variety of line shapes, ranging from a single to triple peaks, symmetric to asymmetric Fano-like peaks, and notches were predicted and observed experimentally. The capability to modify the spectral line shapes by tuning the coupling between or losses of two resonators may find applications in optical filtering, switching, sensing, and dispersion engineering.