AN ALTERNATIVE SPECIFICATION FOR MODELING GROUNDWATER DYNAMICS

This research extends previous work with dynamic models to manage groundwater quality by using the consumptive nitrate use rate instead of the nitrate application rate. The analysis indicates that misspecification results in overestimation of economic benefits, and supra-optimum nitrogen fertilizer application rates and groundwater nitrate stocks at a steady state.     

Multiple recurrence and infinite measure preserving odometers

A family of infinite measure preserving odometers is presented which exhibit examples ofp-recurrent but notp+1-recurrent ergodic transformations for everyp>1.     

A possibility of parallel and anti-parallel diffraction measurements on neutron diffractometer employing bent perfect crystal monochromator at the monochromatic focusing condition

In a conventional diffractometer having single monochromator, only one position, parallel position, is used for the diffraction experiment (i.e. detection) because the resolution property of the other one, anti-parallel position, is very poor. However, a bent perfect crystal (BPC) monochromator at monochromatic focusing condition can provide a quite flat and equal resolution property at both parallel and anti-parallel positions and thus one can have a chance to use both sides for the diffraction experiment. From the data of the FWHM and the Δd/d measured on three diffraction geometries (symmetric, asymmetric compression and asymmetric expansion), we can conclude that the simultaneous diffraction measurement in both parallel and anti-parallel positions can be achieved.     

RANDOM EDGE can be exponential on abstract cubes

We prove that RANDOM EDGE, the simplex algorithm that always chooses a random improving edge to proceed on, can take a mildly exponential number of steps in the model of abstract objective functions (introduced by Williamson Hoke [Completely unimodal numberings of a simple polytope, Discrete Appl. Math. 20 (1988) 69-81.] and by Kalai [A simple way to tell a simple polytope from its graph, J. Combin. Theory Ser. A 49(2) (1988) 381-383.] under different names). We define an abstract objective function on the n-dimensional cube for which the algorithm, started at a random vertex, needs at least exp(const·n^1/3) steps with high probability. The best previous lower bound was quadratic. So in order for RANDOM EDGE to succeed in polynomial time, geometry must help.     

Modeling of radiative heat transfer in an axisymmetric cylindrical enclosure with participating medium

Radiative heat transfer in an axisymmetric enclosure with absorbing, emitting, and scattering medium is studied here by using the different methods such as MDOM, FVM, and MFVM with emphasis on the treatment of angular derivative term, which appears in curvilinear coordinates due to angular redistribution. After final discretization equation for MFVM is introduced by using the step scheme and directional weights, the present approach is validated by applying it to three different benchmarking problems with absorbing, emitting, and scattering medium. All of the results presented here support its accuracy as well as moderate efficiency. Finally, the present approaches are applied to a truncated cone-shaped enclosure as a body-fitted geometry case.     

Optimization of in-vacuo template-stripped Pt surfaces via UHV STM

A recently demonstrated [1] in-vacuo template-stripping process is applied to the study of platinum films stripped from ultra-flat silicon-oxide surfaces. Template-stripped (TS) Pt surfaces, prepared with a range of post-deposition annealing times prior to being stripped from the templating surface in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment, are examined by UHV scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). These studies reveal that without post-deposition annealing, TS Pt surfaces are largely made up of poorly-ordered, granular nanostructures undesirable for many applications. The post-deposition annealing treatments explored in the study result in the emergence and continuous growth of large smooth crystallites. Issues with crystallite orientation relative to the TS surface and artefacts arising as a result of the epoxy used in the template-stripping process are presented and discussed in relation to optimizing the template-stripping procedure for specific applications such as self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation for molecular electronics. PACS 68.37.Ef; 68.47.De; 68.55.Jk; 81.05.Bx; 81.15.Ef     

Photoswitching of holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals doped with chiral dopant

Chiral dopants were added to the formulation of holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals and the effects studied in terms of grating formation dynamics, morphology, diffraction efficiency, contrast ratio and electro-optical properties of the films. A gradual increase of real-time diffraction efficiency, decrease of droplet size and increase of diffraction efficiency of the composite film were obtained with the addition and increasing content of chiral dopant, due to the increased viscosity of the liquid crystal (LC) doped with the chiral dopant leading to decreased droplet coalescence. The contrast ratio decreased with increasing content of chiral dopant due to the difficult orientation of LC molecules caused by the formation of a helical structure. Addition of a small amount of the chiral dopant increased the driving voltage slightly, whereas the decay time is decreased significantly as a result of the high twisting of the helical structure.     

The Matsumoto-Yor property and the structure of the Wishart distribution

This paper establishes a link between a generalized matrix Matsumoto-Yor (MY) property and the Wishart distribution. This link highlights certain conditional independence properties within blocks of the Wishart and leads to a new characterization of the Wishart distribution similar to the one recently obtained by Geiger and Heckerman but involving independences for only three pairs of block partitionings of the random matrix.In the process, we obtain two other main results. The first one is an extension of the MY independence property to random matrices of different dimensions. The second result is its converse. It extends previous characterizations of the matrix generalized inverse Gaussian and Wishart seen as a couple of distributions.We present two proofs for the generalized MY property. The first proof relies on a new version of Herz's identity for Bessel functions of matrix arguments. The second proof uses a representation of the MY property through the structure of the Wishart.     

High-density plasma etching of indium-zinc oxide films in Ar/Cl2 and Ar/CH4/H2 chemistries

The dry etching characteristics of transparent and conductive indium-zinc oxide (IZO) films have been investigated using an inductively coupled high-density plasma. While the Cl₂-based plasma mixture showed little enhancement over physical sputtering in a pure argon atmosphere, the CH₄/H₂/Ar chemistry produced an increase of the IZO etch rate. On the other hand, the surface morphology of IZO films after etching in Ar and Ar/Cl₂ discharges is smooth, whereas that after etching in CH₄/H₂/Ar presents particle-like features resulting from the preferential desorption of In- and O-containing products. Etching in CH₄/H₂/Ar also produces formation of a Zn-rich surface layer, whose thickness (∼40 nm) is well-above the expected range of incident ions in the material (∼1 nm). Such alteration of the IZO layer after etching in CH₄/H₂/Ar plasmas is expected to have a significant impact on the transparent electrode properties in optoelectronic device fabrication.     

Periodic solutions of second-order differential inclusions systems with p-Laplacian

Some existence results are obtained for periodic solutions of nonautonomous second-order differential inclusions systems with p-Laplacian.