Ozone monitoring in a Mediterranean forest using diffusive and continuous sampling

Ambient ozone was measured in a forest in Castelporziano (Italy) characterised by the prevailing presence of Holm-oak trees (Quercus ilex L.) from June to November 2003. Two methods for measuring ozone were used: long-term monitoring using diffusive samplers at three heights within the canopy, and continuous monitoring at two heights using the UV method. Results for one week mean ozone levels above and below the canopy from the diffusive samplers were compared to those obtained using the automatic analyser at the same levels. A good correlation between the two sampling techniques was found. Continuous monitoring showed a daily cycle with a midday maximum and a nocturnal minimum. While the forest floor consistently had the lowest ozone concentration, there were no differences during most daytime hours. The midday maximum is clearly due to downward mixing with O₃-rich air from above. The night-time ozone decay within the canopy is the result of dry deposition of O₃ and most likely due to reaction with biogenically produced NO. AOT40 within and above the canopy mostly exceeded the critical levels.     

High-dimensional model representations generated from low order terms--lp-RS-HDMR

High-dimensional model representation (HDMR) is a general set of quantitative model assessment and analysis tools for improving the efficiency of deducing high dimensional input-output system behavior. RS-HDMR is a particular form of HDMR based on random sampling (RS) of the input variables. The component functions in an HDMR expansion are optimal choices tailored to the n-variate function f(x) being represented over the desired domain of the n-dimensional vector x. The high-order terms (usually larger than second order, or equivalently beyond cooperativity between pairs of variables) in the expansion are often negligible. When it is necessary to go beyond the first and the second order RS-HDMR, this article introduces a modified low-order term product (lp)-RS-HDMR method to approximately represent the high-order RS-HDMR component functions as products of low-order functions. Using this method the high-order truncated RS-HDMR expansions may be constructed without directly computing the original high-order terms. The mathematical foundations of lp-RS-HDMR are presented along with an illustration of its utility in an atmospheric chemical kinetics model.     

Implementation of an adaptive umbrella sampling method for the calculation of multidimensional potential of mean force of chemical reactions in solution

We describe the implementation of an adaptive umbrella sampling method, making use of the weighted histogram analysis method, for computing multidimensional potential of mean force for chemical reaction in solution. The approach is illustrated by investigating the effect of aqueous solution on the free energy surface for the proton transfer reaction of [H(3)N-H-NH(3)](+) using a combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical AM1/TIP3P potential.     

A Self-Calibrated Pipeline ADC with 200 MHz IF-Sampling Frontend

A 13-bit, 50-MS/s pipeline ADC with IF-sampling capability is presented. A high sampling linearity is obtained through the use of bootstrapped switches. A digital self-calibration algorithm with modified capacitor measurement scheme is employed to improve the accuracy of the first two pipeline stages. The prototype, implemented with a 0.35-m BiCMOS (SiGe) technology, shows a 76.5-dB SFDR at a 194.2-MHz signal frequency and dissipates 715 mW power from a 2.9-V supply.     

Method development for the determination of iron in milligram amounts of rice plants (Oryza sativa L.) from cultivation experiments using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

The amount of sample that is available for analysis in laboratory plant cultivation experiments is usually very limited. Highly sensitive analytical techniques are therefore required, even for elements that are present in the plants at mg g^–1 concentrations, and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) was chosen in this work because of its micro-sampling capability, and its relatively simple operation. Four micro-methods were investigated for the determination of iron in roots and leaves of rice plants: i) a micro-digestion with nitric and hydrochloric acids, ii) a slurry procedure using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) tissue solubilizer, iii) a slurry prepared in 1.4 mol L^–1 nitric acid, and treated in an ultrasonic bath, and iv) the direct analysis of solid samples. The micro-digestion was suffering from high blank values and contamination problems, so that it could not be recommended for routine purposes. The TMAH method exhibited poor precision and occasional low recoveries, particularly for real samples. Direct solid sampling analysis gave results similar to those obtained with the slurry technique with ultrasonic agitation for the determination of iron in certified reference materials with iron content up to about 100 g g^–1, but was too sensitive for the investigated rice plants, which had an iron content up to several mg g^–1. The slurry technique with ultrasonic treatment of the samples, suspended in dilute nitric acid, was finally adopted as the method of choice.The method was then applied for the determination of iron in the leaves and in different compartments of the roots of two rice cultivars, one sensitive to iron toxicity, an important nutritional disorder, and the other one resistant to iron toxicity. The results suggest that the higher resistance to iron toxicity of the second cultivar is due to a smaller uptake of iron from the soil, resulting in lower iron levels in all compartments of the plant.     

Assessment of element-specific homogeneity in reference materials using microanalytical techniques

The IAEA established in 1994 a co-ordinated research programme (CRP) on "Reference Materials for Microanalytical Nuclear Techniques" as part of its efforts to promote and strengthen the use of nuclear analytical technologies in member states with the specific aim of improving the quality of analysis of nuclear, environmental, and biological materials. The objectives of this initiative were: to identify suitable biological reference materials which could serve the needs for quality control in microanalytical techniques; to evaluate existing CRMs for use in microanalytical investigations; to evaluate appropriate sample pretreatment procedures for materials being used for analysis with microanalytical techniques; to identify analytical techniques which can be used for characterisation of homogeneity determination, and to apply such techniques to the characterization of candidate reference materials for use with microanalytical techniques. The CRP lasted for 4 years and seven laboratories and the Agency's Laboratories in Seibersdorf participated. A number of materials including the candidate reference materials IAEA 338 (lichen) and IAEA 413 (single cell algae, elevated level) were evaluated for the distribution of elements such as Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Cd, Hg, and Pb. The results obtained during this CRP suggest that: each element exhibits its characteristic distribution in a matrix described by the "Ingamels' sampling constant" or the "relative homogeneity factor" of Kurfuerst; both concepts are valid over a large range of sample mass used for analysis (from 0.1 g to around 100 mg); and materials being characterised quantitatively for element homogeneity could be used for the experimental determination of total uncertainty of other analytical techniques. As far as we are aware this is the first time the concept of quantitative characterisation of homogeneity has been applied to potential reference materials and the first demonstration of the feasibility and usefulness of the concept with particular emphasis on enhancing quality control opportunities for microanalytical techniques.     

Convergence rates of cascade algorithms

We consider solutions of a refinement equation of the form

where is a finitely supported sequence called the refinement mask. Associated with the mask is a linear operator defined on by . This paper is concerned with the convergence of the cascade algorithm associated with , i.e., the convergence of the sequence in the -norm.

Our main result gives estimates for the convergence rate of the cascade algorithm. Let be the normalized solution of the above refinement equation with the dilation matrix being isotropic. Suppose lies in the Lipschitz space , where 0$"> and . Under appropriate conditions on , the following estimate will be established:

where and is a constant. In particular, we confirm a conjecture of A. Ron on convergence of cascade algorithms.

     

Continuous-Time Controlled Markov Chains with Discounted Rewards

This paper studies denumerable state continuous-time controlled Markov chains with the discounted reward criterion and a Borel action space. The reward and transition rates are unbounded, and the reward rates are allowed to take positive or negative values. First, we present new conditions for a nonhomogeneous Q(t)-process to be regular. Then, using these conditions, we give a new set of mild hypotheses that ensure the existence of -optimal (0) stationary policies. We also present a martingale characterization of an optimal stationary policy. Our results are illustrated with controlled birth and death processes.     

CDS器件在TDI-CCD视频信号处理中的应用

本文是对国家863-2计划中某项目的部分工作所做的总结。文中对CCD的噪音和新型TDI-CCD输出视频信号的特性进行了分析,提出了对于各种噪音的处理方法,尤其详细介绍了采用相关双采样(CDS)技术处理kTC噪音和复位噪音的方法,并通过实验进行了验证,最后分析了系统的信噪比。     

Continuous-flow optical pumping NMR in a closed circuit system

In a typical continuous-flow optical pumping setup, the chemical shift of xenon in the adsorbed phase depends on the gas flow rate due to warming of the sample surface by the gas stream. Calibration of the system using the (207)Pb resonance of solid lead nitrate is necessary to determine the actual sample temperature. Optimum pulse repetition rates are strongly affected by gas flow and spin-lattice relaxation rates. The interplay of flow and pulse repetition rate alters signal intensity ratios and may lead to the complete suppression of signals.