6,480 research outputs found
Multiscale characterizations of surface anisotropies
Anisotropy can influence surface function and can be an indication of processing. These influences and indications include friction, wetting, and microwear. This article studies two methods for multiscale quantification and visualization of anisotropy. One uses multiscale curvature tensor analysis and shows anisotropy in horizontal coordinates i.e., topocentric. The other uses multiple bandpass filters (also known as sliding bandpass filters) applied prior to calculating anisotropy parameters, texture aspect ratios (Str) and texture directions (Std), showing anisotropy in horizontal directions only. Topographies were studied on two milled steel surfaces, one convex with an evident large scale, cylindrical form anisotropy, the other nominally flat with smaller scale anisotropies; a EDMed surface, an example of an isotropic surface; and an additively manufactured surface with pillar-like features. Curvature tensors contain the two principal curvatures, i.e., maximum and minimum curvatures, which are orthogonal, and their directions, at each location. Principal directions are plotted for each calculated location on each surface, at each scale considered. Histograms in horizontal coordinates show altitude and azimuth angles of principal curvatures, elucidating dominant texture directions at each scale. Str and Std do not show vertical components, i.e., altitudes, of anisotropy. Changes of anisotropy with scale categorically failed to be detected by traditional characterization methods used conventionally. These multiscale methods show clearly in several representations that anisotropy changes with scale on actual surface measurements with markedly different anisotropies
Influence of grain size, shape and compaction on georadar waves: example of an Aeolian dune
Many Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) profiles acquired in dry aeolian
environment have shown good reflectivity inside present-day dunes. We show that
the origin of this reflectivity is related to changes in grain size
distribution, packing and/or grain shape in a sandy material. We integrate
these three parameters into analytical models for bulk permittivity in order to
predict the reflections and the velocity of GPR waves. We consider two GPR
cross-sections acquired over Aeolian dunes in the Chadian desert. The 2D
migration of GPR data suggests that dunes contain different kinds of bounding
surfaces. We discuss and model three kinds of reflections using reasonable
geological hypothesis about Aeolian sedimentation processes. The propagation
and the reflection of radar waves are calculated using the 1D wavelet modelling
method in spectral domain. The results of the forward modelling are in good
accordance with real observed data
Decomposing Dual Scale Soil Surface Roughness for Microwave Remote Sensing Applications
Soil surface roughness, as investigated in this study, is decomposed in a dual scale process. Therefore, we investigated photogrammetrically acquired roughness information over different agricultural fields in the size of 6-22 m(2) and decomposed them into a dual scale process by using geostatistical techniques. For the characterization of soil surface roughness, we calculated two different roughness indices (the RMS height s and the autocorrelation length l) differing significantly for each scale. While we could relate the small scale roughness pattern clearly to the seedbed rows, the larger second scale pattern could be related to the appearance of wheel tracks of the tillage machine used. As a result, major progress was made in the understanding of the different scales in soil surface roughness characterization and its quantification possibilities
Short communication: Multi-scale topographic anisotropy patterns on a Barrier Island
Barrier islands exhibit a range of landforms that reflect the complex and varied combination of coastal and aeolian processes realized over the evolution of the island. A detailed analysis of the topography can be used to describe the evolution of a barrier island and provide insight on how it may be affected by a change in sea level, storm activity and wind exposure patterns. Topographic anisotropy, or the directional dependence of relief of landforms, can be used to determine the relative importance of different processes to island evolution at a range of scales. This short communication describes the use of scale-dependent topographic anisotropy to characterize the structure of Santa Rosa Island in northwest Florida. Scale-dependent topographic relief and asymmetry were assessed from a LiDAR-derived DEM from May 2004, a few months before the island experienced widespread erosion and overwash during Hurricane Ivan. This application demonstrates how anisotropy can be used to identify unique scale-dependent structures that can be used to interpret the evolution of this barrier island. Results of this preliminary study further highlight the potential of using topographic anisotropy to controls on barrier island response and recovery to storms as well as island resiliency with sea level rise and storm activity
Prevalence of oxygen defects in an in-plane anisotropic transition metal dichalcogenide
Atomic scale defects in semiconductors enable their technological
applications and realization of novel quantum states. Using scanning tunneling
microscopy and spectroscopy complemented by ab-initio calculations we determine
the nature of defects in the anisotropic van der Waals layered semiconductor
ReS. We demonstrate the in-plane anisotropy of the lattice by directly
visualizing chains of rhenium atoms forming diamond-shaped clusters. Using
scanning tunneling spectroscopy we measure the semiconducting gap in the
density of states. We reveal the presence of lattice defects and by comparison
of their topographic and spectroscopic signatures with ab initio calculations
we determine their origin as oxygen atoms absorbed at lattice point defect
sites. These results provide an atomic-scale view into the semiconducting
transition metal dichalcogenides, paving the way toward understanding and
engineering their properties.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures; Supp 5 pages, 4 figure
Scanning tunneling spectroscopy of layers of superconducting 2H-TaSe: Evidence for a zero bias anomaly in single layers
We report a characterization of surfaces of the dichalcogenide TaSe using
scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/S) at 150 mK. When the top
layer has the 2H structure and the layer immediately below the 1T structure, we
find a singular spatial dependence of the tunneling conductance below 1 K,
changing from a zero bias peak on top of Se atoms to a gap in between Se atoms.
The zero bias peak is additionally modulated by the commensurate charge density wave of 2H-TaSe. Multilayers of 2H-TaSe show a
spatially homogeneous superconducting gap with a critical temperature also of 1
K. We discuss possible origins for the peculiar tunneling conductance in single
layers.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure
Application of electron tomography for comprehensive determination of III-V interface properties
We present an electron tomography method for the comprehensive characterization of buried III-V semiconductor interfaces that is based on chemical-sensitive high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. For this purpose, an (Al,Ga)As/GaAs multi-layer system grown by molecular beam epitaxy is used as a case study. Isoconcentration surfaces are exploited to obtain topographic height maps of 120 nm × 120 nm area, revealing the interface morphology. By applying the height-height correlation function, we are able to determine important interface properties like root mean square roughness and lateral correlation length of various interfaces of the (Al,Ga)As/GaAs system characterized by different Al concentrations. Height-difference maps based on isosurfaces corresponding to 30% and 70% of the total compositional difference at the interfaces are used to create topographic maps of the interface width and to calculate an average interface width. This methodology proves differences in the properties of direct and inverted interfaces and allows the observation of interfacial anisotropies. © 202
Sensing the difference: the influence of anisotropic cues on cell behavior
From tissue morphogenesis to homeostasis, cells continuously experience and respond to physical, chemical and biological cues commonly presented in gradients. In this article we focus our discussion on the importance of nano/micro topographic cues on cell activity, and the role of anisotropic milieus play on cell behavior, mostly adhesion and migration. We present the need to study physiological gradients in vitro. To do this, we review different cell migration mechanisms and how adherent cells react to the presence of complex tissue-like environments and cell-surface stimulation in 2D and 3D (e.g. ventral/dorsal anisotropy)
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