Investigation of Integrated Twin Corner Reflectors Designed for 3-D InSAR Applications

There are potentially dangerous areas where InSAR technology cannot be applied routinely in the absence of proper persistent or distributed scatterers. Here, we planned and investigated the use of truncated trihedral triangle corner reflectors (CRs) oriented to ascending and descending directions for Sentinel-1 orbit, which were mounted on the optimal concrete basement including an additional global navigation satellite system (GNSS) adapter. These integrated benchmarks were designed to produce a signal-to-clutter ratio of about 100 (i.e., 20 dB). The mechanical design allows optimal orientation of the reflectors and resistance against dynamic effects. We investigated 1:5 models of the CRs and integrated benchmarks in an anechoic chamber to estimate the effects of truncation and the interference of the twin reflectors. The main effect of the interference is the asymmetric monostatic radar cross section, which can be neglected. The integrated benchmarks were also investigated in two recent landslide areas in Hungary using Sentinel-1 single look complex (SLC) scenes, which confirmed that the preliminary requirements can be met

Size-dependent bandgap and particle size distribution of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals

A new analytical expression for the size-dependent bandgap of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals is proposed within the framework of the finite-depth square-well effective mass approximation in order to provide a quantitative description of the quantum confinement effect. This allows one to convert optical spectroscopic data (photoluminescence spectrum and absorbance edge) into accurate estimates for the particle size distributions of colloidal systems even if the traditional effective mass model is expected to fail, which occurs typically for very small particles belonging to the so-called strong confinement limit. By applying the reported theoretical methodologies to CdTe nanocrystals synthesized through wet chemical routes, size distributions are inferred and compared directly to those obtained from atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. This analysis can be used as a complementary tool for the characterization of nanocrystal samples of many other systems such as the II-VI and III-V semiconductor materials.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Variability of M giant stars based on Kepler photometry: general characteristics

M giants are among the longest-period pulsating stars which is why their studies were traditionally restricted to analyses of low-precision visual observations, and more recently, accurate ground-based data. Here we present an overview of M giant variability on a wide range of time-scales (hours to years), based on analysis of thirteen quarters of Kepler long-cadence observations (one point per every 29.4 minutes), with a total time-span of over 1000 days. About two-thirds of the sample stars have been selected from the ASAS-North survey of the Kepler field, with the rest supplemented from a randomly chosen M giant control sample. We first describe the correction of the light curves from different quarters, which was found to be essential. We use Fourier analysis to calculate multiple frequencies for all stars in the sample. Over 50 stars show a relatively strong signal with a period equal to the Kepler-year and a characteristic phase dependence across the whole field-of-view. We interpret this as a so far unidentified systematic effect in the Kepler data. We discuss the presence of regular patterns in the distribution of multiple periodicities and amplitudes. In the period-amplitude plane we find that it is possible to distinguish between solar-like oscillations and larger amplitude pulsations which are characteristic for Mira/SR stars. This may indicate the region of the transition between two types of oscillations as we move upward along the giant branch.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS. The normalized light curves are available upon reques

Absorption and wavepackets in optically excited semiconductor superlattices driven by dc-ac fields

Within the one-dimensional tight-binding minibands and on-site Coloumbic interaction approximation, the absorption spectrum and coherent wavepacket time evolution in an optically excited semiconductor superlattice driven by dc-ac electric fields are investigated using the semiconductor Bloch equations. The dominating roles of the ratios of dc-Stark to external ac frequency, as well as ac-Stark to external ac frequency, is emphasized. If the former is an integer ${\cal N}$, then also ${\cal N}$ harmonics are present within one Stark frequency, while the fractional case leads to the formation of excitonic fractional ladders. The later ratio determines the size and profile of the wavepacket. In the absence of excitonic interaction it controls the maximum size wavepackets reach within one cycle, while the interaction produces a strong anisotropy and tends to palliate the dynamic wavepacket localization.Comment: 14 pages, 7 postscript figure

Associations between plant density and yield components using different sowing times in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The yield potential of wheat depends not only on genetic × environmental interactions, but also on various agronomic factors such as sowing date or the seed rate used for sowing. The main aim of this work was to determine possible correlations between the effects of different sowing dates and plant densities on the yield components of a collection of 48 wheat genotypes. Two-way analysis of variance on the data revealed that both sowing date and plant density, as main components, only had a minor effect on the yield component patterns. Correlation analysis, however, indicated that the sowing date had a greater effect on the yield components, while plant density was in closer correlation with the heading time (r = 0.90). The patterns determined for individual yield components at two different sowing dates and plant densities showed significant differences for spike length, spike fertility, grain number in the main spike, number of productive tillers, grain number on side tillers, mean grain number and grain weight. Genotypes that carry the winter (recessive) alleles of genes regulating vernalisation processes (VRN-A1, VRN-B1, VRN-D1) and the sensitive (recessive) alleles of the two genes responsible for photoperiod sensitivity (PPD-B1, PPD-D1) may have better tillering and consequently higher grain yield, though this may depend greatly on the year

Assignment of the group A rotavirus NSP4 gene into genotypes using a hemi-nested multiplex PCR assay: a rapid and reproducible assay for strain surveillance studies

The rotavirus non-structural protein NSP4 has been implicated in a number of biological functions during the rotavirus cellular cycle and pathogenesis, and has been addressed as a target for vaccine development. The NSP4 gene has been classified into six genotypes (A-F). A semi-nested triplex PCR was developed for genotyping the major human NSP4 genotypes (A-C), which are common in human rotavirus strains but are also shared among most mammalian rotavirus strains. A total of 192 previously characterized human strains representing numerous G and P type specificities (such as G1P[8], G1P[4], G2P[4], G3P[3], G3P[8], G3P[9], G4P[6], G4P[8], G6P[4], G6P[9], G6P[14], G8P[10], G8P[14], G9P[8], G9P[11], G10P[11], G12P[6] and G12P[8]) were tested for NSP4 specificity by the collaborating laboratories. An additional 35 animal strains, including the reference laboratory strains SA11 (simian, G3P[2]), NCDV (bovine, G6P[1]), K9 and CU-1 (canine, G3P[3]), together with 31 field isolates (canine, G3P[3]; feline, G3P[9]; porcine, G2P[23], G3P[6], G4P[6], G5P[6], G5P[7], G5P[26], G5P[27], G9P[6] and G9P[7]) were also successfully NSP4-typed. Four human G3P[9] strains and one feline G3P[9] strain were found to possess an NSP4 A genotype, instead of NSP4 C, suggesting a reassortment event between heterologous strains. Routine NSP4 genotyping may help to determine the genomic constellation of rotaviruses of man and livestock, and identify interspecies transmission of heterologous strain

Microscopic modeling of photoluminescence of strongly disordered semiconductors

A microscopic theory for the luminescence of ordered semiconductors is modified to describe photoluminescence of strongly disordered semiconductors. The approach includes both diagonal disorder and the many-body Coulomb interaction. As a case study, the light emission of a correlated plasma is investigated numerically for a one-dimensional two-band tight-binding model. The band structure of the underlying ordered system is assumed to correspond to either a direct or an indirect semiconductor. In particular, luminescence and absorption spectra are computed for various levels of disorder and sample temperature to determine thermodynamic relations, the Stokes shift, and the radiative lifetime distribution.Comment: 35 pages, 14 figure