Measurement of thermal conductance of silicon nanowires at low temperature

We have performed thermal conductance measurements on individual single crystalline silicon suspended nanowires. The nanowires (130 nm thick and 200 nm wide) are fabricated by e-beam lithography and suspended between two separated pads on Silicon On Insulator (SOI) substrate. We measure the thermal conductance of the phonon wave guide by the 3 method. The cross-section of the nanowire approaches the dominant phonon wavelength in silicon which is of the order of 100 nm at 1K. Above 1.3K the conductance behaves as T3, but a deviation is measured at the lowest temperature which can be attributed to the reduced geometry

L'Emploi De L'Analogie Dans Les Romans De Balzac

Paper by Andre M. G. Bourgeoi

Effet de la brûlure cercosporéenne, causée par le Cercospora carotae, sur le développement, la croissance et le rendement de la carotte

L'objectif de cette étude était de quantifier l'effet de la sévérité de la brûlure cercosporéenne (Cercospora carotae) sur le développement (stades végétatifs), la croissance (poids secs du feuillage et des racines, indice de surface foliaire) et le rendement de la carotte (Daucus carota var. sativa). Au cours d'expériences effectuées en sol organique durant les saisons 1990, 1991 et 1992, trois niveaux de sévérité ont été obtenus par des nombres différents d'applications de fongicides, à savoir aucune application, deux ou trois applications et une application à chaque semaine. Au cours des trois années, des différences entre les traitements ont été observées 60 jours après le semis pour la sévérité de la maladie, 80 jours après le semis pour le poids sec du feuillage et l'indice de surface foliaire, et 100 jours après le semis pour le poids sec des racines. Une augmentation du nombre d'applications a permis une augmentation du rendement total en carottes. Cependant, les applications hebdomadaires n'ont pas augmenté le rendement en carottes de classe régulière par rapport à deux ou trois applications pour l'ensemble de la saison. Il est donc possible de réduire le nombre d'applications de fongicides, tout en conservant un rendement économiquement acceptable.The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of Cercospora blight of carrot (Cercospora carotae) severity on development (vegetative stages), growth (dry weight of leaves and roots, leaf area index) and yield of carrot (Daucus carota var. sativa). In experiments conducted on organic soils during 1990, 1991 and 1992, three levels of disease severity were obtained by different number of fungicide applications : no application, two or three applications, and weekly applications. During the three years, significant differences were observed at 60 days after sowing for disease severity, at 80 days after sowing for the dry weight of leaves and leaf area index, and at 100 days after sowing for the dry weight of roots. An increase in the number of fungicide applications resulted in an increase in total yield at final harvest. However, weekly fungicide application did not result in an increase in yield of carrots in the regular size classification. It is thus possible to maintain an acceptable economic yield even if the number of fungicide applications is reduced

Yield reductions in grain maize associated with the presence of European corn borer and Gibberella stalk rot in Québec

L'effet d'une infestation de la pyrale du maïs (Ostrinia nubilalis) [Lepidoptera: Pyralidae] et d'une infection de la fusariose des tiges causée par Gibberella zeae sur le rendement de huit lignées de maïs grain (Zea mays), de deux hybrides commerciaux et de six hybrides expérimentaux a été évalué de 1975 à 1980. Trois critères ont été utilisés: la criblure du feuillage, les dégâts totaux des plantes à la récolte et le rapport de la longueur des galeries creusées par les chenilles de pyrale dans les tiges sur la hauteur totale du plant. Pour la plupart des critères, les cultivars étaient significativement différents et l'infestation artificielle de pyrale du maïs a eu un effet presqu'à chaque année. Bien que le G. zeae ait eu un effet significatif sur les dégâts totaux à la récolte et le rendement en grain du maïs, aucune relation n'a pu être établie entre la maladie et la pyrale du maïs.The impact of European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) [Lepidoptera: Pyralidae] infestation and stalk rot infection caused by Gibberella zeae on yield of eight grain maize (Zea mays) inbreds, two commercial and six experimental hybrids was evaluated from 1975 to 1980. Three criteria were used: leaf feeding, total plant damage at harvest and tunnel length/plant height ratio. For most criteria, the cultivars were significantly different and the artificial European corn borer infestation had an effect almost every year. Although G. zeae can have a signifiant effect on plant damage at harvest and yield of grain maize, no consistent link was found between stalk rot and European corn borer

Phase-Dependent Electronic Specific Heat in Mesoscopic Josephson Junctions

We study the influence of superconducting correlations on the electronic specific heat in a diffusive superconductor-normal metal-superconductor Josephson junction. We present a description of this system in the framework of the diffusive-limit Green's function theory, taking into account finite temperatures, phase difference as well as junction parameters. We find that proximity effect may lead to a substantial deviation of the specific heat as compared to that in the normal state, and that it can be largely tuned in magnitude by changing the phase difference between the superconductors. A measurement setup to confirm these predictions is also suggested.Comment: 4+ pages, 4 figure

Évaluation du débit réservé par méthodes hydrologiques et hydrobiologiques

Plusieurs méthodes existent pour calculer le débit réservé d'un cours d'eau. Dans la présente étude deux approches sont analysées, soit les approches par méthodes hydrologiques et hydrobiologiques. Cinq méthodes hydrologiques d'évaluation du débit réservé ont été appliquées au ruisseau Catamaran au Nouveau-Brunswick (Canada), ainsi qu'une méthode hydrobiologique. Parmi les méthodes hydrologiques, on retrouve la méthode de Tennant, celle de 25% du débit moyen annuel (DMA), la méthode du débit médian (Q50) mensuel, 90% du débit classé (Q90) et la méthode basée sur l'analyse statistique de fréquence des débits faibles (7Q10). La méthode hydrobiologique utilisée dans la présente étude fut l'application du modèle PHABSIM pour le saumon Atlantique juvénile. Ce modèle est calibré en utilisant les données de vitesse d'écoulement (V), profondeur d'eau (D) et grosseur du substrat (S) pour trois différents débits. L'application des méthodes hydrologiques a démontré que certaines méthodes telle que la méthode Tennant, 25% DMA et la méthode du débit médian, donnent des résultats similaires surtout en période d'étiage. D'autre part, deux méthodes en particulier, soit la méthode de 90% du débit classé et celle basée sur une analyse statistique des débits faibles prédisent un débit réservé très faible en période d'étiage.Une modélisation de l'habitat physique du ruisseau Catamaran démontre que l'habitat disponible maximal se trouve généralement aux environs du débit moyen. De plus, il a été observé qu'en appliquant les modèles hydrologiques, l'habitat disponible était réduit par rapport à l'habitat maximum prédit par PHABSIM. En effet, l'habitat résultant de l'application de Tennant (30% DMA) et du 25% DMA représente environ 70% de l'habitat disponible maximum. Le débit calculé par la méthode du débit médian correspond à un habitat qui n'est que de 50% de l'habitat disponible maximum, tandis que les méthodes basées sur 90% du débit classé et l'analyse statistique des débits faibles ne représentent plus que des habitats de l'ordre de 20% à 40% de l'habitat disponible maximum. L'application de ces deux dernières méthodes laisse beaucoup de doute sur le niveau de protection des habitats aquatiques qu'elles procurent et il a été jugé utile de ne pas les recommander pour l'évaluation du débit réservé dans la région d'étude. Les autres méthodes (Tennant, 25% DMA et Q50) peuvent être utilisées. Cependant, l'application de la méthode du débit médian, qui peut donner des résultats proches de 50% de l'habitat disponible maximum, doit être appliquée avec précaution.Many techniques exist to calculate instream flow requirements. This study considers hydrologically-based techniques and hydrobiological or habitat preference methods. The hydrologically-based techniques use only historical streamflow data, and require little or no field work. Conversely, the habitat preference methods require knowledge of the specific hydraulic conditions of the studied water course and the habitat preferences of the relevant fish species.Five hydrologically-based methods and one habitat preference method were applied to Catamaran Brook, a small drainage basin in New Brunswick, Canada. The hydrologically-based techniques included the Tennant Method, the 25% Mean Annual Flow (MAF), the median monthly flow (Q50), the 90% flow duration method (Q90) and a low-flow frequency method (7Q10). The habitat preference method studied was the PHABSIM model applied for Atlantic salmon.The PHABSIM model was calibrated using the hydraulic characteristics of water depth (D), velocity (V) and substrate (S) for three flows. It was then used to calculate the same physical habitat parameters (D,V,S) for other discharges. The hydraulic results were used with habitat preference (suitability curves) to calculate the potential habitat or weighted usable area (WUA).The application of hydrologically-based in-stream flow techniques showed that methods such as Tennant, 25% MAF and the median monthly flow method provided similar results, especially during low flow periods. The in-stream flow requirement calculated by Tennant Method (30% MAF) was 0.20 m3·s-1, and the 25% MAF represented a value of 0.16 m3·s-1. The application of the Q50 approach yielded results of 0.13 m3·s-1 for the month of August with higher values for other months. In contrast, the 90% flow duration and the low-flow frequency methods established very low discharge for in-stream flow requirements during low-flow periods. The lowest Q90 observed was in September at 0.050 m3·s-1 whereas the months of August, July, October, February and March all showed results slightly higher than September but still lower than 0.10 m3·s-1. The method that calculated the lowest in-stream flow value was the 7Q10 (low-flow frequency) Method with a discharge of only 0.037 m3·s-1. These results (Q90 and 7Q10) represent significantly lower in-stream flow values compared to the Tennant, 25% MAF and the Q50 methods.The application of a habitat model (PHABSIM) at Catamaran Brook showed that the maximum available habitat, expressed as weighted usable area (WUA), was observed at a discharge close to the mean annual flow. Results also showed more habitat for salmon parr than for fry at maximum available habitat (optimal habitat), and this optimal habitat was at a higher flow for parr than for fry. The results from hydrologically-based methods were compared to the maximum value derived from the PHABSIM method. This comparative study showed that habitat was reduced by 30% to 80% of the maximum WUA calculated by PHABSIM depending upon which hydrologically-based in-stream flow technique was applied. Habitat (WUA) resulting from the Tennant and the 25% MAF methods derived flows represents approximately 70% of the maximum available habitat. Results from the application of the median monthly flow method (Q50) showed in-stream flow providing over 50% of maximum available habitat. The 90% flow duration method and low-flow frequency method (7Q10) showed habitat values in the range of 20% to 40% of maximum. The application of these latter two methods clearly limits the available habitat for the protection of aquatic resources and they were therefore not recommended for use in in-stream flow studies in this region. Instead, methods such as Tennant and 25% MAF should be used. The Q50 method may be used with caution as its use results in habitat availability slightly over 50% of maximum WUA

Demonstrating the Threat of Hardware Trojans in Wireless Sensor Networks

As the demand for cheaper electronic devices has increased, the location of manufacturing foundries has changed, sometimes to untrusted places in foreign countries. Some of these locations have limited oversight of the manufacturing of complicated and sensitive electronic components including integrated circuits (ICs). The integrated circuits are key component in all current electronic devices and can be modified to be malicious or to monitor the functions of their applications. These malicious modifications on the ICs are called hardware trojans (HWTs). HWTs an be designed to quietly monitor, to actively send out sensitive information, or to destroy their host device completely. The idea of hardware trojans in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has not been investigated before; thus, our goal is to demonstrate the potential threat that hardware trojans pose for sensor networks. This is important to study, given that in WSNs hundreds of sensors are deployed and in most cases left unattended, which gives the opportunity to an attacker to trigger a HWT on the sensors. For our investigation, we used TelosB sensors that have been used for some WSN applications. An attacker in a network can, for example, take advantage of the SPI bus that is used by the radio to eavesdrop messages and even disrupt communications completely. Currently, security breaches through software is given great importance in the WSN academic and research community. Our research shows that the same level of importance must be given to attacks through hardware to ensure a trusted and secure network

The Minimal Length of a Lagrangian Cobordism between Legendrians

To investigate the rigidity and flexibility of Lagrangian cobordisms between Legendrian submanifolds, we investigate the minimal length of such a cobordism, which is a $1$-dimensional measurement of the non-cylindrical portion of the cobordism. Our primary tool is a set of real-valued capacities for a Legendrian submanifold, which are derived from a filtered version of Legendrian Contact Homology. Relationships between capacities of Legendrians at the ends of a Lagrangian cobordism yield lower bounds on the length of the cobordism. We apply the capacities to Lagrangian cobordisms realizing vertical dilations (which may be arbitrarily short) and contractions (whose lengths are bounded below). We also study the interaction between length and the linking of multiple cobordisms as well as the lengths of cobordisms derived from non-trivial loops of Legendrian isotopies.Comment: 33 pages, 9 figures. v2: Minor corrections in response to referee comments. More general statement in Proposition 3.3 and some reorganization at the end of Section