Smear correction of highly-variable, frame-transfer-CCD images with application to polarimetry

Image smear, produced by the shutter-less operation of frame transfer CCD detectors, can be detrimental for many imaging applications. Existing algorithms used to numerically remove smear, do not contemplate cases where intensity levels change considerably between consecutive frame exposures. In this report we reformulate the smearing model to include specific variations of the sensor illumination. The corresponding desmearing expression and its noise properties are also presented and demonstrated in the context of fast imaging polarimetry.Comment: Article accepted for publication in Applied Optics on 08 Jun 201

Detection of spatially structured scattering polarization of Sr i 4607.3 Å with the Fast Solar Polarimeter

Context. Scattering polarization in the Sr I 4607.3 Å line observed with high resolution is an important diagnostic of the Sun's atmosphere and magnetism at small spatial scales. Investigating the scattering polarization altered by the Hanle effect is key to constraining the role of small-scale magnetic activity in solar atmospheric activity and energy balance. At present, spatially resolved observations of this diagnostic are rare and have not been reported as close to the disk center as for μ = 0.6. Aims. Our aim is to measure the scattering polarization in the Sr I line at μ = 0.6 and to identify the spatial fluctuations with a statistical approach. Methods. Using the Fast Solar Polarimeter (FSP) mounted on the TESOS filtergraph at the German Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) in Tenerife, Spain, we measured both the spatially resolved full Stokes parameters of the Sr I line at μ = 0.6 and the center-to-limb variation of the spatially averaged Stokes parameters. Results. We find that the center-to-limb variation of the scattering polarization in the Sr I line measured with FSP is consistent with previous measurements. A statistical analysis of Stokes Q/I (i.e., the linear polarization component parallel to the solar limb), sampled with 0.16″ pixel-1 in the line core of Sr I reveals that the signal strength is inversely correlated with the intensity in the continuum. We find stronger linear polarimetric signals corresponding to dark areas in the Stokes I continuum image (intergranular lanes). In contrast, independent measurements at μ = 0.3 show a positive correlation of Q/I with respect to the continuum intensity. We estimate that the subregion diameter responsible for the excess Q/I signal is on the order of 0.5″-1″. Conclusions. The presented observations and the statistical analysis of Q/I signals at μ = 0.6 complement reported scattering polarization observations as well as simulations. The FSP has proven to be a suitable instrument to measure spatially resolved scattering polarization signals. In the future, a systematic center-to-limb series of observations with subgranular spatial resolution and increased polarimetric sensitivity (<10-3) compared to that in the present study is needed in order to investigate the change in trend with μ that the comparison of our results with the literature suggests.Fil: Zeuner, F.. Universität Göttingen; Alemania. Institut für Sonnensystemforschung; AlemaniaFil: Feller, A.. Institut für Sonnensystemforschung; AlemaniaFil: Iglesias, Francisco Andres. Institut für Sonnensystemforschung; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Solanki, S.K.. Institut für Sonnensystemforschung; Alemania. Kyung Hee University; Corea del Su

Experiences in teaching Hydrogen Technologies in the framework of the International Campus of Excellence Andalucia TECH

The increasing importance of hydrogen technologies is demanding prepared professionals in the numerous topics related to this energy vector. Apart from some basic and advanced courses given by actual experts in these topics, universities must play an important role in the general formation of future professionals. In this way, the International Campus of Excellence (ICE) Andalucía TECH has created several degrees taught jointly by its participating universities of Seville (US) and Málaga (UMA). Among those degrees, Energy Engineering is the best suited to the field of this conference because this degree provide future engineers with specialized training in energy generation, transformation and management. In relation to hydrogen technologies this degree includes a cross sectional optional unit named Hydrogen Based Systems (4.5 ECTS/112.5 h), which is placed in the last term of the fourth year and sharing space with work placement and mobility courses. This paper will present some author’s experiences as teachers of that unit during its short history of only three years. In spite of being a joint degree, which is coordinated between both universities (US and UMA) trying to give similar contents, it is interesting to highlight the differential experiences coming from the teachers of both universities in relation to the teaching methodologies and academic results.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Stellarator Optimization Using a Distributed Swarm Intelligence-Based Algorithm

The design of enhanced fusion devices constitutes a key element for the development of fusion as a commercial source of energy. Stellarator optimization presents high computational requirements because of the complexity of the numerical methods needed as well as the size of the solution space regarding all the possible configurations satisfying the characteristics of a feasible reactor. The size of the solution space does not allow to explore every single feasible configuration. Hence, a metaheuristic approach is used to achieve optimized configurations without evaluating the whole solution space. In this paper we present a distributed algorithm that mimics the foraging behaviour of bees. This behaviour has manifested its efficiency in dealing with complex problems

A review on additive manufacturing and materials for catalytic applications: Milestones, key concepts, advances and perspectives

Catalysis, a driving force of the chemical industry is increasingly being influenced by additive manufacturing. The link between them is based on the need to intensify catalytic processes in order to make them more efficient and sustainable. Additive manufacturing can satisfy such a need, generating devices with an advanced design, easy production, and great adaptation, in addition to their catalytic functionality. The exponential growth of examples reported on the application of 3D-printing in catalysis has led to the need to compile and analyse these cases and thus establish, through this review, the most in-depth analysis done to date. The manuscript includes a brief background of the history of additive manufacturing and the classification of the different printing techniques. Subsequently, it identifies the intensification of processes, among other aspects, as the key for understanding the union of additive manufacturing and catalysis. Then, it explores in detail how such a combination occurs, establishing the most comprehensive classification to date between the two large groups of printable devices with catalytic properties. Finally, a series of perspectives are proposed in which the most probable courses of new advances in this field of research are identified.O.H. Laguna agradece a la Universidad de Jaén por el apoyo el contrato postdoctoral a través de la ‘‘Acción 6 del Plan de Apoyo a la Investigación de la Universidad de Jaén (2017-2019).

Constitutive sensitivity of the oscillatory behaviour of hyperelastic cylindrical shells

Free and forced nonlinear radial oscillations of a thick-walled cylindrical shell are investigated. The shell material is taken to be incompressible and isotropic within the framework of finite nonlinear elasticity. In comparison with previous seminal works dealing with the dynamic behaviour of hyperelastic cylindrical tubes, in this paper we have developed a broader analysis on the constitutive sensitivity of the oscillatory response of the shell. In this regard, our investigation is inspired by the recent works of Bucchi and Hearn (2013) [28,291, who carried out a constitutive sensitivity analysis of similar problem with hyperelastic cylindrical membranes subjected to static inflation. In the present paper we consider two different Helmholtz free-energy functions to describe the material behaviour: Mooney-Rivlin and Yeoh constitutive models. We carry out a systematic comparison of the results obtained by application of both constitutive models, paying specific attention to the critical initial and loading conditions which preclude the oscillatory response of the cylindrical tube. It has been found that these critical conditions are strongly dependent on the specific constitutive model selected, even though both Helmholtz free-energy functions were calibrated using the same experimental data.The authors are indebted to the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España (Project DPI2014–57989–P) for the financial support which permitted to conduct this work

Corrigendum to "Constitutive sensitivity of the oscillatory behaviour of hyperelastic cylindrical shells" [J. Sound Vib. 358 (2015) 199–216].

An error has been found in Eq. (25) of the recently published paper (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsv.2015.07.031) and the authors wish to correct the record by means of this corrigendum. In summary, the error in Eq. (25) of yielded results in which the shell modelled with the Yeoh material showed a non-oscillatory response for some specific loading conditions. This is not the case, as demonstrated in this brief note. We would like to apologize to the readers of the Journal of Sound and Vibration for any inconvenience this error may have caused

Dynamic Kinetic Resolution of Hetero biaryl Ketones by Zinc- Catalyzed Asymmetr ic Hydrosil ylation

Adiastereo- and highly enantioselective dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of configurationally labile hetero- biaryl ketones is described. The DKR proceeds by zinc- catalyze dhydrosilylation of the carbonyl group ,thus leading to secondary alcohols bearing axial and central chirality .The strategy relies on the labilization of the stereogenic axis that takes place thanks to aLewis acid–base interaction between anitrogen atom in the heterocycle and the ketone carbonyl group .The synthetic utility of the methodology is demonstrated through stereospecific transformations into either N,N-ligands or appealing axially chiral, bifunctional thiourea organocata- lysts.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Grants CTQ2016-76908-C2-1-P, CTQ2016-76908-C2-2-P, contract RYC-2013-12585)European FEDER FundsJunta de Andalucía (Grant 2012/FQM 10787)European Union - Marie Skłodowska-Curie (COFUND—Grant Agreement n 8 8 291780

Acción diferencial de dos formulaciones de azadiractina sobre los estados de desarrollo de Ceratitis Capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Pruebas de toxicidad con dos formulados de azadiractina (Align y Neem-e) sobre Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) realizadas en laboratorio, mostraron un distinto grado de actividad dependiente del producto y del estado de desarrollo de la mosca tratado. A bajas concentraciones Neem-e no tuvo acción ovicida ni larvicida, mientras que Align inhibió la eclosión del 90% de los huevos tratados a una dosis de 4,2 mg/l y a 1 mg/l no emergieron adultos, cuando las larvas neonatas se criaron en dieta tratada. Por el contrario, Align no tuvo ningún efecto tóxico al ser suministrado en el agua de beber a adultos de la mosca, mientras que Neem-e fue moderamente activo, obteniéndose una mortalidad del 100% para una dosis de 50 mg/

Nonlinear resonances of an idealized saccular aneurysm

This paper investigates the occurrence of dynamic instabilities in idealized intracranial saccular aneurysms subjected to pulsatile blood flow and surrounded by cerebral spinal fluid. The problem has been approached extending the original 2D model of Shah and Humphrey (1999) to a 3D framework. The justification for using a 3D formulation arises from the works of Suzuki and Ohara (1978), MacDonald et al. (2000) and Costalat et al. (2011) who showed experimental evidences of intracranial aneurysms with a ratio between wall thickness and inner radius larger that 0.1. Two different material models have been used to describe the mechanical behaviour of the aneurysmal wall: Neo-Hookean and Mooney-Rivlin. To the authors' knowledge, for the first time in literature, the dynamic response of the aneurysm has been analysed using complete nonlinear resonance diagrams that have been obtained from a numerical procedure specifically designed for that purpose. Our numerical results show that, for a wide range of wall thicknesses and both constitutive models considered, the saccular aneurysms are dynamically stable within the range of frequencies associated to the normal heart rates, which confirms previous results of Shah and Humphrey (1999). On the other hand, our results also show that the geometric and material nonlinearities of the problem could bring closer than expected the resonance frequencies of the aneurysm to the frequencies of the pulsatile blood flow.The authors are indebted to the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project EUIN2015-62556) for the financial support received which allowed conducting part of this work