Is the `Finite Bias Anomaly' in planar GaAs-Superconductor junctons caused by point-contact like structures?

We correlate transmission electron microscope (TEM) pictures of superconducting In contacts to an AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction with differential conductance spectroscopy performed on the same heterojunction. Metals deposited onto a (100) AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure do not form planar contacts but, during thermal annealing, grow down into the heterostructure along crystallographic planes in pyramid-like `point contacts'. Random surface nucleation and growth gives rise to a different interface transmission for each superconducting point contact. Samples annealed for different times, and therefore having different contact geometry, show variations in $dI/dV$ characteristic of ballistic transport of Cooper pairs, wave interference between different point emitters, and different types of weak localization corrections to Giaever tunneling. We give a possible mechanism whereby the `finite bias anomaly' of Poirier et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., {\bf 79}, 2105 (1997)), also observed in these samples, can arise by adding the conductance of independent superconducting point emitters in parallel

High Speed Solution of Spacecraft Trajectory Problems Using Taylor Series Integration

Taylor series integration is implemented in a spacecraft trajectory analysis code-the Spacecraft N-body Analysis Program (SNAP) - and compared with the code s existing eighth-order Runge-Kutta Fehlberg time integration scheme. Nine trajectory problems, including near Earth, lunar, Mars and Europa missions, are analyzed. Head-to-head comparison at five different error tolerances shows that, on average, Taylor series is faster than Runge-Kutta Fehlberg by a factor of 15.8. Results further show that Taylor series has superior convergence properties. Taylor series integration proves that it can provide rapid, highly accurate solutions to spacecraft trajectory problems

Slicing an Integrated Formal Method for Verification

Abstract. Model checking specifications with complex data and behaviour descriptions often fails due to the large state space to be processed. In this paper we propose a technique for reducing such specifications (with respect to certain properties under interest) before verification. The method is an adaption of the slicing technique from program analysis to the area of integrated formal notations and temporal logic properties. It solely operates on the syntactic structure of the specification which is usually significantly smaller than its state space. We show how to build a reduced specification via the construction of a so called program dependence graph, and prove correctness of the technique with respect to a projection relationship between full and reduced specification. The reduction thus preserves all properties formulated in temporal logics which are invariant under stuttering, as for instance LTL−X.

Características químicas de um Latossolo sob diferentes sistemas de preparo e adubação orgânica Chemical atributes in an Oxisol under different management systems and manure application

O não-revolvimento do solo e a incorporação dos resíduos culturais e fertilizantes alteram a disponibilidade e distribuição dos nutrientes no perfil. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as alterações químicas devido aos sistemas de preparo do solo e à natureza das fontes de fertilizantes. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico, no município de Chapecó (SC), no período de 1998 a 2002. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso com parcelas subdivididas e quatro repetições. Nas parcelas foram avaliados dois sistemas de preparo do solo: convencional (SPC) e plantio direto (SPD) e nas subparcelas três fontes de fertilizantes: nitrato de amônio (NA), esterco de aves (EA) e esterco de suínos (ES), aplicados na dose de 120 kg ha-1 de N. Após o quarto cultivo de milho, foram coletadas amostras de solo em quatro profundidades (0-10, 10-20, 30-40 e 50-60 cm). Observou-se que a adubação orgânica proporcionou aumentos nos teores de P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn e Cu, principalmente na camada de 0-10 cm em SPD. A mobilização periódica do solo acarretou melhor distribuição dos nutrientes na camada arável, reduzindo a formação de gradiente no perfil do solo. A utilização de EA acarretou aumento nos valores de pH do solo, enquanto o NA causou redução com conseqüente aumento dos teores de Al trocável.<br>No tillage soil management does not permit incorporation of crop residues and manure, thereby affecting nutrient availability and distribution in the soil profile. To evaluate the effect of soil tillage and source of nitrogen fertilizer on corn growth and on soil chemical properties, a field trial was carried out on a Red Latosol (Oxisol) in Chapecó, State Santa Catarina, Brazil. A complete randomized block design was used in a split-plot distribution with four replications. The main plots received the tillage systems: conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT), and the subplots, sources of N fertilizer: ammonium nitrate (AN), poultry house litter (PHL) and pig slurry (PS). Those fertilizer were applied at the level of 120 kg N ha-1. After four years, soil samples were collected at 0-10, 10-20, 30-40 and 50-60 cm. The results indicated that the surface manure application improved soil fertility, leading to increases on extractable P and exchangeable K, Ca, Mg, Cu and Zn in the top soil layer (0-10 cm). In this layer the nutrient accumulation is higher on NT than under CT. In NT system it is also observed migration and accumulation of P, K, Mg and Zn at the 10-20 cm soil layer. Soil pH increased with PHL application and decreased with AN application. Exchangeable aluminum increased with AN application