563 research outputs found
Field-scale validation of an automated soil nitrate extraction and measurement system
One of the many gaps that needs to be solved by precision agriculture technologies is the availability of an economic, automated, on-the-go mapping system that can be used to obtain intensive and accurate ‘real-time’ data on the levels of nitrate nitrogen (NO3–N) in the soil. A soil nitrate mapping system (SNMS) has been developed to provide a way to collect such data. This study was done to provide extensive field-scale validation testing of the system’s nitrate extraction and measurement sub-unit (NEMS) in two crop (wheat and carrot) production systems. Field conditions included conventional tillage (CT) versus no tillage (NT), inorganic versus organic fertilizer application, four soil groups and three points in time throughout the season. Detailed data analysis showed that: (i) the level of agreement, as measured by root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and coefficient of efficiency (CE), between NEMS soil NO3–N and standard laboratory soil NO3–N measurements was excellent; (ii) at the field-scale, there was little practical difference when using either integer or real number data processing; (iii) regression equations can be used to enable field measurements of soil NO3–N using the NEMS to be obtained with laboratory accuracy; (iv) future designs of the SNMS’s control system can continue to use cheaper integer chip technology for processing the nitrate ion-selective electrode (NO3 -–ISE) readings; and (v) future designs of the SNMS would not need a soil moisture sensor, ultimately saving on manufacturing costs of a more simple syste
Ultrafast (but Many-Body) Relaxation in a Low-Density Electron Glass
We present a study of the relaxation dynamics of the photoexcited
conductivity of the impurity states in the low-density electronic glass,
phosphorous-doped silicon Si:P. Using optical pump-terahertz probe spectroscopy
we find strongly temperature and fluence dependent glassy power-law relaxation
occurring over sub-ns time scales. Such behavior is in contrast to the much
longer time scales found in higher electron density glassy systems. We also
find evidence for both multi-particle relaxation mechanisms and/or coupling to
electronic collective modes and a low temperature quantum relaxational regime.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Appeared in Phys. Rev. Let
Set-membership estimation from poor quality data sets: modelling ammonia volatilisation in flooded rice systems
A set-membership (bounded-error) estimation approach can handle small and poor quality data sets as it does not require testing of statistical assumptions which is possible only with large informative data sets. Thus, set-membership estimation can be a good tool in the modelling of agri-environmental systems, which typically suffers from limited and poor quality observational data sets. The objectives of the paper are (i) to demonstrate how six parameters in an agri-environmental model, developed to estimate NH3 volatilisation in flooded rice systems, were estimated based on two data sets using a set-membership approach, and (ii) to compare the set-membership approach with conventional non-linear least-squares methods. Results showed that the set-membership approach is efficient in retrieving feasible parameter-vectors compared with non-linear least-squares methods. The set of feasible parameter-vectors allows the formation of a dispersion matrix of which the eigenvalue decomposition reflects the parameter sensitivity in a region
Aging in a Colloidal Glass in Creep Flow: Time-Stress Superposition
In this work, we study ageing behavior of aqueous laponite suspension, a
model soft glassy material, in creep. We observe that viscoelastic behavior is
time dependent and is strongly influenced by the deformation field; the effect
is known to arise due to ageing and rejuvenation. We show that irrespective of
strength of deformation field (shear stress) and age, when imposed time-scale
is normalized with dominating relaxation mode of the system, universal ageing
behavior is obtained demonstrating time-stress superposition; the phenomena
that may be generic in variety of soft materials.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
On finite -groups whose automorphisms are all central
An automorphism of a group is said to be central if
commutes with every inner automorphism of . We construct a family of
non-special finite -groups having abelian automorphism groups. These groups
provide counter examples to a conjecture of A. Mahalanobis [Israel J. Math.,
{\bf 165} (2008), 161 - 187]. We also construct a family of finite -groups
having non-abelian automorphism groups and all automorphisms central. This
solves a problem of I. Malinowska [Advances in group theory, Aracne Editrice,
Rome 2002, 111-127].Comment: 11 pages, Counter examples to a conjecture from [Israel J. Math.,
{\bf 165} (2008), 161 - 187]; This paper will appear in Israel J. Math. in
201
Aging Relation for Ising Spin Glasses
We derive a rigorous dynamical relation on aging phenomena -- the aging
relation -- for Ising spin glasses using the method of gauge transformation.
The waiting-time dependence of the auto-correlation function in the
zero-field-cooling process is equivalent with that in the field-quenching
process. There is no aging on the Nishimori line; this reveals arguments for
dynamical properties of the Griffiths phase and the mixed phase. The present
method can be applied to other gauge-symmetric models such as the XY gauge
glass.Comment: 9 pages, RevTeX, 2 postscript figure
Localized induction equation and pseudospherical surfaces
We describe a close connection between the localized induction equation
hierarchy of integrable evolution equations on space curves, and surfaces of
constant negative Gauss curvature.Comment: 21 pages, AMSTeX file. To appear in Journal of Physics A:
Mathematical and Genera
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