Determination of Fluorescence Polarization and Absorption Anisotropy in Molecular Complexes Having Threefold Rotational Symmetry

The current work concerns investigation of the polarization properties of complex molecular ensembles exhibiting threefold (C3) rotational symmetry, particularly with regard to the interplay between their structure and dynamics of internal energy transfer. We assume that the molecules or chromophores in such complexes possess strongly overlapped spectra both for absorption and fluorescence. Such trimeric structures are widely found in biological preparations, as for example the trimer of C-phycocyanin (C-PC). Higher order aggregates, e.g. hex-amers and three-hexamer rods, are also investigated and compared with the trimer case. The theory addresses both steady-state and 8-pulse excitation and establishes some links between them. Monochromophoric, bichro-mophoric and trichromophoric molecular complexes are individually examined. For steady-state excitation, analytical formulas are reported for the degree of fluorescence polarization and absorption anisotropy. It is shown that the polarization is dependent on the chromophore inclination relative to the symmetry axis, the relative efficiencies of absorption and fluorescence by chromophores of different spectral types, and the rates of energy equilibration. To assess the validity of the theory, it has been applied to C-PC aggregates. Here it was found that different C-PC aggregates provide practically identical polarization response. For S-pulse excitation we give analytical formulas for determination of the fluorescence depolarization, and also the depolarization associated with absorption recovery, both for a monochromophoric trimer and some particular cases of bichromophoric trimer. More complicated systems are analyzed by computer modeling. Thus it transpires that the initial polarization anisotropy r(t = 0) takes the value 0.4 for all considered aggregates; the long-time limit r(t →∞) has about the same value as is associated with steady-state excitation. We also show that with steady-state excitation the degree of fluorescence polarization is practically equal for various C3 aggregates of C-PC, and that the major factor determining the polarization is the chromophore orientation relative to the symmetry axis

Application of Surface wave methods for seismic site characterization

Surface-wave dispersion analysis is widely used in geophysics to infer a shear wave velocity model of the subsoil for a wide variety of applications. A shear-wave velocity model is obtained from the solution of an inverse problem based on the surface wave dispersive propagation in vertically heterogeneous media. The analysis can be based either on active source measurements or on seismic noise recordings. This paper discusses the most typical choices for collection and interpretation of experimental data, providing a state of the art on the different steps involved in surface wave surveys. In particular, the different strategies for processing experimental data and to solve the inverse problem are presented, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Also, some issues related to the characteristics of passive surface wave data and their use in H/V spectral ratio technique are discussed as additional information to be used independently or in conjunction with dispersion analysis. Finally, some recommendations for the use of surface wave methods are presented, while also outlining future trends in the research of this topic

Engineering Synthesis of Nonlinear Spatial Selection with Artificial Intelligence Elements to Suppress Critical Interference of Background in Aviation and Space-Based Opto-Electronic Devices

The previous authors’ works have shown that the system of quasi-optimal linear spatial filtering, due to the restriction of this class of filters, related to the superposition principle, has very limited capacity to suppress the most critical interference spatially inhomogeneous background. Such partial suppression does not meet extreme approach requirements for providing high probability characteristics to detect small targets in the most difficult background conditions.In this regard, there is a conclusion that it is necessary to find a different approach, in which the result of the system operation in complex background does not depend on the level of the background noise at the input. This article performs an engineering synthesis of the system with the artificial visual intelligence elements, which recognizes a class of the small-sized radiating objects with the suppression of the most critical interference through nonlinear topological selection.Consideration of this problem begins with the formation of the filter-discriminator aperture, which is a basis for this theory, «echoing» with the theory of optimal nonlinear filtering spatial Poisson processes. Thus, formation of the optimized nonlinear filter structure is based on the optimal linear filter (Wiener filter) structure. As a result, there are three versions of filter apertures (4-, 8- and 16-connected ones), with one of which later providing operations of the object shape discrimination. The focus of the article is, mainly, on the 8-connected aperture, as the average in balance of efficiency and complexity option.The article pays considerable attention to development of signs and algorithms to select the objects by size and shape. It shows that selection on a uniform background is possible by the maximum value of the first derivative and to separate the most critical form of Markov’s field inhomogeneities and background brightness, as the fragments of component boundaries of macrostructure background – edges («steps») and targets, you must use the anisotropy coefficients of the first and second order. The result of using the system, most effectively separating of signs, was the formation of the so-called «areas of selection».Mathematical models of the target and interference of parametrically-stochastic approach, as well as simulation on a semi-natural test frame with a fairly complex background «scene», proved the fundamental capability of the synthesized circuits to suppress radically the sources of interference signals, which are tens and even hundreds times greater than the signals from targets at the input. Thus, unlike the method based on optimal linear filtering, this approach allows the nonlinear «blockers» to suppress completely interference previously recognized by topological discriminators.Control sampling of points of the semi-natural frame enabled us to estimate conditional probabilities of a true solution of the target detection problem. The estimate has shown that the obtained probability of missing the target and false alarm are quite acceptable the values that make up a few percent.Obtained results show the incomparable advantages in complex background situation of presented non-linear method as compared to its traditional linear analogues.</p

On a frequency-time analysis of oscillations

The resolving power and the noise resistance· of the computer procedure called "frequency-time analysis", or briefly "FTAN" are investigated. The applications of FTAN to analysis of surface and body seismic waves and electromagnetic waves in the magnetosphere are demonstrated