141,837 research outputs found
Some aspects of geological information contained in LANDSAT images
The characteristics of MSS images and methods of interpretation are analyzed from a geological point of view. The supportive role of LANDSAT data are illustrated in several examples of surface expressions of geological features, such as synclines and anticlines, spectral characteristics of lithologic units, and circular impact structures
Doping of graphene by a Au(111) substrate: Calculation strategy within the local density approximation and a semiempirical van der Waals approach
We have performed a density functional study of graphene adsorbed on Au(111)
surface using both a local density approximation and a semiempirical van der
Waals approach proposed by Grimme, known as the DFT-D2 method. Graphene
physisorbed on metal has the linear dispersion preserved in the band-structure,
but the Fermi level of the system is shifted with respect to the conical points
which results in a doping effect. We show that the type and amount of doping
depends not only on the choice of the exchange-correlation functional used in
the calculations, but also on the supercell geometry that models the physical
system. We analyzed how the factors such as the in-plane cell parameter and
interlayer spacing in gold influence the Fermi level shift and we found that
even a small variation in these parameters may cause a transition from p-type
to n-type doping. We have selected a reasonable set of model parameters and
obtained that graphene is either undoped or at most slightly p-type doped on
the clean Au(111) surface, which seems to be in line with experimental
findings. On the other hand, modifications of the substrate lattice may induce
larger doping up to 0.30-0.40 eV depending on the graphene-metal adsorption
distance. The sensitivity of the graphene-gold interface to the structural
parameters may allow to tune doping across the samples which could lead to
possible applications in graphene-based electronic devices. We believe that the
present remarks can be also useful for other studies based on the periodic DFT
New Zealand Building Project Cost and Its Influential Factors: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
Construction industry significantly contributes to New Zealand's economic development. However, the delivery of construction projects is usually plagued by cost overruns, which turn potentially successful projects into money-losing ventures, resulting in various other unexpected negative impacts. The objectives of the study were to identify, classify, and assess the impacts of the factors affecting project cost in New Zealand. The proposed research model was examined with structural equation modelling. Recognising the lack of a systematic approach for assessing the influencing factors associated with project cost, this study identified 30 influencing factors from various sources and quantified their relative impacts. The research data were gathered through a questionnaire survey circulated across New Zealand construction industry. A total of 283 responses were received, with a 37% response rate. A model was developed for testing the relationship between project cost and the influential factors. The proposed research model was examined with structural equation modelling (SEM). According to the results of the analysis, market and industry conditions factor has the most significant effect on project cost, while regulatory regime is the second-most significant influencing factor, followed by key stakeholders' perspectives. The findings can improve project cost performance through the identification and evaluation of the cost-influencing factors. The results of such analysis enable industry professionals to better understand cost-related risks in the complex environment
Identification of a Histidine Metal Ligand in the \u3cem\u3eargE\u3c/em\u3e-Encoded \u3cem\u3eN\u3c/em\u3e-Acetyl-L-Ornithine Deacetylase from \u3cem\u3eEscherichia coli\u3c/em\u3e
The H355A, H355K, H80A, and H80K mutant enzymes of the argE-encoded N-acetyl-L-ornithine deacetylase (ArgE) from Escherichia coli were prepared, however, only the H355A enzyme was found to be soluble. Kinetic analysis of the Co(II)-loaded H355A exhibited activity levels that were 380-fold less than Co(II)-loaded WT ArgE. Electronic absorption spectra of Co(II)-loaded H355A-ArgE indicate that the bound Co(II) ion resides in a distorted, five-coordinate environment and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) data for Zn(II) binding to the H355A enzyme provided a dissociation constant (Kd) of 39 μM. A three-dimensional homology model of ArgE was generated using the X-ray crystal structure of the dapE-encoded N-succinyl-L,L-diaminopimelic acid desuccinylase (DapE) from Haemophilus influenzae confirming the assignment of H355 as well as H80 as active site ligands
Subtropical middle atmosphere dynamics observed by the Chung Li radar
The Chung Li Radar (24.91 N; 121.24 E) has been operating since 1986. A five beam observational configuration was used on a regular basis to study the various dynamics processes in the atmosphere-lower stratosphere height region. Due to its geographical location, the annual Typhoon and Mei-Yu seasons provide good opportunities to study the various interesting dynamic processes such as instabilities, generation of gravity waves, wave mean field interaction, etc. Three dimensional air motions due to these fronts are presented. Special cases of gravity wave generation, propagation and their effects on the turbulent layers are discussed
Assessing carbon-based anodes for lithium-ion batteries: A universal description of charge-transfer binding
Many key performance characteristics of carbon-based lithium-ion battery
anodes are largely determined by the strength of binding between lithium (Li)
and sp2 carbon (C), which can vary significantly with subtle changes in
substrate structure, chemistry, and morphology. Here, we use density functional
theory calculations to investigate the interactions of Li with a wide variety
of sp2 C substrates, including pristine, defective, and strained graphene;
planar C clusters; nanotubes; C edges; and multilayer stacks. In almost all
cases, we find a universal linear relation between the Li-C binding energy and
the work required to fill previously unoccupied electronic states within the
substrate. This suggests that Li capacity is predominantly determined by two
key factors -- namely, intrinsic quantum capacitance limitations and the
absolute placement of the Fermi level. This simple descriptor allows for
straightforward prediction of the Li-C binding energy and related battery
characteristics in candidate C materials based solely on the substrate
electronic structure. It further suggests specific guidelines for designing
more effective C-based anodes. The method should be broadly applicable to
charge-transfer adsorption on planar substrates, and provides a
phenomenological connection to established principles in supercapacitor and
catalyst design.Comment: accepted by Physical Review Letter
Complementary weak-value amplification with concatenated postselections
We measure a transverse momentum kick in a Sagnac interferometer using
weak-value amplification with two postselections. The first postselection is
controlled by a polarization dependent phase mismatch between both paths of a
Sagnac interferometer and the second postselection is controlled by a polarizer
at the exit port. By monitoring the darkport of the interferometer, we study
the complementary amplification of the concatenated postselections, where the
polarization extinction ratio is greater than the contrast of the spatial
interference. In this case, we find an improvement in the amplification of the
signal of interest by introducing a second postselection to the system
Can Anomalous Amplification be Attained Without Postselection?
We present a parameter estimation technique based on performing joint
measurements of a weak interaction away from the weak-value-amplification
approximation. Two detectors are used to collect full statistics of the
correlations between two weakly entangled degrees of freedom. Without the need
of postselection, the protocol resembles the anomalous amplification of an
imaginary-weak-value-like response. The amplification is induced in the
difference signal of both detectors allowing robustness to different sources of
technical noise, and offering in addition the advantages of balanced signals
for precision metrology. All of the Fisher information about the parameter of
interest is collected, and a phase controls the amplification response. We
experimentally demonstrate the proposed technique by measuring polarization
rotations in a linearly polarized laser pulse. The effective sensitivity and
precision of a split detector is increased when compared to a conventional
continuous-wave balanced detection technique
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