Co- and counter-helicity interaction between two adjacent laboratory prominences

The interaction between two side-by-side solar prominence-like plasmas has been studied using a four-electrode magnetized plasma source that can impose a wide variety of surface boundary conditions. When the source is arranged to create two prominences with the same helicity (co-helicity), it is observed that helicity transfer from one prominence to the other causes the receiving prominence to erupt sooner and faster than the transmitting prominence. When the source is arranged to create two prominences with opposite helicity (counter-helicity), it is observed that upon merging, prominences wrap around each other to form closely spaced, writhing turns of plasma. This is followed by appearance of a distinct bright region in the middle and order of magnitude higher emission of soft x rays. The four-electrode device has also been used to change the angle of the neutral line and so form more pronounced S-shapes

Adaptive mufti-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm

In this article we describe a novel Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) approach to Multi-objective Optimization (MOO) called Adaptive Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization (AMOPSO). AMOPSO algorithm's novelty lies in its adaptive nature, that is attained by incorporating inertia and the acceleration coefficient as control variables with usual optimization variables, and evolving these through the swarming procedure. A new diversity parameter has been used to ensure sufficient diversity amongst the solutions of the non dominated front. AMOPSO has been compared with some recently developed multi-objective PSO techniques and evolutionary algorithms for nine function optimization problems, using different performance measures

Laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets and solar coronal loops: new results

An experimental program underway at Caltech has produced plasmas where the shape is neither fixed by the vacuum chamber nor fixed by an external coil set, but instead is determined by self-organization. The plasma dynamics is highly reproducible and so can be studied in considerable detail even though the morphology of the plasma is both complex and time-dependent. A surprising result has been the observation that self-collimating MHD-driven plasma jets are ubiquitous and play a fundamental role in the self-organization. The jets can be considered lab-scale simulations of astrophysical jets and in addition are intimately related to solar coronal loops. The jets are driven by the combination of the axial component of the J×B force and the axial pressure gradient resulting from the non-uniform pinch force associated with the flared axial current density. Behavior is consistent with a model showing that collimation results from axial non-uniformity of the jet velocity. In particular, flow stagnation in the jet frame compresses frozen-in azimuthal magnetic flux, squeezes together toroidal magnetic field lines, thereby amplifying the embedded toroidal magnetic field, enhancing the pinch force, and hence causing collimation of the jet

Translocation of heavy metals in medicinally important herbal plants growing on complex organometallic sludge of sugarcane molasses-based distillery waste

This study aimed to assess the heavy-metals accumulation patterns by some native plants such as Achyranthus aspera L., Amaranthus viridis, Basella alba L., Sesbania bispinosa, Pedalium murex L., and Momordica doica, which have been traditionally employed for medicinal and food purposes. The plants were grown on complex distillery waste containing a mixture of organometallic compounds. The results revealed bioaccumulation of Mn, Cd, Fe, Cr, Cu, As, Se, Mo, and Co in their roots, shoots, and leaves in levels higher than the surrounding sludge. A. aspera was noted as root accumulator for Mn (16.95 mg kg−1), Zn (30.12 mg kg−1), Fe (240.4 mg kg−1), Co (3.19 mg kg−1), while Se (4.07 mg kg−1), Mo (4.36 mg kg−1), was accumulated selectively in the shoot of the plant. Similarly, S. bispinosa, P. murex, and M. doica were found as root accumulators for Mn, Fe, and Ni. A. viridis accumulated Cd, Zn, and Cu in the shoot and leaves of the plant. The high bioconcentration factors (BCF) and translocation factors (TF) observed in these native plants (>1) suggested their tendency to hyperaccumulate heavy metals. The findings highlighted that these plants as a potential metal accumulator may pose health hazards and deteriorate the medicinal property if grown on such wastes

Mathematical model for predicting solidification and cooling of steel inside mould and in air

A two-dimensional mathematical model has been developed to describe the solidification and cooling of steel inside the mould after teeming and in the air after stripping. Partial differential equations describing the processes have been discretized using control volume approach. The discretization equations obtained are of Tri-diagonal matrix form, which have been solved using well known Tri-diagonal matrix algorithm (TDMA) and Alternate direction implicit (ADI) solver. The model has been validated by measuring surface temperatures of mould and ingot using Infrared thermo-vision scanner. This is then used to compute charging temperature and solidification status of ingot as function of track time and type of ingot

Synthesis, Spectral and Antibacterial Studies of Binuclear Titanium(IV) / Zirconium(IV) Complexes of Piperazine Dithiosemicarbazones

The reactions of mono(cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV) trichloride and bis(cyclopentadienyl)titanium(IV)/ zirconium(IV) dichloride with a new class of dithiosemicarbazone, derived by condensing piperazine dithiosemicarbazide with benzaldehyde (L1H2), 2-chlorobenzaldehyde (L2H2), 4-nitrobenzaldehyde (L3H2) or salicylaldehyde (L4H4) have been studied and different types of binuclear products, viz. [{CpTiCl2}2L], [{Cp2MCl}2L], ((L=L1, L2 or L3), [{CpTiCI}2L4] and [{Cp2M}2L4] (M=Yi or Zr), have been isolated. Tentative structures are proposed for these complexes based upon elemental analyses, electrical conductance, magnetic moment and spectral (electronic, IR, 1H and 13C NMR) data. Attempts have been made to establish a correlation between antibacterial activity and the structures of the products

ODISHA SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE (OSDI) – ITS DATA MODEL, META DATA AND SHARING POLICY

Recognizing the potential utility and importance of a large quantity of spatial data generated using public funds by the Government Departments, organizations and institutions of the State for good governance and taking into consideration that most of such spatial data remains inaccessible to common citizen although most of such data may be unrestricted and not sensitive in nature and also most of such data generated at different State Government Departments do not have compatibility due to lack of common standards and non-interoperability and further taking note of that Government of India framed the “National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy (NDSAP)”, National Map Policy (2005) and “Remote Sensing Data Policy (RSDP- 2001 and 2011)” to spell out sharing principles of information generated using public funds, Government of Odisha has institutionalised “Odisha Spatial Data Infrastructure(OSDI)”, in the line of National Spatial Data Infrastructure(NSDI)”. The Government of Odisha gazetted “Odisha Spatial Data Policy (OSDP)” in 22nd August 2015, in the line of NDSAP, to institute a policy frame work to facilitate sharing of such Government owned data through OSDI, in open format, for supporting sustainable and inclusive governance and effective planning, implementation and monitoring of developmental programmes, managing and mitigating disasters and scientific research aiding informed decisions, for public good. The OSDI has already been operational and made live.This paper highlights the Data Model, Meta Data Standard and Sharing Policy adopted in OSDI, apart from other institutional / operational issues in smooth grounding and operationalisation of the OSDI in a State framework.</p