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Intermixing at the InxSy/Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Heterojunction and Its Impact on the Chemical and Electronic Interface Structure
We report on the chemical and electronic structure of the interface between a thermally co-evaporated InxSy buffer and a Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) absorber for thin-film solar cells. To date, such cells have achieved energy conversion efficiencies up to 8.6%. Using surface-sensitive X-ray and UV photoelectron spectroscopy, combined with inverse photoemission and bulk-sensitive soft X-ray emission spectroscopy, we find a complex character of the buffer layer. It includes oxygen, as well as selenium and copper that diffused from the absorber into the InxSy buffer, exhibits an electronic band gap of 2.50 ± 0.18 eV at the surface, and leads to a small cliff in the conduction band alignment at the InxSy/CZTSSe interface. After an efficiency-increasing annealing step at 180 °C in nitrogen atmosphere, additional selenium diffusion leads to a reduced band gap at the buffer layer surface (2.28 ± 0.18 eV)
Forecast, observation and modelling of a deep stratospheric intrusion event over Europe
A wide range of measurements was carried out in central and southeastern Europe within the framework of the EU-project STACCATO (Influence of Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange in a Changing Climate on Atmospheric Transport and Oxidation Capacity) with the principle goal to create a comprehensive data set on stratospheric air intrusions into the troposphere along a rather frequently observed pathway over central Europe from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The measurements were based on predictions by suitable quasi-operational trajectory calculations using ECMWF forecast data. A predicted deep Stratosphere to Troposphere Transport (STT) event, encountered during the STACCATO period on 20-21 June 2001, could be followed by the measurements network almost from its inception. Observations provide evidence that the intrusion affected large parts of central and southeastern Europe. Especially, the ozone lidar observations on 20-21 June 2001 at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany captured the evolution of two marked tongues of high ozone with the first one reaching almost a height of 2 km, thus providing an excellent data set for model intercomparisons and validation. In addition, for the first time to our knowledge concurrent measurements of the cosmogenic radionuclides <sup>10</sup>Be and <sup>7</sup>Be and their ratio <sup>10</sup>Be/<sup>7</sup>Be are presented together as stratospheric tracers in a case study of a stratospheric intrusion. The ozone tracer columns calculated with the FLEXPART model were found to be in good agreement with water vapour satellite images, capturing the evolution of the observed dry streamers of stratospheric origin. Furthermore, the time-height cross section of ozone tracer simulated with FLEXPART over Garmisch-Partenkirchen captures with many details the evolution of the two observed high-ozone filaments measured with the IFU lidar, thus demonstrating the considerable progress in model simulations. Finally, the modelled ozone (operationally available since October 1999) from the ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) atmospheric model is shown to be in very good agreement with the observations during this case study, which provides the first successful validation of a chemical tracer that is used operationally in a weather forecast model. This suggests that coupling chemistry and weather forecast models may significantly improve both weather and chemical forecasts in the future
Diffractive Optics for Gravitational Wave Detectors
All-reflective interferometry based on nano-structured diffraction gratings
offers new possibilities for gravitational wave detection. We investigate an
all-reflective Fabry-Perot interferometer concept in 2nd order Littrow mount.
The input-output relations for such a resonator are derived treating the
grating coupler by means of a scattering matrix formalism. A low loss
dielectric reflection grating has been designed and manufactured to test the
properties of such a grating cavity
Studies on Sensitivity Reduction in Solo and Mixture Treatments and Fungicide-Induced Mutagenesis in \u3ci\u3eMonilinia fructicola\u3c/i\u3e
Three fungicide-sensitive Monilinia fructicola isolates were exposed in weekly transfers of mycelia to a dose gradient of a DMI and a QoI fungicide (azoxystrobin) in solo or mixture treatments and fungicide sensitivity as well as genetic changes were assessed. Isolates showed a faster reduction in sensitivity (higher resistance factors) to azoxystrobin than to SYP-Z048; this process was slower in the mixture treatment. The decrease of fungicide sensitivity was not a heritable trait. Genomic mutagenesis at 8 of 15 microsatellite loci was evidenced in one of three isolates tested after exposure to azoxystrobin. These non-coding regions of the genome either showed single repeat additions or deletions, or large insertions or deletions, suggesting sublethal exposure to azoxystrobin may increase the rate of genomic mutagenesis. Mutagenesis was only observed after exposure to azoxystrobin, which may be dependent on the mode of action of this fungicide, however, more rigorous experimentation is needed before such conclusions can be drawn from these results
Conformational Mechanics of Polymer Adsorption Transitions at Attractive Substrates
Conformational phases of a semiflexible off-lattice homopolymer model near an
attractive substrate are investigated by means of multicanonical computer
simulations. In our polymer-substrate model, nonbonded pairs of monomers as
well as monomers and the substrate interact via attractive van der Waals
forces. To characterize conformational phases of this hybrid system, we analyze
thermal fluctuations of energetic and structural quantities, as well as
adequate docking parameters. Introducing a solvent parameter related to the
strength of the surface attraction, we construct and discuss the
solubility-temperature phase diagram. Apart from the main phases of adsorbed
and desorbed conformations, we identify several other phase transitions such as
the freezing transition between energy-dominated crystalline low-temperature
structures and globular entropy-dominated conformations.Comment: 13 pages, 15 figure
Hydrology and Meteorology of the Central Alaskan Arctic: Data Collection and Analysis
The availability of environmental data for unpopulated areas of Alaska can best be described as
sparse; however, these areas have resource development potential. The central Alaskan Arctic
region north of the Brooks Range (referred to as the North Slope) is no exception in terms of
both environmental data and resource potential. This area was the focus of considerable oil/gas
exploration immediately following World War II. Unfortunately, very little environmental data
were collected in parallel with the exploration. Soon after the oil discovery at Prudhoe Bay in
November 1968, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) started collecting discharge data at three
sites in the neighborhood of Prudhoe Bay and one small watershed near Barrow. However, little
complementary meteorological data (like precipitation) were collected to support the streamflow
observations. In 1985, through a series of funded research projects, researchers at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Water and Environmental Research Center (WERC), began
installing meteorological stations on the North Slope in the central Alaskan Arctic. The number
of stations installed ranged from 1 in 1985 to 3 in 1986, 12 in 1996, 24 in 2006, 23 in 2010, and
7 in 2014. Researchers from WERC also collected hydrological data at the following streams:
Imnavait Creek (1985 to present), Upper Kuparuk River (1993 to present), Putuligayuk River
(1999 to present, earlier gauged by USGS), Kadleroshilik River (2006 to 2010), Shaviovik River
(2006 to 2010), No Name River (2006 to 2010), Chandler River (2009 to 2013), Anaktuvuk
River (2009 to 2013), Lower Itkillik River (2012 to 2013), and Upper Itkillik River (2009 to
2013). These catchments vary in size, and runoff generation can emanate from the coastal plain,
the foothills or mountains, or any combination of these locations. Snowmelt runoff in late
May/early June is the most significant hydrological event of the year, except at small watersheds.
For these watersheds, rain/mixed snow events in July and August have produced the floods of
record. Ice jams are a major concern, especially in the larger river systems. Solid cold season
precipitation is mostly uniform over the area, while warm season precipitation is greater in the
mountains and foothills than on the coastal plain (roughly 3:2:1, mountains:foothills:
coastal plain).The results reported here are primarily for the drainages of the Itkillik, Anaktuvuk,
and Chandler River basins, where a proposed transportation corridor is being considered. Results
for 2011 and before can be found in earlier reports.ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... i
LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ v
LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... x
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND DISCLAIMER ........................................................................ xiii
CONVERSION FACTORS, UNITS, WATER QUALITY UNITS, VERTICAL AND
HORIZONTAL DATUM, ABBREVIATIONS, AND SYMBOLS ........................................... xiv
ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS, AND SYMBOLS .............................................................. xvi
1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
2 PRIOR RELATED PUBLICATIONS .................................................................................... 5
3 STUDY AREA ........................................................................................................................ 7
4 PREVIOUS STUDIES .......................................................................................................... 11
5 METHODOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT .............................................................................. 15
5.1 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler ................................................................................. 17
5.2 Discharge Measurements ............................................................................................... 17
5.3 Suspended Sediments ..................................................................................................... 20
5.3.1 River Sediment ........................................................................................................ 21
5.3.2 Suspended Sediment Observations ......................................................................... 21
5.3.3 Suspended Sediment Discharge .............................................................................. 22
5.3.4 Turbidity ................................................................................................................. 23
5.3.5 Bed Sediment Distribution ...................................................................................... 23
5.3.6 Suspended Sediment Grain-Size Distribution ........................................................ 24
6 RESULTS .............................................................................................................................. 25
6.1 Air Temperature and Relative Humidity ........................................................................ 25
6.2 Wind Speed and Direction ............................................................................................. 30
6.3 Net Radiation .................................................................................................................. 38
6.4 Warm Season Precipitation ............................................................................................ 40
6.5 Cold Season Precipitation .............................................................................................. 46
6.6 Annual Precipitation ....................................................................................................... 52
6.7 Soil ................................................................................................................................. 55
6.7.1 Soil Temperature ..................................................................................................... 56
6.7.1.1 Results ................................................................................................................. 57
6.7.2 Soil Moisture ........................................................................................................... 60
6.7.2.1 Results ................................................................................................................. 61
6.8 North Slope Climatology ............................................................................................... 63
6.8.1 Air Temperature ...................................................................................................... 63
6.8.2 Precipitation ............................................................................................................ 65
6.8.2.1 Warm Season Precipitation ................................................................................. 65
6.8.2.2 Cold Season Precipitation ................................................................................... 68
6.8.2.3 Annual Total Precipitation .................................................................................. 70
6.9 Surface Water Hydrology ............................................................................................... 72
6.9.1 Itkillik River ............................................................................................................ 73
6.9.2 Upper Itkillik River ................................................................................................. 74
6.9.2.1 Dye Trace Results, Upper Itkillik River .............................................................. 81
6.9.3 Lower Itkillik River 2013 Breakup and Spring Flood ............................................ 84
6.9.4 Anaktuvuk River ..................................................................................................... 91
6.9.5 Chandler River ...................................................................................................... 100
6.9.6 Additional Field Observations .............................................................................. 107
6.10 River Sediment Results ................................................................................................ 117
6.10.1 Correlation between Isco and Depth-Integrated Samples ..................................... 117
6.10.2 Suspended Sediment Rating Curves ..................................................................... 118
6.10.3 Suspended Sediment Concentrations .................................................................... 119
6.10.4 Suspended Sediment Discharge ............................................................................ 125
6.10.5 Turbidity ............................................................................................................... 129
6.10.6 Bed Sediment Distribution .................................................................................... 134
6.10.7 Suspended Sediment Grain-Size Distribution ...................................................... 136
7 HYDROLOGIC ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. 139
7.1 Precipitation Frequency Analysis ................................................................................. 139
7.2 Manning’s Roughness Coefficient (n) Calculations Revisited .................................... 142
7.3 Hydrological Modeling ................................................................................................ 147
8 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................. 157
9 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 163
10 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................... 169
Appendix A – Air Temperature and Relative Humidity
Appendix B – Wind Speed and Direction: Wind Roses
Appendix C – Cumulative Warm Season Precipitation for All Years at Each Station and
Cumulative Warm Season Precipitation by Year for All Stations, 2007 to 2013
Appendix D – Soil Temperature and Moisture Content
Appendix E – Rating Curves and Discharge Measurement Summarie
Quantum-Dense Metrology
Quantum metrology utilizes entanglement for improving the sensitivity of
measurements. Up to now the focus has been on the measurement of just one out
of two non-commuting observables. Here we demonstrate a laser interferometer
that provides information about two non-commuting observables, with
uncertainties below that of the meter's quantum ground state. Our experiment is
a proof-of-principle of quantum dense metrology, and uses the additional
information to distinguish between the actual phase signal and a parasitic
signal due to scattered and frequency shifted photons. Our approach can be
readily applied to improve squeezed-light enhanced gravitational-wave detectors
at non-quantum noise limited detection frequencies in terms of a sub shot-noise
veto-channel.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; includes supplementary material
Improved Laboratory Transition Probabilities for Neutral Chromium and Re-determination of the Chromium Abundance for the Sun and Three Stars
Branching fraction measurements from Fourier transform spectra in conjunction
with published radiative lifetimes are used to determine transition
probabilities for 263 lines of neutral chromium. These laboratory values are
employed to derive a new photospheric abundance for the Sun: log (Cr
I) = 5.640.01 (). These Cr I solar abundances do
not exhibit any trends with line strength nor with excitation energy and there
were no obvious indications of departures from LTE. In addition, oscillator
strengths for singly-ionized chromium recently reported by the FERRUM Project
are used to determine: log (Cr II) = 5.770.03 (). Transition probability data are also applied to the spectra of three
stars: HD 75732 (metal-rich dwarf), HD 140283 (metal-poor subgiant), and CS
22892-052 (metal-poor giant). In all of the selected stars, Cr I is found to be
underabundant with respect to Cr II. The possible causes for this abundance
discrepancy and apparent ionization imbalance are discussed.Comment: 44 pages, 6 figure
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