Bubbling route to strange nonchaotic attractor in a nonlinear series LCR circuit with a nonsinusoidal force

We identify a novel route to the birth of a strange nonchaotic attractor (SNA) in a quasiperiodically forced electronic circuit with a nonsinusoidal (square wave) force as one of the quasiperiodic forces through numerical and experimental studies. We find that bubbles appear in the strands of the quasiperiodic attractor due to the instability induced by the additional square wave type force. The bubbles then enlarge and get increasingly wrinkled as a function of the control parameter. Finally, the bubbles get extremely wrinkled (while the remaining parts of the strands of the torus remain largely unaffected) resulting in the birth of the SNA which we term as the \emph{bubbling route to SNA}. We characterize and confirm this birth from both experimental and numerical data by maximal Lyapunov exponents and their variance, Poincar\'e maps, Fourier amplitude spectra and spectral distribution function. We also strongly confirm the birth of SNA via the bubbling route by the distribution of the finite-time Lyapunov exponents.Comment: 11 pages. 11 figures, Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Experimental confirmation of chaotic phase synchronization in coupled time-delayed electronic circuits

We report the first experimental demonstration of chaotic phase synchronization (CPS) in unidirectionally coupled time-delay systems using electronic circuits. We have also implemented experimentally an efficient methodology for characterizing CPS, namely the localized sets. Snapshots of the evolution of coupled systems and the sets as observed from the oscilloscope confirming CPS are shown experimentally. Numerical results from different approaches, namely phase differences, localized sets, changes in the largest Lyapunov exponents and the correlation of probability of recurrence ($C_{CPR}$), corroborate the experimental observations.Comment: Physical_Review_E_82_065201(R) 201

Change in the room temperature magnetic property of ZnO upon Mn doping

We present in this paper the changes in the room temperature magnetic property of ZnO on Mn doping prepared using solvo-thermal process. The zero field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) magnetisation of undoped ZnO showed bifurcation and magnetic hysteresis at room temperature. Upon Mn doping the magnetic hysteresis at room temperature and the bifurcation in ZFC-FC magnetization vanishes. The results seem to indicate that undoped ZnO is ferromagnetic while on the other hand the Mn doped ZnO is not a ferromagnetic system. We observe that on addition of Mn atoms the system shows antiferromagnetism with very giant magnetic moments.Comment: 5 figure

Increasing paddy yields and improving farm management: results from participatory experiments with good agricultural practices (GAP) in Tanzania

Rice is an increasingly important commodity in sub-Saharan Africa. In Tanzania, the rice yield gap is as high as 87%, due to a combination of production constraints and sub-optimal crop management. Reducing this yield gap may be partly achieved through the introduction and dissemination of good agricultural practices (GAP). We conducted 18 farmer-managed on-farm trials in Tanzania, to test a set of GAP components against conventional farmers' practices (FP) for two consecutive growing seasons in 2013 and 2014. The objectives were: (1) to understand farmers' capabilities in implementing GAP; (2) to acquire better insights into the merits, relevance and suitability of individual GAP components; and (3) to provide a case study showing that exposure to good practices combined with the farmers' own experimentations can serve to improve and, trigger a positive change in the participating farmers' crop management. Compared to the farmers' own practices, average yield increases of 1 t paddy ha−1 in 2013 and 2.7 t ha−1 in 2014 were achieved when following GAP. These yield advantages were mainly obtained by a higher panicle number, improved harvest index and improved weed control. Farmers experienced difficulties with land levelling, planting or sowing in lines and using rotary weeders, but they were convinced that these technologies are important to boost their rice yields. The case of Tanzania shows that paddy yields can be substantially improved by GAP and that adoption of GAP by smallholder rice farmers can be triggered by stimulating experimentations with such practices on their own farms