Techniques for High Contrast Imaging in Multi-Star Systems II: Multi-Star Wavefront Control

Direct imaging of exoplanets represents a challenge for astronomical instrumentation due to the high-contrast ratio and small angular separation between the host star and the faint planet. Multi-star systems pose additional challenges for coronagraphic instruments because of the diffraction and aberration leakage introduced by the additional stars, and as a result are not planned to be on direct imaging target lists. Multi-star wavefront control (MSWC) is a technique that uses a coronagraphic instrument's deformable mirror (DM) to create high-contrast regions in the focal plane in the presence of multiple stars. Our previous paper introduced the Super-Nyquist Wavefront Control (SNWC) technique that uses a diffraction grating to enable the DM to generate high-contrast regions beyond the nominal controllable region. These two techniques can be combined to generate high-contrast regions for multi-star systems at any angular separations. As a case study, a high-contrast wavefront control (WC) simulation that applies these techniques shows that the habitable region of the Alpha Centauri system can be imaged reaching 8 times 10(exp -9) mean contrast in 10 percent broadband light in one-sided dark holes from 1.6-5.5 lambda (wavelength) divided by D (distance)

THE INFLUENCE OF FOLIAR FERTILIZATION WITH HUMIC ACIDS ON THE PRODUCTION OF WHITE CABBAGE

The main purpose of the study was to test the effect of some fertilizers based on humic acids on autumn cabbage,Bucharest F1 in the ecological conditions of the South-West of Romania. The foliar products applied were formulated and obtained by ICPA Bucharest. The biological material was represented by the Bucharest F1 hybrid. The experience included three variants: V1-untreated, V2-foliar fertilization with Deceneu and V3 foliar fertilization with Humifert Plus. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, biometric determinations have been carried out on the eatable organs: height and diameter of the head, the shape index and the degree of stuffi,but also the quantity and quality of the cabbage production. Application of fertilizers led to increased production at the fertilized variants, significant differences were at the variant with the Deceneu product, 132.5 kg/ha and a good accumulation of ascorbic acid, 35.78 mg/100g fresh matter, when applying Humifert Plu

Effect of hirtisation on the roughness and fatigue performance of porous titanium lattice structures

Additive manufacturing (AM) has enabled the fabrication of extremely complex components such as porous metallic lattices, which have applications in aerospace, automotive, and in particular biomedical devices. The fatigue resistance of these materials is currently an important limitation however, due to manufacturing defects such as semi-fused particles and weld lines. Here Hirtisation$^\circledR$ is used for post-processing of Ti-6Al-4V lattices, reducing the strut surface roughness (Sa) from 12 to 6 $\mu$m, removing all visible semi-fused particles. The evenness of this treatment in lattices with $\rho /\rho_{s}$ up to 18.3% and treatment depth of 6.5 mm was assessed, finding no evidence of reduced effectiveness on internal surfaces. After normalising to quasi-static mechanical properties to account for material losses during hirtisation (34-37% reduction in strut diameter), the fatigue properties show a marked improvement due to the reduction in surface roughness. Normalised high cycle fatigue strength ($\sigma_{f,10^{6}}/\sigma_{y}$) increased from around 0.1 to 0.16-0.21 after hirtisation, an average increase of 80%. For orthopaedic implant devices where matching the stiffness of surrounding bone is crucial, the $\sigma_{f}/E$ ratio is a key metric. After hirtisation the $\sigma_{f}/E$ ratio increased by 90%, enabling design of stiffness matched implant materials with greater fatigue strength. This work demonstrates that hirtisation is an effective method for improving the surface roughness of porous lattice materials, thereby enhancing their fatigue performance.Comment: 10 figure

Adhesion State Estimation for Electrostatic Gripper Based on Online Capacitance Measure

Electroadhesion is a suitable technology for developing grippers for applications where fragile, compliant or variable shape objects need to be grabbed and where a retention action is typically preferred to a compression force. This article presents a self-sensing technique for electroadhesive devices (EAD) based on the capacitance measure. Specifically, we demonstrate that measuring the variation of the capacitance between electrodes of an EAD during the adhesion can provide useful information to automatically detect the successful grip of an object and the possible loss of adhesion during manipulation. To this aim, a dedicated electronic circuit is developed that is able to measure capacitance variations while the high voltage required for the adhesion is activated. A test bench characterization is presented to evaluate the self-sensing of capacitance during different states: (1) the EAD is far away from the object to be grasped; (2) the EAD is in contact with the object, but the voltage is not active (i.e., no adhesion); and (3) the EAD is activated and attached to the object. Correlation between the applied voltage, object material and shape and capacitance is made. The self-sensing EAD is then demonstrated in a closed-loop robotic application that employs a robot manipulator arm to pick and place objects of different kinds

Coherent amplitudon generation in K_0.3MoO_3 through ultrafast inter-band quasi particle decay

The charge density wave system K_0.3MoO_3 has been studied using variable energy pump-probe spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and inelastic light scattering. The observed transient reflectivity response exhibits quite a complex behavior, containing contributions due to quasi particle excitations, coherent amplitudons and phonons, and heating effects. The generation of coherent amplitudons is discussed in terms of relaxation of photo-excited quasi particles, and is found to be resonant with the interband plasmon frequency. Two additional coherent excitations observed in the transients are assigned to zone-folding modes of the charge density wave state

USE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN THE MODERN AGRICULTURE

The paper presents a synthesis of soil fertilization technologies, practices, methods, and measures that can be applied by each farmer within his farm, depending on the local specificity, respecting the environmental protection. Intensive farming with high yields requires large amounts of nutrients that the Romanian soil, even the most fertile, cannot fully provide, being absolutely necessary to supplement it with fertilizers.A part of the applied fertilizers are not consumed by crops and can be lost through surface leakage or infiltration water, which can result in aquatic system pollution. Intensification of agriculture by using both organic and mineral nitrogen-based fertilizers has caused surface waters eutrophication and the accumulation of nitrates in drinking water sources, which can generate serious effects on human and animal health.Adopting the environment-friendly agricultural technologies means both increasing the farmers' interest in the use of organic fertilizers and, implicitly, increasing the requested quantities.The manure used for centuries in agriculture obviously cannot ensure this necessity, which has led to intense research to find new compostable raw materials for the production of new fertilizers to provide nutrient needs for crops, safe and environmentally friendly.According to the Rural Development Regulation no. 1305/2013, at least 30% of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development is dedicated to measures that contribute to the achievement of environmental and climate objectives, biodiversity conservation, natural resources protection (especially soil and water), greenhouse gas emission reduction, traditional landscape conservation and agri-environment policies will be implemented through National Rural Development Program 2014-2020