Timelike surfaces with zero mean curvature in Minkowski 4-space

On any timelike surface with zero mean curvature in the four-dimensional Minkowski space we introduce special geometric (canonical) parameters and prove that the Gauss curvature and the normal curvature of the surface satisfy a system of two natural partial differential equations. Conversely, any two solutions to this system determine a unique (up to a motion) timelike surface with zero mean curvature so that the given parameters are canonical. We find all timelike surfaces with zero mean curvature in the class of rotational surfaces of Moore type. These examples give rise to a one-parameter family of solutions to the system of natural partial differential equations describing timelike surfaces with zero mean curvature.Comment: 15 page

Age-dependent leaf function and consequences for carbon uptake of leaves, branches, and the canopy during the dry season in an Amazon evergreen forest.

Abstract COS 124-3

Respiration from a tropical forest ecosystem: Partitioning of sources and low carbon use efficiency

Understanding how tropical forest carbon balance will respond to global change requires knowledge of individual heterotrophic and autotrophic respiratory sources, together with factors that control respiratory variability. We measured leaf, live wood, and soil respiration, along with additional environmental factors over a 1-yr period in a Central Amazon terra firme forest. Scaling these fluxes to the ecosystem, and combining our data with results from other studies, we estimated an average total ecosystem respiration (R-eco) of 7.8 mumol(.)m(-2.)s(-1). Average estimates (per unit ground area) for leaf, wood, soil, total heterotrophic, and total autotrophic respiration were 2.6, 1.1, 3.2, 5.6, and 2.2 mumol(.)m(-2.)s(-1), respectively. Comparing autotrophic respiration with net primary production (NPP) estimates indicated that only similar to30% of carbon assimilated in photosynthesis was used to construct new tissues, with the remaining 70% being respired back to the atmosphere as autotrophic respiration. This low ecosystem carbon use efficiency (CUE) differs considerably from the relatively constant CUE of similar to0.5 found for temperate forests. Our R-eco estimate was comparable to the above-canopy flux (F-ac) from eddy covariance during defined sustained high turbulence conditions (when presumably F-ac = R-eco) of 8.4 (95% CI = 7.59.4). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that similar to50% of the nighttime variability in Fa, was accounted for by friction velocity (u*, a measure of turbulence) variables. After accounting for u* variability, mean F-ac varied significantly with seasonal and daily changes in precipitation. A seasonal increase in precipitation resulted in a decrease in F-ac similar to our soil respiration response to moisture. The effect of daily changes in precipitation was complex: precipitation after a dry period resulted in a large increase in F-ac whereas additional precipitation after a rainy period had little effect. This response was similar to that of surface litter (coarse and fine), where respiration is greatly reduced when moisture is limiting, but increases markedly and quickly saturates with an increase in moisture

Delta-doping superlattices in multiple quantum wells

Abstract The quantum conÿned Stark e ect has been extensively used for amplitude modulation. One way of improving the performance of multiple quantum well structures to be used in light modulation at high bit rates is by increasing the Stark shift for a given externally applied voltage. GaAs=AlGaAs multiple quantum well structures containing an nipi delta-doping superlattice, where the n-type doping is inserted in the quantum wells and the p-type in the barriers, are expected to double the Stark shift, according to Batty and Alsopp (Electron. Lett. 29 (1993Lett. 29 ( ) 2066. Such structures have been studied in detail to evaluate their potential for use in the fabrication of optical modulators. It has been observed that the required balance between n-and p-type doping levels is not trivial to achieve due to the presence of interface hole traps whose population depends on the quantum well doping concentration. It is estimated that for undoped quantum wells around 15% of the holes provided by the p-doping are trapped at the interfaces. Photoluminescence measurements, supported by calculations, point out that even though an indirect transition between electrons in the quantum wells and holes in the barriers is present at low temperatures at energies below the quantum well fundamental transition energy, at room temperature such a transition is absent and the observed optical emission occurs at essentially the same energy as that of an equivalent undoped structure

Respiration From a Tropical Forest Ecosystem: Partitioning of Sources and Low Carbon Use Efficiency

Understanding how tropical forest carbon balance will respond to global change requires knowledge of individual heterotrophic and autotrophic respiratory sources, together with factors that control respiratory variability. We measured leaf, live wood, and soil respiration, along with additional environmental factors over a 1-yr period in a Central Amazon terra firme forest. Scaling these fluxes to the ecosystem, and combining our data with results from other studies, we estimated an average total ecosystem respiration (Reco) of 7.8 μmol·m−2·s−1. Average estimates (per unit ground area) for leaf, wood, soil, total heterotrophic, and total autotrophic respiration were 2.6, 1.1, 3.2, 5.6, and 2.2 μmol·m−2·s−1, respectively. Comparing autotrophic respiration with net primary production (NPP) estimates indicated that only ∼30% of carbon assimilated in photosynthesis was used to construct new tissues, with the remaining 70% being respired back to the atmosphere as autotrophic respiration. This low ecosystem carbon use efficiency (CUE) differs considerably from the relatively constant CUE of ∼0.5 found for temperate forests. Our Reco estimate was comparable to the above-canopy flux (Fac) from eddy covariance during defined sustained high turbulence conditions (when presumably Fac = Reco) of 8.4 (95% ci = 7.5– 9.4). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that ∼50% of the nighttime variability in Fac was accounted for by friction velocity (u*, a measure of turbulence) variables. After accounting for u* variability, mean Fac varied significantly with seasonal and daily changes in precipitation. A seasonal increase in precipitation resulted in a decrease in Fac, similar to our soil respiration response to moisture. The effect of daily changes in precipitation was complex: precipitation after a dry period resulted in a large increase in Fac, whereas additional precipitation after a rainy period had little effect. This response was similar to that of surface litter (coarse and fine), where respiration is greatly reduced when moisture is limiting, but increases markedly and quickly saturates with an increase in moisture