Visibility and aerosol measurement by diode-laser random-modulation CW lidar

Examples of diode laser (DL) random-modulation continuous wave (RM-CW) lidar measurements are reported. The ability of the measurement of the visibility, vertical aerosol profile, and the cloud ceiling height is demonstrated. Although the data shown here were all measured at night time, the daytime measurement is, of course, possible. For that purpose, accurate control of the laser frequency to the center frequency of a narrow band filter is required. Now a new system with a frequency control is under construction

Precise control of hydrogen response of semicontinuous palladium film using piezoelectric resonance method

During deposition of metallic material on a substrate, a semicontinuous film composed of isolated and connected clusters is formed transiently at a few nanometers thickness. The surface electrical conductivity at this moment is governed by the tunneling conduction, and slight subsequent evolution of the film morphology changes the conductivity markedly because of the island connection. When the semicontinuous palladium film is exposed to hydrogen, its morphology changes because of absorption of hydrogen, changing the surface conductivity drastically. This phenomenon is applicable for hydrogen sensing. However, it has been significantly difficult to fabricate an optimum semicontinuous structure because it appears in a very short time during deposition. In the present study, we precisely control the palladium film morphology using the piezoelectric resonance method. In this method, an electric field is excited around the substrate surface using the resonant vibration of the piezoelectric material. The electric field generates the electrical current in the deposited material, and the vibrational energy of the piezoelectric material is spent on it. Because the energy loss depends on the electrical conductivity (morphology) of the deposited material, by measuring the change in the attenuation of the resonant vibration, evolution of the morphology is detectable. Using this method, palladium films with several morphologies were fabricated, and the conductivity change in hydrogen was evaluated. The change ratio of the conductivity significantly depended on the morphology, and the conductive sensitivity to the hydrogen detection with the optimum structure was larger than that reported in the previous study by a factor of 12.Nakamura N., Ueno T., Ogi H. Precise control of hydrogen response of semicontinuous palladium film using piezoelectric resonance method. Applied Physics Letters, 114(20), 201901 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5094917.https://doi.org/10.1063/1.509491

Pattern formation in crystal growth under parabolic shear flow

Morphological instability of the solid-liquid interface occuring in a crystal growing from an undercooled thin liquid being bounded on one side by a free surface and flowing down inclined plane is investigated by a linear stability analysis under shear flow. It is found that restoring forces due to gravity and surface tension is important factor for stabilization of the solid-liquid interface on long length scales. This is a new stabilizing effect different from the Gibbs-Thomson effect. A particular long wavelength mode of about 1 cm of wavy pattern observed on the surface of icicles covered with thin layer of flowing water is obtained from the dispersion relation including the effect of flow and restoring forces.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figure

Graft incompatibility in Prunus spp. preceded by SPAD index reduction.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi mensurar o índice de clorofila (SPAD 502 Plus) em folhas de três cultivares de pessegueiros enxertados em diferentes porta-enxertos clonais, totalizando 68 combinações copa/porta-enxerto, entre cinco e nove meses após o plantio no campo, para qualificar os possíveis sintomas que antecedem a incompatibilidade de enxertia em Prunus spp. Três unidades de observação (UO) com as cultivares copa ‘BRS-Kampai’, ‘Jade’ e ‘Maciel’ foram estabelecidas sobre 18, 25 e 25 porta-enxertos clonais, respectivamente, no inverno de 2014. Como testemunhas, utilizaram-se as respectivas cultivares-copa autoenraizadas (sem porta-enxerto) que, assim como os porta-enxertos, também foram propagadas por estacas herbáceas. Adotou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições, sendo cada parcela composta por uma planta. O índice SPAD foi determinado em três avaliações, entre janeiro e abril de 2015. Os porta-enxertos ‘Mirabolano 29C’ (P.cerasifera) e ‘Marianna 2624’ (P.cerasifera x P.munsoniana) reduziram os índices SPAD nas avaliações realizadas nas três cultivares copa de pessegueiro, que culminaram com a morte das plantas por incompatibilidade. Conclui-se que os porta-enxertos ‘Mirabolano 29C’ (P.cerasifera) e ‘Marianna 2624’ (P.cerasifera x P.munsoniana) apresentam incompatibilidade de enxertia do tipo “translocada” com as cultivares de pessegueiro BRS-Kampai, Jade e Maciel e a morte dessas plantas foi precedida pela redução dos índices SPAD nas folhas após cinco meses do plantio. As demais combinações copa/porta-enxerto testadas não reduziram os índices SPAD até os nove meses de idade, mas necessitam ser avaliadas por maior período de tempo para se afirmar sobre a compatibilidade de enxertia

Ground-state electric quadrupole moment of 31Al

Ground-state electric quadrupole moment of 31Al (I =5/2+, T_1/2 = 644(25) ms) has been measured by means of the beta-NMR spectroscopy using a spin-polarized 31Al beam produced in the projectile fragmentation reaction. The obtained Q moment, |Q_exp(31Al)| = 112(32)emb, are in agreement with conventional shell model calculations within the sd valence space. Previous result on the magnetic moment also supports the validity of the sd model in this isotope, and thus it is concluded that 31Al is located outside of the island of inversion.Comment: 5 page

Leaf nutrient content on seven plum cultivars with grafted by budding or own-rooted trees.

Abstract Several studies have been conducted in Brazil with rooting of plum scion cultivars, however, it is not known the performance and benefits of own-rooted trees at field. This study aimed to evaluate the leaf nutrient content (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and B) in seven Japanese plum cultivars (Prunus salicina) on the 2nd and 3rd year after field planting, whose nursery trees were produced by “T-inverted” budding method over ‘Capdeboscq’ peach (P. persica) or by own-rooted hardwood cuttings. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, factorial 7 x 2 (cultivars x nursery tree types), with five replicates of one tree per plot. We conclude that leaf nutrient content of Japanese plums varies among cultivars; however there is no cultivar that stands out in all macro and micronutrients evaluated. K, Ca and Mn leaf contents, when affected by nursery tree types tested, were always higher in own-rooted trees. However, Mg leaf contents, when affected by nursery tree types tested, were always higher in budded trees on ‘Capdeboscq’ peach. Own-rooted plum trees of ‘Amarelinha’, ‘Blood Plum’, ‘Pluma-7’ and ‘Reubennel’ presented higher Mn leaf contents, in relation to budded trees of these cultivars on ‘Capdeboscq’. Own-rooted ‘Cerejinha’ plum trees have highest K leaf content and also increase the agronomic interpretation class in relation to the budded trees of this cultivar on ‘Capdeboscq’

Numerical and experimental verification of a theoretical model of ripple formation in ice growth under supercooled water film flow

Little is known about morphological instability of a solidification front during the crystal growth of a thin film of flowing supercooled liquid with a free surface: for example, the ring-like ripples on the surface of icicles. The length scale of the ripples is nearly 1 cm. Two theoretical models for the ripple formation mechanism have been proposed. However, these models lead to quite different results because of differences in the boundary conditions at the solid-liquid interface and liquid-air surface. The validity of the assumption used in the two models is numerically investigated and some of the theoretical predictions are compared with experiments.Comment: 30 pages, 9 figure