The Adsorption of Atomic Nitrogen on Ru(0001): Geometry and Energetics

The local adsorption geometries of the (2x2)-N and the (sqrt(3)x sqrt(3))R30^o -N phases on the Ru(0001) surface are determined by analyzing low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) intensity data. For both phases, nitrogen occupies the threefold hcp site. The nitrogen sinks deeply into the top Ru layer resulting in a N-Ru interlayer distance of 1.05 AA and 1.10 AA in the (2x2) and the (sqrt(3)x sqrt(3))R30^o unit cell, respectively. This result is attributed to a strong N binding to the Ru surface (Ru--N bond length = 1.93 AA) in both phases as also evidenced by ab-initio calculations which revealed binding energies of 5.82 eV and 5.59 eV, respectively.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to Chem. Phys. Lett. (October 10, 1996

On the basic mechanism of Pixelized Photon Detectors

A Pixelized Photon Detector (PPD) is a generic name for the semiconductor devices operated in the Geiger-mode, such as Silicon PhotoMultiplier and Multi-Pixel Photon Counter, which has high photon counting capability. While the internal mechanisms of the PPD have been intensively studied in recent years, the existing models do not include the avalanche process. We have simulated the multiplication and quenching of the avalanche process and have succeeded in reproducing the output waveform of the PPD. Furthermore our model predicts the existence of dead-time in the PPD which has never been numerically predicted. For serching the dead-time, we also have developed waveform analysis method using deconvolution which has the potential to distinguish neibouring pulses precisely. In this paper, we discuss our improved model and waveform analysis method.Comment: 4pages, 5figures, To appear in the proceedings of 5th International Conference on New Developments in Photodetection (NDIP08), Aix-les-Bains, France, 15-20 Jun 200

Jacobi multipliers, non-local symmetries and nonlinear oscillators

Constants of motion, Lagrangians and Hamiltonians admitted by a family of relevant nonlinear oscillators are derived using a geometric formalism. The theory of the Jacobi last multiplier allows us to find Lagrangian descriptions and constants of the motion. An application of the jet bundle formulation of symmetries of differential equations is presented in the second part of the paper. After a short review of the general formalism, the particular case of non-local symmetries is studied in detail by making use of an extended formalism. The theory is related to some results previously obtained by Krasil'shchi, Vinogradov and coworkers. Finally the existence of non-local symmetries for such two nonlinear oscillators is proved.Comment: 20 page

Precipitation and snow cover in the Himalaya: from reanalysis to regional climate simulations

We applied a Regional Climate Model (RCM) to simulate precipitation and snow cover over the Himalaya, between March 2000 and December 2002. Due to its higher resolution, our model simulates a more realistic spatial variability of wind and precipitation than those of the reanalysis of the European Centre of Medium range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) used as lateral boundaries. In this region, we found very large discrepancies between the estimations of precipitation provided by reanalysis, rain gauges networks, satellite observations, and our RCM simulation. Our model clearly underestimates precipitation at the foothills of the Himalaya and in its eastern part. However, our simulation provides a first estimation of liquid and solid precipitation in high altitude areas, where satellite and rain gauge networks are not very reliable. During the two years of simulation, our model resembles the snow cover extent and duration quite accurately in these areas. Both snow accumulation and snow cover duration differ widely along the Himalaya: snowfall can occur during the whole year in western Himalaya, due to both summer monsoon and mid-latitude low pressure systems bringing moisture into this region. In Central Himalaya and on the Tibetan Plateau, a much more marked dry season occurs from October to March. Snow cover does not have a pronounced seasonal cycle in these regions, since it depends both on the quite variable duration of the monsoon and on the rare but possible occurrence of snowfall during the extra-monsoon period

Towards a new method for kinematic quantification of bradykinesia in patients with parkinson's disease using triaxial accelerometry

We propose a new kinematic analysis procedure using triaxial accelerometers mounted to the wrist in the assessment of bradykinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The deviation of the magnitude of the accelerometer vector signal from the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration is taken as a measure for effective magnitude of the acceleration at the position of the triaxial accelerometer. For low acceleration, two of the three angles describing the orientation of the lower arm can be derived from the accelerometer signal

On a generalization of Jacobi's elliptic functions and the Double Sine-Gordon kink chain

A generalization of Jacobi's elliptic functions is introduced as inversions of hyperelliptic integrals. We discuss the special properties of these functions, present addition theorems and give a list of indefinite integrals. As a physical application we show that periodic kink solutions (kink chains) of the double sine-Gordon model can be described in a canonical form in terms of generalized Jacobi functions.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, 3 table

Vibrations, coverage, and lateral order of atomic nitrogen and formation of NH₃ on Ru(10̅̅10)

The dissociative chemisorption of nitrogen on the Ru(10̅10) surface has been studied using high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). To prepare a surface covered by atomic nitrogen we have used ionization-gauge assisted adsorption. A saturation coverage of θN=0.6 is achieved of which about 30% is in the subsurface region. At saturation coverage a (-1/2 1/1) pattern is observed. Then v ǁ(Ru–N) mode at 41 meV and the v_l_(Ru–N) mode at 60 meV are identified. Upon exposing the nitrogen covered surface to hydrogen at 300 K we have observed the formation of NH3 which is characterized by its symmetric bending mode δs(NH3) at 149 meV. At 400 K, NH3 could not be detected. The reaction intermediate NH is stable up to 450 K and has been identified by its vibrational losses ν(Ru–NH) at 86 meV, and ν(N–H) at 408 meV. The TD spectra of mass 14 show three desorption states of nitrogen, Nα at 740 K (from subsurface N), Nβ shifting from 690 to 640 K with increasing coverage, and Nϒ at 550 K. The activation energy for desorption via the Nβ state is 120±10 kJ/mol. The TD spectra of mass two showed three desorption states at 450, 550, and 650 K due to the decomposition of NHx

Coverage, lateral order, and vibrations of atomic nitrogen on Ru(0001)

The N/Ru(0001) system was studied by thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), low‐energy electron diffraction (LEED), and high‐resolution electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Atomic nitrogen was prepared by NH3 decomposition at sample temperatures decreasing from 500 to 350 K during NH3 exposure. A maximum N coverage of θN=0.38 could thus be achieved. ∛, split 2×2 and 2×2 LEED patterns were observed for decreasing θN. After NH3 decomposition and before annealing the sample to a temperature above 400 K, the surface is composed of adsorbed N, H, and NH species. This composite layer exhibits a split ∛ LEED pattern due to domains of size 4 with heavy walls. This phase decays through dissociation of NH leading to sharp first‐order type desorption peaks of H2 and N2. From the weak intensity of the ν(Ru–NH) stretch mode it is concluded that NH is adsorbed at threefold‐hollow sites. The energy of the ν(Ru–N) mode shifts from 70.5 to 75.5 meV when θN is increased from 0.25 to 0.38

Circumpolar measurements of speciated mercury, ozone and carbon monoxide in the boundary layer of the Arctic Ocean

International audienceUsing the Swedish icebreaker Oden as a platform, continuous measurements of airborne mercury (gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0), divalent gaseous mercury species HgIIX2(g) (acronym RGM) and mercury attached to particles (PHg)) and some long-lived trace gases (carbon monoxide CO and ozone O3) were performed over the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. The measurements were performed for nearly three months (July-September 2005) during the Beringia 2005 expedition (from Göteborg, Sweden via the proper Northwest Passage to the Beringia region Alaska - Chukchi Penninsula - Wrangel Island and in-turn via a north-polar transect to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen). The Beringia 2005 expedition was the first time that these species have been measured during summer over the Arctic Ocean going from 60° to 90° N. During the North Atlantic transect, concentration levels of Hg0, CO and O3 were measured comparable to typical levels for the ambient mid-hemispheric average. However, a rapid increase of Hg0 in air and surface water was observed when entering the ice-covered waters of the Canadian Arctic archipelago. Large parts of the measured waters were supersaturated with respect to Hg0, reflecting a strong disequilibrium. Heading through the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean, a fraction of the strong Hg0 pulse in the water was transferred with some time-delay into the air samples collected ~20 m above sea level. Several episodes of elevated Hg0 in air were encountered along the sea ice route with higher mean concentration (1.81±0.43 ng m−3) compared to the marine boundary layer over ice-free Arctic oceanic waters (1.55±0.21 ng m−3). In addition, the bulk of the variance in the temporal series of Hg0 concentrations was observed during July. The Oden Hg0 observations compare in this aspect very favourably with those at the coastal station Alert. Atmospheric boundary layer O3 mixing ratios decreased when initially sailing northward. In the Arctic, an O3 minimum around 15-20 ppbV was observed during summer (July-August). Alongside the polar transect during the beginning of autumn, a steady trend of increasing O3 mixing ratios was measured returning to initial levels of the expedition (>30 ppbV). Ambient CO was fairly stable (84±12 ppbV) during the expedition. However, from the Beaufort Sea and moving onwards steadily increasing CO mixing ratios were observed (0.3 ppbV day−1). On a comparison with coeval archived CO and O3 data from the Arctic coastal strip monitoring sites Barrow and Alert, the observations from Oden indicate these species to be homogeneously distributed over the Arctic Ocean. Neither correlated low ozone and Hg0 events nor elevated concentrations of RGM and PHg were at any extent sampled, suggesting that atmospheric mercury deposition to the Arctic basin is low during the Polar summer and autumn