Polarized light scattering by aerosols in the marine atmospheric boundary layer

The intensity and polarization of light scattered from marine aerosols affect visibility and contrast in the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL). The polarization properties of scattered light in the MABL vary with size, refractive index, number distributions, and environmental conditions. Laboratory measurements were used to determine the characteristics and variability of the polarization of light scattered by aerosols similar to those in the MABL. Scattering from laboratory-generated sea-salt-containing (SSC) [NaCl, (NH4)2SO4, and seawater] components of marine aerosols was measured with a scanning polarization-modulated nephelometer. Mie theory with Gaussian and log normal size distributions of spheres was used to calculate the polarized light scattering from various aerosol composition models and from experimentally determined distributions of aerosols in the marine boundary layer. The modeling was verified by comparison with scattering from distilled water aerosols. The study suggests that polarimetric techniques can be used to enhance techniques for improving visibility and remote imaging for various aerosol types, Sun angles, and viewing conditions

Simplicial Nonlinear Principal Component Analysis

We present a new manifold learning algorithm that takes a set of data points lying on or near a lower dimensional manifold as input, possibly with noise, and outputs a simplicial complex that fits the data and the manifold. We have implemented the algorithm in the case where the input data can be triangulated. We provide triangulations of data sets that fall on the surface of a torus, sphere, swiss roll, and creased sheet embedded in a fifty dimensional space. We also discuss the theoretical justification of our algorithm.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figure

The patchy Method for the Infinite Horizon Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman Equation and its Accuracy

We introduce a modification to the patchy method of Navasca and Krener for solving the stationary Hamilton Jacobi Bellman equation. The numerical solution that we generate is a set of polynomials that approximate the optimal cost and optimal control on a partition of the state space. We derive an error bound for our numerical method under the assumption that the optimal cost is a smooth strict Lyupanov function. The error bound is valid when the number of subsets in the partition is not too large.Comment: 50 pages, 5 figure

High-temperature ''hydrostatic'' extrusion

Quasi-fluids permit hydrostatic extrusion of solid materials. The use of sodium chloride, calcium fluoride, or glasses as quasi-fluids reduces handling, corrosion, and sealing problems, these materials successfully extrude steel, molybdenum, ceramics, calcium carbonate, and calcium oxide. This technique also permits fluid-to-fluid extrusion

A summary of terminology used in tephra-related studies

The word ‘tephra’, derived from a Greek word for ash, is a collective term for all the unconsolidated, primary pyroclastic products of a volcanic eruption. We summarise here the meanings and applicability of this and related terms, including tephrostratigraphy, tephrochronology, tephrochronometry, tephrology, and cryptotephra. These and other tephra-based terms, some of which are erroneous or unnecessary, have been used in a wide range of stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental disciplines and in archaeology

Dental erosion: In vitro model of wine assessor's erosion

The document attached has been archived with permission from the Australian Dental Association. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.Background: Wine makers and assessors frequently experience severe dental erosion. The objectives of this study were to develop an in vitro model of dental erosion caused by frequent wine contact with teeth, and to use this model to assess the effectiveness of a variety of methods which might protect against this form of erosion. Methods: An initial pilot study found that riesling style wine was more erosive than champagne style, and both more than claret. Wine tasting was simulated by subjecting exposed windows of enamel and root surfaces on 50 intact, extracted human teeth to 1400 one minute exposures to white wine (pH 3.2). A variety of dental materials were applied to the exposed windows on groups of teeth prior to erosive challenge, to assess their protective ability. Results: Protective resin coatings and fluoride varnishes protected both enamel and roots against wine induced erosion. A high degree of protection was provided by APF gel, with less by NaF gel. Conclusions: It was concluded that dentists may be able to help minimise erosion resulting from frequent wine-tasting in their patients by the clinical application of one or a combination of these agents at times prior to prolonged assessment periods.Tong Bee Mok, J McIntyre and D Hun

Coherent structures: Comments on mechanisms

There is now overwhelming evidence that in most turbulent flows there exist regions moving with the flow where the velocity and vorticity have a characteristic structure. These regions are called coherent structures because within them the large-scale distributions of velocity and/or vorticity remain coherent even as these structures move through the flow and interact with other structures. Since the flow enters and leaves the bounding surfaces of these structures, a useful definition for coherent structures is that they are open volumes with distinctive large-scale vorticity distributions. Possible fruitful directions for the study of the dynamics of coherent structures are suggested. Most coherent structures research to data was concentrated on measurement and kinematical analysis; there is now a welcome move to examine the dynamics of coherent structures, by a variety of different methods. A few of them will be described

Pose, posture, formation and contortion in kinematic systems

The concepts of pose, posture, formation and contortion are defined for serial, parallel and hybrid kinematic systems. Workspace and jointspace structure is examined in terms of these concepts. The inter-relationships of pose, posture, formation and contortion are explored for a range of robot workspace and jointspace types

MFL homework in Year 9 French: rising to the challenge

The objectives of this article are, first, to describe a collaborative project between teacher educators and a foreign languages (FL) department in a specialist language college and, second, to evaluate its success. The project focuses on Year 9 pupils across the ability range (in four groups) and involves staff in both institutions working together to plan and produce stimulating homework tasks in French, integrated into the spring term scheme of work. Pupils' work and progress were evaluated and their views sought as well as those of participating staff. A classroom-based action research approach was adopted for the project. The article concludes with outcomes, which include recommendations and ideas to increase the effectiveness of FL homework