High-performance Supercapacitors Based on Electrochemical-induced Vertical-aligned Carbon Nanotubes and Polyaniline Nanocomposite Electrodes

PubMed Central

Wu, Guan; Tan, Pengfeng; Wang, Dongxing; Li, Zhe; Peng, Lu; Hu, Ying; Wang, Caifeng; Zhu, Wei; Chen, Su; Chen, Wei

2017-01-01

Supercapacitors, which store electrical energy through reversible ion on the surface of conductive electrodes have gained enormous attention for variously portable energy storage devices. Since the capacitive performance is mainly determined by the structural and electrochemical properties of electrodes, the electrodes become more crucial to higher performance. However, due to the disordered microstructure and low electrochemical activity of electrode for ion tortuous migration and accumulation, the supercapacitors present relatively low capacitance and energy density. Here we report a high-performance supercapacitor based on polyaniline/vertical-aligned carbon nanotubes (PANI/VA-CNTs) nanocomposite electrodes where the vertical-aligned-structure is formed by the electrochemical-induction (0.75 V). The supercapacitor displays large specific capacitance of 403.3 F g−1, which is 6 times higher than disordered CNTs in HClO4 electrolyte. Additionally, the supercapacitor can also present high specific capacitance (314.6 F g−1), excellent cycling stability (90.2% retention after 3000 cycles at 4 A g−1) and high energy density (98.1 Wh kg−1) in EMIBF4 organic electrolyte. The key to high-performance lies in the vertical-aligned-structure providing direct path channel for ion faster diffusion and high electrochemical capacitance of polyaniline for ion more accommodation. PMID:28272474

Natural substrate lift-off technique for vertical light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chia-Yu; Lan, Yu-Pin; Tu, Po-Min; Hsu, Shih-Chieh; Lin, Chien-Chung; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Chi, Gou-Chung; Chang, Chun-Yen

2014-04-01

Hexagonal inverted pyramid (HIP) structures and the natural substrate lift-off (NSLO) technique were demonstrated on a GaN-based vertical light-emitting diode (VLED). The HIP structures were formed at the interface between GaN and the sapphire substrate by molten KOH wet etching. The threading dislocation density (TDD) estimated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was reduced to 1 × 108 cm-2. Raman spectroscopy indicated that the compressive strain from the bottom GaN/sapphire was effectively released through the HIP structure. With the adoption of the HIP structure and NSLO, the light output power and yield performance of leakage current could be further improved.

Spatial and Temporal Trends in the Density Stratification of Long Island Sound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchese, P.

2017-12-01

The density structure of Long Island Sound (LIS) was studied using historical hydrographic data. Like many estuaries, LIS suffers from hypoxia during the summer months; a result of the density stratification caused by surface warming and weak wind conditions. In summer, the water column is stratified at both ends (east and west) with a vertically well mixed region near the middle. During these months, the western side of LIS experiences low bottom dissolved from the higher nutrient influx and the resulting oxygen demand. Eastern LIS does not experience hypoxia despite sometimes being more highly stratified than the west because these bottom water are regularly ventilated by incoming higher DO water from outside. Topography and density gradients prevent the low DO water from encroaching to the eastern basin. In the fall, changing atmospheric conditions weakens the density stratification throughout LIS, although in some regions the vertical gradient will persist, sometimes until January.

Vertical structure of Venus polar thermosphere from in-situ data of the Venus Express Atmospheric Drag Experiment (VExADE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller-Wodarg, Ingo; Svedhem, Håkan; Bruinsma, Sean; Gurvits, Leonid; Cimo, Giuseppe; Molera Calves, Guifre; Bocanegra Bahamon, Tatiana; Rosenblatt, Pascal; Duev, Dmitry; Marty, Jean-Charles; Progebenko, Sergei

The Venus Express Atmospheric Drag Experiment (VExADE) has enabled first ever in-situ measurements of the density of the near-polar thermosphere of Venus above an altitude of 165 km. The measured values have been compared with existing models such as VTS3, which has been built mainly with the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Mass Spectrometer (PV-ONMS) data taken near 16˚ latitude, but extrapolated globally. The VExADE density values have been derived from the Precise Orbit Determination (POD) of the VEx spacecraft using both navigation and dedicated tracking data around pericenter passes during several VExADE campaigns. The last campaign has also benefited from the Planetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiment (PRIDE) tracking. The combination of POD techniques has provided 46 reliable estimates of the polar thermosphere density. An independent set of density measurements was also taken by inferring the torque of the VEx spacecraft exerted by Venus’ upper atmosphere on the spacecraft during pericenter passes. This method has provided more than 120 density values in remarkably good agreement with the density values provided by the POD method. To date, the VExADE data have probed a range of 160 to 185 km in altitude, 80 to 90 degrees North in latitude and 5 to 20 hours in local time. While sampling in these ranges is insufficient to establish detailed horizontal density structures of the polar thermosphere a set of important properties can be inferred. First, the densities are lower by a factor of around 1.5 than the densities predicted by VTS3. At the same time, we find the density scale heights of VExADE and VTS3 to be consistent. Second, the density values exhibit strong variability, which is not taken into account in the VTS3 model. In order to investigate this dynamical behavior of the polar thermosphere, the ratio between the VExADE and VTS3 density has been analyzed. The latitude, altitude and local time trends are tentatively identified, but the sparse sampling provided by the VExADE data prevents us from drawing any definitive conclusions. We tentatively interpret the measured densities by a vertical wave-like pattern in the thermosphere with the amplitude of about 40% of the mean density value and a vertical wavelength of about 15 km. The causes of this vertical structure are as yet unknown. In order to improve sampling in this altitude range and thereby advance our understanding of the behavior of the polar thermosphere, further measurements are needed. An opportunity will be offered by the forthcoming aerobraking campaign scheduled for June-July 2014. The altitude of the spacecraft will decrease down to 130 km where the sensitivity of the accelerometer will enable density measurements. Tracking data and torque data may still be used to provide reliable density measurements at higher altitudes (150 to 185 km range).

Natural convection heat transfer in water near its density maximum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen, Yin-Chao

1990-12-01

This monograph reviews and summarizes to date the experimental and analytical results on the effect of water density near its maximum convection, transient flow and temperature structure characteristics: (1) in a vertical enclosure; (2) in a vertical annulus; (3) between horizontal concentric cylinders; (4) in a square enclosure; (5) in a rectangular enclosure; (6) in a horizontal layer; (7) in a circular confined melt layer; and (8) in bulk water during melting. In a layer of water containing a maximum density temperature of 4 C, the onset of convection (the critical number) is found not to be a constant value as in the classical normal fluid but one that varies with the imposed thermal and hydrodynamic boundaries. In horizontal layers, a nearly constant temperature zone forms and continuously expands between the warm and cold boundaries. A minimum heat transfer exists in most of the geometries studied and, in most cases, can be expressed in terms of a density distribution parameter. The effect of this parameter on a cells formation, disappearance and transient structure is discussed, and the effect of split boundary flow on heat transfer is presented.

The vertical structure of gaseous galaxy discs in cold dark matter haloes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benítez-Llambay, Alejandro; Navarro, Julio F.; Frenk, Carlos S.; Ludlow, Aaron D.

2018-01-01

We study the vertical structure of polytropic centrifugally supported gaseous discs embedded in cold dark matter (CDM) haloes. At fixed radius, R, the shape of the vertical density profile depends weakly on whether the disc is self-gravitating (SG) or non-self-gravitating (NSG). The disc 'characteristic' thickness, zH, set by the midplane sound speed and circular velocity, zNSG = (cs/Vc)R, in the NSG case, and by the sound speed and surface density, z_SG = c_s^2/GΣ, in SG discs, is smaller than zSG and zNSG. SG discs are typically Toomre unstable, NSG discs are stable. Exponential discs in CDM haloes with roughly flat circular velocity curves 'flare' outwards. Flares in mono abundance or coeval populations in galaxies like the Milky Way are thus not necessarily due to radial migration. For the polytropic equation of state of the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) simulations, discs that match observational constraints are NSG for Md < 3 × 109 M⊙ and SG at higher masses, if fully gaseous. We test these analytic results using a set of idealized smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations and find excellent agreement. Our results clarify the role of the gravitational softening on the thickness of simulated discs, and on the onset of radial instabilities. EAGLE low-mass discs are NSG so the softening plays no role in their vertical structure. High-mass discs are expected to be SG and unstable, and may be artificially thickened and stabilized unless gravity is well resolved. Simulations with spatial resolution high enough to not compromise the vertical structure of a disc also resolve the onset of their instabilities, but the converse is not true.

Investigation of veritcal graded channel doping in nanoscale fully-depleted SOI-MOSFET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramezani, Zeinab; Orouji, Ali A.

2016-10-01

For achieving reliable transistor, we investigate an amended channel doping (ACD) engineering which improves the electrical and thermal performances of fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFET. We have called the proposed structure with the amended channel doping engineering as ACD-SOI structure and compared it with a conventional fully-depleted SOI MOSFET (C-SOI) with uniform doping distribution using 2-D ATLAS simulator. The amended channel doping is a vertical graded doping that is distributed from the surface of structure with high doping density to the bottom of channel, near the buried oxide, with low doping density. Short channel effects (SCEs) and leakage current suppress due to high barrier height near the source region and electric field modification in the ACD-SOI in comparison with the C-SOI structure. Furthermore, by lower electric field and electron temperature near the drain region that is the place of hot carrier generation, we except the improvement of reliability and gate induced drain lowering (GIDL) in the proposed structure. Undesirable Self heating effect (SHE) that become a critical challenge for SOI MOSFETs is alleviated in the ACD-SOI structure because of utilizing low doping density near the buried oxide. Thus, refer to accessible results, the ACD-SOI structure with graded distribution in vertical direction is a reliable device especially in low power and high temperature applications.

Numerical simulation of current-free double layers created in a helicon plasma device

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, Sathyanarayan; Singh, Nagendra

2012-09-15

Two-dimensional simulations reveal that when radially confined source plasma with magnetized electrons and unmagnetized ions expands into diverging magnetic field B, a current-free double layer (CFDL) embedded in a conical density structure forms, as experimentally measured in the Australian helicon plasma device (HPD). The magnetized electrons follow the diverging B while the unmagnetized ions tend to flow directly downstream of the source, resulting in a radial electric field (E{sub Up-Tack }) structure, which couples the ion and electron flows. Ions are transversely (radially) accelerated by E{sub Up-Tack} on the high potential side of the double layer in the CFDL. Themore » accelerated ions are trapped near the conical surface, where E{sub Up-Tack} reverses direction. The potential structure of the CFDL is U-shaped and the plasma density is enhanced on the conical surface. The plasma density is severely depleted downstream of the parallel potential drop ({phi}{sub Double-Vertical-Line Double-Vertical-Line o}) in the CFDL; the density depletion and the potential drop are related by quasi-neutrality condition, including the divergence in the magnetic field and in the plasma flow in the conical structure. The potential and density structures, the CFDL spatial size, its electric field strengths and the electron and ion velocities and energy distributions in the CFDL are found to be in good agreements with those measured in the Australian experiment. The applicability of our results to measured axial potential profiles in magnetic nozzle experiments in HPDs is discussed.« less

Quiescent Prominence Structure and Dynamics: a new View From the Hinode/SOT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, T.; Okamoto, J.; Slater, G.; Magara, T.; Tarbell, T.; Tsuneta, S.; Hurlburt, N.

2008-05-01

To date the Hinode/Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) has produced over a dozen sub-arcsecond, multi-hour movies of quiescent solar prominences in both the Ca II 396.8~nm H-line and the H-alpha 656.3~nm line. These datasets have revealed new details of the structure and dynamics of quiescent prominences including a new form of mass transport in the form of buoyant plume upflows from the chromosphere. We review the SOT prominence datasets to show that quiescent prominences appear in two major morphological categories: "vertically" and "horizontally" structured. The vertically structured prominences all show ubiquitous downflows in 400--700~km wide "streams" with velocities of approximately 10~km~s-1. Most of the vertically structured prominences also show episodic upflows in the form of dark turbulent plumes with typical velocities of 20~km~s-1. Large-scale oscillations are frequently seen in vertical prominences with periods on the order of 10 min and upward propagation speeds of approximately 10~km~s-1. In addition, "bubble" events in which large voids 10--30~Mm across inflate and then burst are seen in some of the vertical prominences. In contrast, the horizontally structured quiescent prominences exhibit only limited flows along the horizontal filaments. We speculate on the origin of the distinction between the vertically and horizontally structured prominences, taking into account viewing angle and the underlying photospheric magnetic flux density. We also discuss the nature of the mysterious dark plumes and bubble expansions and their implications for prominence mass balance in light of recent models of prominence magnetic structure that find vertical flows along some field lines.

Possibilities for Estimating Horizontal Electrical Currents in Active Regions on the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fursyak, Yu. A.; Abramenko, V. I.

2017-12-01

Part of the "free" magnetic energy associated with electrical current systems in the active region (AR) is released during solar flares. This proposition is widely accepted and it has stimulated interest in detecting electrical currents in active regions. The vertical component of an electric current in the photosphere can be found by observing the transverse magnetic field. At present, however, there are no direct methods for calculating transverse electric currents based on these observations. These calculations require information on the field vector measured simultaneously at several levels in the photosphere, which has not yet been done with solar instrumentation. In this paper we examine an approach to calculating the structure of the square of the density of a transverse electrical current based on a magnetogram of the vertical component of the magnetic field in the AR. Data obtained with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) for the AR of NOAA AR 11283 are used. It is shown that (1) the observed variations in the magnetic field of a sunspot and the proposed estimate of the density of an annular horizontal current around the spot are consistent with Faraday's law and (2) the resulting estimates of the magnitude of the square of the density of the horizontal current {j}_{\\perp}^2 = (0.002- 0.004) A2/m4 are consistent with previously obtained values of the density of a vertical current in the photosphere. Thus, the proposed estimate is physically significant and this method can be used to estimate the density and structure of transverse electrical currents in the photosphere.

Edge effects in vertically-oriented graphene based electric double-layer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Huachao; Yang, Jinyuan; Bo, Zheng; Zhang, Shuo; Yan, Jianhua; Cen, Kefa

2016-08-01

Vertically-oriented graphenes (VGs) have been demonstrated as a promising active material for electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), partially due to their edge-enriched structure. In this work, the 'edge effects', i.e., edges as the promoters of high capacitance, in VG based EDLCs are investigated with experimental research and numerical simulations. VGs with diverse heights (i.e., edge-to-basal ratios) and edge densities are prepared with varying the plasma-enabled growth time and employing different plasma sources. Electrochemical measurements show that the edges play a predominant role on the charge storage behavior of VGs. A simulation is further conducted to unveil the roles of the edges on the separation and adsorption of ions within VG channels. The initial charge distribution of a VG plane is obtained with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which is subsequently applied to a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation system to gain the insights into the microscope EDLC structures. Compared with the basal planes, the edges present higher initial charge density (by 4.2 times), higher ion packing density (by 2.6 times), closer ion packing location (by 0.8 Å), and larger ion separation degree (by 14%). The as-obtained findings will be instructive in designing the morphology and structure of VGs for enhanced capacitive performances.

Formation of temperature front in stably stratified turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, Yoshifumi; Sullivan, Peter; Herring, Jackson

2016-11-01

An important feature of stably stratified turbulence is the significant influence of internal gravity waves which makes stably stratified turbulence unique compared to homogeneous isotropic turbulence. In this paper, we investigate the genesis of temperature fronts-a crucial subject both practically and fundamentally-in stably stratified turbulence using Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of the Navier-Stokes equation under the Boussinesq approximation with 10243 grid points. Vertical profiles of temperature fluctuations show almost vertically periodic sawtooth wavy structures with negative and positive layers stacked together with clear boundaries implying a sharp temperature fronts. The sawtooth waves consist of gradual decreasing temperature fluctuations with rapid recovery to a positive value as the frontal boundary is crossed vertically. This asymmetry of gradients comes from the structure that warm temperature region lies on top of cool temperature region, and can be verified in the skewed probability density function (PDF) of vertical temperature gradient. We try to extract the flow structures and mechanism for the formation and maintenance of the strong temperature front numerically.

Copper Nanowire Production for Interconnect Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Han, Jin-Woo (Inventor); Meyyappan, Meyya (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A method of fabricating metallic Cu nanowires with lengths up to about 25 micrometers and diameters in a range 20-100 nanometers, or greater if desired. Vertically oriented or laterally oriented copper oxide structures (CuO and/or Cu2O) are grown on a Cu substrate. The copper oxide structures are reduced with 99+ percent H or H2, and in this reduction process the lengths decrease (to no more than about 25 micrometers), the density of surviving nanostructures on a substrate decreases, and the diameters of the surviving nanostructures have a range, of about 20-100 nanometers. The resulting nanowires are substantially pure Cu and can be oriented laterally (for local or global interconnects) or can be oriented vertically (for standard vertical interconnects).

High-Stacking-Density, Superior-Roughness LDH Bridged with Vertically Aligned Graphene for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Guo, Wei; Yu, Chang; Li, Shaofeng; Yang, Juan; Liu, Zhibin; Zhao, Changtai; Huang, Huawei; Zhang, Mengdi; Han, Xiaotong; Niu, Yingying; Qiu, Jieshan

2017-10-01

The high-performance electrode materials with tuned surface and interface structure and functionalities are highly demanded for advanced supercapacitors. A novel strategy is presented to conFigure high-stacking-density, superior-roughness nickel manganese layered double hydroxide (LDH) bridged by vertically aligned graphene (VG) with nickel foam (NF) as the conductive collector, yielding the LDH-NF@VG hybrids for asymmetric supercapacitors. The VG nanosheets provide numerous electron transfer channels for quick redox reactions, and well-developed open structure for fast mass transport. Moreover, the high-stacking-density LDH grown and assembled on VG nanosheets result in a superior hydrophilicity derived from the tuned nano/microstructures, especially microroughness. Such a high stacking density with abundant active sites and superior wettability can be easily accessed by aqueous electrolytes. Benefitting from the above features, the LDH-NF@VG can deliver a high capacitance of 2920 F g -1 at a current density of 2 A g -1 , and the asymmetric supercapacitor with the LDH-NF@VG as positive electrode and activated carbon as negative electrode can deliver a high energy density of 56.8 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 260 W kg -1 , with a high specific capacitance retention rate of 87% even after 10 000 cycles. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Experimental study of a fine structure of 2D wakes and mixing past an obstacle in a continuously stratified fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chashechkin, Yuli. D.; Mitkin, Vladimir V.

2001-10-01

Experimental investigations of fine and macroscopic structures of density and velocity disturbances generated by a towing cylinder or a vertical strip in a linearly stratified liquid are carried out in a rectangular tank. A density gradient field is visualised by different Schlieren methods (direct shadow, 'slit-knife', 'slit-thread', 'natural rainbow') characterised by a high spatial resolution. Profiles of fluid velocity are visualised by density markers — wakes past a vertically descending sugar crystal or an ascending gas bubble. In a fluid at rest, the density marker acts as a vertical linear source of internal oscillations which allows us to measure buoyancy frequency over all depth by the Schlieren instrument directly or by a conductivity probe in a particular point. Sensitive methods reveal a set of high gradient interfaces inside and outside the downstream wake besides well-known large scale elements: upstream disturbances, attached internal waves and vortices. Solitary interfaces located inside the attached internal waves field have no features on their leading and trailing edges. A thickness of interfaces is defined by an appropriate diffusion coefficient and a buoyancy frequency. High gradient interfaces bound compact vortices. Vortices moving with respect to environment emit their own systems of internal waves randomising a regular pattern of attached antisymmetric internal waves. But after a rather long time a wave recurrence occurs and a regular but symmetric structure of the longest waves (similar to the pattern of initial attached internal waves) is observed again. High gradient interfaces and lines of their intersections act as collectors of a dye coming from a compact source or from a coloured liquid volume inside the tank and separate coloured and clear areas.

Experimental Study of Internal Waves and Vortices Past 2d Obstacles In A Continuously Stratified Fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitkin, V.

Experimental investigations of fine and macroscopic structures of density and veloc- ity disturbances generated by a towing cylinder or a vertical strip in a linearly strati- fied liquid are carried out in a rectangular tank. A density gradient field is visualised by different Schlieren methods (direct shadow, 'slit-knife', 'slit-thread', 'natural rain- bow') characterised by a high spatial resolution. Profiles of fluid velocity are visu- alised by density markers U wakes past a vertically descending sugar crystal or an ascending gas bubble. In a fluid at rest the density marker acts as a vertical linear source of internal oscillations, which allows us to measure buoyancy frequency over all depth by the Schlieren instrument directly or by a conductivity probe in a particular point. Sensitive methods reveal a set of high gradient interfaces inside and outside the downstream wake besides well-known large-scale elements: upstream disturbances, attached internal waves and vortices. High gradient interfaces bound compact vor- tices. Vortices moving with respect to environment emit their own systems of internal waves randomising a regular pattern of attached antisymmetric internal waves. But after a rather long time a wave recurrence occurs and a regular but symmetric struc- ture of the longest waves (similar to the pattern of initial attached internal waves) is observed again. Results of studying of the influence of obstacles shape on phase struc- ture and amplitudes of attached internal waves field, vortex formation, their structure and characteristics are presented.

Assessing the vertical structure of baroclinic tidal currents in a global model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timko, Patrick; Arbic, Brian; Scott, Robert

2010-05-01

Tidal forcing plays an important role in many aspects of oceanography. Mixing, transport of particulates and internal wave generation are just three examples of local phenomena that may depend on the strength of local tidal currents. Advances in satellite altimetry have made an assessment of the global barotropic tide possible. However, the vertical structure of the tide may only be observed by deployment of instruments throughout the water column. Typically these observations are conducted at pre-determined depths based upon the interest of the observer. The high cost of such observations often limits both the number and the length of the observations resulting in a limit to our knowledge of the vertical structure of tidal currents. One way to expand our insight into the baroclinic structure of the ocean is through the use of numerical models. We compare the vertical structure of the global baroclinic tidal velocities in 1/12 degree HYCOM (HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model) to a global database of current meter records. The model output is a subset of a 5 year global simulation that resolves the eddying general circulation, barotropic tides and baroclinic tides using 32 vertical layers. The density structure within the simulation is both vertically and horizontally non-uniform. In addition to buoyancy forcing the model is forced by astronomical tides and winds. We estimate the dominant semi-diurnal (M2), and diurnal (K1) tidal constituents of the model data using classical harmonic analysis. In regions where current meter record coverage is adequate, the model skill in replicating the vertical structure of the dominant diurnal and semi-diurnal tidal currents is assessed based upon the strength, orientation and phase of the tidal ellipses. We also present a global estimate of the baroclinic tidal energy at fixed depths estimated from the model output.

Ants of three adjacent habitats of a transition region between the cerrado and caatinga biomes: the effects of heterogeneity and variation in canopy cover.

PubMed

Neves, F S; Queiroz-Dantas, K S; da Rocha, W D; Delabie, J H C

2013-06-01

Habitat heterogeneity and complexity associated with variations in climatic conditions are important factors determining the structure of ant communities in different terrestrial ecosystems. The objective of this study was to describe the horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of the ant community associated with three adjacent habitats in a transition area between the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes at the Pandeiros River, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) the richness and composition of ant species and functional group structure changes between different habitats and strata; (2) habitats with higher tree species richness and density support higher ant species richness; and (3) habitats with lower variation in canopy cover support higher ant species richness. Sampling was conducted in three adjacent habitats and at three vertical strata. Ant species richness was significantly different among vertical strata. Ant species composition was different among both habitats and vertical strata and functional group structure was divergent among habitats. Partitioning of the diversity revealed that the diversity for the three components was statistically different from the one expected by the null model; α and β 2 were higher and β 1 was lower than the values expected by chance. Tree density and variation in canopy cover negatively affected ant species richness. The occurrence of different species and the changing of functional group structures in different habitats and strata suggest an ecological-evolutionary relationship between ants and their habitats and emphasize the need to implement local conservation strategies in the ecotones between biomes.

Tuning vertical alignment and field emission properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube bundles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreekanth, M.; Ghosh, S.; Srivastava, P.

2018-01-01

We report the growth of vertically aligned carbon nanotube bundles on Si substrate by thermal chemical vapor deposition technique. Vertical alignment was achieved without any carrier gas or lithography-assisted deposition. Growth has been carried out at 850 °C for different quantities of solution of xylene and ferrocene ranging from 2.25 to 3.00 ml in steps of 0.25 ml at a fixed concentration of 0.02 gm (ferrocene) per ml. To understand the growth mechanism, deposition was carried out for different concentrations of the solution by changing only the ferrocene quantity, ranging from 0.01 to 0.03 gm/ml. A tunable vertical alignment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been achieved by this process and examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopic techniques. Micro-crystalline structural analysis has been done using Raman spectroscopy. A systematic variation in field emission (FE) current density has been observed. The highest FE current density is seen for the film grown with 0.02 gm/ml concentration, which is attributed to the better alignment of CNTs, less structural disorder and less entanglement of CNTs on the surface. The alignment of CNTs has been qualitatively understood on the basis of self-assembled catalytic particles.

Reduction, analysis, and properties of electric current systems in solar active regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gary, G. Allen; Demoulin, Pascal

1995-01-01

The specific attraction and, in large part, the significance of solar magnetograms lie in the fact that they give the most important data on the electric currents and the nonpotentiality of active regions. Using the vector magnetograms from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), we employ a unique technique in the area of data analysis for resolving the 180 deg ambiguity in order to calculate the spatial structure of the vertical electric current density. The 180 deg ambiguity is resolved by applying concepts from the nonlinear multivariable optimization theory. The technique is shown to be of particular importance in very nonpotential active regions. The characterization of the vertical electric current density for a set of vector magnetograms using this method then gives the spatial scale, locations, and magnitude of these current systems. The method, which employs an intermediate parametric function which covers the magnetogram and which defines the local `preferred' direction, minimizes a specific functional of the observed transverse magnetic field. The specific functional that is successful is the integral of the square of the vertical current density. We find that the vertical electric current densities have common characteristics for the extended bipolar (beta) (gamma) (delta)-regions studied. The largest current systems have j(sub z)'s which maximizes around 30 mA/sq m and have a linear decreasing distribution to a diameter of 30 Mn.

Reduction, Analysis, and Properties of Electric Current Systems in Solar Active Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gary, G. Allen; Demoulin, Pascal

1995-01-01

The specific attraction and, in large part, the significance of solar vector magnetograms lie in the fact that they give the most important data on the electric currents and the nonpotentiality of active regions. Using the vector magnetograms from the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), we employ a unique technique in the area of data analysis for resolving the 180 degree ambiguity in order to calculate the spatial structure of the vertical electric current density. The 180 degree ambiguity is resolved by applying concepts from the nonlinear multivariable optimization theory. The technique is shown to be of particular importance in very nonpotential active regions. The characterization of the vertical electric current density for a set of vector magnetograms using this method then gives the spatial scale, locations, and magnitude of these current systems. The method, which employs an intermediate parametric function which covers the magnetogram and which defines the local "preferred" direction, minimizes a specific functional of the observed transverse magnetic field. The specific functional that is successful is the integral of the square of the vertical current density. We find that the vertical electric current densities have common characteristics for the extended bipolar beta gamma delta-regions studied. The largest current systems have j(sub z)'s which maximizes around 30 mA per square meter and have a linear decreasing distribution to a diameter of 30 Mm.

Morphology Effect of Vertical Graphene on the High Performance of Supercapacitor Electrode.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Zou, Qionghui; Hsu, Hua Shao; Raina, Supil; Xu, Yuxi; Kang, Joyce B; Chen, Jun; Deng, Shaozhi; Xu, Ningsheng; Kang, Weng P

2016-03-23

Graphene and its composites are widely investigated as supercapacitor electrodes due to their large specific surface area. However, the severe aggregation and disordered alignment of graphene sheets hamper the maximum utilization of its surface area. Here we report an optimized structure for supercapacitor electrode, i.e., the vertical graphene sheets, which have a vertical structure and open architecture for ion transport pathway. The effect of morphology and orientation of vertical graphene on the performance of supercapacitor is examined using a combination of model calculation and experimental study. Both results consistently demonstrate that the vertical graphene electrode has a much superior performance than that of lateral graphene electrode. Typically, the areal capacitances of a vertical graphene electrode reach 8.4 mF/cm(2) at scan rate of 100 mV/s; this is about 38% higher than that of a lateral graphene electrode and about 6 times higher than that of graphite paper. To further improve its performance, a MnO2 nanoflake layer is coated on the surface of graphene to provide a high pseudocapacitive contribution to the overall areal capacitance which increases to 500 mF/cm(2) at scan rate of 5 mV/s. The reasons for these significant improvements are studied in detail and are attributed to the fast ion diffusion and enhanced charge storage capacity. The microscopic manipulation of graphene electrode configuration could greatly improve its specific capacitance, and furthermore, boost the energy density of supercapacitor. Our results demonstrate that the vertical graphene electrode is more efficient and practical for the high performance energy storage device with high power and energy densities.

a Point Cloud Classification Approach Based on Vertical Structures of Ground Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Y.; Hu, Q.; Hu, W.

2018-04-01

This paper proposes a novel method for point cloud classification using vertical structural characteristics of ground objects. Since urbanization develops rapidly nowadays, urban ground objects also change frequently. Conventional photogrammetric methods cannot satisfy the requirements of updating the ground objects' information efficiently, so LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology is employed to accomplish this task. LiDAR data, namely point cloud data, can obtain detailed three-dimensional coordinates of ground objects, but this kind of data is discrete and unorganized. To accomplish ground objects classification with point cloud, we first construct horizontal grids and vertical layers to organize point cloud data, and then calculate vertical characteristics, including density and measures of dispersion, and form characteristic curves for each grids. With the help of PCA processing and K-means algorithm, we analyze the similarities and differences of characteristic curves. Curves that have similar features will be classified into the same class and point cloud correspond to these curves will be classified as well. The whole process is simple but effective, and this approach does not need assistance of other data sources. In this study, point cloud data are classified into three classes, which are vegetation, buildings, and roads. When horizontal grid spacing and vertical layer spacing are 3 m and 1 m respectively, vertical characteristic is set as density, and the number of dimensions after PCA processing is 11, the overall precision of classification result is about 86.31 %. The result can help us quickly understand the distribution of various ground objects.

Phytoplankton abundance, dominance and coexistence in an eutrophic reservoir in the state of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil.

PubMed

Lira, Giulliari A S T; Araújo, Elcida L; Bittencourt-Oliveira, Maria Do Carmo; Moura, Ariadne N

2011-12-01

The present study reports the phytoplankton abundance, dominance and co-existence relationships in the eutrophic Carpina reservoir, Pernambuco, Brazil. Sampling was carried out at six different depths bimonthly at a single reservoir spanning two climatic periods: dry season (January, September, and November 2006) and rainy season (March, May, and July 2006). Density, abundance, dominance, specific diversity and equitability of the community were determined, along with chlorophyll a, and physical and chemical variables of the environment. Eight species were considered abundant, and their densities corresponded to more than 90% of the total phytoplankton community quantified. Cyanobacteria represented more than 80% of this density. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii was the only dominant taxon in the dry season, and was co-dominant in the rainy season. C. raciborskii, Planktothrix agardhii and Geitlerinema amphibium had the greatest densities and lowest vertical variation coefficients. The statistical analysis indicated relationships with vertical and seasonal variations in the phytoplankton community and the following variables: total dissolved solids, water temperature, electrical conductivity and pH. The changes in the environmental variables were discrete and regulated by the establishment of precipitation however, they were able to promote vertical and seasonal instability in the structure of the phytoplankton community.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eremin, N. N., E-mail: neremin@geol.msu.ru; Grechanovsky, A. E.; Marchenko, E. I.

Semi-empirical and ab initio theoretical investigation of crystal structure geometry, interatomic distances, phase densities and elastic properties for some CaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} phases under pressures up to 200 GPa was performed. Two independent simulation methods predicted the appearance of a still unknown super-dense CaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} modification. In this structure, the Al coordination polyhedron might be described as distorted one with seven vertices. Ca atoms were situated inside polyhedra with ten vertices and Ca–O distances from 1.96 to 2.49 Å. It became the densest modification under pressures of 170 GPa (density functional theory prediction) or 150 GPa (semi-empirical prediction). Bothmore » approaches indicated that this super-dense CaAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} modification with a “stuffed α-PbO{sub 2}” type structure could be a probable candidate for mutual accumulation of Ca and Al in the lower mantle. The existence of this phase can be verified experimentally using high pressure techniques.« less

Effect of the Earth's inner structure on the gravity in definitions of height systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenzer, Robert; Foroughi, Ismael; Pitoňák, Martin; Šprlák, Michal

2017-04-01

In context of the vertical datum unification, the geoid-to-quasi-geoid separation has been of significant interest in recent years, because most of existing local vertical datums are realized in the system of either normal or orthometric heights. Nevertheless, the normal-orthometric heights are still used in many other countries where the normal gravity values along leveling lines were adopted instead of the observed gravity. Whereas the conversion between the orthometric and normal heights is defined by means of the mean gravity disturbances (i.e. differences between the mean values of the actual and normal gravity) along the plumbline within the topography, differences between the normal and normal-orthometric heights can be described by means of the surface gravity disturbances. Since the normal gravity field does not reflect the topographic masses and actual mass density distribution inside the Earth, the definition of gravity represents a principal aspect for a realization of particular vertical datum. To address this issue in this study, we investigate effects of the Earth's inner density structure on the surface and mean gravity disturbances, and discuss their impact on the vertical datum realization. These two gravity field quantities are computed globally with a spectral resolution complete to a spherical harmonic degree 2160 using the global gravity, terrain, ice-thickness, inland bathymetry and crustal structure models. Our results reveal that both, the surface and mean gravity disturbances mostly comprise the gravitational signal of topography and masses distributed below the geoid surface. Moreover, in polar areas, a significant contribution comes from large glaciers. In contrast, the contributions of anomalous density distribution within the topography attributed to major lakes, sediments and bedrock density variations are much less pronounced. We also demonstrate that the mean gravity disturbances within the topography are significantly modified compared to the corresponding surface values mainly due to topographic elevation and terrain geometry as well as the presence of large glaciers in polar regions. Changes of the vertical gravity gradient within the topography attributed to the masses distributed below the geoid (dominated mainly by the isostatic signature and the long-wavelength gravitational signature of deep mantle density heterogeneities) are, on the other hand, relatively small. Despite differences between the normal and normal-orthometric heights could directly be assessed from the surface gravity disturbances only when taken along leveling lines with information about the spirit leveling height differences, our results indicate that differences between these two height systems can be significant.

Equatorial waves in the stratosphere of Uranus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinson, David P.; Magalhaes, Julio A.

1991-01-01

Analyses of radio occultation data from Voyager 2 have led to the discovery and characterization of an equatorial wave in the Uranus stratosphere. The observed quasi-periodic vertical atmospheric density variations are in close agreement with theoretical predictions for a wave that propagates vertically through the observed background structure of the stratosphere. Quantitative comparisons between measurements obtained at immersion and at emersion yielded constraints on the meridional and zonal structure of the wave; the fact that the two sets of measurements are correlated suggests a wave of planetary scale. Two equatorial wave models are proposed for the wave.

Vertical organic transistors.

PubMed

Lüssem, Björn; Günther, Alrun; Fischer, Axel; Kasemann, Daniel; Leo, Karl

2015-11-11

Organic switching devices such as field effect transistors (OFETs) are a key element of future flexible electronic devices. So far, however, a commercial breakthrough has not been achieved because these devices usually lack in switching speed (e.g. for logic applications) and current density (e.g. for display pixel driving). The limited performance is caused by a combination of comparatively low charge carrier mobilities and the large channel length caused by the need for low-cost structuring. Vertical Organic Transistors are a novel technology that has the potential to overcome these limitations of OFETs. Vertical Organic Transistors allow to scale the channel length of organic transistors into the 100 nm regime without cost intensive structuring techniques. Several different approaches have been proposed in literature, which show high output currents, low operation voltages, and comparatively high speed even without sub-μm structuring technologies. In this review, these different approaches are compared and recent progress is highlighted.

High-quality vertical light emitting diodes fabrication by mechanical lift-off technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Po-Min; Hsu, Shih-Chieh; Chang, Chun-Yen

2011-10-01

We report the fabrication of mechanical lift-off high quality thin GaN with Hexagonal Inversed Pyramid (HIP) structures for vertical light emitting diodes (V-LEDs). The HIP structures were formed at the GaN/sapphire substrate interface under high temperature during KOH wet etching process. The average threading dislocation density (TDD) was estimated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and found the reduction from 2×109 to 1×108 cm-2. Raman spectroscopy analysis revealed that the compressive stress of GaN epilayer was effectively relieved in the thin-GaN LED with HIP structures. Finally, the mechanical lift-off process is claimed to be successful by using the HIP structures as a sacrificial layer during wafer bonding process.

ADSORPTION AND DISSOCIATION OF O2 ON Ti3Al (0001) STUDIED BY FIRST-PRINCIPLES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Li-Jing; Guo, Jian-Xin; Dai, Xiu-Hong; Wang, Ying-Long; Liu, Bao-Ting

2015-05-01

The adsorption and dissociation of oxygen molecule on Ti3Al (0001) surface have been investigated by density functional theory (DFT) with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). All possible adsorption sites including nine vertical and fifteen parallel sites of O2 are considered on Ti3Al (0001) surface. It is found that all oxygen molecules dissociate except for three vertical adsorption sites after structure optimization. This indicates that oxygen molecules prefer to dissociate on the junction site between Ti and Al atoms. Oxygen atoms coming from dissociation of oxygen molecule tend to occupy the most stable adsorption sites of the Ti3Al (0001) surface. The distance of O-O is related to the surface dissociation distance of Ti3Al (0001) surface. The valence electron localization function (ELF) and projected density of states (DOS) show that the bonds of O-O are breakaway at parallel adsorption end structures.

Chemical growth of ZnO nanorod arrays on textured nanoparticle nanoribbons and its second-harmonic generation performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gui, Zhou; Wang, Xian; Liu, Jian; Yan, Shanshan; Ding, Yanyan; Wang, Zhengzhou; Hu, Yuan

2006-07-01

On the basis of the highly oriented ZnO nanoparticle nanoribbons as the growth seed layer (GSL) and solution growth technique, we have synthesized vertical ZnO nanorod arrays with high density over a large area and multi-teeth brush nanostructure, respectively, according to the density degree of the arrangement of nanoparticle nanoribbons GSL on the glass substrate. This controllable and convenient technique opens the possibility of creating nanostructured film for industrial fabrication and may represent a facile way to get similar structures of other compounds by using highly oriented GSL to promote the vertical arrays growth. The growth mechanism of the formation of the ordered nanorod arrays is also discussed. The second-order nonlinear optical coefficient d31 of the vertical ZnO nanorod arrays measured by the Maker fringes technique is 11.3 times as large as that of d36 KH 2PO 4 (KDP).

The asymptotics of large constrained graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radin, Charles; Ren, Kui; Sadun, Lorenzo

2014-05-01

We show, through local estimates and simulation, that if one constrains simple graphs by their densities ɛ of edges and τ of triangles, then asymptotically (in the number of vertices) for over 95% of the possible range of those densities there is a well-defined typical graph, and it has a very simple structure: the vertices are decomposed into two subsets V1 and V2 of fixed relative size c and 1 - c, and there are well-defined probabilities of edges, gjk, between vj ∈ Vj, and vk ∈ Vk. Furthermore the four parameters c, g11, g22 and g12 are smooth functions of (ɛ, τ) except at two smooth ‘phase transition’ curves.

Density and pressure variability in the mesosphere and thermosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, T. M.

1986-01-01

In an effort to isolate the essential physics of the mesosphere and the thermosphere, a steady one-dimensional density and pressure model has been developed in support of related NASA activities, i.e., projects such as the AOTV and the Space Station. The model incorporates a zeroth order basic state including both the three-dimensional wind field and its associated shear structure, etc. A first order wave field is also incorporated in period bands ranging from about one second to one day. Both basic state and perturbation quantities satsify the combined constraints of mass, linear momentum and energy conservation on the midlatitude beta plane. A numerical (iterative) technique is used to solve for the vertical wind which is coupled to the density and pressure fields. The temperature structure from 1 to 1000 km and the lower boundary conditions are specified using the U.S. Standard Atmosphere 1976. Vertical winds are initialized at the top of the Planetary Boundary Layer using Ekman pumping values over flat terrain. The model also allows for the generation of waves during the geostrophic adjustment process and incorporates wave nonlinearity effects.

Design, fabrication, and performance analysis of GaN vertical electron transistors with a buried p/n junction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yeluri, Ramya, E-mail: ramyay@ece.ucsb.edu; Lu, Jing; Keller, Stacia

2015-05-04

The Current Aperture Vertical Electron Transistor (CAVET) combines the high conductivity of the two dimensional electron gas channel at the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction with better field distribution offered by a vertical design. In this work, CAVETs with buried, conductive p-GaN layers as the current blocking layer are reported. The p-GaN layer was regrown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and the subsequent channel regrowth was done by ammonia molecular beam epitaxy to maintain the p-GaN conductivity. Transistors with high ON current (10.9 kA/cm{sup 2}) and low ON-resistance (0.4 mΩ cm{sup 2}) are demonstrated. Non-planar selective area regrowth is identified as the limiting factormore » to transistor breakdown, using planar and non-planar n/p/n structures. Planar n/p/n structures recorded an estimated electric field of 3.1 MV/cm, while non-planar structures showed a much lower breakdown voltage. Lowering the p-GaN regrowth temperature improved breakdown in the non-planar n/p/n structure. Combining high breakdown voltage with high current will enable GaN vertical transistors with high power densities.« less

Vertical and Lateral Electron Content in the Martian Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paetzold, M. P.; Peter, K.; Bird, M. K.; Häusler, B.; Tellmann, S.

2016-12-01

The radio-science experiment MaRS (Mars Express Radio Science) on the Mars Express spacecraft sounds the neutral atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars since 2004. Approximately 800 vertical profiles of the ionospheric electron density have been acquired until today. The vertical electron content (TEC) is easily computed from the vertical electron density profile by integrating along the altitude. The TEC is typically a fraction of a TEC unit (1E16 m^-2) and depends on the solar zenith angle. The magnitude of the TEC is however fully dominated by the electron density contained in the main layer M2. The contributions by the M1 layer below M2 or the topside is marginal. MaRS is using two radio frequencies for the sounding of the ionosphere. The directly observed differential Doppler from the two received frequencies is a measure of the lateral electron content that means along the ray path and perpendicular to the vertical electron density profile. Combining both the vertical electron density profile, the vertical TEC and the directly observed lateral TEC describes the lateral electron density distribution in the ionosphere.

Characterization of macropore structure of Malan loess in NW China based on 3D pipe models constructed by using computed tomography technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yanrong; He, Shengdi; Deng, Xiaohong; Xu, Yongxin

2018-04-01

Malan loess is a grayish yellow or brownish yellow, clastic, highly porous and brittle late Quaternary sediment formed by the accumulation of windblown dust. The present-day pore structure of Malan loess is crucial for understanding the loessification process in history, loess strengths and mechanical behavior. This study employed a modern computed tomography (CT) device to scan Malan loess samples, which were obtained from the east part of the Loess Plateau of China. A sophisticated and efficient workflow for processing the CT images and constructing 3D pore models was established by selecting and programming relevant mathematical algorithms in MATLAB, such as the maximum entropy method, medial axis method, and node recognition algorithm. Individual pipes within the Malan loess were identified and constructed by partitioning and recombining links in the 3D pore model. The macropore structure of Malan loess was then depicted using quantitative parameters. The parameters derived from 2D images of CT scanning included equivalent radius, length and aspect ratio of pores, porosity, and pore distribution entropy, whereas those derived from the constructed 3D structure models included porosity, coordination number, node density, pipe radius, length, length density, dip angle, and dip direction. The analysis of these parameters revealed that Malan loess is a strongly anisotropic geomaterial with a dense and complex network of pores and pipes. The pores discovered on horizontal images, perpendicular to the vertical direction, were round and relatively uniform in shape and size and evenly distributed, whereas the pores discovered on vertical images varied in shape and size and were distributed in clusters. The pores showed good connectivity in vertical direction and formed vertically aligned pipes but displayed weak connectivity in horizontal directions. The pipes in vertical direction were thick, long, and straight compared with those in horizontal directions. These results were in good agreement with both numerical simulation and laboratory permeability tests, which indicate that Malan loess is more permeable in the vertical direction than in the horizontal directions.

Modeling Vertical Structure and Heat Transport within the Oceans of Ice-covered Worlds (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, J. C.

2010-12-01

Indirect observational evidence provides a strong case for liquid oceans beneath the icy crust of Europa and several other frozen moons in the outer solar system. However, little is known about the fluid circulation within these exotic oceans. As a first step toward understanding circulations driven by buoyancy (rather than mechanical forcing from tides), one must understand the typical vertical structure of temperature, salinity, and thus density within the ocean. Following a common approach from terrestrial oceanography, I have built a "single column convection model" for icy world oceans, which describes the density structure of the ocean as a function of depth only: horizontal variations are ignored. On Earth, this approach is of limited utility, because of the strong influence of horizontal wind-driven currents and sea-surface temperature gradients set in concert with the overlying atmosphere. Neither of these confounding issues is present in an icy world's ocean. In the model, mixing of fluid properties via overturning convection is modeled as a strong diffusive process which only acts when the ocean is vertically unstable. "Double diffusive" processes (salt fingering and diffusive layering) are included: these are mixing processes resulting from the unequal molecular diffusivities of heat and salt. Other important processes, such as heating on adiabatic compression, and freshwater fluxes from melting overlying ice, are also included. As a simple test case, I considered an ocean of Europa-like depth (~100 km) and gravity, heated from the seafloor. To simplify matters, I specified an equation of state appropriate to terrestrial seawater, and a simple isothermal ocean as an initial condition. As expected, convection gradually penetrates upward, warming the ocean to an adiabatic, unstratified equilibrium density profile on a timescale of 50 kyr if 4.5 TW of heat are emitted by the silicate interior; the same result is achieved in proportionally more/less time for weaker/stronger internal heating. Unlike Earth's oceans, I predict that since icy worlds' oceans are heated from below, they will generally be unstratified, with constant potential density from top to bottom. There will be no pycnocline as on Earth, so global ocean currents supported by large-scale density gradients seem unlikely. However, icy world oceans may be "weird" in ways which are unheard-of in terrestrial oceanography The density of sulfate brine has a very different equation of state than chloride brines: does this affect the vertical structure? If the ocean water is very pure, cold water can be less dense than warm. Can this lead to periodic catastrophic overturning, as proposed by other authors? These and other questions are currently being investigated using the single-column convection model as a primary tool.

Investigating gravity waves evidences in the Venus upper atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migliorini, Alessandra; Altieri, Francesca; Shakun, Alexey; Zasova, Ludmila; Piccioni, Giuseppe; Bellucci, Giancarlo; Grassi, Davide

2014-05-01

We present a method to investigate gravity waves properties in the upper mesosphere of Venus, through the O2 nightglow observations acquired with the imaging spectrometer VIRTIS on board Venus Express. Gravity waves are important dynamical features that transport energy and momentum. They are related to the buoyancy force, which lifts air particles. Then, the vertical displacement of air particles produces density changes that cause gravity to act as restoring force. Gravity waves can manifest through fluctuations on temperature and density fields, and hence on airglow intensities. We use the O2 nightglow profiles showing double peaked structures to study the influence of gravity waves in shaping the O2 vertical profiles and infer the waves properties. In analogy to the Earth's and Mars cases, we use a well-known theory to model the O2 nightglow emissions affected by gravity waves propagation. Here we propose a statistical discussion of the gravity waves characteristics, namely vertical wavelength and wave amplitude, with respect to local time and latitude. The method is applied to about 30 profiles showing double peaked structures, and acquired with the VIRTIS/Venus Express spectrometer, during the mission period from 2006-07-05 to 2008-08-15.

Imaging a vertical shaft from a tunnel using muons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonal, N.; Preston, L. A.; Dorsey, D. J.; Schwellenbach, D.; Green, A.; Smalley, D.

2015-12-01

We use muon technology to image a vertical shaft from a tunnel. The density of the materials through which cosmic ray muons pass influences the flux of muons because muons are more attenuated by higher density material. Additionally, muons can travel several kilometers allowing measurements through deep rock. Density maps are generated from muon flux measurements to locate subsurface features like tunnel structures and ore bodies. Additionally, muon data can be jointly inverted with other data such as gravity and seismic to produce higher quality earth models than produced from a single method. We collected several weeks of data in a tunnel to image a vertical shaft. The minimum length of rock between the vertical shaft and the detector is 120 meters and the diameter of the vertical shaft is 4.6 meters. The rock the muons traveled through consists of Tertiary age volcanic tuff and steeply dipping, small-displacement faults. Results will be presented for muon flux in the tunnel and Monte-Carlo simulations of this experiment. Simulations from both GEANT4 (Geometry And Tracking version 4) and MCNP6 (Monte-Carlo N-Particle version 6) models will be compared. The tunnel overburden from muon measurements is also estimated and compared with actual the overburden. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Manufacturing and Characterization of 18Ni Marage 300 Lattice Components by Selective Laser Melting.

PubMed

Contuzzi, Nicola; Campanelli, Sabina L; Casavola, Caterina; Lamberti, Luciano

2013-08-13

The spreading use of cellular structures brings the need to speed up manufacturing processes without deteriorating mechanical properties. By using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) to produce cellular structures, the designer has total freedom in defining part geometry and manufacturing is simplified. The paper investigates the suitability of Selective Laser Melting for manufacturing steel cellular lattice structures with characteristic dimensions in the micrometer range. Alternative lattice topologies including reinforcing bars in the vertical direction also are considered. The selected lattice structure topology is shown to be superior over other lattice structure designs considered in literature. Compression tests are carried out in order to evaluate mechanical strength of lattice strut specimens made via SLM. Compressive behavior of samples also is simulated by finite element analysis and numerical results are compared with experimental data in order to assess the constitutive behavior of the lattice structure designs considered in this study. Experimental data show that it is possible to build samples of relative density in the 0.2456-0.4367 range. Compressive strength changes almost linearly with respect to relative density, which in turns depends linearly on the number of vertical reinforces. Specific strength increases with cell and strut edge size. Numerical simulations confirm the plastic nature of the instability phenomena that leads the cellular structures to collapse under compression loading.

Vertical overlap of probability density functions of cloud and precipitation hydrometeors: CLOUD AND PRECIPITATION PDF OVERLAP

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ovchinnikov, Mikhail; Lim, Kyo-Sun Sunny; Larson, Vincent E.

Coarse-resolution climate models increasingly rely on probability density functions (PDFs) to represent subgrid-scale variability of prognostic variables. While PDFs characterize the horizontal variability, a separate treatment is needed to account for the vertical structure of clouds and precipitation. When sub-columns are drawn from these PDFs for microphysics or radiation parameterizations, appropriate vertical correlations must be enforced via PDF overlap specifications. This study evaluates the representation of PDF overlap in the Subgrid Importance Latin Hypercube Sampler (SILHS) employed in the assumed PDF turbulence and cloud scheme called the Cloud Layers Unified By Binormals (CLUBB). PDF overlap in CLUBB-SILHS simulations of continentalmore » and tropical oceanic deep convection is compared with overlap of PDF of various microphysics variables in cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations of the same cases that explicitly predict the 3D structure of cloud and precipitation fields. CRM results show that PDF overlap varies significantly between different hydrometeor types, as well as between PDFs of mass and number mixing ratios for each species, - a distinction that the current SILHS implementation does not make. In CRM simulations that explicitly resolve cloud and precipitation structures, faster falling species, such as rain and graupel, exhibit significantly higher coherence in their vertical distributions than slow falling cloud liquid and ice. These results suggest that to improve the overlap treatment in the sub-column generator, the PDF correlations need to depend on hydrometeor properties, such as fall speeds, in addition to the currently implemented dependency on the turbulent convective length scale.« less

Connections between density, wall-normal velocity, and coherent structure in a heated turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxton-Fox, Theresa; Gordeyev, Stanislav; Smith, Adam; McKeon, Beverley

2015-11-01

Strong density gradients associated with turbulent structure were measured in a mildly heated turbulent boundary layer using an optical sensor (Malley probe). The Malley probe measured index of refraction gradients integrated along the wall-normal direction, which, due to the proportionality of index of refraction and density in air, was equivalently an integral measure of density gradients. The integral output was observed to be dominated by strong, localized density gradients. Conditional averaging and Pearson correlations identified connections between the streamwise gradient of density and the streamwise gradient of wall-normal velocity. The trends were suggestive of a process of pick-up and transport of heat away from the wall. Additionally, by considering the density field as a passive marker of structure, the role of the wall-normal velocity in shaping turbulent structure in a sheared flow was examined. Connections were developed between sharp gradients in the density and flow fields and strong vertical velocity fluctuations. This research is made possible by the Department of Defense through the National Defense & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program and by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Grant # FA9550-12-1-0060.

The Development of High-Density Vertical Silicon Nanowires and Their Application in a Heterojunction Diode.

PubMed

Chang, Wen-Chung; Su, Sheng-Chien; Wu, Chia-Ching

2016-06-30

Vertically aligned p-type silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays were fabricated through metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) of Si wafers. An indium tin oxide/indium zinc oxide/silicon nanowire (ITO/IZO/SiNW) heterojunction diode was formed by depositing ITO and IZO thin films on the vertically aligned SiNW arrays. The structural and electrical properties of the resulting ITO/IZO/SiNW heterojunction diode were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and current-voltage (I-V) measurements. Nonlinear and rectifying I-V properties confirmed that a heterojunction diode was successfully formed in the ITO/IZO/SiNW structure. The diode had a well-defined rectifying behavior, with a rectification ratio of 550.7 at 3 V and a turn-on voltage of 2.53 V under dark conditions.

Modeling and measuring the nocturnal drainage flow in a high-elevation, subalpine forest with complex terrain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yi, C.; Monson, Russell K.; Zhai, Z.; Anderson, D.E.; Lamb, B.; Allwine, G.; Turnipseed, A.A.; Burns, Sean P.

2005-01-01

The nocturnal drainage flow of air causes significant uncertainty in ecosystem CO2, H2O, and energy budgets determined with the eddy covariance measurement approach. In this study, we examined the magnitude, nature, and dynamics of the nocturnal drainage flow in a subalpine forest ecosystem with complex terrain. We used an experimental approach involving four towers, each with vertical profiling of wind speed to measure the magnitude of drainage flows and dynamics in their occurrence. We developed an analytical drainage flow model, constrained with measurements of canopy structure and SF6 diffusion, to help us interpret the tower profile results. Model predictions were in good agreement with observed profiles of wind speed, leaf area density, and wind drag coefficient. Using theory, we showed that this one-dimensional model is reduced to the widely used exponential wind profile model under conditions where vertical leaf area density and drag coefficient are uniformly distributed. We used the model for stability analysis, which predicted the presence of a very stable layer near the height of maximum leaf area density. This stable layer acts as a flow impediment, minimizing vertical dispersion between the subcanopy air space and the atmosphere above the canopy. The prediction is consistent with the results of SF6 diffusion observations that showed minimal vertical dispersion of nighttime, subcanopy drainage flows. The stable within-canopy air layer coincided with the height of maximum wake-to-shear production ratio. We concluded that nighttime drainage flows are restricted to a relatively shallow layer of air beneath the canopy, with little vertical mixing across a relatively long horizontal fetch. Insight into the horizontal and vertical structure of the drainage flow is crucial for understanding the magnitude and dynamics of the mean advective CO2 flux that becomes significant during stable nighttime conditions and are typically missed during measurement of the turbulent CO2 flux. The model and interpretation provided in this study should lead to research strategies for the measurement of these advective fluxes and their inclusion in the overall mass balance for CO2 at this site with complex terrain. Copyright 2005 by the American Geophysical Union.

Modeling and measuring the nocturnal drainage flow in a high-elevation, subalpine forest with complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Chuixiang; Monson, Russell K.; Zhai, Zhiqiang; Anderson, Dean E.; Lamb, Brian; Allwine, Gene; Turnipseed, Andrew A.; Burns, Sean P.

2005-11-01

The nocturnal drainage flow of air causes significant uncertainty in ecosystem CO2, H2O, and energy budgets determined with the eddy covariance measurement approach. In this study, we examined the magnitude, nature, and dynamics of the nocturnal drainage flow in a subalpine forest ecosystem with complex terrain. We used an experimental approach involving four towers, each with vertical profiling of wind speed to measure the magnitude of drainage flows and dynamics in their occurrence. We developed an analytical drainage flow model, constrained with measurements of canopy structure and SF6 diffusion, to help us interpret the tower profile results. Model predictions were in good agreement with observed profiles of wind speed, leaf area density, and wind drag coefficient. Using theory, we showed that this one-dimensional model is reduced to the widely used exponential wind profile model under conditions where vertical leaf area density and drag coefficient are uniformly distributed. We used the model for stability analysis, which predicted the presence of a very stable layer near the height of maximum leaf area density. This stable layer acts as a flow impediment, minimizing vertical dispersion between the subcanopy air space and the atmosphere above the canopy. The prediction is consistent with the results of SF6 diffusion observations that showed minimal vertical dispersion of nighttime, subcanopy drainage flows. The stable within-canopy air layer coincided with the height of maximum wake-to-shear production ratio. We concluded that nighttime drainage flows are restricted to a relatively shallow layer of air beneath the canopy, with little vertical mixing across a relatively long horizontal fetch. Insight into the horizontal and vertical structure of the drainage flow is crucial for understanding the magnitude and dynamics of the mean advective CO2 flux that becomes significant during stable nighttime conditions and are typically missed during measurement of the turbulent CO2 flux. The model and interpretation provided in this study should lead to research strategies for the measurement of these advective fluxes and their inclusion in the overall mass balance for CO2 at this site with complex terrain.

Composite Li metal anode with vertical graphene host for high performance Li-S batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. J.; Liu, S. F.; Wang, X. L.; Zhong, Y.; Xia, X. H.; Wu, J. B.; Tu, J. P.

2018-01-01

Efficient and stable operation of a lithium metal anode has become the enabling factor for next-generation high energy density storage system. Here, vertical graphene (VG) arrays are used as the scaffold structure for high performance Li metal batteries. The melt infusion method is employed to encapsulate Li inside the VG scaffold structure, and the lithiophilic Si layer is coated onto the array surface by magnetron sputtering to assist this melt-infusion process. The porous scaffold structure can control the volume expansion and inhibit the formation of dendritic lithium significantly, leading to the excellent electrochemical performance of the Li composite anode. In addition, the Li-S full batteries with the composite anode display enhanced cycling reversibility.

Vertical nanowire heterojunction devices based on a clean Si/Ge interface.

PubMed

Chen, Lin; Fung, Wayne Y; Lu, Wei

2013-01-01

Different vertical nanowire heterojunction devices were fabricated and tested based on vertical Ge nanowires grown epitaxially at low temperatures on (111) Si substrates with a sharp and clean Si/Ge interface. The nearly ideal Si/Ge heterojuctions with controlled and abrupt doping profiles were verified through material analysis and electrical characterizations. In the nSi/pGe heterojunction diode, an ideality factor of 1.16, subpicoampere reverse saturation current, and rectifying ratio of 10(6) were obtained, while the n+Si/p+Ge structure leads to Esaki tunnel diodes with a high peak tunneling current of 4.57 kA/cm(2) and negative differential resistance at room temperature. The large valence band discontinuity between the Ge and Si in the nanowire heterojunctions was further verified in the p+Si/pGe structure, which shows a rectifying behavior instead of an Ohmic contact and raises an important issue in making Ohmic contacts to heterogeneously integrated materials. A raised Si/Ge structure was further developed using a self-aligned etch process, allowing greater freedom in device design for applications such as the tunneling field-effect transistor (TFET). All measurement data can be well-explained and fitted with theoretical models with known bulk properties, suggesting that the Si/Ge nanowire system offers a very clean heterojunction interface with low defect density, and holds great potential as a platform for future high-density and high-performance electronics.

Galactic Spiral Shocks with Thermal Instability in Vertically Stratified Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chang-Goo; Kim, W.; Ostriker, E. C.

2010-01-01

Galactic spiral shocks are dominant morphological features and believed to be responsible for substructure formation of spiral arms in disk galaxies. They can also provide a large amount of kinetic energy for the interstellar gas by tapping the rotational energy. We use numerical hydrodynamic simulations to investigate dynamics and structure of spiral shocks with thermal instability in vertically stratified galactic disks. We initially consider an isothermal disk in vertical hydrostatic equilibrium and let it evolve under interstellar cooling and heating. Due to cooling and heating, the disk rapidly turns to a dense slab near the midplane surrounded by rarefied gas at high-altitude regions. The imposed stellar spiral potential develops a vertically curved shock that exhibits strong flapping motions along the direction perpendicular to the arm. The flows across the spiral shock are characterized by transitions from rarefied to dense phases at the shock and from dense to rarefied phases at the postshock expansion zone. The shock flapping motions stirs the disk, supplying the gas with random kinetic energy. For a model resembling the galactic disk near the solar neighborhood, the density-weighted vertical velocity dispersions are 2 km/s for the rarefied gas and 1 km/s for the dense gas. The shock compression in this model reduces an amount of the rarefied gas from 29% to 19% by mass. Despite the flapping motions, the time-averaged profiles of surface density are similar to those of the one-dimensional counterparts, and the vertical density distribution is overall consistent with effective hydrostatic equilibrium. When self-gravity is included, the shock compression forms large gravitationally bound condensations with virial ratio of about 2 and typical masses of 0.5 to one million solar masses, comparable to the Jeans mass.

Vertical and temporal variation in phytoplankton assemblages correlated with environmental conditions in the Mundaú reservoir, semi-arid northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Lira, G A S T; Moura, A N; Vilar, M C P; Cordeiro-Araújo, M K; Bittencourt-Oliveira, M C

2014-08-01

The goal of this study was to analyse the vertical structure of the phytoplankton community at the Mundaú reservoir, located in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil, and to correlate it to environmental conditions over two distinct seasons, dry and rainy. Samples were collected bimonthly at eight depths in the dry and rainy season for analyses of the physical and chemical variables of the water, as well as density, abundance, dominance, species diversity index and equitability of the community. Analysis of variance (ANOVA-two way) was used to analyse the vertical and seasonal differences, and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to assess associations between phytoplankton and environmental variables Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenaya and Subba Raju was the only dominant species and Geitlerinema amphibium (C. Agardh) Anagnostidis, Merismopedia punctata Meyen and Synedra rumpens Kützing. Others six taxa were abundant in at least one of the samples. Distinct vertical distribution patterns were observed for the abundant taxa between depths and seasons. The cyanobacteria, with the exception of C. raciborskii, showed similar seasonal patterns, with higher densities in the dry season. The CCA showed a strong correlation between the density of the phytoplanktonic species and abiotic variables. The vertical changes in abundant taxa revealed distinct patterns regulated by the variation in the environmental factors that were directly linked to seasonality, with the success of one or more species being dependent on their life strategies and ecological needs. The present study restates the importance of environmental and seasonal factors for phytoplankton composition and distribution in a freshwater tropical reservoir through a vertical gradient.

Active Control of F/A-18 Vertical Tail Buffeting using Piezoelectric Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheta, Essam F.; Moses, Robert W.; Huttsell, Lawerence J.; Harrand, Vincent J.

2003-01-01

Vertical tail buffeting is a serious multidisciplinary problem that limits the performance of twin-tail fighter aircraft. The buffet problem occurs at high angles of attack when the vortical flow breaks down ahead of the vertical tails resulting in unsteady and unbalanced pressure loads on the vertical tails. This paper describes a multidisciplinary computational investigation for buffet load alleviation of full F/A-18 aircraft using distributed piezoelectric actuators. The inboard and outboard surfaces of the vertical tail are equipped with piezoelectric actuators to control the buffet responses in the first bending and torsion modes. The electrodynamics of the smart structure are expressed with a three-dimensional finite element model. A single-input-single-output controller is designed to drive the active piezoelectric actuators. High-fidelity multidisciplinary analysis modules for the fluid dynamics, structure dynamics, electrodynamics of the piezoelectric actuators, fluid-structure interfacing, and grid motion are integrated into a multidisciplinary computing environment that controls the temporal synchronization of the analysis modules. Peak values of the power spectral density of tail tip acceleration are reduced by as much as 22% in the first bending mode and by as much as 82% in the first torsion mode. RMS values of tip acceleration are reduced by as much as 12%.

Inside pyroclastic density currents - uncovering the enigmatic flow structure and transport behaviour in large-scale experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breard, Eric C. P.; Lube, Gert

2017-01-01

Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) are the most lethal threat from volcanoes. While there are two main types of PDCs (fully turbulent, fully dilute pyroclastic surges and more concentrated pyroclastic flows encompassing non-turbulent to turbulent transport) pyroclastic flows, which are the subject of the present study, are far more complex than dilute pyroclastic surges and remain the least understood type despite their far greater hazard, greater runout length and ability to transport vast quantities of material across the Earth's surface. Here we present large-scale experiments of natural volcanic material and gas in order to provide the missing quantitative view of the internal structure and gas-particle transport mechanisms in pyroclastic flows. We show that the outer flow structure with head, body and wake regions broadly resembles current PDC analogues of dilute gravity currents. However, the internal structure, in which lower levels consist of a concentrated granular fluid and upper levels are more dilute, contrasts significantly with the internal structure of fully dilute gravity currents. This bipartite vertical structure shows strong analogy to current conceptual models of high-density turbidity currents, which are responsible for the distribution of coarse sediment in marine basins and of great interest to the hydrocarbon industry. The lower concentrated and non-turbulent levels of the PDC (granular-fluid basal flow) act as a fast-flowing carrier for the more dilute and turbulent upper levels of the current (ash-cloud surge). Strong kinematic coupling between these flow parts reduces viscous dissipation and entrainment of ambient air into the lower part of the ash-cloud surge. This leads to a state of forced super-criticality whereby fast and destructive PDCs can endure even at large distances from volcanoes. Importantly, the basal flow/ash-cloud surge coupling yields a characteristically smooth rheological boundary across the non-turbulent/turbulent interface, as well as vertical velocity and density profiles in the ash-cloud surge, which strongly differ from current theoretical predictions. Observed generation of successive pulses of high dynamic pressure within the upper dilute levels of the PDC may be important to understand the destructive potential of PDCs. The experiments further show that a wide range in the degree of coupling between particle and gas phases is critical to the vertical and longitudinal segregation of the currents into reaches that have starkly contrasting sediment transport capacities. In particular, the formation of mesoscale turbulence clusters under strong particle-gas feedback controls vertical stratification inside the turbulent upper levels of the current (ash-cloud surge) and triggers significant transfers of mass and momentum from the ash-cloud surge onto the granular-fluid basal flow. These results open up new pathways to advance current computational PDC hazard models and to describe and interpret PDCs as well as other types of high-density gravity currents transported across the surfaces of Earth and other planets and across marine basins.

Comparative In Situ Measurements of Plasma Instabilities in the Equatorial and Auroral Electrojets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pfaff, Robert F.

2008-01-01

This presentation provides a comparison of in situ measurements of plasma instabilities gathered by rocket-borne probes in the equatorial and auroral electrojets. Specifically, using detailed measurements of the DC electric fields, current density, and plasma number density within the unstable daytime equatorial electrojet from Brazil (Guara Campaign) and in the auroral electrojet from Sweden (ERRIS Campaign), we present comparative observations and general conclusions regarding the observed physical properties of Farley-Buneman two-stream waves and large scale, gradient drift waves. The two stream observations reveal coherent-like waves propagating near the E x B direction but at reduced speeds (nearer to the presumed acoustic velocity) with wavelengths of approximately 5-10m in both the equatorial and auroral electrojet, as measured using the spaced-receiver technique. The auroral electrojet data generally shows extensions to shorter wavelengths, in concert with the fact that these waves are driven harder. With respect to gradient-drift driven waves, observations of this instability are much more pronounced in the equatorial electrojet, given the more favorable geometry for growth provided by the vertical gradient and horizontal magnetic field lines. We present new analysis of Guara rocket observations of electric field and plasma density data that reveal considerable structuring in the middle and lower portion of the electrojet (90-105 km) where the ambient plasma density gradient is unstable. Although the electric field amplitudes are largest (approximately 10-15 mV/m) in the zonal direction, considerable structure (approximately 5-10 mV/m) is also observed in the vertical electric field component as well, implying that the dominant large scale waves involve significant vertical interaction and coupling within the narrow altitude range where they are observed. Furthermore, a detailed examination of the phase of the waveforms show that on some, but not all occasions, locally enhanced eastward fields are associated with locally enhanced upwards (polarization) electric fields. The measurements are discussed in terms of theories involving the non-linear evolution and structuring of plasma waves.

Maximum density echogram analysis : a novel approach to study the characteristics of oblique echoes observed by MARSIS/Mars Express

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

P, M.; Narukull, V. R.; Rao, S. V. B.

2017-12-01

The ionograms of the Mars Advance Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) instrument aboard Mars Express spacecraft show vertical and oblique echoes from the Martian ionosphere. The vertical echoes are from the normal ionosphere while the oblique echoes are believed to be from ionization bulges that occur in regions of strong vertical magnetic fields. These oblique echoes appear as downward facing hyperbolas when plotted as radargram (at 1.9 MHz), which is a color coded plot of apparent altitude as a function of time at a single frequency. In order to extract further information from these ionization bulges, we considered the peak density of the oblique echoes and plotted them in a format similar to a radargram and called it as a 'maximum density radargram' (MDR). Thus, an MDR shows the peak densities in entire ionization bulge. This analysis revealed several new aspects of the ionization bulges. We found that there is an asymmetry in the ionization bulge so that the density on one side of the hyperbola is different than the other side. In some cases, the density on the same side of the hyperbola, between the edge and apex, changes. Occasionally, the radargrams show only one side of the hyperbola, while the MDRs show a full hyperbola. When the density structures are repeatedly observed over the same location with a few days interval, the MDR analysis shows that the density inside the bulge varies from one pass to another. Finally, the ionization bulges in the MDR displays are clearly observed on several nights. Several of these nighttime bulges were not apparent in radargram analysis. These observations are discussed in the light of current understanding on the ionization bulges.

Vertically Free-Standing Ordered Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanocup Arrays by Template-Assisted Ion Beam Etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Tang, Dan; Huang, Kangrong; Hu, Die; Zhang, Fengyuan; Gao, Xingsen; Lu, Xubing; Zhou, Guofu; Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Junming

2016-04-01

In this report, vertically free-standing lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) nanocup arrays with good ordering and high density (1.3 × 1010 cm-2) were demonstrated. By a template-assisted ion beam etching (IBE) strategy, the PZT formed in the pore-through anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane on the Pt/Si substrate was with a cup-like nanostructure. The mean diameter and height of the PZT nanocups (NCs) was about 80 and 100 nm, respectively, and the wall thickness of NCs was about 20 nm with a hole depth of about 80 nm. Uppermost, the nanocup structure with low aspect ratio realized vertically free-standing arrays when losing the mechanical support from templates, avoiding the collapse or bundling when compared to the typical nanotube arrays. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum revealed that the as-prepared PZT NCs were in a perovskite phase. By the vertical piezoresponse force microscopy (VPFM) measurements, the vertically free-standing ordered ferroelectric PZT NCs showed well-defined ring-like piezoresponse phase and hysteresis loops, which indicated that the high-density PZT nanocup arrays could have potential applications in ultra-high non-volatile ferroelectric memories (NV-FRAM) or other nanoelectronic devices.

Effect of growth pressure on the synthesis of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes and their growth termination.

PubMed

Park, Sangeun; Song, Wooseok; Kim, Yooseok; Song, Inkyung; Kim, Sung Hwan; Lee, Su Il; Jang, Sung Won; Parkl, Chong-Yun

2014-07-01

When vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) are synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD), their structural features such as height and density can be determined by TCVD growth conditions. In this study we investigated the effect of growth pressure on the structural features of VACNTs. Changes in growth pressure significantly affected the height, density, and crystalinity of synthesized VACNTs. In addition, we suggest that the growth termination of VACNTs could be due to the lack of carbon feedstock supply to the center of the VACNT film induced by the pressure-dependent adsorption of amorphous carbon at the edge of the VACNT film. In addition, the field emission characteristics of the VACNT film were carried out. The turn-on voltage of the VACNT film was 1.62 V/microm and the field enhancement factor (beta) was 2478. These results provide useful information for practical applications of VACNTs, such as field emission display and X-ray source.

[Landscape quality evaluation and vertical structure optimization of natural broadleaf forest].

PubMed

Ouyang, Xun-zhi; Liao, Wei-ming; Peng, Shi-kui

2007-06-01

Taking the natural broadleaf forest in Wuyuan County of Jiangxi Province as study object, a total of 30 representative photos of near-view landscapes and related information were collected. The scenic beauty values were acquired by public judgment method, and the relationship models of scenic beauty values and landscape elements were established by using multiple mathematical model. The results showed that the main elements affecting the near-view landscape quality of natural broadleaf forest were the trunk form, stand density, undergrowth coverage and height, natural pruning, and color richness, with the partial correlation coefficients being 0.4482-0.7724, which were significant or very significant by t-test. The multiple correlation coefficient of the model reached 0.9508, showing very significant by F test (F = 36.11). Straight trunk, better natural pruning and rich color did well, while the super-high or low stand density and undergrowth coverage and height did harm to the scenic beauty. Several management measures for the vertical structure optimization of these landscape elements were put forward.

Performance of ZnO based piezo-generators under controlled compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Ran; Parmar, Mitesh; Ardila, Gustavo; Oliveira, Paulo; Marques, Daniel; Montès, Laurent; Mouis, Mireille

2017-06-01

This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of ZnO based vertically integrated nanogenerator (VING) devices under controlled compression. The basic NG structure is a composite material integrating hydrothermally grown vertical piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) into a dielectric matrix (PMMA). A specific characterization set-up has been developed to control the applied compression and the perpendicularity of the applied force on the devices. The role of different fabrication parameters has been evaluated experimentally and compared with previously reported theoretical models, including the thickness of the top PMMA layer and the density of the NWs array in the matrix. Finally, the performance of the VING structure has been evaluated experimentally for different resistive loads obtaining a power density of 85 μW cm-3 considering only the active layer of the device. This has been compared to the performance of a commercial bulk layer of PZT (25 μW cm-3) under the same applied force of 5 N.

Vertical temperature and density patterns in the Arctic mesosphere analyzed as gravity waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eberstein, I. J.; Theon, J. S.

1975-01-01

Rocket soundings conducted from high latitude sites in the Arctic mesosphere are described. Temperature and wind profiles and one density profile were observed independently to obtain the thermodynamic structure, the wind structure, and their interdependence in the mesosphere. Temperature profiles from all soundings were averaged, and a smooth curve (or series of smooth curves) drawn through the points. A hydrostatic atmosphere based on the average, measured temperature profile was computed, and deviations from the mean atmosphere were analyzed in terms of gravity wave theory. The vertical wavelengths of the deviations were 10-20 km, and the wave amplitudes slowly increased with height. The experimental data were matched by calculated gravity waves having a period of 15-20 minutes and a horizontal wavelength of 60-80 km. The wind measurements are consistent with the thermodynamic measurements. The results also suggest that gravity waves travel from East to West with a horizontal phase velocity of approximately 60 m sec-1.

Spatial distribution of the dagger nematode Xiphinema index and its associated Grapevine fanleaf virus in French vineyard.

PubMed

Villate, L; Fievet, V; Hanse, B; Delemarre, F; Plantard, O; Esmenjaud, D; van Helden, M

2008-08-01

The nematode Xiphinema index is, economically, the major virus vector in viticulture, transmitting specifically the Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), the most severe grapevine virus disease worldwide. Increased knowledge of the spatial distribution of this nematode, both horizontally and vertically, and of correlative GFLV plant infections, is essential to efficiently control the disease. In two infested blocks of the Bordeaux vineyard, vertical distribution data showed that the highest numbers of individuals occurred at 40 to 110 cm depth, corresponding to the two layers where the highest densities of fine roots were observed. Horizontal distribution based on a 10 x 15 m grid sampling procedure revealed a significant aggregative pattern but no significant neighborhood structure of nematode densities. At a finer scale ( approximately 2 x 2 m), nematode sampling performed in a third block confirmed a significant aggregative pattern, with patches of 6 to 8 m diameter, together with a significant neighborhood structure of nematode densities, thus identifying the relevant sampling scale to describe the nematode distribution. Nematode patches correlate significantly with those of GFLV-infected grapevine plants. Finally, nematode and virus spread were shown to extend preferentially parallel to vine rows, probably due to tillage during mechanical weeding.

Milky Way Tomography with K and M Dwarf Stars: The Vertical Structure of the Galactic Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, Deborah; Gardner, Susan; Yanny, Brian

2017-07-01

We use the number density distributions of K and M dwarf stars with vertical height from the Galactic disk, determined using observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, to probe the structure of the Milky Way disk across the survey’s footprint. Using photometric parallax as a distance estimator we analyze a sample of several million disk stars in matching footprints above and below the Galactic plane, and we determine the location and extent of vertical asymmetries in the number counts in a variety of thin- and thick-disk subsamples in regions of some 200 square degrees within 2 kpc in vertical distance from the Galactic disk. These disk asymmetries present wave-like features as previously observed on other scales and at other distances from the Sun. We additionally explore the scale height of the disk and the implied offset of the Sun from the Galactic plane at different locations, noting that the scale height of the disk can differ significantly when measured using stars only above or only below the plane. Moreover, we compare the shape of the number density distribution in the north for different latitude ranges with a fixed range in longitude and find the shape to be sensitive to the selected latitude window. We explain why this may be indicative of a change in stellar populations in the latitude regions compared, possibly allowing access to the systematic metallicity difference between thin- and thick-disk populations through photometry.

Milky Way tomography with K and M dwarf stars: The vertical structure of the galactic disk

DOE PAGES

Ferguson, Deborah; Gardner, Susan; Yanny, Brian

2017-06-02

Here, we use the number density distributions of K and M dwarf stars with vertical height from the Galactic disk, determined using observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), to probe the structure of the Milky Way disk across the survey's footprint. Using photometric parallax as a distance estimator we analyze a sample of several million disk stars in matching footprints above and below the Galactic plane, and we determine the location and extent of vertical asymmetries in the number counts in a variety of thin and thick disk subsamples in regions of some 200 square degrees within 2more » kpc in vertical distance from the Galactic disk. These disk asymmetries present wave-like features as previously observed on other scales and distances from the Sun. We additionally explore the scale height of the disk and the implied offset of the Sun from the Galactic plane at different locations, noting that the scale height of the disk can differ significantly when measured using stars only above or only below the plane. Moreover, we compare the shape of the number density distribution in the north for different latitude ranges with a fixed range in longitude and find the shape to be sensitive to the selected latitude window. We explain why this may be indicative of a change in stellar populations in the compared latitude regions, possibly allowing access to the systematic metallicity difference between thin and thick disk populations through photometry.« less

Probing the structural evolution of ruthenium doped germanium clusters: Photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations

PubMed Central

Jin, Yuanyuan; Lu, Shengjie; Hermann, Andreas; Kuang, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Chuanzhao; Lu, Cheng; Xu, Hongguang; Zheng, Weijun

2016-01-01

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of ruthenium doped germanium clusters, RuGen− (n = 3–12), and their corresponding neutral species. Photoelectron spectra of RuGen− clusters are measured at 266 nm. The vertical detachment energies (VDEs) and adiabatic detachment energies (ADEs) are obtained. Unbiased CALYPSO structure searches confirm the low-lying structures of anionic and neutral ruthenium doped germanium clusters in the size range of 3 ≤ n ≤ 12. Subsequent geometry optimizations using density functional theory (DFT) at PW91/LANL2DZ level are carried out to determine the relative stability and electronic properties of ruthenium doped germanium clusters. It is found that most of the anionic and neutral clusters have very similar global features. Although the global minimum structures of the anionic and neutral clusters are different, their respective geometries are observed as the low-lying isomers in either case. In addition, for n > 8, the Ru atom in RuGen−/0 clusters is absorbed endohedrally in the Ge cage. The theoretically predicted vertical and adiabatic detachment energies are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. The excellent agreement between DFT calculations and experiment enables a comprehensive evaluation of the geometrical and electronic structures of ruthenium doped germanium clusters. PMID:27439955

High Packing Density Unidirectional Arrays of Vertically Aligned Graphene with Enhanced Areal Capacitance for High-Power Micro-Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Zheng, Shuanghao; Li, Zhilin; Wu, Zhong-Shuai; Dong, Yanfeng; Zhou, Feng; Wang, Sen; Fu, Qiang; Sun, Chenglin; Guo, Liwei; Bao, Xinhe

2017-04-25

Interfacial integration of a shape-engineered electrode with a strongly bonded current collector is the key for minimizing both ionic and electronic resistance and then developing high-power supercapacitors. Herein, we demonstrated the construction of high-power micro-supercapacitors (VG-MSCs) based on high-density unidirectional arrays of vertically aligned graphene (VG) nanosheets, derived from a thermally decomposed SiC substrate. The as-grown VG arrays showed a standing basal plane orientation grown on a (0001̅) SiC substrate, tailored thickness (3.5-28 μm), high-density structurally ordering alignment of graphene consisting of 1-5 layers, vertically oriented edges, open intersheet channels, high electrical conductivity (192 S cm -1 ), and strong bonding of the VG edges to the SiC substrate. As a result, the demonstrated VG-MSCs displayed a high areal capacitance of ∼7.3 mF cm -2 and a fast frequency response with a short time constant of 9 ms. Furthermore, VG-MSCs in both an aqueous polymer gel electrolyte and nonaqueous ionic liquid of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate operated well at high scan rates of up to 200 V s -1 . More importantly, VG-MSCs offered a high power density of ∼15 W cm -3 in gel electrolyte and ∼61 W cm -3 in ionic liquid. Therefore, this strategy of producing high-density unidirectional VG nanosheets directly bonded on a SiC current collector demonstrated the feasibility of manufacturing high-power compact supercapacitors.

The Development of High-Density Vertical Silicon Nanowires and Their Application in a Heterojunction Diode

PubMed Central

Chang, Wen-Chung; Su, Sheng-Chien; Wu, Chia-Ching

2016-01-01

Vertically aligned p-type silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays were fabricated through metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) of Si wafers. An indium tin oxide/indium zinc oxide/silicon nanowire (ITO/IZO/SiNW) heterojunction diode was formed by depositing ITO and IZO thin films on the vertically aligned SiNW arrays. The structural and electrical properties of the resulting ITO/IZO/SiNW heterojunction diode were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and current−voltage (I−V) measurements. Nonlinear and rectifying I−V properties confirmed that a heterojunction diode was successfully formed in the ITO/IZO/SiNW structure. The diode had a well-defined rectifying behavior, with a rectification ratio of 550.7 at 3 V and a turn-on voltage of 2.53 V under dark conditions. PMID:28773656

Controlled transport of latex beads through vertically aligned carbon nanofiber membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Melechko, A. V.; Merkulov, V. I.; Guillorn, M. A.; Simpson, M. L.; Lowndes, D. H.; Doktycz, M. J.

2002-07-01

Stripes of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) have been used to form membranes for size selectively controlling the transport of latex beads. Fluidic structures were created in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and interfaced to the VACNF structures for characterization of the membrane pore size. Solutions of fluorescently labeled latex beads were introduced into the PDMS channels and characterized by fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. Results show that the beads size selectively pass through the nanofiber barriers and the size restriction limit correlates with the interfiber spacing. The results suggest that altering VACNF array density can alter fractionation properties of the membrane. Such membranes may be useful for molecular sorting and for mimicking the properties of natural membranes.

Manufacturing and Characterization of 18Ni Marage 300 Lattice Components by Selective Laser Melting

PubMed Central

Contuzzi, Nicola; Campanelli, Sabina L.; Casavola, Caterina; Lamberti, Luciano

2013-01-01

The spreading use of cellular structures brings the need to speed up manufacturing processes without deteriorating mechanical properties. By using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) to produce cellular structures, the designer has total freedom in defining part geometry and manufacturing is simplified. The paper investigates the suitability of Selective Laser Melting for manufacturing steel cellular lattice structures with characteristic dimensions in the micrometer range. Alternative lattice topologies including reinforcing bars in the vertical direction also are considered. The selected lattice structure topology is shown to be superior over other lattice structure designs considered in literature. Compression tests are carried out in order to evaluate mechanical strength of lattice strut specimens made via SLM. Compressive behavior of samples also is simulated by finite element analysis and numerical results are compared with experimental data in order to assess the constitutive behavior of the lattice structure designs considered in this study. Experimental data show that it is possible to build samples of relative density in the 0.2456–0.4367 range. Compressive strength changes almost linearly with respect to relative density, which in turns depends linearly on the number of vertical reinforces. Specific strength increases with cell and strut edge size. Numerical simulations confirm the plastic nature of the instability phenomena that leads the cellular structures to collapse under compression loading. PMID:28811445

Elastogranular Mechanics: Buckling, Jamming, and Structure Formation.

PubMed

Schunter, David J; Brandenbourger, Martin; Perriseau, Sophia; Holmes, Douglas P

2018-02-16

Confinement of a slender body into a granular array induces stress localization in the geometrically nonlinear structure, and jamming, reordering, and vertical dislodging of the surrounding granular medium. By varying the initial packing density of grains and the length of a confined elastica, we identify the critical length necessary to induce jamming, and demonstrate how folds couple with the granular medium to localize along grain boundaries. Above the jamming threshold, the characteristic length of elastica deformation is shown to diverge in a manner that is coupled with the motion and rearrangement of the grains, suggesting the ordering of the granular array governs the deformation of the slender structure. However, overconfinement of the elastica will vertically dislodge grains, a form of stress relaxation in the granular medium that illustrates the intricate coupling in elastogranular interactions.

Elastogranular Mechanics: Buckling, Jamming, and Structure Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schunter, David J.; Brandenbourger, Martin; Perriseau, Sophia; Holmes, Douglas P.

2018-02-01

Confinement of a slender body into a granular array induces stress localization in the geometrically nonlinear structure, and jamming, reordering, and vertical dislodging of the surrounding granular medium. By varying the initial packing density of grains and the length of a confined elastica, we identify the critical length necessary to induce jamming, and demonstrate how folds couple with the granular medium to localize along grain boundaries. Above the jamming threshold, the characteristic length of elastica deformation is shown to diverge in a manner that is coupled with the motion and rearrangement of the grains, suggesting the ordering of the granular array governs the deformation of the slender structure. However, overconfinement of the elastica will vertically dislodge grains, a form of stress relaxation in the granular medium that illustrates the intricate coupling in elastogranular interactions.

Impact of NO2 horizontal heterogeneity on tropospheric NO2 vertical columns retrieved from satellite, multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy, and in situ measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendolia, D.; D'Souza, R. J. C.; Evans, G. J.; Brook, J.

2013-01-01

Tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities were retrieved for the first time in Toronto, Canada using three methods of differing spatial scales. Remotely-sensed NO2 vertical column densities, retrieved from multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy and satellite remote sensing, were evaluated by comparison with in situ vertical column densities derived using a pair of chemiluminescence monitors situated 0.01 and 0.5 km above ground level. The chemiluminescence measurements were corrected for the influence of NOz, which reduced the NO2 concentrations at 0.01 and 0.5 km by 8 ± 1% and 12 ± 1%, respectively. The average absolute decrease in the chemiluminescence NO2 measurement as a result of this correction was less than 1 ppb. Good correlation was observed between the remotely sensed and in situ NO2 vertical column densities (Pearson R ranging from 0.68 to 0.79), but the in situ vertical column densities were 27% to 55% greater than the remotely-sensed columns. These results indicate that NO2 horizontal heterogeneity strongly impacted the magnitude of the remotely-sensed columns. The in situ columns reflected an urban environment with major traffic sources, while the remotely-sensed NO2 vertical column densities were representative of the region, which included spatial heterogeneity introduced by residential neighbourhoods and Lake Ontario. Despite the difference in absolute values, the reasonable correlation between the vertical column densities determined by three distinct methods increased confidence in the validity of the values provided by each of the methods.

Predicting plot basal area and tree density in mixed-conifer forest from lidar and Advanced Land Imager (ALI) data

Treesearch

Andrew T. Hudak; Jeffrey S. Evans; Michael J. Falkowski; Nicholas L. Crookston; Paul E. Gessler; Penelope Morgan; Alistair M. S. Smith

2005-01-01

Multispectral satellite imagery are appealing for their relatively low cost, and have demonstrated utility at the landscape level, but are typically limited at the stand level by coarse resolution and insensitivity to variation in vertical canopy structure. In contrast, lidar data are less affected by these difficulties, and provide high structural detail, but are less...

An Electron Density Model above the Sunspot from a Mapping of NOAA 7260 at 17 GHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xing-Feng; Yao, Jin-Xing Yao

2002-06-01

The brightness temperature distribution of microwave emission in a solar active region generally shows a ring structure, with a dip at the centre. However, no dip was found in the Nobeyama Radioheliograph left handed circular polarization (LCP) image on 1992 August 18; instead, there was a peak. This is a completely LCP source with zero right-handed circular polarization (RCP). We examine this structure in terms of the joint effect of gyroresonance and bremsstrahlung mechanism with a raised electron density above the central part of the sunspot, and the commonly assumed temperature and vertical dipole magnetic field models. The raised electron density is found to be 1.4 × 1011 cm-3 at the chromosphere base.

Vertical resolution of baroclinic modes in global ocean models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, K. D.; Hogg, A. McC.; Griffies, S. M.; Heerdegen, A. P.; Ward, M. L.; Spence, P.; England, M. H.

2017-05-01

Improvements in the horizontal resolution of global ocean models, motivated by the horizontal resolution requirements for specific flow features, has advanced modelling capabilities into the dynamical regime dominated by mesoscale variability. In contrast, the choice of the vertical grid remains a subjective choice, and it is not clear that efforts to improve vertical resolution adequately support their horizontal counterparts. Indeed, considering that the bulk of the vertical ocean dynamics (including convection) are parameterized, it is not immediately obvious what the vertical grid is supposed to resolve. Here, we propose that the primary purpose of the vertical grid in a hydrostatic ocean model is to resolve the vertical structure of horizontal flows, rather than to resolve vertical motion. With this principle we construct vertical grids based on their abilities to represent baroclinic modal structures commensurate with the theoretical capabilities of a given horizontal grid. This approach is designed to ensure that the vertical grids of global ocean models complement (and, importantly, to not undermine) the resolution capabilities of the horizontal grid. We find that for z-coordinate global ocean models, at least 50 well-positioned vertical levels are required to resolve the first baroclinic mode, with an additional 25 levels per subsequent mode. High-resolution ocean-sea ice simulations are used to illustrate some of the dynamical enhancements gained by improving the vertical resolution of a 1/10° global ocean model. These enhancements include substantial increases in the sea surface height variance (∼30% increase south of 40°S), the barotropic and baroclinic eddy kinetic energies (up to 200% increase on and surrounding the Antarctic continental shelf and slopes), and the overturning streamfunction in potential density space (near-tripling of the Antarctic Bottom Water cell at 65°S).

Time Dependent Density Functional Theory Calculations of Large Compact PAH Cations: Implications for the Diffuse Interstellar Bands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisman, Jennifer L.; Lee, Timothy J.; Salama, Farid; Gordon-Head, Martin; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We investigate the electronic absorption spectra of several maximally pericondensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon radical cations with time dependent density functional theory calculations. We find interesting trends in the vertical excitation energies and oscillator strengths for this series containing pyrene through circumcoronene, the largest species containing more than 50 carbon atoms. We discuss the implications of these new results for the size and structure distribution of the diffuse interstellar band carriers.

Operational Data Reduction Procedure for Determining Density and Vertical Structure of the Martian Upper Atmosphere from Mars Global Surveyor Accelerometer Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cancro, George J.; Tolson, Robert H.; Keating, Gerald M.

1998-01-01

The success of aerobraking by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft was partly due to the analysis of MGS accelerometer data. Accelerometer data was used to determine the effect of the atmosphere on each orbit, to characterize the nature of the atmosphere, and to predict the atmosphere for future orbits. To interpret the accelerometer data, a data reduction procedure was developed to produce density estimations utilizing inputs from the spacecraft, the Navigation Team, and pre-mission aerothermodynamic studies. This data reduction procedure was based on the calculation of aerodynamic forces from the accelerometer data by considering acceleration due to gravity gradient, solar pressure, angular motion of the MGS, instrument bias, thruster activity, and a vibration component due to the motion of the damaged solar array. Methods were developed to calculate all of the acceleration components including a 4 degree of freedom dynamics model used to gain a greater understanding of the damaged solar array. The total error inherent to the data reduction procedure was calculated as a function of altitude and density considering contributions from ephemeris errors, errors in force coefficient, and instrument errors due to bias and digitization. Comparing the results from this procedure to the data of other MGS Teams has demonstrated that this procedure can quickly and accurately describe the density and vertical structure of the Martian upper atmosphere.

Light drives vertical gradients of leaf morphology in a sugar maple (Acer saccharum) forest.

PubMed

Coble, Adam P; Cavaleri, Molly A

2014-02-01

Leaf mass per area (LMA, g m(-2)) is an essential trait for modeling canopy function due to its strong association with photosynthesis, respiration and leaf nitrogen. Leaf mass per area, which is influenced by both leaf thickness and density (LMA = thickness × density), generally increases from the bottom to the top of tree canopies, yet the mechanisms behind this universal pattern are not yet resolved. For decades, the light environment was assumed to be the most influential driver of within-canopy variation in LMA, yet recent evidence has shown hydrostatic gradients to be more important in upper canopy positions, especially in tall evergreen trees in temperate and tropical forests. The aim of this study was to disentangle the importance of various environmental drivers on vertical LMA gradients in a mature sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) forest. We compared LMA, leaf density and leaf thickness relationships with height, light and predawn leaf water potential (ΨPre) within a closed and an exposed canopy to assess leaf morphological traits at similar heights but different light conditions. Contrary to our expectations and recent findings in the literature, we found strong evidence that light was the primary driver of vertical gradients in leaf morphology. At similar heights (13-23 m), LMA was greater within the exposed canopy than the closed canopy, and light had a stronger influence over LMA compared with ΨPre. Light also had a stronger influence over both leaf thickness and density compared with ΨPre; however, the increase in LMA within both canopy types was primarily due to increasing leaf thickness with increasing light availability. This study provides strong evidence that canopy structure and crown exposure, in addition to height, should be considered as a parameter for determining vertical patterns in LMA and modeling canopy function.

Vertical transport in graphene-hexagonal boron nitride heterostructure devices

PubMed Central

Bruzzone, Samantha; Logoteta, Demetrio; Fiori, Gianluca; Iannaccone, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

Research in graphene-based electronics is recently focusing on devices based on vertical heterostructures of two-dimensional materials. Here we use density functional theory and multiscale simulations to investigate the tunneling properties of single- and double-barrier structures with graphene and few-layer hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) or hexagonal boron carbon nitride (h-BC2N). We find that tunneling through a single barrier exhibit a weak dependence on energy. We also show that in double barriers separated by a graphene layer we do not observe resonant tunneling, but a significant increase of the tunneling probability with respect to a single barrier of thickness equal to the sum of the two barriers. This is due to the fact that the graphene layer acts as an effective phase randomizer, suppressing resonant tunneling and effectively letting a double-barrier structure behave as two single-barriers in series. Finally, we use multiscale simulations to reproduce a current-voltage characteristics resembling that of a resonant tunneling diode, that has been experimentally observed in single barrier structure. The peak current is obtained when there is perfect matching between the densities of states of the cathode and anode graphene regions. PMID:26415656

Galactic Spiral Shocks with Thermal Instability in Vertically Stratified Galactic Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chang-Goo; Kim, Woong-Tae; Ostriker, Eve C.

2010-09-01

Galactic spiral shocks are dominant morphological features and believed to be responsible for substructure formation within spiral arms in disk galaxies. They can also contribute a substantial amount of kinetic energy to the interstellar gas by tapping the (differential) rotational motion. We use numerical hydrodynamic simulations to investigate dynamics and structure of spiral shocks with thermal instability (TI) in vertically stratified galactic disks, focusing on environmental conditions (of heating and the galactic potential) similar to the Solar neighborhood. We initially consider an isothermal disk in vertical hydrostatic equilibrium and let it evolve subject to interstellar cooling and heating as well as a stellar spiral potential. Due to TI, a disk with surface density Σ0 >= 6.7 M sun pc-2 rapidly turns to a thin dense slab near the midplane sandwiched between layers of rarefied gas. The imposed spiral potential leads to a vertically curved shock that exhibits strong flapping motions in the plane perpendicular to the arm. The overall flow structure at saturation is comprised of the arm, postshock expansion zone, and interarm regions that occupy typically 10%, 20%, and 70% of the arm-to-arm distance, in which the gas resides for 15%, 30%, and 55% of the arm-to-arm crossing time, respectively. The flows are characterized by transitions from rarefied to dense phases at the shock and from dense to rarefied phases in the postshock expansion zone, although gas with too-large postshock-density does not undergo this return phase transition, instead forming dense condensations. If self-gravity is omitted, the shock flapping drives random motions in the gas, but only up to ~2-3 km s-1 in the in-plane direction and less than 2 km s-1 in the vertical direction. Time-averaged shock profiles show that the spiral arms in stratified disks are broader and less dense compared to those in unstratified models, and that the vertical density distribution is overall consistent with local effective hydrostatic equilibrium. Inclusion of self-gravity increases the dense gas fraction by a factor of ~2 and raises the in-plane velocity dispersion to ~5-7 km s-1. When the disks are massive enough, with Σ0 >= 5 M sun pc-2, self-gravity promotes formation of bound clouds that repeatedly collide with each other in the arm and break up in the postshock expansion zone.

Vertically Free-Standing Ordered Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanocup Arrays by Template-Assisted Ion Beam Etching.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Tang, Dan; Huang, Kangrong; Hu, Die; Zhang, Fengyuan; Gao, Xingsen; Lu, Xubing; Zhou, Guofu; Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Junming

2016-12-01

In this report, vertically free-standing lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) nanocup arrays with good ordering and high density (1.3 × 10(10) cm(-2)) were demonstrated. By a template-assisted ion beam etching (IBE) strategy, the PZT formed in the pore-through anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane on the Pt/Si substrate was with a cup-like nanostructure. The mean diameter and height of the PZT nanocups (NCs) was about 80 and 100 nm, respectively, and the wall thickness of NCs was about 20 nm with a hole depth of about 80 nm. Uppermost, the nanocup structure with low aspect ratio realized vertically free-standing arrays when losing the mechanical support from templates, avoiding the collapse or bundling when compared to the typical nanotube arrays. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum revealed that the as-prepared PZT NCs were in a perovskite phase. By the vertical piezoresponse force microscopy (VPFM) measurements, the vertically free-standing ordered ferroelectric PZT NCs showed well-defined ring-like piezoresponse phase and hysteresis loops, which indicated that the high-density PZT nanocup arrays could have potential applications in ultra-high non-volatile ferroelectric memories (NV-FRAM) or other nanoelectronic devices.

High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on Vertically Aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 Nanosheet Arrays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gong, Jiangfeng; Tian, Yazhou; Yang, Ziyuan

The developments of electrode active materials provide the opportunities for next-generation energy storage devices. The arrangement of electrode materials on the substrate has recently emerged as a promising strategy for preparing high-performance supercapacitors. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel vertically aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays electrode for supercapacitor application. The materials are thoroughly characterized by structural and spectroscopic techniques. Electrochemical performance of CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays are investigated in detail, which exhibit a specific capacitance as much as 1180 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1. A flexible asymmetric all-solid-state supercapacitor is fabricated usingmore » CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode. The device delivers a volumetric capacitance of 441.4 mF cm -3 with maximum energy density and maximum power density is 0.17 and 62.1 mW cm -3, as well as robust cycling stability (~80.4% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles), excellent flexibility, and mechanical stability. Finally, the excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to its unique vertically aligned configuration.« less

High-Performance Flexible All-Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors Based on Vertically Aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 Nanosheet Arrays

DOE PAGES

Gong, Jiangfeng; Tian, Yazhou; Yang, Ziyuan; ...

2018-01-04

The developments of electrode active materials provide the opportunities for next-generation energy storage devices. The arrangement of electrode materials on the substrate has recently emerged as a promising strategy for preparing high-performance supercapacitors. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel vertically aligned CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays electrode for supercapacitor application. The materials are thoroughly characterized by structural and spectroscopic techniques. Electrochemical performance of CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays are investigated in detail, which exhibit a specific capacitance as much as 1180 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1. A flexible asymmetric all-solid-state supercapacitor is fabricated usingmore » CuSe@Co(OH) 2 nanosheet arrays as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode. The device delivers a volumetric capacitance of 441.4 mF cm -3 with maximum energy density and maximum power density is 0.17 and 62.1 mW cm -3, as well as robust cycling stability (~80.4% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles), excellent flexibility, and mechanical stability. Finally, the excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to its unique vertically aligned configuration.« less

Impact of Seawater Nonlinearities on Nordic Seas Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helber, R. W.; Wallcraft, A. J.; Shriver, J. F.

2017-12-01

The Nordic Seas (Greenland, Iceland, and Norwegian Seas) form an ocean basin important for Arctic-mid-latitude climate linkages. Cold fresh water from the Arctic Ocean and warm salty water from the North Atlantic Ocean meet in the Nordic Seas, where a delicate balance between temperature and salinity variability results in deep water formation. Seawater non-linearities are stronger at low temperatures and salinities making high-latitude oceans highly subject to thermbaricity and cabbeling. This presentation highlights and quantifies the impact of seawater non-linearities on the Nordic Seas circulation. We use two layered ocean circulation models, the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYOCM) and the Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6), that enable accurate representation of processes along and across density or neutral density surfaces. Different equations-of-state and vertical coordinates are evaluated to clarify the impact of seawater non-linearities. Present Navy systems, however, do not capture some features in the Nrodic Seas vertical structure. For example, observations from the Greenland Sea reveal a subsurface temperature maximum that deepens from approximately 1500 m during 1998 to 1800 m during 2005. We demonstrate that in terms of density, salinity is the largest source of error in Nordic Seas Navy forecasts, regional scale models can represent mesoscale features driven by thermobaricity, vertical coordinates are a critical issue in Nordic Sea circulation modeling.

The thermal structure of Titan’s upper atmosphere, I: Temperature profiles from Cassini INMS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snowden, D.; Yelle, R. V.; Cui, J.; Wahlund, J.-E.; Edberg, N. J. T.; Ågren, K.

2013-09-01

We derive vertical temperature profiles from Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) N2 density measurements from 32 Cassini passes. We find that the average temperature of Titan’s thermosphere varies significantly from pass-to-pass between 112 and 175 K. The temperatures from individual temperature profiles also varies considerably, with many passes exhibiting wave-like temperature perturbations and large temperature gradients. Wave-like temperature perturbations have wavelengths between 150 and 420 km and amplitudes between 3% and 22% and vertical wave power spectra of the INMS data and HASI data have a slope between -2 and -3, which is consistent with vertically propagating atmospheric waves. The lack of a strong correlation between temperature and latitude, longitude, solar zenith angle, or local solar time indicates that the thermal structure of Titan’s thermosphere is not primarily determined by the absorption of solar EUV flux. At N2 densities greater than 108 cm-3, Titan’s thermosphere is colder when Titan is observed in Saturn’s magnetospheric lobes compared to Saturn’s plasma sheet as proposed by Westlake et al. (Westlake, J.H. et al. [2011]. J. Geophys. Res. 116, A03318. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2010JA016251). This apparent correlation suggests that magnetospheric particle precipitation causes the temperature variability in Titan’s thermosphere; however, at densities smaller than 108 cm-3 the lobe passes are hotter than the plasma sheet passes and we find no correlation between the temperature of Titan’s thermosphere and ionospheric signatures of enhanced particle precipitation, which suggests that the correlation is not indicative of a physical connection. The temperature of Titan’s thermosphere also may have decreased by ∼10 K around mid-2007. Finally, we classify the vertical temperature profiles to show which passes are hot and cold and which passes have the largest temperature variations. In a companion paper (Part II), we estimate the strength of energy sources and sinks in Titan’s thermosphere.

SPICAM: studying the global structure and composition of the Martian atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertaux, J.-L.; Fonteyn, D.; Korablev, O.; Chassefre, E.; Dimarellis, E.; Dubois, J. P.; Hauchecorne, A.; Lefèvre, F.; Cabane, M.; Rannou, P.; Levasseur-Regourd, A. C.; Cernogora, G.; Quemerais, E.; Hermans, C.; Kockarts, G.; Lippens, C.; de Maziere, M.; Moreau, D.; Muller, C.; Neefs, E.; Simon, P. C.; Forget, F.; Hourdin, F.; Talagrand, O.; Moroz, V. I.; Rodin, A.; Sandel, B.; Stern, A.

2004-08-01

The SPICAM (SPectroscopy for the Investigation of the Characteristics of the Atmosphere of Mars) instrument consists of two spectrometers. The UV spectrometer addresses key issues about ozone and its H2O coupling, aerosols, the atmospheric vertical temperature structure and the ionosphere. The IR spectrometer is aimed primarily at H2O and abundances and vertical profiling of H2O and aerosols. SPICAM's density/temperature profiles will aid the development of meteorological and dynamical atmospheric models from the surface up to 160 km altitude. UV observations of the upper atmosphere will study the ionosphere and its direct interaction with the solar wind. They will also allow a better understanding of escape mechanisms, crucial for insight into the long-term evolution of the atmosphere.

Choosing a DIVA: a comparison of emerging digital imagery vegetation analysis techniques

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jorgensen, Christopher F.; Stutzman, Ryan J.; Anderson, Lars C.; Decker, Suzanne E.; Powell, Larkin A.; Schacht, Walter H.; Fontaine, Joseph J.

2013-01-01

Question: What is the precision of five methods of measuring vegetation structure using ground-based digital imagery and processing techniques? Location: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA Methods: Vertical herbaceous cover was recorded using digital imagery techniques at two distinct locations in a mixed-grass prairie. The precision of five ground-based digital imagery vegetation analysis (DIVA) methods for measuring vegetation structure was tested using a split-split plot analysis of covariance. Variability within each DIVA technique was estimated using coefficient of variation of mean percentage cover. Results: Vertical herbaceous cover estimates differed among DIVA techniques. Additionally, environmental conditions affected the vertical vegetation obstruction estimates for certain digital imagery methods, while other techniques were more adept at handling various conditions. Overall, percentage vegetation cover values differed among techniques, but the precision of four of the five techniques was consistently high. Conclusions: DIVA procedures are sufficient for measuring various heights and densities of standing herbaceous cover. Moreover, digital imagery techniques can reduce measurement error associated with multiple observers' standing herbaceous cover estimates, allowing greater opportunity to detect patterns associated with vegetation structure.

Shapes of Magnetically Controlled Electron Density Structures in the Dayside Martian Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diéval, C.; Kopf, A. J.; Wild, J. A.

2018-05-01

Nonhorizontal localized electron density structures associated with regions of near-radial crustal magnetic fields are routinely detected via radar oblique echoes on the dayside of Mars with the ionospheric sounding mode of the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) radar onboard Mars Express. Previous studies mostly investigated these structures at a fixed plasma frequency and assumed that the larger apparent altitude of the structures compared to the normal surrounding ionosphere implied that they are bulges. However, the signal is subjected to dispersion when it propagates through the plasma, so interpretations based on the apparent altitude should be treated with caution. We go further by investigating the frequency dependence (i.e., the altitude dependence) of the shape of 48 density structure events, using time series of MARSIS electron density profiles corrected for signal dispersion. Four possible simplest shapes are detected in these time series, which can give oblique echoes: bulges, dips, downhill slopes, and uphill slopes. The altitude differences between the density structures and their edges are, in absolute value, larger at low frequency (high altitude) than at high frequency (low altitude), going from a few tens of kilometers to a few kilometers as frequency increases. Bulges dominate in numbers in most of the frequency range. Finally, the geographical extension of the density structures covers a wide range of crustal magnetic fields orientations, with near-vertical fields toward their center and near-horizontal fields toward their edges, as expected. Transport processes are suggested to be a key driver for these density structures.

A Basin-Wide Examination of the Arctic Ocean's Double-Diffusive Staircase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibley, N.; Timmermans, M. L.; Carpenter, J. R.; Toole, J. M.

2016-02-01

The Arctic Ocean thermohaline stratification frequently exhibits a staircase structure above the Atlantic Water Layer consisting of multiple mixed layers of order 1-m in height separated by sharp interfaces. This double-diffusive staircase structure is characterized across the entire Arctic Ocean through a detailed analysis of Ice-Tethered Profiler measurements acquired between 2004 and 2013. Staircase properties (mixed layer thicknesses and temperature-salinity jumps across interfaces) are examined in relation to a bulk vertical density ratio for 50-m spanning the staircase stratification. It is shown that the Lomonosov Ridge serves as an approximate boundary between regions of low density ratio (on the Eurasian side) and higher density ratio (on the Canadian side). We find that the diffusive staircase in the Eurasian Basin is characterized by fewer, thinner mixed layers than that in the Canadian Basin, although the margins of all basins are characterized by relatively thin staircase mixed layers. Using a double-diffusive 4/3 flux law parameterization, the distribution of vertical heat fluxes through the staircase is estimated across the Arctic; it is found that heat fluxes in the Eurasian Basin [O(1) W/m^2] are generally an order of magnitude larger than those in the Canadian Basin [O(0.1) W/m^2].

From the granular Leidenfrost state to buoyancy-driven convection.

PubMed

Rivas, Nicolas; Thornton, Anthony R; Luding, Stefan; van der Meer, Devaraj

2015-04-01

Grains inside a vertically vibrated box undergo a transition from a density-inverted and horizontally homogeneous state, referred to as the granular Leidenfrost state, to a buoyancy-driven convective state. We perform a simulational study of the precursors of such a transition and quantify their dynamics as the bed of grains is progressively fluidized. The transition is preceded by transient convective states, which increase their correlation time as the transition point is approached. Increasingly correlated convective flows lead to density fluctuations, as quantified by the structure factor, that also shows critical behavior near the transition point. The amplitude of the modulations in the vertical velocity field are seen to be best described by a quintic supercritical amplitude equation with an additive noise term. The validity of such an amplitude equation, and previously observed collective semiperiodic oscillations of the bed of grains, suggests a new interpretation of the transition analogous to a coupled chain of vertically vibrated damped oscillators. Increasing the size of the container shows metastability of convective states, as well as an overall invariant critical behavior close to the transition.

Plasma Component of Self-gravitating Disks and Relevant Magnetic Configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertin, G.; Coppi, B.

2006-04-01

Astrophysical disks in which the disk self-gravity is more important than the gravity force associated with the central object can have significant plasma components where appreciable toroidal current densities are produced. When the vertical confinement of the plasma rotating structures that can form is kept by the Lorentz force rather than by the vertical component of the gravity force, the disk self-gravity remains important only in the radial equilibrium condition, modifying the rotation curve from the commonly considered Keplerian rotation. The equilibrium equations that are solved involve the vertical and the horizontal components of the total momentum conservation equations, coupled with the lowest order form of the gravitational Poisson's equation. The resulting poloidal field configuration can be visualized as a sequence [1] of Field Reverse Configurations, in the radial direction, consisting of pairs of oppositely directed current channels. The plasma density thus acquires a significant radial modulation that may grow to the point where plasma rings can form [2]. [1] B. Coppi, Phys. Plasmas, 12, 057302 (2005) [2] B. Coppi and F. Rousseau, to be published in Astrophys. J. (April 2006)

Effects of pressing schedule on formation of vertical density profile for MDF panels

Treesearch

Zhiyong Cai; James H. Muehl; Jerrold E. Winandy

2006-01-01

A fundamental understanding of mat consolidation during hot pressing will help to optimize the medium-density fiberboard (MDF) manufacturing process by increasing productivity, improving product quality, and enhancing durability. Effects of panel density, fiber moisture content (MC), and pressing schedule on formation of vertical density profile (VDP) during hot...

Accretion disc dynamo activity in local simulations spanning weak-to-strong net vertical magnetic flux regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvesen, Greg; Simon, Jacob B.; Armitage, Philip J.; Begelman, Mitchell C.

2016-03-01

Strongly magnetized accretion discs around black holes have attractive features that may explain enigmatic aspects of X-ray binary behaviour. The structure and evolution of these discs are governed by a dynamo-like mechanism, which channels part of the accretion power liberated by the magnetorotational instability (MRI) into an ordered toroidal magnetic field. To study dynamo activity, we performed three-dimensional, stratified, isothermal, ideal magnetohydrodynamic shearing box simulations. The strength of the self-sustained toroidal magnetic field depends on the net vertical magnetic flux, which we vary across almost the entire range over which the MRI is linearly unstable. We quantify disc structure and dynamo properties as a function of the initial ratio of mid-plane gas pressure to vertical magnetic field pressure, β _0^mid = p_gas / p_B. For 10^5 ≥ β _0^mid ≥ 10 the effective α-viscosity parameter scales as a power law. Dynamo activity persists up to and including β _0^mid = 10^2, at which point the entire vertical column of the disc is magnetic pressure dominated. Still stronger fields result in a highly inhomogeneous disc structure, with large density fluctuations. We show that the turbulent steady state βmid in our simulations is well matched by the analytic model of Begelman et al. describing the creation and buoyant escape of toroidal field, while the vertical structure of the disc can be broadly reproduced using this model. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results for observed properties of X-ray binaries.

Density Functional Study of Structures and Electron Affinities of BrO4F/BrO4F−

PubMed Central

Gong, Liangfa; Xiong, Jieming; Wu, Xinmin; Qi, Chuansong; Li, Wei; Guo, Wenli

2009-01-01

The structures, electron affinities and bond dissociation energies of BrO4F/BrO4F− species have been investigated with five density functional theory (DFT) methods with DZP++ basis sets. The planar F-Br…O2…O2 complexes possess 3A′ electronic state for neutral molecule and 4A′ state for the corresponding anion. Three types of the neutral-anion energy separations are the adiabatic electron affinity (EAad), the vertical electron affinity (EAvert), and the vertical detachment energy (VDE). The EAad value predicted by B3LYP method is 4.52 eV. The bond dissociation energies De (BrO4F → BrO4-mF + Om) (m = 1–4) and De− (BrO4F− → BrO4-mF− + Om and BrO4F− → BrO4-mF + Om−) are predicted. The adiabatic electron affinities (EAad) were predicted to be 4.52 eV for F-Br…O2…O2 (3A′←4A′) (B3LYP method). PMID:19742128

Binary Compound Bilayer and Multilayer with Vertical Polarizations: Two-Dimensional Ferroelectrics, Multiferroics, and Nanogenerators.

PubMed

Li, Lei; Wu, Menghao

2017-06-27

Vertical ferroelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) materials is desirable for high-density data storage without quantum tunneling or high power consumption/dissipation, which still remains elusive due to the surface-depolarizing field. Herein, we report the first-principles evidence of 2D vertical ferroelectricity induced by interlayer translation, which exists extensively in the graphitic bilayer of BN, AlN, ZnO, MoS 2 , GaSe, etc.; the bilayer of some 2D ferromagnets like MXene, VS 2 , and MoN 2 can be even multiferroics with switchable magnetizations upon ferroelectric switching, rendering efficient reading and writing for high-density data storage. In particular, the electromechanical coupling between interlayer translation and potential can be used to drive the flow of electrons as nanogenerators for harvesting energy from human activities, ocean waves, mechanical vibration, etc. A ferroelectric superlattice with spatial varying potential can be formed in a bilayer Moire pattern upon a small twist or strain, making it possible to generate periodic n/p doped-domains and shape the periodicity of the potential energy landscape. Finally, some of their multilayer counterparts with wurtzite structures like a ZnO multilayer are revealed to exhibit another type of vertical ferroelectricity with greatly enhanced polarizations.

Vertical Structure and Dynamics of the Beaufort Gyre Subsurface Layer from ADCP Obervations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, D. J.; Krishfield, R. A.; Proshutinsky, A. Y.; Timmermans, M. L. E.

2014-12-01

As part of the Beaufort Gyre Observing System (BGOS), several Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) have been maintained at moorings in different locations in the Canada Basin since 2005 to measure upper ocean velocities and sea ice motion. The ADCP data have been analyzed to better understand relationships among different components of forcing driving the sea ice and upper ocean layer including: winds, tides, and horizontal and vertical density gradients in the ocean. Specific attention is paid to data processing and analysis to separate inertial and tidal motions in these regions in the vicinity of the critical latitudes. In addition, we describe the dynamic characteristics of halocline eddies and estimate their kinetic energy and their role in the total energy balance in this region. Ice-Tethered Profiler (ITP) data are used in conjunction with the ADCP measurements to identify relationships between T-S and vertical velocity structures in the mixed layer and deeper. Seasonal and interannual variability in all parameters are also discussed and causes of observed changes are suggested.

Electron scattering at interfaces in nano-scale vertical interconnects: A combined experimental and ab initio study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanzillo, Nicholas A.; Restrepo, Oscar D.; Bhosale, Prasad S.; Cruz-Silva, Eduardo; Yang, Chih-Chao; Youp Kim, Byoung; Spooner, Terry; Standaert, Theodorus; Child, Craig; Bonilla, Griselda; Murali, Kota V. R. M.

2018-04-01

We present a combined theoretical and experimental study on the electron transport characteristics across several representative interface structures found in back-end-of-line interconnect stacks for advanced semiconductor manufacturing: Cu/Ta(N)/Co/Cu and Cu/Ta(N)/Ru/Cu. In particular, we evaluate the impact of replacing a thin TaN barrier with Ta while considering both Co and Ru as wetting layers. Both theory and experiment indicate a pronounced reduction in vertical resistance when replacing TaN with Ta, regardless of whether a Co or Ru wetting layer is used. This indicates that a significant portion of the total vertical resistance is determined by electron scattering at the Cu/Ta(N) interface. The electronic structure of these nano-sized interconnects is analyzed in terms of the atom-resolved projected density of states and k-resolved transmission spectra at the Fermi level. This work further develops a fundamental understanding of electron transport and material characteristics in nano-sized interconnects.

imaging volcanos with gravity and muon tomography measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jourde, Kevin; Gibert, Dominique; Marteau, Jacques; Deroussi, Sébastien; Dufour, Fabrice; de Bremond d'Ars, Jean; Ianigro, Jean-Christophe; Gardien, Serge; Girerd, Claude

2015-04-01

Both muon tomography and gravimetry are geohysical methods that provide information on the density structure of the Earth's subsurface. Muon tomography measures the natural flux of cosmic muons and its attenuation produced by the screening effect of the rock mass to image. Gravimetry generally consists in measurements of the vertical component of the local gravity field. Both methods are linearly linked to density, but their spatial sensitivity is very different. Muon tomography essentially works like medical X-ray scan and integrates density information along elongated narrow conical volumes while gravimetry measurements are linked to density by a 3-dimensional integral encompassing the whole studied domain. We show that gravity data are almost useless to constrain the density structure in regions sampled by more than two muon tomography acquisitions. Interestingly the resolution in deeper regions not sampled by muon tomography is significantly improved by joining the two techniques. Examples taken from field experiments performed on La Soufrière of Guadeloupe volcano are discussed.

Three-dimensional structure of dilute pyroclastic density currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, B. J.

2013-12-01

Unconfined experimental density currents dynamically similar to pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) suggest that cross-stream motions of the currents and air entrainment through currents' lateral margins strongly affects PDC behavior. Experiments are conducted within an air-filled tank 8.5 m long by 6.1 m wide by 2.6 m tall. Currents are generated by feeding heated powders down a chute into the tank at controlled rates to form dilute, particle-laden, turbulent gravity currents that are fed for 30 to 600 seconds. Powders include 5 μm aluminum oxide, 25 μm talc, 27 μm walnut, 76 μm glass beads and mixtures thereof. Experiments are scaled such that Froude, densimetric and thermal Richardson, particle Stokes and Settling numbers, and thermal to kinetic energy densities are all in agreement with dilute PDCs; experiments have lower Reynolds numbers that natural currents, but the experiments are fully turbulent, thus the large scale structures should be similar. The experiments are illuminated with 3 orthogonal laser sheets (650, 532, and 450 nm wavelengths) and recorded with an array of HD video cameras and a high speed camera (up to 3000 fps); this system provides synchronous observation of a vertical streamwise and cross-stream planes, and a horizontal plane. Ambient temperature currents tend to spread out radially from the source and have long run out distances, whereas warmer currents tend to focus along narrow sectors and have shorter run outs. In addition, when warm currents lift off to form buoyant plumes, lateral spreading ceases. The behavior of short duration currents are dominated by the current head; as eruption duration increases, current transport direction tends to oscillate back and forth (this is particularly true for ambient temperature currents). Turbulent structures in the horizontal plane show air entrainment and advection downstream. Eddies illuminated by the vertical cross-stream laser sheet often show vigorous mixing along the current margins, particularly after the current head has passed. In some currents, the head can persist as a large, vertically oriented vortex long after the bulk of the current has lifted off to form a coignimbrite plume. These unconfined experiments show that three-dimensional structures can affect PDC behavior and suggest that our typical cross-sectional or 'cartoon' understanding of PDCs misses what may be very important parts of PDC dynamics.

Nutrient interleaving below the mixed layer of the Kuroshio Extension Front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagai, Takeyoshi; Clayton, Sophie

2017-08-01

Nitrate interleaving structures were observed below the mixed layer during a cruise to the Kuroshio Extension in October 2009. In this paper, we investigate the formation mechanisms for these vertical nitrate anomalies, which may be an important source of nitrate to the oligotrphoc surface waters south of the Kuroshio Extension Front. We found that nitrate concentrations below the main stream of the Kuroshio Extension were elevated compared to the ambient water of the same density ( σ 𝜃 = 23.5-25). This appears to be analogous to the "nutrient stream" below the mixed layer, associated with the Gulf Stream. Strong turbulence was observed above the vertical nitrate anomaly, and we found that this can drive a large vertical turbulent nitrate flux >O (1 mmol N m-2 day-1). A realistic, high-resolution (2 km) numerical simulation reproduces the observed Kuroshio nutrient stream and nitrate interleaving structures, with similar lateral and vertical scales. The model results suggest that the nitrate interleaving structures are first generated at the western side of the meander crest on the south side of the Kuroshio Extension, where the southern tip of the mixed layer front is under frontogenesis. Lagrangian analyses reveal that the vertical shear of geostrophic and subinertial ageostrophic flow below the mixed layer tilts the existing along-isopycnal nitrate gradient of the Kuroshio nutrient stream to form nitrate interleaving structures. This study suggests that the multi-scale combination of (i) the lateral stirring of the Kuroshio nutrient stream by developed mixed layer fronts during fall to winter, (ii) the associated tilting of along-isopycnal nitrate gradient of the nutrient stream by subinertial shear, which forms vertical interleaving structures, and (iii) the strong turbulent diffusion above them, may provide a route to supply nutrients to oligotrophic surface waters on the south side of the Kuroshio Extension.

Spaceborne Potential for Examining Taiga-Tundra Ecotone Form and Vulnerability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montesano, Paul M.; Sun, Guoqing; Dubayah, Ralph O.; Ranson, K. Jon

2016-01-01

In the taiga-tundra ecotone (TTE), site-dependent forest structure characteristics can influence the subtle and heterogeneous structural changes that occur across the broad circumpolar extent. Such changes may be related to ecotone form, described by the horizontal and vertical patterns of forest structure (e.g., tree cover, density and height) within TTE forest patches, driven by local site conditions, and linked to ecotone dynamics. The unique circumstance of subtle, variable and widespread vegetation change warrants the application of spaceborne data including high-resolution (less than 5m) spaceborne imagery (HRSI) across broad scales for examining TTE form and predicting dynamics. This study analyzes forest structure at the patch-scale in the TTE to provide a means to examine both vertical and horizontal components of ecotone form. We demonstrate the potential of spaceborne data for integrating forest height and density to assess TTE form at the scale of forest patches across the circumpolar biome by (1) mapping forest patches in study sites along the TTE in northern Siberia with a multi-resolution suite of spaceborne data, and (2) examining the uncertainty of forest patch height from this suite of data across sites of primarily diffuse TTE forms. Results demonstrate the opportunities for improving patch-scale spaceborne estimates of forest height, the vertical component of TTE form, with HRSI. The distribution of relative maximum height uncertainty based on prediction intervals is centered at approximately 40%, constraining the use of height for discerning differences in forest patches. We discuss this uncertainty in light of a conceptual model of general ecotone forms, and highlight how the uncertainty of spaceborne estimates of height can contribute to the uncertainty in identifying TTE forms. A focus on reducing the uncertainty of height estimates in forest patches may improve depiction of TTE form, which may help explain variable forest responses in the TTE to climate change and the vulnerability of portions of the TTE to forest structure change. structural changes.

Facile template-free synthesis of vertically aligned polypyrrole nanosheets on nickel foams for flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiangwen; Lin, Zhixing; Zheng, Jingxu; Huang, Yingjuan; Chen, Bin; Mai, Yiyong; Feng, Xinliang

2016-04-01

This paper reports a novel and remarkably facile approach towards vertically aligned nanosheets on three-dimensional (3D) Ni foams. Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) sheets were grown on Ni foam through the volatilization of the environmentally friendly solvent from an ethanol-water solution of pyrrole (Py), followed by the polymerization of the coated Py in ammonium persulfate (APS) solution. The PPy-decorated Ni foams and commercial activated carbon (AC) modified Ni foams were employed as the two electrodes for the assembly of flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. The sheet-like structure of PPy and the macroporous feature of the Ni foam, which render large electrode-electrolyte interfaces, resulted in good capacitive performance of the supercapacitors. Moreover, a high energy density of ca. 14 Wh kg-1 and a high power density of 6.2 kW kg-1 were achieved for the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors due to the wide cell voltage window.This paper reports a novel and remarkably facile approach towards vertically aligned nanosheets on three-dimensional (3D) Ni foams. Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) sheets were grown on Ni foam through the volatilization of the environmentally friendly solvent from an ethanol-water solution of pyrrole (Py), followed by the polymerization of the coated Py in ammonium persulfate (APS) solution. The PPy-decorated Ni foams and commercial activated carbon (AC) modified Ni foams were employed as the two electrodes for the assembly of flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. The sheet-like structure of PPy and the macroporous feature of the Ni foam, which render large electrode-electrolyte interfaces, resulted in good capacitive performance of the supercapacitors. Moreover, a high energy density of ca. 14 Wh kg-1 and a high power density of 6.2 kW kg-1 were achieved for the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors due to the wide cell voltage window. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: ESI figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00468g

Vertical rise velocity of equatorial plasma bubbles estimated from Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) observations and HIRB model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulasi Ram, S.; Ajith, K. K.; Yokoyama, T.; Yamamoto, M.; Niranjan, K.

2017-06-01

The vertical rise velocity (Vr) and maximum altitude (Hm) of equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) were estimated using the two-dimensional fan sector maps of 47 MHz Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR), Kototabang, during May 2010 to April 2013. A total of 86 EPBs were observed out of which 68 were postsunset EPBs and remaining 18 EPBs were observed around midnight hours. The vertical rise velocities of the EPBs observed around the midnight hours are significantly smaller ( 26-128 m/s) compared to those observed in postsunset hours ( 45-265 m/s). Further, the vertical growth of the EPBs around midnight hours ceases at relatively lower altitudes, whereas the majority of EPBs at postsunset hours found to have grown beyond the maximum detectable altitude of the EAR. The three-dimensional numerical high-resolution bubble (HIRB) model with varying background conditions are employed to investigate the possible factors that control the vertical rise velocity and maximum attainable altitudes of EPBs. The estimated rise velocities from EAR observations at both postsunset and midnight hours are, in general, consistent with the nonlinear evolution of EPBs from the HIRB model. The smaller vertical rise velocities (Vr) and lower maximum altitudes (Hm) of EPBs during midnight hours are discussed in terms of weak polarization electric fields within the bubble due to weaker background electric fields and reduced background ion density levels.