Three-photon-excited upconversion luminescence of YVO4 single crystal by infrared femtosecond laser irradiation

We report on the upconversion luminescence of a pure YVO4 single crystal excited by an infrared femtosecond laser. The luminescent spectra show that the upconversion luminescence comes from the transitions from the lowest excited states T-3(1), T-3(2) to the ground state (1)A(1) of the VO43-. The dependence of the fluorescence intensity on the pump power density of laser indicates that the conversion of infrared irradiation to visible emission is dominated by three-photon excitation process. We suggest that the simultaneous absorption of three infrared photons promotes the VO43- to excited states, which quickly cascade down to lowest excited states, and radiatively relax to ground states, resulting in the broad characteristic fluorescence of VO43-. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.

Upconversion luminescence from E-2 state of Cr3+ in Al2O3 crystal by infrared femtosecond laser irradiation

Visible upconversion luminescence was observed in Cr3+: Al2O3 crystal under focused femtosecond laser irradiation. The luminescence spectra show that the upconversion luminescence originates from the E-2-(4)A(2) transition of Cr3+. The dependence of the fluorescence intensity of Cr3+ on the pump power reveals that a two-photon absorption process dominates in the conversion of infrared radiation to the visible emission. It is suggested that the simultaneous absorption of two infrared photons produces the population of upper excited states, which leads to the characteristic visible emission from E-2 state of Cr3+.

Three-photon-excited upconversion luminescence of Ce3+: YAP crystal by femtosecond laser irradiation

Infrared to ultraviolet and visible upconversion luminescence was demonstrated in trivalent cerium doped YAlO3 crystal (Ce3+: YAP) under focused infrared femtosecond laser irradiation. The fluorescence spectra show that the upconverted luminescence comes from the 5d-4f transitions of trivalent cerium ions. The dependence of luminescence intensity of trivalent cerium on infrared pumping power reveals that the conversion of infrared radiation is dominated by three-photon excitation process. It is suggested that the simultaneous absorption of three infrared photons pumps the Ce3+ ion into upper 5d level, which quickly nonradiatively relax to lowest 5d level. Thereafter, the ions radiatively return to the ground states, leading to the characteristic emission of Ce3+. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.

Characterization of the sleep architecture in two species of fruit bat

Bats (Chiroptera) are the second-most abundant mammalian order in the world, occupying a diverse range of habitats and exhibiting many different life history traits. In order to contribute to this highly underrepresented group we describe the sleep architecture of two species of frugivorous bat, the greater short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx) and the lesser dawn fruit bat (Eonycteris spelaea). Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) data were recorded from multiple individuals (>= 5) by telemetry over a 72-h period in a laboratory setting with light/dark cycles equivalent to those found in the wild. Our results show that over a 24-h period both species spent more time asleep than awake (mean 15 h), less than previous reported for Chiroptera (20 h). C sphinx spent significantly more of its non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) quotas during the light phase, while E. spelaea divided its sleep-wake architecture equally between both light and dark phases. Comparing the sleep patterns of the two species found that C. sphinx had significantly fewer NREM and REM episodes than E. spelaea but each episode lasted for a significantly longer period of time. Potential hypotheses to explain the differences in the sleep architecture of C. sphinx with E. spelaea, including risk of predation and social interaction are discussed. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Migration routes and stopover sites of Black-necked Cranes determined by satellite tracking

Because their breeding and wintering areas are in remote locations, little is known about the biology of Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis), including their migratory behavior. Using satellite telemetry, we monitored the migration of Black-necked Cran

Evolution of freshwater plumes and salinity fronts in the northern Bay of Bengal

[1] The evolution of freshwater plumes and the associated salinity fronts in the northern Bay of Bengal ( henceforth the bay) is studied using rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) analysis and extended associate pattern analysis (EAPA). The results show that sea surface salinity distribution is featured by eastern-bay and western-bay plumes in the northern bay during different seasons. The western-bay plume begins in early July, peaks in late August, and then turns into a bay-shaped plume with the two plumes in either side of the bay, which peaks in late October. The southward extension of the western-bay plume can be explained by the southwestward geostrophic flow associated with the cyclonic gyre in the northern bay, which counters the northeastward Ekman drift driven by wind stress. The offshore expansion of the western-bay plume is induced by the offshore Ekman drift which also produces a salinity front near the east coast of India. The bay-shaped plume appears when the cyclonic gyre shifts westward and a weak anticyclonic gyre occupies the northeastern bay. As the season advances, the western part of the bay-shaped plume decays while the eastern part persists until the following June, which is believed to be associated with the anticyclonic gyre in the northern bay. The evolution of the plumes except the eastern part of the bay-shaped plume in fall can be partly explained by the seasonal variation of mass transport associated with the Sverdrup balance. The fact that the western-bay (eastern-bay) plume appears when surface freshwater flux in the northeastern bay increases ( decreases) dramatically suggests that the plumes are not produced directly by surface freshwater flux. River discharge seems to be the freshwater source for the plumes and has little to do with the evolution of the plumes.

无锁存功能脉冲计数器的改进读取方法

在电机伺服控制系统中,需要一个脉冲计数器对电机码盘输出的脉冲进行计数。单片机根据脉冲的个数和电机旋转方向计算出电机的转角,进而实现对电机的伺服控制。如果脉冲计数器没有数据锁存功能,且单片机读取数值时,脉冲计数器恰好发生了进位或者借位,则读取的数值可能不准确,进而影响伺服控制系统的性能。针对没有锁存功能的脉冲计数器,提出了一种改进的读取方法,有效地避免了在读取过程中由于计数器进位或借位造成的读数偏差。

释光测年实验室的建立与沉积物释光测年技术研究

The main research projects reported in this paper are the establishment of a luminescence (OSL/TL) dating laboratory in The Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS, and studies on OSL dating technique and protocol of sediments from North China. These projects have been suggested in order to fit in with the needs of research developments in environmental changes, in particular the aridity and desertification in North China. A new luminescence dating laboratory in which there are a Rise TL/OSL-DA-15B/C reader with Sr-90 beta source, a set of Little More Tape 9022 alpha and beta irradiators, three set of Daybreak 583 intelligent alpha counters and sample preparation system has been set up in the Institute in June 2001. The courses of the establishment of a new laboratory involved a series of technical works, besides making a suitable choice of the equipment, as follows: installing and testing TL/OSL reader, calibrating the dose rate of the beta and alpha sources in the irradiators with the standard sources, testing and calibrating the count rates of the thick source alpha counting in the alpha counters with a standard sample, and then dating of the know age samples to check and examine the OSL/TL dating system. All data obtained from above calibrations and tests show that the established OSL/TL system, including the used equipment in it, can be used to determine age of the geological and archaeological samples with an error of equivalent dose (De) of less than 5%. The OSL dates of several sediment samples obtained from the system are good agreement with those from the OSL dating laboratory in Hong Kong University and ~(14)C dates within 1 - 2 standard deviations. The studies on OSL dating technique and protocol of sediment samples being in progress involve the De determinations with single aliquot regeneration (SAR) (Murray and Wintle, 2000) of the coarse grain quartz from sand dune samples and comparison of the De determinations obtained from SAR with those measured by using multiple aliquot regeneration of loess fine grains. The preliminary results from these research works are shown as follows. The very low natural equivalent dose (De) of about 0.012 - 0.03 Gy, corresponding age of less than 10 years, for BLSL (blue light stimulated luminescence) of the coarse grain quartz from modern sand dune samples in Horqin sand fields has been determined with both the SAR and multiple aliquot regeneration (MAR) techniques. This imply that the BLSL signal zeroing of the quartz could be reached before burying of the sand in Horqin sand fields. The De values and ages of the coarse grain quartz measured with SAR protocol are in good agreement with those obtained from multiple aliquot technique for the modern sand dune samples, but the errors of De from the MAR is greater than those from the SAR. This may imply that the higher precision of age determination for younger sand dune samples could be achieved with the SAR of coarse grain quartz. The MAR combining with "Australian Slide method" may be a perfect choice for De measurements of loess fine grain samples on the basis of analysis of De values obtained from the SAR and from the MAR. The former can be employed to obtain a reliable age estimate of loess sample as older as approximately SO ka BR There is a great difference between De determinations from the (post-IR) OSL of the SAR (Roberts and Wintle, 2001) and those from independent or expected estimates for the older samples. However, the age estimates obtained from the (post-IR) OSL of the SAR are mostly closed to the independent age determinations for the younger (age less than 10 ka) fine grain samples. It may be suggested that the (post-IR) OSL of the SAR protocol of the fine grain fraction would be a suitable choice to dating of the younger samples, but may be unsuitable for the older samples.