Lighting the way: Towards reducing misorientation of olive ridley hatchlings due to artificial lighting at Rushikulya, India

Sea-finding behavior in sea turtle hatchlings is modified by the visual cues provided by artificial beach front lighting. The consequent landward movement of hatchlings in response to coastal electric lighting reduces their survival rates. We assessed the potential impact of coastal lighting at Rushikulya, an important mass nesting site of the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in the Indian Ocean region. We examined the response of hatchlings to light characteristics in an experimental setup, as well as to the existing lighting regimes along the beach, using arena trials. Previous studies on other species indicate preferential orientation towards low wavelength and high intensity light. Our study confirms these preferences among hatchlings from the Indian Ocean population of olive ridleys. In addition we also found that wavelength and intensity could have an interactive effect upon hatchling orientation. Hatchlings at the study site respond both to visible point sources of light and to sheer glows of light. Though beach plantations of introduced Casuarina equisetifolia are generally considered to have negative impacts on sea turtle nesting beaches, we found that they acted as an effective light barrier when planted about 50 m away from the high tide line. We developed a model of the expected impact of artificial lighting on hatchling orientation during mass hatching events of previous years, and predict as much as 50% misorientation in some years. We also developed a map representing the misorientation of hatchlings due to artificial lighting based on arena trials in different regions of the beach. The results of the study helped identify focal areas for light management on the beach, which could be critical for the survival of this population.

Comparative study of lead-acid batteries for photovoltaic stand-alone lighting systems

The lead-acid battery is often the weakest link in photovoltaic (PV) installations. Accordingly, various versions of lead-acid batteries, namely flooded, gelled, absorbent glass-mat and hybrid, have been assembled and performance tested for a PV stand-alone lighting system. The study suggests the hybrid VRLA batteries, which exhibit both the high power density of absorbent glass-mat design and the improved thermal properties of the gel design, to be appropriate for such an application. Among the VRLA-type batteries studied here water loss for the hybrid VRLA batteries is minimal and charge-acceptance during the service at high temperatures is better in relation to their AGM counterparts.

Rural energy consumption patterns - A field study

This paper is a condensed version of the final report of a detailed field study of rural energy consumption patterns in six villages located west of Bangalore in the dry belt of Karnataka State in India. The study was carried out in two phases; first, a pilot study of four villages and second, the detailed study of six villages, the populations of which varied from around 350 to about 950. The pilot survey ended in late 1976, and most of the data was collected for the main project in 1977. Processing of the collected data was completed in 1980. The aim was to carry out a census survey, rather than a sample study. Hence, considerable effort was expended in production of both a suitable questionnaire, ensuring that all respondents were contacted, and devising methods which would accurately reflect the actual energy use in various energy-utilising activities. In the end, 560 households out of 578 (97%) were surveyed. The following ranking was found for the various energy sources in order of average percentage contribution to the annual total energy requirement: firewood, 81·6%; human energy, 7·7%; animal energy, 2·7%; kerosene, 2·1%; electricity, 0·6% and all other sources (rice husks, agro-wastes, coal and diesel fuel), 5·3%. In other words commercial fuels made only a small contribution to the overall energy use. It should be noted that dung cakes are not burned in this region. The average energy use pattern, sector by sector, again on a percentage basis, was as follows: domestic, 88·3%; industry, 4·7%; agriculture, 4·3%; lighting, 2·2% and transport, 0·5%. The total annual per capita energy consumption was 12·6 ± 1·2 GJ, giving an average annual household consumption of around 78·6 GJ.

Rural energy consumption patterns - A field study

This paper is a condensed version of the final report of a detailed field study of rural energy consumption patterns in six villages located west of Bangalore in the dry belt of Karnataka State in India. The study was carried out in two phases; first, a pilot study of four villages and second, the detailed study of six villages, the populations of which varied from around 350 to about 950. The pilot survey ended in late 1976, and most of the data was collected for the main project in 1977. Processing of the collected data was completed in 1980. The aim was to carry out a census survey, rather than a sample study. Hence, considerable effort was expended in production of both a suitable questionnaire, ensuring that all respondents were contacted, and devising methods which would accurately reflect the actual energy use in various energy-utilising activities. In the end, 560 households out of 578 (97%) were surveyed. The following ranking was found for the various energy sources in order of average percentage contribution to the annual total energy requirement: firewood, 81A·6%; human energy, 7A·7%; animal energy, 2A·7%; kerosene, 2A·1%; electricity, 0A·6% and all other sources (rice husks, agro-wastes, coal and diesel fuel), 5A·3%. In other words commercial fuels made only a small contribution to the overall energy use. It should be noted that dung cakes are not burned in this region. The average energy use pattern, sector by sector, again on a percentage basis, was as follows: domestic, 88A·3%; industry, 4A·7%; agriculture, 4A·3%; lighting, 2A·2% and transport, 0A·5%. The total annual per capita energy consumption was 12A·6 A± 1A·2 GJ, giving an average annual household consumption of around 78A·6 GJ.

Universalization of access to modern energy services in Indian households-Economic and policy analysis

Provision of modern energy services for cooking (with gaseous fuels)and lighting (with electricity) is an essential component of any policy aiming to address health, education or welfare issues; yet it gets little attention from policy-makers. Secure, adequate, low-cost energy of quality and convenience is core to the delivery of these services. The present study analyses the energy consumption pattern of Indian domestic sector and examines the urban-rural divide and income energy linkage. A comprehensive analysis is done to estimate the cost for providing modern energy services to everyone by 2030. A public-private partnership-driven business model, with entrepreneurship at the core, is developed with institutional, financing and pricing mechanisms for diffusion of energy services. This approach, termed as EMPOWERS (entrepreneurship model for provision of wholesome energy-related basic services), if adopted, can facilitate large-scale dissemination of energy-efficient and renewable technologies like small-scale biogas/biofuel plants, and distributed power generation technologies to provide clean, safe, reliable and sustainable energy to rural households and urban poor. It is expected to integrate the processes of market transformation and entrepreneurship development involving government, NGOs, financial institutions and community groups as stakeholders. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

(2E)-3-(4-Bromophenyl)-1-(2-methyl-4phenyl-3-quinolyl)prop-2-en-1-one

The conformation about the ethene bond [1.316 (3) angstrom] in the title compound, C25H18BrNO, is E. The quinoline ring forms dihedral angles of 67.21 (10) and 71.68 (10)degrees with the benzene and bromo-substituted benzene rings, respectively. High-lighting the non-planar arrangement of aromatic rings, the dihedral angle formed between the benzene rings is 58.57 (12)degrees.

Biomass gasification: Environmentally sound technology for decentralized power generation, a case study from India

This study aims at understanding the need for decentralized power generation systems and to explore the potential, feasibility and environmental implications of biomass gasifier-based electricity generation systems for village electrification. Electricity needs of villages are in the range of 5–20 kW depending on the size of the village. Decentralized power generation systems are desirable for low load village situations as the cost of power transmission lines is reduced and transmission and distribution losses are minimised. A biomass gasifier-based electricity generation system is one of the feasible options; the technology is readily available and has already been field tested. To meet the lighting and stationary power needs of 500,000 villages in India the land required is only 16 Mha compared to over 100 Mha of degraded land available for tree planting. In fact all the 95 Mt of woody biomass required for gasification could be obtained through biomass conservation programmes such as biogas and improved cook stoves. Thus dedication of land for energy plantations may not be required. A shift to a biomass gasifier-based power generation system leads to local benefits such as village self reliance, local employment and skill generation and promotion of in situ plant diversity plus global benefits like no net CO2 emission (as sustainable biomass harvests are possible) and a reduction in CO2 emissions (when used to substitute thermal power and diesel in irrigation pump sets).

Thermodynamics of Al(1-x)Ga(x)N solid solution: Inclination for phase separation and ordering

Although Al(1-x)Ga(x)N semiconductors are used in lighting, displays and high-power amplifiers, there is no experimental thermodynamic information on nitride solid solutions. Thermodynamic data are useful for assessing the intrinsic stability of the solid solution with respect to phase separation and extrinsic stability in relation to other phases such as metallic contacts. The activity of GaN in Al(1-x)Ga(x)N solid solution is determined at 1100 K using a solid-state electrochemical cell: Ga + Al(1-x)Ga(x)N/Fe, Ca(3)N(2)//CaF(2)//Ca(3)N(2), N(2) (0.1 MPa), Fe. The solid-state cell is based on single crystal CaF(2) as the electrolyte and Ca(3)N(2) as the auxiliary electrode to convert the nitrogen chemical potential established by the equilibrium between Ga and Al(1-x)Ga(x)N solid solution into an equivalent fluorine potential. Excess Gibbs free energy of mixing of the solid solution is computed from the results. Results suggest an unusual mixing behavior: a mild tendency for ordering at three discrete compositions (x = 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) superimposed on predominantly positive deviation from ideality. The lattice parameters exhibit slight deviation from Vegard's law, with the a-parameter showing positive and the c-parameter negative deviation. Although the solid solution is stable in the full range of compositions at growth temperatures, thermodynamic instability is indicated at temperatures below 410 K in the composition range 0.26 <= x <= 0.5. At 355 K, two biphasic regions appear, with terminal solid solutions stable only for 0 <= x <= 0.26 and 0.66 <= x <= 1. The range of terminal solid solubility reduces with decreasing temperature. (C) 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Model projections for household energy use in India

Energy use in developing countries is heterogeneous across households. Present day global energy models are mostly too aggregate to account for this heterogeneity. Here, a bottom-up model for residential energy use that starts from key dynamic concepts on energy use in developing countries is presented and applied to India. Energy use and fuel choice is determined for five end-use functions (cooking, water heating, space heating, lighting and appliances) and for five different income quintiles in rural and urban areas. The paper specifically explores the consequences of different assumptions for income distribution and rural electrification on residential sector energy use and CO(2) emissions, finding that results are clearly sensitive to variations in these parameters. As a result of population and economic growth, total Indian residential energy use is expected to increase by around 65-75% in 2050 compared to 2005, but residential carbon emissions may increase by up to 9-10 times the 2005 level. While a more equal income distribution and rural electrification enhance the transition to commercial fuels and reduce poverty, there is a trade-off in terms of higher CO(2) emissions via increased electricity use. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, characterization, thermo- and photoluminescence properties of Bi3+ co-doped Gd2O3:Eu3+ nanophosphors

Gd2O3:Eu3+ (4 mol%) co-doped with Bi3+ (Bi = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 mol%) ions were synthesized by a low-temperature solution combustion method. The powders were calcined at 800A degrees C and were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The PXRD profiles confirm that the calcined products were in monoclinic with little cubic phases. The particle sizes were estimated using Scherrer's method and Williamson-Hall plots and are found to be in the ranges 40-60 nm and 30-80 nm, respectively. The results are in good agreement with TEM results. The photoluminescence spectra of the synthesized phosphors excited with 230 nm show emission peaks at similar to 590, 612 and 625 nm, which are due to the transitions D-5(0)-> F-7(0), D-5(0)-> F-7(2) and D-5(0)-> F-7(3) of Eu3+, respectively. It is observed that a significant quenching of Eu3+ emission was observed under 230 nm excitation when Bi3+ was co-doped. On the other hand, upon 350 nm excitation, the luminescent intensity of Eu3+ ions was enhanced by incorporation of Bi3+ (5 mol%) ions. The introduction of Bi3+ ions broadened the excitation band of Eu3+ of which a new strong band occurred ranging from 320 to 380 nm. This has been attributed to the 6s(2)-> 6s6p transition of Bi3+ ions, implying a very efficient energy transfer from Bi3+ ions to Eu3+ ions. The gamma radiation response of Gd2O3:Eu3+ exhibited a dosimetrically useful glow peak at 380A degrees C. Using thermoluminescence glow peaks, the trap parameters have been evaluated and discussed. The observed emission characteristics and energy transfer indicate that Gd2O3:Eu3+, Bi3+ phosphors have promising applications in solid-state lighting.

Boosting-based transfer learning for multi-view head-pose classification from surveillance videos

This work proposes a boosting-based transfer learning approach for head-pose classification from multiple, low-resolution views. Head-pose classification performance is adversely affected when the source (training) and target (test) data arise from different distributions (due to change in face appearance, lighting, etc). Under such conditions, we employ Xferboost, a Logitboost-based transfer learning framework that integrates knowledge from a few labeled target samples with the source model to effectively minimize misclassifications on the target data. Experiments confirm that the Xferboost framework can improve classification performance by up to 6%, when knowledge is transferred between the CLEAR and FBK four-view headpose datasets.

Excitation- and power-dependent photoluminescence from oxidized Ge

Wafer/microcrystallites of oxidized Ge with holes/nanoholes synthesized by thermal oxidation strategy from Ge wafer/microcrystallites can convert one wavelength to another. Both oxidized Ge wafer and microcrystallites shows excitation- and power-dependent luminescence. Red-shift is observed as the excitation wavelength is increased, while blue-shift is observed as power density is increased. Over all, blue-green-yellow-orange luminescence is observed depending on the excitation wavelength and the morphology of oxidized Ge. The various defects level associated with germanium-oxygen vacancies in GeO2 and Ge/GeO2 interface are responsible for the excitation-dependent luminescence. Being a light-conversion material, oxidized Ge is expected to find potential applications in solid-state lighting, photovoltaic devices and photocatalysis.

Rainbow Emission from an Atomic Transition in Doped Quantum Dots

Although semiconductor quantum dots are promising materials for displays and lighting due to their tunable emissions, these materials also suffer from the serious disadvantage of self-absorption of emitted light. The reabsorption of emitted light is a serious loss mechanism in practical situations because most phosphors exhibit subunity quantum yields. Manganese-based phosphors that also exhibit high stability and quantum efficiency do not suffer from this problem but in turn lack emission tunability, seriously affecting their practical utility. Here, we present a class of manganese-doped quantum dot materials, where strain is used to tune the wavelength of the dopant emission, extending the otherwise limited emission tunability over the yellow-orange range for manganese ions to almost the entire visible spectrum covering all colors from blue to red. These new materials thus combine the advantages of both quantum dots and conventional doped phosphors, thereby opening new possibilities for a wide range of applications in the future.

Solar photovoltaic assistance for LHB rail coaches

Awareness for the need of sustainable and eco-friendly mobility has been increasing and various innovations are taking place in this regard. A study was carried out to assess the feasibility of installing solar photovoltaic (PV) modules atop train coaches. Most long-distance trains having LHB coaches do not have self-generating systems, thus making power cars mandatory to supply the required power for lighting loads. Feasibility of supplementing diesel generator sets with power from solar PV modules installed on coach rooftops has been reported in this communication. Not only is there a conservation of fuel, there is also a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. This work has shown that the area available on coach rooftops is more than sufficient to generate the required power, during sunlight hours, for the electrical loads of a non-A/C coach even during winter. All calculations were done keeping a standard route as the reference. Taking the cost of diesel to be Rs 66/litre, it was estimated that there will be annual savings of Rs 5,900,000 corresponding to 90,800 litres diesel per rake per year by implementing this scheme. The installation cost of solar modules would be recovered within 2-3 years. Implementation of this scheme would also amount to an annual reduction of 239 tonnes of CO2 emissions.