Moonlets wandering on a leash-ring

Since the Voyager flybys, embedded moonlets have been proposed to explain some of the surprising structures observed in Saturn's narrow F ring. Experiments conducted with the Cassini spacecraft support this suggestion. Images of the F ring show bright compact spots, and seven occultations of stars by the F ring, monitored by ultraviolet and infrared experiments, revealed nine events of high optical depth. These results point to a large number of such objects, but it is not clear whether they are solid moonlets or rather loose particle aggregates. Subsequent images suggested an irregular motion of these objects so that a determination of their orbits consistent with the F ring failed. Some of these features seem to cross the whole ring. Here we show that these observations are explained by chaos in the F ring driven mainly by the 'shepherd' moons Prometheus and Pandora. It is characterized by a rather short Lyapunov time of about a few hundred orbital periods. Despite this chaotic diffusion, more than 93 per cent of the F-ring bodies remain confined within the F ring because of the shepherding, but also because of a weak radial mobility contrasted by an effective longitudinal diffusion. This chaotic stirring of all bodies involved prevents the formation of 'propellers' typical of moonlets, but their frequent ring crossings explain the multiple radial 'streaks' seen in the F ring. The related 'thermal' motion causes more frequent collisions between all bodies which steadily replenish F-ring dust and allow for ongoing fragmentation and re-accretion processes (ring recycling).

Non-conventional yeasts

In the beginning there was yeast, and it raised bread, brewed beer, and made wine. After many not days but centuries and even millenia later, it was named Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After more years and centuries there was another yeast, and it was named Schizo-saccharomyces pombe; now there were two stars in the yeast heaven. In only a few more years there were other yeasts, and then more, and more, and more. The era of the non-conventional yeasts had begun.

How Cr2O3 influences the microstructure and nonohmic features of the SnO2(COx, Mn1-x)O-based varistor system

An investigation was made to discover how the addition of Cr2O3 affects the microstructural heterogeneity and nonohmic features of the SnO2(Co-x, Mn1-x)O-based varistor system, with x varying from 0 to 1. The presence of Cr2O3 was found to strongly increase the nonohmic features when x = 1. However, the nonohmic features of the system decrease when x drops from 1 to 0, a behavior explained by the increase of the junction heterogeneity within the system's microstructure. accompanied by ail excess of precipitates at the triple point in the grain boundary region due to modified MnO sintering. The presence of these precipitates causes the leakage current to increase in response to the creation of ail ineffective barrier. The effect produced by heat-treating these systems in oxygen- and nitrogen-rich atmospheres suggests that, according to mechanisms previously discussed in the literature, Cr2O3 is more susceptible to oxygen, so that increasing the amount of oxygen in the grain boundary region may improve the system's nonohmic properties. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the oxygen adsorbed on tin varistors doped with Co, Mn and Cr oxides

The non-ohmic properties of the 98.90% SnO2+(1-x)%CoO+0.05% Cr2O3+0.05% Nb2O5+x% MnO2 varistor system (all of them in mol %), as well as the influence of the oxidizing and reducing atmosphere on this system were studied in this work. Experimental evidence indicates that the electrical properties of the varistor depend on the defects that occur at the grain boundary and on the adsorbed oxygen species such as O''(2), O'(2), O in this region. Thermal treatments at 900 degreesC in oxygen and nitrogen atmospheres indicated such a dependence with the values of the non-linearity coefficient (alpha) increasing under oxygen atmosphere, being reduced in nitrogen atmosphere and restored after a new treatment in oxygen atmosphere, presenting a reversibility in the process. EDS analysis accomplished by SEM showed the distribution of the oxides in the varistor matrix. (C) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Sources of atmospheric acidity in an agricultural-industrial region of São Paulo State, Brazil

[1] Surface-based measurements of atmospheric formic acid (HCOOH), acetic acid (CH3COOH), sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen chloride (HCl), and nitric acid (HNO3) were made in central São Paulo State, Brazil, between April 1999 and March 2000. Mean concentrations were 9.0 ppb (HCOOH), 1.3 ppb (CH3COOH), 4.9 ppb (SO2), 0.3 ppb (HCl), and 0.5 ppb (HNO3). Concentrations in sugar cane burning plumes were 1160-4230 ppb (HCOOH), 360-1750 ppb (CH3COOH), 10-630 ppb (SO2), 4-210 ppb (HCl), and 14-90 ppb (HNO3). Higher ambient concentrations of SO2, HCl and HNO3 were measured during the burning season (May-November). Concentrations of SO2 and HCl increased during the evening, and of HCOOH and CH3COOH were lowest in the morning, with peak levels in the afternoon. Ratios obtained between different species showed either nighttime maxima (SO2/HCOOH, SO2/CH3COOH, SO2/HNO3, CH3COOH/HNO3, SO2/HCl and HCOOH/HNO3), daytime maxima (HCOOH/HCl, CH3COOH/HCl and HNO3/HCl), or no clear trends (HCOOH/CH3COOH). Correlation analysis showed that SO2 and HCl were primary emissions from biomass burning and road transport; HCOOH, HNO3 and CH3COOH were products of photochemistry; HCOOH and CH3COOH were emitted directly during combustion as well as from biogenic sources. Biomass burning affected atmospheric acidity on a regional scale, while vehicular emissions had greater impact in urban and adjacent areas. Atmospheric ammonia levels were insufficient to neutralize atmospheric acidity, which was mainly removed by deposition to the surface.

Thermal behavior of the Ti(IV), Zr(IV) and Pb(II) complexes with 5-nitro-8-hydroxyquinoline

Ti(IV), Zr(IV) and Pb(II) complexes with 5-nitro-8-hydroxyquinoline (5-NQ) were obtained by precipitation in acetone/ammonium solution medium. The compounds TiO(C9H5N2O3)(2).0.5H(2)O, ZrO(C9H5N2O3)(2)2H(2)O and Pb(C9H5N2O3)(2) were characterized by Elemental Analysis, X-ray Diffratometry and Infrared Absorption Spectrometry and their thermal behavior followed by TG/DTA. This present study intends to show the variations in the thermal behavior of the compounds and in the composition and/or structure of final oxide residues, in different atmospheres and heating rates.

Construction and calibration of permeation tubes.

A dynamic system for stablishing a known standard gas mixture is necessary for many studies such as development and testing of analytical methods. A permeation tube can be used for this purpose. The work described here shows the construction, operation and calibration of a simple permeation tube which can be used to obtain large amounts of a standard gas.

Sensitivity of SnO2 non-ohmic behavior to the sintering process and to the addition of La2O3

The work reported here consisted of a study of the sensitivity of the nonlinear electrical properties of dense SnO2. CoO ceramic systems to low concentrations of La2O3, sintering temperature and cooling rates. The nonlinear electrical properties of these systems were found to increase with decreasing cooling rates, a behavior attributed to the CoO solid state reactions at temperatures below 1000 degreesC. Post-annealing treatment in N-2-rich atmospheres strongly decreases the non-ohmic behavior of SnO2. CoO ceramic systems. However, this behavior may be restored through thermal treatment in an O-2-rich atmosphere. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of oxygen vacancies in the magnetic and dielectric properties of the high-dielectric-constant system CaCu3Ti4O12: An electron-spin resonance study

We report experiments of electron spin resonance (ESR) of Cu2+ in polycrystalline samples of CaCu3Ti4O12 post-annealed in different atmospheres. After being synthesized by solid state reaction, pellets of CaCu3Ti4O12 were annealed for 24 h at 1000 degrees C under air, Ar or O-2. Our temperature dependent ESR data revealed for all samples nearly temperature independent g value (2.15(1)) and linewidth for T > T-N approximate to 25 K. However, the values of ESR linewidth are strongly affected by the oxygen content in the sample. For instance, argon post-annealed samples show a much larger linewidth than the O-2 or air post-annealed samples. We attribute this broadening to an increase of the dipolar homogeneous broadening of the Cu2+ ESR lines due to the presence of oxygen vacancies which induce an S=1/2 spin inside the TiO6 octahedra. Correlation between a systematic dependence of the ESR linewidth on the oxygen content and the high dielectric constant of these materials is addressed. Also, ESR, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat data for a single crystal of CaCu3Ti4O12 and for polycrystals of CdCu3Ti4O12 are reported.

Qualitative evaluation of active potential barriers in SnO2-based polycrystalline devices by electrostatic force microscopy

This paper discuss the qualitative use of electrostatic force microscopy to study the grain boundary active potential barrier present in dense SnO2-based polycrystalline semiconductors. The effect of heat treatment under rich- and poor-oxygen atmospheres was evaluated while especially considering the number of active barriers at grain boundary regions. The results show that the number of active barriers decrease after heat treatment in an oxygen-poor atmosphere and increase after heat treatment in oxygen-rich atmospheres. The observed effect was explained by considering the presence of oxidized transition metal elements segregated at grain boundary regions which leads to the p-type character of this region, in agreement with the atomic barrier formation mechanism in metal oxide varistor systems.

Effect of oxygen atmosphere on the morphology of LiTaO3 thin films prepared from polymeric precursor method

Lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) thin films with (50:50) stoichiometry were prepared using polymeric organic solution. The 5-layered films were deposited on silicon (100) substrates by spin coating method. The coated substrates were thermally treated at 500degreesC for 3 h under several oxygen atmospheres in order to study the influence of oxygen flow on the crystallinity, microstructure, grain size and roughness of the final film. X-ray diffraction results showed that an oxygen flow of 100 cm(3)/min leads to LiTaO3 thin films with higher crystallinity, without preferential orientation. It was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) that the thickness of thin films decreases when the oxygen flow increases. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies showed that the grain size and roughness are strongly influenced by oxygen flow.

Effects of post-annealing on the dielectric properties of Au/BaTiO3/Pt thin film capacitors

Barium titanate thin films were prepared by the polymeric precursor method and deposited onto Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the formation of the BaTiO3 perovskite phase. Afterwards, the films were submitted to post-annealing treatments in oxygen and nitrogen atmospheres at 300 degreesC for 2 h, and had their dielectric properties measured. It was observed that the electric properties of the thin films are very sensitive to the nature of the post-annealing atmosphere. This study demonstrates that post-annealing in an oxygen atmosphere increases the dielectric relaxation phenomenon and that post-annealing in a nitrogen atmosphere produces a slight dielectric relaxation. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

A case study of convective organization into precipitating lines in the Southwest Amazon during the WETAMC and TRMM-LBA

A case study of convective development in the Southwest Amazon region during the Wet Season Atmospheric Mesoscale Campaign (WETAMC) and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)/Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere (LBA) Experiment in Amazonia is presented. The convective development during 7 February 1999 is shown to occur during a period of very weak large-scale forcing in the presence of topography and deforestation. The available data include dual Doppler radar analysis, radiosonde launches, and surface and boundary layer observations. The observational analysis is complemented with a series of model simulations using the RAMS with 2-km resolution over a 300 km 300 km area forced by a morning radiosonde profile. A comparison of the observed and simulated thermodynamic transformation of the boundary layer and of the formation of convective lines, and of their kinematic and microphysical properties is presented. It is shown that only a few very deep and intense convective cells are necessary to explain the overall precipitating line formation and that discrete propagation and coupling with upper atmosphere circulations may explain the appearance of several lines. The numerical simulation indicates that topography may be the cause of initial convective development, although later on the convective line is parallel to the midlevel shear. There are indications that small-scale deforestation may have an effect on increasing rainfall in the wet season when the large-scale forcing is very weak.

Tin(II)-EDTA complex: kinetic of thermal decomposition by non-isothermal procedures

Tin on the oxide form, alone or doped with others metals, has been extensively used as gas sensor, thus, this work reports on the preparation and kinetic parameters regarding the thermal decomposition of Sn(II)-ethylenediaminetetraacetate as precursor to SnO2. Thus, the acquaintance with the kinetic model regarding the thermal decomposition of the tin complex may leave the door open to foresee, whether it is possible to get thin film of SnO2 using Sn(II)-EDTA as precursor besides the influence of dopants added.The Sn(II)-EDTA soluble complex was prepared in aqueous medium by adding of tin(II) chloride acid solution to equimolar amount of ammonium salt from EDTA under N-2 atmosphere and temperature of 50degreesC arising the pH similar to 4. The compound was crystallized in ethanol at low-temperature and filtered to eliminate the chloride ions, obtaining the heptacoordinated chelate with the composition H2SnH2O(CH2N(CH2COO)(2))(2).0.5H(2)O.Results from TG, DTG and DSC curves under inert and oxidizing atmospheres indicate the presence of water coordinated to the metal and that the ethylenediamine fraction is thermally more stable than carboxylate groups. The final residue from thermal decomposition was the SnO2 characterized by X-ray as a tetragonal rutile phase.Applying the isoconversional Wall-Flynn-Ozawa method on the DSC curves, average activation energy: E-a = 183.7 +/- 12.7 and 218.9 +/- 2.1 kJ mol(-1), and pre-exponential factor: log A = 18.85 +/- 0.27 and 19.10 +/- 0.27 min(-1), at 95% confidence level, could be obtained, regarding the loss of coordinated water and thermal decomposition of the carboxylate groups, respectively. The E-a and logA also could be obtained applying isoconventional Wall-Flynn method on the TG curves.From E-a and log A values, Dollimore and Malek procedures could be applied suggesting R3 (contracting volume) and SB (two-parameter model) as the kinetic model to the loss of coordinated water (177-244degreesC) and thermal decomposition of the carboxylate groups (283-315degreesC), respectively. Simulated and experimental normalized DTG and DSC curves besides analysis of residuals check these kinetic models. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.