Femto-chemometrics: the signal processing of fast pulse transients

Traditional chemometrics techniques are augmented with algorithms tailored specifically for the de-noising and analysis of femtosecond duration pulse datasets. The new algorithms provide additional insights on sample responses to broadband excitation and multi-moded propagation phenomena.

Relief for the environment? The importance of an increasingly unimportant industrial sector

Deindustrialization, stagnant real incomes of production workers, and increasing inequality are latter day features of many economies. It is common to assume that such developments pressure policymakers to relax environmental standards. However, when heavily polluting industries become less important economically, their political importance also tends to diminish. Consequently, a regulator may increase the stringency of environmental policies. Like some other studies, we find that declining industrial employment translates into stricter environmental standards. In contrast to previous studies, but consistent with our argument, we find that greater income inequality is associated with policies that promote a cleaner environment. (JEL Q58, P16, J31, C23)

Plasma structure within poleward-moving cusp/cleft auroral transients: EISCAT Svalbard radar observations and an explanation in terms of large local time extent of events

We report high-resolution observations of the southward-IMF cusp/cleft ionosphere made on December 16th 1998 by the EISCAT (European incoherent scatter) Svalbard radar (ESR), and compare them with observations of dayside auroral luminosity, as seen at a wavelength of 630 nm by a meridian scanning photometer at Ny Alesund, and of plasma flows, as seen by the CUTLASS (co-operative UK twin location auroral sounding system) Finland HF radar. The optical data reveal a series of poleward-moving transient red-line (630 nm) enhancements, events that have been associated with bursts in the rate of magnetopause reconnection generating new open flux. The combined observations at this time have strong similarities to predictions of the effects of soft electron precipitation modulated by pulsed reconnection, as made by Davis and Lockwood (1996); however, the effects of rapid zonal flow in the ionosphere, caused by the magnetic curvature force on the newly opened field lines, are found to be a significant additional factor. In particular, it is shown how enhanced plasma loss rates induced by the rapid convection can explain two outstanding anomalies of the 630 nm transients, namely how minima in luminosity form between the poleward-moving events and how events can re-brighten as they move poleward. The observations show how cusp/cleft aurora and transient poleward-moving auroral forms appear in the ESR data and the conditions which cause enhanced 630 nm emission in the transients: they are an important first step in enabling the ESR to identify these features away from the winter solstice when supporting auroral observations are not available.

Causes of plasma flow bursts and dayside auroral transients: An evaluation of two models Invoking reconnection pulses and changes in the Y component of the magnetosheath field

Longitudinal flow bursts observed by the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radar, in association with dayside auroral transients observed from Svalbard, have been interpreted as resulting from pulses of enhanced reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. However, an alternative model has recently been proposed for a steady rate of magnetopause reconnection, in which the bursts of longitudinal flow are due to increases in the field line curvature force, associated with the By component of the magnetosheath field. We here evaluate these two models, using observations on January 20, 1990, by EISCAT and a 630-nm all-sky camera at Ny Ålesund. For both models, we predict the behavior of both the dayside flows and the 630-nm emissions on newly opened field lines. It is shown that the signatures of steady reconnection and magnetosheath By changes could possibly resemble the observed 630-nm auroral events, but only for certain locations of the observing site, relative to the ionospheric projection of the reconnection X line: however, in such cases, the flow bursts would be seen between the 630-nm transients and not within them. On the other hand, the model of reconnection rate pulses predicts that the flows will be enhanced within each 630-nm transient auroral event. The observations on January 20, 1990, are shown to be consistent with the model of enhanced reconnection rate pulses over a background level and inconsistent with the effects of periodic enhancements of the magnitude of the magnetosheath By component. We estimate that the reconnection rate within the pulses would have to be at least an order of magnitude larger than the background level between the pulses.

Study of the relationship between roads, relief, land use, and natural vegetation in the Ibiuna Plateau - SP, focusing on landscape ecology

Roads facilitate access by deforestation agents, being relevant in studies approaching conservationist matters in rainforests. It is important to understand the relationship between road distribution, relief, land use, and forest coverage in order to evaluate where forests are more vulnerable. This study aimed at: 1) understanding the relationship between relief and density and road connectivity in three moments in time; and 2) evaluating the relationship between distance from roads and forest coverage, farmlands and rural and urban facilities in a fragmented Atlantic Forest landscape in three moments in time. Maps of roads, altitude, and land use and coverage were used. Chi-square tests showed that: 1) density and road connectivity did not present significant relationship with the relief; and 2) forest areas occupy areas distant from the roads, while farmlands and rural and urban facilities occupy areas nearer the roads. Roads and land use, regardless of relief, influence forest coverage distribution. Thus, we suggest that roads are taken into account in conservationist strategies and environmental planning.

Relief influence on tree species richness in secondary forest fragments of Atlantic Forest, SE, Brazil

(Relief influence on tree species richness in secondary forest fragments of Atlantic Forest, SE, Brazil). The aim of this work was to explore the relationship between tree species richness and morphological characteristics of relief at the Ibiuna Plateau (SE Brazil). We sampled 61 plots of 0.30 ha, systematically established in 20 fragments of secondary forest (2-274 ha) and in three areas within a continuous secondary forest site, Morro Grande Reserve (9,400 ha). At each plot, 100 trees with diameter at breast height > 5 cm were sampled by the point centered quarter method, and total richness and richness per dispersal and succession class were obtained. The relief was characterized by the mean and variance of slope, elevation, aspect and slope location. There was no significant relationship between relief heterogeneity and tree species richness. Relief parameters generally did not affect tree richness, but elevation was particularly important especially in the continuous forest. Despite the limited range of altitudinal variation (150 m), species richness increases with elevation. The highest areas were also those with the largest forest cover and the lowest disturbance degree, which should contribute to the greater richness of those sites. Our results suggest an indirect influence of relief, due to the fact that deforestation is less intense in higher regions, rather than a direct influence of abiotic factors related to the altitudinal gradient.

Laser microstructuring of azopolymers via surface relief gratings: controlling hydrophobicity

In this paper the large-scale mass transport mechanism is used to microstructure azopolymeric films, aiming at controllable hydrophobic surfaces. Using an Ar(+) laser with intensity of 70 mW/cm(2), we produced egg-crate-like surfaces with periods from 1.0 to 3.5 mu m that present distinct wetting properties. The static contact angle of water was measured on the microstructured surfaces, and the results revealed an increase of approximately 9 degrees for a surface pattern period of 2 mu m. Our results indicate the use of the microstructuring method described here for the fabrication of devices with controllable hydrophobicity.

Applicability of non-pharmacological strategies for pain relief in parturient: integrative review

MORAES, Maísa Suares Teixeira; ROLIM, Lariane Thays Albuquerque; ENDERS, Bertha Cruz; FARIAS, Glaucea Maciel de; DAVIM, Rejane Marie Barbosa. Applicability of non-pharmacological strategies for pain relief in parturient: integrative review. Revista de Enfermagem UFPE on line, v.4, n.especial, p.131-136, May/June 2010. Disponivel em:< http://www.ufpe.br/revistaenfermagem/index.php/revista/>.

Small relief shape variations influence spatial variability of soil chemical attributes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Relief influence on tree species richness in secondary forest fragments of Atlantic Forest, SE, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Soil profile, relief features and their relation to structure and distribution of Brazilian Atlantic rain forest trees

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Measurement of phase differences between the diffracted orders of deep relief gratings

Measurement of the phase difference between the 0th and the 1st transmitted diffraction orders of a symmetrical surface-relief grating recorded on a photoresist film is carried out by replacement of the grating in the same setup with which it was recorded. The measurement does not depend on lateral shifts of the replaced grating relative to the interference pattern, on environmental phase perturbations or on the wave-front quality of the interfering beams. The experimental data agree rather well with theoretical results calculated for sinusoidal profiled gratings. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.

Light-induced relief gratings and a mechanism of metastable light-induced expansion in chalcogenide glasses

We report on a metastable light-induced volume expansion in Ge25+xGa10-xS65 glasses under irradiation with band gap (UV) light, which can result in recording of relief gratings on their surface in the case of irradiation with two interfering beams. We propose a mechanism for the expansion, which is based on the light-induced change in the polarizability of secondary (van der Waals type) bonds and the effect of this change on primary (covalent type) bonds of the glass. The effect is suggested to be due to an interference of electrons, which belong to a chalcogen atom and participate in the formation of secondary and primary bonds, respectively. We suggest that a minimum point of the Lennard-Jones potential, which corresponds to the equilibrium position of a chalcogen atom is shifted in the course of irradiation to a larger interatomic distance. This shift causes a volume expansion and allows a diffusion of chalcogen atoms into the irradiated area. We show that light-induced polymerization of the glass network is an important attribute of the light-induced volume expansion.