Phase synchronization in an array of driven Josephson junctions

We consider an array of N Josephson junctions connected in parallel and explore the condition for chaotic synchronization. It is found that the outer junctions can be synchronized while they remain uncorrelated to the inner ones when an external biasing is applied. The stability of the solution is found out for the outer junctions in the synchronization manifold. Symmetry considerations lead to a situation wherein the inner junctions can synchronize for certain values of the parameter. In the presence of a phase difference between the applied fields, all the junctions exhibit phase synchronization. It is also found that chaotic motion changes to periodic in the presence of phase differences.

Nutrient Mobility in Chalakudy River,Typified With Riparian Buffer Zone and Its Adjoining Estuary:Spatiotemporal Manifestation

This study was aimed at to characterize the spatio-temporal trends in the distributional characteristics of various species of nitrogen and phosphorus as well as to elucidate the factors and processes aflecting these nutrients in the dissolved, particulate and sedimentary phases of a river estuarine system. The main area of study is Chalakudy river in Kerala, which is a fresh water system originating from Anamalai hills and ending at Arabian Sea. Its basin is between I00 05 ’ to I00 35’ North latitude and 76” 15 ’ to 760 55’ East longitude. Being a riparian bufler zone, the dynamics of nutrient mobility tend to be more complex and variable in this river-estuarine system.The diflerent species of nitrogen estimated from the filtrate were nitrite-N, nitrateN, ammonia-N, urea-N, total nitrogen and residual nitrogen. The diflerent forms of phosphorus estimated from the filtrate were phosphate-P, total-P and residualP. Pre weighed sediments as well as particulate matter were analysed for quantijying nitrite-N, nitrate-N, ammonia-N and urea-N. Total nitrogen was estimated after digestion with potassium persulfate. Fractionation of phosphorus in sediment/particulate matter was performed by applying sequential extraction procedure. The dijferent forms of phosphorus thus estimated were loosely bound (exchangeable) P, Fe/Al bound P, polyphosphates, Ca bound P and refractory P. Sedimental total P was also measured directly by applying digestion method.The analyses carried out in this bimonthly annual survey have revealed specific information on the latent factors influencing the water quality pattern ofthe river. There was dependence among the chemical components of the river sediment and suspended matter, reflecting the water quality. A period of profound environmental change occurred and changes in various species had been noted in association with seasonal variations in the waterway, especially following enhanced river runoff during the monsoon. The results also successfully represented the distribution trend of nutrients during the rainy as well as dry season. Thus, the information gathered in this work will also be beneficial for those interested or involved in river management, conservation, regulation and policy making in regional and national levels.

Dissipation in quasistatically driven disordered systems

This work presents an analysis of hysteresis and dissipation in quasistatically driven disordered systems. The study is based on the random field Ising model with fluctuationless dynamics. It enables us to sort out the fraction of the energy input by the driving field stored in the system and the fraction dissipated in every step of the transformation. The dissipation is directly related to the occurrence of avalanches, and does not scale with the size of Barkhausen magnetization jumps. In addition, the change in magnetic field between avalanches provides a measure of the energy barriers between consecutive metastable states

Hysteresis in a system driven by either generalized force or displacement variables: martensitic phase transition in single-crystalline Cu-Zn-Al

We report on experiments aimed at comparing the hysteretic response of a Cu-Zn-Al single crystal undergoing a martensitic transition under strain-driven and stress-driven conditions. Strain-driven experiments were performed using a conventional tensile machine while a special device was designed to perform stress-driven experiments. Significant differences in the hysteresis loops were found. The strain-driven curves show reentrant behavior yield point which is not observed in the stress-driven case. The dissipated energy in the stress-driven curves is larger than in the strain-driven ones. Results from recently proposed models qualitatively agree with experiments.

Implications of Hydrobiology and Nutrient dynamics on trophic structure and interactions in Cochin backwaters

In the present thesis entitled” Implications of Hydrobiology and Nutrient dynamics on Trophic structure and Interactions in Cochin backwaters”, an attempt has been made to assess the influence of general hydrography, nutrients and other environmental factors on the abundance, distribution and trophic interactions in Cochin backwater system. The study was based on five seasonal sampling campaigns carried out at 15 stations spread along the Cochin backwater system. The thesis is presented in the following 5 chapters. Salient features of each chapter are summarized below: Chapter 1- General Introduction: Provides information on the topic of study, environmental factors, back ground information, the significance, review of literature, aim and scope of the present study and its objectives.Chapter 2- Materials and Methods: This chapter deals with the description of the study area and the methodology adopted for sample collection and analysis. Chapter 3- General Hydrograhy and Sediment Characteristics: Describes the environmental setting of the study area explaining seasonal variation in physicochemical parameters of water column and sediment characteristics. Data on hydrographical parameters, nitrogen fractionation, phosphorus fractionation and biochemical composition of the sediment samples were assessed to evaluate the trophic status. Chapter 4- Nutrient Dynamics on Trophic Structure and Interactions: Describes primary, secondary and tertiary production in Cochin backwater system. Primary production related to cell abundance, diversity of phytoplankton that varies seasonally, concentration of various pigments and primary productivitySecondary production refers to the seasonal abundance of zooplankton especially copepod abundance and tertiary production deals with seasonal fish landings, gut content analysis and proximate composition of dominant fish species. The spatiotemporal variation, interrelationships and trophic interactions were evaluated by statistical methods. Chapter 5- Summary: The results and findings of the study are summarized in the fifth chapter of the thesis.

Studies on the nutrient chemistry of a tropical estuary

The study focuses attention on the nutrient chemistry of a tropical estuary namely the cochin estuary.The investigation was planned with the objective of studying the estuarine nutrient behaviour and to assess the role of biogeochemical cycling. The distribution of parameters of interest are better explained in the light of the hydrography of the region . Largely associated with the pollution problems of Cochin estuary receiving industrial and domestic wastes, this thesis projects the role of environmental parameters modifying the nutrient content of the water body coupled with studies on their minute variability subjected to physical, chemical and biological processes. The study has incorporated parameters like temperature, salinity, pH and D0; nutrients were investigated by the study of nitrite, nitrate. ammonia, inorganic reactive phosphorus, dissolved organic phosphorus, particulate reactive phosphorus, total reactive phosphorus and inorganic reactive silicate-silicon at surface and bottom layers of the estuary. Sediment associated interstitial and adsorbed phosphorus for a period of one year (1985-1986] were also incorporated

Fish Driven Bioturbation as a Viable Aquaculture Technology for Increasing Production and Improving Ecological Sustainability of Giant Tiger Shrimp Penaeus Monodon (FABRlClUS)

A general introduction to the problems faced in the shrimp culture due to waste formation and its consequent environmental hazards and production problems of Giant tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon is highlighted by the author in this thesis. The objective of the present work was to assess the potential of brackish water finfish to improve bottom soil conditions and thereby increase the growth and production of Penaeus monodon. The salient findings of the present study are summarized in chapter 7. This is followed by the references cited in the thesis and list ofpublications originated from the present study.

Studies on the effect of randoniness on the synchronization of coupled systems and on the dynamics of intermittently driven systems

It has been shown recently that systems driven with random pulses show the signature of chaos ,even without non linear dynamics.This shows that the relation between randomness and chaos is much closer than it was understood earlier .The effect of random perturbations on synchronization can be also different. In some cases identical random perturbations acting on two different chaotic systems induce synchronizations. However most commonly ,the effect of random fluctuations on the synchronizations of chaotic system is to destroy synchronization. This thesis deals with the effect of random fluctuations with its associated characteristic timescales on chaos and synchronization. The author tries to unearth yet another manifestation of randomness on chaos and sychroniztion. This thesis is organized into six chapters.

Multifractal dimension of chaotic attractors in a driven semiconductor superlattice

The multifractal dimension of chaotic attractors has been studied in a weakly coupled superlattice driven by an incommensurate sinusoidal voltage as a function of the driving voltage amplitude. The derived multifractal dimension for the observed bifurcation sequence shows different characteristics for chaotic, quasiperiodic, and frequency-locked attractors. In the chaotic regime, strange attractors are observed. Even in the quasiperiodic regime, attractors with a certain degree of strangeness may exist. From the observed multifractal dimensions, the deterministic nature of the chaotic oscillations is clearly identified.

Chaotic dynamics of electric-field domains in periodically driven superlattices

Self-sustained time-dependent current oscillations under dc voltage bias have been observed in recent experiments on n-doped semiconductor superlattices with sequential resonant tunneling. The current oscillations are caused by the motion and recycling of the domain wall separating low- and high-electric-field regions of the superlattice, as the analysis of a discrete drift model shows and experimental evidence supports. Numerical simulation shows that different nonlinear dynamical regimes of the domain wall appear when an external microwave signal is superimposed on the dc bias and its driving frequency and driving amplitude vary. On the frequency-amplitude parameter plane, there are regions of entrainment and quasiperiodicity forming Arnold tongues. Chaos is demonstrated to appear at the boundaries of the tongues and in the regions where they overlap. Coexistence of up to four electric-field domains randomly nucleated in space is detected under ac+dc driving.

Nature and Ecological significance of Nutrient Regeneration in Different Prawn Culture Fields

The present work "Nature and Ecological Significance of Nutrient Regeneration in different Prawn Culture Fields" was undertaken to understand the seasonal variation of nutrients, nutrient cycling and primary productivity of the prawn culture systems. The main emphasis was to find the qualitative and quantitative estimates of distribution of total phosphorus, inorganic phosphorus, organic phosphorus, total nitrogen and nitrogen fractions in the water. The effect of nutrient cycling on primary productivity and concentration of metals also form one part of the study. The entire thesis comprise of only one major chapter with subchapters such as, Introduction (I), Review of Literature (2), Material and Methods (3), Results (14), Discussion (5), Executive Summary (6) and Biblio~ graphy (7)

Water quality variation and nutrient characteristics of Kodungallur-Azhikode Estuary, Kerala, India

Present study focussed on the water quality status in relation to various anthropogenic activities in the Kodungallur- Azhikode Estuary (KAE). Average depth of the estuary was 3.6 ± 0.2 m with maximum of 4.3 ± 0.4 m in the estuarine mouth. Dissolved oxygen showed an average of 5.1±1 mg/l in the water column, whereas the highest BOD value was noticed during monsoon period (3.1 ± 0.8 mg/l) which could be due to high organic enrichment in the water column. pH displayed slightly alkaline condition in most of the stations and it varied from 7.2 ± 0.5 in Station 7 to 7.5 ± 0.5 in Station 1. Salinity in the estuary displayed mixo-mesohaline nature with clear vertical stratification. High river discharge could have resulted in nutrients and silt loading into the estuary, which makes a highly turbid water column particularly during the monsoon period, which limits light penetration and subsequent primary productivity. Turbidity in the water column showed an average of 20.2 ± 15.8 NTU. Estuary was nitrogen limited during post and pre monsoon periods. Nitrate-nitrogen content in the estuarine water gave negative correlation with ammonia.

Studies on Inventory with Positive Service Time Under Local Purchase Driven by N/T- Policy

In this thesis, certain continuous time inventory problems with positive service time under local purchase guided by N/T-policy are analysed. In most of the cases analysed, we arrive at stochastic decomposition of system states, that is, the joint distribution of the system states is obtained as the product of marginal distributions of the components. The thesis is divided into ve chapters

Nutrient dynamics in the two lakes of Kerala, India

Distribution and chemistry of major inorganic forms of nutrients along with physico-chemical parameters were investigated. Surface sediments and overlying waters of the Ashtamudi and Vembanad Lakes were taken for the study, which is situated in the southwest coast of India. High concentrations of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus compounds carried by the river leads to oxygen depletion in the water column. A concurrent increase in the bottom waters along with decrease in dissolved oxygen was noticed. This support to nitrification process operating in the sediment-water interface of the Ashtamudi and Vembanad Lake. Estuarine sediments are clayey sand to silty sand both in Ashtamudi and Vembanad in January and May. Present study indicates that the sediment texture is the major controlling factor in the distribution of these nutrient forms. For water samples nitrite, inorganic phosphate was high in Vembanad in January and May compared to Ashtamudi. For sediments, enhanced level of inorganic phosphate and nitrite was found in Vembanad during January and May. It had been observed that the level of N and P is more in sediments. A comparative assessment of the Ashtamudi and Vembanad Lake reveals that the Vembanad wetland is more deteriorated compared to the Ashtamudi wetland system