Influence of leading edge imperfections on the aerodynamic characterictics of NACA 632-215 laminar aerofoils at low Reynolds number

This article deals with the effect of leading edge imperfections on the aerodynamic characteristics of a NACA 632-215 laminar aerofoil at low Reynolds numbers. Wind tunnel tests have been performed at different Reynolds numbers and angles of attack and global aerodynamic loads were measured. To perform these tests, a NACA 632-215 aerofoil was built up in two halves (corresponding to the upper side and to the lower side), the leading edge imperfection here considered being a slight displacement of half aerofoil with respect to the other. From experimental results, a quantitative measure of the influence of the leading edge displacement on the degradation of the aerofoil aerodynamic performances has been obtained. This allows the establishment of a criterion for an acceptance limit for this kind of imperfection

On the production of N-2(+) ions at the N 1s edge of the nitrogen molecule

The N+2 ion yield of the N2 molecule has been measured at the N 1s → Rydberg excitations. It displays Fano-type line shapes due to interference between direct outer-valence photoionization and participator decay of the core-excited Rydberg states. The N+2 ion yield is compared with the total intensity of the outer-valence photoelectron lines obtained recently with electron spectroscopy (Kivimäki et al 2012 Phys. Rev. A 86 012516). The increasing difference between the two curves at the higher core-to-Rydberg excitations is most likely due to soft x-ray emission processes that are followed by autoionization. The results also suggest that resonant Auger decay from the core–valence doubly excited states contributes to the N+2 ion yield at the photon energies that are located on both sides of the N 1s ionization limit.

Aerodynamic Study of Airfoils with Leading Edge Imperfections at Low Reynolds Number

A study has been made on the influence of the leading edge imperfections in airfoils used in different devices relating their aerodynamic performances. Wind tunnel tests have been made at different Reynolds numbers and angle of attacks in order to show this effect. Later, a quantitative study of the aerodynamic properties has been made based on the different leading edge imperfections and their size.

Real-time Surveillance Application by Multiple Detectors and Compressive Trackers

A real-time surveillance system for IP network cameras is presented. Motion, part-body, and whole-body detectors are efficiently combined to generate robust and fast detections, which feed multiple compressive trackers. The generated trajectories are then improved using a reidentification strategy for long term operation.

Spawning and habitat management in salmonid populations at the southern edge of their natural ranges = Reproducción y gestión del hábitat en poblaciones de salmónidos en el extremo meridional de sus distribuciones naturales

Las poblaciones de salmónidos en la Península Ibérica (trucha común, Salmo trutta; y salmón atlántico, Salmo salar) se encuentran cerca del límite meridional de sus distribuciones naturales, y por tanto tienen una gran importancia para la conservación de estas especies. En la presente Tesis se han investigado algunos aspectos de la reproducción y de la gestión del hábitat, con el objeto de mejorar el conocimiento acerca de estas poblaciones meridionales de salmónidos. Se ha estudiado la reproducción de la trucha común en el río Castril (Andalucía, sur de España), donde se ha observado que la freza ocurre desde diciembre hasta abril con el máximo de actividad en febrero. Este hecho representa uno de los periodos reproductivos más tardíos y con mayor duración de toda la distribución natural de la especie. Además, actualmente se sabe que el resto de poblaciones andaluzas tienen periodos de reproducción similares (retrasados y extendidos). Análisis en la escala de la distribución natural de la trucha común, han mostrado que la latitud explica parcialmente tanto la fecha media de reproducción (R2 = 62.8%) como la duración del periodo de freza (R2 = 24.4%) mediante relaciones negativas: a menor latitud, la freza ocurre más tarde y durante más tiempo. Es verosímil que un periodo de freza largo suponga una ventaja para la supervivencia de las poblaciones de trucha en hábitats impredecibles, y por tanto se ha propuesto la siguiente hipótesis, que deberá ser comprobada en el futuro: la duración de la freza es mayor en hábitats impredecibles que en aquellos más predecibles. La elevada tasa de solapamiento de frezaderos observada en el río Castril no se explica únicamente por una excesiva densidad de reproductores. Las hembras de trucha eligieron lugares específicos para construir sus frezaderos en vez de dispersarse aleatoriamente dentro del hábitat adecuado para la freza que tenían disponible. Estas observaciones sugieren que las hembras tienen algún tipo de preferencia por solapar sus frezaderos. Además, en ríos calizos como el Castril, las gravas pueden ser muy cohesivas y difíciles de excavar, por lo que el solapamiento de frezaderos puede suponer una ventaja para la hembra, porque la excavación en sustratos que han sido previamente removidos por frezas anteriores requerirá menos gasto de energía que en sustratos con gravas cohesivas que no han sido alteradas. Por tanto, se ha propuesto la siguiente hipótesis, que deberá ser comprobada en el futuro: las hembras tienen una mayor preferencia por solapar sus frezaderos en ríos con sustratos cohesivos que en ríos con sustratos de gravas sueltas. En el marco de la gestión del hábitat, se han empleado dos enfoques diferentes para la evaluación del hábitat físico, con el objeto de cuantificar los cambios potenciales en la disponibilidad de hábitat, antes de la implementación real de determinadas medidas sobre el hábitat. En primer lugar, se ha evaluado el hábitat físico del salmón atlántico en el río Pas (Cantabria, norte de España), en la escala del microhábitat, empleando la metodología IFIM junto con un modelo hidráulico bidimensional (River2D). Se han simulado una serie de acciones de mejora del hábitat y se han cuantificado los cambios en el hábitat bajo estas acciones. Los resultados mostraron un aumento muy pequeño en la disponibilidad de hábitat, por lo que no sería efectivo implementar estas acciones en este tramo fluvial. En segundo lugar, se ha evaluado el hábitat físico de la trucha común en el río Tajuña (Guadalajara, centro de España), en la escala del mesohábitat, empleando la metodología MesoHABSIM. Actualmente, el río Tajuña está alterado por los usos agrícolas de sus riberas, y por tanto se ha diseñado una restauración para mitigar estos impactos y para llevar al río a un estado más natural. Se ha cuantificado la disponibilidad de hábitat tras la restauración planteada, y los resultados han permitido identificar los tramos en los que la restauración resultaría más eficaz. ABSTRACT Salmonid populations in the Iberian Peninsula (brown trout, Salmo trutta; and Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar) are close to the southern limit of their natural ranges, and therefore they are of great importance for the conservation of the species. In the present dissertation, some aspects of spawning and habitat management have been investigated, in order to improve the knowledge on these southern salmonid populations. Brown trout spawning have been studied in the river Castril (Andalusia, southern Spain), and it has been observed that spawning occurs from December until April with the maximum activity in February. This finding represents one of the most belated and protracted spawning periods within the natural range of the species. Furthermore, it is now known that the rest of Andalusian populations show similar (belated and extended) spawning periods. Broad-scale analyses throughout the brown trout natural range showed that latitude partly explained both spawning mean time (R2 = 62.8%) and spawning duration (R2 = 24.4%) by negative relationships: the lower the latitude, the later the spawning time and the longer the spawning period. It is plausible that a long spawning period would be an advantage for survival of trout populations in unpredictable habitats, and thus the following hypothesis has been proposed, which is yet to be tested: spawning duration is longer in unpredictable than in predictable habitats. High rate of redd superimposition observed in the river Castril was not only caused by high density of spawners. Trout females chose specific sites for redd construction instead of randomly dispersing over the suitable spawning habitat. These observations suggest that female spawners have some kind of preference for superimposing redds. Moreover, in limestone streams such as Castril, unused gravels can be very cohesive and hard to dig, and thus redd superimposition may be an advantage for female, because digging may require less energy expenditure in already used redd sites than in cohesive and embedded unused sites. Hence, the following hypothesis has been proposed, which is yet to be tested: females have a higher preference for superimposing redds in streambeds with cohesive and embedded substrates than in rivers with loose gravels. Within the topic of habitat management, two different approaches have been used for physical habitat assessment, in order to quantify the potential change in habitat availability, prior to the actual implementation of proposed habitat measures. Firstly, physical habitat for Atlantic salmon in the river Pas (Cantabria, northern Spain) has been assessed at the microhabitat scale, using the IFIM approach along with a two dimensional hydraulic model (River2D). Proposed habitat enhancement actions have been simulated and potential habitat change has been quantified. Results showed a very small increasing in habitat availability and therefore it is not worth to implement these measures in this stream reach. Secondly, physical habitat for brown trout in the river Tajuña (Guadalajara, central Spain) has been assessed at the mesohabitat scale, using the MesoHABSIM approach. The river Tajuña is currently impacted by surrounding agricultural uses, and thus restoration was designed to mitigate these impacts and to drive the river to a more natural state. Habitat availability after the planned restoration has been quantified, and the results have permitted to identify in which sites the restoration will be more effective.

Detection of Biological CO2 and 1,3-Pentadiene Using Non-refrigerated Low-Cost MWIR Detectors

The early detection of spoiling metabolic products in contaminated food is a very important tool to control quality. Some volatile compounds produce unpleasant odours at very low concentrations, making their early detection very challenging. This is the case of 1,3-pentadiene produced by microorganisms through decarboxylation of the preservative sorbate. In this work, we have developed a methodology to use the data produced by a low-cost, compact MWIR (Mid-Wave IR) spectrometry device without moving parts, which is based on a linear array of 128 elements of VPD PbSe coupled to a linear variable filter (LVF) working in the spectral range between 3 and 4.6 ?m. This device is able to analyze food headspace gases through dedicated sample presentation setup. This methodology enables the detection of CO2 and the volatile compound 1,3-pentadiene, as compared to synthetic patrons. Data analysis is based on an automated multidimensional dynamic processing of the MWIR spectra. Principal component and discriminant analysis allow segregating between four yeast strains including producers and no producers. The segregation power is accounted as a measure of the discrimination quality.

Numerical simulation of the edge stress singularity and the adhesion strength for compliant mushroom fibrils adhered to rigid substrates

Open Access funded by European Research Council Acknowledgements RB thanks GRADUS, Faculty 8.4. Natural Sciences, of Saarland University for partially funding his research visit to the University of California, Santa Barbara. RB would also thank to Dr. S. Khaderi for his help in setting up the model. He also thanks Dr. R. Hensel and Dr. N. Guimard for fruitful discussions and for their continuous support. EA acknowledges funding from the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Program (FP/2007-2013)/ERC Advanced Grant no. 340929.

Sulfur K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy: A spectroscopic tool to examine the redox state of S-containing metabolites in vivo

The sulfur K-edge x-ray absorption spectra for the amino acids cysteine and methionine and their corresponding oxidized forms cystine and methionine sulfoxide are presented. Distinct differences in the shape of the edge and the inflection point energy for cysteine and cystine are observed. For methionine sulfoxide the inflection point energy is 2.8 eV higher compared with methionine. Glutathione, the most abundant thiol in animal cells, also has been investigated. The x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectrum of reduced glutathione resembles that of cysteine, whereas the spectrum of oxidized glutathione resembles that of cystine. The characteristic differences between the thiol and disulfide spectra enable one to determine the redox status (thiol to disulfide ratio) in intact biological systems, such as unbroken cells, where glutathione and cyst(e)ine are the two major sulfur-containing components. The sulfur K-edge spectra for whole human blood, plasma, and erythrocytes are shown. The erythrocyte sulfur K-edge spectrum is similar to that of fully reduced glutathione. Simulation of the plasma spectrum indicated 32% thiol and 68% disulfide sulfur. The whole blood spectrum can be simulated by a combination of 46% disulfide and 54% thiol sulfur.

Measurement of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in p-Pb collisions at $\\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV using TPC and EMCal detectors with ALICE at LHC

Heavy-ion collisions are a powerful tool to study hot and dense QCD matter, the so-called Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP). Since heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are dominantly produced in the early stages of the collision, they experience the complete evolution of the system. Measurements of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decay is one possible way to study the interaction of these particles with the QGP. With ALICE at LHC, electrons can be identified with high efficiency and purity. A strong suppression of heavy-flavour decay electrons has been observed at high $p_{m T}$ in Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV. Measurements in p-Pb collisions are crucial to understand cold nuclear matter effects on heavy-flavour production in heavy-ion collisions. The spectrum of electrons from the decays of hadrons containing charm and beauty was measured in p-Pb collisions at $\\sqrt = 5.02$ TeV. The heavy flavour decay electrons were measured by using the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and the Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMCal) detectors from ALICE in the transverse-momentum range $2 < p_ < 20$ GeV/c. The measurements were done in two different data set: minimum bias collisions and data using the EMCal trigger. The non-heavy flavour electron background was removed using an invariant mass method. The results are compatible with one ($R_ \\approx$ 1) and the cold nuclear matter effects in p-Pb collisions are small for the electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays.

On the Edge of the World: Trauma and Twinship Selfobject Needs in Mrs. Dalloway

Alienation and aloneness appear as common themes in the experience of those impacted by trauma. Self psychology theorists, including contemporary proponents of intersubjectivity theory, have also discussed the ways in which alienation and disconnection from others permeate the experience of post-traumatic stress disorder. This discussion has highlighted the importance and centrality of twinship selfobject needs in providing a relational home for the emotional pain associated with trauma. These phenomena are especially apparent when one encounters the experiences of those combat veterans who have attempted to readjust to society upon returning home from military service. Using self psychology and intersubjectivity theory, this paper explores the ways that fiction, specifically Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, can illuminate the ways that trauma negatively impacts twinship selfobject needs in combat veterans. In examining the character of Septimus Smith, this paper illustrates the estrangement, singularity, and alienation associated with post-traumatic stress, and how this state of being can collude with societal misunderstanding and repression to shatter the self's sense of belongingness with and connection to others.

Fermi-edge singularities in linear and nonlinear ultrafast spectroscopy

We discuss Fermi-edge singularity effects on the linear and nonlinear transient response of an electron gas in a doped semiconductor. We use a bosonization scheme to describe the low-energy excitations, which allows us to compute the time and temperature dependence of the response functions. Coherent control of the energy absorption at resonance is analyzed in the linear regime. It is shown that a phase shift appears in the coherent control oscillations, which is not present in the excitonic case. The nonlinear response is calculated analytically and used to predict that four wave-mixing experiments would present a Fermi-edge singularity when the exciting energy is varied. A new dephasing mechanism is predicted in doped samples that depends linearly on temperature and is produced by the low-energy bosonic excitations in the conduction band.

Spin-filtered edge states in graphene

Spin–orbit coupling changes graphene, in principle, into a two-dimensional topological insulator, also known as quantum spin Hall insulator. One of the expected consequences is the existence of spin-filtered edge states that carry dissipationless spin currents and undergo no backscattering in the presence of non-magnetic disorder, leading to quantization of conductance. Whereas, due to the small size of spin–orbit coupling in graphene, the experimental observation of these remarkable predictions is unlikely, the theoretical understanding of these spin-filtered states is shedding light on the electronic properties of edge states in other two-dimensional quantum spin Hall insulators. Here we review the effect of a variety of perturbations, like curvature, disorder, edge reconstruction, edge crystallographic orientation, and Coulomb interactions on the electronic properties of these spin filtered states.

Ultrafast coherent spectroscopy of the Fermi edge singularity

Paper submitted to the XVI Sitges Conference on Statistical Mechanics, Sitges, Barcelona, Spain, 7-11 June 1999.

Local probe of fractional edge states of S=1 Heisenberg spin chains

Spin chains are among the simplest physical systems in which electron-electron interactions induce novel states of matter. Here we propose to combine atomic scale engineering and spectroscopic capabilities of state of the art scanning tunnel microscopy to probe the fractionalized edge states of individual atomic scale S=1 spin chains. These edge states arise from the topological order of the ground state in the Haldane phase. We also show that the Haldane gap and the spin-spin correlation length can be measured with the same technique.