Effect of process parameters on laser damage threshold of TiO2 coatings

We investigate the laser damage behaviour of an electron-beam-deposited TiO2 monolayer at different process parameters. The optical properties, chemical composition, surface defects, absorption and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of Elms are measured. It is found that TiO2 Elms with the minimum absorption and the highest LIDT can be fabricated using a TiO2 starting material after annealing. LIDT is mainly related to absorption and is influenced by the non-stoichiometric defects for TiO2 films. Surface defects show no evident effects on LIDT in this experiment.

Comparison of life history parameters for landed and discarded fish captured off the southeastern United States

Commercial fisheries that are managed with minimum size limits protect small fish of all ages and may affect size-selective mortality by the differential removal of fast growing fish. This differential removal may decrease the average size at age, maturation, or sexual transition of the exploited population. When fishery-independent data are not available, a comparison of life history parameters of landed with those of discarded fish (by regulation) will indicate if differential mortality is occurring with the capture of young but large fish (fast growing phenotypes). Indications of this differential size-selective mortality would include the following: the discarded portion of the target fish would have similar age ranges but smaller sizes at age, maturation, and sexual transition as that of landed fish. We examined three species with minimum size limits but different exploitation histories. The known heavily exploited species (Rhomboplites aurorubens [vermilion snapper] and Pagrus pagrus [red porgy]) show signs of this differential mortality. Their landed catch includes many young, large fish, whereas discarded fish had a similar age range and mean ages but smaller sizes at age than the landed fish. The unknown exploited species, Mycteroperca phenax (scamp), showed no signs of differential mortality due to size-selective fishing. Landed catch consisted of old, large fish and discarded scamp had little overlap in age ranges, had significantly different mean ages, and only small differences in size at age when compared to comparable data for landed fish.

Robust Sliding Control of SEIR Epidemic Models

This paper is aimed at designing a robust vaccination strategy capable of eradicating an infectious disease from a population regardless of the potential uncertainty in the parameters defining the disease. For this purpose, a control theoretic approach based on a sliding-mode control law is used. Initially, the controller is designed assuming certain knowledge of an upper-bound of the uncertainty signal. Afterwards, this condition is removed while an adaptive sliding control system is designed. The closed-loop properties are proved mathematically in the nonadaptive and adaptive cases. Furthermore, the usual sign function appearing in the sliding-mode control is substituted by the saturation function in order to prevent chattering. In addition, the properties achieved by the closed-loop system under this variation are also stated and proved analytically. The closed-loop system is able to attain the control objective regardless of the parametric uncertainties of the model and the lack of a priori knowledge on the system.

Habitat and bycatch effects on population parameters of inshore lizardfish (Synodus foetens) in the north central Gulf of Mexico

We examined the effect of habitat and shrimp trawl bycatch on the density, size, growth, and mortality of inshore lizardfish (Synodus foetens), a nonexploited species that is among the most widespread and abundant benthic fishes in the north central Gulf of Mexico. Results of quarterly trawl sampling conducted from spring 2004 through spring 2005 revealed that inshore lizardfish are most abundant on sand habitat, but larger fish are more common on shell rubble habitat. There was no significant difference in fish density between habitats exposed to shrimp trawling on the open shelf versus those habitats within a permitted artificial reef zone that served as a de facto no-trawl area; this finding indicates that either inshore lizardfish experienced minimal effects from trawling or, more likely, that fish moved between trawled and nontrawled habitats. Exploitation ratio (bycatch mortality/total morality) estimates derived from catch curve analysis ranged from 0.43 inside the artificial reef zone to 0.55 outside the reef zone, thus indicating that inshore lizardfish are subject to significant fishing mortality in the north central Gulf of Mexico despite the lack of a directed fishery for the species. We infer from this result that effects of shrimp trawl bycatch may be significant at the population level for nonexploited species and that a broader ecosystem-scale examination of bycatch effects is warranted.

hp-Adaptive simulation and inversion of magnetotelluric measurements

xlix, 121 p.

A comparison of length-related and age-related growth parameters of newaiby Otolithes ruber in Kuwait waters

The growth parameters of Otolithes ruber (Sciaenidae) were determined from both length-frequency and length-at-age data collected from Kuwait waters from 1984 to 1986. The similarity of the growth parameters is reflected in the small range of the parameters o' (=log sub(10)K+2logL) which indicates the compatibility of the two methods for this relatively short-lived species.

Population parameters of small pelagic fishes caught off Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

Growth and mortality parameters, exploitation rates and annual recruitment patterns were estimated from monthly length-frequency samples for Sardinella longiceps, S. fimbriata, S. Albella, Decapterus macrosoma, Dipterygonatus balteatus, Rastrelliger faughni and Encrasicolina heteroloba. These results provide the first sets of stock parameter estimates for these species off Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. The growth parameters derived were found comparable with previous estimates available for the same species from other localities. Recruitment was noted to be year-round and bimodal. Estimates of fishing mortality and exploitation rate were found to be presently above appropriate levels.