Metsän erirakenteisuutta edistävien hakkuiden kannattavuustarkastelu metsäaluetasolla

Tutkimuksessa vertailtiin metsän erirakenteisuutta edistävien poimintahakkuiden ja pienaukkohakkuiden kannattavuutta metsänhoitosuositusten mukaiseen metsänkasvatukseen Keski-Suomessa. Poimintahakkuut ja pienaukkohakkuut ovat menetelmiä, joilla voidaan lisätä luonnonmetsän häiriödynamiikan mukaista pienipiirteistä elinympäristöjen vaihtelua ja siksi ne sopivat etenkin erityiskohteisiin monimuotoisuuden, maiseman tai metsien monikäytön vuoksi. Ne johtavat yleensä vähitellen eri-ikäisrakenteiseen metsään, jossa puuston läpimittaluokkajakauma muistuttaa käänteistä J-kirjainta. Eri-ikäisrakenteisen metsänkäsittelyn taloudellista kannattavuutta puoltavat uudistumiskustannusten poisjäänti ja tukkipuihin painottuvat säännöllisin väliajoin toteutuvat hakkuut. Menetelmän soveltumista Suomen olosuhteisiin pidetään kuitenkin epävarmana. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin tasaikäisrakenteisen metsän muuttamista eri-ikäisrakenteiseksi 40 vuoden siirtymäaikana Metsähallituksen hallinnoimassa Isojäven ympäristöarvometsässä Kuhmoisissa. Tutkimusaineisto koostui 405 kuusivaltaisesta tasaikäisestä kuviosta, joiden pinta-alasta metsämaata on 636 hehtaaria. Metsän kehitystä simuloitiin puutason kasvumalleja käyttäen ja käsittelytoimenpiteet simuloitiin viisivuotiskausittain SIMO-metsäsuunnitteluohjelmistolla. Simulointien avulla selvitettiin jokaisen käsittelyskenaarion hakkuumäärät puutavaralajeittain, diskontatut kassavirrat ja puustopääoman muutos tarkasteluajanjakson aikana. Puunkorjuun yksikkökustannusten laskennan apuna käytettiin automatisoitua seurantajärjestelmää, jossa metsäkoneisiin asennettuilla matkapuhelimilla kerättiin MobiDoc2-sovelluksella metsäkoneiden käytöstä kiihtyvyystiedot, GPS-paikkatiedot ja syötetiedot. Lopulta jokaiselle käsittelyskenaariolle laskettiin metsän puuntuotannollista arvoa kuvaavalla tuottoarvon yhtälöllä nettonykyarvot, josta vähennettiin diskontatut puunkorjuun kustannukset. Tutkimuksen tulosten mukaan poimintahakkuun NPV oli 3 prosentin korkokannalla noin 91 % (7420 €/ha) ja pienaukkohakkuiden noin 99 % (8076 €/ha) metsänhoitosuositusten mukaisesta käsittelystä (8176 €/ha). Komparatiivinen statiikka osoitti, että korkokannan kasvattaminen 5 prosenttiin ei olennaisesti lisännyt nettonykyarvojen eroja. Poimintahakkuiden puunkorjuun yksikkökustannukset olivat 0,8 €/m3 harvennushakkuita pienemmät ja 7,2 €/m3 uudistushakkuita suuremmat. Pienaukkohakkuiden yksikkökustannukset olivat 0,7 €/m3 uudistushakkuita suuremmat.Tulosten perusteella on väistämätöntä että siirtymävaihe tasaikäisrakenteisesta eri-ikäisrakenteiseksi metsäksi aiheuttaa taloudellisia tappioita siitäkin huolimatta, että hakkuut ovat voimakkaita ja tehdään varttuneeseen kasvatusmetsään. Tappion määrä on metsän peitteisyyden ylläpidosta aiheutuva vaihtoehtoiskustannus.

Behaviour of the curve of critical exponents near and away from a double critical point

To investigate the nature of the curve of critical exponents (as a function of the distance from a double critical point), we have combined our measurements of the osmotic compressibility with all published data for quasibinary liquid mixtures. This curve has a parabolic shape. An explanation of this result is advanced in terms of the geometry of the coexistence dome, which is contained in a triangular prism.

High accuracy curve fits for chirality, length and diameter dependent initial modulus of single walled carbon nanotubes

Many previous studies regarding the estimation of mechanical properties of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) report that, the modulus of SWCNTs is chirality, length and diameter dependent. Here, this dependence is quantitatively described in terms of high accuracy curve fit equations. These equations allow us to estimate the modulus of long SWCNTs (lengths of about 100-120 nm) if the value at the prescribed low lengths (lengths of about 5-10 nm) is known. This is supposed to save huge computational time and expense. Also, based on the observed length dependent behavior of SWCNT initial modulus, we predict that, SWCNT mechanical properties such as Young's modulus, secant modulus, maximum tensile strength, failure strength, maximum tensile strain and failure strain might also exhibit the length dependent behavior along with chirality and length dependence. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sintering of beta titanium: Role of dislocation pipe diffusion

Sintering of titanium in its high temperature beta phase was studied by isothermal dilatometry. The sintering shrinkage y did not follow the normal time exponent type of behaviour, instead being described by the equation y = Kt(m)/[1-(A+Bt)(2)], where m = 1.93 +/- 0.07, with an activation energy of 62-90 kJ mol(-1). A detailed analysis of these results, based on the 'anomalous' diffusion behaviour reported for beta titanium, is carried out. It is shown that the generation of a high density of dislocations during the alpha --> beta phase transformation, coupled with sluggish recovery at the sintering necks, enables sintering mass transport by pipe diffusion through dislocation cores from sources of matter within the particles to become dominant.

Thermal Stability of Spherical Nanoporous Aggregates and Formation of Hollow Structures by Sintering-A Phase-Field Study

Nanoporous structures are widely used for many applications and hence it Is important to investigate their thermal stability. We study the stability of spherical nanoporous aggregates using phase-field simulations that explore systematically the effect of grain boundary diffusion, surface diffusion, and grain boundary mobility on the pathways for microstructural evolution. Our simulations for different combinations of surface and GB diffusivity and GB mobility show four distinct microstructural pathways en route to 100% density: multiple dosed pores, hollow shells, hollow shells with a core, and multiple interconnected pores. The microstructures from our simulations are consistent with experimental observations in several different systems. Our results have important implications for rational synthesis of hollow nanostructures or aggregates with open pores, and for controlling the stability of nanoporous aggregates that are widely used for many applications.

The approximate parametrization of the curve of intersection of implicit surfaces

A clear definition of an approximate parametrization of the curve of intersection of (n-1) implicit surfaces in Rn is given. It is justified that marching methods yield such an approximation.

Microwave assisted preparation and sintering of Al2O3, ZrO2 and their composites from metalorganics

Controlled pyrolysis of Al(OBus)(3), Zr(OPrn)(4) and their mixtures in ethyl acetate induced using microwaves of 2.45 GHz frequency has been carried out. Microwave irradiation yields second-stage precursors for the preparation of respective oxides and their composites. It is observed that the microwave irradiation has a directive influence on the morphology of the ultimate oxide products. Al2O3, ZrO2 and the two composites 90% Al2O3-10% ZrO2 and 90% ZrO2-10% Al2O3 are also found to be sintered to very high densities within 35 min of microwave irradiation by the use of beta-SiC as a secondary susceptor.

An interesting feature of the vapour pressure curve

There exists a maximum in the products of the saturation properties such as T(p(c) - p) and p(T-c - T) in the vapour-liquid coexistence region for all liquids. The magnitudes of those maxima on the reduced coordinate system provide an insight to the molecular complexity of the liquid. It is shown that the gradients of the vapour pressure curve at temperatures where those maxima occur are directly given by simple relations involving the reduced pressures and temperatures at that point. A linear relation between the maximum values of those products of the form [p(r)(1 - T-r)](max) = 0.2095 - 0.2415 [T-r(1 - p(r))](max) has been found based on a study of 55 liquids ranging from non-polar monatomic cryogenic liquids to polar high boiling point liquids.

A study on determining the theoretical dispersion curve for Rayleigh wave propagation

A method has been presented to establish the theoretical dispersion curve for performing the inverse analysis for the Rayleigh wave propagation. The proposed formulation is similar to the one available in literature, and is based on the finite difference formulation of the governing partial differential equations of motion. The method is framed in such a way that it ultimately leads to an Eigen value problem for which the solution can be obtained quite easily with respect to unknown frequency. The maximum absolute value of the vertical displacement at the ground surface is formed as the basis for deciding the governing mode of propagation. With the proposed technique, the numerical solutions were generated for a variety of problems, comprising of a number of different layers, associated with both ground and pavements. The results are found to be generally satisfactory. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Curvature of the vapour pressure curve

This paper brings out the existence of the maximum in the curvature of the vapour pressure curve. It occurs in the reduced temperature range of 0.6–0.7 for all liquids and has a value of 3.8–4.8. A set of 17 working fluids consisting of several refrigerants, carbon dioxide, cryogenic liquids and water are taken as test fluids. There exists also a minimum close to the critical point which can be observed only when a thermodynamically consistent functional form of the vapour pressure equation is chosen. This feature, in addition to throwing some light on the behaviour of the vapour pressure curve, could provide some useful inputs to the choice of working fluids for vapour pressure thermometers and thermostatic expansion valves.

Microwave preparation and sintering of industrially important perovskite oxides: LaMO3 (M = Cr, Co, Ni)

Perovskite oxides LaMO3 (M = Cr, Co, Ni), have been successfully prepared using microwaves of 2.45 GHz. Microwave preparation is rapid, clean and energy efficient. Preparation of LaCrO3, LaCoO3 and LaNiO3 has been achieved in 3 min, 5 min and 10 min respectively. Direct reaction between component oxides is used for the preparation of LaCrO3 and LaCoO3, whereas nitrates are used as starting materials for LaNiO3 preparation. Products have been characterized using XRD, IR spectroscopy and SEM. Their dc electrical conductivity has also been studied and their fracture behaviour has been examined. All three microwave prepared oxide powders are of submicron size. These perovskite oxides have been sintered to very high densities using microwaves. Possible mechanisms of the microwave-material interaction both during preparation and during sintering have been discussed.

Preparation of a ZrO2–Al2O3 nanocomposite by high-pressure sintering of spray-pyrolyzed powders

ZrO2–Al2O3 powders were synthesized by spray pyrolysis. These powders were sintered at 1 GPa in the temperature range of 700–1100 °C. The microstructural evolution and densification are reported in this paper. The application of 1 Gpa pressure lowers the crystallization temperature from ∼850 to <700 °C. Similarly, the transformation temperature under 1 GPa pressure for γ → α–Al2O3 reduces from ∼1100 to 700–800 °C range, and that for t → m ZrO2 reduces from ∼1050 to 700–800 °C range. It was possible to obtain highly dense nanocrystalline ZrO2–Al2O3 composite at temperatures as low as 700 °C. The effect of high pressure on nucleation and transformation of phases is discussed.