Normal Regime Research Articles

Subsurface zone detected in pure nickel by positron annihilation; Hall-Patch effect notification

A dry sliding test and sequential etching technique, combined with positron lifetime measurements on pure nickel, revealed an area of damage below the worn surface extending to a depth of hundreds of micrometers. Some correlation was found between the value of the mean positron lifetime measured directly on the worn surface and the coefficient of friction. The obtained dependency rather confirms the normal Hall-Patch regime. There was no correlation with the specific wear rate.

Oblique rifting triggered by slab tearing: the case of the Alboran rifted margin in the eastern Betics

Abstract. The tectonic evolution of highly oblique continental margins that result from extension above lithospheric subduction–transform edge propagator (STEP) faults is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the case of the Alboran margin in the eastern Betics characterized by crustal thinning of 15–10 km, oblique to the direction of slab retreat. The current deformation patterns indicate that oblique rifting is underway. However, it is unclear whether these conditions are those that prevailed during the formation of the metamorphic domes and intramontane basins. We review the temporal and spatial evolution of Neogene sedimentary basins and brittle deformation in the eastern Betics and exploit offshore seismic reflection lines to propose a crustal-scale section across the oblique margin. The history of sediment infill and rates of subsidence combined with the analyses of fault slip data confirm that brittle extension oriented from north 20∘ E to E–W occurred during an interval spanning from the Serravallian–early Tortonian to the late Tortonian (14–8 Ma). This extension is associated with both normal and strike-slip regimes and the evolution of the strike-slip fault zones flanking the metamorphic domes. The transtensional model forms a coherent scheme linking the ductile deformation associated with metamorphic domes and the formation of E–W- and NW–SE- or NNW–SSE-directed sedimentary basins in the brittle upper crust during the Tortonian. The oblique extension, which is closely associated with STEP faulting, occurred during the regional convergence between Africa and Iberia since the Miocene. Only recently, around 8 Ma, has slab detachment started to migrate westward, leading to tectonic inversion in the eastern Betics. Such a type of narrow oblique-rifted margin associated with transform-like plate boundaries is not unique but is expected to be hardly preserved in the geological record due to the transient nature of retreating subduction systems.

Genotype-by-environment interaction analysis for cotton seed yield using various biometrical methods under irrigation regimes in a semi-arid region

ABSTRACT The main objective of this study was to identify high-yielding and stable cotton genotypes under normal irrigation regimes and drought stress conditions using some biometrical methods including combined analysis of variance (ANOVA), joint regression analysis (JRA), the additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), and genotype (G) main effect plus genotype-by-environment (GE) interaction (GGE) biplot. Cotton seed yield (CSY) was found to be significantly affected by genotypes, environments, and Genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) using combined ANOVA, JRA, and AMMI. AMMI was superior, explaining 79% of the total variability caused by GEI under drought stress conditions compared to 66% and 25% for the GGE biplot and JRA, respectively. The CSY was found to be significantly lower under drought stress conditions vs normal irrigation regimes, ranging from 9.03% (G24) to 29.91% (G15) across the five tested environments. The JRA, AMMI, and GGE biplot methods were positively correlated for classifying the genotypes for static stability. The GGE biplot was the most effective and acceptable for identifying stable genotypes and optimal environments in both irrigation regimes. All the methods compared were concordant in separating, ranking, and identifying that the G5 and G20 genotypes were highly stable across the environment as being higher-yielding and drought-tolerant.

Constraint strategies for estimating in-situ stress from borehole measurements

In this study, we describe strategies to reduce uncertainties in the estimation of in-situ stresses. The strategies are based on the commonly used poro-elastic model with strain corrections for in-situ stress estimation. In addition to the calibration of the minimum horizontal stress magnitudes from measurement data, we further constrain the magnitude of maximum horizontal stress quantitatively with (i) a critical stress state model, (ii) (non)-occurrences of breakout and/or drilling-induced fracture observed from image logs, and (iii) qualitatively with elliptical borehole shapes observed from multi-arm caliper logging data. The methodology is demonstrated using wells near Dawson Creek, Northeast British Columbia and Northwest Alberta, in Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). The uncertainty of the estimated maximum horizontal stress magnitude was reduced and the range of the maximum horizontal stress was narrowed after the application of these constraint strategies. It is also observed that in the east of the study area, the in-situ stress regime is a normal fault stress regime. The presence of a normal fault stress regime is unexpected since a strike–slip fault stress regime is typically considered for the entire region. Yet, analysis of caliper data in two horizontal wells has confirmed its presence.

Mitigating soil water deficit using organic waste compost and commercial water retainer: a comparative study under semiarid conditions

Semiarid regions have particularly been confronted with climate change effects reflected by the consistent decrease of rainfall and increase of evapotranspiration. This drought stress constitutes the main constraint for agricultural production improvement, which is aggravated by the fact that strategic (field) crops are mostly grown under rainfed systems. Therefore, the objective of this field study was to improve soil water retention by the application of two conditioners namely, an organic waste compost (DS) and a synthetic water-retaining hydrogel (WS). These amendments were applied to an agricultural soil for the cultivation of fodder maize under normal and deficit irrigation regimes. Advanced analysis showed a general disruption of plant growth parameters under water stress. However, both amendments attenuated this negative effect with respect to control by improving soil water status. More precisely, the measured soil water tension at the start of the dry season was the lowest in presence of DS (48 centibars), followed by WS (61 centibars), then unamended soil (83 centibars). Besides, compost application resulted in higher moisture (13.3%), nitrogen (0.36%), and organic matter (0.56%) in soil than the synthetic hydrogel at the end of the field experiment. Soil and plant characterization highlighted the combined effect of water deficit and conditioner type. Indeed, the consistent increase of soil water content in the presence of DS and WS improved all the addressed plant parameters when compared with untreated soil. Infrared thermal imaging showed that canopy temperature was lower in presence of both amendments while dry biomass yield increased by 38% when water supply was limited. Nevertheless, the long-term sustainability of the soil system appears to be better maintained in the presence of the organic waste compost. The latter has the added advantage of improving soil fertility in contrast to inert polymers.

Pseudo-spin model of argentophilicity in honeycomb bilayered materials

We introduce a pseudo-spin model for the argentophilic bond expected in silver-based bilayered materials arising from a spontaneous pseudo-magnetic field interacting with pseudo-spins of two unconventional Ag ions, namely Ag2+ and Ag1− electronically distinct from (albeit energetically degenerate to) the conventional Ag1+ cation typically observed in monolayered materials. This model suggests the possibility of tuning the dimensionality and hence the conductor-semiconductor-insulator properties of honeycomb bilayered materials by application of external fields, analogous to driving a Coulomb blockade or superconducting system to the normal regime by critical electric or magnetic fields respectively.

Evidence of caged to normal diffusion transition in benzene along supercritical isobars: Insights from molecular dynamics simulations

Understanding the behavior of supercritical fluids holds both fundamental and practical significance. From a practical standpoint, these fluids find numerous technological applications across environmental, mechanical, chemical, biological, and geothermal industries. However, from a fundamental scientific perspective, unraveling the intricate structure, thermodynamics, and dynamics of supercritical fluids remains an ongoing challenge. In this work, we address this task by employing NPT molecular dynamics simulations on a rigid benzene model under high pressures. Our observations reveal a striking dynamical transition, with a caged regime at low temperatures and a normal diffusion regime at high temperatures. Notably, the subdiffusive region aligns with the compressible region from the experimental phase diagram, while the normal diffusion occurs in the supercritical region. Furthermore, we present compelling evidence linking the subdiffusion to a caged trajectory and illustrate how uncaging and clustering play a key role in the dynamical transition. The identification of the subdiffusive and normal diffusion regimes provides valuable information for optimizing processes involving supercritical fluids in various industries. Moreover, the link between caged trajectories and dynamical transitions adds a new dimension to our understanding of molecular behavior in supercritical systems.

Experimental observation of stimulated Raman scattering enabled localized structure in a normal dispersion FP resonator

Dissipative Kerr nonlinear cavities attract intense interest due to their rich dynamics and capability to generate broadband, low-noise, mode-locked optical frequency combs for applications in optical communications, dual-comb spectroscopy, photonic lidar, etc. Different from the Kerr effect, which is an electronic response, stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) is a delayed response to molecular vibrations in materials. In microcavities, when driven in an anomalous group velocity dispersion (GVD) regime, SRS typically leads to a self-frequency shift of solitons and generation of breather solitons, which have been verified both theoretically and experimentally. However, when driven in a normal GVD regime, recent theoretical work predicts that SRS can cause the locking of switching waves (SWs) and thus support bright moving localized structure (LS), which we term as SRS enabled localized structure (SRS-LS). Limited by the design of suitable experimental parameters, experimental observation of this SRS-LS is not achieved yet. Here, we provide numerical investigation and, to our knowledge, the first experimental observation of the SRS-LS in a fiber Fabry–Perot (FP) resonator with ultra-low normal GVD. Such SRS-LS exhibits localized temporal features with strong oscillations at ∼13THz local frequency on the top of a flat-top pulse. The corresponding spectrum is a low-noise and broadband Kerr comb with a typical platicon-like spectrum in the center and two Raman Stokes and anti-Stokes peaks located near ±13THz away from the center. With such an SRS enabled broadband Kerr comb, we have achieved an SRS-LS spectrum with a repetition rate of ∼3.68GHz and a −30dB spectral width of 255 nm. The corresponding comb tooth count is >8500, covering the S + C + L telecommunication bands. Moreover, the formation process of such SRS-LS is also revealed, and it is found that the GVD plays a key role in its generation. Our work will help to advance the study of the dynamics of optical frequency combs under the influence of SRS, as well as provide a broadband coherent mode-locked optical source for wide applications.

4D local investigation of mechanical behavior of open-cell foams by enhanced morphological analysis and microstructure-adapted digital volume correlation for tribology applications

In ex-poro-hydrodynamic (XPHD) lubrication, fluid impregnated, open-cell elastomer foams constitute a composite material aiming to improve the load carrying and damping capacity of lubricated systems and to provide more environmentally sustainable solutions. The performance of XPHD-based devices depends on the interactions between solid and fluid phases, occurring and evolving simultaneously during dynamic compression of an imbibed foam. Even at normal regimes, the foam microstructure undergoes large deformations and is prone to strain concentrations which modify its local porosity and influence the mechanical behavior of the composite. In this context, this work focuses on the development of a systematic and accurate characterization technique for describing the main morphological changes happening under uniaxial compression of a high porosity dry open-cell polyurethane foam, by in-situ X-ray microtomography (μCT) testing. A combination of 3D image analysis and digital volume correlation (DVC) is considered to identify and trace the spatial and temporal location of key microstructural features at every loaded state. In this way, the detailed transformations of cells and pores obtained by this method are presented here to give further insight into the deformation mechanisms involved. Then, the advantages and the limits of the overall methodology in analyzing high porosity open-cell foams are regarded in terms of feature segmentation and measurement precision. Both a classic and a microstructure-adapted DVC are compared at their respective scales, and finally their sensibility to emphasize local strain heterogeneities is discussed.

In Situ Stress Distribution of Deep Coals and Its Influence on Coalbed Methane Development in the Shizhuang Block, Qinshui Basin, China.

The in situ stress plays a crucial role in variations in coal permeability, hydraulic fracturing behavior, and accordingly coalbed methane (CBM) productivity. As the depth increases, the effects of in situ stress will become more prominent. In the Shizhuang block, present-day stress magnitude and permeability of coals at depths >800 m were measured with multiple-cycle hydraulic fracturing and injection falloff test, respectively. The results show that most seams are under pressure reservoirs with pressure gradient <0.9 MPa/100 m. Horizontal stress magnitudes and gradients tend to increase (800-1200 m) and then decrease (>1200 m) with increasing depth. Strike-slip fault stress regimes are predominant, while seams with depth >1400 m are subjected to a normal fault stress regime. Coal permeability tends to decrease gradually with depth and tends to be convergence to 0.01 mD. Considering extremely low permeability of these deep seams, hydraulic fracturing must be applied to create seepage channels for gas and water drainage. Although the high horizontal stress difference in deep seams is favorable for the generation of longer and simple hydraulic fractures, there is no obvious relations between fracture length and gas productivity as poor-support fractures and limited sand migration distance. The current hydraulic fracturing missed the variable stress regimes and permeability at various depth, but used the similar fracturing schemes, leading to significant reduction in gas productivity with depth. Using the high viscosity fracturing fluid, great sand volume, big injection rate, and low sand concentration are recommended for hydraulic fracturing. Single-branch horizontal well with staged fracturing show better applicability for deep CBM extraction.

Здоровый образ жизни: самосохранительное поведение студенческой молодежи ЦФО

The article analyzes the level of self-preservation behavior and reveals the attitude of students of a number of universities of the Central Federal District to a healthy lifestyle. The author conducted a questionnaire and a series of in-depth interviews. It was found that girls are better informed than boys about the basic parameters of their health. Most of them, unlike young men, strive to follow a proper diet and eat healthy food every day. Girls, to a greater extent than boys, observe a normal healthy sleep regime, although insomnia is especially characteristic for students of technical universities, both girls and boys. It is determined that the causes of nervous breakdowns in girls are greater than in boys. They are more worried because of problems in personal relationships (unrequited love, etc.), as well as because of everyday troubles, educational and material difficulties. Unfortunately, it has been revealed that about one third of students, including medical university students, drink alcohol once a week. One fourth of the respondents drink alcohol 1–2 times a month, including medical students. According to the results of the study, the author comes to the conclusion that, in general, university students are mostly involved in physical activity, they are interested in sports. At the same time, girls, regardless of age and the material well-being of the family, take their health more seriously than boys, which is due to the peculiarities of their primary socialization. According to the results of the conducted research, the author suggests a number of measures for the development of self-preservation among students.

WAVE TRANSMISSION AND DISSIPATION BY HYBRID (VEGETATED WITH MANGROVE) BREAKWATERS

In recent years a group of studies for coastal protection (Hashim and Catherine (2013), Maza et al. (2018), Tomiczek et al. (2020), among others) have been carried out to determine drag coefficients in mangrove forests due to ocean waves. Following the mangrove hybrid platform concept by Tagaki (2019), and actual projects such as the mangrove rehabilitation site in the Jakarta Fishing Port, the main objective of this study was to propose and test a hybrid structure capable of controlling wave energy via breaking and dissipation. The experimental tests focused on determining the rates of the wave energy distribution (reflection, transmission and dissipation) due to the presence of an afforested mangrove zone in the upper part of the breakwater. A fixed-bottom small-scale model was tested under normal and extreme marine regimes. The prototype dimensions of the breakwater are total height 5.70 m, crest width 10 m, seaside slope 2:1 (H:V) and leeward slope (1.5:1). The barrier is composed of a rigid bottom built of artificial elements (cubipods) and a long crown intended to be vegetated (with red mangroves, for example). The rationale behind this configuration is to provide ecosystem services by an artificially built mangrove forest protected by the rigid bottom. The experimental program consisted of 54 experiments divided into 7 groups corresponding to regular and irregular waves, mean and extreme and high and low tide conditions. Other variables of interest were the density and spatial distribution of mangroves, such as core materials.

ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVITY INDICATORS OF THE SPORTS MEDICINE SERVICE IN THE POLTAVA REGION FOR 2017-2022

A healthy lifestyle includes many components, one of which is adequate physical activity. An important role in the formation of the habit of observing a normal regime of motor activity belongs to the formation of the habit of physical exertion, which is usually formed during sports. However, sports activities are accompanied by high physical exertion and may be the result of injuries or the occurrence of pathological processes. The service of sports medicine plays an important role in health control and timely identification of contraindications to sports. The aim of the study is to analyze the performance indicators of the sports medicine service in the Poltava region. The analysis was carried out on the basis of statistical reports of sports medicine institutions of the Poltava region. As a result of the processing of the materials, a decrease in the performance of the sports medicine service was determined. However, the pattern of the decrease is clearly visible depending on external factors: quarantine restrictions due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the consequences of Russia’s full-scale armed aggression against our country. Despite this, there is a stable load on the sports medicine service, the specific weight of appeals from the profile of sports medicine is increasing, and the level of preventive work is at a sufficient level.

Evolution of Miocene normal and dextral faulting in the lower Colorado River region near Blythe, California, USA

Abstract The evolution of strain in nascent continental plate boundaries commonly involves distributed deformation and transitions between different styles of deformation as the plate boundary matures. Distributed NW-striking faults, many with km-scale right-lateral separation, are prevalent near Blythe, California, and have been variably interpreted to have accommodated either Middle Miocene NE-SW extension as normal faults or Late Miocene to Pliocene dextral shear as strike-slip faults. However, with poor timing and kinematic constraints, it is unclear how these faults relate to known domains of Neogene deformation and the evolution of the Pacific–NorthAmerica plate boundary. We present kinematic data (n = 642 fault planes, n = 512 slickenlines) that demonstrate that these faults dominantly dip steeply northeast; ~96% of measured faults record normal, dextral, or oblique dextral-normal kinematics that likely reflect a gradational transition between normal and dextral oblique kinematic regimes. We constrain fault timing with 11.7 Ma and 7.0 Ma 40Ar/39Ar dates of rocks cut by faults, and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry U-Pb dating of calcite mineralized during oblique dextral faulting that demonstrates fault slip at ca. 10–7 Ma and perhaps as late as ca. 4 Ma. This Late Miocene dextral oblique faulting is best compatible with a documented regional transition from Early to Middle Miocene NE-directed extension during detachment fault slip to subsequent NW-directed dextral shear. We estimate 11–38 km of cumulative dextral slip occurred across a 50-km-wide zone from the Palen to Riverside mountains, including up to 20 km of newly documented dextral shear that may partly alleviate the regional discrepancy of cumulative dextral shear along this part of the Late Miocene Pacific–North America plate boundary.

Stimulated Resonance Raman and Excited-State Dynamics in an Excitonically Coupled Bodipy Dimer: A Test for TD-DFT and the Polarizable Continuum Model.

Bodipy is one of the most versatile and studied functional dyes due to its myriad applications and tunable spectral properties. One of the strategies to adjust their properties is the formation of Bodipy dimers and oligomers whose properties differ significantly from the corresponding monomer. Recently, we have developed a novel strategy for synthesizing α,α-ethylene-bridged Bodipy dimers; however, their excited-state dynamics was heretofore unknown. This work presents the ultrafast excited-state dynamics of a novel α,α-ethylene-bridge Bodipy dimer and its monomeric parent. The dimer's steady-state absorption and fluorescence suggest a Coulombic interaction between the monomeric units' transition dipole moments (TDMs), forming what is often termed a "J-dimer". The excited-state properties of the dimer were studied using molecular excitonic theory and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). We chose the M06 exchange-correlation functional (XCF) based on its ability to reproduce the experimental oscillator strength and resonance Raman spectra. Ultrafast laser spectroscopy reveals symmetry-breaking charge separation (SB-CS) in the dimer in polar solvents and the subsequent population of the charge-separated ion-pair state. The charge separation rate falls into the normal regime, while the charge recombination is in the inverted regime. Conversely, in nonpolar solvents, the charge separation is thermodynamically not feasible. In contrast, the monomer's excited-state dynamics shows no dependence on the solvent polarity. Furthermore, we found no evidence of significant structural rearrangement upon photoexcitation, regardless of the deactivation pathway. After an extensive analysis of the electronic transitions, we concluded that the solvent fluctuations in the local environment around the dimer create an asymmetry that drives and stabilizes the charge separation. This work sheds light on the charge-transfer process in this new set of molecular systems and how excited-state dynamics can be modeled by combining the experiment and theory.

Responses of soil CO2 efflux and microbial activity to water deficit under conventional and adaptation technology

Frequent periods of low rainfall accompanying climate change are expected to affect many aspects of agricultural production and greenhouse gas emissions. In this work, we conducted field experiments on soil CO2 efflux and soil microbial activity using two precipitation treatments and two crop management technologies. While the control treatment was exposed to natural precipitation, the reduced water availability was induced during the early stages of crop growth using rain-exclusion shelters within the water deficit treatment. We aimed to test the difference in the response to water deficit between two management technologies: conventional tillage (CT - ploughed without cover crops) and adaptation technology (AT - no-till with species rich cover crops). After a month of simulated water deficit, the soil CO2 efflux under a regime of adaptation technology was essentially the same as that under the conventional technology, and the decrease in soil CO2 efflux ranged between 22 % and 55 %. The water deficit had a technology-specific effect on microbes. While no effect on the microbial carbon under CT was observed, the water deficit decreased Cmic under AT. In contrast, the opposite pattern was observed for DHA. When a normal soil water regime was restored, CO2 efflux recovered rapidly while recovery of microbial biomass and dehydrogenase activity was more variable. Generally, the soil microbial biomass and activity recovered better under AT. The results show that while the reduction in Rs during water deficit and its recovery after the restoration of the ambient precipitation regime were not affected by the technology, the response of microbial biomass and activity to water deficit depended on the technology with better recovery under AT.

1D Geomechanical Model For Wellbore Stability in Z Field, Y Well Sanga Sanga Working Area, Kutai Basin

This research is about 1D geomechanical model for wellbore stability in Z Field, Y Well Sanga Sanga Working Area, Kutai Basin where wells have been drilled. The Purpose of this Research is to analyze the stability of the well starting from knowing the stress regime that occurs, predicting the occurrence of wellbore failure, and determining safe mud weight window for next drilling. The method use in this Research is a numerical modelling method using log data and drilling data that has been obtained and then managed using Techlog Software. The result of this Research show the magnitude of mechanical properties of the rock that have been obtained, then in general the stress regime that occurs in the Z Field formation is the normal regime even though the strike slip and reverse regime are inserted at a certain depth, then based on the prediction results of failure in this well is wide breakout, which in general occurs in lithology with sandstone, finaly safe mud weight window can be estimated properly, so that it can be used for further well drilling. This research is about 1D geomechanical model for wellbore stability in Z Field, Y Well Sanga Sanga Working Area, Kutai Basin where wells have been drilled. The Purpose of this Research is to analyze the stability of the well starting from knowing the value of the mechanical properties of the formation, the stress regime that occurs, predicting the occurrence of wellbore failure, and determining safe mud weight window for next drilling. The method use in this Research is a numerical modelling method using log data and drilling data that has been obtained and then managed using Techlog Software. The result of this Research show the magnitude of mechanical properties of the rock that have been obtained, then in general the stress regime that occurs in the Z Field formation is the normal regime even though the strike slip and reverse regime are inserted at a certain depth, then based on the prediction results of failure in this well is wide breakout, which in general occurs in lithology with sandstone, finaly safe mud weight window can be estimated properly, so that it can be used for further well drilling.

Tuning the Driving Force for Charge Transfer in Perovskite-Chromophore Systems.

Understanding the interplay between the kinetics and energetics of photophysical processes in perovskite-chromophore hybrid systems is crucial for realizing their potential in optoelectronics, photocatalysis, and light-harvesting applications. By combining steady-state optical characterizations and transient absorption spectroscopy, we have investigated the mechanism of interfacial charge transfer (CT) between colloidal CsPbBr3 nanoplatelets (NPLs) and surface-anchored perylene derivatives and have explored the possibility of controlling the CT rate by tuning the driving force. The CT driving force was tuned systematically by attaching acceptors with different electron affinities and by varying the bandgap of NPLs via thickness-controlled quantum confinement. Our data show that the charge-separated state is formed by selectively exciting either the electron donors or acceptors in the same system. Upon exciting attached acceptors, hole transfer from perylene derivatives to CsPbBr3 NPLs takes place on a picosecond time scale, showing an energetic behavior in line with the Marcus normal regime. Interestingly, such energetic behavior is absent upon exciting the electron donor, suggesting that the dominant CT mechanism is energy transfer followed by ultrafast hole transfer. Our findings not only elucidate the photophysics of perovskite-molecule systems but also provide guidelines for tailoring such hybrid systems for specific applications.

Experimental Investigations upon Ultrasound Influence on Calefaction of AdBlue in Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems (SCR).

The present paper intends to provide an analysis of how the process of calefaction occurs in a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system and the mechanisms by which the deposition of AdBlue crystals on a hot surface evolve. Experimentally, two aluminium samples heated to 200 °C were used, over which AdBlue droplets with different atomisation rates were dropped, maintaining the same dynamic flow parameters, in order to observe the influence of temperature effects on the degree of deposition of crystallised sediment on the surface. The authors proposed the use of calefaction in an ultrasonic environment to prevent deposition and to increase droplet fragmentation by a break-up process. To prove the performance of this method one sample was subjected to a normal flow regime while a second sample was exposed to ultrasound. Both samples were assembled on a magneto-strictive concentrator operating at a frequency of 20 kHz. The obtained results indicated that the sample exposed to ultrasound demonstrated lower urea crystallisation compared to the sample that was not exposed to this treatment. Thus, it can be seen that the proposed method of injecting AdBlue into an ultrasonic zone gives the desired results.

Effect of super absorbent polymer on drought mitigation, and enhancing productivity and profitability of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Under the current scenario of increasing demand of edible oil and dwindling irrigation water supply, the development of drought mitigation strategies is the need of the hour to increase productivity and profitability of the Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.). A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the field efficacy of the superabsorbent polymer (SAP: Pusa hydrogel) and its application rates 0, 1.5, 2.5 and 5.0 kg/ha under moisture stress and normal moisture conditions in a factorial randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. The SCMR, dry matter accumulation, 1000-seed weight, oil and biological yields, economic indicators of the Indian mustard and also the soil available N, P and S contents were reduced (p = 0.05) under moisture stress regime, but improved considerably with the use of SAP. Across the moisture regimes, the maximum oil yield (1.12 t/ha), biological yield (9.24 t/ha), harvest index (29.12 %), gross returns (` 116140/ha), net returns (` 74790/ha), B: C ratio (1.81) and economic efficiency (` 519.4/ha/day) were recorded with SAP @ 5.0 kg/ha. SAP @ 2.5 to 5.0 kg/ha improved oil yield and net returns by 3 % (0.04 t//ha) and 2 % (` 1980/ha), respectively under normal moisture regime, while under moisture stress these parameters were increased by 13% (0.12 t/ha) and 14% (` 8280/ha), respectively. Further, under moisture stress, the maximum B:C ratio (1.66) was recorded with 5.0 kg SAP/ha, while it was the maximum(2.05) with 2.5 kg SAP/ha under the normal moisture regime. Across the moisture regimes, SAP @ 5.0 kg/ha, being on par with 2.5 kg SAP/ha improved the soil organic carbon, available N, P, K and S by 29.27, 13.61, 14.10, 11.95 and 25.01%, respectively over the control. Thus, 5.0 kg SAP/ha under moisture stress and 2.5 kgSAP/ha under normal moisture condition can be recommended for increasing yield, profit, savingwater and better soil health in Indian mustard.