Strong Density Research Articles

Effect of Gadolinium Introduced HZSM-5 Zeolite on the Products Distribution of MTH Reaction

A series of Gd/HZSM-5 catalysts were synthesized by incipient-wetness impregnation method and their surface properties and catalytic performances in methanol to hydrocarbons (MTH) reaction were studied in detail. The addition of gadolinium has little effect on the structure of zeolite and the specific surface area of catalyst. However, with the increase of Gd content, the strong acid density of catalysts shows a monotonously increasing trend and the Gd/HZSM-5 catalysts exhibit high C2–C5 aliphatic hydrocarbon selectivity in MTH reaction which can reach 71.6% over the catalysts with the gadolinium content of 7%. In addition, the Gd/HZSM-5 catalysts exhibit much lower carbon deposition rates than the parent HZSM-5 catalyst in MTH reaction due to the low yield of C9+ aromatics. Thus, the introduction of Gd into the HZSM-5 catalysts can significantly affect the amount of acid on the surface of catalyst, the distribution of reaction products and anticoking ability in MTH reaction.

Impact of self-focused high power beam on second harmonic generation in collisional plasmas

Abstract In present communication, impact of self-focused high power beam on 2nd harmonic generation is explored in collisional plasmas. Non-uniform irradiance associated with Gaussian beam results in non-uniform heating of plasma electrons thereby causing focusing of main beam. There is production of strong density gradients in a direction perpendicular to input beam. The density gradients so created results in excitation of electron plasma wave (EPW) at input wave frequency. The main beam interacts with EPW leading to generation of second harmonics. With the help of WKB approximation and paraxial theory, 2nd order differential equation controlling the growth of main beam spot size is derived. Impact of laser and plasma parameters on focusing behavior of main beam and yield of second harmonics is explored through numerical simulations.

Long-term (1925–2015) forest structure reorganization in an actively managed temperate-boreal forest region of eastern North America

Over the last century, forest management has modified the natural disturbance regime of temperate and boreal forest regions. Consequently, this new disturbance regime may have profoundly affected the structure, composition and associated carbon stocks of forest ecosystems. The aim of this study is to document structural and compositional changes (1925–2015) in an actively managed forest region of eastern North America and their effects on above-ground biomass (AGB). We reconstructed stand structure, species composition and AGB of the preindustrial forest using 54,343 plots sampled by the Price Brothers & Company from 1924 to 1930. The present-day forest was described using 9561 plots surveyed during the most recent decadal forest inventories (1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s) conducted by the Government of Quebec, eastern Canada. Between 1925 and 2015, the age structure shifted from a dominance of old-growth and mature stands (>80 years) to one of immature stands (<40 years) where early successional deciduous species increased in importance. The most striking difference was the sharp increase in stand density (>72%). Accordingly, tree diameter distribution changed markedly as a result of a strong increase of the smallest tree class to the expense of larger tree classes. Despite this structural reorganization, AGB has remained stable. Forest management history has induced a major forest structure reorganization. Aerial carbon stocks remain stable and resilient despite the strong density increase of small trees. The sharp increase in stand density could have significant impacts on biodiversity and resilience. In accordance with ecological forestry principles, the restoration of more natural forest conditions is expected to reduce the possible detrimental effects of forest management.

Corrigendum to: On the Speed of Convergence in the Strong Density Theorem

This note corrects two misleading typographical errors in On the speed of convergence in the strong density theorem by P. Georgopoulos and C. Cryllakis, Real Anal. Exch. 44(1) 2019.

Improving aboveground biomass estimates by taking into account density variations between tree components

• Key message Strong density differences were observed between stem wood at 1.30 m and other tree components (stem wood, stem bark, knots, branch stumps and branches). The difference, up to 40% depending on the component, should be taken into account when estimating the biomass available for industrial uses, mainly fuelwood and wood for chemistry. • Context Basic density is a major variable in the calculation of tree biomass. However, it is usually measured on stem wood only and at breast height.• Aims The objectives of this study were to compare basic density of stem wood at 1.30 m with other tree components and assess the impact of differences on biomass.• Methods Three softwood species were studied: Abies alba Mill., Picea abies (L.) H. Karst., Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. X-Ray computed tomography was used to measure density.• Results Large differences were observed between components. Basic density of components was little influenced by tree size and stand density. Overall, bark, knot and branch biomasses were highly underestimated by using basic density measured at 1.30 m.• Conclusion Using available wood density databases mainly based on breast height measurements would lead to important biases (up to more than 40%) on biomass estimates for some tree components. Further work is necessary to complete available databases.

A-Priori Validation of Scalar Dissipation Rate Models for Turbulent Non-Premixed Flames

The modelling of scalar dissipation rate in conditional methods for large-eddy simulations is investigated based on a priori direct numerical simulation analysis using a dataset representing an igniting non-premixed planar jet flame. The main objective is to provide a comprehensive assessment of models typically used for large-eddy simulations of non-premixed turbulent flames with the Conditional Moment Closure combustion model. The linear relaxation model gives a good estimate of the Favre-filtered scalar dissipation rate throughout the ignition with a value of the related constant close to the one deduced from theoretical arguments. Such value of the constant is one order of magnitude higher than typical values used in Reynolds-averaged approaches. The amplitude mapping closure model provides a satisfactory estimate of the conditionally filtered scalar dissipation rate even in flows characterised by shear driven turbulence and strong density variation.

Highly Efficient Multiple Exciton Generation and Harvesting in Few-Layer Black Phosphorus and Heterostructure

Multiple exciton generation (MEG) in semiconductors that yields two or more excitons by absorbing one high-energy photon has been proposed to break the Shockley-Queisser limit and boost photon-to-electron conversion efficiency. However, MEG performance in conventional bulk semiconductors or later colloidal nanocrystals is far from satisfactory. Here, we report efficient MEG in few-layer black phosphorus (BP), a direct narrow bandgap two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor with layer-tunable properties. MEG performance improves with decreasing layer number and reaches 2.09Eg threshold and 93% efficiency for two-layer BP, approaching energy conservation limit. The enhanced MEG can be attributed to strong Coulomb interaction and high density of states in 2D materials. Furthermore, MEG of BP shows negligible degradation in vertical heterostructure and multielectron can be extracted by interfacial transfer with near unity yield. These results suggest 2D semiconductors as an ideal system for next generation highly efficient light emission and charge transfer devices.

Chemical nonequilibrium modelling of a free-burning nitrogen arc

Thermal and chemical nonequilibrium modelling is performed to investigate the plasma characteristics of a nitrogen arc. The arc plasma is coupled with the electrodes self-consistently in the computational domain. The self-consistent effective binary diffusion coefficient approximation treatment of diffusion and a generalized form of Ohm’s law are incorporated in the model. It is found the electric field has to undergo a reversal in front of the anode to preserve current conservation due to the strong diffusion current density. No field reversal is found in front of the cathode. The detailed chemical reaction processes are analyzed to understand the species density behaviour. Along the cathode surface, the maximum values of current density and heat flux density occur at the intersection of the flat tip and the conical surface. The distributions of different components of the current density and heat flux density change with the arc current. On the anode side, the electric field and diffusion components contribute to the current density, and have opposite signs and similar magnitudes on the axis, leading to an off-axis maximum of the current density. The electron condensation heat makes the largest contribution to the total heat flux in the high current density region, and the heavy-species contribution from the plasma becomes important in the arc fringe. The high heat flux and current density at the anode show that the nitrogen arc possesses excellent energy source properties for arc welding and other processes that require workpiece melting.

Functionalized metal–organic frameworks with strong acidity and hydrophobicity as an efficient catalyst for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

Benzenesulfonic acid -functionalized MOF with hydrophobic network and high acid density is synthesized. • A benzenesulfonic acid-functionalized MOF is prepared. • The catalyst has a strong hydrophobic network and high acid density. • 98.0% yield of HMF is obtained in the dehydration of fructose. • The sulfonated metal–organic framework is stable for recycling. In the dehydration of fructose to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), in situ produced water weakens the acid strength of the catalyst and causes the rehydration of HMF, causing unsatisfactory catalytic activity and selectivity. In this work, a class of benzenesulfonic acid-grafted metal–organic frameworks with strong acidity and hydrophobicity is obtained by the direct sulfonation method using 4-chlorobenzenesulfonic acid as sulfonating agent. The resultant MOFs have a specific surface area of greater than 250 m 2 ·g −1 , acid density above 1.0 mmol·g −1 , and water contact angle up to 129°. The hydrophobic MOF-PhSO 3 H exhibits both higher catalytic activity and selectivity than MOF-SO 3 H in the HMF synthesis due to its better hydrophobicity and olephilicity. Moreover, the catalyst has a high recycled stability. At last, fructose is completely converted, and 98.0% yield of HMF is obtained under 120 °C in a DMSO solvent system. The successful preparation of the hydrophobic acidic MOF provides a novel hydrophobic catalyst for the synthesis of HMF.

Generation of megatesla magnetic fields by intense-laser-driven microtube implosions

A microtube implosion driven by ultraintense laser pulses is used to produce ultrahigh magnetic fields. Due to the laser-produced hot electrons with energies of mega-electron volts, cold ions in the inner wall surface implode towards the central axis. By pre-seeding uniform magnetic fields on the kilotesla order, the Lorenz force induces the Larmor gyromotion of the imploding ions and electrons. Due to the resultant collective motion of relativistic charged particles around the central axis, strong spin current densities of sim peta-ampere/hbox {cm}^{2} are produced with a few tens of nm size, generating megatesla-order magnetic fields. The underlying physics and important scaling are revealed by particle simulations and a simple analytical model. The concept holds promise to open new frontiers in many branches of fundamental physics and applications in terms of ultrahigh magnetic fields.

Mechanically-created gaps promote flowering and seed set of rare Penstemon personatus: Disentangling canopy opening from ground disturbance

Fire exclusion from mixed conifer forests of northern California has changed the growing environment for understory plants, including the rare Penstemon personatus D.D. Keck, a rhizomatous perennial species endemic to the northern Sierra Nevada. We asked whether increased light availability and/or ground disturbance associated with mechanical thinning would change density or promote flowering of P. personatus, with particular interest in the effects of 0.2 ha gaps, where tree removal created canopy openings that may be similar to those that characterized stands under mixed-severity fire regimes. We found evidence of trade-offs at small spatial scales, with both total and flowering stem density decreasing in plots with increased ground disturbance, but a strong positive flowering stem density response in plots where tree removal increased solar exposure. One year post-treatment, solar exposure was positively correlated with flower density, seeds per capsule, and predicted seed set. At the treatment scale, there were no significant differences in total stem density among treatments or years, however flowering stem density was significantly higher in gaps two years post-treatment. The gap treatment was also strongly associated with higher flower densities, and a predicted mean rank seed set (365 seeds m−2) that was 6 times greater than seed set within the thinning treatment (53 seeds m−2), contrasting sharply with a near total lack of seed set in control plots. This study emphasizes the importance of canopy gaps to this rare species, with local negative effects of ground disturbance from mechanical thinning offset by treatment-level promotion of flowering and seed set.

Dimits shift, avalanche-like bursts, and solitary propagating structures in the two-field flux-balanced Hasegawa–Wakatani model for plasma edge turbulence

We show that the recently introduced two-field flux-balanced Hasegawa–Wakatani (BHW) model captures the key features of drift-wave turbulent transport mediated by zonal flows observed in more complete and accurate gyrokinetic simulations, such as the existence of a nonlinear upshift of the threshold for drift wave turbulence driven transport, often called the Dimits shift, as well as non-local transport with avalanche bursts and solitary propagating structures. Because of the approximations made in the BHW model, these observations are made for the particle flux instead of the heat flux more commonly studied in ion temperature gradient (ITG) driven turbulence in fluid or gyrokinetic codes. Many of these features are not seen in other Hasegawa–Wakatani models, which confirm the critical role of the electron dynamics parallel to the magnetic field lines. To address questions regarding the role of boundary conditions on the drift-wave zonal flow dynamics, we apply our model to both a channel domain geometry and the more typical doubly periodic geometry. We only observe strong soliton-like solutions in the particle flux for the channel geometry, in the vicinity of the boundaries, where strong velocity shear and density gradients are generated, which are absent in the doubly periodic simulations. Changing the aspect ratio of the simulation domain also has a significant effect. In domains which are elongated in the radial direction, more complex multi-scale dynamics takes place, with multiple zonal jets interacting with each other, and large scale avalanches.

Hotspots of Dense Water Cascading in the Arctic Ocean: Implications for the Pacific Water Pathways

AbstractWe explore dense water cascading (DWC), a type of bottom‐trapped gravity current, on multidecadal time scales using a pan‐Arctic regional ocean‐ice model. DWC is particularly important in the Arctic Ocean as the main mechanism of ventilation of interior waters when open ocean convection is blocked by strong density stratification. We identify the locations where the most intense DWC events occur and evaluate the associated cross‐shelf mass, heat, and salt fluxes. We find that the modeled locations of cascading agree well with the sparse historical observations and that cascading is the dominant process responsible for cross‐shelf exchange in the boundary layers. Simulated DWC fluxes of 1.3 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3/s) in the Central Arctic are comparable to Bering Strait inflow, with associated surface and benthic Ekman fluxes of 0.85 and 0.58 Sv. With ice decline, both surface Ekman flux and DWC fluxes are increasing at a rate of 0.023 and 0.0175 Sv/year, respectively. A detailed analysis of specific cascading sites around the Beaufort Gyre and adjacent regions shows that autumn upwelling of warm and saltier Atlantic waters on the shelf and subsequent cooling and mixing of uplifted waters trigger the cascading on the West Chukchi Sea shelf break. Lagrangian particle tracking of low salinity Pacific waters originating at the surface in the Bering Strait shows that these waters are modified by brine rejection and cooling, and through subsequent mixing become dense enough to reach depths of 160–200 m.

Submesoscale Kinematic Properties in Summer and Winter Surface Flows in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

AbstractStatistical properties of near‐surface horizontal velocity gradients are obtained from four drifter experiments conducted in the Gulf of Mexico during Summer 2012 and Winter 2016. The data density provided by the near‐simultaneous deployments of 90‐326 surface drifters in each allows direct, drifter‐based estimates of the scale dependence of velocity gradients at separation scales ranging from 200 m to 5 km. The robustness of these estimates, derived from uniquley sampled, nearly equilateral triplets, is confirmed by comparisons with estimates produced from larger drifter clusters, and with estimates based on concurrent Eulerian X‐band radar observations. The winter launches were deployed above a ∼80 m deep mixed layer, one in a region with nearly homogeneous horizontal density structure, the other in a region of strong surface density gradients associated with filaments of fresh Mississippi River water. The summer launches occurred in a shallow (10m) mixed layer, one launched across a mesoscale frontal jet separating regions of horizontally homogeneous density and the other, similar to the corresponding winter launch, also in a region filamented by shallow lenses of cold, fresh water. Seasonal differences are observed, with larger velocity fluctuations and greater variance in divergence and vorticity, especially at the smallest scales, in winter. Differences between same‐season launches are, however, as large as seasonal differences. In both seasons, observations sampling regions directly impacted by fresh water fluxes show strongly skewed vorticity distributions, with cyclonic vorticity dominating strain. For the other launches, one in each season, strain dominated minimally skewed vorticity.

Elliptic flow splitting between protons and antiprotons from hadronic potentials

The difference in elliptic flow between protons and antiprotons, produced in [Formula: see text] collisions at center-of-mass energies [Formula: see text], is studied within a modified version of the ultra-relativistic quantum molecular dynamics (UrQMD) model. Two different model scenarios are compared: the cascade mode and the mean field mode which includes potential interactions for both formed and pre-formed hadrons. The model results for the elliptic flow of protons and the relative elliptic flow difference between protons and antiprotons obtained from the mean field mode agree with the available experimental data, while the elliptic flow difference is near zero for the cascade mode. Our results show that the elliptic flow splitting, observed for particles and antiparticles, can be explained by the inclusion of proper hadronic interactions. In addition, the difference in elliptic flow between protons and antiprotons depends on the centrality and the rapidity window. With smaller centrality and/or rapidity acceptance, the observed elliptic flow splitting is more sensitive to the beam energy, indicating a strong net baryon density dependence of the effect. We propose to confirm this splitting at the upcoming experiments from Beam Energy Scan (BES) Phase-II at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), the Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) at Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), High Intensity heavy ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) and Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility (NICA).

Black Phosphorus Quantum Dot-Sensitized TiO2 Nanotube Arrays with Enriched Oxygen Vacancies for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Photon absorption, charge separation and transportation, and charge-induced reactions at the active sites are the main crucial factors involved in the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Herein, a combination of black phosphorus quantum dot (BPQD) sensitization and defect engineering strategies is employed to optimize the PEC performance of one-dimensional TiO2 nanotube array (NTA) photoanodes. The as-prepared TiO2–x/BP electrode exhibits a strong photocurrent density under simulated solar light irradiation, which is almost ∼3 times higher than that of bare TiO2. Specifically, the photocurrent increment of TiO2–x/BP is even larger than the sum of TiO2–x and TiO2/BP, verifying the synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies and BPQD sensitization. The maximum photoconversion efficiency of TiO2–x/BP is as high as 0.35%, while the value of TiO2 NTAs is calculated to be 0.13%. The results reveal that oxygen vacancies and BPQDs in the TiO2–x/BP composite not only facilitate the charge separation and transportation but also enhance the activity and quantity of reactive sites for water oxidation. The present strategy might open new routes to develop high-performance photoelectrodes for water splitting.

Density‐dependent egg production in chub mackerel in the Kuroshio Current system

AbstractA paradigm of proportionality between spawning stock biomass (SSB) and total egg production (TEP) has been largely untested at multidecadal scales mainly because of difficulty in estimating annual TEP. Recently, this paradigm was directly tested for sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) and anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) at a multidecadal scale to reveal that SSB–TEP proportionality was partially distorted by intraspecific (sardine) and interspecific (anchovy) density dependence in total egg production per spawner individual (TEPPS) or unit weight (TEPPSW). In the present study, we demonstrate intraspecific density dependence in TEPPS/TEPPSW for chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) in the Kuroshio Current system, using a proxy for TEPPS/TEPPSW, calculated from snapshot abundance data based on fishery‐independent egg surveys in combination with fishery‐dependent stock assessment data, at a multidecadal scale (38 years). TEPPS/TEPPSW exponentially declined with SSB, indicating a strong intraspecific density dependence in TEPPS/TEPPSW in chub mackerel. The observed phenomenon for chub mackerel was similar to that for sardine. Hence, intraspecific density dependence in TEPPS/TEPPSW may be a phenomenon that is generally applicable for species with a high maximum biomass and large population fluctuations. Lastly, we recommend the application of a TEP‐based framework to studies on recruitment mechanisms of fish.

Reproducibility and variability of submesoscale frontal eddies on a broad, low-energy shelf of freshwater influence

A multi-decadal simulation of ocean circulation in the northern Gulf of Mexico produces strong submesoscale instabilities in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya plume fronts. The model skill in reproducing these submesoscale frontal eddies over the Texas-Louisiana shelf is assessed using simulated and observed salinity and velocity fields as a way to investigate simulation accuracy and quantify the variability of frontal eddies. The model successfully reproduces mean salinity structure observed in multi-year densely sampled CTD profiles. Variability associated with submesoscale eddies is the largest source of error in predicted salinity. On the other hand, the model is statistically able to reproduce the magnitude and characteristics of frontal eddies; metrics for eddy kinetic energy are similar between the observations and simulation, and observed horizontal salinity gradients have similar occurrence rates in the model when sampled in a manner similar to the observations. Seasonal and inter-annual variability of frontal eddies is associated with the volume of freshwater onto the shelf and wind stress. Wind stress, the highest in winter and lowest in summer, contributes to the suppression of baroclinic instability during non-summer seasons. River streamflow, highest in spring, creates strong horizontal and vertical density gradients. These strong horizontal density gradients, along with weak seasonal upwelling-favorable winds that tend to broaden the plume, are the primary factors in exciting submesoscale instabilities during summer on the Texas-Louisiana shelf. At decadal scales, streamflow, EKE, and salinity gradients have a positive correlation suggesting that long-term variability of frontal eddies may be influenced remotely by inter-annual variability in the Mississippi River outflow.

STABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPRESSIBLE BINARY PLANAR JETS

The present work investigates the stability of compressible binary planar jets. Different from a homogeneous jet, where a single chemical species is present, the binary jet may have strong density gradients due to the choice of the chemical species considered in each stream. The goal is to identify the possible instability modes for simple and co-flowing jets and investigate the effect of density gradients on the flow structure, growth rates, unstable frequency range and disturbance phase speed for each mode. The effect of species concentration on free shear layer stability has been reported previously in the literature, but detailed comparisons between stability modes and characteristics for a range of density ratios typical of oxygen and hydrogen mixtures as well as the identification of inner and outer sinuous and varicose modes are new. Linear stability theory is used to determine the stability characteristics of the different configurations. For the co-flowing jet four different modes are found, the inner and outer shear layers both have sinuous and varicose modes. Both for the sinuous and varicose modes the simple jet is more unstable when the fluid with the highest density is at the inner jet, with amplification rates twice as high as the lowest density ratio considered, but the range of unstable frequencies can be four times lower. The sinuous mode is less dispersive than the varicose and the disturbance speeds may vary by one order of magnitude with density ratio. For co-flowing jets the external mode is up to seven times more unstable, but this is due to the choice of the velocity ratio considered. For the inner mode the density gradient has a stabilizing effect regardless of which species is at the center. The co-flowing jet is more dispersive, except for the varicose inner mode. The variation of phase speed with density gradient is not as strong as in the simple jet. The ratio of larges to lower phase speeds are of the order of 2 for the co-flowing jet and 4 for the simple jet.

Effect of heterogeneity on failure of natural rock samples

A carbonate sample extracted from the depth of about 10 kft was subjected to uniaxial loading while the confining stress remained constant. Post-experiment inspection of the sample showed an inclined crack at an angle less than 20° to the horizontal. This subhorizontal crack orientation was contrary to the expected 45° inclination, the plane of the maximum shear stress. Coincidentally, as shown by CT-scan prior to loading, there was a boundary between two layers of different density inside the sample located almost exactly where the crack appeared. This density difference has arguably translated into the contrast in the elastic properties at the boundary. The hypothesis is that because of this elastic heterogeneity, an incipient crack developed at the boundary due to the unavoidable tensile stressing of the sample as it was brought to the benchtop from its original state of high confining stress at depth. Controlled uniaxial compression made the sample slip along this crack, which then developed into a prominent feature. This assumption was corroborated by a numerical experiment showing a strong von Mises stress concentration at the elastic contrast boundary during hydrostatic tensile loading. Another sample, from the same formation, but without strong density heterogeneity, exhibited a classic 45° crack after uniaxial loading. These results provide a novel and important insight into the mechanics, breakage, and strength of natural rock.