Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Simultaneous Onset And Interaction Of Taylor And Dean Instabilities In A Couette Geometry, C. P. Hills, A. P. Bassom

Articles

The fluid flow between a pair of coaxial circular cylinders generated by the uniform rotation of the inner cylinder and an azimuthal pressure gradient is susceptible to both Taylor and Dean type instabilities. The flow can be characterised by two parameters: a measure of the relative magnitude of the rotation and pressure effects and a non-dimensional Taylor number. Neutral curves associated with each instability can be constructed but it has been suggested that these curves do not cross but rather posses `kinks'. Our work is based in the small gap, large wavenumber limit and considers the simultaneous onset of Taylor …

On The Integrability Of A Class Of Nonlinear Dispersive Wave Equations, Rossen Ivanov

Articles

We investigate the integrability of a class of 1+1 dimensional models describing nonlinear dispersive waves in continuous media, e.g. cylindrical compressible hyperelastic rods, shallow water waves, etc. The only completely integrable cases coincide with the Camassa-Holm and Degasperis-Procesi equations.

Structural Property Relationships In Conjugated Polymers, Patrick Lynch, Luke O'Neill, J. Whelan, Mary Mcnamara, Hugh Byrne

Articles

The synthesis of a series of PPV derivative polymers by the Wittig-Horner reaction is described. The structure of each polymer is varied and the effects of these variations on the optical properties is explored. The effects of alkyloxy side chains is observed between the PPV derivatives Poly(-p-phenylvinylene-co-2,5-bis-octyloxy phenylvinylene.) PPV-OPV and Poly (para-2,5-bis-(n-octyloxy)-phenylvinylene) POPV. The phenyl units of the soluble PPV derivative POPV are replaced by alternate naphthyl units in the polymer Poly(2,5-bis(n-octyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene-1,5-bis(n-octyloxy)-2,6-naphthylene vinylene) POPN-ONV and then fully by naphthyl units in Poly(2,6-bis-(n-octyloxy)-1,5-NaphthyleneVinylene) PONV. The addition of alkyloxy sidechains served to red shift the fluorescence emission as expected. The systematic …

Modernization Of The Hilger And Watts Guage-Block Interferometer, Michael O'Hora, Brian Bowe, Vincent Toal, Sean Peyton

Articles

The Hilger & Watts gauge-block interferometer was designed and manufactured commercially in the 1950s. The instrument uses isotope lamps as wavelength standards to perform absolute length calibration of gauge blocks (slip gauges) up to 100 mm in length, to an accuracy of approximately 1 ppm. It is entirely manually operated. In order to make the instrument more suitable for the modern laboratory, new hardware has been added, and a customized software package developed to automate the measurement process. This paper shows how interferograms may be imaged successfully at each of the eight available wavelengths, and the critical fringe fraction measurement …

Temperature Dependent Spectroscopic Studies Of Hipco Swnt Composites, Sinead Keogh, Theresa Hedderman, Garrett Farrell, M Ruether, Elizabeth Gregan, Mary Mcnamara, Gordon Chambers, Hugh Byrne

Articles

No abstract provided.

Characterisation Of An Acrylamide-Based Photopolymer For Data Storage Utilizing Holographic Angular Multiplexing, Hosam Sherif, Izabela Naydenova, Suzanne Martin, Colm Mcginn, Vincent Toal

Articles

An acrylamide-based photopolymer formulated in the Centre for Industrial and Engineering Optics has been investigated with a view to further optimisation for holographic optical storage. Series of 18 to 30 gratings were angularly multiplexed in a volume of photopolymer layer at a spatial frequency of 1500 lines/mm. Since the photopolymer is a saturable material, an exposure scheduling method was used to exploit the entire dynamic range of the material and allow equal strength holographic gratings to be recorded. This investigation yielded the photopolymer M/# for moderately thin layers. Photopolymer temporal stability was also studied by measuring variations of material shrinkage, …

Investigation Of The Effect Of Subcutaneous Fat On Image Quality Performance Of 2d Conventional Imaging And Tissue Harmonic Imaging, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Peter Hoskins, Alex Elliott

Articles

Tissue harmonic imaging (THI) has been reported to improve contrast resolution, tissue differentiation and overall image quality in clinical examinations. However, a study carried out previously by the authors (Browne et al. 2004) found improvements only in spatial resolution and not in contrast resolution or anechoic target detection. This result may have been due to the homogeneity of the phantom. Biologic tissues are generally inhomogeneous and THI has been reported to improve image quality in the presence of large amounts of subcutaneous fat. The aims of the study were to simulate the distortion caused by subcutaneous fat to image quality …

Structure-Property Relationships For Electron-Vibrational Coupling In Conjugated Organic Oligomeric Systems, Luke O'Neill, Hugh Byrne

Articles

A series of ð-conjugated oligomers containing one to six monomer units were studied by absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. As is common for these systems, a linear relationship between the positioning of the lowest-energy absorption and the highest-energy photoluminescence maxima plotted versus inverse conjugation length is observed, in good agreement with a simple nearly free electron model, one of the earliest descriptions of the properties of one-dimensional organic molecules. It was observed that the Stokes shift and therefore Huang-Rhys factor also exhibit a well-defined relationship with increasing conjugation length, implying a correlation between the electron-vibrational coupling and chain length. This correlation …

Structure Property Relationships In Organic Conjugated Systems, Luke O'Neill, Patrick Lynch, Mary Mcnamara

Articles

A series of π conjugated oligomers were studied by absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. A linear relationship between the positioning of the absorption and photoluminescence maxima plotted against inverse conjugation length is observed. The relationships are in good agreement with the simple particle in a box method, one of the earliest descriptions of the properties of one-dimensional organic molecules. In addition to the electronic transition energies, it was observed that the Stokes shift also exhibited a well-defined relationship with increasing conjugation length, implying a correlation between the electron-vibrational coupling and chain length. This correlation is further examined using Raman spectroscopy, whereby …

Stark Width And Shift Of The Neutral Argon 425.9 Nm Spectral Line, Vladimir Milosavljevic, Vida Zigman, Stevan Djenize

Articles

The Stark parameters, the width (W) and the shift (d), of the neutral argon (Ar I) 425.9 nm spectral line have been studied in a linear, low-pressure, optically thin pulsed arc discharge. The line shapes are measured in three different plasmas at about 16,000 K electron temperature (T) and about 7.0×10²² m⁻³ electron density (N). The separate electron and ion contributions to the total Stark width (W_t), i.e. W_e and W_i, as well as to the total Stark shift (d_t), i.e. …

On The Dressing Method For The Generalised Zakharov-Shabat System, Rossen Ivanov

Articles

The dressing procedure for the Generalised Zakharov-Shabat system is well known for systems, related to sl(N) algebras. We extend the method, constructing explicitly the dressing factors for some systems, related to orthogonal and symplectic Lie algebras. We consider ’dressed’ fundamental analytical solutions with simple poles at the prescribed eigenvalue points and obtain the corresponding Lax potentials, representing the soliton solutions for some important nonlinear evolution equations.

Investigation Of The Diffusion Processes In Self-Processing Acrylamide-Based Photopolymer System, Izabela Naydenova, Raghavendra Jallapuram, Robert Howard, Suzanne Martin, Vincent Toal

Articles

Results from the investigation of the diffusion processes in a dry acrylamide-based photopolymer system are presented. The investigation is carried out in the context of experimental work on optimization of the high spatial frequency response of the photopolymer. Tracing the transmission holographic grating dynamics at short times of exposure is utilized to measure diffusion coefficients. The results reveal that two different diffusion processes contribute with opposite sign to the refractive index modulation responsible for the diffraction grating build up. Monomer diffusion from dark to bright fringe areas increases the refractive index modulation. It is characterized with diffusion constant D0=1.6E-7 cm2/s. …

Self-Assembled Arrays Of Zno Nanoparticles And Their Application As Varistor Materials, Suresh Pillai, Declan Mccormack, John Kelly, Raghavendra Ramesh

Articles

Linear arrays of ZnO nanoparticles have been successfully prepared by a simple sol–gel condensation reaction involving chemical modifiers, followed by drying (80oC) and calcination (500 oC). The calcined material (nanoarray ZnO) is composed of approximately spherical nanoparticles of average diameter 21+/-3 nm, selfassembled to form arrays extending in length to 2–4 mm. The morphology of the ZnO is found to depend sensitively on the amounts of chemical modifiers present. In their absence the ZnO produced (nano-ZnO) is an unstructured agglomerate of nanoparticles. The mechanism for formation of these linear arrays has been investigated by examining the intermediates formed at 80 …

Torsion-Free Weakly Transitive Abelian Groups, Brendan Goldsmith, Lutz Strungmann

Articles

We introduce the notion of weak transitivity for torsion-free abelian groups. A torsion-free abelian group G is called weakly transitive if for any pair of elements x, y ∈ G and endomorphisms ϕ, ψ ∈ End(G) such that xϕ = y, yψ = x, there exists an automorphism of G mapping x onto y. It is shown that every suitable ring can be realized as the endomorphism ring of a weakly transitive torsion-free abelian group, and we characterize up to a number-theoretical property the separable weakly transitive torsion-free abelian groups.

Dit-Call: Naturally Speaking But Slow, Dermot Campbell, Marty Meinardi, Bunny Richardson, Eugene Coyle, Olivia Donnellan, Pak Kui Leung, Ciaran Macdonaill, Elmar Jung, Charles Pritchard

Articles

This paper introduces a new development in speech technology and describes its planned application in an EFL context. Special attention is paid to the pedagogical potential of the resultant language tool.

On The Cotorsion Images Of The Baer-Specker Group, Brendan Goldsmith, T. Kelly, S, Wallutis

Articles

No abstract available

Quasi-Minimal Abelian Groups, Brendan Goldsmith, S. O. Hogain, S. Wallutis

Articles

An abelian group $G$ is said to be quasi-minimal (purely quasi-minimal, directly quasi-minimal) if it is isomorphic to all its subgroups (pure subgroups, direct summands, respectively) of the same cardinality as $G$. Obviously quasi-minimality implies pure quasi-minimality which in turn implies direct quasi-minimality, but we show that neither converse implication holds. We obtain a complete characterisation of quasi-minimal groups. In the purely quasi-minimal case, assuming GCH, a complete characterisation is also established. An independence result is proved for directly quasi-minimal groups.

On The Empirical Balanced Truncation For Nonlinear Systems, Marissa Condon, Rossen Ivanov

Articles

Novel constructions of empirical controllability and observability gramians for nonlinear systems for subsequent use in a balanced truncation style of model reduction are proposed. The new gramians are based on a generalisation of the fundamental solution for a Linear Time-Varying system. Relationships between the given gramians for nonlinear systems and the standard gramians for both Linear Time-Invariant and Linear Time-Varying systems are established as well as relationships to prior constructions proposed for empirical gramians. Application of the new gramians is illustrated through a sample test-system.

Riemann Tensor Of The Ambient Universe, The Dilaton, And Newton’S Constant, Rossen Ivanov, Emil Prodanov

Articles

We investigate a four-dimensional world, embedded into a five-dimensional spacetime, and find the five-dimensional Riemann tensor via generalisation of the Gauss (--Codacci) equations. We then derive the generalised equations of the four-dimensional world and also show that the square of the dilaton field is equal to the Newton's constant. We find plausable constant and non-constant solutions for the dilaton. Comment: 5 pages, revtex

The Spectral Function For Sturm-Liouville Problems Where The Potential Is Of Wigner-Von Neumann Type Or Slowly Decaying, Daphne Gilbert, B.J. Harris, S.M. Riehl

Articles

We consider the linear, second-order, differential equation (∗) with the boundary condition (∗∗)

We suppose that q(x) is real-valued, continuously differentiable and that q(x)→0 as x→∞ with q∉L1[0,∞). Our main object of study is the spectral function ρα(λ) associated with () and (). We derive a series expansion for this function, valid for λ⩾Λ0 where Λ0 is computable and establish a Λ1, also computable, such that () and () with α=0, have no points of spectral concentration for λ⩾Λ1. We illustrate our results with examples. In particular we consider the case of the Wigner–von Neumann potential.

Electronic Speckle Pattern Shearing Interferometer With A Photopolymer Holographyc Grating, Emilia Mihaylova, Izabela Naydenova, Suzanne Martin, Vincent Toal

Articles

A photopolymer holographic grating is used to produce the two sheared images in an electronic speckle pattern shearing interferometer. A ground glass screen following the grating serves the purpose of eliminating unwanted diffraction orders and to remove the requirement for the CCD camera to resolve the diffraction grating’s pitch. The sheared images on the ground glass are further imaged onto the CCD camera. The fringe pattern contrast was estimated to be above 90%. A validation of the system was done by comparing the theoretical phase difference distribution with the experimental data from the three point bending test.

Objective Measurements Of Image Quality, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Nicholas Gibson, Nicholas Dudley, Alex Elliott

Articles

Tissue harmonic imaging (THI) and compound imaging have been reported clinically to improve contrast resolution, tissue differentiation and overall image quality. However, there have been limited studies to date to quantify objectively the improvements in image quality achieved with these new imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to quantify differences in image quality that exist between conventional B-mode imaging, harmonic imaging, compound imaging and harmonic compound imaging. An ATL HDI 5000 scanner with three probes (C5-2, L7-4 and L12-5) was tested with two different types of test object, the Gammex-RMI model 404 GS LE and the Gammex-RMI 403 …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between In-Vitro And In-Vivo Ultrasound Image Quality Parameters, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Cathy Muir, Peter Hoskins, Alex Elliott

Articles

The aim of this paper is to investigate the relationship between Bmode and colour Doppler technical test methods with the clinical perception of Bmode and Doppler invivo test parameters. It was found that technical and clinical comparisons between the Bmode test parameters: lateral resolution versus clinical resolution; anechoic target detection versus clinical noise; and penetration depth versus clinically useful penetration depth, demonstrated moderate correlations, (r= 0.69, p

Validation Of A Sensitivity Performance Index Test Protocol And Evaluation Of Colour Doppler Sensitivity For A Range Of Ultrasound Scanners, Jacinta Browne, Amanda Watson, Peter Hoskins, Alex Elliott

Articles

The ability to detect flow is the most crucial aspect of an ultrasound (US) system because, if flow cannot be detected, no other aspect of performance matters. The objectives of this study were to validate a Doppler “sensitivity performance index,” a figure of merit, and to determine if it could be used to differentiate colour Doppler sensitivity performance in scanners of varying complexity. The sensitivity performance index was developed to give a combined measure of related aspects of sensitivity, such as the lowest detectable velocity, the vessel size and the penetration depth. The colour Doppler sensitivity was evaluated objectively as …

A Novel Tiq2-Assisted Solar Photocatalytic Batch-Process Disinfection Reactor For The Treatment Of Biological And Chemical Contaminants In Domestic Drinking Water In Developing Countries, E. F. Duffy, F. Al Touati, S. C. Kehoe, O. A. Mcloughlin, L. W. Gill, W. Gernjak, I. Oller, M. I. Maldonado, S. Malato, John Cassidy, R. H. Reed, K. G. Mcguigan

Articles

he technical feasibility and performance of photocatalytic Ti02 coatings in batch-process solar disinfection (SODIS) reactors to improve potability of drinking water in developing countries have been studied. Borosilicate glass and PET plastic SODIS reactors fitted with flexible plastic inserts coated with Ti02 powder were shown to be 2(Jt1o and 25% more effective, respectively, than standard SODIS reactors for the inactivation of E. coli K12. Isopropanol at 100 ppm concentration levels was observed to be completely photodegraded after 24 h continuous exposure to lOG mW/cm2 simulated sunlight in a similar solar photocatalytic disinfector (SPC-DIS) reactor. The technique for p roducing the …

Increased Frequency Of The Mthfr A1298c Mutation In An Irish Population, Cathal Mccarthy, Fergus Ryan, Joseph Vaughan

Articles

No abstract provided.

Ecotoxicological Research At Dit, Maria Davoren, Colm O'Dowd, Sharon Ni Shuilleabhain

Articles

The term ecotoxicology first defined by Rene Truhart in 1969, essentially describes the study of the harmful effects of chemicals upon ecosystems.

Transition Probabilities In Kr Ii And Kr Iii Spectra, Stevan Djenize, Vladimir Milosavljevic, Milan S. Dimitrijevic

Articles

On the basis of the relative line intensity ratio (RLIR) method, transition probability values of the spontaneous emission (Einstein's A values) of 14 transitions in the singly (Kr II) and 7 transitions in doubly (Kr III) ionized krypton spectra have been obtained relatively to the reference A values related to the 435.548 nm Kr II and 324.569 nm Kr III, the most intensive transitions in the Kr II and Kr III spectra. Our Kr III transition probability values are the first data obtained experimentally using the RLIR method. A linear, low–pressure, pulsed arc operated in krypton discharge was used as …

Growth Of Well-Defined Zno Microparticles By Hydroxide Ion, Ruth Mcbride, Declan Mccormack, John Kelly

Articles

The morphology of the microcrystalline zinc oxide formed by reaction of zinc salts with sodium hydroxide depends critically on the reaction conditions. To understand this, the nature of the solid product has been probed by scanning electron microcopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the concentration of zinc remaining in the solution has been determined at regular intervals throughout the reaction. Two general preparative procedures have been followed. The first, which involves simply heating an aqueous solution containing Zn(NO3)2 (0.025 M) and sodium hydroxide (0.375 M) to 101 uC and maintaining it at that temperature for periods of up to …

Astrophysical Plasma Diagnostics Through Analysis Of Ar Iine Shape Characteristics, Vladimir Milosavljevic, Stevan Djenize

Articles

On the basis of five accurately recorded neutral argon ( ) line shapes (in the 4s-5p transition) we have recovered the basic plasma parameters i.e. electron temperature ( T) and electron density ( N) using our new line deconvolution procedure in the case of three different plasmas created in a linear, low-pressure, pulsed arc discharge. The mentioned plasma parameters have also been measured using independent experimental diagnostic techniques. An excellent agreement has been found among the two sets of obtained parameters. This recommends our deconvolution procedure for plasma diagnostic purposes, especially in astrophysics where direct measurements of the …