Tropospheric ozone variability over the Indian coastline and adjacent land and sea

A tropospheric ozone variability study is carried out to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution over the coastline of the Indian peninsula and adjacent land and sea using NASA Langley Tropospheric Ozone Residual data set for the period 1979–2005. A strong seasonal cycle has been observed with large variation (～ 55%) over the upper eastern coast, followed by the upper and lower western coast, compared to the lower eastern coast (～ 33%). A negative gradient in ozone concentration is observed along eastern and western coasts during summer (slope ～ –0.78 and –0.65) and a positive gradient (slope ～ 0.16 and 0.21) during winter. The same is observed over the adjacent land and sea along the coastline with slight variation. This change in gradient can be attributed to the anthropogenic emission of precursor gases that reinforce localized photochemical production of ozone. In addition, topography, transport, seasonality of emission of precursor gases and the solar insolation cycle play a vital role.     

The impact of assimilation of AMSU data for the prediction of a tropical cyclone over India using a mesoscale model

Tropical cyclones form over the seas: a typical data‐sparse region for conventional observations. Therefore, satellites, especially with microwave sensors, are ideal for cyclone studies. The advanced microwave sounding unit (AMSU) , in addition to providing very valuable data over non‐precipitating cloudy regions, can provide very high horizontal resolution of the temperature and humidity soundings. Such high‐resolution microwave data can improve the poorly analysed cyclone. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of ingesting and assimilating the AMSU data together with conventional upper air and surface meteorological observations over India on the prediction of a tropical cyclone which formed over the Arabian Sea during November 2003 using analysis nudging. The impact of assimilating the AMSU‐derived temperature and humidity vertical profiles in a mesoscale model has not been tested yet over the Indian region. Such studies are important as most weather systems over India form over the seas. The present study is unique in the sense that it addresses the impact of ingesting and assimilating microwave sounding data (together with conventional India Meteorological Department data) on the prediction of a tropical cyclone, which formed over the Arabian Sea during November 2003 using analysis nudging. Two sets of numerical experiments are designed in this study. While the first set utilizes the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis (for the initial and lateral boundary conditions) only in the fifth‐generation mesoscale model simulation, the second set utilized the AMSU satellite and conventional meteorological upper air and surface data to provide an improved analysis through analysis nudging. The results of the two sets of model simulations are compared with one another as well as with the NCEP reanalysis and the observations.

The results of the study indicated that the impact of ingesting and assimilating microwave sounding data and the conventional meteorological data through nudging resulted in an improvement in the simulation of wind asymmetries and the warm temperature anomalies. The with‐assimilation run simulated stronger wind speeds and stronger vertical velocity motion as compared with the without‐assimilation run. The time series of the minimum sea level pressure (SLP) and maximum wind speed for the simulations with the microwave sounding data and conventional meteorological data show better agreement with the observations than the simulations without the assimilation. The central minimum pressure of the simulations with the modified analysis are lower by 7 hPa as compared with the simulations without the assimilations. Even though there is not much of a difference in the maximum wind speed between the two simulations at the initial forecast time, the results indicate that the simulations with microwave sounding data and conventional meteorological data reveal a marked (9 m/s) increase in the maximum wind speed over the simulations without the assimilation. While the lowest central pressure estimated from the satellite image is 988 hPa, the simulations with microwave sounding data and conventional meteorological data show a value of 999.5 hPa for the lowest central minimum pressure. One reason for the inability of the simulation with improved analysis to achieve the observed lowest SLP is that the NCEP reanalysis had manifested an extremely weak system in the first place and, despite assimilation with microwave sounding data and conventional meteorological data, only a moderate improvement in the lowest SLP could be achieved. A proper appreciation of the impact of the microwave sounding data can be obtained by comparing with the lowest SLP obtained from the simulation without assimilation which showed a value of 1007 hPa. The initial mis‐representation in the location of the centre of the cyclone in the NCEP reanalysis with respect to the observed location has led to marked errors in the track prediction of both the model simulations. The assimilation of microwave satellite data is yet to be implemented in the current operational regional model over India and hence the results of this study may be relevant to the operational tropical cyclone forecasting community.     

An efficacious “naked-eye” selective sensing of cyanide from aqueous solutions using a triarylmethane leuconitrile

A triarylmethane dye 1 detects CN^? from water and shows remarkable selectivity over other anions and dramatic color changes, in solution as well as when dyed. The pH stability of 1 in the range of 1.2–10.7 offers additional advantage in the sensing process under physiological conditions.     

Ordering in Ni-Mo alloys—First-principles calculations versus experimental observations

An extensive amount of experimental work has been reported in the literature on the ordering behaviour of Ni-Mo alloys containing 8–33 at% of Mo, which exhibit both short-range and long-range ordering phenomena and a competition among several fcc-based long-range ordered structures. We have used local-density-based tight binding linear muffin-tin orbital (TB-LMTO) method in conjunction with ‘augmented space recursion + orbital peeling’ (ASR + OP) for the determination of ground state energies of these superstructures in terms of effective pair interactions up to the fourth nearest neighbour pairs. The ordering behaviour of the four competing fcc-based superstructures has been studied using the mean-field-based ‘static concentration wave’ (SCW) model in terms of the free energy-order parameter plots (Landau plots) and the free energy-composition plots. The instability domains with respect to concentration fluctuations, both short wavelength (ordering) and long wavelength (clustering) have been identified from these calculations. This information has been used to predict the sequence of transformation events in the Ni-Mo alloys undergoing ordering and/or clustering and the results are compared with those obtained experimentally.     

Biogenic synthesis and thermo‐magnetic study of highly porous carbon nanotubes

Nanomaterials synthesis using natural sources is the technology to up come with advanced materials through extracts of plant, microorganisms, poultry waste etc. In this study, the authors report the synthesis of porous carbon nanotubes using high‐temperature decomposition technique facilitated by cobalt salt using chicken fats, a poultry waste as a precursor. Since chicken fats contain fatty acids which can decompose into short hydrocarbon chains and cobalt can act as the catalyst. The formation of carbon nanotubes was confirmed by Raman spectra, peaks at 1580 and 1350.46 cm⁻¹ confirmed the graphite mode G‐band and structural imperfections defect mode D‐band, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy showed the formation of tube‐like structures. Nitrogen adsorption–desorption studies showed the high‐surface area of 418.1 m² g⁻¹ with an estimated pore diameter of 8.1 nm. Thermogravimetry analysis–derivative thermogravimetric analysis–differential thermal analysis showed the instant weight loss at 517°C attributed to the rapid combustion of nanotubes. A vibrating‐sample magnetometer showed the paramagnetic nature of the so‐formed carbon nanotubes formed.Inspec keywords: transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectra, nanomagnetics, pyrolysis, decomposition, adsorption, desorption, carbon nanotubes, differential thermal analysis, thermal analysis, nanofabrication, Raman spectra, X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, paramagnetic materialsOther keywords: biogenic synthesis, highly porous carbon nanotubes, microorganisms, high‐temperature decomposition technique, cobalt salt, chicken fats, fatty acids, short hydrocarbon chains, Raman spectra, graphite mode G‐band, structural imperfections defect mode D‐band, transmission electron microscopy, paramagnetic nature, thermo‐magnetic properties, poultry waste, nitrogen adsorption‐desorption studies, thermogravimetry analysis, differential thermal analysis, carbon nanotubes, temperature 517.0 degC, C     

Physicochemical,thermal and pasting properties of starch separated from γ-irradiated and stored potatoes

The morphological, thermal and pasting properties of starch separated from potatoes of three varieties (Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chipsona-2), treated either with CIPC (isopropyl N-(3 chlorophenyl) carbamate) or γ-irradiation (Co⁶⁰, 0.1 and 0.5 kGy) and subsequently stored at 8, 12 and 16 °C for 90 days, were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed the presence of oval and irregular shaped starch granules with a diameter range of 15–16 μm. Mean granule size of starch separated from potatoes stored at 12 °C ranged from 18–25 μm and irradiation treatment resulted in an increase in the proportion of small size granules. The irradiation of potatoes with 0.5 kGy resulted in starch with significantly lower peak-, trough- and breakdown-viscosity as compared to starch from potatoes treated with either CIPC or 0.1 kGy irradiation. The irradiation of potatoes with 0.5 kGy caused a significant increase in setback and pasting temperature. Pasting temperature of starch was observed to vary with the storage temperature. Starch separated from potatoes stored at higher temperature showed lower pasting temperature and vice versa. The starch from potatoes stored at 8 °C showed higher peak-, trough- and breakdown-viscosity and lower setback. Peak viscosity increased and swelling volume decreased with increase in storage temperature. FTIR spectra showed that the starch from irradiated potatoes displayed a significant decrease in the intensity of the C–H stretch region between 2800 and 3000 cm⁻¹, which was observed to be irradiation dose-dependent, and higher with 0.5 than 0.1 kGy. However, a slight broadening of O–H stretch (3000–3600 cm⁻¹) in starches from irradiated potatoes was observed. The spectral changes caused by γ-irradiation were apparent in the O–H stretch (3000–3600 cm⁻¹), C–H stretch (2800–3000 cm⁻¹) and bending mode of water (1600–1800 cm⁻¹).     

Multilayer Design and Evaluation of a High Temperature Environmental Barrier Coating for Si-Based Ceramics

Two types of environmental barrier coatings for silicon nitride are investigated. In Type A coatings, a bilayer of polymer-derived SiCN and zirconia was deposited on silicon nitride. This coating nearly completely suppressed oxidation of Si₃N₄ at 1350°C in a 900 h-long test. But the coating volatilized in a streaming water vapor environment. In Type B coatings, a topcoat of hafnia was built on to the SiCN coating with an intermediate compliant layer to accommodate the thermal expansion mismatch between hafnia and Si₃N₄. The three-layer design was successful in preventing both oxidation as well as weight loss in the silicon nitride at temperatures up to 1300°C. The compliant interlayer was made from a porous microstructure, which approximately followed the guidelines subscribed by a model based on the columnar design. The results lead to both expected and unexpected findings. The three-layer design used to accommodate thermal expansion followed the prediction from the model. But the suppression of oxidation by the SiCN and zirconia overlayer, in Type A coatings, was unexpected. Inhibition of oxygen diffusion by zircon, which appears to have formed by a reaction between SiCN and zirconia, is one possible explanation. Another explanation is that ionic diffusion of oxygen in zircon overlayer and the molecular diffusion of oxygen through the silica interlayer just below creates an electrical field, which opposes ionic diffusion of oxygen through zircon.     

Supported Gold Nanoparticles‐Catalyzed Microwave‐Assisted Hydration of Nitriles to Amides under Base‐Free Conditions

Polystyrene‐supported gold (Au@PS) nanoparticles were synthesized by the reduction deposition approach and well characterized by UV‐visible, XRD, TEM, SAED, EDX, and XPS studies. The Au@PS was applied as catalyst for the hydration of nitriles to amides in water under microwave irradiation. Several functionalized aromatic, heterocyclic and aliphatic nitriles were found to be active for synthesis of the corresponding amides where no activation of water by base, ligand and support is needed. Easy recovery, negligible leaching and recyclability for up to eight runs are added advantages of the catalyst under water‐mediated reaction conditions.

     

Isothermal crystallization kinetics of anhydrous sodium acetate nucleated poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Studies on the isothermal crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nucleated with anhydrous sodium acetate were carried out. The nucleated agent had succeeded in promoting greater rates of crystallization in PET. A study of the melting behavior of the samples revealed that the nucleating agents promoted formation of thinner lamellae. The equilibrium melting temperature (T) of samples was determined using linear and nonlinear Hoffman Weeks procedure. The nonlinear Hoffman Week's procedure was found to be inapplicable in the current study. The Lauritzen‐Hoffman secondary nucleation theory was applied to determine the nucleation parameter (K_g), fold surface energy (σ_e), and work of chain folding (q). σ_e and q decreased on addition of nucleating agent. The approximate and exact form of the Lauritzen Z‐test was used to determine the operating regime. The operating regime was found to be primarily regime II for the range of temperatures studied. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010