A mass-conservative switching algorithm for modeling fluid flow in variably saturated porous media

Numerical solutions of flow equation in fluid content-based form or in fluid pressure head-based form are often tradeoffs between speed, accuracy, and convenience. The fluid-content based form can be solved quite rapidly with low CPU time and perfect mass balance. However, it cannot be used in saturated regions (as diffusivity function becomes infinite) and strictly becomes invalid in composite, layered, and real heterogeneous porous materials, due to singularity and discontinuity in fluid content profile. This formulation also gives misleading impression that gradient in fluid content causes the flow of fluid in porous materials, where in reality gravity and fluid pressure potential gradient produce the motion. The pressure head-based form, on the other hand, is more flexible but due to its highly nonlinear nature is much more time-consuming and produces poor global mass balance for dry initial conditions. Very fine spatial and temporal discretizations are needed to maintain mass balance property for these scenarios. The mixed form of the flow equation partially solves these issues as it maintains acceptable mass balance and is applicable to layered, heterogeneous, and composite fractured foundations. However, it is only applicable in unsaturated zones. In this study, a switching algorithm was proposed and implemented in which the mass conservative mixed form and the pressure head-based form were, respectively, used in the unsaturated and saturated zones of an initial-boundary value flow problem involving a variably saturated porous medium. The algorithm showed excellent agreement with a reference solution, obtained on a very fine spatiotemporal mesh. The simulator was then calibrated with several real-world large-scale experimental datasets. In all cases, the proposed algorithm exhibited close agreements with the experimental time–space series. The algorithm poses excellent mass balance property and can easily be used in both saturated and unsaturated regions without special treatment of fluid content discontinuities in heterogeneous and layered porous media. The proposed algorithm can also be extended to simulate multiphase and multidimensional flow problems.     

Integrated photonic crystal spectrometers for sensing applications

A combination of negative refraction and diffraction compensation in a superprism-based photonic crystal structure is used to demonstrate a compact on-chip photonic crystal spectrometer. This structure provides strong dispersion and signal isolation, which are essential for forming an efficient and compact spectrometer. Performance of these spectrometers as spectral pattern detectors is discussed. The experimental results show that a PC structure with 80 μm × 220 μm dimension can locate a single spectral feature with better than 10 pm accuracy over a bandwidth of 50 nm around 1550 nm center wavelength at an output signal-to-noise ratio of 13 dB.     

The Synthesis of 5,11,17-Trihalotetracyclo [13.3.1.13,7.19,13]henicosa-1 (19),3,5,7 (20),9,11,13 (21), 15,17-nonaene-19,20,21-triols and 5,11,17-trihalo-19,20,21-trihydroxytetracyclo [13.3.1.13,7. 19,13]henicosa-1 (19),3,5,7 (20),9,11,13(21), 15,17-nonaene-8,14-dione [1]. Cyclo-derivatives of Phloroglucide Analogues

The synthesis of the title compounds ( 1 and 3 ) is described. Some of the compounds prepared were found to be active against a number of pathogenic microorganisms in vitro. Structure-activity relationship is briefly discussed.     

Measurement of filament length generated by an intense femtosecond laser pulse using electromagnetic radiation detection

We present a new method to measure the length of a filament induced by the propagation of intense femtosecond laser pulses in air. We used an antenna to detect electromagnetic pulses radiated from multipole moments inside the filament oscillating at the plasma frequency. The results are compared with the values detected from the backscattered fluorescence induced by multiphoton ionization of nitrogen molecules excited inside the filament. The values are found to be in good agreement. Received: 6 November 2002 / Revised version: 27 January 2003 / Published online: 24 April 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +1-418/656-2623, E-mail: shosseini@phy.ulaval.ca     

Molecular tectonics: infinite cationic double stranded helical coordination networks

Upon crystallisation of two bismonodentate tectons based on two pyridine units, interconnected at the meta position by a tetra- or hexa-ethylene glycol fragment and Ag+ cation, double stranded helical infinite coordination networks were formed and structurally characterised. The cationic double helical architectures obtained may be regarded as analogues of DNA in terms of topology.     

Corrosion behavior of low energy,high temperature nitrogen ion-implanted AISI 304 stainless steel

This work presents the results of a low-energy nitrogen ion implantation of AISI 304 type stainless steel (SS) at a moderate temperature of about 500°C. The nitrogen ions are extracted from a Kauffman-type ion source at an energy of 30 keV, and ion current density of 100 μA cm⁻². Nitrogen ion concentration of 6 × 10¹⁷, 8 × 10¹⁷ and 10¹⁸ ions cm⁻², were selected for our study. The X-ray diffraction results show the formation of CrN polycrystalline phase after nitrogen bombardment and a change of crystallinity due to the change in nitrogen ion concentration. The secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) results show the formation of CrN phases too. Corrosion test has shown that corrosion resistance is enhanced by increasing nitrogen ion concentration.      

Silica aerogel–iron oxide nanocomposites: recoverable catalysts for the oxidation of alcohols with hydrogen peroxide

Various aerogels of silica gel doped with Fe₂O₃ were prepared by sol–gel method. They were calcined to produce nanoparticle solids. The nanosized mixed oxides were active in the oxidation of alcohols and produced carbonyl compounds in very good to excellent yields using hydrogen peroxide.     

Efficient Synthesis of 2-Arylamino-2-imidazolines and 2-Ami-nobenzimidazoles with Aminoiminomethanesulfonic Acid Derivatives

A highly efficient synthesis of 2‐arylamino‐2‐imidazolines and 2‐aminobenzimidazoles from aminoimino‐methanesulfonic acid derivatives is described. The method is simple and practical, generating imidazoline and benzimidazoline derivatives in excellent isolated yields.