ALBERT

Description: Time series of total column abundances of hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine nitrate (ClONO2), and hydrogen fluoride (HF) were determined from ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra recorded at 17 sites belonging to the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) and located between 80.05° N and 77.82° S. By providing such a near-global overview on ground-based measurements of the two major stratospheric chlorine reservoir species, HCl and ClONO2, the present study is able to confirm the decrease of the atmospheric inorganic chlorine abundance during the last few years. This decrease is expected following the 1987 Montreal Protocol and its amendments and adjustments, where restrictions and a subsequent phase-out of the prominent anthropogenic chlorine source gases (solvents, chlorofluorocarbons) were agreed upon to enable a stabilisation and recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer. The atmospheric fluorine content is expected to be influenced by the Montreal Protocol, too, because most of the banned anthropogenic gases also represent important fluorine sources. But many of the substitutes to the banned gases also contain fluorine so that the HF total column abundance is expected to have continued to increase during the last few years. The measurements are compared with calculations from five different models: the two-dimensional Bremen model, the two chemistry-transport models KASIMA and SLIMCAT, and the two chemistry-climate models EMAC and SOCOL. Thereby, the ability of the models to reproduce the absolute total column amounts, the seasonal cycles, and the temporal evolution found in the FTIR measurements is investigated and inter-compared. This is especially interesting because the models have different architectures. The overall agreement between the measurements and models for the total column abundances and the seasonal cycles is good. Linear trends of HCl, ClONO2, and HF are calculated from both measurement and model time series data, with a focus on the time range 2000–2009. This period is chosen because from most of the measurement sites taking part in this study, data are available during these years. The precision of the trends is estimated with the bootstrap resampling method. The sensitivity of the trend results with respect to the fitting function, the time of year chosen and time series length is investigated, as well as a bias due to the irregular sampling of the measurements. The measurements and model results investigated here agree qualitatively on a decrease of the chlorine species by around 1% yr−1. The models simulate an increase of HF of around 1% yr−1. This also agrees well with most of the measurements, but some of the FTIR series in the Northern Hemisphere show a stabilisation or even a decrease in the last few years. In general, for all three gases, the measured trends vary more strongly with latitude and hemisphere than the modelled trends. Relative to the FTIR measurements, the models tend to underestimate the decreasing chlorine trends and to overestimate the fluorine increase in the Northern Hemisphere. At most sites, the models simulate a stronger decrease of ClONO2 than of HCl. In the FTIR measurements, this difference between the trends of HCl and ClONO2 depends strongly on latitude, especially in the Northern Hemisphere.

Description: Time series of total column abundances of hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine nitrate (ClONO2), and hydrogen fluoride (HF) were determined from ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra recorded at 17 sites belonging to the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) and located between 80.05° N and 77.82° S. These measurements are compared with calculations from five different models: the two-dimensional Bremen model, the two chemistry-transport models KASIMA and SLIMCAT, and the two chemistry-climate models EMAC and SOCOL. The overall agreement between the measurements and models for the total column abundances and the seasonal cycles is good. Trends of HCl, ClONO2, and HF are calculated from both measurement and model time series data, with a focus on the time range 2000–2009. Their precision is estimated with the bootstrap resampling method. The sensitivity of the trend results with respect to the fitting function, the time of year chosen and time series length is investigated, as well as a bias due to the irregular sampling of the measurements. For the two chlorine species, a decrease is expected during this period because the emission of their prominent anthropogenic source gases (solvents, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)) was restricted by the Montreal Protocol 1987 and its amendments and adjustments. As most of the restricted source gases also contain fluorine, the HF total column abundance was also influenced by the above-mentioned regulations in the time period considered. The measurements and model results investigated here agree qualitatively on a decrease of the chlorine species by around −1 % yr−1. The models simulate an increase of HF of around +1 % yr−1. This also agrees well with most of the measurements, but some of the FTIR series in the Northern Hemisphere show a stabilisation or even a decrease in the last few years. In general, for all three gases, the measured trends vary more strongly with latitude and hemisphere than the modelled trends. Relative to the FTIR measurements, the models tend to underestimate the decreasing chlorine trends and to overestimate the fluorine increase in the Northern Hemisphere. At most sites, the models simulate a stronger decrease of ClONO2 than of HCl. In the FTIR measurements, this difference between the trends of HCl and ClONO2 depends strongly on latitude, especially in the Northern Hemisphere.

Description: A simplified method of contactless Lorentz force (LF) measurements for flow meters on electrolytes is described and realized. Modification and comparative representation are discussed against recently well-developed methods. Based on the catapult effect, that current carrying conductor experiences a repulsive force in a magnetic field, we demonstrate force measurement method of LF velocimetry applications by commonly known “electromagnetic force” compensation principle. Measurement approach through zero point stability is considered to minimize mechanical influences and avoid gravimetric uncertainties. Here, the current carrying wires are static fixed in the vicinity of magnet system at zero point stable position, while occurring deflection of magnets by electrolyte flow is compensated by external applied current within wires. Measurements performed by developed servo-system which drives control loop by means of optical position sensor for simplified (i) single wire and (ii) coil-like extended compensation schemes. Guided by experiments on electrolyte flow, we demonstrate the applicability of adopted principle for conductivities ranging from 2 to 20 S/m. Further improvements are discussed in agreement with the parameters of demonstration setup, straightforward theory, and experimental results. We argue that this method is potentially suitable for: (a) applications with higher conductivity like molten metal (order of 10 6  S/m) assuming spatial configuration of setup and (b) for lower range of conductivity (below 1 S/m) while this is strongly subject to stiffness of system and noise mainly mechanical and thermal radiations.

Description: The Superfluid High REynolds von Kármán experiment facility exploits the capacities of a high cooling power refrigerator (400 W at 1.8 K) for a large dimension von Kármán flow (inner diameter 0.78 m), which can work with gaseous or subcooled liquid (He-I or He-II) from room temperature down to 1.6 K. The flow is produced between two counter-rotating or co-rotating disks. The large size of the experiment allows exploration of ultra high Reynolds numbers based on Taylor microscale and rms velocity [S. B. Pope, Turbulent Flows (Cambridge University Press, 2000)] (R λ 〉 10000) or resolution of the dissipative scale for lower Re. This article presents the design and first performance of this apparatus. Measurements carried out in the first runs of the facility address the global flow behavior: calorimetric measurement of the dissipation, torque and velocity measurements on the two turbines. Moreover first local measurements (micro-Pitot, hot wire,…) have been installed and are presented.

Description: A microwave technique is employed to simultaneously examine the spin pumping and the spin Seebeck effect processes in a YIG|Pt bilayer system. The experimental results show that for these two processes, the spin current flows in opposite directions. The temporal dynamics of the longitudinal spin Seebeck effect exhibits that the effect depends on the diffusion of bulk thermal-magnons in the thermal gradient in the ferromagnetic-insulator|normal-metal system.

Description: We report measurements of the dissipation in the Superfluid helium high REynold number von Kármán flow experiment for different forcing conditions. Statistically steady flows are reached; they display a hysteretic behavior similar to what has been observed in a 1:4 scale water experiment. Our macroscopical measurements indicate no noticeable difference between classical and superfluid flows, thereby providing evidence of the same dissipation scaling laws in the two phases. A detailed study of the evolution of the hysteresis cycle with the Reynolds number supports the idea that the stability of the steady states of classical turbulence in this closed flow is partly governed by the dissipative scales. It also supports the idea that the normal and the superfluid components at these temperatures (1.6 K) are locked down to the dissipative length scale.

Description: Antisite disorder is observed to have significant impact on the magnetic properties of the double perovskite Y 2 CoMnO 6 which has been recently identified as a multiferroic. A paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition occurs in this material at T c ≈ 75 K. At 2 K, it displays a strong ferromagnetic hysteresis with a significant coercive field of H c ≈ 15 kOe. Sharp steps are observed in the hysteresis curves recorded below 8 K. In the temperature range 2 K ≤  T  ≤ 5 K, the hysteresis loops are anomalous as the virgin curve lies outside the main loop. The field-cooling conditions as well as the rate of field-sweep are found to influence the steps . Quantitative analysis of the neutron diffraction data shows that at room temperature, Y 2 CoMnO 6 consists of 62% of monoclinic P 2 1 / n with nearly 70% antisite disorder and 38% Pnma . The bond valence sums indicate the presence of other valence states for Co and Mn which arise from disorder. We explain the origin of steps by using a model for pinning of magnetization at the antiphase boundaries created by antisite disorder. The steps in magnetization closely resemble the martensitic transformations found in intermetallics and display first-order characteristics as revealed in the Arrott's plots.

Description: The analysis of an orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid-crystalline mixture, using dielectric spectroscopy, has revealed a plurality of ferroelectric smectic C* subphases. A great variety of relaxation responses that could indicate the presence of different SmC* subphases has been observed with the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique in partial agreement with other techniques as DSC and optical microscopy. They represent smectic intermediate variants between the ferroelectric phase and the antiferroelectric one, whose study is still open and is collecting a lot of interest in academic field. The results obtained by dielectric spectroscopy were compared with other techniques as differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy. The results demonstrate the possibility of using dielectric spectroscopy to highlight subphases that cannot be observed with conventional experimental techniques.

Description: Hollow InAs nanowires are produced from GaAs/InAs core/shell nanowires by wet chemical etching of the GaAs core. At room temperature, the resistivity of several nanowires is measured before and after removal of the GaAs core. The observed change in resistivity is explained by simulating the electronic states in both structures. At cryogenic temperatures, quantum transport in hollow InAs nanowires is studied. Flux periodic conductance oscillations are observed when the magnetic field is oriented parallel to the nanowire axis.

Description: The solid-state dewetting of thin Au/Ni bilayers deposited onto SiO 2 /Si substrates is investigated. A rapid thermal treatment is used to induce the dewetting process by an increase in temperature. The evolution of the (111) peaks of X-ray diffraction reveals a characteristic change due to mixing of Au and Ni. At low temperature, the Au-Ni thin film is found to break up at the phase boundaries and growing voids are shown to be surrounded by a Ni-rich phase. Branch-like void growth is observed. Upon annealing at increasing temperatures, Au-Ni solid solutions are formed well above the bulk equilibrium solubility of Au and Ni. It is found that this metastable phase formation makes the Au-Ni thin film less vulnerable to rupturing. Moreover, growth mode of still evolving voids changes into a more regular, faceted one due to alloying. Finally, it is shown that annealing above the miscibility gap forms supersaturated, well-oriented Au-Ni solid solution agglomerates via dewetting.