ALBERT

Notes: In this article, we report results on mass spectrometric investigation of the positive ions created in a low-pressure radio frequency helicon plasma reactor using oxygen/tetraethoxysilane (O2/TEOS) and argon/tetraethoxysilane (Ar/TEOS) mixtures. It is shown that the variety of ions is much greater in the Ar/TEOS plasma than in the O2/TEOS plasma. In the case of the Ar/TEOS plasma, ions are observed up to 343 amu whereas in the case of the O2/TEOS plasma, ions are observed up to 211 amu. Ion/molecule reaction rates between TEOS parent positive ions and neutral TEOS molecules are considerably less important in the O2/TEOS plasma as compared with the Ar/TEOS plasma. Using the values of the TEOS dissociation degree measured for O2/TEOS and Ar/TEOS plasmas, the observed ion/molecule reactions might be explained by the higher concentration of TEOS molecules in the Ar/TEOS plasma.

Notes: Amorphous nitrogenated carbon films are prepared in a dual electron cyclotron resonance-radio frequency plasma from a mixture of methane and nitrogen gas. A marked variation of electronic properties and microstructure of the films as a function of nitrogen concentration is observed from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, electron energy loss spectra, optical absorption spectra, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and electrical conductivity. From the variation of intensity of different positive ions and neutral radicals, using quadrupole mass spectroscopy and optical emission spectroscopy, the growth rate, structure and properties of the films are investigated. The density of methyl (CH3) radicals and the film growth rate are found to decrease with the increase of nitrogen concentration. A correlation between the C/N atomic ratio in the films and CH/CN and also CH/N ratio in the plasma is noticed. Also, the CH radical intensity in the plasma and the amount of CH bonds in the films, observed from FTIR spectra, vary in a similar fashion as a function of nitrogen concentration. A model describing film growth and nitrogen incorporation in the films is proposed. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: This paper deals with a low-pressure argon microwave discharge (5–100 mTorr), created and sustained by a traveling wave (390 MHz), in the presence of an axial static magnetic field (up to 550 G). First, the propagation characteristics of the wave (wave number, wave collisional damping, radial distribution of the electromagnetic energy) have been computed from the numerical resolution of the dispersion equation. It has been emphasized that the plasma is sustained either by a surface wave, or by a volume wave, according to the electron density and magnetic field values. Second, the electron density, the effective electron-neutral collision frequency ν for momentum transfer, the mean power θ required to maintain an electron in the discharge, and the effective electric field Eeff for the discharge maintaining have been experimentally determined, versus the pressure and the magnetic field. At a fixed pressure, the power required to maintain the discharge decreases as the magnetic field increases. It has been shown that this experimental result is consistent with simple theoretical modeling, describing the decrease of the electron loss by diffusion and recombination on the discharge tube walls.

Notes: We compare discharges produced by surface waves at 210 MHz and 2.45 GHz in argon at low pressure (0.1–10 Torr). For plasma lengths up to 1 m, the plasma and wave characteristics are determined (electron density, electric field, effective collision frequency, etc.) and the influence of the excitation frequency is shown. Studying the emission of the discharge, we have established relations between the intensities of Ar i and Ar ii lines and these characteristics, taking into account the wave frequency. That leads to practical criteria for the choice of the excitation frequency.

Notes: The validity of actinometry to monitor oxygen atom concentration in O2-N2 microwave discharges created by surface wave is investigated. The plasma is created with a gas flow in a quartz tube of inner diameter 16 mm at pressures in the Torr range. First, it is shown that the reliability of actinometry can be deduced from the longitudinal profile of the actinometry signal. Second, absolute concentrations of oxygen atoms are estimated from the experimental actinometry signal and agree satisfactorily with concentrations simultaneously measured by vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) absorption downstream from the plasma. Moreover, upon varying the nitrogen percentage (0%–100%), it is evidenced that the actinometry signal is proportional to the concentration measured by VUV absorption. Furthermore, it is evidenced that the oxygen dissociation rate is only 2% in pure oxygen plasmas, while it reaches 15% (433 MHz) or 30% (2450 MHz) for mixtures containing more than 20% of nitrogen. This drastic increase in [O] upon the addition of N2 is extensively discussed and, finally, attributed to a decrease in the recombination frequency of oxygen atoms on the quartz wall, in the presence of nitrogen.

Notes: We assessed the daily time-courses of CO2 assimilation rate (A), leaf transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance for water vapour (gs), leaf water potential (Ψw) and tree transpiration in a wet and a dry season for three late-stage canopy rainforest tree species in French Guiana differing in leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C). The lower sunlit leaf δ13C values found in Virola surinamensis (− 29·9‰) and in Diplotropis purpurea (− 30·9‰), two light-demanding species, as compared to Eperua falcata (− 28·6‰), a shade-semi-tolerant species, were clearly associated with higher maximum gs values of sunlit leaves in the two former species. These two species were also characterized by a high sensitivity of gs, sap flow density (Ju) and canopy conductance (gc) to seasonal soil drought, allowing maintenance of high midday Ψw values in the dry season. The data for Diplotropis provided an original picture of increasing midday Ψw with increasing soil drought. In Virola, stomata were extremely sensitive to seasonal soil drought, leading to a dramatic decrease in leaf and tree transpiration in the dry season, whereas midday Ψw remained close to − 0·3 MPa. The mechanisms underlying such an extremely high sensitivity of stomata to soil drought remain unknown. In Eperua, gs of sunlit leaves was non-responsive to seasonal drought, whereas Ju and gc were lower in the dry season. This suggests a higher stomatal sensitivity to seasonal drought in shaded leaves than in sunlit ones in this species.

Notes: Observations of ecosystem net carbon dioxide exchange obtained with eddy covariance techniques over a 4-year period at spruce, beech and pine forest sites were used to derive time series data for gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco). A detailed canopy gas exchange model (PROXELNEE) was inverted at half-hour time step to estimate seasonal changes in carboxylation capacity and light utilization efficiency of the forest canopies. The parameter estimates were then used further to develop a time-dependent modifier of physiological activity in the daily time step gas exchange model of Chen et al. (1999), previously used for regional simulations in BOREAS. The daily model was run under a variety of assumptions and the results emphasize the need in future analyses: (1) to focus on time-dependent seasonal changes in canopy physiology as well as in leaf area index, (2) to compare time courses of physiological change in different habitats in terms of recognizable cardinal points in the seasonal course, and (3) to develop methods for utilizing information on seasonal changes in physiology in regional and continental carbon budget simulations. The results suggest that the daily model with appropriate seasonal adjustments for physiological process regulation should be an efficient tool for use in conjunction with remote sensing for regional evaluation of global change scenarios.

Notes: Reliable models are required to assess the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems. Precise and independent data are essential to assess this accuracy. The flux measurements collected by the EUROFLUX project over a wide range of forest types and climatic regions in Europe allow a critical testing of the process-based models which were developed in the LTEEF project. The ECOCRAFT project complements this with a wealth of independent plant physiological measurements. Thus, it was aimed in this study to test six process-based forest growth models against the flux measurements of six European forest types, taking advantage of a large database with plant physiological parameters.The reliability of both the flux data and parameter values itself was not under discussion in this study. The data provided by the researchers of the EUROFLUX sites, possibly with local corrections, were used with a minor gap-filling procedure to avoid the loss of many days with observations.The model performance is discussed based on their accuracy, generality and realism. Accuracy was evaluated based on the goodness-of-fit with observed values of daily net ecosystem exchange, gross primary production and ecosystem respiration (gC m−2 d−1), and transpiration (kg H2O m−2 d−1). Moreover, accuracy was also evaluated based on systematic and unsystematic errors. Generality was characterized by the applicability of the models to different European forest ecosystems. Reality was evaluated by comparing the modelled and observed responses of gross primary production, ecosystem respiration to radiation and temperature. The results indicated that: Accuracy. All models showed similar high correlation with the measured carbon flux data, and also low systematic and unsystematic prediction errors at one or more sites of flux measurements. The results were similar in the case of several models when the water fluxes were considered. Most models fulfilled the criteria of sufficient accuracy for the ability to predict the carbon and water exchange between forests and the atmosphere. Generality. Three models of six could be applied for both deciduous and coniferous forests. Furthermore, four models were applied both for boreal and temperate conditions. However, no severe water-limited conditions were encountered, and no year-to-year variability could be tested. Realism. Most models fulfil the criterion of realism that the relationships between the modelled phenomena (carbon and water exchange) and environment are described causally. Again several of the models were able to reproduce the responses of measurable variables such as gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration and transpiration to environmental driving factors such as radiation and temperature. Stomatalconductance appears to be the most critical process causing differences in predicted fluxes of carbon and water between those models that accurately describe the annual totals of GPP, ecosystem respiration and transpiration.As a conclusion, several process-based models are available that produce accurate estimates of carbon and water fluxes at several forest sites of Europe. This considerable accuracy fulfils one requirement of models to be able to predict the impacts of climate change on the carbon balance of European forests. However, the generality of the models should be further evaluated by expanding the range of testing over both time and space. In addition, differences in behaviour between models at the process level indicate requirement of further model testing, with special emphasis on modelling stomatal conductance realistically.

Notes: We show that sapflow is a useful tool for studies of water fluxes in forest ecosystems, because (i) it gives access to the spatial variability within a forest stand, (ii) it can be used even on steep slopes, and (iii) when combined with eddy correlation measurements over forests, it allows separation of individual tree transpiration from the total water loss of the stand. Moreover, sapflow techniques are quite easy to implement.Four sapflow techniques currently coexist, all based on heat diffusion in the xylem. We found a good agreement between three of these techniques. Most results presented here were obtained using the radial flow meter (Granier 1985).Tree sapflow is computed as sap flux density times sapwood area. To scale up from trees to a stand, measurements have to be made on a representative sample of trees. Thus, a number of trees in each circumference class is selected according to the fraction of sapwood they represent in the total sapwood area of the stand. The variability of sap flux density among trees is usually low (CV. 10–15%) in close stands of temperate coniferous or deciduous forests, but is much higher (35–50%) in a tropical rain forest. It also increases after thinning or during a dry spell.A set of 5–10 sapflow sensors usually provides an accurate estimate of stand transpiration. Transpiration measured on two dense spruce stands in the Vosges mountains (France) and one Scot's pine plantation in the Rhine valley (Germany) showed that maximum rate was related to stand LAI and to local climate. Preliminary results comparing the sapflow of a stand of Pinus banksiana to the transpiration of large branches, as part of the BOREAS programme in Saskachewan, Canada showed a similar trend.For modelling purposes, tree canopy conductance (gc) was calculated from Penman-Monteith equation. In most experiments, calculated canopy conductance was dependent on global radiation (positive effect) and on vapour pressure deficit (negative effect) in the absence of other limiting factors. A comparison of the vapour pressure deficit response curves of gc for several tree species and sites showed only small differences among spruce, oak and pine forests when including understorey. Tropical rainforests exhibited a similar behaviour.