Remote sensing of species mixtures in conifer plantations using LiDAR height and intensity data

In even-aged, single species conifer plantations LiDAR height data can be modelled to provide accurate estimates of tree height and volume. However, it is apparent that growth models developed for single species stands are not directly transferable to a more general situation of mixed species plantations. This paper evaluates the ability of small footprint, dual-return, pulsed airborne LiDAR data to estimate the proportion of the productive species when mixed with a nurse crop in closed canopy plantations. A study area located in Galloway Forest District in Scotland is used as an example of Lodgepole pine and Sitka spruce mixed plantation; this area contains good examples of a wide range of pure and mixed species plantation types. Three species groups are studied: areas of pure Sitka spruce, areas of pure Lodgepole pine and areas where the two species have been planted together. Two approaches are assessed for detection of plantation mixtures: the first uses LiDAR intensity data to separate spruce and pine species and the second uses LiDAR-derived canopy density measures, coefficient of variation, skewness, percent of ground returns (which provides a measure of canopy openness) and the mean canopy height, which enables areas with height variations to be identified. From analysis of LiDAR data extracted from 54 study plots using logistic regression, the coefficient of variation and LiDAR intensity data provide the most useful predictors of the proportion of spruce in a pine/spruce mixture with coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.914 and 0.930 respectively. The method could be developed as a mapping tool, which in combination with existing inventory data should help to improve timber volume forecasting for mixed species even-aged plantations.     

Development of Online Ultrasound Instructional Module and Comparison to Traditional Teaching Methods

A Web‐based teaching device was constructed to deliver information on fundamentals of ultrasound imaging to approximately one‐half the students in an undergraduate medical imaging course, while the remaining students were taught the same material via traditional lectures and typed notes. The students participating in this study were separated randomly but in such a manner that prior achievement was statistically equivalent for the two groups. After approximately two weeks of instruction, an ultrasound imaging exam was administered. Results indicated no statistically significant difference in scores on homework assigned during the instructional period between the traditional and online groups. Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference in the average exam scores of students in the two groups. The traditional group required significantly more time on learning activities than did the online group. These results indicated that level of understanding was not affected by use of the online device, while efficiency of learning improved dramatically. Reasons reported by the students for the improved efficiency of the online method included flexibility in time usage and ability to cater to the individual, which came with the added responsibility of self‐discipline. The traditional teaching method, meanwhile, allowed interaction with and instant feedback from a professor and other students. In this study we have demonstrated that the nature of an online device yields a higher level of efficiency than traditional lectures, despite the inherent drawbacks of the approach. The effectiveness of this device could potentially be improved by implementing enhancements to increase the level of interaction for the user and to help with discipline and time management.     

金属离子掺杂二氧化钛及水体光催化脱氮研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了掺杂Ce^3＋、La^3＋、Ag^＋、Fe^3＋的TiO2光催化剂，以考察其薄膜和粉体形式对水中无机氮的光催化去除效果和活性．用所制备的催化剂对含氨氮-亚硝酸氮的混合液进行了光催化脱氮研究．本文利用UV—Vis吸收光谱、XRD和TEM对催化剂进行了表征．同时，对影响TiO2光催化效率的因素：如掺杂金属离子的种类、浓度、涂膜层数、反应液中有无Fe^2＋、不锈钢和玻璃载体、反应器的构型等进行了探讨，并对今后的研究进行展望．经过2h紫外光照射反应，实验最佳脱氮效果：金属离子掺杂TiO2薄膜型催化剂总氮去除率在30％左右，金属离子掺杂粉末型催化剂光催化最高总氮去除率可达41．7％．     

Mark-Houwink-Sakurada coefficients for conventional poly(methyl methacrylate) in tetrahydrofuran

Summary Intrinsic viscosities [] in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 30°C are reported for ten narrow molecular weight distribution poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) samples covering nearly two orders of magnitude in molecular weight. By combining the viscosity results with absolute weight-average molecular weights determined via low-angle laser light scattering (LALLS) experiments, we have accurately determined the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada (MHS) parameters for this polymer-solvent pair (K=7.56x10⁵ and a=0.731, when [] is in dL g^-1).     

反溶剂重结晶法制备萘普生超细微粒

在溶剂(丙酮)-反溶剂(水)体系下,采用反溶剂重结晶法制备了超细萘普生微粒。研究了不同溶剂-反溶剂体积比、重结晶温度、表面活性剂用量及陈化条件对重结晶产物粒径和形貌的影响。采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、表面吸附(BET)、红外光谱(IR)、X射线衍射(XRD)等检测手段对原料药和重结晶产物进行了对比分析。实验结果表明,当溶剂与反溶剂体积比为1:20,重结晶温度为4～8℃,表面活性剂聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)的质量分数为0.5%～1.0%,60℃下陈化2 h时。可得到短径300～500 nm,长径1～2μm的超细萘普生粉体。重结晶所得产物的晶型和物理性质均未发生变化,但粒度显著减小,形貌趋于规整且比表面积增加至原料药的5.3倍。     

纳米碳酸钙在非等温条件下热分解动力学及机理研究

Experiments on thermal decomposition of nano-sized calcium carbonate were carried out in a thermo-gravimetric analyzer under non-isothermal condition of different heating rates (5 to 20K·min-1). The Coats and Redfern's equation was used to determine the apparent activation energy and the pre-exponential factors. The mechanism of thermal decomposition was evaluated using the master plots, Coats and Redfern's equation and the kinetic compensation law. It was found that the thermal decomposition property of nano-sized calcium carbonate was different from that of bulk calcite. Nano-sized calcium carbonate began to decompose at 640℃, which was 180℃lower than the reported value for calcite. The experimental results of kinetics were compatible with the mechanism of one-dimensional phase boundary movement. The apparent activation energy of nano-sized calcium carbonate was estimated to be 151kJ·mol-1 while the literature value for normal calcite was approximately 200kJ·mol-1. The order of magnitude of pre-e     

Synthesis and chain flexibility of poly(cyclohexylethyl methacrylate)

The synthesis and characterization of fractions of poly(cyclohexylethyl methacrylate) (PCHEM) are reported. A combination of low-angle laser light scattering and intrinsic viscosity experiments was employed to estimate the characteristic ratio (C_∞) of this polymer. The value of 10.7 obtained for PCHEM is similar to the value of 11.3 found previously for poly(phenylethyl methacrylate) but is smaller than values measured for poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate) and poly(cyclohexylmethyl methacrylate) (C_∞ = 11.6 and 11.9, respectively). Received: 28 October 1996/Revised: 16 December 1996/Accepted: 19 December 1996     

Influence of geometry on galvanic corrosion of AZ91D coupled to steel

The influence of geometric factors on the galvanic current density distribution for AZ91D coupled to steel was investigated using experimental measurements and a BEM model. The geometric factors were area ratio of anode/cathode, insulation distance between anode and cathode, depth of solution film covering the galvanic couple and the manner of interaction caused by two independent interacting galvanic couples. The galvanic current density distribution calculated from the BEM model was in good agreement with the experimental measurements. The galvanic current density distribution caused by the interaction of two independent galvanic couples can be reasonably predicted as the linear addition of the galvanic current density caused by each individual galvanic couple.     

Simultaneous Design of Parallel Distributed Output Feedback and Anti‐windup Compensators for Constrained Takagi‐Sugeno Fuzzy Systems

This paper is devoted to developing a novel approach to deal with constrained continuous‐time nonlinear systems in the form of Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy models. Here, the disturbed systems are subject to both input and state constraints. The one‐step design method is used to simultaneously synthesize the dynamic output feedback controller and its anti‐windup strategy. A parameter‐dependent version of the generalized sector condition is used together with Lyapunov stability theory to derive linear matrix inequality design conditions. Based on this result and for different design specifications, the synthesis of an anti‐windup based dynamic output feedback controller is expressed on the form of convex optimization problems. A physically motivated example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.