Romanian River Basins Lag Time Analysis. The SCS-CN Versus RNS Comparative Approach Developed for Small Watersheds

Romanian policy makers have to perceive that human intervention on river basins land cover is influencing rainfall-runoff relation and the used methodology cannot accurately estimate watershed surface flow transformations. Global water cycles and energy fluxes understanding is leading to better predictions of land atmosphere interaction and local hydro-climates evolution. The water transfer time determination from rainfall to runoff needs accurate measurements of river basins hydrological parameters. Here, we analyzed and compared the lag time value results of two different methodologies (curve number and rational methodology) used for 54 Romanian small catchment areas study. The focus of this paper is the lag time evaluation and interpretation for an effective implementation of the best methodology approach in the Romanian geographical space. Our research in small river basins was developed using remote sensing technology maps, GIS and environmental datasets in combination with field work on every drainage basin in order to assess the specific morphological features and validate the land cover typology. We found that Soil Conservation Service - Curve Number (SCS-CN) method is widely used according to USA landscape features classification, but not necessarily applicable to Romanian river basins characteristics. Our results show how the official Romanian rational methodology national standard (RNS) can be improved and the limits of SCS-CN method.

     

Chemical vapor deposition-based growth of aligned ZnO nanowires on polycrystalline Zn<Subscript>2</Subscript>GeO<Subscript>4</Subscript>:Mn substrates

ZnO nanowires have been grown on polycrystalline Zn₂GeO₄:Mn substrates for the first time using a chemical vapor deposition method. Both Zn and ZnO sources were used to supply Zn vapor in the growth process of ZnO nanowires. The Zn₂GeO₄:Mn substrates were prepared using solid-state ceramic synthesis methods, and average grain sizes of ~1 μm were achieved. The nanowires of diameters in the range of 100–200 nm and length of ~30 μm were observed. In addition to nanowires, other morphologies of ZnO nanostructures, such as ZnO tetrapods, were observed when Zn powder was used as the source for the CVD growth. The results reveal that polycrystalline substrates are also promising as novel alternative substrates for growth of ZnO nanostructures. The as-synthesized ZnO nanowire/Zn₂GeO₄:Mn composites are being developed for future electroluminescent devices.     

Angular dependence of the magnetoresistivity of Pd2Si

We present the magnetoresistivity at high magnetic field measured on single crystals of Pd₂Si of very good quality. The magnetoresistance depends on the orientation of field and current directions relative to the crystallographic axis. It shows that this suicide behaves like a compensated metal (i.e. equal numbers of electrons and holes) with open orbits along the main crystallographic directions.     

Determination of Magnetic and Nuclear Quadrupole Interactions in La@C82 from EPR Linewidth Data

From the analysis of the temperature dependence of the EPR line width, an estimate of the anisotropic parts of the dipolar and quadrupolar hyperfine couplings of lanthanum was derived. Furthermore, the rotational correlation time of the nearly spherical molecule was found to deviate considerably from that of the solvent molecules.     

Local melting and tool slippage during friction stir spot welding of Al-alloys

Local melting and tool slippage during friction stir spot welding of different Al-alloy base materials is examined using a combination of detailed microscopy and temperature measurement. The stir zone peak temperature during welding is limited by either the solidus of the alloy in question or by spontaneous melting of intermetallic particles contained in the as-received base material. When spontaneous melting occurs this facilitates tool slippage at the contact interface. Accurate stir zone temperature and grain size measurements are essential elements when estimating the strain rate using the Zener–Hollomon relation. In Al 2024 and Al 7075 spot welds spontaneous melting of second-phase particles produces a drastic reduction in strain rate values. In Al 5754 and Al 6061 spot welds there is a strong correlation between tool rotational speed and estimated strain values. Local melted films dissolve rapidly in the high temperature stir zone and when the spot weld cools to room temperature following welding. Evidence of local melting is observed in Al 7075 friction stir spot welded joints made using a combination of rapid quenching, high plunge rates, and extremely short dwell time settings.     

Critical superparamagnetic/single-domain grain sizes in interacting magnetite particles: implications for magnetosome crystals

Magnetotactic bacteria contain chains of magnetically interacting crystals (magnetosome crystals), which they use for navigation (magnetotaxis). To improve magnetotaxis efficiency, the magnetosome crystals (usually magnetite or greigite in composition) should be magnetically stable single-domain (SSD) particles. Smaller single-domain particles become magnetically unstable owing to thermal fluctuations and are termed superparamagnetic (SP). Previous calculations for the SSD/SP threshold size or blocking volume did not include the contribution of magnetic interactions. In this study, the blocking volume has been calculated as a function of grain elongation and separation for chains of identical magnetite grains. The inclusion of magnetic interactions was found to decrease the blocking volume, thereby increasing the range of SSD behaviour. Combining the results with previously published calculations for the SSD to multidomain threshold size in chains of magnetite reveals that interactions significantly increase the SSD range. We argue that chains of interacting magnetosome crystals found in magnetotactic bacteria have used this effect to improve magnetotaxis.