Dispersal and sink pathways of suspended particulate matter from the orographically enhanced SWM regime of the SE Arabian Sea

The magnitude of precipitation plays an important role in the yield and supply of terrigenous matter into the sea through fluvial supply. The influence of climate on the influx of total suspended matter (TSM) into the continental margin of the SE Arabian Sea has been evaluated from subweekly synoptic variations in TSM and its advection rates, currents and winds during the southwest monsoon (SWM) and postmonsoon season. Our study endorses the high influx of TSM during the SWM (>82 mg l^?1; advection 26–110 mg m^?2 s^?1), albeit that most of it is sequestered into the shallow coastal region. Over the mid-outer shelf, there is uniformly low TSM (12–24 mg l^?1) and a weak TSM advection (9–4 mg m^?2 s^?1) throughout the year. This trend is persistent also in areas having upwelling-induced high marine productivity. We therefore surmise that higher fluvial influx and primary production during the SWM do not necessarily enhance the supply of particulate matter into the deeper offshore regions of the SE Arabian Sea. We ascribe a vital role to the prevailing morphodynamic processes.     

Lateral Magnetically Modulated Multilayers by Combining Ion Implantation and Lithography

The combination of lithography and ion implantation is demonstrated to be a suitable method to prepare lateral multilayers. A laterally, compositionally, and magnetically modulated microscale pattern consisting of alternating Co (1.6 µm wide) and Co‐CoO (2.4 µm wide) lines has been obtained by oxygen ion implantation into a lithographically masked Au‐sandwiched Co thin film. Magnetoresistance along the lines (i.e., current and applied magnetic field are parallel to the lines) reveals an effective positive giant magnetoresistance (GMR) behavior at room temperature. Conversely, anisotropic magnetoresistance and GMR contributions are distinguished at low temperature (i.e., 10 K) since the O‐implanted areas become exchange coupled. This planar GMR is principally ascribed to the spatial modulation of coercivity in a spring‐magnet‐type configuration, which results in 180° Néel extrinsic domain walls at the Co/Co‐CoO interfaces. The versatility, in terms of pattern size, morphology, and composition adjustment, of this method offers a unique route to fabricate planar systems for, among others, spintronic research and applications.     

Structural,viscoelastic, and vulcanization study of sponge ethylene–propylene–diene monomer composites with various carbon black loadings

In this article, we report the effect of various carbon nanoparticle concentrations on the structural, curing, tan δ, viscosity variation during vulcanization, thermal, and mechanical characteristics of ethylene–propylene–diene monomer polymer sponge composites. The purpose of this study was to develop high‐strength, foamy‐structure polymer composites with an optimum filler to matrix ratio for advanced engineering applications. We observed that the structural, vulcanization, viscoelastic, and mechanical properties of the fabricated composites were efficiently influenced with the progressive addition of carbon content in the rubber matrix. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39423.     

Energy‐efficient data transmission technique for wireless sensor networks based on DSC and virtual MIMO

In a wireless sensor network (WSN), the data transmission technique based on the cooperative multiple‐input multiple‐output (CMIMO) scheme reduces the energy consumption of sensor nodes quite effectively by utilizing the space‐time block coding scheme. However, in networks with high node density, the scheme is ineffective due to the high degree of correlated data. Therefore, to enhance the energy efficiency in high node density WSNs, we implemented the distributed source coding (DSC) with the virtual multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) data transmission technique in the WSNs. The DSC‐MIMO first compresses redundant source data using the DSC and then sends it to a virtual MIMO link. The results reveal that, in the DSC‐MIMO scheme, energy consumption is lower than that in the CMIMO technique; it is also lower in the DSC single‐input single‐output (SISO) scheme, compared to that in the SISO technique at various code rates, compression rates, and training overhead factors. The results also indicate that the energy consumption per bit is directly proportional to the velocity and training overhead factor in all the energy saving schemes.     

Al₂O₃ and γAl₂O₃ Nanomaterials Based Nanofluid Models with Surface Diffusion: Applications for Thermal Performance in Multiple Engineering Systems and Industries

Thermal transport investigation in colloidal suspensions is taking a significant research direction. The applications of these fluids are found in various industries, engineering, aerodynamics, mechanical engineering and medical sciences etc. A huge amount of thermal transport is essential in the operation of various industrial production processes. It is a fact that conventional liquids have lower thermal transport characteristics as compared to colloidal suspensions. The colloidal suspensions have high thermal performance due to the thermophysical attributes of the nanoparticles and the host liquid. Therefore, researchers focused on the analysis of the heat transport in nanofluids under diverse circumstances. As such, the colloidal analysis of H₂O composed by γAl₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ is conducted over an elastic cylinder. The governing flow models of γAl₂O₃/H₂O and Al₂O₃/H₂O is reduced in the dimensionless form by adopting the described similarity transforms. The colloidal models are handled by implementing the suitable numerical technique and provided the results for the velocity, temperature and local thermal performance rate against the multiple flow parameters. From the presented results, it is shown that the velocity of Al₂O₃–H₂O increases promptly against a high Reynolds number and it decreases for high-volume fraction. The significant contribution of the volumetric fraction is examined for thermal enhancement of nanofluids. The temperature of Al₂O₃–H₂O and γAl₂O₃–H₂O significantly increases against a higher ϕ. Most importantly, the analysis shows that γAl₂O₃–H₂O has a high local thermal performance rate compared to Al₂O₃–H₂O. Therefore, it is concluded that γAl₂O₃–H₂O is a better heat transfer fluid and is suitable for industrial and technological uses.     

Processing of metallic fiber hybrid spun yarns for better electrical conductivity

This research was aimed at processing of metallic fiber hybrid spun yarns consisting of polyester/stainless steel and viscose/stainless steel staple fibers to achieve better electrical conductivity. Conventional ring spinning machine and ring twister machine were used to produce the single and plied yarns respectively. The linear electrical resistance of yarns was analyzed with reference to the three levels of twist multiplier (TM) for same yarn count, three levels of yarn fineness (Ne) at the same TM level, and number of plies for the same final yarn count. These results showed that by increasing twist, the electrical conductivity of yarn was increased. However, yarn fineness was in inverse relation with the electrical conductivity of yarns. The effect of yarn plying and twisting to produce the Ne 10s yarn was also found critical in governing the electrical properties. The electrical conductivity of viscose and stainless steel hybrid yarn was found more sensitive to increase with an increase in relative humidity contrary to that of polyester and stainless steel hybrid yarns. The findings of the study are significant to produce the hybrid spun conductive yarns for their potential applications in a variety of tailor-made functional, protective and smart textiles.     

Removal of toxic aqueous ions using amorphous AlPO4

Aluminium phosphate (AlPO₄) was characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR), point of zero charge (PZC) and dissolution studies. XRD showed the sample to be amorphous, FTIR confirmed the presence of OH groups on the surface and PZC was determined at pH 3.45. The dissolution study illustrated a decrease in dissolution with an increase in the pH. Potentiometric titration data were fit to the Gaines–Thomas equation, which showed that AlPO₄ is a weakly acidic ion exchanger. Sorption studies were carried out at pH 4–6 and temperatures 293–323 K. The uptake of metal ions was observed to increase with an increase in the pH and temperature. The surface selectivity towards metal ions was found in the order Pb²⁺> Cu²⁺> Cd²⁺. Sorption data were fit to the new equation derived from the proposed mechanism for metal ion uptake. Various parameters such as stoichiometry of the surface H⁺ ion release, equilibrium constant, standard enthalpy, entropy and free energy changes were evaluated from the plots. The values of all these parameters were found to be closely related to the values reported in the literature.     

Cluster-Based RF Fingerprint Positioning Using LTE and WLAN Signal Strengths

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning has become a popular localization system due to its low-cost installation and widespread availability of WLAN access points. Traditional grid-based radio frequency (RF) fingerprinting (GRFF) suffers from two drawbacks. First it requires costly and non-efficient data collection and updating procedure; secondly the method goes through time-consuming data pre-processing before it outputs user position. This paper proposes Cluster-based RF Fingerprinting (CRFF) to overcome these limitations by using modified Minimization of Drive Tests data which can be autonomously collected by cellular operators from their subscribers. The effect of environmental changes and device variation on positioning accuracy has been carried out. Experimental results show that even under these variations CRFF can improve positioning accuracy by 15.46 and 22.30% in 95 percentile of positioning error as compared to that of GRFF and K-nearest neighbour methods respectively.     

A chemometric approach for the quantification of free fatty acids in cottonseed oil by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The aim of this study was to quantify free fatty acid in cottonseed oil (Gossypium) variety by a chemometric approach using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Calibration standards were prepared by gravimetrical mixing of oleic acid (0.1–40 g/100 g) in neutralized cottonseed oil containing <0.1% free fatty acids. Fourier transform infrared technique coupled with partial least square and principle component regression models were used to develop calibrations in the specific absorption region of carbonyl between 1690–1727 cm^?1. On the basis of regression coefficient and evaluated free fatty acids results with comparison to titration method, partial least square was found to be more accurate than principle component regression calibration model. All the analyzed cottonseed oil varieties showed high content of free fatty acids in the range of 17.1–38.5%. The results of the present study indicated that Fourier transform infrared method in combination with partial least square or principle component regression could be used as a greener alternative to the standard titration method.