Ecological assessment of Phragmites australis wetlands using multi-season SPOT-5 scenes

Ecologists and conservationists need accurate and replicable tools for monitoring wetland conditions in order to develop and implement adaptive management strategies efficiently. The Rhone Delta (Camargue) in southern France encloses 9200 ha of fragmented reed marshes actively managed for reed harvesting, waterfowl hunting or cattle grazing, and holding significant numbers of vulnerable European birds. We used multi-season SPOT-5 data in conjunction with ground survey to assess the predictive power of satellite imagery in modelling indicators of reed structure (height, diameter, density and cover of green/dry stems) relevant to ecosystem management and bird ecology. All indicators could be predicted accurately with a combination of bands (SWIR, NIR) and indices (SAVI, OSAVI, NDWI, DVI, DVW, MSI) issued from scenes of March, June, July, September or December and subtraction between these. All models were robust when validated with an independent set of satellite and field data. The high spatial resolution of SPOT-5 scenes (pixel of 10 × 10 m) permits the monitoring of detailed attributes characterizing the reed ecosystem across a large spatial extent, providing a scientifically-based, replicable tool for managers, stakeholders and decision-makers to follow wetland conditions in the short and long-term. Combined with models on the ecological requirements of vulnerable bird species, these tools can provide maps of potential species ranges at spatial extents that are relevant to ecosystem functioning and bird populations.     

Diagnosability of Petri nets with observation graphs

This paper addresses the problem of diagnosability for dynamic discrete event systems modeled with bounded or unbounded Petri nets that are deadlock-free and monitored with sensor configurations with marking and event measurements. The proposed method gives necessary and sufficient conditions for diagnosability. It is based on the transformation of the coverability graph into an observation graph that encodes all observation sequences of measured markings and events with respect to the sensor configuration. This graph also encodes all sequences of transitions that may fire from any reachable marking of the Petri net. Diagnosability is determined by analyzing the paths and circuits in the observation graph. The method is illustrated with several examples of bounded or unbounded Petri nets.     

Plasticity and fracture initiation in rubber-toughened poly(methyl methacrylate)

The deformation behavior of rubber toughened poly(methylmethacrylate), RT-PMMA, has been investigated in terms of the ability of the material to nucleate plasticity. Work-hardening rate parameter K measurements in the early stages of the nonelastic response in a constant strain-rate test are used to probe the development of micro shear zones as a function of rubber volume fraction. The results reveal the existence of a sharp transition from difficult to easy shear band nucleation for a critical rubber volume fraction V_c. This abrupt change in mechanical behavior also shows in the evolution of the critical stress intensity factor K measured at the onset of crack initiation. These findings are discussed in terms of the morphological parameters of the blends.     

Effective discrepancy and numerical experiments

Many problems require the computation of a high dimensional integral, typically with a few tens of input factors, with a low number of integrand evaluations. To avoid the curse of dimensionality, we reduce the dimension before applying the Quasi-Monte Carlo method. We will show how to reduce the dimension by computing approximate Sobol indices of the variables with a two-levels fractional factorial design. Then, we will use the Sobol indices to define the effective discrepancy, which turns out to be correlated with the QMC error and thus enables one to choose a good sequence for the integral estimation.     

Polarized light microscopy and spectroscopy of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes

Polarized light microscopy (PLM) is used to image individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) suspended in air across a slit opening. The imaging contrast relies on the strong optical anisotropy typical of SWNTs. We combine PLM with a tunable light source to enable hyperspectral excitation spectroscopy and nanotube chirality assignment. Comparison with fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy confirms the assignment made with PLM. This represents a versatile new approach to imaging SWNTs and related structures.      

Precipitation kinetic of Al3(Sc,Zr) dispersoids in aluminium

The non-isothermal formation of Sc- and Zr-containing dispersoids in Al–Zr–Sc ternary alloys has been investigated by atom probe tomography (APT). In the early stages of precipitation, a high number density of Sc-rich clusters form. These clusters subsequently transform into Al₃Sc particles with a L1₂ structure. When Zr diffusion becomes significant, Zr atoms are found to segregate to Al₃Sc/α-Al matrix interfaces. Further annealing at 748 K gives rise to a duplex core/shell structure.     

Solitary fibrous tumor of the adrenal gland

Solitary fibrous tumors are rare neoplasms, most commonly involving the pleura, recently described in various other locations. We report a solitary fibrous tumor of the right adrenal gland in a 42-year-old woman, discovered incidentally during abdominopelvic ultrasonographic examination. Pathologic and immunohistologic features of the tumor were identical to those of other solitary fibrous tumors. Three-quarters of this unencapsulated infiltrating tumoral mass presented foci of hemorrhage and were made of small, round, epithelioid-like cells that expressed the CD34 antigen more weakly than do the typical spindle cells usually observed in solitary fibrous tumors. Despite hemorrhage and poor limitation, the tumor behaved in a innocuous manner; the mass remaining unchanged for more than 5 years before the patient agreed to surgical intervention, which was recommended because of a sudden enlargement of the mass.