On quantization of the field in dielectrics

The precepts behind the macroscopic and microscopic quantizations of the electromagnetic field in a dielectric are discussed. Using the correspondence principle, it is demonstrated that the macroscopic quantization procedure leads to incorrect equations of motion of embedded two-level atoms. The fundamental nature of the Lorentz viewpoint of electrodynamics is discussed.     

Cellular/dendritic transition,dendritic growth and microhardness in directionally solidified monophasic Sn-2%Sb alloy

Horizontal directional solidification experiments were carried out with a monophasic Sn-2%Sb (mass fraction) alloy to analyze the influence of solidification thermal parameters on the morphology and length scale of the microstructure. Continuous temperature measurements were made during solidification at different positions along the length of the casting and these temperature data were used to determine solidification thermal parameters, including the growth rate (V_L) and the cooling rate (T_R). High cooling rate cells and dendrites are shown to characterize the microstructure in different regions of the casting, with a reverse dendrite-to-cell transition occurring for T_R>5.0 K/s. Cellular (l_c) and primary dendrite arm spacings (l₁) are determined along the length of the directionally-solidified casting. Experimental growth laws relating l_c and l₁ to V_L and T_R are proposed, and a comparative analysis with results from a vertical upward directional solidification experiment is carried out. The influence of morphology and length scale of the microstructure on microhardness is also analyzed.     

Industrial Multi-Plug Conveying Analysis

Single-plug conveying systems have the advantage of being easy to handle and highly controllable. In industry, however, multi-plug conveying systems are the most common choice due to their high transporting capacity. In order to study a multi-plug industrial conveying system, the system parameters were varied along with the materials being conveyed. The responses obtained were compared to the single-plug laboratory system, noting differences and similarities. The pneumatic conveying system at an industrial facility consisted of a 0.01 m Schedule 10 aluminum pipe, approximately 100 m long. To measure the pressure at different points along the system, a total of seven transducers were installed, four air transducers and three flush transducers. This study also used a high-speed video camera to view the plugs as they passed through the transparent viewing port, providing more detailed information on the multi-plug conveying process. Three materials were tested at different superficial air velocities and solid mass flows. In each experiment all transducers took data with a sample rate of 1,000 Hz, giving a highly detailed overview of the conveying process. The analysis included plug velocity and plug size with respect to the superficial air velocity. The Mi model for plug-flow pressure drops was found to yield agreement with the data within ±25%. For this type of industrial operation, this agreement is considered acceptable. The visual observations recorded with the camera showed that there were conditions of stable plug formation as well as varying degrees of plug stability and integrity depending on the operational conditions.     

ASN_EZE: An Analgesic for Writers of ASN.1 Applications

Many programmers find that the logical structure of data defined in ASA.1 is simple enough, but the physical representation requires painfully careful attention to lots of detail. ASN.1 'compilers' which we had used required a programmer ot know the intricacies of both ASN.1 and the generated code. Furthermore those which generated 'C' code were prone to 'memory leaks' and produced bulky code. Two features of object orientiation led us to develop a code generator that procues 'C++'. First Class inheritance permits a small number of functions to operate on objects of any derived class. Second, the destructors of such objects can be designed to prevent memory leaks automatically. Our own use of the system shows that within a few days programmers withh no pair exposure to ASN.1 can start writing applications using only the ASN.1 specification for reference. The generated code is compact and well protected anainst memory leaks. This paper describes the capabilies of the code generator, the library of functions for handling all ASN.1 objects so generated, and the interior structure of these objects which allows the library functions to navigate any hierarchy. The las section discusses our experience in using the system.     

Sequence dependent set-up times and job sequencing

On many machine tools the set-up times are sequence dependent; that is, the time to set-up for the new part is dependent upon the part for -which the machine is currently set-up. In scheduling lots on the machine, the set-up time is often a significant component of the total time required to complete each lot. Set-up times are frequently not available to the production scheduler, and when they are, they frequently are only averages which conceal the sequence dependency of the set-up times. In this paper, we first develop a procedure that classifies set-up operations and predicts the set-up times and we then develop a method for sequencing the jobs so as to minimize the total set-up time. An example using real world data is used to illustrate these procedures     

Multiphoton imaging with a direct‐diode pumped femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser

A direct‐diode pumped Ti:sapphire femtosecond oscillator is used to perform multiphoton imaging for the first time.     

Changes in Soluble and Bound Peroxidase—IAA Oxidase During Tomato Fruit Development

Soluble peroxidase activity increased dramatically during the early stages of tomato fruit development, reaching a maximum at the mature-green stage. Ionically and covalently bound peroxidases were also observed, and the activities of these fractions increased steadily throughout fruit development. IAA (indoleacetic acid) oxidase activity was observed in both soluble and bound fractions and paralleled the peroxidase activity. Tissue homogenates from juvenile fruit caused an extended induction period in IAA oxidation reactions catalyzed by the purified tomato fruit peroxidase, suggesting the occurence of a high concentration of phenolic-type auxin protectors in this tissue. As the fruit developed, tissue homogenates showed a reduction in the amount of auxin protectors as the IAA oxidizing capacity of the fruit increased.     

Chemical Strengthening of Polycrystalline Alumina

Low-expansion solid solution surface layers formed by reaction of Cr₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ were used to chemically strengthen alumina bodies. The surface layers were formed by packing the samples in Cr₂O₃ powder and heating to high temperatures. Fluorides or chlorides were added to the packing material, leading to substantial additional improvement. The flexural strengths of the control samples were increased by refiring in the presence of the products of decomposition of the fluorides. At high concentrations of fluorides in the packing material, the outside dimensions and the weights of the samples decreased during the treatments.