Comments on the shortcomings of predicting the precision of Cavalieri volume estimates based upon assumed measurement functions

It is well known that the estimation of an object's volume by means of serial cross-sections, the so-called Cavalieri method, yields an unbiased estimate. But by itself it provides no means by which to estimate how precise this estimate is unless the shape of the volume is fully known beforehand. This knowledge can only be partially determined from the serial section information that is collected. Methods have been developed that claim to surmount this difficulty by using the serial section data to create a mathematical model of the volume's shape properties. The model then is used to estimate (predict) the precision of the volume estimate (its CE) from the single set of data available. Unfortunately, the theory underlying the model is flawed and so the model itself amounts to no more than an unsubstantiated guess about the shape of the volume. Therefore, the precision of the volume estimates that one obtains from the method is only as good as the model and this cannot be ascertained from the single set of acquired data. In this letter I explain the inadequacies of the modelling method. I suggest that it be used only with caution, if at all. Instead I suggest two alternative ways to predict the CE, one that is based upon a rule-of-thumb approach to the object's shape, and another that is based upon spectral analysis of the measurement function and that is easy to implement with available computer software.     

A fictitious domain decomposition method for the solution of partially axisymmetric acoustic scattering problems. Part I: Dirichlet boundary conditions

We present a fictitious domain decomposition method for the fast solution of high‐frequency acoustic scattering problems characterized by a partially axisymmetric sound‐soft scatterer. We apply this method to the solution of various mockup submarine problems, and highlight its computational advantages and intrinsic parallelism. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于地震道时频分析的地层结构解析原理和方法

 地震时频分析是通过对地震信号采用多种数学变换，实现从时频域角度对信号的局部特征进行分解，剖析信号细微特征所对应的地层结构。在应用地震时频分析技术过程中，人们对于这项技术能否真正有效地解决实际地质问题存在许多争论。本文从时频原理综合分析的角度出发，对地震道时频谱中各种频率特性参数和时频旋回直接转化成对地层结构逐级、分步的解析方法进行了较深入的探讨。研究认为时频分析原理不仅是对地震数据进行特殊数学变换，实现对信号的分解，而且充分利用了地层厚度的调谐效应及岩性调谐效应；时频谱与地质结构特征之间的良好响应关系为地震地质精细解释提供了直观的依据。     

X射线衍射线形Fourier变换

采用计算机辅助实验技术，研究X射线衍射线开在仪器宽化修正过程中Fourier系数变化的规律及其影响，结果表明，只要实测线形接近Gauss 分布，Fourier变换就会导致弯勾效应；Forier变换可引起真实线形的尾部波动及大于实际值的宽化，引入边界条件可予以消除，Kα双线形经过Fourier变换后，Fourier纱数与真实Fourier系数存在着一定的差异。通过真实线形的Fourier变换可以修正。     

A fictitious domain decomposition method for the solution of partially axisymmetric acoustic scattering problems. Part 2: Neumann boundary conditions

We present a fictitious domain decomposition method for the fast solution of acoustic scattering problems characterized by a partially axisymmetric sound‐hard scatterer. We apply this method to the solution of a mock‐up submarine problem, and highlight its computational advantages and intrinsic parallelism. A key component of our method is an original idea for addressing a Neumann boundary condition in the general framework of a fictitious domain method. This idea is applicable to many other linear partial differential equations besides the Helmholtz equation. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Linked influence of pH and cations on fatty-acid monolayer integrity related to high-quality Langmuir-Blodgett films

This study shows the connection between the morphological structure of transferred films and the chemical composition of the monolayer before transfer. The stability of a behenic acid monolayer depends on the linked influence of the type of cation and of the pH value in the aqueous subphase. The stability of the monolayer is assessed by the expansion of the solid-packed state and by the relaxation time. Its integrity is characterized by the number of crystal defects which appear in transferred Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films as seen through Nomarski microscope observations. Both stability and integrity are greatly improved when Cd²⁺ or Mn²⁺are added to the subphase at pH 5.75 and 6 respectively. In these conditions, the transfer is very efficient and the LB films thus obtained are of very high quality. The pH values of the subphase at which the molecules of behenic acid are transformed into bivalent salts differ significantly according to the nature of the cation involved. Comparing infrared spectra of the LB films, it appeared that the relative amount of acid/salt found in the monolayer was practically the same with a subphase containing either Cd²⁺ at pH 5.75 or Mn²⁺ at pH 6. This suggests that the ratio of acidic and salt forms would be a key parameter for obtaining high-quality LB films.     

Use of pyrogenic silicas for petroleum oil polar fraction characterisation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and microelectrophoresis studies

In the power transformer, the presence of polar or charged species in the insulating oil can cause failure and electric discharges. Solid substrates such as silica can be used to extract the polar species and to refine the oil in order to prevent future failure in the power transformer. However, the use of silica for petroleum oil separation and refining will depend on the silica characteristics such as surface charge, surface composition, specific surface area and particle size.Various pyrogenic silicas having various specific surface areas (49-200 m² g⁻¹) and particle sizes (207-500 nm) were used to extract the polar fractions from the neat transformer insulating oils (a new, NO, and used, UO2, oils). The oil covered silica samples were investigated by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy in the range 4000-600 cm⁻¹. The bare silica surfaces present two main hydroxyl components, a sharper peak at 3745 cm⁻¹, I₃₇₄₅, due to isolated silanols and a second broad, which spreads over 3745-3000 cm⁻¹, I_3745-3000, due to H-bonded silanols. The relative intensities of the two components, I₃₇₄₅/I_3745-3000, varied for the bare and the oil covered silicas depending on the solid surface characteristics. The adsorption of the NO polar fraction onto silica leads to strong reduction in intensity of the sharper peak in favour of the broad one. However, the adsorption of the UO2 polar fraction onto silica leads in all cases to the decrease in the intensity of the both silica OH components. Further, the UO2 adsorption on the silica leads to the apparition of a broad peak at low frequency in the region 3250-3300 cm⁻¹ which, is due to the associated phenolic groups of UO2 oil polar fraction. The analysis of the DRIFT spectra for various samples indicates that the oil polar fraction resembles to asphaltenes compounds.The microelectrophoresis method used to investigate the surface charge at the water/oil polar fraction covered silica interface, indicates negatively charged particles. Further, the negative charge increased with the pH, as resulting from the increase of the ionisation and/or the amount of the oil polar carboxylic and phenolic groups. The oil polar fraction, i.e. the asphaltene components, in contact with both the silica surface and water at high pH values rearrange, due to their amphiphilic character.Finally, the use of the silica substrates seems to be suited to extract and analyse polar species present in petroleum oil. A correlation is found between the nature of the oil, its functionalities, and the magnitude of its zeta potential value at the water/oil covered silica interface.     

Wiener models of direction-dependent dynamic systems

Analysis of systems with direction-dependent dynamics is currently limited to cases in which the dynamics in the two directions of the output are first order; results for such systems have been published for both pseudo-random maximum-length binary (MLB) and inverse-repeat maximum-length binary (IR-MLB) inputs. These relatively limited analytical results make it useful to examine alternative ways of modelling such systems and in this paper, Wiener models are considered for this purpose. Methods for optimising the Wiener model parameters by matching the system and model cross-correlation functions, outputs, and discrete Fourier transforms of the outputs are considered, and the results are compared. These methods are also applied to a first-order direction-dependent system with a maximum-length ternary (MLT) input, for which no analytical results are currently available, and to a second-order system with an IR-MLB input.     

Instability of zeolite Y supported cobalt sulfide hydrotreating catalysts in the absence of H2S

Ion exchanged CoNaY was sulfided at 473 and 673 K and subsequently heated in He at 673 and 773 K. The resulting samples were characterized by means of overall sulfur analysis, temperature programmed Ar treatment and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It was shown that during He flushing at sufficiently high temperature a protolysis reaction occurs resulting in the decomposition of Co sulfide into Co²⁺ ions and H₂S.     

Modified Imidazoles: Degradation Inhibitors and Adhesion Promoters for Polyimide Films on Copper Substrates

Polyimide films on copper substrates that are exposed to elevated temperatures and an oxidizing environment will be subject to degradation. In order to halt this degradation without changing the properties of the system, a polymeric agent could be placed between the polyimide and the copper. This paper will investigate three such materials that will not only slow down the degradation of the polyimide and the oxidation of the copper, but will also improve adhesion within the system. Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (FTIR-RAS) will be used to investigate the polyimide/polymeric agent/copper system.