Indices to monitor biological soil crust growth rate - lab and field experiments

The aim of this work was to identify test meth-ods for accelerating growth of biological soil crust (BSC). The BSC in the Yamin Plateau in the north-east of the Negev Desert is composed of cyanobacteria such as microcoleus spp. nostoc spp. and others. Cyanobacteria are well adapted to dry environments, owing to their ability to survive desiccation, high temperatures and solar radiation. Since the BSC is a live component in the ecosystem, it can repair itself in the event of failures such as environmental disturbances by living things. In the lab, we used five different treatments and mediums: natural BSC, pure sand as reference, pure sand with spores and propagules, pure sand with whey, and pure sand with spores and propa-gules and whey. The spores were collected from specified collecting areas in the field. Each Petri dish was irrigated daily with 10 mL of double- distilled water. The testing period ran for 4.5 months with 10 samples taken from each treatment at 1.5 month intervals. The analyses criteria were: NDVI for chlorophyll content by remote sensing techniques, polysaccharide content, infiltration rate through the crust, pro-tein and organic content. The results showed that NDVI, polysaccharides and infiltration rates are good indicators for showing growth accel-eration of the crust;while protein and organic content were found to be less indicative. The treatments using whey for preliminary crust failed in the lab since cracks were observed, but succeeded in the field experiments. In the field, we measured only the chlorophyll content with a time interval of 20 months. The methodology of how to accelerate the growth of BSC was found to be effective.

Low-Atomic-Number Nanometric Film Production Method for keV Electron Scattering Measurements

Attenuating mediums, targets and barriers made of submicronic layers with low average atomic number （low Z） and minimal electronic density that reduces the elastic scattering and absorption of radiation are required for many applications. This work describes the development and characterization of submicronic Lexan （Polycarbonate） polymer foils with low Z for two new electron inelastic mean free path assessment methods. Lexan layers with thicknesses of 120 nm to 240 nm were developed and fabricated using spin coating. The submicronic layers were characterized by AFM and CSI for thickness, roughness and levelness. Roughness was found to be 1.0-2.4 nrn rms, and the change in total thickness was within ＋ 7.5%. The results of total current measurements using 177 nm Lexan foil irradiated under an SEM electron beam were compared to those for a similar polymer foil. The first step of a wide spectrum method experiment was performed at the ESRF using Lexan submicronic layers on a silicon substrate. The signal peak and the multiple inelastic scattering peak of the Lexan spectrum was similar to those previously measured on carbon films. This study supported the suitability of the developed Lexan films for electron scattering measurements.

On the Atomic Kinetic Energies in Ceramic Oxides

We calculated the mean atomic kinetic energy, , of the X atom (X = Si, Ti, Hf, O) in some ceramic oxides, SiO2, TiO2 and HfO2 using the published partial vibrational density of states (PVDOS). These were simulated by means of lattice dynamics, molecular dynamics and density functional theory. The predicted values are compared to those recently obtained by electron Compton scattering (ECS), with an overall good agreement of ~4%. In accord with calculations, the ECS measurements reveal a small, but detectable, dependence of on the fine structural details of the oxide, e.g. whether it is in a crystalline or amorphous form, and whether it exhibits surface or bulk characteristics. This study illustrates the limitations and the potential of PVDOS simulations in predicting experimental atomic kinetic energies, and can be viewed as a promising approach for elucidating valuable structural and dynamical information of ceramic oxides and other materials.

Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study of Electron Spectral Structure beyond the Known Signal Electron Peak

HAXPES （hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy） is a powerful emerging instrument in surface analysis. It extended the photoelectron energy range up to 15,000 eV and opened the possibility to study much thicker films, buried layers and bulk electronic properties. In order to study these features, data for the electron IMFP （inelastic mean free path） at these energies is needed. To date, only calculated IMFP are available at energies above 5,000 eV and therefore experimental validation of these calculations are essential. In this paper, a new approach for using the HAXPES spectra is presented. This approach, treats the attenuated part of the electron spectrum as a whole to calculating the average electron energy loss. This average electron energy loss is the result of inelastic collisions in the material and hence, carry with it information about the electron transport poses. Carbon layers with thicknesses between 20 and 75 nanometer deposited over copper substrate were used to test this approach at the Spanish beam-line （Spline） in the ESRF （European synchrotron radiation facility）. The measured results showed good agreement with the predictions of the multiple inelastic scattering theory. In addition, an algorithm for the experimental evaluation of electron IMFP, using the measured energy loss, is proposed.

Portevin-Le Chatelier Effect in Additively Manufactured and As-Cast Inconel 939 Nickel-Based Superalloy

Nickel-based superalloys, well-established in aeronautics, have recently gained significant traction in additive manufacturing. Inconel 939 is one of the alloys increasingly playing a vital role in this field. This paper examines the development of the Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC) effect in additively manufactured Inconel 939 in comparison with cast Inconel 939. A detailed analysis of tensile test characteristics was conducted, complemented by a high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) investigation. The PLC region exhibited several properties during tensile testing, such as stress-strain behavior, cycle scale, and overall stress increase. The HR-SEM analysis of Gamma prime (γ') precipitates revealed distinct morphologies, which are suggested to be linked to the features of the PLC region. Samples with a high amount of γ' precipitates showed a less pronounced PLC region, while those with fewer γ' precipitates displayed a more distinct PLC effect. A mechanism for the cyclic drop-and-rise stress behavior, based on the work of Varvenne and La-Rose, was proposed, possibly induced by the varying morphologies of γ' precipitates in the IN939 alloy. Further study is needed to deepen the understanding of the relationship between the γ' micro-(nano) structure and the PLC phenomenon.

Comment to "Dynamics of supercooled confined water measured by deep inelastic neutron scattering"

We comment on the findings of "Dynamics of supercooled confined water measured by deep inelastic neutron scattcring",by V.De Michele,G.Roinanelli,and A.Cupane [Front.Phys.13,138205 (2018)].We show that the current sensitivity of the deep inelastic neutron scattering (DINS) method,cannot detect with confidence small differences in the proton kinetic energy,Ke(H),involved in a liquid-liquid transition in supercooled water confined in nanoporous silica.We also critisize the calculation of Ke(H) carried out in Front.Phys.13,138205 (2018).