Hohlraum Targets Driven by Cluster Ion Beams for Inertial Confinement Fusion

Correlated ion stopping of charged debris resulting from the fragmentation of energetic cluster ions focussed on Au foam converters is considered for driving indirectly a thermonuclear capsule. The 1D simulation of converter time evolution demonstrates a very high conversion efficiency of projectile energy into hard X-ray photons building up a very hot (T_r > 300 eV) thermal bath. Intense and energetic cluster ion beams thus demonstrate considerable potential as a novel driver for inertial confinement fusion.     

Improvement in Engineering Properties of Expansive Soils using Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag

Improvement in engineering properties of expansive soils by mixing ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) is the main focus of this research. For this purpose two expansive soil samples were collected from DG Khan and Sialkot areas (Pakistan). Classification tests revealed that DG Khan sample belonged to fat clay (CH) while Sialkot soil was lean clay (CL) as classified by Unified Soil Classification System. GGBFS has been added in varying proportions between 0 and 55% in these soil samples to study its role in stabilizing these expansive soils. Based on the laboratory test performed on composite soil samples, it was observed that maximum dry unit weight increased up to 10 % by adding 50% GGBFS in both samples. California bearing ratio (CBR) value showed an increase from 3.2 % to 11.5% for DG Khan soil while CBR values varied from 2.4% to 10.7% for Sialkot soil by mixing 50% GGBFS. Addition of 30 % GGBFS to DG Khan soil reduced swell potential from 8 % to 2 % while in Sialkot soil, 20 % addition of GGBFS reduced swell potential from 5 % to 2 %. Unconfined compressive strength of remoulded sample cured for 28 days increased by about 35% with the addition of 30%GGBFS. The results indicated that mixing of GGBFS in the expansive soil samples have a marked increase in their engineering properties. Also, it is an affective and environmental friendly means to dispose waste of steel industry.     

Residual impact of biochar on cadmium uptake by rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.) grown in Cd-contaminated soil

Cadmium (Cd) is the family member of toxic heavy metals, and its accumulation in food crops has become a global environmental constraint. Biochar potentially minimizes the metal contents in plants, but limited work has been reported on its residual effect on subsequent crops. The residual effect of various biochar levels (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 5.0% w/w) on Cd accumulation in rice has been investigated in this study. Biochar treatments enhanced the rice growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzymes, whereas diminished the Cd contents and oxidative stress in rice. Cadmium concentration in shoots decreased by 24.4, 36.6, and 57.5% in 1.5, 3.0, and 5.0% biochar treatments over the control. Biochar supply enhanced the soil pH and electrical conductivity, whereas diminished the soil bioavailable Cd. Overall, the results depicted a significant residual impact of rice straw biochar on rice growth attributes and Cd uptake. However, studies are still needed to explore the long-term sustainability of biochars prepared from different feedstocks on bioavailability of toxic metals in soils and uptake by food crops under field conditions.     

Laboratory planetary physics using intense heavy ion beams at the Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research at Darmstadt: the HEDgeHOB collaboration

Development of ultra-high power lasers has lead to the very interesting and important field of Laboratory Astrophysics. Recent progress and expected near future developments in the technology of strongly bunched intense particle beams has opened up the possibility of studying planetary interiors in the laboratory which hopefully will eventually converge in the new field of Laboratory Planetary Physics. GSI Helmholzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt is a well known laboratory worldwide due to its unique particle accelerator facilities. Construction of the new huge accelerator complex, the Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research (FAIR), will substantially improve the existing capabilities of the GSI. A dedicated program named, HEDgeHOB, that aims to study different problems in High Energy Density (HED) Physics at the FAIR facility, has been proposed. One of these proposed experiments LAPLAS (LAboratory PLAnetary Science), aim to study materials at extreme conditions as relevant for the interiors of giant planets. In this paper we present simulation results that show that various regions of the high-pressure phase diagram of water can be probed within the LAPLAS experiments. For instance, the plasma and the superionic phase are predicted to occur in the interior of water-rich planets such as Uranus and Neptune as well as in extrasolar planets such as GJ 436b.     

Comparison of two snowmelt modelling approaches in the Dudh Koshi basin (eastern Himalayas,Nepal)

Abstract

The glaciers in the Nepalese Himalayas are retreating due to rising temperatures. Lack of data and information on Nepal’s cryosphere has impeded scientific studies and field investigations in the Nepalese Himalayas. Therefore, IRD France and Ev-K2 CNR Italy have conducted the PAPRIKA (CryosPheric responses to Anthropogenic PRessures in the HIndu Kush-Himalaya regions: impacts on water resources and society adaptation in Nepal) project in Nepal with the financial support of the French and Italian scientific agencies. This project aims to address the current and future evolution of the cryosphere in response to overall environmental changes in South Asia, and its consequences for water resources in Nepal. Thus, two hydrological models, the GR4J lumped precipitation–runoff model and the snowmelt runoff model (SRM), were used in the Dudh Koshi basin. The GR4J model has been successfully applied in different parts of Europe. To obtain better results in such a harsh and rugged topography, modifications needed to be made, particularly in the snow module. The runoff pattern is analysed herein both for past years and, in a sensitivity analysis, for possible future climatic conditions (i.e. precipitation and temperature) using the SRM and GR4J modelling approaches. The results reveal a significant contribution of snow- and glacier-melt to runoff, and the SRM model shows better performance in Nepalese catchments than the GR4J model.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor D. Gerten     

Mineral grains and the 10 and 20 μm spectral features in the Trapezium nebula

The infrared emission observed for dust in the Trapezium nebula over the waveband 8–40 m cannot be explained on the basis of a simple silicate model involving either terrestrial or lunar silicates. Laboratory measurements were carried out to determine the opacity coefficient of finely crushed Murchison meteorite material. Murchison material (including organics within it) provides a better fit to the Trapezium data than any known silicate, but the agreement is inferior to that obtained for a diatom model.     

Chemical study of limestone and clay for cement manufacturing in Darukhula,Nizampur District,Nowshera, North West Frontier Province （N.W.F.P.）, Pakistan

Limestone and clay samples were collected from Darukhula and adjoining areas of the Nizampur District Nowshera, N.W.EE, Pakistan, and analyzed for different parameters in order to search for new reserves of suitable material for the manufacture of different types of cements in N.W.F.P. It was found that the area under study contains three types of limestones, including high grade limestone, Darukhula limestone and siliceous limestone, which contain 53%, 49.03% and 45.19% CaO, respectively, and three types of clay, including maroon color, yellow to yel- lowish-green color and green color clay containing 57.76%, 65.47% and 61.24% SiO2, respectively. Chemical analysis of the limestone and clay samples collected from the deposits in the area under study showed that all the elements found in these samples are within the range of permissible limits for the production of high-strength Portland cement, sulphate resisting cement and white cement. This paper covers the detailed version of the potential raw material deposits at Darukhula and adjoining areas of the Nizampur District.     

Complexation and reduction as factors in the link between metal ion concentrations and organic matter in the Indian River

Complexation of metal ions by organic matter is frequently considered to play a part in metal ion dissolution in natural waters. A field study of a relatively unperturbed stream, high in organics, associates this with the fraction related to soil organic acids (humic acids). The association might have two origins. The first is complexation. However, well known sequences of complexing tendency do not predict the behaviour. A better theory uses the additional factor of the reducing capacity of dissolved organic matter toward Fe(III) and Mn(IV).     

Assessment of spatial variations of particulate matter (PM<Subscript>10</Subscript> and PM<Subscript>2.5</Subscript>) in Bahrain identified by air quality index (AQI)

The rapid urbanization, industrialization, modernization, and the frequent Middle Eastern dust storms have negatively impacted the ambient air quality in Bahrain. The objective of this study is to identify the most critical atmospheric air pollutants with emphasis on their potential risk to health based on calculated AQI (air quality index) values using EPA approach. The air quality datasets of particulate matters (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5), ozone (O₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured in January 2012 and August 2012 using five mobile air quality monitoring stations located at different governorates. The results of this study demonstrated that PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 are the most critical air pollutants in Bahrain with PM_2.5 prevailing during January 2012 and PM₁₀ prevailing during August 2012. The corresponding AQI categories were utilized to evaluate spatial variability of particulate matters in five governorates. The impact of meteorological factors such as ambient air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and total precipitation on ambient air quality were discussed. The analysis demonstrated that the highest PM₁₀ concentrations were observed in the Northern Governorate while the highest PM_2.5 concentrations were observed in the Capital, Central, and Northern Governorates during August 2012. It was observed that the levels of PM_2.5 pollution were higher within proximity of the industrial zone. The results suggested that the average PM_2.5/PM₁₀ ratio in August 2012 was lower than in January 2012 due to the Aeolian processes. This study concludes that higher wind speed, total precipitation, relative humidity rates, and lower ambient air temperature in January 2012 assisted with the dissipation of particulate matter thus lowering the pollution levels of both PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 in comparison to August 2012.