Electrical properties of cation-substituted Ag7(Si1–xGex)S5I single crystals

High-quality single crystals of Ag7(Si1–xGex)S5I (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) solid solutions are grown from the solution–melt by vertical zone crystallization method. The measurements of electrical conductivity of Ag7(Si1–xGex)S5I solid solutions were performed using the impedance spectroscopy method within the frequency range from 10 Hz up to 2·106 Hz and temperature interval 293–383 K. Ionic and electronic components of electrical conductivity, as well as their ratios, were determined using the Nyquist plots.

Hough Transform-Based Angular Features for Learning-Free Handwritten Keyword Spotting

Handwritten keyword spotting (KWS) is of great interest to the document image research community. In this work, we propose a learning-free keyword spotting method following query by example (QBE) setting for handwritten documents. It consists of four key processes: pre-processing, vertical zone division, feature extraction, and feature matching. The pre-processing step deals with the noise found in the word images, and the skewness of the handwritings caused by the varied writing styles of the individuals. Next, the vertical zone division splits the word image into several zones. The number of vertical zones is guided by the number of letters in the query word image. To obtain this information (i.e., number of letters in a query word image) during experimentation, we use the text encoding of the query word image. The user provides the information to the system. The feature extraction process involves the use of the Hough transform. The last step is feature matching, which first compares the features extracted from the word images and then generates a similarity score. The performance of this algorithm has been tested on three publicly available datasets: IAM, QUWI, and ICDAR KWS 2015. It is noticed that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art learning-free KWS methods considered here for comparison while evaluated on the present datasets. We also evaluate the performance of the present KWS model using state-of-the-art deep features and it is found that the features used in the present work perform better than the deep features extracted using InceptionV3, VGG19, and DenseNet121 models.

Geological controls on focused fluid flow in the Song Hong Basin, offshore Vietnam

This study uses 2D seismic lines located in the central Song Hong Basin, covering an area of c. 3900 m2, in the water depth of c. 100 m. Focused fluid flows are developed intensively and can be classified into two types: blow - out pipe and seepage pipe. They have similar seismic characteristics as a vertical zone of disturbed seismic reflections. The significant difference between them is the blow - out pipes associated with seafloor pockmarks and paleo - pockmarks which are absent in the seepage pipe. Besides, the scale of the blow - out pipe is larger, compared with the seepage pipe. The blow - out pipe is c. 500 m wide and 450÷3500 ms TWT; the seepage pipe is smaller scale, c. 200 m wide and 500 ms TWT. Blow - out pipe is rooting from the sequence just above the diapir or deformation unit or deep lacustrine mudstones from the Late Eocene to Oligocene, and marine mudstones from the Early to Middle Miocene. The seepage pipe is rooting from the sequence above the diapir. The focused fluid flow is supposed to be controlled by the overpressured deep source layers and passive diapirism. The occurrence of focused fluid flow is an indicator for the active petroleum system in the study area. Intensive development of focused fluid flow proves a great hydrocarbon potential in the Song Hong basin.

Crystal structure and electrical properties of Ag6PS5I single crystal

The single crystals of quaternary halogen Ag6PS5I were grown from the solution–melt by means of a vertical zone crystallization method. The crystal structure has been ascertained using the Rietveld method. Investigation of electrical conductivity was carried out using the impedance spectroscopy technique within the frequency range 1·101 – 3·105 Hz and temperature interval 293–383 K on gold contacts applied by chemical deposition from solution. Ionic (1.79·10-3 S/cm) and electronic (1.64·10-6 S/cm) components of electrical conductivity have been determined using the Nyquist plots. The mechanism of ionic conductivity for Ag6PS5I single crystal has been proposed which can be considered as ion diffusion through “channels” Ag2–Ag2.

A new species of Naarda Walker, 1866 from the northern Oriental region (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Hypeninae)

Naarda scutigera sp. n. is described, based on three specimens from Nepal, Cambodia and Vietnam. The female genitalia have characteristic features, which appear only in one known congener. The new species was collected at low altitude, below 500 m, which is a poorly studied vertical zone for the genus. With six figures.

Fracturing and Porosity Channeling in Fluid Overpressure Zones in the Shallow Earth’s Crust

At the time of energy transition, it is important to be able to predict the effects of fluid overpressures in different geological scenarios as these can lead to the development of hydrofractures and dilating high-porosity zones. In order to develop an understanding of the complexity of the resulting effective stress fields, fracture and failure patterns, and potential fluid drainage, we study the process with a dynamic hydromechanical numerical model. The model simulates the evolution of fluid pressure buildup, fracturing, and the dynamic interaction between solid and fluid. Three different scenarios are explored: fluid pressure buildup in a sedimentary basin, in a vertical zone, and in a horizontal layer that may be partly offset by a fault. Our results show that the geometry of the area where fluid pressure is successively increased has a first-order control on the developing pattern of porosity changes, on fracturing, and on the absolute fluid pressures that sustained without failure. If the fluid overpressure develops in the whole model, the effective differential and mean stress approach zero and the vertical and horizontal effective principal stresses flip in orientation. The resulting fractures develop under high lithostatic fluid overpressure and are aligned semihorizontally, and consequently, a hydraulic breccia forms. If the area of high fluid pressure buildup is confined in a vertical zone, the effective mean stress decreases while the differential stress remains almost constant and failure takes place in extensional and shear modes at a much lower fluid overpressure. A horizontal fluid pressurized layer that is offset shows a complex system of effective stress evolution with the layer fracturing initially at the location of the offset followed by hydraulic breccia development within the layer. All simulations show a phase transition in the porosity where an initially random porosity reduces its symmetry and forms a static porosity wave with an internal dilating zone and the presence of dynamic porosity channels within this zone. Our results show that patterns of fractures, hence fluid release, that form due to high fluid overpressures can only be successfully predicted if the geometry of the geological system is known, including the fluid overpressure source and the position of seals and faults that offset source layers and seals.

Host affinity and vertical distribution of epiphytic orchids in a montane cloud forest in southern Mexico

<p class="Standard1"><strong>Background</strong>: The host´s structural characteristics provide diverse microhabitats that influence the distribution patterns of the epiphytes at different vertical zones and among tree species.</p><p class="Standard1"><strong>Hypotheses</strong>: Epiphytic orchids have preference for larger host trees and with non-exfoliating rough bark, while the limiting hosts will be those of smaller size and smooth and exfoliating bark, and there will be fewer individuals in the upper canopy of the host trees because the micro-environmental conditions are more stressful compared to the middle and lower parts of the host trees.</p><p class="Standard1"><strong>Methods</strong>: The host preferences and vertical distribution<strong> </strong>of the epiphytic orchids were analyzed in 20 montane cloud forest fragments. In each fragment, two transects of 2 × 50 m were drawn, and the trees with a diameter at a breast height ≥ 20 cm were recorded. In each tree, basal area was quantified and bark texture was characterized. In each tree and vertical zone, the orchid species present were identified and quantified.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: Orchid distribution patterns vary between vertical zones and host tree species, and the richness is related to host size and bark texture. The highest species richness and number of epiphytic orchid’s individuals were recorded in host trees with fissured bark and larger size. The distribution of orchids in the host was not homogeneous nor was it related to any particular host species. However, five trees species were considered as host preferred, while five tree species were limiting hosts. The highest richness was recorded in vertical zone II and the lowest in zones I and V.</p><p class="Standard1"><strong>Conclusions</strong>: Larger trees contain greater richness of epiphytic orchids, because they offer better conditions for their establishment, provide a great diversity of microhabitats, greater time and area for epiphytic colonization events. The texture of the bark is a relevant factor in the host preference, and in the hosts with smooth bark, the presence of epiphytic orchids depends on the accumulation of organic matter.</p>

Observation Study the Walking Speed and Distribution of Ship’s Passengers as Basis for Passenger Evacuation Simulation

Several marine accidents was occured in Indonesia. Passenger evacuation is considerd as the last defence, which is used for eliminating the consequences of marine accidents. According to the convention of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the passenger evacuation simulation shall be conducted for reviewing the evacuation route on ships. The pasenger evacuation time is limited 60 minutes for roro passenger ships and for passenger ship having three main vertical zone is limited less than 80 minutes. It is hipotesed that the walking speed and passenger distribution is not represented the character of all nation in the world. Therefore, this research focus on the observation walking speed and distribution in ferry, in order to ensure that whether the guideline (M.Sc. 1238) could be represented in the condition in Indonesia’s vessels or not. The results of research show that the diferences result of passenger evacuation simulation between Indonesia’s and guideline’s walking speed is much closed. On the contrary, the distribution of passenger on the ship in the guideline could not represent the real condition in Indonesia.