Improved strategy for computation of population mean under double stratified sampling framework

The article contains a new technique to estimate the mean of the variate of the interest of the finite population with the help of two auxiliary variates. The technique complies well with the stratified population in which each strata proportion is predicted by taking an initial sample called the first phase sample. When the first phase sample is taken, a second sample is taken from the first sample which is called the second phase sample which is used to estimate the mean of the variate of the interest. In our study, we have considered the population which has two correlated auxiliary variates that pass almost through the origin. In such a situation ratio estimation technique and product estimation technique that provides improved estimates of the mean of the variate of the interest. Our technique considers a ratio-product type exponential estimator of which we have established efficiency theoretically as well as empirically.

Incommensurately modulated crystal structure of α′ (O′3)-type sodium cobalt oxide Na x CoO2 (x ∼ 0.78)

A single-phase sample of α′ (O′3)-type layered sodium cobalt oxide Na x CoO2 (x ∼ 0.78) was prepared and its incommensurately modulated crystal structure was analyzed using the (3+1)-dimensional superspace approach to the powder neutron diffraction data. The crystal structure of the cobaltate is accurately described based on the superspace group C2/m(α0γ)00, wherein the positions of Na atoms are most significantly modulated in the monoclinic a direction to form an ordered arrangement. Such a displacive modulation causes a quasi-periodic shift of Na atoms from the centers of the NaO6 polyhedra between undulated CoO2 sheets, changing the form of the NaO6 polyhedron from an octahedral coordination (O) to a trigonal prismatic (P) one, via an intermediate capped trigonal prismatic NaO7 coordination (C). At the positions where the Na atoms are most significantly shifted, the neighboring Na atoms are located at almost touching distances. However, the occupation factor of Na atoms becomes zero at such positions, yielding Na-deficient sites V Na, sandwiched either between C and P, or C and C-type polyhedra.

ISOTHERMAL SECTION STRUCTURE THE ZrO2-La2O3-Gd2O3 SYSTEM AT 1500 °С

Using the methods of physicochemical analysis (XRD, petrography, scanning electron microscopy analyses) phase equilibria were firstly investigated in the ternary system ZrO2–La2O3–Gd2O3 system at 1500 ºС. It was established that in the system there exist fields of solid solutions based on hexagonal (A) modification of La2O3 and cubic with fluorite-type structure (F) and tetragonal (Т) modification ZrО2 , cubic (С) and monoclinic (M) modification Gd2O3 and ordered intermediate phase with pyrochlore-type structure lanthanum zirconate La2Zr2O7 (Py). No new phases were found. The refined lattice parameters of the unit cells for solid solutions for the systems were determined. In the zirconia-rich corner, the solid solutions based on tetragonal modification of ZrO2 are formed. The phase field T-ZrO2 is narrow and elongated (0–18 mol% CeO2) along the ZrO2–CeO2 side of the binary system. The solubility of La2O3 in the T-ZrO2 is low and amounts to ~ 0.5 mol%, as evidenced by XRD analysis results. It is worth noting that the solid solutions based on tetragonal modification of zirconia cannot be quenched from high temperatures due to low stability of T-ZrO2 under cooling with furnace conditions. The diffraction patterns recorded at room temperatures included the peaks of monoclinic phase M-ZrO2. The homogeneity field of solid solution based on A-La2O3 extends to 31 mol% Gd2O3 and 12 mol% ZrO2 in the corresponding binary systems and locates near the composition 6,7 mol % ZrO2–90 mol% La2O3–3.3 mol% Gd2O3 on the section La2O3–(67 mol % ZrO2–33 mol % Gd2O3). It should be noted that the samples with a higher lanthanum oxide content after annealing and cooling rapidly absorb water in humid air and become hydrated. Hence, according to XRD, the hexagonal A-La(OH)3 modification forms instead of the hexagonal A-La2O3 phase. The lattice parameters for A-La(OH)3 phase vary from а = 0.6513 nm, c = 0.3847 nm the sample containing 3.35 mol % ZrО2–95 mol % La2O3–1.65 mol % Gd2O3 to а = 0.6508 nm, c = 0.3847 nm in the two-phase sample (Py+А ) containing 6.7 mol % ZrО2–90 mol % La2O3–3.3 mol % Gd2O3 and to а = 0.6477 nm, c = 0.3725 nm in the three-phase sample (Py+F+А) containing 40.2 mol % ZrО2–40 mol % La2O3–19.8 mol % Gd2O3 The isothermal section of the ZrO2–La2O3–Gd2O3 system at 1500°C contains four three-phase regions (F+Py+A, F+B+A, F+C+B, T+F+Py) and ten two-phase regions (Py+A, A+F, A+B, F+B, B+C, C+F, F+Py, Py+T, T+F, Py+F).

Variance estimation for mean growth from successive double sampling for stratification

Double sampling for stratification (2SS) is a sampling design that is widely used for forest inventories. We present the mathematical derivation of two appropriate variance estimators for mean growth from repeated 2SS with updated stratification on each measurement occasion. Both estimators account for substratification based on the transition of sampling units among the strata due to the updated allocation. For the first estimator, sizes of the substrata were estimated from the second-phase sample (sample plots), whereas the respective sizes in the second variance estimator relied on the larger first-phase sample. The estimators were empirically compared with a modified version of Cochran’s well-known 2SS variance estimator that ignores substratification. This was done by performing bootstrap resampling on data from two German forest districts. The major findings were as follows: (i) accounting for substratification, as implemented in both new estimators, has substantial impact in terms of significantly smaller variance estimates and bias compared with the estimator without substratification, and (ii) the second estimator with substrata sizes being estimated from the first-phase sample shows a smaller bias than the first estimator.

Assessing Interviewer Performance in Approaching Reissued Initial Nonrespondents

Nonresponse is a repeatedly reported concern in survey research. In this article, we investigate the technique of reissuing nonrespondents to another interviewer and attempting to convert them into respondents, using data of Rounds 7 and 8 of the European Social Survey (ESS) in Belgium. The results show no marked differences between respondents interviewed by the more and the less successful interviewers, indicating that the latter are not more successful in persuading more reluctant respondents to participate. Sample units that were unsuccessfully approached in the initial phase by an interviewer with a high response rate are more difficult to convert during the reissue phase. Sample units that were unsuccessfully approached in the initial phase by an interviewer with a low response rate are easier to convert during the reissue phase.

Sintesis Codoped-Sr2TiO4 Fasa Ruddlesden-Popper dengan Metoda Lelehan Garam dan Sifat Hantaran Listriknya

In this research, undoped-Sr2TiO4 and codoped-Sr2TiO4 Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) phase compounds have been synthesized with mole variations of Sr:Ti and dopants. Double substitution with Sm3+ for Sr2+ sites and Nb5+ for Ti4+ sites forming Sr2-xSmxTi1-yNbyO4 (x = 0.0125; 0.025; 0.05; 0.1 and y = 0.0125) aimed to increase the number of electrons carrier, so that the electrical conductivity enhanced. The XRD patterns showed that the highest purity of prepared Sr2TiO4 RP phase sample was obtained at the mole ratio of Sr:Ti of 2:1 with specific peaks at 2θ: 31.35°, 46.73°, and 57.33°. Then, this mole ratio was used to prepare the codoped-samples, and the XRD patterns showed the Sr1.95Sm0.05Ti0.9875Nb0.0125O4 sample has the highest purity. SEM images showed that the undoped-Sr2TiO4 and codoped-Sr2TiO4 samples have a plate-like particles with micrometer size. The electrical conductivity of Sr1.95Sm0.05Ti0.9875Nb0.0125O4 sample was measured to be a 17-fold increase compared to that of undoped-Sr2TiO4 sample.