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Cluster deposited Pd films exhibit ferromagnetism in the temperature range from 1.8 to 400 K. The magnetization properties are found to be dependent on the film thickness. The varying morphology of the resulting Pd film with respect to thickness suggests that cluster size, deposition energy, and substrate type are crucial for the resulting film magnetization. This is demonstrated by the characteristic ferromagnetic hysteresis with the temperature dependent saturation magnetization, remanence, and coercivity of palladium nanocluster aggregates. The temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization, remanence, and coercivity of Pd nanoclusters were measured using an ultra-high-sensitive magnetometer based on a superconducting quantum interference device, and the morphology of the samples was analyzed by tunneling electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent study based on observations has shown that after precipitation over tropical oceans rather shallow temperature structures occur in the lower troposphere and that their magnitude depends on climatological low- to midtropospheric humidity. As any process that produces temperature perturbations in the lower troposphere can be of great significance for the formation of atmospheric deep convection, the vertical temperature structure associated with evaporation of stratiform precipitation and its sensitivity to low- to midtropospheric humidity are studied by conducting three-dimensional, high-resolution, idealized simulations with the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. In the simulations, rainwater with mixing ratio and number concentration characteristic of stratiform precipitation associated with mesoscale convective systems is added in a large round area at roughly 560 hPa. Evaporative cooling and subsidence warming below result in a cold anomaly at roughly 560–750 hPa and, especially, a warm anomaly at roughly 750–900 hPa. The cold-over-warm anomalies are stronger with smaller low- to midtropospheric relative humidity in the initial conditions, with the maximum magnitude of the warm anomaly ranging between 0.7 and 1.2 K. The temperature anomalies propagate to the environment and still remain present after precipitation stops. The results show that evaporation of stratiform precipitation alone can lead to temperature structures, which are on the same order of magnitude as the observed ones, that potentially inhibit subsequent convection by increasing convective inhibition. Therefore, the representation of microphysical processes affecting the location, amount, and vertical and horizontal distribution of stratiform precipitation and its evaporation in numerical models requires special attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Czochralski- and float-zone- grown silicon detectors were irradiated with 2 to 5 MeV protons. Capacitance-voltage (CV) measurements served to deduce the effective doping profiles and current-voltage (IV) measurements served to obtaining information on irradiation-induced deep levels. The CV measurements show that the proton-induced net space charge is positive or negative depending on the energy of the bombarding ion. The commonly employed nonionizing energy loss hypothesis was tested with the low energy proton regime and prominent previously unobserved deviations from predictions were noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon particle detectors made on Czochralski and float zone silicon materials were irradiated with 7 and 9 MeV protons at a temperature of 220 K. During the irradiations, the detectors were biased up to their operating voltage. Specific values for the fluence and flux of the irradiation were found to cause a sudden breakdown in the detectors. We studied the limits of the fluence and the flux in the breakdown as well as the behavior of the detector response function under high flux irradiations. The breakdown was shown to be an edge effect. Additionally, the buildup of an oxide charge is suggested to lead to an increased localized electric field, which in turn triggers a charge carrier multiplication. Furthermore, we studied the influences of the type of silicon material and the configuration of the detector guard rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After irradiation with 7 and 9 MeV protons, activation-induced effects were encountered in measurements of current-voltage (IV) and capacitance-voltage (CV) characteristics for Czochralski and float-zone grown silicon particle detectors prepared on printed circuit boards with copper electrodes. With the present detector construction, the 30Si(p,n)30P and 63Cu(p,n)63Zn reactions induce dominant interference in such measurements. The daughter nuclides are positron emitters with half-lives of 2.5 and 38.5 min, respectively, and the slowing down of the emitted positrons generates a significantly large concentration of electron-hole pairs in the detector volume increasing the leakage current level and decreasing the breakdown voltage. The observed time-dependent characteristics were verified by modeling the activation of the detector structure and the resulting leakage current. As a result, the electrical measurements cannot be performed immediately after irradiation due to silicon activation, and, generally, materials becoming easily activated should be avoided in the detector concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffusion of implanted 7Be in Si1-xGex (x=0.20,0.65,1.00) systems has been studied under intrinsic conditions in the temperature range of 460–720 °C by the modified radiotracer technique. Arrhenius-type behavior with activation enthalpies of 2.0 eV for Ge and 2.5 eV for the Si–Ge alloys was noted. Unexpectedly, the diffusivity of beryllium is higher in the Si0.80Ge0.20 material than in Si0.35Ge0.65 which is discussed in terms of possible prevailing diffusion mechanisms. It is proposed that Be diffusion in Si1-xGex systems is dissociative mechanism dominated for germanium rich materials and the kick-out (or interstitialcy) mechanism dominates in silicon rich materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stopping powers of polycarbonate for protons of energy 0.6-5.9 MeV and α particles of energy 2.0-24.0 MeV have been measured in a transmission experiment employing thin-foil targets. The essence of the novel experimental method employed in the present measurements is to record both projectile energy and time of flight while constantly alternating measurements with and without the target foil in place. The accuracies of the proton data and α-particle data range from 2.0% to 3.0% and 2.2% to 2.7%, respectively. All of the resulting measurements were analyzed in terms of modified Bethe-Bloch theory in order to extract values of the target mean excitation energy (I) and Barkas-effect parameter (b). The composite results for the two projectiles are that I = 71.52 eV and b = 1.13, the former value lying about one standard deviation below the additivity value and the latter value lying about one standard deviation below the expected value of 1.4 ± 0.1. Previous measurements of the stopping power of polycarbonate for [sup 7]Li ions were analyzed by the same method, but with the inclusion of an effective charge parameter (δ). The proton and α-particle data, with a few lower-energy points included, were analyzed for a three-parameter fit, also. Results for the three projectiles studied indicate both internal consistency and agreement with expectations based on modified Bethe-Bloch theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Medication-related problems and declined functional capacity are closely associated factors among older people. The purpose of this study is to describe the procedure of interprofessional medication assessment in home care context and the baseline characteristics of the study population. Methods: The FIMA study was a randomized, controlled intervention study comparing general practitioner-led interprofessional medication assessment and usual care. Patients' chronic diagnoses and medication use as well as physical and cognitive functions were investigated. Performance in daily activities, use of care services and help from family and relatives, self-rated health and health-related quality of life, and adverse effects commonly related to medication were assessed. Results: The home care patients (n = 512) had significant disease burden and functional limitations. The mean number of all medicines was 15 and that of regularly taken medicines 10. The majority of patients (87%) had excessive polypharmacy. The most commonly used (97%) ATC medicine class was nervous system medicines. Clinically relevant (class C or D SFINX record) drug–drug interactions were seen in 74% of the patients. The most frequent risks of adverse effects were risk of bleeding (66%), constipation (58%) and orthostatism (54%) occurring in over half of the patients. Medicines affecting renal function were used by 85% of the patients. Conclusions: There is an evident need and justification for medication assessments in home care. In most cases, home care patients fulfill the criteria for regular medication assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the elastic scattering of [sup12]carbon, [sup14]nitrogen, [sup16]oxygen ions by sulfur near the non-Rutherford energy threshold below 21 megaelectronvolts. Analysis of the decreasing elastic scattering cross sections with increasing angle above a threshold energy and smooth oscillations; Function of high-enery heavy-ion beams in Rutherford backscattering spectrometry; Factors considered to predict the non-Rutherford energy threshold.

Presents a study which investigated the elastic scattering cross sections for [sup12]C, [sup14]N and [sup32]S ion bombardment below 70 megaelectronvolt at various recoil angles. Review of related literature; Brief background on elastic recoil detection spectrometry; Description of the experimental setup; Results and discussion.

Focuses on the measurement of the cross section for elastic scattering of protons through the use of natural copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), silver (Ag) and tin (Sn) near the Coulomb barrier. Determination of the threshold energies; Identification of those threshold energies ascertained; Experimental cross section ratios given for the elements of Cu, Mo, Ag and Sn; Information on the film thicknesses.

Studies defect formation and annealing behavior of InP implanted by low-energy 15N ions. Results of the implantation of ions into III-V compound semiconductors; Explanation of the experiment used in this study; Results of the experiment.

Studies the elastic scattering cross sections for proton scattering from 4He determined in the proton energy region of 1.4-6.0 MeV. Laboratory angles for proton energies; 4He ion bombardment for helium energies of 5.6-24 MeV; Comparison of cross section data with literature values; Normalized signal peak area.

Focuses on a study which determined the polyimide stopping powers for hydrogen and helium ions in an energy range of interest for ion beam applications. Discussion on the widespread use of polyimide in ion beam applications; Methodology of the study; Results and discussion.

Diffusion of Ga in relaxed intrinsic Si1-xGex layers has been determined at 907 °C within the whole composition range. Based on current results and available systematic diffusion data for Si, Ge, and Si1-xGex alloys, it is suggested that Ga diffusion is interstitialcy mediated in Si rich materials and vacancy mediated in Ge rich materials. The results indicate that the dominating diffusion mechanism change takes place at x∼0.6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable and accurate knowledge of the physical properties of elementary point defects is crucial for predictive modeling of the evolution of radiation damage in materials employed in harsh conditions. We have applied positron annihilation spectroscopy to directly detect mono-vacancy defects created in tungsten through particle irradiation at cryogenic temperatures, as well as their recovery kinetics. We find that efficient self-healing of the primary damage takes place through Frenkel pair recombination already at 35 K, in line with an upper bound of 0.1 eV for the migration barrier of self-interstitials. Further self-interstitial migration is observed above 50 K with activation energies in the range of 0.12–0.42 eV through the release of the self-interstitial atoms from impurities and structural defects and following recombination with mono-vacancies. Mono-vacancy migration is activated at around 550 K with a migration barrier of E m V = 1.85 ± 0.05 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Atmospheric deep convection is responsible for transport of the most important greenhouse gas, water vapor, to the free‐troposphere and for most of the precipitation on Earth. Observations show that deep convection is strongly sensitive to the amount of moisture in the low‐to‐midtroposphere. The current understanding is that this sensitivity is due to entrainment. In this study, it is found that over tropical oceans shallow warm anomalies, likely strong enough to hinder subsequent convection, are observed just above the boundary layer after precipitation, but only where the low‐to‐midtroposphere is dry. The results, showing a cold anomaly above the warm anomaly, suggest that evaporation of stratiform precipitation and subsidence warming below likely cause these temperature anomalies. Evaporation of stratiform precipitation should therefore be a topic of high priority for developing more realistic theories of convective weather phenomena and for improving climate and weather forecast models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, ion implantation into metallic systems is given increasing attention, aiming at achieving properties and functionalities of technologically valuable materials not easily available via conventional techniques. In our experiments thin Al films were implanted with Fe ions in order to find out how the superconductive properties of the metal can be modified at will. The purpose was twofold, viz., first, to study the basic physics of superconductivity in low-dimensional metallic structures doped with impurities. The second purpose was to apply ion implantation for the suppression of undesired superconductivity in aluminum widely used for fabrication of micro- and nanodevices operated at low temperatures. In many applications transition to the superconductive state is detrimental for the device’s functionality, for instance, those based on Coulomb blockage (CB) effect (e.g., in CB thermometry). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high crystalline quality Si[sub 0.75]Ge[sub 0.25] alloy layer grown by chemical vapor deposition was implanted with 70 keV Er[sup +] ions to a fluence of 10[sup 15] cm[sup -2] at temperature of 550 °C. The implantation was found to result in an Er depth distribution with 1 at. % maximum concentration 30 nm beneath the surface. The location of the erbium atoms in the host matrix lattice is derived through computer simulation of experimental axial channeling angular scans measured by in situ Rutherford backscattering/channeling spectrometry. Using computer code FLUX 7.7 it is shown that 60% of the implanted erbium atoms are located at ytterbium sites, 10% at tetrahedral sites, and the remainder are associated with random locations in the host matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change projections are commonly based on multi-model ensembles of climate simulations. In this paper we consider the choice of bias models in Bayesian multimodel predictions. Buser et al. (Clim Res 44(2-3):227-241, 2010a) introduced a hybrid bias model which combines commonly used constant bias and constant relation bias assumptions. The hybrid model includes a weighting parameter which balances these bias models. In this study, we use a cross-validation approach to study which bias model or bias parameter leads to, in a specific sense, optimal climate change projections. The analysis is carried out for summer and winter season means of 2 m-temperatures spatially averaged over the IPCC SREX regions, using 19 model runs from the CMIP5 data set. The cross-validation approach is applied to calculate optimal bias parameters (in the specific sense) for projecting the temperature change from the control period (1961-2005) to the scenario period (2046-2090). The results are compared to the results of the Buser et al. (Clim Res 44(2-3):227-241, 2010a) method which includes the bias parameter as one of the unknown parameters to be estimated from the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastic scattering of 12C, 14N, and 16O ions by aluminum, silicon, and titanium has been investigated below 34 MeV at a backscattering angle of 170°. The excitation functions at energies near the Coulomb barrier and non-Rutherford threshold energies above which the Rutherford cross sections become invalid, are presented for direct scattering and the kinematically reversed reactions. Sharply decreasing cross sections above the threshold energies, but no broad resonance-like structures, were observed. The non-Rutherford threshold energies are clearly higher than the values predicted by a theoretical model based on nuclear perturbation and optical model calculations recently presented in the literature. A new unpublished version of the model gives better agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which determined the effect of the hydrogen (H) implantation-induced defects on the H migration in n-type gallium arsenide. Determination of the depth scale; Effects of the deposited energy on the H migration; Indication of the dependence of the H solubilities on the annealing temperature.

A correction is presented to the research "Growth mode-dependent ferromagnetic properties of palladium nanoclusters" that was published in a 2018 issue.

Geomorphological mapping based on an aerial light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-derived digital elevation model, field observations, ground penetrating radar measurements and test pit surveys was carried out in a glaciogenic environment in Sodankylä, central Finnish Lapland. The mapping area covered about 370 km2, with the LiDAR data having a pixel size of 2 m × 2 m and vertical resolution 0.3 m. The geomorphology of the area consists of large till-covered hills, ground moraine plains, glaciofluvial sand and gravel deposits composed of esker systems and related delta and outwash formations of the Weichselian cold stages, followed by pro-glacial glaciolacustric and post-glacial lacustric and fluvial sand/silt deposits. Furthermore, large areas in topographical depressions are covered by Holocene mires. The benefits of LiDAR data compared to traditional aerial-photo-based interpretation were in more detailed identification of surface deposits and more precise edging of the morphologies. This reflected more accurately the true ground surface in areas of dense vegetation. As an example, based on the LiDAR mapping it was possible to distinguish several till-covered delta and sandur deposits which based on OSL dating date back to the Early Weichselian stadial (74–89 ka). The results of the mapping project have been collated and published in a Quaternary geological map of the Sodankylä region. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A hybrid Coulomb blockade thermometer (CBT) in form of an array of intermittent aluminum and silicon islands connected in series via tunnel junctions was fabricated on a thin silicon-on-insulator (SOI) film. Tunnel barriers in the micrometer size junctions were formed by metal-semiconductor Schottky contacts between aluminium electrodes and heavily doped silicon. Differential conductance through the array vs. bias voltage was found to exhibit characteristic features of competing thermal and charging effects enabling absolute temperature measurements over the range of ~65 to ~500mK. The CBT performance implying the primary nature of the thermometer demonstrated for rather trivial architecture attempted in this work paves a route for introduction of Coulomb blockade thermometry into well-developed contemporary SOI technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An overview of the modified radiotracer based diffusion studies carried out at IGISOL is provided. The experimental procedures are briefly described followed by examples involving IGISOL as the key facility. In this respect the studies related to silicon-germanium (Si 1 − xGe x) alloys and on the related diffusion systematics are summarized. Another group of examples is related to mobility determination of lead isotopes in glass for verifying retrospective radon measurements. Finally an outlook to future possibilities related to employing radiotracers in solid state research is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The past and projected future precipitation sum in May-September for two areas in Finland, one located in the south-west (SW) and the other in the north-east (NE), is studied using 13 regional climate simulations and three observational datasets. The conditions in the present-day climate for agricultural crop production are far more favourable in the south-western part of the country than the more continental north-eastern Finland. Based on a new high-resolution observational precipitation dataset for Finland (FMI grid), with a resolution of 10×10 km, the only statistically significant past long-term (1908-2008) precipitation tendencies in the two study regions are positive. Differences between FMI grid and two other observational datasets during 1961-2000 are rather large in the NE, whereas in the SW the datasets agree better. Observational uncertainties stem from the interpolation and sampling errors. The projected increases in precipitation in the early stage of the growing season would be most favourable for agricultural productivity, but the projected increases in August and September might be harmful. Model projections for the future indicate a statistically significant increase in precipitation for most of the growing season by 2100, but the distribution of precipitation within the growing season is not necessarily the most optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probabilistic forecasts of near-term climate change are derived by using a multimodel ensemble of climate change simulations and a simple resampling technique that increases the number of realizations for the possible combination of anthropogenic climate change and internal climate variability. The technique is based on the assumption that the probability distribution of local climate changes is only a function of the all-model mean global average warming. Although this is unlikely to be exactly true, cross-verification indicates that the resulting biases are more than compensated by the increased sample size provided by the method. The resulting forecasts for southern Finland suggest a 95% probability of annual mean warming and an 80% probability of increased annual mean precipitation from the years 1971–2000 to 2011–2020 under the SRES A1B emissions scenario. The choice of the emissions scenario is unimportant for such short-term forecasts but becomes gradually more important towards the late 21st century. The simulations also suggest that the probability of near-term warming that is large enough to be discernible from internal variability is largest in the tropics where internal temperature variability is small, not in the Arctic where the average model-simulated warming is largest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A basic analysis is presented for a series of regional climate change simulations that were conducted by the Swedish Rossby Centre and contribute to the PRUDENCE (Prediction of Regional scenarios and Uncertainties for Defining EuropeaN Climate change risks and Effects) project. For each of the two driving global models HadAM3H and ECHAM4/OPYC3, a 30-year control run and two 30-year scenario runs (based on the SRES A2 and B2 emission scenarios) were made with the regional model. In this way, four realizations of climate change from 1961–1990 to 2071–2100 were obtained. The simulated changes are larger for the A2 than the B2 scenario (although with few qualitative differences) and in most cases in the ECHAM4/OPYC3-driven (RE) than in the HadAM3H-driven (RH) regional simulations. In all the scenario runs, the warming in northern Europe is largest in winter or late autumn. In central and southern Europe, the warming peaks in summer when it locally reaches 10 °C in the RE-A2 simulation and 6–7 °C in the RH-A2 and RE-B2 simulations. The four simulations agree on a general increase in precipitation in northern Europe especially in winter and on a general decrease in precipitation in southern and central Europe in summer, but the magnitude and the geographical patterns of the change differ markedly between RH and RE. This reflects very different changes in the atmospheric circulation during the winter half-year, which also lead to quite different simulated changes in windiness. All four simulations show a large increase in the lowest minimum temperatures in northern, central and eastern Europe, most likely due to reduced snow cover. Extreme daily precipitation increases even in most of those areas where the mean annual precipitation decreases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a regional climate model, the Rossby Centre regional Atmospheric model (RCA1), recently developed from the High Resolution Limited Area Model (HIRLAM). The changes in the HIRLAM parametrizations, necessary for climate-length integrations, are described. A regional Baltic Sea ocean model and a modeling system for the Nordic inland lake systems have been coupled with RCA1. The coupled system has been used to downscale 10-year time slices from two different general circulation model (GCM) simulations to provide high-resolution regional interpretation of large-scale modeling. A selection of the results from the control runs, i.e. the present-day climate simulations, are presented: large-scale free atmospheric fields, the surface temperature and precipitation results and results for the on-line simulated regional ocean and lake surface climates. The regional model modifies the surface climate description compared to the GCM simulations, but it is also substantially affected by the biases in the GCM simulations. The regional model also improves the representation of the regional ocean and the inland lakes, compared to the GCM results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentration profiles of nitrogen in vacuum-annealed p- and n-type single-crystal (1 0 0) InP implanted with 1×10[sup 16] 30 keV [sup 15] N[sup +] ions cm[sup -2] have been studied by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and Nuclear Resonance Broadening (NRB) techniques. Damage induced by the nitrogen implantation was studied by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and channeling. Annealing the samples led to loss and redistribution of nitrogen in the temperature range from 575 to 675 °C. At temperatures from 575 to 600 °C, rapid migration of nitrogen towards the sample surface was observed. The n-type InP material had a very dominant tendency for surface nitrogen build-up, whereas the p-type material had a markedly smaller surface peak in the nitrogen distribution. The surface peak in n-type material is due to sulphur acting partly as a diffusion barrier. SIMS analyses showed sulphur build-up on the surface in the course of annealing. At temperatures from 600 to 675 °C, the nitrogen profiles of n- and p-type InP were similar. A small loss of nitrogen was observed at 625–675 °C. Two different recovery stages were observed at 575–600 °C and at 625–650 °C. The corresponding activation energies for nitrogen loss are 2.9 and 3.0 eV, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External beam PIXE ( Particle Induced X-ray Emission) analysis with a proton beam of 2.4 MeV was used to study trace element concentrations in human nails. The suitability of PIXE analysis regarding nail samples without any pretreatment besides washing was investigated. The main emphasis has been on the ability to obtain absolute concentration values and a new accurate method for nail sample standardization has been developed. Concentration values for the elements Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, and Pb were determined from human nail samples. A comparison was made with nail samples taken from different fingers and toes to monitor intraindividual variation, and nails of different healthy individuals to get a view of the interindividual differences. The concentrations were also measured in relation to time in order to observe any possible short-term changes. The results are compared with the previous studies reported in the literature. The nail analysis is also compared to hair analysis in terms of detection limits, number of elements determinable, and standardization of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The useability of external-beam proton-induced X-ray (PIXE) and gamma-ray (PIGE) emission, backscattering spectrometry (BS), and the particle-particle method in biomedical work is demonstrated. Detection limit values obtainable by the methods for typical biomedical samples under practical conditions are given and compared. Advantages, drawbacks, and restrictions of the methods are discussed. Examples of the applications of the methods in biomedical work are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]