Open Access

Soot particles emitted from a light duty (LD) Volkswagen diesel engine running at different operating points (speed and torque levels) are analyzed for mean size determination using a laser‐based three Wavelength Extinction Method (3‐WEM). For this reason, collected soot samples are suspended using an appropriate sample preparation technique with optimized conditions of sonication as it revealed its effect on the soot mean particle size measured by 3‐WEM. An online Scanning Mobility Particle Analyzer (SMPS) is also used to measure soot emission at identical engine operating points. Size values obtained from SMPS are lower than those of suspended soot samples obtained from 3‐WEM. The size discrepancies are mainly related to the required sample preparation procedure employed for 3‐WEM measurements. The engine operating points affect, differently, the size measurements obtained from SMPS and 3‐WEM. Sedimentation Field‐Flow Fractionation (SdFFF) is used for density determination of soot samples based on size measurements of fractions collected at peak maxima of fractograms using the off‐line hyphenation with 3‐WEM. It is assumed that a size dependent separation of soot particles occurred with a uniform particle density over the whole size distribution. An average density value is used for the conversion of soot fractograms to size distributions. Discrepancies are also found with size distribution profiles obtained from SMPS for the same engine operating points, due to the sample preparation procedure employed for SdFFF measurements.

This article presents an innovative code-division multiple access system architecture that is based on orthogonal complementary spreading codes and time-frequency domain spreading. The architecture has several advantages compared to conventional CDMA systems. Specifically, it offers multiple-access-interference-free operation in AWGN channels, reduces co-channel interference significantly, and has the potential for higher capacity and spectral efficiency than conventional CDMA systems. This is accomplished by using an "offset stacked" spreading modulation technique followed by quadrature amplitude modulation, which optimizes performance in a fading environment. This new spreading modulation scheme also simplifies the rate matching algorithms relevant for multimedia services and IP-based applications.

Praseodymium was investigated by Raman spectroscopy under pressure. A negative pressure shift of the E2g mode is observed in the dhcp phase, which indicates that the initial structural sequence hcp→Sm−type→dhcp→fcc as a whole in the regular lanthanides is associated with a softening of this mode. The pressure response of the phonon modes, observed in the monoclinic and α-uranium phases, where 4f bonding becomes important, is characteristic for anisotropic bonding properties.

The structure of the separation bubble that appears in the secondary meridional flow between two coaxially rotating spheres at low and finite Reynolds number (Re) is considered. The low Re analytical study was motivated by recognizing some errors in the analytical work on this problem by Arunachalam and Majhi (1987, Q. Jl Mech. Appl. Math., 40, 47) whilst the finite Re experimental study was motivated by the desire to observe the separation bubble in the laboratory. Though the finite Re experiments were performed in a confined apparatus, they exhibit the qualitative features of the low Re theoretical predictions for the axisymmetric separation bubble that encloses two toroidal vortices symmetrically disposed above and below the mid‐plane of sphere separation, but strong effects of confinement are apparent. The flows observed include (i) a wall‐attached bubble symmetric about the mid‐plane at low Re, (ii) symmetric free‐standing bubbles at moderate Re, and (iii) an asymmetric bubble with flow separating from one sphere and attaching to the support shaft between the spheres at sufficiently high Re.