Ground-based active optical sensors (GBAOS) have been successfully used in agriculture to predict crop yield potential (YP) early in the season and to improvise N rates for optimal crop yield. However, the models were found weak or inconsistent due to environmental variation especially rainfall. The objectives of the study were to evaluate if GBAOS could predict YP across multiple locations, soil types, cultivation systems, and rainfall differences. This study was carried from 2011 to 2013 on corn (Zea mays L.) in North Dakota, and in 2017 in potatoes in Maine. Six N rates were used on 50 sites in North Dakota and 12 N rates on two sites, one dryland and one irrigated, in Maine. Two active GBAOS used for this study were GreenSeeker and Holland Scientific Crop Circle Sensor ACS 470 (HSCCACS-470) and 430 (HSCCACS-430). Rainfall data, with or without including crop height, improved the YP models in term of reliability and consistency. The polynomial model was relatively better compared to the exponential model. A significant difference in the relationship between sensor reading multiplied by rainfall data and crop yield was observed in terms of soil type, clay and medium textured, and cultivation system, conventional and no-till, respectively, in the North Dakota corn study. The two potato sites in Maine, irrigated and dryland, performed differently in terms of total yield and rainfall data helped to improve sensor YP models. In conclusion, this study strongly advocates the use of rainfall data while using sensor-based N calculator algorithms.
Cerium oxide CeO2, or ceria, has gained increasing interest owing to its excellent catalytic applications. Under the framework of density functional theory (DFT), this contribution demonstrates the effect that introducing the element nickel (Ni) into the ceria lattice has on its electronic, structural, and optical characteristics. Electronic density of states (DOSs) analysis shows that Ni integration leads to a shrinkage of Ce 4f states and improvement of Ni 3d states in the bottom of the conduction band. Furthermore, the calculated optical absorption spectra of an Ni-doped CeO2 system shifts towards longer visible light and infrared regions. Results indicate that Ni-doping a CeO2 system would result in a decrease of the band gap. Finally,
... Show MoreElectrochemical method was used to prepare carbon quantum dots (CQDs). Size of matter was nature when evaluate via X-ray diffraction (XRD). A distinct peak at 2θ equal to 31.6° and three other small peaks at 38.28°, 56.41° and 66.12° were observed. The measures of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) showed the bonds in the transmittance spectrum are manufactured with carbon nanostructures in view. The first peaks are the O–H stretching vibration bands at (3417 and 2922) cm−1, (C–O–H at 1400, and 1317) cm−1, (C–H), (C=C), (C–O–H), (C=O), and (C–O) bonds at 2850, 1668, 1101, and 1026 cm−1 sequentially. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results presented that the spherical CQDs are in shape and on a
... Show MoreZinc Oxide (ZnO) is considered as one of the best materials already used as a window layer in solar cells due to its antireflective capability. The ZnO/MgF2 bilayer thin film is more efficient as antireflective coating. In this work, ZnO and ZnO/MgF2 thin films were deposited on glass substrate using pulsed laser deposition and thermal evaporation deposition methods. The optical measurements indicated that ZnO thin layer has an energy gap of (3.02 eV) while ZnO/MgF2 bilayer gives rise to an increase in the energy gap. ZnO/MgF2 bilayer shows a high energy gap (3.77 eV) with low reflectance (1.1-10 %) and refractive index (1.9) leading to high transmittance, this bilayer could be a good candidate optical material to improve the performance
... Show MoreSilver sulfide and the thin films Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 and Ag2Se0.8S0.2 created by the thermal evaporation process on glass with a thickness of 350 nm were examined for their structural and optical properties. These films were made at a temperature of 300 K. According to the X-ray diffraction investigation, the films are polycrystalline and have an initial orthorhombic phase. Using X-ray diffraction research, the crystallization orientations of Ag2Se and Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 & Ag2Se0.8S0.2 (23.304, 49.91) were discovered (XRD). As (Ag2Se and Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 & Ag2Se0.8S0.2) absorption coefficient fell from (470-774) nm, the optical band gap increased (2.15 & 2 & 2.25eV). For instance, the characteristics of thin films made of Ag2Se0.8Te0.2 and Ag2Se0.8S0.2
... Show MoreIn the present work, a z-scan technique was used to study the nonlinear optical properties, represented by the nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficients of nanoparticles cadmium sulfide thin film. The sample was prepared by the chemical bath deposition method. Several testing were done including, x-ray, transmission and thickness of thin film. z-Scan experiment was performed at two wavelengths (1064 nm and 532 nm) and different energies. The results showed the effect of self-focusing in the material at higher intensities, which evaluated n2 to be (0.11-0.16) cm2/GW. The effect of two-photon absorption was studied, which evaluated β to be (24-106) cm/GW. In addition, the optical limiting behavior has been studied.
... Show MoreThis contribution investigates the impact of adding transition metal of Ti to CeOy samples at various concentrations referring to 0, 15.84, 24.46, 34.46, 36.23, 38.46, 45.38% and pure TiOy, correspondingly. The samples were fabricated by the magnetron sputtering technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) configurations demonstrate the presence of α-Ce2O3 and Ce2O3 phases with increased Ti contents in the systems. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experimentation confirms the purity of the S1-sample (CeO2) and the purity of the S8-sample (TiO2). Further XPS analysis reveals that Ti incorporation in the doped systems functions as a reducing agent because of the existence of α-Ce2O3 and Ce2O3 phases. Moreover, based on UV–vis spectroscopy res
... Show MoreTiO2 thin films were deposited by reactive d.c magnetron sputtering method on a glass substrate with various ratio of gas flow (Oxygen /Argon) (50/50, 100/50 and 150/50) at substrate temperature 573K. It can be observe that the optical energy gap of TiO2 thin films dependent on the ratio of gas flow (oxygen/argon), it varies between (3.45eV-3.57eV) also it is seen that the optical constants (α, n, K, εr and εi ) has been varied with the change of the ratio of gas flow (Oxygen /Argon).
Colloidal crystals (opals) made of close-packed polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were fabricated and grown by Template-Directed methods to obtain porous materials with well-ordered periodicity and interconnected pore systems to manufacture photonic crystals. Opals were made from aqueous suspensions of monodisperse PMMA spheres with diameters between 280 and 415 nm. SEM confirmed the PMMA spheres crystallized uniformly in a face-centered cubic (FCC) array. Optical properties of synthesized pores PMMA were characterized by UV–Visible spectroscopy. It shows that the colloidal crystals possess pseudo photonic band gaps in the visible region. A combination of Bragg’s law of diffraction and Snell’s law of refraction were used to calculate t
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