A new generation of solar instruments provides improved spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution, thus facilitating a better understanding of dynamic processes on the Sun. High-resolution observations often reveal multiple-component spectral line profiles, e.g., in the near-infrared He i 10830 Å triplet, which provides information about the chromospheric velocity and magnetic fine structure. We observed an emerging flux region, including two small pores and an arch filament system, on 2015 April 17 with the ‘very fast spectroscopic mode’ of the GREGOR Infrared Spectrograph (GRIS) situated at the 1.5-meter GREGOR solar telescope at Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, Spain. We discuss this method of obtaining fast (one per minute) spectral scans of the solar surface and its potential to follow dynamic processes on the Sun. We demonstrate the performance of the ‘very fast spectroscopic mode’ by tracking chromospheric high-velocity features in the arch filament system.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.

Food legumes are the main source of dietary protein for a large part of the world's population, and also play an important role in maintaining soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. However, legume yields and production are often limited by large genotype×environment (G×E) interactions that influence the expression of agronomically important, complex quantitative traits. Consequently, genetic improvement has been slower than expected. Molecular marker technology enables genetic dissection of such complex traits, allowing breeders to identify genomic regions on the chromosome that have main effects or interactive effects. A number of genomic resources have been developed in several legume species during the last two decades, and provide a platform for exploiting marker technology. The present paper reviews the available genomic resources in food legumes: linkage maps, high-throughput sequencing technologies, expression sequence tag (EST) databases, genome sequences, DNA chips, targeting induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING), bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries and others. It also describes how these resources are being used to tag and map genes/quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for domesticated and other agronomically important traits. This information is important to genetic improvement efforts aiming at improving food and nutrition security worldwide.

Thin films of InSb with different thickness (t = 5, 10 and 15 kÅ) were deposited on to glass substrate by flash evaporation technique. The structural and electrical properties were investigated and the effect of films thickness on films properties was discussed. XRD analysis of the films as a function of film thickness revealed that crystallinity improves with film thickness. Temperature dependence of the Hall parameters were studied in a wide range, 20 < T < 300 K. The temperature variation of the Hall coefficient and conductivity shows an activated nature with negative temperature coefficient confirming that the prepared films of InSb are semiconducting in nature with n-type conductivity. Size effect was observed as the defect density is much smaller for thicker films and as a result electrical conductivity of the films increases with increasing film thickness with the increase of the charge carriers through the film. An increase in mobility with sample thickness has been observed. The mobility variations with temperature revealed a transition from lattice to impurity scattering in the observed temperature range.

The electronic transport properties of p-type tin selenide (SnSe) grown by direct vapor transport (DVT) technique were investigated via Hall effect in the temperature range 40 <T< 300 K. The temperature dependence of conductivity revealed the existence of impurity energy level in the band gap of the crystal. The temperature dependence of the carrier concentration was analyzed using the single-donor – single-acceptor model. The Hall mobility increases by decreasing temperature up to 120 K and then decreases along with temperature. The observed temperature dependant mobility in the temperature range 120 <T< 300 K and 40 <T< 120 K was found to be limited by homopolar and ionized impurity mode scatterings respectively.

Thanks to the unprecedented combination of high spatial resolution (0″.2) and high temporal cadence (33 s) spectropolarimetric measurements, the IMaX magnetograph aboard the Sunrise balloon-borne telescope is revealing new insights about the plasma dynamics of the all-pervasive small-scale flux concentrations in the quiet Sun. We present the result of a case study concerning the appearance of a bipole, with a size of about 4″ and a flux content of 5 × 1017 Mx, with strong signal of horizontal fields during the emergence. We analyze the data set using the SIR inversion code and obtain indications about the three-dimensional shape of the bipole and its evolution with time.

Magnetic fields of cool stars can be directly investigated through the study of the Zeeman effect on photospheric spectral lines using several approaches. With spectroscopic measurement in unpolarised light, the total magnetic flux averaged over the stellar disc can be derived but very little information on the field geometry is available. Spectropolarimetry provides a complementary information on the large-scale magnetic topology. With Zeeman-Doppler Imaging (ZDI), this information can be retrieved to produce a map of the vector magnetic field at the surface of the star, and in particular to assess the relative importance of the poloidal and toroidal components as well as the degree of axisymmetry of the field distribution.

The development of high-performance spectropolarimeters associated with multi-lines techniques and ZDI allows us to explore magnetic topologies throughout the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram, on stars spanning a wide range of mass, age and rotation period. These observations bring novel constraints on magnetic field generation by dynamo effect in cool stars. In particular, the study of solar twins brings new insight on the impact of rotation on the solar dynamo, whereas the detection of strong and stable dipolar magnetic fields on fully convective stars questions the precise role of the tachocline in this process.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA, August 1 – August 5, 2010.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA, August 1 – August 5, 2010.

CA-125 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are two biomarkers present in blood that can indicate the presence of ovarian cancer. They can also be used, both in conjunction with each other and independently, to determine the effectiveness of the treatment being meted for the disease. A label-free multiplexed interdigitated electrode array (IDEA) immunosensor was developed to detect both CA-125 and CEA in buffer solution at levels typically seen in patients with ovarian cancer . Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to measure the increase in impedance when a binding event occurred between the target antigen and its specific antibody that was anchored to the surface of an interdigitated electrode array. CA-125 was detected in concentrations as low as 10units/mL and as high as 80units/mL. CEA was detected in concentrations as low as 1pg/mL and as high as 10μg/mL.

Sun-like stars are able to continuously generate a large-scale magnetic field through the action of a dynamo. Various physical parameters of the star are able to affect the dynamo output, in particular the rotation and mass. Using the NARVAL spectropolarimeter (Observatoire du Pic du Midi, France), it is now possible to measure the large-scale magnetic field of solar analogues (i.e. stars very close to the Sun in the mass-rotation plane, including strict solar twins). From spectropolarimetric time-series, tomographic inversion enables one to reconstruct the field geometry and its progressive distortion under the effect of surface differential rotation. We show the first results obtained on a sample of main-sequence dwarfs, probing masses between 0.7 and 1.4 solar mass and rotation rates between 1 and 3 solar rotation rate.

Significant differences were found between 20 chickpea cultivars and four locations in respect of the concentration of protein in the seeds. Cultivar x location interactions were also significant. The average protein concentration among cultivars varied from 18.5 to 23.2% and among locations from 18.3 to 22.7%. Correlations between seed protein concentration and seed yield and seed size were very small. Protein concentration was influenced by available nitrogen in the soil.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2005 in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, July 31--August 4, 2005

A distinct coronal inflow has been discovered after $\sim90\,{\rm min}$ of prominence eruption associated coronal mass ejection (CME) on 05-Mar-2000 by EIT (Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope) aboard SoHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory). Evolution of the prominence seen by EIT was tracked into the LASCO/C2 and C3 field-of-view (FOV; $4{-}10 R_{\odot}$) where it developed as the core of a typical three-part CME. The speed of the inflow, which was only seen in EIT FOV, was 70-80 km/s at a height between 1.5-1.2 $R_{\odot}$ coinciding with the deceleration phase of the core of the CME in LASCO/C2. In contrast to dark inflow structures observed earlier and interpreted as plasma void moving down, the inflow reported here was bright. The inflow showed a constant deceleration and followed a curved path suggesting the apex of a contracting magnetic loop sliding down along other field linesTo search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

An erupting prominence seen by SOHO/EIT was tracked into the field of view of the LASCO C2 and C3 coronagraphs where it developed into the core of a structured CME. The erupting prominence was deflected by an angle of $\sim 20^{\circ}$ towards the north pole whereas the consequent core of the CME and it's leading edge propagated in the outer corona at constant position angle. The prominence material underwent a constant acceleration phase until a height of $\sim$1.5 solar radii before it started to decelerate up to a distance of 5.0 solar radii. An inflow of plasma with a speed of about 70-80 km/s was discovered in the EIT observations at a height of 1.5-1.2 solar radii in the course of the prominence eruption, matching in time the prominence deceleration phase. The downflowing material followed a curved path, suggestive of the apex of a contracting magnetic loop sliding down along other field lines.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

A novel technique for deposition of metal oxide films is demonstrated in which alternating pulses of metal-nitrate and metal-chloride precursors are used. The metal nitrate, Hf(NO3)4, acts as the oxidizing agent, avoiding the use of a separate oxidizing species such as H2O. This method results in greater than one monolayer per cycle deposition rate of HfO2 films compared to the use of a single precursor and enables deposition directly on H-terminated Si due to the reactivity of Hf(NO3)4. It was found that performing a short in-situ anneal after every deposition cycle increases film density and improves electrical characteristics. Films are characterized via capacitance vs. voltage, current vs. voltage, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and x-ray diffraction and reflectivity.