The effects of porous material on the aeroacoustic sound generated in a two-dimensional low-Reynolds-number flow ($Re=150$) past a circular cylinder are studied by direct numerical simulation in which the acoustic waves of small amplitudes are obtained directly as a solution to the compressible Navier–Stokes equations. Two models are introduced for the porous material: the microscopic model, in which the porous material is a collection of small cylinders, and the macroscopic model, in which the porous material is continuum characterized by permeability. The corrected volume penalization method is used to deal with the core cylinder, the small cylinders and the porous material. In the microscopic model, significant reduction of the aeroacoustic sound is found depending on the parameters; the maximum reduction of $24.4$ dB from the case of a bare cylinder is obtained. The results obtained for the modified macroscopic model are in good agreement with those obtained for the microscopic model converted by the theory of homogenization, which establishes that the microscopic and macroscopic models are consistent and valid. The detailed mechanism of sound reduction is elucidated. The presence of a fluid region between the porous material and the core cylinder is important for sound reduction. When the sound is strongly reduced, the pressure field behind the cylinder becomes nearly uniform with a high value to stabilize the shear layer in the wake; as a result, the vortex shedding behind the cylinder is delayed to the far wake to suppress the unsteady vortex motion near the cylinder, which is responsible for the aeroacoustic sound.

In this proceeding paper, we introduce the recent results of Galactic maser astrometry by mainly focusing on those obtained with Japanese VLBI array VERA. So far we have obtained parallaxes for 86 sources including preliminary results, and combination with the data obtained with VLBA/BeSSeL provides astrometric results for 159 sources. With these most updated results we conduct preliminary determinations of Galactic fundamental parameters, obtaining R0 = 8.16 ± 0.26 kpc and Θ0 = 237 ± 8 km/s. We also derive the rotation curve of the Milky Way Galaxy and confirm the previous results that the rotation curve is fairly flat between 5 kpc and 16 kpc, while a remarkable deviation is seen toward the Galactic center region. In addition to the results on the Galactic structure, we also present brief overviews on other science topics related to masers conducted with VERA, and also discuss the future prospect of the project.

The life history of the Japanese sternaspid polychaete Sternaspis costata von Marenzeller, 1879 was investigated in the inner part of Ariake Bay from May 2010 to May 2011, with additional sampling in July and September 2011. All the worms were measured by the width of the ventral shield (WS) as an indicator of body size, and their coelomic contents were also examined. Ovigerous females occurred throughout the year, except during October and March, with the highest ovigerous rate (number of ovigerous females/number of adults with a WS larger than that of the smallest ovigerous female, i.e. 1.8 mm) noted in September (43.8% in 2010, 34.7% in 2011). The ovigerous rate was less than 10% in the other months, except in April 2011 (30%). Although the coelomic oocytes ranged from 90 to 160 μm in diameter, the diameters of most of the oocytes were 140–160 μm in September. The number of adults drastically decreased from September to October, suggesting that most of the adults died after spawning in the major reproductive period, although a small fraction of adults seemed to reproduce earlier or later. A cohort of recruits with an approximately 1.2 mm WS was identified in March and April. Most of the recruits grew to adult size in July–September, when many ovigerous females occurred. These results indicated that this species is fundamentally semelparous, with longevity around 1 year, and they mostly reproduce in September, with a few adults reproducing almost throughout the year.

The storage and transportation barriers of hydrogen are cleared by sodium metal “Source of Hydrogen” produced from warm seawater discharged at the nuclear power plant. The warm seawater is electrolyzed to produce sodium hydroxide; which is then subjected to molten-salt electrolysis by surplus power of the plant to produce sodium metal “a hydrogen generator”. The seawater contains salt most after fresh water; which is the raw material of sodium metal and is never drained. The sodium metal is transported to the electric power station in a consumption place, where a large amount of hydrogen is generated immediately by adding water on the sodium metal for power generation. Salt, the raw material of sodium metal, is in the sea over the world, and it is not necessary to worry about the maldistribution and exhaustion.

An amorphous silica film has been coated on a fused silica glass and KH2PO4 [KDP] crystal by using the photo oxidization of Dimethy-siloxane silicone [DMSS] oil by using a xenon [Xe2] excimer lamp at room temperature. The DMSS oil [-O-Si[CH3]2-O-]n was spin-coated on a fused silica glass to make a thin film, and the Xe2 lamp light was vertically irradiated in the presence of oxygen. Thus, the organic oil was changed into inorganic glass. In order to investigate the photochemical reaction process, the fluorescence intensity was measured by spectrometer at actual time and the new method to form a transparent, photo-oxidized thin film efficiently has been established. The interferometer analysis was conducted to investigate the strain of the coating samples. It became clear that the no strain were caused by vitrification of the silicone oil on the fused silica galass with Xe2 lamp irradiation.

Salt is the raw material of sodium metal, which reacts with water to produce hydrogen for power generation. Sodium metal is solid matter and its specific gravity is low; therefore, it can be stored or transported for long at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure as oil and coal can. Sodium metal is produced with molten-salt electrolysis from sea salt, lake salt or rock salt, and securely kept immersed in kerosene for preventing it from reacting with air or moisture when transported to a consumer place; where it reacts violently with water to generate a large amount of hydrogen instantly. And sodium hydroxide, which is a reaction residue obtained after the production of hydrogen, is supplied as it is as the raw material of soda industries. Moreover, fresh water, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and magnesium are generated as by-products in the processes of manufacturing sodium metal and generating hydrogen. Sodium metal can be an alternative energy material for hydrogen combustion power generation, having a far-reaching economic effect.

A photo-oxidized thin film, which transformed the organic silicone oil into inorganic glass, was coated on optical materials surface by using Xe2 excimer lamp at room temperature. This technique has enabled an optical thin coating capable of transmitting ultraviolet rays [UV] of wavelengths under 200 nm and possessing the characteristics of hardness, strain-free, resistance to high power laser, and resistance to water. UV and IR spectroscopic analysis was carried out for investigation of the oxidized silicone oil. The results revealed that the absorption peak of the CH3 group at 2900 cm-1 decreased as the irradiation time of the excimer lamp increased, and the transmittance of the light in the 172 nm wavelengths conversely became high. The UV transmittance of the silicone oil was 29.2 % before the lamp irradiation; and it improved to 90.6 % after the irradiation for 120 minutes. Moreover, in order to evaluate for resistance to laser damage [J/cm2/10 ns], the films were further irradiated with the Nd: YAG laser of ω [1.06 μm] or 2ω [0.503 μm]. The silica glass substrate had almost same laser tolerance in ω and 2ω, 112 J/cm2 and 113 J/cm2, respectively. The laser damage threshold of the photo-oxidized 100 nm thick film formed on the fused silica substrate was 72 J/cm2 in ω and 107 J/cm2 in 2ω.

An electric insulation resistant coating has been developed by using photo-oxidized silicone oil. The silicone oil was exposed to ultraviolet⊈light in the air; which transformed the organic silicone oil into an inorganic amorphous glass film. Conventional large-area solar panels and smart papers are made of glass or plastic; in addition to being well insulated, waterproof, transparent, and hard, the panels are desirable to be light in weight and flexible. Here, metal foil is dipped into dimethylsiloxane silicone oil, and the silicone oil on the foil surface is irradiated with Xe2 excimer lamplight. Oxygen adsorbed on the sample surface is photo-excited by the irradiation to produce active oxygen. This active oxygen reacts with the silicone oil photo-excited and forms inorganic glass. With the process of the photo-oxidation, the silicone oil is vitrified, being inorganic.

Sodium metal reacts with water explosively to generate hydrogen. Therefore, sodium metal can have an important role as a hydrogen storage material. Seawater contains water most and sodium second. Seawater is electrolyzed by offshore wind or solar cell power generation to produce sodium; which is transported to a thermoelectric power plant on land and then is reacted with water to produce hydrogen for electric power generation. Sodium hydroxide, a by-product, is used as a raw material for soda industries. In the sodium production process, many by-products such as fresh water, magnesium, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid are produced. Thus, sodium metal is an economical, renewable, and sustainable fuel that discharges neither CO2 nor radioactivity.

CeO2–ZrO2–γ-Al2O3 mixed oxides with different molar compositions have been synthesized by the sol-gel method using nitrate–alkoxide precursors. Some relationships between the molar composition of the ternary systems and their textural and structural properties are presented. CeO2–ZrO2–γ-Al2O3 mixed oxides have been studied and characterized using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopic analyses. By complete porosity analyses of all samples before and after hydrothermal (up to 75% steam) treatment at 500 °C, we have been able to optimize a highly hydrothermally stable CeO2–ZrO2–γ-Al2O3 system with a molar ratio of 10:10:80 mol%. γ-Al2O3 alone and CeO2-doped as well as ZrO2-doped γ-Al2O3 were also investigated by the hydrothermal treatment, and their steam-sensitive properties have been compared with those of the ternary CeO2–ZrO2–γ-Al2O3 system.

A strong adhesion of two silica glasses or a silica glass and a different glass that creates properties of heatproof, no adhesive strain, and high transmittance in the region of ultraviolet [UV] was demonstrated with photochemical reaction by vacuum-ultraviolet [V-UV] light. It was confirmed that the adhesive strength of the silicone oil between the two silica glasses enhanced to 18 [MPa] after irradiation from 0 [MPa] before irradiation, that of the SiO2 and BK7 to 12.3 [MPa], and that of the SiO2 and TEMPAX®, to 10 [MPa], and that of the SiO2 and CLEARCERAM® to 7.4 [MPa]. Furthermore, the adhesive strain of the bonded sample was measured by 3-dimension roughness meter (ZYGO), and the results showed no adhesive strain. This sample had the bonding strength at 500 degrees Celsius.

A micro domain structure, which hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups were arrayed alternately, was formed on the surface of an intraocular lens [IOL] by using ultra violet rays [VUV]. With this technique, the IOL that is free from fibrin has been developed. In order to substitute the hydrophilic groups in matrix-form on the surface, an ArF laser light was then irradiated on the hydrophobic surface in the presence of water for the −OH groups, through the 50-micrometer dot-patterned reticle. With this selective photochemical surface modification, the hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups were arrayed alternately on the sample surface. The modified IOL was soaked in 0.1-wt % fibrin solutions, and the fibrin-sticking rate was measured by using an infrared spectroscopy [FT-IR]. It results that the absorption coefficient of amide band reached to 0.0006, decreasing to one-six of non-treatment sample's.

Hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups were selectively incorporated on the poly(methyl methacrylate) [PMMA] surface using a Xe2 excimer lamp and ArF excimer laser. With this new technique, a protein adsorption on the PMMA surface can be controlled.

PMMA was firstly irradiated with a Xe2 excimer lamp in the presence of perfluoropolyether [PFPE] liquid layer to incorporate CF3 groups, and secondly, the PMMA surface was irradiated by an ArF excimer laser through a patterned reticle in the presence of water to incorporate OH groups or NH2 groups in an ammonia gas ambience. The area ratio of hydrophilic and hydrophobic of the modifying sample was made to 1:3, 1:1, and 3:1. The results showed that the fibrin absorption on the sample with hydrophilic and hydrophobic micro domains depended on the area ratio of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic. The absorption coefficient of the amide band remarkably decreased with increase in water contact angle. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the absorption coefficient of fibrin decreased as the interval of CF3 and OH or NH2 groups was narrowed from 250 to 20 μm, and the fibrin sticking on the modified surface with the 20 μm hydrophilic and hydrophobic micro domains was reduced to one-twenty of that on the untreated sample.

Colloidally stable suspensions are required to fabricate dense samples with uniform microstructure by colloidal processing methods, which necessitate dispersion of ceramic powders in a liquid medium. Aqueous nano ZrO2 suspensions were prepared using polyethylenimine (PEI) as a dispersant. PEI adsorption on nano ZrO2 surfaces was promoted with increasing initial PEI content and suspension pH. Isoelectric point was shifted from pH 7 at 0 wt% PEI to pH 10.4 at 3 wt% PEI. Stable suspensions had mean particle sizes in the range of 100 to 150 nm and sedimentation rates less than0.4 mm/h, as compared to 2–5.5 μm and 10–50 mm/h for unstable suspensions. Samples with 98% relative density were fabricated after sintering at 1300 °C for 4 h from colloidally stable suspensions.

Organic silicone oil was photo–chemically oxidized to change into SiO2 by using a ultraviolet (UV) excimer lamp, which developed an over–coating for a nonlinear optical crystal.

In general, nonlinear optical crystals are used as a wavelength conversion element for laser. The crystals are, however, deliquescent and absorb moisture in the air, which causes clouding. They need heating in the oven to prevent it. It is desired to develop a protective film on the nonlinear optical crystals so as to be waterproof and transmit UV rays. We have, then, developed the waterproof and protective film on a KH2PO4 (KDP) surface, which was photo–chemically oxidized by using a silicone oil and Xe2 excimer lamp. The silicone oil was spin–coated on the KDP crystal surface, and then the Xe2 excimer lamp was vertically irradiated to the crystal surface. The O atoms in the air were photo–excited with the UV photon to generate high active O atoms. At the same time, the C—H and the Si—C bonds of the silicone oil were photo–dissociated because the photon energy of the UV photon is higher than the bonding energies of the C—H and Si—C. The siloxane of the silicone oil was consequently linked with the O2 that had been absorbed on the crystal surface to form SiOn. As a result, the SiO2 film was formed on the KDP crystal surface by the photo–oxidation of silicone oil.

The infrared spectroscopy analysis (ATR-FTIR) was carried out to investigate the modified film. The results showed that as the time of lamp irradiation extended, the absorption peak of the —CH3 groups at 2900 cm−1 decreased, but the absorption peak of the —SiO groups at 1050cm−1 increased. At the lamp irradiation time of 90 minutes, the UV transmittance of the treated silicone oil improved to 88.9 % at the 260 nm, which is the wavelength of the fourth harmonic generation, while that of the untreated silicone oil was 56 %.

The treated and untreated KDP crystals were tested for their waterproofing. The untreated crystal was completely dissolved thirty minutes after soaking in the water, and on the contrary, the KDP crystal with the film coating has neither been dissolved nor gotten cloudy for three months when soaking in water.

The PTFE was modified into hydrophilic with 1/100 of the shots number required to obtain the same contact angle with water by the laser irradiation alone, when irradiating an ArF excimer laser on the sample surface at the moment of applying a 6 kV to the water placed on the PTFE surface to decrease the contact angle with water.

A plasma treatment method is widely used for plastic surface modification, but the hydrophilic property generated by this method fades away soon. On the other hand, we have previously reported that the ArF excimer laser light was applied on a sample surface in the presence of water to substitute hydrophilic groups, which was modified to have a long–lasting hydrophilic property. This method, however, needed 3000 to 10000 shots of the laser irradiation, and it is less economical compared with the plasma processing that requires only one–minute irradiation. There is an electro–wetting method, in which the contact angle with water decreases temporarily when a high voltage is applied between the water and the sample, but the contact angle is restored to its original position when stopping the voltage application.

Thus, we demonstrated the surface modification of PTFE maintaining the hydrophilic property for a long period with only 100 shots, by irradiating the ArF excimer laser on the sample at the moment when the wettability became high by the electro–wetting method. Water was placed in the gap between the silica glass and the PTFE to create a thin liquid layer with capillary phenomenon. A high voltage (6 kV) of direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) was applied on the gap, and the ArF excimer laser was vertically irradiated on the sample surface. The water was photo–dissociated to produce H and OH. At the same time, the C—F bond of the PTFE was also photo–dissociated, and the F atom bonded to the H atom to produce HF. The OH group united with the dangling bond of C, which resulted in modifying the PTFE surface to be hydrophilic.

To evaluate the wettability of the modified sample, the contact angle with water was measured. Improving the contact angle with water from 110 degrees for the untreated sample to 50 degrees for the treated sample had needed 10000 shots at the laser fluence of 5 mJ/cm2. By combined high voltage application and ArF excimer laser irradiation treatments, however, the 50–degree contact angle was yielded with 500 shots, 1/20 of 10000, when applying the DC of 6 kV, and with 100 shots only, 1/100 of 10000, when applying the AC of 6 kV. Moreover, the modified sample was observed for a change in contact angle with passage of time. The contact angle was 60 degrees after applying the high voltage, and 110 degrees when stopped. On the other hand, the sample modified by combined the high voltage application and ArF excimer laser irradiation maintained the 50–degree contact angle for one month after stopping the voltage application.

A highly hydrophilic surface, with a water contact angle smaller than 20 degrees, was rendered to a poly-methylmethacrylate [PMMA] by Xe2 excimer lamplight and plasma treatment. In result, the implant material that was highly biocompatible and adhesive to soft tissue was developed. The PMMA surface, which had been pretreated by ammonia plasma, was irradiated with Xe2 excimer lamplight in the presence of hydrazine as a reaction solution. In order to evaluate the wettability of the modified sample, the contact angle with water was measured. The contact angle was decreased from 83 degrees for untreated PMMA to 60 degrees when irradiated the Xe2 lamplight for 30 minutes. With the ammonia plasma pretreatment, the contact angle of the treated sample became to 7 degrees at the 1 minute Xe2 lamp irradiation.