FSR Systems for Detection of Air Objects Using Cosmic Radio Emissions.

The paper analyses the possibility of Forward Scatter Radar (FSR) systems to detect airplanes using cosmic emission from pulsars and planets (pulsar, Sun, Moon). A suboptimal multichannel algorithm for joint detection and evaluation of the parameters of the forward scattering signal created by an airplane (duration and velocity) is proposed, with preliminary compensation of the powerful direct signal emitted by cosmic sources (pulsar, Sun and Moon). The expressions for calculation of the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) at the input of the detector and the compensator are obtained. The detection characteristics are also obtained, and the requirements for the suppression coefficient of the compensator are evaluated. A methodology for calculating the maximum distance for detecting an aircraft using a described algorithm is proposed. The obtained results show that due to the Forward Scatter (FS) effect, there is the theoretical possibility to detect airplanes at close ranges by FSRs, which use very weak signals from cosmic sources.

Measurement of the horizontal beam emittance of undulator radiation by tandem-double-slit optical system.

A tandem-double-slit optical system was constructed to evaluate the practical beam emittance of undulator radiation. The optical system was a combination of an upstream slit (S1) and downstream slit (S2) aligned on the optical axis with an appropriate separation. The intensity distribution after the double slits, I(x1, x2), was measured by scanning S1 and S2 in the horizontal direction. Coordinates having 1/\sqrt e intensity were extracted from I(x1, x2), whose contour provided the standard deviation ellipse in the x1-x2 space. I(x1, x2) was converted to the corresponding distribution in the phase space, I(x1, x1'). The horizontal beam emittance was evaluated to be 3.1 nm rad, which was larger than the value of 2.4 nm rad estimated by using ray-tracing. It was found that the increase was mainly due to an increase in beam divergence rather than size.

Estimation of Chlorophyll Fluorescence at Different Scales: A Review.

Measuring chlorophyll fluorescence is a direct and non-destructive way to monitor vegetation. In this paper, the fluorescence retrieval methods from multiple scales, ranging from near the ground to the use of space-borne sensors, are analyzed and summarized in detail. At the leaf-scale, the chlorophyll fluorescence is measured using active and passive technology. Active remote sensing technology uses a fluorimeter to measure the chlorophyll fluorescence, and passive remote sensing technology mainly depends on the sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence filling in the Fraunhofer lines or oxygen absorptions bands. Based on these retrieval principles, many retrieval methods have been developed, including the radiance-based methods and the reflectance-based methods near the ground, as well as physically and statistically-based methods that make use of satellite data. The advantages and disadvantages of different approaches for sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence retrieval are compared and the key issues of the current sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence retrieval algorithms are discussed. Finally, conclusions and key problems are proposed for the future research.

Anomalous Fraunhofer Patterns in Gated Josephson Junctions Based on the Bulk-Insulating Topological Insulator BiSbTeSe2.

One-dimensional Majorana modes are predicated to form in Josephson junctions based on three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs). While observations of supercurrents in Josephson junctions made on bulk-insulating TI samples have been reported recently, the Fraunhofer patters observed in such TI-based Josephson junctions, which sometimes present anomalous features, are still not well-understood. Here, we report our study of highly gate-tunable TI-based Josephson junctions made of one of the most bulk-insulating TI materials, BiSbTeSe2, and Al. The Fermi level can be tuned by gating across the Dirac point, and the high transparency of the Al-BiSbTeSe2 interface is evinced by a high characteristic voltage and multiple Andreev reflections, with peak indices reaching 12. Anomalous Fraunhofer patterns with missing lobes were observed in the entire range of gate voltage. We found that, by employing an advanced fitting procedure to use the maximum entropy method in a Monte Carlo algorithm, the anomalous Fraunhofer patterns are explained as a result of inhomogeneous supercurrent distributions on the TI surface in the junction. Besides establishing a highly promising fabrication technology, this work clarifies one of the important open issues regarding TI-based Josephson junctions.

Estimating chlorophyll content and photochemical yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII) using solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence measurements at different growing stages of attached leaves.

This paper illustrates the possibility of measuring chlorophyll (Chl) content and Chl fluorescence parameters by the solar-induced Chl fluorescence (SIF) method using the Fraunhofer line depth (FLD) principle, and compares the results with the standard measurement methods. A high-spectral resolution HR2000+ and an ordinary USB4000 spectrometer were used to measure leaf reflectance under solar and artificial light, respectively, to estimate Chl fluorescence. Using leaves of Capsicum annuum cv. 'Sven' (paprika), the relationships between the Chl content and the steady-state Chl fluorescence near oxygen absorption bands of O2B (686nm) and O2A (760nm), measured under artificial and solar light at different growing stages of leaves, were evaluated. The Chl fluorescence yields of ΦF 686nm/ΦF 760nm ratios obtained from both methods correlated well with the Chl content (steady-state solar light: R(2) = 0.73; artificial light: R(2) = 0.94). The SIF method was less accurate for Chl content estimation when Chl content was high. The steady-state solar-induced Chl fluorescence yield ratio correlated very well with the artificial-light-induced one (R(2) = 0.84). A new methodology is then presented to estimate photochemical yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII) from the SIF measurements, which was verified against the standard Chl fluorescence measurement method (pulse-amplitude modulated method). The high coefficient of determination (R(2) = 0.74) between the ΦPSII of the two methods shows that photosynthesis process parameters can be successfully estimated using the presented methodology.

Local and nonlocal Fraunhofer-like pattern from an edge-stepped topological surface Josephson current distribution.

We report a surface-dominant Josephson effect in superconductor-topological insulator-superconductor (S-TI-S) devices, where a Bi1.5Sb0.5Te1.7Se1.3 (BSTS) crystal flake was adopted as an intervening TI between Al superconducting electrodes. We observed a Fraunhofer-type critical current modulation in a perpendicular magnetic field in an Al-TI-Al junction for both local and nonlocal current biasing. Fraunhofer-type modulation of the differential resistance was also observed in a neighboring Au-TI-Au normal junction when it was nonlocally biased by the Al-TI-Al junction. In all cases, the Fraunhofer-like signal was highly robust to the magnetic field up to the critical field of the Al electrodes, corresponding to the edge-stepped nonuniform supercurrent density arising from the top and rough side surfaces of the BSTS flake, which strongly suggests that the Josephson coupling in a TI is established through the surface conducting channels that are topologically protected.

Numerical reconstruction of an object image using an X-ray dynamical diffraction Fraunhofer hologram.

A numerical method of reconstruction of an object image using an X-ray dynamical diffraction Fraunhofer hologram is presented. Analytical approximation methods and numerical methods of iteration are discussed. An example of a reconstruction of an image of a cylindrical beryllium wire is considered. The results of analytical approximation and zero-order iteration coincide with exact values of the amplitude complex transmission coefficient of the object as predicted by the resolution limit of the scheme, except near the edges of the object. Calculations of the first- and second-order iterations improve the result at the edges of the object. This method can be applied for determination of the complex amplitude transmission coefficient of amplitude as well as phase objects. It can be used in X-ray microscopy.

Object image correction using an X-ray dynamical diffraction Fraunhofer hologram.

Taking into account background correction and using Fourier analysis, a numerical method of an object image correction using an X-ray dynamical diffraction Fraunhofer hologram is presented. An example of the image correction of a cylindrical beryllium wire is considered. A background correction of second-order iteration leads to an almost precise reconstruction of the real part of the amplitude transmission coefficient and improves the imaginary part compared with that without a background correction. Using Fourier analysis of the reconstructed transmission coefficient, non-physical oscillations can be avoided. This method can be applied for the determination of the complex amplitude transmission coefficient of amplitude as well as phase objects, and can be used in X-ray microscopy.

Analytical solutions for irradiance of principal and subsidiary maxima in multiple-slit diffraction.

This paper presents analytical solutions for the irradiance of principal and subsidiary maxima in multiple-slit diffraction with arbitrary slit numbers. By analytically solving the equation for the principal and subsidiary maxima, the irradiance of the principal and subsidiary maxima can be obtained up to the twelfth order in a / d , where a is the width of each slit and d is the separation between two adjacent slits.

Asymmetric Fraunhofer spectra in a topological insulator-based Josephson junction.

Josephson junctions with topological insulators as their weak link (S-TI-S junctions) are predicted to host Majorana fermions, which are key to creating qubits for topologically protected quantum computing. But the details of the S-TI-S current-phase relation and its interplay with magnetic fields are not well understood. We fabricate a Bi2Se3junction with NbTi leads and measure the Fraunhofer patterns of the junction with applied in-plane fields. We observe that asymmetric Fraunhofer patterns appear in the resistance maps ofBzvsBx,y, with aperiodic node spacings. These asymmetric patterns appear even at zero parallel field and for temperatures up to 1 K. The anomalous features are compared to asymmetric Fraunhofer patterns expected for finite Cooper pair momentum shifts as well as geometric effects. We show that the geometric effects can dominate, independent of in-plane field magnitude. These results are important for differentiating geometrical phase shifts from those caused by Cooper pair momentum shifting, Majorana mode signatures, or other unconventional superconducting behavior.

Design of electrostatic phase elements for sorting the orbital angular momentum of electrons.

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) sorter is a new electron optical device for measuring an electron's OAM. It is based on two phase elements, which are referred to as the "unwrapper" and "corrector" and are placed in Fourier-conjugate planes in an electron microscope. The most convenient implementation of this concept is based on the use of electrostatic phase elements, such as a charged needle as the unwrapper and a set of electrodes with alternating charges as the corrector. Here, we use simulations to assess the role of imperfections in such a device, in comparison to an ideal sorter. We show that the finite length of the needle and the boundary conditions introduce astigmatism, which leads to detrimental cross-talk in the OAM spectrum. We demonstrate that an improved setup comprising three charged needles can be used to compensate for this aberration, allowing measurements with a level of cross-talk in the OAM spectrum that is comparable to the ideal case.

Electron holography on Fraunhofer diffraction.

Electron holography in Fraunhofer region was realized by using an asymmetric double slit. A Fraunhofer diffraction wave from a wider slit worked as an objective wave interfered with a plane wave from a narrower slit as a reference wave under the pre-Fraunhofer condition and recorded as a hologram. Here, the pre-Fraunhofer condition means that the following conditions are simultaneously satisfied: single-slit observations are performed under the Fraunhofer condition and the double-slit observations are performed under the Fresnel condition. Amplitude and phase distributions of the Fraunhofer diffraction wave were reconstructed from the hologram by the Fourier transform reconstruction method. The reconstructed amplitude and phase images corresponded to Fraunhofer diffraction patterns; in particular, the phase steps of π at each band pattern in the phase image were confirmed. We hope that the developed Fraunhofer electron holography can be extended to a direct phase detection method in the reciprocal space.

Compensation of Oxygen Transmittance Effects for Proximal Sensing Retrieval of Canopy-Leaving Sun-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence.

Estimates of Sun-Induced vegetation chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) using remote sensing techniques are commonly determined by exploiting solar and/or telluric absorption features. When SIF is retrieved in the strong oxygen (O2) absorption features, atmospheric effects must always be compensated. Whereas correction of atmospheric effects is a standard airborne or satellite data processing step, there is no consensus regarding whether it is required for SIF proximal-sensing measurements nor what is the best strategy to be followed. Thus, by using simulated data, this work provides a comprehensive analysis about how atmospheric effects impact SIF estimations on proximal sensing, regarding: (1) the sensor height above the vegetated canopy; (2) the SIF retrieval technique used, e.g., Fraunhofer Line Discriminator (FLD) family or Spectral Fitting Methods (SFM); and (3) the instrument's spectral resolution. We demonstrate that for proximal-sensing scenarios compensating for atmospheric effects by simply introducing the O2 transmittance function into the FLD or SFM formulations improves SIF estimations. However, these simplistic corrections still lead to inaccurate SIF estimations due to the multiplication of spectrally convolved atmospheric transfer functions with absorption features. Consequently, a more rigorous oxygen compensation strategy is proposed and assessed by following a classic airborne atmospheric correction scheme adapted to proximal sensing. This approach allows compensating for the O2 absorption effects and, at the same time, convolving the high spectral resolution data according to the corresponding Instrumental Spectral Response Function (ISRF) through the use of an atmospheric radiative transfer model. Finally, due to the key role of O2 absorption on the evaluated proximal-sensing SIF retrieval strategies, its dependency on surface pressure (p) and air temperature (T) was also assessed. As an example, we combined simulated spectral data with p and T measurements obtained for a one-year period in the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station in Finland. Of importance hereby is that seasonal dynamics in terms of T and p, if not appropriately considered as part of the retrieval strategy, can result in erroneous SIF seasonal trends that mimic those of known dynamics for temperature-dependent physiological responses of vegetation.

Generation of electron vortex beams using line charges via the electrostatic Aharonov-Bohm effect.

It has recently been shown that an electron vortex beam can be generated by the magnetic field surrounding the tip of a dipole-like magnet. This approach can be described using the magnetic Aharonov-Bohm effect and is associated with the fact that the end of a long magnetic rod can be treated approximately as a magnetic monopole. However, it is difficult to vary the magnetisation of the rod in such a setup and the electron beam vorticity is fixed for a given tip shape. Here, we show how a similar behaviour, which has the advantage of easy tuneability, can be achieved by making use of the electrostatic Aharonov-Bohm effect associated with an electrostatic dipole line. We highlight the analogies between the magnetic and electrostatic cases and use simulations of in-focus, Fresnel and Fraunhofer images to show that a device based on two parallel, oppositely charged lines that each have a constant charge density can be used to generate a tuneable electron vortex beam. We assess the effect of using a dipole line that has a finite length and show that if the charge densities on the two lines are different then an additional biprism-like effect is superimposed on the electron-optical phase.

Fraunhofer Diffraction Effects on Total Power for a Planckian Source.

An algorithm for computing diffraction effects on total power in the case of Fraunhofer diffraction by a circular lens or aperture is derived. The result for Fraunhofer diffraction of monochromatic radiation is well known, and this work reports the result for radiation from a Planckian source. The result obtained is valid at all temperatures.

Fast and accurate propagation of coherent light.

We describe a fast algorithm to propagate, for any user-specified accuracy, a time-harmonic electromagnetic field between two parallel planes separated by a linear, isotropic and homogeneous medium. The analytical formulation of this problem (ca 1897) requires the evaluation of the so-called Rayleigh-Sommerfeld integral. If the distance between the planes is small, this integral can be accurately evaluated in the Fourier domain; if the distance is very large, it can be accurately approximated by asymptotic methods. In the large intermediate region of practical interest, where the oscillatory Rayleigh-Sommerfeld kernel must be applied directly, current numerical methods can be highly inaccurate without indicating this fact to the user. In our approach, for any user-specified accuracy ϵ>0, we approximate the kernel by a short sum of Gaussians with complex-valued exponents, and then efficiently apply the result to the input data using the unequally spaced fast Fourier transform. The resulting algorithm has computational complexity [Formula: see text], where we evaluate the solution on an N×N grid of output points given an M×M grid of input samples. Our algorithm maintains its accuracy throughout the computational domain.