This study develops a reliable intelligent non-destructive evaluation (NDE) expert system for carbon-carbon (C/C) composites based on thermography, ultrasonic, computed tomography and post processing by means of fuzzy expert system technique. Data features and NDE expert knowledge are seamlessly combined in the intelligent system to provide the best possible diagnosis of the potential defects and problems. As a result, this research help ensure C/C composites' integrity and reliability. Four types of orthotropic aerospace composite material groups, which include 2-D pitched based commercial aircraft disc brakes and asmolds, 3-D PAN based C/C composites, and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) panels, were tested. Based on the performance testing results of thermography, air-coupled ultrasonic, and x-ray computed tomography, the testing data pattern corresponding to feature and quantification of defects were found. This NDE knowledge databases were transformed to fuzzy logic expert system models. The models succeefully classified and indicated the defect's size and distribution and the intelligent systems perform NDE better than human operators. These fuzzy expert systems not only eliminate human errors in defect detection but also function as NDE experts. In addition, fuzzy expert systems improve the defect detection by incorporating fuzzy expert rules to remove noises and to measure defect size more accurately. In the future, the expert system model could be continuously updated and modified to quantify the size and distribution of defects. The systems developed here can be adapted and applied to build an intelligent NDE expert system for better quality control as well as automatic defect and porosity detection in C/C composite production process.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Antarctica is known for its pristine environments. A variety of unsuitable environmental conditions were once thought to render the continent unsuitable for sustaining life. However, metagenomic data have revealed a wealth of species diversity in a range of biotopes.Hypolithons, photosynthetic communities which live under translucent rocks in climatically extreme environments, are an important input source for both carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in this hyperarid desert environment. Microbial contribution to biogeochemical cycling resulting in fixation of both C and N remains poorly understood. Moreover, there is a reported close interplay between both cycles, with nitrogen being reported to be a limiting factor in carbon assimilation.In this study the diversity of C and N fixing organisms was investigated by using the cbbL and nifH genes as phylogenetic and functional markers. High Molecular weight metagenomic DNA and RNA was extracted from hypolithons. PCR amplification was carried out using cbbL (800 bp for red-like, 1,100 bp for green-like) and nifH (360 bp) gene specific primers.Resultant PCR products were used to construct libraries which were screened for correct sized inserts. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) was used to de-replicate clones prior to sequencing. Phylogenetic positions from both clone libraries were established by aligning nucleotide sequences and constructing similarity trees using NJ clustering methods.BLASTn results indicated the presence of previously uncultured organisms which contain cbbL and nifH genes. BLASTn results were characterized by low percentages of maximum identity (typically <95%), a potential indicator of novel taxa. Sequences from respective libraries clustered with cyanobacteria such as Nostoc, Scytonema, and Tolypothrix and α-, β-, and γ-Proteobacteria such as Azotobacter, Agrobacterium and Mesorhizobium. Generally sequence results indicate a largely homogenous, being dominated by specific taxa. Each group may contain potential keystone species, essential for both biogeochemical cycling in oligotrophic environment.

Understanding the drivers of climate change requires knowledge about the global carbon (C) cycle. Although inland waters play an important role in the C cycle by emitting and burying C, streams and lakes are in general overlooked in bottom-up approached C budgets. In this thesis I estimated emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) from all lakes and streams in a 15 km2 subarctic catchment in northern Sweden, and put it in relation to the total catchment C exchange. I show that high-latitude aquatic systems in general and streams in particular are hotspots for C emission to the atmosphere. Annually, the aquatic systems surveyed in this study emitted about 10.8 ± 4.9 g C m-2 yr-1 (ca. 98 % as CO2) which is more than double the amount of the C laterally exported from the catchment. Although the streams only covered about 4% of the total aquatic area they emitted ca. 95% of the total aquatic C emission. For lake emissions, the ice break-ups were the most important annual events, counting for ca. 45% of the emissions. Overall, streams dominated the aquatic CO2 emission in the catchment while lakes dominated CH4 emission, 96 % and 62 % of the totals, respectively. When summing terrestrial and aquatic C fluxes together it showed that the aquatic emissions alone account for approximately two thirds of the total annual catchment C loss. The consequence of not including inland waters in bottom-up derived C budgets is therefore a risk of overestimating the sink capacity of the subarctic landscape. However, aquatic systems can also act as C sinks, by accumulating C in sediment and thereby storing C over geological time frames. Sediment C burial rates were estimated in six lakes from a chronology based on 210Pb dating of multiple sediment cores. The burial rate ranged between 5 - 25 g C m-2 yr-1, which is of the same magnitude as lake C emissions. I show that the emission:burial ratio is about ten times higher in boreal compared to in subarctic-arctic lakes. These results indicate that the balance between lakes C emission and burial is both directly and indirectly dependent on climate. This process will likely result in a future increase of C emissions from high-latitude lakes, while the C burial capacity of these same lakes sediments weaken.

Tato práce se zabývá zpracováním snímků Slunce pořízených kosmickou sondou SDO na různých vlnových délkách a vizualizací výskytu třikrát ionizovaného uhlíku C IV jejich vhodným složením. V práci jsou uvedeny základní informace o Slunci a jeho atmosféře, dále je shrnuta potřebná teorie a možné postupy vizualizace, které jsou následně vyhodnoceny a porovnány. Součástí je i vytvořený program pro snadnou tvorbu snímků vizualizujících uhlík C IV.

O estudo de um testemunho coletado às margens de uma lagoa situada em meio a vegetação de Mata Atlântica no Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira, sul do estado de São Paulo, permitiu a reconstituição da história da vegetação local ao longo dos últimos 2500 anos. Para isso, foram realizadas análises elementares, isotópicas e palinológicas. Também a partir de material retirado deste testemunho procedeu-se a comparação entre dois protocolos de tratamento químico para análises palinológicas do Quaternário. Os protocolos utilizados seguiram as metodologias propostas por Faegri e Iversen, 1989 (Protocolo 2) e por Colinvaux et al., 1999 (Protocolo 1). Foi desenvolvido um método de comparação que envolveu a quantidade de palinomorfos e a quantidade de matéria orgânica amorfa encontrados em 450 pontos escolhidos aleatoriamente em lâminas de ambos os protocolos e também foram levados em consideração o tempo, a praticidade de aplicação em rotina laboratorial, os custos e as quantidades e tipos de resíduos para cada protocolo. Cinco amostras de sedimento foram utilizadas para comparação e o Protocolo 1 apresentou em média 10% menos matéria orgânica amorfa e quase três vezes mais palinomorfos que o Protocolo 2. Os resultados das análises isotópicas e da palinologia mostraram que a vegetação da área em estudo teve uma fisionomia florestal pelo menos desde os últimos 2550 anos. Os valores de \'delta\'13C, em torno de - 29%o, indicaram a presença de plantas C3 em todo o período estudado e registraram um enriquecimento isotópico (-24,9%o) entre aproximadamente 1650 e 1480 anos AP. A análise palinológica apontou para a ocorrência de um clima mais frio que o atual entre 2550 anos AP e 2000 anos AP, com aumento na freqüência de Araucaria e diminuição de Arecaceae. Também foi detectada a ocorrência de um período de clima mais quente e mais úmido entre aproximadamente 1000 anos AP e 680 anos AP, com desaparecimento de Araucaria e aumento de Arecaceae, Weinmannia e de pteridófitas. A maior umidade deste período também é apontada pelos valores de C/N que indicam aumento de influência terrestre no sedimento e pelo aumento de Botryococcus. Em todas as camadas foram encontradas partículas carbonizadas, indicando períodos de ocorrência de paleoincêndios e de abertura florestal provavelmente associados à presença humana na região / One sediment core collected at the margins of a lake surrounded by Atlantic rainforest vegetation at Parque Estadual do Alto Ribeira (PETAR), southern São Paulo state (Brazil), was analyzed, in order to reconstruct the history of the local vegetation over the last 2500 years. Elemental (Total Organic Carbon TOC and Total Organic Nitrogen), isotopic (C and N), pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating were integrated on this work. Also was made a comparison of two protocols for Quaternary pollen chemical treatment. The tested protocols were proposed by Faegri and Iversen, 1989 (Protocol 2) and by Colinvaux et al., 1999 (Protocol 1). The comparison methods developed in this study checked the protocols performance on the quantity of palinomorphs and of organic matter found in 450 random areas of microscope slides of each protocol. The time consuming, laboratory routine, costs and residue production by the protocols were considered for comparison. Five samples were used for comparison and the Protocol 1 showed an average of 10% less organic matter and more palinomorphs than Protocol 2. According to the isotopic and pollen results, the study area vegetation maintained as a forest for the last 2500 years BP. \'delta\'13C values of -29%o indicated the presence of C3 plants during all the sediment study and a isotopic enrichment (- 24,9%o) was observed between 1650 and 1480 yrs BP. Pollen analysis suggested the occurrence of colder climatic conditions between 2550 and 2000 yrs BP and a warmer and humid period was suggested between 1000 and 680 yrs BP. Charcoal particles were found since 2550 yrs BP indicating paleofire probably associated to the human activities

O estudo de um testemunho coletado às margens de uma lagoa situada em meio a vegetação de Mata Atlântica no Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira, sul do estado de São Paulo, permitiu a reconstituição da história da vegetação local ao longo dos últimos 2500 anos. Para isso, foram realizadas análises elementares, isotópicas e palinológicas. Também a partir de material retirado deste testemunho procedeu-se a comparação entre dois protocolos de tratamento químico para análises palinológicas do Quaternário. Os protocolos utilizados seguiram as metodologias propostas por Faegri e Iversen, 1989 (Protocolo 2) e por Colinvaux et al., 1999 (Protocolo 1). Foi desenvolvido um método de comparação que envolveu a quantidade de palinomorfos e a quantidade de matéria orgânica amorfa encontrados em 450 pontos escolhidos aleatoriamente em lâminas de ambos os protocolos e também foram levados em consideração o tempo, a praticidade de aplicação em rotina laboratorial, os custos e as quantidades e tipos de resíduos para cada protocolo. Cinco amostras de sedimento foram utilizadas para comparação e o Protocolo 1 apresentou em média 10% menos matéria orgânica amorfa e quase três vezes mais palinomorfos que o Protocolo 2. Os resultados das análises isotópicas e da palinologia mostraram que a vegetação da área em estudo teve uma fisionomia florestal pelo menos desde os últimos 2550 anos. Os valores de \'delta\'13C, em torno de - 29%o, indicaram a presença de plantas C3 em todo o período estudado e registraram um enriquecimento isotópico (-24,9%o) entre aproximadamente 1650 e 1480 anos AP. A análise palinológica apontou para a ocorrência de um clima mais frio que o atual entre 2550 anos AP e 2000 anos AP, com aumento na freqüência de Araucaria e diminuição de Arecaceae. Também foi detectada a ocorrência de um período de clima mais quente e mais úmido entre aproximadamente 1000 anos AP e 680 anos AP, com desaparecimento de Araucaria e aumento de Arecaceae, Weinmannia e de pteridófitas. A maior umidade deste período também é apontada pelos valores de C/N que indicam aumento de influência terrestre no sedimento e pelo aumento de Botryococcus. Em todas as camadas foram encontradas partículas carbonizadas, indicando períodos de ocorrência de paleoincêndios e de abertura florestal provavelmente associados à presença humana na região / One sediment core collected at the margins of a lake surrounded by Atlantic rainforest vegetation at Parque Estadual do Alto Ribeira (PETAR), southern São Paulo state (Brazil), was analyzed, in order to reconstruct the history of the local vegetation over the last 2500 years. Elemental (Total Organic Carbon TOC and Total Organic Nitrogen), isotopic (C and N), pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating were integrated on this work. Also was made a comparison of two protocols for Quaternary pollen chemical treatment. The tested protocols were proposed by Faegri and Iversen, 1989 (Protocol 2) and by Colinvaux et al., 1999 (Protocol 1). The comparison methods developed in this study checked the protocols performance on the quantity of palinomorphs and of organic matter found in 450 random areas of microscope slides of each protocol. The time consuming, laboratory routine, costs and residue production by the protocols were considered for comparison. Five samples were used for comparison and the Protocol 1 showed an average of 10% less organic matter and more palinomorphs than Protocol 2. According to the isotopic and pollen results, the study area vegetation maintained as a forest for the last 2500 years BP. \'delta\'13C values of -29%o indicated the presence of C3 plants during all the sediment study and a isotopic enrichment (- 24,9%o) was observed between 1650 and 1480 yrs BP. Pollen analysis suggested the occurrence of colder climatic conditions between 2550 and 2000 yrs BP and a warmer and humid period was suggested between 1000 and 680 yrs BP. Charcoal particles were found since 2550 yrs BP indicating paleofire probably associated to the human activities