Si on excepte le pôle fayalite, les propriétés élastiques des olivines (Fe,Mg)2SiO4 riches en fer n'ont pratiquement pas été étudiées malgré leur existence avérée sur Terre et sur Mars. Le but de cette thèse est donc d'étudier l'évolution des propriétés élastiques en fonction de la teneur en fer des olivines. Des agrégats polycristallins à grains fins ont été densifiés à l'aide de la technique de frittage flash (SPS) pour quatre compositions différentes (Fa44, Fa63, Fa81 and Fa100) à partir de poudre nanométriques d'oxydes synthétisées en atmosphère contrôlée. Les échantillons ont été étudiés jusqu'à des pressions de 6,4 GPa sur la presse DIA de la ligne X17B2 du National Synchrotron Light Source au Brookhaven National Laboratory. Les volumes de maille des échantillons et du NaCl (pour la calibration en pression) ont été déterminés par diffraction des rayons X afin de calculer le module de compressibilité isotherme (KT0) à l'aide de l'équation d'état de Birch-Murnaghan. Malgré nos efforts pour obtenir une pression hydrostatique, nous observons une importante contrainte déviatorique dans toutes les expériences. Grâce au réseau de 10 détecteurs de la ligne expérimentale et à la méthode de Singh (1993), nous avons tenté de corriger les valeurs de distance interréticulaire des effets de la contrainte déviatorique. Les données corrigées ne sont toutefois pas suffisantes pour déterminer une valeur de la dérivée en pression K'. Elle nous permettent cependant de proposer, en lien avec les valeurs de la littérature, un évolution de KT0 en deux palier : les compositions proches des pôles purs auraient des valeurs constantes de ~128 GPa pour les olivines riches en Mg et de ~135 GPa pour les olivines riches en Fe, alors que la valeur augmenterait rapidement d'un palier à l'autre entre Fa50 and Fa70. Pour les échantillons Fa81 et Fa100, nous avons également effectué des mesures à l'aide d'interférométrie ultrason combinée à de l'imagerie en rayons X. Les modules de compressibilité adiabatique (KS0) et de cisaillement (G) ont été calculés à partir des vitesse de propagation des ondes P et S. Les valeurs obtenues une fois les valeurs converties en KT0 sont significativement plus basses que les valeurs de diffraction des rayons X. Par contre, les valeurs de G s'accordent bien avec l'évolution linéaire en fonction de la teneur en fer des olivines proposée par Liu et al. (2005). / Except for the fayalite end-member, elastic properties of iron-rich olivine (Fe,Mg)2SiO4 have never been fully studied despite their aknowledged natural existence on Earth and Mars. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate on the evolution of elastic properties with regard to the iron content of olivines. Fine-grained polycrystalline aggregates of four different compositions (Fa44, Fa63, Fa81 and Fa100) were sintered by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) from nano-powder olivines synthesised under controlled atmosphere. These samples were then studied at pressures up to 6,4 GPa using the DIA press at X17B2 beamline of the late National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Unit cell of the samples and NaCl pressure calibrant were determined using X-ray diffraction and used to calculate the isothermal bulk modulus (KT0) by fitting to a Birch-Murnaghan equation of state. Despite our best efforts to apply a hydrostatic pressure on the sample, a high level of deviatoric stress was observed in every experiment. Correction for the deviatoric stress on the d-spacing data was applied using the 10 detectors setup of the beamline and the calculations from Singh (1993) but is not sufficient to calculate a precise pressure derivative K'. These corrected data combined with literature allow us to propose a two level evolution of KT0, with constant values of ~128 GPa for the Mg-rich olivines and ~135 GPa for the Fe-rich olivines, connected by a quick raise between Fa50 and Fa70. In addition, we conducted ultrasonic interferometric measurements combined with X-ray imaging on the Fa81 and Fa100 samples. The adiabatic bulk modulus (KS0) and shear modulus (G) were calculated from compression and shear wave velocities. When converted into KT0, KS0 values are significantly lower than the X-ray diffraction ones. On the opposite, G values are in good agreement with the linear evolution with iron content of olivines calculated by Liu et al. (2005).

This report collects selected outstanding scientific and technological results obtained within the frame of the European project "FLASiC" (Flash LAmp Supported Deposition of 3C-SiC) but also other work performed in adjacent fields. Goal of the project was the production of large-area epitaxial 3C-SiC layers grown on Si, where in an early stage of SiC deposition the SiC/Si interface is rigorously improved by energetic electromagnetic radiation from purpose-built flash lamp equipment developed at Forschungszentrum Rossendorf. Background of this work is the challenging task for areas like microelectronics, biotechnology, or biomedicine to meet the growing demands for high-quality electronic sensors to work at high temperatures and under extreme environmental conditions. First results in continuation of the project work – for example, the deposition of the topical semiconductor material zinc oxide (ZnO) on epitaxial 3C-SiC/Si layers – are reported too.

This study was conducted at the mountainous catchment part of Batinah Region of the Sultanate of Oman called Al-Awabi watershed which is about 260km2 in area with about 40 Km long Wadi main channel. The study paper presents a proposed modeling approach and possible scenario analysis which uses 1D - hydraulic modeling for flood routing analysis; and the main tasks of this study work are (1) Model setup for Al-Awabi watershed area, (2) Sensitivity Analysis, and (3) Scenario Analysis on impacts of rainfall characteristics and transmission losses. The model was set for the lower 24 Km long of Al-Awabi main channel (Figure 13). Channel cross-sections were the main input to the 1D-Hydraulic Model used for the analysis of flash flood routing of the Al-Awabi watershed. As field measurements of the Wadi channel cross-sections are labor intensive and expensive activities, availability of measured channel cross-sections is barely found in this study area region of Batinah, Oman; thereby making it difficult to simulate the flood water level and discharge using MIKE 11 HD. Hence, a methodology for extracting the channel cross-sections from ASTER DEM (27mX27m) and Google Earth map were used in this study area. The performance of the model setup was assessed so as to simulate the flash flood routing analysis at different cross-sections of the modeled reach. And from this study, although there were major gap and problems in data as well as in the prevailing topography, slope and other Hydro Dynamic parameters, it was concluded that the 1D-Hydraulic Modelling utilized for flood routing analysis work can be applied for the Al-Awabi watershed. And from the simulated model results, it was observed that the model was sensitive to the type of Boundary Condition chosen and taken, channel cross sections and its roughness coefficient utilized throughout the model reach.

Le CEA travaille sur des matériaux poreux - alvéolaires, composites, céramiques, etc. - et cherche à optimiser leurs propriétés pour des utilisations spécifiques. Ces matériaux, souvent composés de plusieurs constituants, ont en général une structure complexe avec une taille de pores de quelques dizaines de microns. Ils sont mis en oeuvre dans des systèmes de grande échelle, supérieure à leurs propres échelles caractéristiques, dans lesquels on les considère comme équivalents à des milieux homogènes, sans prendre en compte sa microstructure locale, pour simuler leur comportement dans leur environnement d'utilisation.Nous nous intéressons donc à la caractérisation des propriétés thermiques effectives de matériaux à microstructure hétérogène en cherchant à déterminer par méthode inverse en fonction de la température la diffusivité thermique qu'ils auraient s'ils étaient homogènes.L'identification de la diffusivité de matériaux poreux et/ou semi-transparents est rendue difficile par le couplage conducto-radiatif fort qui peut se développer rapidement dans ces milieux avec une augmentation de la température. Nous avons donc modélisé le transfert de chaleur couplé conducto-radiatif en fonction de la température au sein de matériaux poreux multiconstituants à partir de leur microstructure numérisée en voxels. Notre démarche consiste à nous appuyer sur la microstructure 3D obtenue par tomographie. Ces microstructures servent de support numérique à cette modélisation qui permet d'une part de simuler tout type d'expériences thermiques numériques - en particulier la méthode flash dont les résultats nous permettent de déduire la diffusivité thermique -, et d'autre part de reproduire le comportement thermique de ces échantillons dans leur condition d'utilisation.

Artificial photosynthesis is often considered to have great potential to provide alternative, renewable fuels by harvesting, conversion and storage of solar energy. One promising approach is the development of modular molecular photocatalysts inspired by natural photosynthetic enzymes. The first part of this thesis deals with artificial mimics of the water oxidizing photosystem II composed of a chromophore and an electron relay as synthetic counterpart of the P680-TyrZ/His190 ensemble of photosystem II. Three ruthenium polypyridyl - imidazole - phenol complexes with varying position of a methyl group on the phenol ring (Ru-xMe) were synthesized and characterized by electrochemical and photophysical methods. As an improvement compared to earlier complexes the increased redox potential (~0.9 V vs. Ferrocene) of the phenol groups makes their function as an electron relay in a photocatalytic system for water oxidation thermodynamically possible. Time-resolved absorption studies revealed fast intramolecular electron transfer (<5-10 µs in aprotic solvent and <100 ns in water) despite the low driving force and the importance of the hydrogen bond between the phenol and the imidazole group was put in evidence. Slight differences between the three Ru-xMe complexes and investigation of the effect of external bases allowed to derive a mechanistic picture in which the imidazole is involved in a "proton domino" reaction. Accepting the phenolic proton upon ligand oxidation (within the H-bond) renders its second nitrogen site more acidic and only deprotonation of this site pulls the overall equilibrium completely towards oxidation of the ligand. Another part of this thesis comprises a chromophore-tryptophan construct synthesized using a click chemistry approach. Light-induced oxidation of Trp in this Ru-tryptophan complex was shown to follow ETPT mechanism. Depending on the pH conditions tryptophan radicals, either Trp* or TrpH*⁺ were detected and spectral measurement at different time showed the transition between the two forms. Deprotonation of the radical was dependent on the concentration of water as proton acceptor. Later part of the thesis deals with efforts to covalently bind a catalytic unit to the previously characterized chromophore-electron relay module. The click chemistry approach was not successful to obtain the final photocatalytic assembly. Therefore bimolecular activation of a Mn salen catalyst was performed and formation of Mn(IV) species was observed. As a step towards utilization of these types of photocatalysts in a photoelectrochemical cell a [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ chromophore with phosphonate anchoring groups (Ru-Phosphonate) was synthesized and grafted on the surface of a TiO₂ mesoporous semiconductor surface anode to perform photocurrent measurements.

The rapid increase in the demand on fresh water due the increase in the world population and scarcity of natural water puts more stress on the desalination industrial sector to install more desalination plants around the world. Among these desalination plants, multistage flash desalination process (MSF) is considered to be the most reliable technique of producing potable water from saline water. In recent years, however, the MSF process is confronting many problems to cut off the cost and increase its performance. Among these problems are the non-condensable gases (NCGs) and the accumulation of fouling which they work as heat insulation materials. As a result, the MSF pumps and the heat transfer equipment are overdesigned and consequently increase the capital cost and decrease the performance of the plants. Moreover, improved process control is a cost effective approach to energy conservation and increased process profitability. Thus, this study is motivated by the real absence of detailed kinetic fouling model and implementation of advance process control (APC). To accomplish the above tasks, commercial modelling tools can be utilized to model and simulate MSF process taking into account the NCGs and fouling effect, and optimum control strategy. In this research, gPROMS (general PROcess Modeling System) model builder has been used to develop the MSF process model. First, a dynamic mathematical model of MSF is developed based on the basic laws of mass balance, energy balance and heat transfer. Physical and thermodynamic properties of brine, distillate and water vapour are included to support the model. The model simulation results are validated against actual plant data published in the literature and good agreement with these data is obtained. Second, the design of venting system in MSF plant and the effect of NCGs on the overall heat transfer coefficient (OHTC) are studied. The release rate of NCGs is studied using Henry’s law and the locations of venting points are optimised. The results reveal that high concentration of NCGs heavily affects the OHTC. Furthermore, advance control strategy namely: generic model control (GMC) is designed and introduced to the MSF process to control and track the set points of the two most important variables in the MSF plant; namely the Top Brine Temperature (TBT) which is the output temperature of the brine heater and the Brine Level (BL) in the last stage. The results are compared to conventional Proportional Integral Derivative Controller (PID) and show that GMC controller provides better performance over conventional PID controller to handle a nonlinear system. In addition, a new control strategy called hybrid Fuzzy-GMC is developed and implemented to control the same aforementioned loops. Its results reveal that the new control outperforms the pure GMC in some areas. Finally, a dynamic fouling model is developed and incorporated into the MSF dynamic process model to predict fouling at high temperature and high velocity. The proposed dynamic model considers the attachment and removal mechanisms of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide with more relaxation of the assumptions. Since the MSF plant stages work as a series of heat exchangers, there is a continuous change of temperature, heat flux and salinity of the seawater. The proposed model predicts the behaviour of fouling based on the physical and thermal conditions of every single stage of the plant.

Traditionally, connection management applications (referred to as patchbays) for high-speed audio networking, are predominantly developed using third-generation languages such as C, C# and C++. Due to the rapid increase in distributed audio/video network usage in the world today, connection management applications that control signal routing over these networks have also evolved in complexity to accommodate more functionality. As the result, high-speed audio networking application developers require a tool that will enable them to develop complex connection management applications easily and within the shortest possible time. In addition, this tool should provide them with the reliability and flexibility required to develop applications controlling signal routing in networks carrying real-time data. High-speed audio networks are used for various purposes that include audio/video production and broadcasting. This investigation evaluates the possibility of using Adobe Flash Professional 8, using ActionScript 2.0, for developing connection management applications. Three patchbays, namely the Broadcast patchbay, the Project studio patchbay, and the Hospitality/Convention Centre patchbay were developed and tested for connection management in three sound installation networks, namely the Broadcast network, the Project studio network, and the Hospitality/Convention Centre network. Findings indicate that complex connection management applications can effectively be implemented using the Adobe Flash IDE and ActionScript 2.0.

This dissertation critically appraises some ofChauke's literary works within a semiotic approach especially in terms of colours of the spectrwn. In this study the spectrum is reganled as a replica or symbol of man's various filcets of Jife. Analyses of the representations of "Life is a Spectrum" have been made in tenns of psychological and symbolic &.cets. Cbauke's narrative s1yle in delineating characters and milieus sketching received attention in the discussion. The cunent scenario in education and politics as well as socio-economic issues have also been dealt with. This study has revealed that Chauke is an author who dmws readers very close to his works that serve as mirrors of their lives. It bas been established that Chauke is an outstanding writer who uses real situations and events that are relevant to people•s life in this contempotaty situation. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

Vertical transmission of HIV is still a growing concern in South Africa. Breastfed infants are still at risk as HIV is present in breast milk, leaving HIV-positive mothers unsure of the best feeding option for their infants. However, there are various infant feeding techniques that HIV-positive mothers can use to supplement breastfeeding and flash-heat is one of them. Flash-heat is heat treating expressed breast milk to deactivate HIV for infant feeding. This study explored the possibility of HIV-positive mothers to practice flash-heating method for their infants exclusively for four months as a strategy to prevent vertical transmission of HIV. A descriptive, explorative and contextual design using a mixed method was used to obtain data from mothers in a post natal ward at Tembisa hospital. The mixed method used was useful in identifying the number of HIV-positive mothers who would adopt the flash-heat technique, the characteristics of mothers whom the technique could be promoted to, the factors that influence/affect the choice of infant feeding for these mothers, as well as their feelings associated with the feeding technique. Most (74%) mothers had a positive response to the flash-heat technique compared to 10% who were uncertain. They believed that heat treating their breast milk would result in their infants being HIV-free. In addition they believed that this method was cheaper than formula feeding and expressed positive feelings about touching their breast milk while expressing with no adverse feelings of expressing into a glass jar. Furthermore, findings of this study indicated that HIV-positive mothers in a public health facility would adopt flash-heat as an alternative infant feeding method. Thus practical guidelines to promote this feeding method were proposed. The proposed draft guidelines which promote the use of the flash-heat infant feeding method for HIV-positive mothers in public sector facilities will be communicated to relevant authorities such as the National Department of Health. These guidelines support the new policy shift to exclusive breastfeeding as a child survival strategy in South Africa. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Este trabalho centra-se na importância da figura do rei do Congo, que têm, neste enfoque específico, sua origem na instituição sociopolítica africana no Reino do Congo, já existente na África, pela constituição de reinos ou impérios, antes da chegada dos portugueses, sendo a figura deste rei introduzida na metrópole portuguesa, por volta do século XV, por uma formulação teatral de uma embaixada congolesa. Neste contexto, tinham por atores a comunidade africana reunida em Lisboa, à volta da Confraria de Nossa Senhora do Rosário, que possuía o beneplácito das autoridades. A documentação, embora rara nos séculos XVI e XVII, aparecem com freqüência no século XVIII e, já então simultaneamente em Portugal e no Brasil, sendo esta reprodução teatral inserida pela autoridade da Igreja Católica como a instituição que legitima o poder deste rei. Esta figura chega em território brasileiro como elemento de mediação e controle entre as autoridades locais e os africanos e, é no interior da Igreja Católica, com as irmandades, que a figura do rei do Congo ocupa seu novo cenário de ação, até o século XIX. No século XX, com novo perfil dual, entre o sagrado e o profano, transita a representação da figura do rei do Congo, em um artifício de sustentação de uma cultura identitária, para o maracatu-nação tradicional, sendo os terreiros de xangô pernambucano ou candomblé sua instância de fixação no espaço do sagrado. Na atualidade, em pleno século XXI, a figura do rei tem como significado, para além da esfera religiosa, a interação cultural afro-pernambucana e o retorno a teatralidade como função simbólica da valorização às origens africanas. Esta pesquisa busca analisar através do conceito de plausibilidade social de Peter Berger, a idéia de que a realidade é construção social, a partir das representações e desdobramentos da figura do rei do Congo, em primeira instância como uma figura idealizada, depois como elemento de controle e, após 1888, transitando da esfera do sagrado dos xangôs pernambucanos, para a corte do maracatu-nação. Neste sentido, buscamos trazer à luz, o contexto do sagrado ancorado em Mircea Eliade, que possibilita traduzir a história da hierofania do rei do Congo, na construção e na trajetória por diferentes espaços do sagrado. Palavras-chave: maracatu-nação tradicional, cultura negra, afro-brasileiro, sagrado, rei. / This assignment concentrates on the importance of the figure of the king of Congo, that has, on this specific focus, its origin in the African socio-political institution in the kingdom of Congo, already existing in Africa, by the constitution of kingdoms and empires, before the arrival of the Portuguese, being the figure of this king introduced in the Portuguese metropolis around the XV century by a theatrical formulation from a Congolese embassy. In this context they had the African communities gathered in Lisbon as actors, around the confraternity of Our Lady of the Rosary that had the athorities approval. The documentation, although rare in the XVI and XVII centuries, often appeared in the XVIII century, and even then simultaneously in Portugal and in Brazil, being this theatrical reproduction inserted by the authority of the Catholic Church as the institution that legitimates the power of this king. This figure arrives in the Brazilian territory as a mediation and control element among the local authorities and the Africans, and it is inside the Catholic Church, with the brotherhoods, that the figure of the king of Congo occupies its first action scenery until the XIX century. In the XX century, with a new dual profile between the sacred and the profane, transits the representation of the king of Congo in a sustentation artifice of an identity culture for the maracatu-nação tradicional, being the Pernambucan xangô or candomblé location of fetichism its fixation instance in the sacred space. Nowadays, right in th XXI century, the figure of the king as its meaning, beyond the religious sphere, the Afro-Pernambucan cultural interaction and the return of theatricality as a symbolic function of the valorization of the African origins. This research ties and analyses, through Peter Bergers concept of social plausibility the idea that reality is a social construction from the representations and the unfoldings of the figure of the king of Congo, in its first instance as an idealized figure, afterwards as a control element, and after 1888, transiting from the sacred sphere of the Pernambucan sangô to the court of maracatu-nação tradicional. In this sense, we try to bring to light the concept of sacred anchore on Mircea Eliade, that makes it possible to translate the history of hierophany of the king of Congo, in the construction and in the trajectory through different spaces of the sacred.