III-V nanostructures have attracted substantial research effort due to their interesting physical properties and their applications in new generation of ultrafast and high efficiency nanoscale electronic and photonic components. The advances in nanofabrication methods including growth/synthesis have opened up new possibilities of realizing one dimensional (1D) nanostructures as building blocks of future nanoscale devices. For processing of semiconductor nanostructure devices, simplicity, cost effectiveness, and device efficiency are key factors. A number of methods are being pursued to fabricate high quality III-V nanopillar/nanowires, quantum dots and nano disks. Further, high optical quality nanostructures in these materials together with precise control of shapes, sizes and array geometries make them attractive for a wide range of optoelectronic/photonic devices. This thesis work is focused on top-down approaches for fabrication of high optical quality nanostructures in III-V materials. Dense and uniform arrays of nanopillars are fabricated by dry etching using self-assembly of colloidal SiO2 particles for masking. The physico-chemistry of etching and the effect of etch-mask parameters are investigated to control the shape, aspect ratios and spatial coverage of the nanopillar arrays. The optimization of etch parameters and the utilization of erosion of etch masks is evaluated to obtain desired pillar shapes from cylindrical to conical. Using this fabrication method, high quality nanopillar arrays were realized in several InP-based and GaAs-based structures, including quantum wells and multilayer heterostructures. Optical properties of these pillars are investigated using different optical spectroscopic techniques. These nanopillars, single and in arrays, show excellent photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature and the measured PL line-widths are comparable to the as-grown wafer, indicating the high quality of the fabricated nanostructures. The substrate-free InP nanopillars have carrier life times similar to reference epitaxial layers, yet an another indicator of high material quality. InGaAs layer, beneath the pillars is shown to provide several useful functions. It effectively blocks the PL from the InP substrate, serves as a sacrificial layer for generation of free pillars, and as a “detector” in cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements. Diffusion lengths independently determined by time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) and CL measurements are consistent, and carrier feeding to low bandgap InGaAs layer is evidenced by CL data. Total reflectivity measurements show that nanopillar arrays provide broadband antireflection making them good candidates for photovoltaic applications.  A novel post etch, sulfur-oleylamine (S-OA) based chemical process is developed to etch III-V materials with monolayer precision, in an inverse epitaxial manner along with simultaneous surface passivation. The process is applied to push the limits of top-down fabrication and InP-based high optical quality nanowires with aspect ratios more than 50, and nanostructures with new topologies (nanowire meshes and in-plane wires) are demonstrated.  The optimized process technique is used to fabricate nanopillars in InP-based multilayers (InP/InGaAsP/InP and InP/InGaAs/InP). Such multilayer nanopillars are not only attractive for broad-band absorption in solar cells, but are also ideal to generate high optical quality nanodisks of these materials. Finally, the utility of a soft stamping technique to transfer free nanopillars/wires and nanodisks onto Si substrate is demonstrated. These nanostructures transferred onto Si with controlled densities, from low to high, could provide a new route for material integration on Si. / <p>QC 20130205</p>

Par une approche analytique, cette étude en éthique clinique a examiné la problématique de la demande d’assistance médicalisée pour mourir formulée dans le cadre des soins de fin de vie. Partant du fait que cette demande sollicite les soignants dans leur savoir et leur savoir-faire, surtout dans leur savoir-être, cette étude rend d’abord compte d’un fait : bon gré mal gré l’interdit de l’euthanasie par la loi et la déontologie médicale, ainsi que le débat contradictoire à son sujet qui dure déjà voici quelques décennies, il arrive de temps à autres que les soignants œuvrant en soins de fin de vie, soient confrontés à une demande d’assistance médicalisée pour mourir. Cette demande qui émane de certaines personnes en fin de vie et / ou de leurs proches, est souvent source de malaise pour les soignants à l’endroit de qui elle crée des défis majeurs et fait naître des dilemmes éthiques importants. Plus particulièrement, cette demande interroge toujours la finalité même des soins de fin de vie : est-ce que l’aide pour mourir fait partie de ces soins ? En réponse à cette question difficile, cette démarche réflexive de soignant chercheur en éthique montre qu’il est difficile de donner une réponse binaire en forme de oui / non ; il est difficile de donner une réponse d’application universalisable, et de définir une généralisable conduite à tenir devant une telle demande, car chaque cas est singulier et unique à son genre. Cette étude montre prioritairement que l’humanisation de la mort est à la fois un enjeu éthique important et un défi majeur pour notre société où la vie des individus est médicalisée de la naissance à la mort. En conséquence, parce que la demande d’assistance médicalisée pour mourir sollicite les soignants dans leur savoir et leur savoir-faire, cette étude montre toute l’importance de la réflexivité et de la créativité que doivent développer les soignants pour apporter une réponse constructive à chaque demande : une réponse humanisant le mourir et la mort elle-même, c’est-à-dire une réponse qui soit, sur le plan éthique, raisonnable et cohérente, une réponse qui soit sur le plan humain, porteuse de sens. D’où, outre l’axiologie, cette démarche réflexive montre que l’interdisciplinarité, la sémantique, l’herméneutique et les grilles d’analyse en éthique, constituent des outils réflexifs efficaces pouvant mieux aider les soignants dans leur démarche. Sur quelles bases éthiques, les soignants doivent-ils examiner une demande d’assistance médicalisée pour mourir, demande qui se présente toujours sous la forme d’un dilemme éthique? Cette question renvoie entre autre au fait que cette demande sollicite profondément les soignants dans leur savoir-être en relation des soins de fin de vie. Aussi bonnes les unes que les autres, qu’on soit pour ou contre l’euthanasie, plusieurs stratégies et méthodes d’analyse sont proposées aux soignants pour la résolution des conflits des valeurs et des dilemmes éthiques. Mais, ce n’est pas sur cette voie-là que cette étude invite les soignants. C’est plutôt par leur réflexivité et leur créativité, enrichies principalement par leur humanisme, leur expérience de vie, leur intuition, et secondairement par les différentes méthodes d’analyse, que selon chaque contexte, les soignants par le souci permanent de bien faire qui les caractérisent, trouveront toujours par eux-mêmes ce qui convient de faire dans l’ici et maintenant de chaque demande. C’est pourquoi, devant une demande d’assistance médicalisée pour mourir qui leur est adressée dans le cadre des soins de fin de vie, cette démarche éthique invite donc les soignants à être « des cliniciens créatifs, des praticiens réflexifs» . C’est pour cette raison, sur le plan proprement dit de la réflexion éthique, cette étude fait apparaître les repères de l’éthique humaniste de fin de vie comme bases axiologiques sur lesquels les soignants peuvent construire une démarche crédible pour répondre au mieux à cette demande. L’éthique humaniste de fin de vie située dans le sillage de l’humanisme médical , où l’humain précède le médical, renvoie au fait qu’en soins de fin de vie où émerge une demande d’aide à la mort, entre le demandeur de cette aide et le soignant, tout doit être basé sur une confiante relation d’homme à homme, même si du côté du soignant, son savoir être dans cette relation est aussi enrichi par sa compétence, ses connaissances et son expérience ou son savoir-faire. Basée sur l’humanité du soignant dans la démarche de soins, l’éthique humaniste de fin de vie en tant que pratique réflexive émerge de la créativité éthique du soignant lui-même et de l’équipe autour de lui ; et cette éthique se situe entre interrogation et transgression, et se définit comme une éthique « du vide-de-sens-à-remplir » dans un profond souci humain de bien faire. Car, exclue l’indifférence à la demande de l’assistance médicalisée pour mourir, son acceptation ou son refus par le soignant, doit porter sur l’humanisation de la mort. Cette dernière étant fondamentalement définie par rapport à ce qui déshumanise la fin de vie. / In an analytical approach, this clinical ethics study analyzes the issue of medical assistance request in dying in the context of end-of-life care. Runner of the fact that this request seeks the healthcare professionals in their knowledge and their know-how as well as in their knowledge-being in relation of the end-of-life care, this study gives first account of a fact: like it or not the prohibition of voluntary euthanasia by law and ethics, and the controversial debate about it in the last few decades, healthcare professionals involved in end-of-life care every so often are faced with a request of medical assistance to die. The request from some dying patients and / or their relatives often causes discomfort for the healthcare professionals to the point that it creates challenges and raises significant ethical dilemmas. Specifically, this request always challenges the very purpose of end-of-life care: Is medical assistance to dying part of the end-of-life care? In response to this difficult question, my reflexive ethics as medical researcher shows that: it is difficult to give a binary response yes / no. It is difficult to answer by a universalized application and define a generalized course of action, because each case is singular and unique to its kind. Accordingly, this study demonstrates the importance of reflexivity and creativity to be developed by the healthcare professionals to respond constructively to every request: a response humanizing dying and death itself. Hence, because the request of the assistance provided with medical care to die seeks the healthcare professionals in their knowledge and their know-how, in addition to axiology, this reflexive approach shows that interdisciplinarity, semantics, hermeneutics and analysis grids in ethics are effective reflexive tools that can better assist healthcare professionals in their approach. On what ethical basis, the healthcare professionals have to consider a request of medical assistance to dying, request that always presents itself as an ethical dilemma? This question sends back among others to the fact that this request seeks the healthcare professionals in their knowledge-being in relation of the end of life care. Several strategies and analysis methods, all equally good, are available to healthcare professionals for the resolution of ethical dilemmas. However, this is not the perspective this study invites healthcare professionals to discuss. Rather, it is through their reflexivity and creativity, enriched mainly by their humanity, life experience, intuition, and secondly helped by the different methods, that, according to each context, healthcare professionals in their ongoing effort to do right, that characterizes them, always find by themselves what is best to do here and now for each request. That is why, in front of a request of the assistance provided with medical care to die which is sent to them within the framework of the care of the end of life, this ethical approach thus invites the healthcare professionals to be “creative clinicians, reflexive practitioners " . Also, that is why, in terms of ethical reflection, this study exposes the framework of the humanistic ethics in end-of-life issues as axiological foundations on which health care providers can build their approach to best meet the request of medical assistance to die that they may receive in the context of end-of-life care. The humanistic ethics in end-of-life issues studied in the context of medical humanism , in which human precedes medical, refers to the fact that end-of-life care from which emerges a request for assisted death, between the one requesting such an assistance and the healthcare professional, everything must be based on a trusting human relationship between two persons, even if on the healthcare professional’s side, his personal and practical skills in this relationship are also enriched by his competence, knowledge and experience. Based on the humanity of the healthcare professionals in the medical process, humanistic ethics of end of life as a reflexive practice emerges from the ethical creativity of the healthcare professional himself and the team around him. This ethics is between query and transgression, and is defined as an ethics "vide-de-sens-à-remplir" in a deep human desire to do right. For, excluding indifference towards the request of medical assistance to dying, its acceptance or its rejection by the healthcare professionals must be a reasoned response and meaningful to the person who makes the request, whoever he may be, the dying patient or his relatives, and for the caregiver himself.

Tunneling phenomenon has been studied since the time of Sir Isaac Newton. In the case of neutron tunneling phenomenon, it is the quantum mechanics wave-particle duality which manifests itself. In this case, particularly, the neutron wave-packet under total reflection condition suffers the so-called frustrated total reflection as known in standard optics. More accurately, this tunneling phenomenon shows itself via sharp dips in the plateau of total reflection. The prerequisite to observe such quantum mechanics phenomenon lies within a thin film Fabry-Perot resonator configuration. This thin film Fabry-Perot resonator geometry consists of two reflecting mirrors separated by a transparent material from a neutron optics viewpoint. In view of the specific neutron scattering properties related to the spin of the neutron wave-packet. As a direct proof, isotopic nickel based thin films Fabry-Perot resonator have been fabricated by depositing thin film of nickel by ion beam sputtering. The vacuum chamber was pumped down to the pressure of 10-8 mbar and deposition was performed at pressure of 2x10-4 mbar. The deposition rate was kept at 1.5 nm / minute and thickness layers were monitored by a calibrated quartz microbalance. Unpolarized neutron reflectometry measurements were carried out at the ORPHEE reactor using the time-of-flight EROS reflectometer. The incidence neutron wavelength varied between 3 – 25 Å. The grazing angle and angular resolution were of the order of 0.8˚ and 0.05 respectively. The software program, a Matlab routine for the simulation of specular X-ray and neutron reflectivity data with matrix technique, was employed to simulate the phenomenon and thereafter the experimentally obtained data and calculated (theoretical) data were compared. From the analysis of the comparison, a conclusion was drawn about the agreement between experimental data and theoretical data. The tunneling phenomenon has been observed in nanostructured isotopic nickel based thin film Fabry-Perot resonator. It manifested itself by the existence of dips, tunneling resonances, in the total reflection plateau due to quasi-bound states in the isotopic nickel based thin film Fabry-Perot resonator. In total, there were 7 tunneling resonances. The full widths at half maximum of these dips were found to decrease with increasing momentum wave vector transfer (Q) and this correlated to the neutron lifetime in the nanostructured isotopic nickel based thin film Fabry-Perot resonator. / Physics / M. Sc. (Physics)

This application aims to identify a possible correlation between the reflectivity factor signal RADAR Weather Radar System of Alagoas (SIRMAL), with the flow of the Rio Mundaú, data obtained fromthe Hydrological Station National Water Agency (ANA) in BoaFortuna, Rio Largo, Alagoas. What is required is a remote monitoring and continuous rate of flow, at one point the river basin Mundaú in order to predict possible flood waves. The floods in the river Mundaú are recurrent, having brought great losses in material resources and human lives for decades, their monitoring is of fundamental importance for better planning and management of these resources. For this we constructed a computer code in object-oriented language, Object Pascal. The program reads the image in jpeg format, generated and provided by SIRMAL on his Internet site, spatially integrates all the values of reflectivity of the microwave pulse on the watershed, determining the volume and then precipitated considered high rainfall area on the Watershed River Mundaú. This value is associated with the reflective state of the basin, at a given time, indicates the amount of precipitated water in the basin for a given period. The high rainfall is related to precipitation over the basin and consequently the flow in river. To verify the correlation with the flow, were chosen five months, the period from 2004 to 2006, when the flow measured at the farm Good Fortune, showed abrupt changes and sought similar variations in rainfall height, measured from the image processing radar. For the months of January 2004, December 2005 and September 2006, we obtained a correlation exceeding 70% between the reflectivity factor and the flow. From the daily analysis of the height and flow rate determined to be a qualitative correlation. This was obtained from the flow data, derived from stories of the season series, obtained in the HIDROWEB ANA rainfall and the height obtained with the method. The correlation was promising but not conclusive. Through the analysis it was demonstrated that the sensitivity of variations in height, indicating up to 24 hours to raise the level of flow to 60% of cases. / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo identificar uma possível correlação entre o fator de refletividade do sinal do RADAR do Sistema de Radar Meteorológico de Alagoas (SIRMAL), com a vazão do Rio Mundaú, obtida a partir de dados da Estação Hidrológica da Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA), na Fazenda Boa Fortuna, Município de Rio Largo, Alagoas. O que se pretende é um monitoramento remoto e contínuo do nível de vazão, em um ponto da bacia hidrográfica do rio Mundaú, com o intuito de prever possíveis ondas de cheias. As enchentes no rio Mundaú são recorrentes, tendo trazido grandes prejuízos em recursos materiais e em vidas humanas ao longo de décadas; o seu monitoramento é de importância fundamental para o melhor planejamento e gerenciamento desses recursos. Para isso foi construído um código de computador, na linguagem orientada a objeto, OBJECT PASCAL. O programa lê a imagem, em formato jpeg, gerada e disponibilizada pelo SIRMAL em seu sítio da Internet, integra espacialmente todos os valores de refletividade do pulso de microondas sobre a bacia, determinando volume precipitado e posteriormente a altura pluviométrica considerada sobre área da Bacia Hidrográfica do rio Mundaú. Este valor está associado ao estado reflexivo da bacia, em um dado momento e indica a quantidade de água precipitada na bacia para um determinado período. A altura pluviométrica está relacionada à precipitação sobre a bacia e em conseqüência à vazão no rio. Para a verificação da correlação com a vazão, foram escolhidos cinco meses, o período de 2004 a 2006, em que a vazão medida na Fazenda Boa Fortuna apresentou variações bruscas, e se procurou variações semelhantes na altura pluviométrica, aferidas a partir do processamento da imagem do radar. Para os meses de janeiro de 2004, dezembro de 2005 e setembro de 2006, obteve-se uma correlação superior a 70% entre o fator de refletividade e a vazão. A partir da análise diária da altura e da vazão determinou-se uma correlação qualitativa. Esta foi obtida a partir dos dados da vazão, retirados das séries histórias da estação, obtidas no sistema HidroWeb da ANA, e a altura pluviométrica obtida a partir dos dados do radar com o método. A correlação se mostrou promissora, porém, não conclusiva. Através da análise foi demonstrado que a sensibilidade das variações na altura, indicando em até 24 horas a elevação do nível de vazão para 60% dos casos estudados.

Ce manuscrit de thèse est une contribution à l’étude du couplage fort lumière-matière dans les microcavités planaires à base d’oxyde de zinc. Nous avons déterminé les propriétés de l’interaction entre excitons et photons au travers de mesures résolues en angle pour des hétéro-structures réalisées par épitaxie par jets moléculaires (EJM) sur silicium. Il a ainsi été possible de démontrer le régime de couplage fort aussi bien aux températures de l’hélium liquide qu’à température ambiante. Un important travail de conception des cavités et de modélisation de leur réponse optique a été effectué dans le but d’obtenir une émission cohérente de lumière basée sur la condensation des polaritons tel que prédit par les travaux théoriques. Les récentes mesures pour une cavité optimisée conduisent à un facteur de qualité voisin de 500 et à une énergie de Rabi très élevée (120 meV). / This thesis manuscript is a contribution to the study of strong light-matter coupling in zinc oxide-based planar microcavities. We have determined the properties of the exciton-photon interaction through angle resolved measurements on structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on silicon. Thus, we have demonstrated strong coupling at both cryogenic and room temperatures. A substantial work on the conception of cavities and on the calculation of their optical response has been realized to obtain a coherent emission of light based on the condensation of polaritons as predicted by theoretical works. The latest measurements on an optimized microcavity lead to a quality factor close to 500 and a high Rabi splitting of 120 meV.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T15:56:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luiz Antonio Alves.pdf: 4887074 bytes, checksum: 2921556dad24ae9311fe651e5a0ccdcf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-14 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Titanium nitride (TiN) films with niobium (Nb) addition (TiN[Nb], 0,01 < Nb/Ti < 0,15) were obtained by sputter deposition in a triode magnetron sputtering system from a mosaic target of titanium with niobium inserts at the erosion zone. The effects of Nb/Ti in surface morphology were analyzed by atomic force and confocal microscopy measurements. The reflectivities of the films with niobium incorporation are in agreement with the Drude-Lorentz model. The constants obtained by the fitting show an increase in plasma frequency and relaxation time with increased Nb/Ti ratio, indicating an increase in the number of charge carriers. The color parameters according CIELab system show an increase in L*, a* and b* coordinates. The visual analysis indicates an increased red tone when compared with pure TiN film in agreement with the increased absolute values of a* coordinates. / Filmes de nitreto de titânio com adição de nióbio ((TiN[Nb], 0,01 < Nb/Ti < 0,15) foram depositados pelo processo de pulverização catódica utilizando um sistema Triodo Magnetron Sputtering. A pulverização catódica de Titânio e Nióbio foi feita a partir de um alvo de titânio com insertos de nióbio dispostos na região de erosão. Foram analisados os efeitos da razão Nb/Ti na morfologia superficial do filme através de microscopia de força atômica e confocal. As medidas de refletividade dos filmes de TiN[Nb] obedecem perfeitamente o modelo de Drude-Lorentz. As constantes obtidas pelo modelo de Drude-Lorentz mostram um aumento nos valores da frequência de plasma e tempo de relaxação com o aumento na razão Nb/Ti, indicando que a presença de nióbio aumenta o número de portadores de carga. Os parâmetros de cor segundo o sistema CIELab mostram um aumento nas coordenadas L*, a* e b*. A análise visual das amostras mostra uma tonalidade avermelhada, quando comparadas com o filme contendo somente TiN, em concordância com o aumento absoluto nas coordenadas a*.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:25:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 capa_gustavo_silva.pdf: 18556 bytes, checksum: 0dbba1e8aa0d3a9e07f94e8b68dc1b9f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-24 / On certain occasions the State of Rio Grande do Sul is affected by atypical weather systems events which are among the category of mesoscale phenomena. The inability of large scale numerical models to appropriately simulate several localized effects, which occurs over the most varied regions, associated to the fast increase of computational resources, it is facilitating and increasingly inducing the use of mesoscale models to improve the knowledge on those anomalous and severe events and even for use as a necessary and indispensable operational tool. The skill of mesoescala model to proceed in providing precipitation forecasts, in space and time scale compatible with to those of a Doppler meteorological radar, it is implemented the whole system of mesoscale modeling that constitutes the MM5. The occurrence of the relatively severe precipitation event, in the area close to the city of Canguçu / RS, on January 11, 2008 was arbitrarily selected to evaluate the model skill - in inferring the reflectivity of the meteorological radar, installed in Canguçu / RS proceeding with conventional data assimilations, PCA (Processing With Assimilation) and PSA (Processing Without Assimilation), as well an approach to the analysis of the thermo-hydrodynamics and synoptic conditions. / Em certas ocasiões o Estado do Rio Grande do Sul é assolado por sistemas meteorológico com manifestações atmosféricas atípicas e que se enquadram entre os fenômenos de mesoescala. A impossibilidade de modelos numéricos de grande escala simularem adequadamente diversos efeitos localizados, que ocorrem nas mais variadas regiões, associada ao rápido aumento dos recursos computacionais, vem facilitando e crescentemente induzindo o emprego de modelos de mesoescala para melhorar os conhecimentos sobre esses eventos anômalos e severos e até mesmo para utilização como uma ferramenta operacional necessária e imprescindível. Para se proceder a destreza de um modelo de mesoescala em prover previsões de precipitação, em escala espacial e temporal compatível com àquelas de um radar meteorológico Doppler, é implantado todo o sistema de modelagem de mesoescala que constitui o MM5. A ocorrência do evento relativamente severo de precipitação, na região próxima da cidade de Canguçu/RS, do dia 11 de janeiro de 2008 foi arbitrariamente selecionada para avaliação do modelo - em inferir a refletividade do radar meteorológico instalado na cidade de Canguçu/RS - com os processamentos PCA (Processamento Com Assimilação) e PSA (Processamento Sem Assimilação) de dados convencionais e abordagem da análise da situação termo-hidrodinâmica e sinótica.

Les phases concentrées de protéines sont au centre de nombreuses études visant à identifier et caractériser les interactions et transitions de phases mises en jeu, en utilisant le large corpus de connaissances acquis sur les phases concentrées de colloïdes. Ces phases concentrées de protéines possèdent en outre une grande importance dans des domaines aussi variés que l’industrie agroalimentaire, l’industrie pharmaceutique et la médecine. L’établissement d’équations d’état présentant la pression osmotique (Π) en fonction de la fraction volumique (Φ) est une méthode efficace de caractérisation des interactions entre les composants d’un système. Nous l’avons appliquée à des solutions de deux protéines globulaires, le lysozyme et l’ovalbumine, en balayant une gamme de fractions volumiques allant d’une phase diluée (Φ < 0,01) à une phase concentrée, solide (Φ > 0,62). Les équations d’état obtenues, couplées à d’autres techniques (SAXS, simulations numériques), ont permis de mettre en évidence un comportement très différent des deux protéines lors de la concentration et ont montré leur complexité en comparaison avec des colloïdes modèles. La mise en relation des équations d’état et du comportement interfacial de ces deux protéines a montré des points de convergence et permis de formuler une nouvelle hypothèse expliquant certaines observations portant sur l’adsorption des protéines à l’interface air-eau. / Concentrated phases of proteins are the subject of numerous studies aiming at identifying and characterizing the interactions and phase transitions at play, using the large corpus of knowledge in the field of concentrated colloids. Those concentrated phases of proteins have, in addition, a great importance in various fields, such as food industry, pharmaceutical industry and medicine. The establishment of equations of state relating osmotic pressure (Ð) and volume fraction (Φ) is an efficient way of characterization of the interactions between the components of a system. We applied this method to solutions of two globular proteins, lysozyme and ovalbumin, spanning volume fractions ranging from a dilute phase ( Φ < 0,01) to a concentrated, solid phase ( Φ > 0,62). The equations of state, coupled to other methods (SAXS, numerical simulations), enabled us to show that the two proteins carry a very different behavior when submitted to concentration and that their complexity is beyond that of colloids. Relating equations of state and interfacial behavior of these two proteins also showed points of convergence and enabled us to formulate a new hypothesis which explains some of the results obtained in the study of adsorption of proteins at the air-water interface.

No description available.

Modification of land use/land cover in South Florida has posed a major challenge in the region’s eco-hydrology by shifting the surface-atmosphere water and energy balance. Although drainage and development in South Florida took place extensively between the mid- and late- 20th century, converting half of the original Everglades into agricultural and urban areas, urban expansion still accounts for a dominant mode of surface cover change in South Florida. Changes in surface cover directly affect the radiative, thermophysical and aerodynamic parameters which determine the absorption and partitioning of radiation into different components at the Earth surface. The alteration is responsible for changing the thermal structure of the surface and surface layer atmosphere, eventually modifying surface-induced convection. This dissertation is aimed at analyzing the extent and pattern of land cover change in South Florida and delineating the associated development of urban heat island (UHI), energy flux alteration, and convective rainfall modification using observed data, remotely sensed estimates, and modeled results. Urban land covers in South Florida are found to have increased by 10% from 1974 to 2011. Higher Landsat-derived land surface temperatures (LST) are observed in urban areas (LSTu-r =2.8°C) with satisfactory validation statistics for eastern stations (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient =0.70 and R2 =0.79). Time series trends, significantly negative for diurnal temperature range (DTR= -1°C, p=0.005) and positive for lifting condensation level (LCL > 20m) reveal temporal and conspicuous urban-rural differences in nocturnal temperature (ΔTu-r = 4°C) shows spatial signatures of UHI. Spatially higher (urban: 3, forest: 0.14) and temporally increasing (urban: 1.67 to 3) Bowen’s ratios, and sensible heat fluxes exceeding net radiation in medium and high-intensity developed areas in 2010 reflect the effect of urbanization on surface energy balance. Radar reflectivity-derived surface-induced convective rainfall reveals significantly positive mean differences (thunderstorm cell density: 6/1000 km2and rain rate: 0.24 mm/hr/summer, p < 0.005) between urban and entire South Florida indicating convective enhancement by urban covers. The research fulfils its two-fold purposes: advancing the understanding of post-development hydrometeorology in South Florida and investigating the spatial and temporal impacts of land cover change on the microclimate of a subtropical city.