A newly found phenomenon, in which the electric resistivity in a highly purified water gradually decreases through hours and days after application of a milli-gauss ac magnetic field in a short time, its mechanism model, and its wide application for various positive biological effects are summarized. A theoretical model for the mechanism based on the cyclotron resonance with the frequency f=qB_dc/2πm for each hydro-molecular cluster with the proton charge q and the cluster mass m of H₃O⁺(H₂O)_n under the terrestrial field B_dc well explains the gradual decreasing ratio of the resistivity for each cyclotron frequency forming a long range order proton transport path. The high temperature stability of a magnetized water resistivity may reflect the homeostasis. The phagocytic activity of neutrophils is remarkably elevated in a magnetized phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution. The milli-gauss, ULF magnetic field applied water will be a basic medium for the magneto-protonics.

View full abstract

The switching characteristics of a UV-laser triggered vacuum gap (ULTVG) with a metal target electrode were measured. The gap spacing of the diameter 85-mm copper electrodes was 1.6-mm. The target electrode of the 7-mm in diameter was placed in the hole (8-mm in diameter) of the cathode. The target electrode materials used in this work were Ti and Al. The target electrode and the cathode were connected electrically. An ultraviolet-pulsed laser beam was perpendicularly focused onto the grounded target electrode. The laser was third harmonic beam of Nd:YAG (wavelength 355-nm, energy 5mJ/pulse, beam diameter 2-mm). The operating voltage range for the target electrode ULTVG enlarged more than 11-21% compared with the copper electrode ULTVG and the switching time, 325 ns at 15 kV, was the same in the case of the copper electrode ULTVG.

View full abstract

Observations of geoelectric potential have been conducted since 1997 at Ohtawa (Kamioka town, Gifu prefecture) for the purpose of testing VAN method (short-term earthquake prediction), as a collaborative research of Toyama University and RIKEN-IFREQ. The data from Ohtawa station are obtained in excellent condition for geoelectric potential study because of small artificial electric noises. A relatively strong change of geoelectric potential is observed. This is clearly correlated with the timetable of Tateyama railway. That is, the geoelectric potential change is caused by the leakage current from DC train of Tateyama railway. The current travels through more than 16km distance. The geoelectric potential changes caused by the leak current of Tateyama railway may be useful to study a electrical resistivity of the soil and it’s time variation around the area. A time variation of largest amplitude of the rail leak current has been analyzed since April 1998, to obtain the variation of apparent resistivity. So far, there has not been sensible correlation for apparent resistivity variation and an inert seismic activity. In contrast, it is remarkable that the resistance changes gently in a cycle of one year. The gentle variation of resistivity is thought to be caused by annual or seasonal phenomenon. The leakage of the current from DC train is a powerful tool to monitor temporal variation of resistivity structure around the area.

View full abstract

Plasma reduction of polyethylene (PE) powders with varying gas pressure has been carried out using both the H₂O and pure Ar plasmas. Double probe was used to measure the electron density and the electron temperature. Optical emission spectra was used to identify radical species in the plasma and also used for estimation of the gas temperature. Experimental results show that PE powder was reduced only in H₂O plasma and the reduction rate was proportional to the gas temperature. This implies that the dissociated products in H₂O plasma play an important role in the processes of PE powder reduction and these processes may enhanced by the gas temperature.

View full abstract

We have been developing a high efficiency and compact induction thermal plasma torch using a static induction transistor inverter in the frequency range of 0.5∼1.5MHz. The ignition of an initial plasma is assisted by spark discharges using an automobile spark plug. The use of spark discharges makes the ignition of the induction plasma reproducible and stable. The threshold rf current of the induction coil required for start-ups is strongly reduced to be about half of that without spark discharges. The rf voltage and current measurement in the rf inverter circuit shows that more than 80% of the generated rf power is consumed to sustain argon thermal plasmas at the atmospheric pressure.

View full abstract

The pulse-modulated induction thermal plasma (PMITP) was established in Ar gas with additional gases such as H₂, O₂, N₂ and CO₂ to investigate the effects of various gas inclusions upon the transient characteristics of thermal plasma. The dynamic response times of the thermal plasmas were estimated from the measured time-varying radiation intensity of Ar spectral line. Furthermore, time evolution of the Ar excitation temperature was determined by the two-line method. The results indicated that especially in Ar-CO₂ PMITP, decreasing lower current level in a modulation cycle raised the on-delay time which means a recovery time from low temperature state to high temperature one. In addition, the inclusion of CO₂ in Ar PMITP caused lower temperatures just before the on-operation compared with other gases used in the experiment.

View full abstract

Decomposition process of benzene in a low pressure DC glow discharge in pure benzene and nitrogen-benzene mixture is investigated by emission spectroscopy, gas detection tube and infrared absorption spectroscopy. In the pure benzene discharge, the emission spectra of benzene are seen at the beginning, and they decrease, then the emission spectra of CH(431.42nm), C₂(468.02nm, 516.52nm), H_α(656.28nm) and H_β(486.13nm), which are regarded as the fragments of benzene, are observed, so that it is judged that benzene is decomposed by electron impact in the DC glow discharge. In the nitrogen-benzene mixture discharge, the emission spectra of CN(787.27, 918.95nm, etc.) are observed with those of the fragments of benzene and those of nitrogen excited molecules and ions. The emission intensity of CH reaches its maximum first, then the emission intensity of H_α and CN reach their maxima. Therefore, it is likely that benzene is decomposed into CH and other by-product first, then H and CN is created. It is found that the temporal variation of the emission intensity ratio of the first negative (0, 0) band to the second positive (0, 0) band of nitrogen ions and excited molecules, which infers electron mean energy, qualitatively agrees well with that of the decomposition rate of benzene.

View full abstract

We develop conductor-backed single layered electromagnetic wave absorbers made of composite materials (spinel-type Ni-Zn ferrite, SiO₂) which can operate in the frequency region below 5GHz. Both the complex permittivity and the complex permeability of ferrite composites obeyed Lichtenecker’s logarithm mixed law. The density and the hardness were improved by adding B₂O₃. The conductance value increased and the center absorbing frequency was shifted to the lower frequency with increasing the density. The conductivity can be reduced by adding oxide such as CoO, NiO or MnCO₃. The complex permeability, however, decreases for the ferrite composites added CoO or NiO but does not change for that added MnCO₃. The center absorbing frequency of the ferrite composites added MnCO₃ can change in the wide frequency range by varying only the thickness without changing the composition. Absorbing characteristic of electromagnetic wave absorbers added CoO or NiO having required center absorbing frequency below approximately 5GHz can be achieved by coating of ITO thin film with the suitable thicknesses or resistivity without changing the composition. The limit of incident angle of the electromagnetic wave for the absorption above 90%, is approximately 35° for both TE and TM modes. The incident angle characteristic in not degraded for samples applied ITO thin film.

View full abstract

Separating discharge is investigated in order to suppress image degradation due to separating discharge in belt transfer system used in electrophotography. In this process, paper clings to the electro-resistive belt, and is stably fed through the processor. However, electrical discharge may occur between the paper and the belt when the paper is separated from the belt under particular conditions. Since the discharge causes image degradation, it is important to make clear the separating discharge phenomena. From the model experiment, the strong correlation between the sheet potential before separation(Vs) and discharge is examined. When Vs is low, local strong discharge occurs intermittently. On the other hand, the separating discharge becomes continuous and weak when Vs is high. Image degradation can be suppressed when the sheet is highly charged enough.

View full abstract

The change in PD (partial discharge) pulse shape for a void bounded with LDPE was measured using a time-resolved measurement system with an ultra-wideband detector. The PD pulse shape gives us significant information about ageing and the transition of PD mechanism. In this paper, pulse shape parameters such as magnitude, width and rise time of a PD current pulse and optical PD images were analyzed to classify and recognize degradation stages. Furthermore, the frequency characteristics of PD pulses in addition to time domain analysis were also discussed. The frequency distribution of a PD pulse as well as the pulse width distribution reflected ageing stages. The frequency distribution was concluded to be applicable to an insulation diagnosis.

View full abstract

The comparative tracking index (CTI) and the minimum ignition energy of organic insulating materials were measured. It was found out that as the CTI of a material was greater, the value of the minimum ignition energy was also greater. Thus there was a correlation between the CTI and the minimum ignition energy. Therefore, it can be considered that the CTI is available as an index of the minimum ignition energy.

View full abstract

In sparking voltage characteristics of the gap length, there is spark irregular region which dislocates from the corona discharge to the spark discharge. Previously, there was the research of the spark irregular region, and concerning the research subject of this unresolved region, the phenomenon which belonged to this spark irregular region was found. It is clarified that not only spark discharge in uniform electric field range of the sphere gap length but also corona discharge were also generated.

View full abstract

A new directional coupler composed of three parallel rectangular cores in dielectric media is presented for rectangular light waveguides. The central core of them has a periodic groove structure of finite extent on its surface. The mode-matching method in the sense of least squares is applied to analyze scattering and coupling problem of this coupler for the fundamental compound mode incidence.

View full abstract

It is well known that color appearance depends on the visual environments. In this experiment, apparent color and hue-shift in the small visual angles were investigated quantitatively employing the color-naming method. Three observers with normal color vision and visual acuity participated in this experiment. Color perception shifted from chromatic color to achromatic color as the decrease of the visual angles. We are confident that in the visual environments involving small visual angles, these results are useful both for the basic study and for the practical applications.

View full abstract

A new quantitative measurement of tilt and shift mode has been developed to solve the n=1 instabilities of Field-Reversed Configuration (FRCs). The tilt angle and the shift length were measured quantitatively for the first time, using the radial and axial magnetic field components of n=1 toroidal modes, respectively. Our experimental measurement identified for the first time that the prolate FRC inside the cylindrical conducting wall was stable for the n=1 shift mode but unstable for the n=1 tilt mode.

View full abstract