The Upper Mustang region of Nepal holds important breeding populations of Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis. Despite this species being considered ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List, the population in Upper Mustang had declined substantially in the early to mid-2000s. During that period, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac was commonly used to treat illness and injury in domesticated ungulates throughout Nepal. The timing and magnitude of declines in Himalayan Griffon in Upper Mustang resemble the declines in resident populations of the ‘Critically Endangered’ White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis and Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris in Nepal, both of which are also known to be highly sensitive to diclofenac. Since 2006, the veterinary use of diclofenac has been banned in Nepal to prevent further vulture declines. In this paper, we analyse the population trend in Himalayan Griffon in Upper Mustang between 2002 and 2014 and show a partial recovery. We conclude that the decline is now occurring at a slower rate than previously observed and immigration from areas where diclofenac was either not or rarely used the probable explanation for the recovery observed.

The energy transfer by stimulated Brillouin backscatter from a long pump pulse (15 ps) to a short seed pulse (1 ps) has been investigated in a proof-of-principle demonstration experiment. The two pulses were both amplified in different beamlines of a Nd:glass laser system, had a central wavelength of 1054 nm and a spectral bandwidth of 2 nm, and crossed each other in an underdense plasma in a counter-propagating geometry, off-set by $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}10^\circ $. It is shown that the energy transfer and the wavelength of the generated Brillouin peak depend on the plasma density, the intensity of the laser pulses, and the competition between two-plasmon decay and stimulated Raman scatter instabilities. The highest obtained energy transfer from pump to probe pulse is 2.5%, at a plasma density of $0.17 n_{cr}$, and this energy transfer increases significantly with plasma density. Therefore, our results suggest that much higher efficiencies can be obtained when higher densities (above $0.25 n_{cr}$) are used.

Populations of three vulture species of the genus Gyps, the Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus and Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus have declined markedly on the Indian subcontinent since the mid-1990s and all are now Critically Endangered or Endangered. Gyps vultures have been killed by the widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, ingested when they feed on carcasses of domesticated ungulates treated with the drug shortly before death. However, it is not known whether Egyptian Vulture and Red-headed Vulture are also sensitive to diclofenac. Veterinary use of diclofenac was banned in India in 2006. Since then, the prevalence and concentration of diclofenac in domesticated ungulates carcasses has decreased and population declines of Gyps vultures have slowed or reversed. Here, we examine counts of Egyptian and Red-headed Vultures obtained on road transects in and near protected areas between 1992 and 2011. We found indications that the declines in both species appear to have slowed and possibly increased after the ban was introduced, though the small numbers of birds counted make this conclusion less robust than that for the Gyps species. These results suggest that both species may have been adversely impacted by diclofenac and that government bans on this drug, which are beginning to take effect, may benefit a wider range of vulture species in the Indian subcontinent than was previously thought.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.

Radiocarbon concentrations in the northernmost region of the Japan Sea were observed during the summer of 2002. The averaged surface δ14C (above 100 m depth) was 52 ± 8%, which is significantly higher compared with the values of the Pacific Ocean and Okhotsk Sea. The δ14C in the deep water decreased with density, and the minimum value was −70%. By analyzing 14C and other hydrographic data, we found that i) the Tsushima Warm Current Water reaches to the surface layer in the southern Tatarskiy Strait; ii) deep convection did not occur in the northernmost region, at least not after the winter of 2001–2002; and iii) the bottom water that was previously formed in this region may step down southward along the bottom slope and mix with the Japan Sea Bottom Water. Furthermore, a new water mass characterized by high salinity (>34.09 psu) was found in the subsurface layer in the area north of 46°N.

Observers can generally make reliable judgments of surface color in natural scenes despite changes in an illuminant that is out of view. This ability has sometimes been attributed to observers' estimating the spectral properties of the illuminant in order to compensate for its effects. To test this hypothesis, two surface-color-matching experiments were performed with images of natural scenes obtained from high-resolution hyperspectral images. In the first experiment, the sky illuminating the scene was directly visible to the observer, and its color was manipulated. In the second experiment, a large gray sphere was introduced into the scene so that its illumination by the sun and sky was also directly visible to the observer, and the color of that illumination was manipulated. Although the degree of color constancy varied across this and other variations of the images, there was no reliable effect of illuminant color. Even when the sky was eliminated from view, color constancy did not worsen. Judging surface color in natural scenes seems to be independent of an explicit illuminant cue.

To what extent do observers' judgments of surface color with natural scenes depend on global image statistics? To address this question, a psychophysical experiment was performed in which images of natural scenes under two successive daylights were presented on a computer-controlled high-resolution color monitor. Observers reported whether there was a change in reflectance of a test surface in the scene. The scenes were obtained with a hyperspectral imaging system and included variously trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns, flowers, rocks, and buildings. Discrimination performance, quantified on a scale of 0 to 1 with a color-constancy index, varied from 0.69 to 0.97 over 21 scenes and two illuminant changes, from a correlated color temperature of 25,000 K to 6700 K and from 4000 K to 6700 K. The best account of these effects was provided by receptor-based rather than colorimetric properties of the images. Thus, in a linear regression, 43% of the variance in constancy index was explained by the log of the mean relative deviation in spatial cone-excitation ratios evaluated globally across the two images of a scene. A further 20% was explained by including the mean chroma of the first image and its difference from that of the second image and a further 7% by the mean difference in hue. Together, all four global color properties accounted for 70% of the variance and provided a good fit to the effects of scene and of illuminant change on color constancy, and, additionally, of changing test-surface position. By contrast, a spatial-frequency analysis of the images showed that the gradient of the luminance amplitude spectrum accounted for only 5% of the variance.

Simple color-difference formulae and pictorial images have traditionally been used to estimate the visual impact of color errors introduced by image-reproduction processes. But the limited gamut of RGB cameras constrains such analyses, particularly of natural scenes. The purpose of this work was to estimate visual sensitivity to color errors introduced deliberately into pictures synthesized from hyperspectral images of natural scenes without gamut constraints and to compare discrimination thresholds expressed in CIELAB and S-CIELAB color spaces. From each original image, a set of approximate images with variable color errors were generated and displayed on a calibrated RGB color monitor. The threshold for perceptibility of the errors was determined in a paired-comparison experiment. In agreement with previous studies, it was found that discrimination between original and approximate images needed on average a CIELAB color difference ΔEab* of about 2.2. Although a large variation of performance across the nine images tested was found when errors were expressed in CIELAB units, little variation was obtained when they were expressed in S-CIELAB units.

Deuteranomalous trichromacy, which affects medium-wavelength-sensitive cones, is more common than protanomalous trichromacy, which affects long-wavelength-sensitive cones. The aim of the present work was to test the extent to which these two kinds of anomalous trichromacy affect surface-color judgments in the natural world. Simulations of 18 natural scenes under different daylight illuminants were presented on a high-resolution color monitor to 7 deuteranomalous, 7 protanomalous, and 12 normal trichromatic observers, who had to discriminate between reflectance and illuminant changes in the images. Observers' ability to judge surface color was quantified by a standard color-constancy index. Deuteranomalous trichromats performed as well as normal trichromats, but protanomalous trichromats performed more poorly than both. The results are considered in relation to the spectral coverage of cones, rod intrusion, and the characterization of anomalous trichromacy by the Rayleigh match.

If surfaces in a scene are to be distinguished by their color, their neural representation at some level should ideally vary little with the color of the illumination. Four possible neural codes were considered: von-Kries-scaled cone responses from single points in a scene, spatial ratios of cone responses produced by light reflected from pairs of points, and these quantities obtained with sharpened (opponent-cone) responses. The effectiveness of these codes in identifying surfaces was quantified by information-theoretic measures. Data were drawn from a sample of 25 rural and urban scenes imaged with a hyperspectral camera, which provided estimates of surface reflectance at 10-nm intervals at each of 1344 × 1024 pixels for each scene. In computer simulations, scenes were illuminated separately by daylights of correlated color temperatures 4000 K, 6500 K, and 25,000 K. Points were sampled randomly in each scene and identified according to each of the codes. It was found that the maximum information preserved under illuminant changes varied with the code, but for a particular code it was remarkably stable across the different scenes. The standard deviation over the 25 scenes was, on average, approximately 1 bit, suggesting that the neural coding of surface color can be optimized independent of location for any particular range of illuminants.

The ability of color-deficient observers to discriminate between illuminant changes and surface-reflectance changes in a scene was tested with natural and Munsell reflectance spectra. To avoid the confounding effects of spatial structure, stimuli were simulations of Mondrian-like colored patterns, presented on a computer-controlled color monitor. Protanopes performed less well than normal trichromats, regardless of the type of reflectance spectra, but they were least disadvantaged with patterns comprising reflectance spectra drawn from urban and rural scenes, more characteristic of the natural environment.

We report on deliberate O doping of GaN epitaxial layers during MOCVD growth, using H2O and CO2 as precursors. The photoluminescence spectra show a dominant 3.27 eV emission at 2 K known to be a donor-acceptor pair (DAP) transition. In our samples the intensity of this DAP spectrum correlates with the commonly observed 3.466 eV acceptor bound exciton (ABE) peak, suggesting these spectra are related to the same acceptor. The general correlation of these acceptor spectra with O concentration (as established with SIMS data) suggest that the acceptor is O-related, most likely a VGa-O complex. The concentration was measured with positron annihilation spectroscopy and found to be in the 1016 cm−3 -1017 cm−3 range in different samples. Considering previous results the identity of this residual acceptor is suggested to be a VGa-O-H complex. Previous suggestions that this acceptor is related to Mg, Si or C are discussed and found to be less likely.

AlN/GaN superlattices (SLs) with different periods grown on GaN buffer layers were studied by infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry (IRSE), Raman scattering (RS) and highresolution reciprocal space mapping (RSM). The lattice parameters and the degree of strain in the GaN buffer and the SL constituents were determined. Phonon modes originating from the buffer layer and the SL sublayers were identified and their frequency shifts were correlated with the strain state of the films.

The effects of silicon-doping on the microstructure of Al0.07Ga0.93N/GaN multiple-quantum-well (MQW) have been studied by TEM. Significant changes of surface morphology and dislocation core structures have been observed due to Si-doping in the Al0.07Ga0.93N barriers. Threading dislocations create surface pits in the MQW as a result of Si doping. With an increasing doping level, the pits change the shape from small faceted pyramid to large cone. The formation mechanism of the surface pits has been discussed from both dynamics and kinetics points of view. We have also observed nanopipes constrict to form closed core screw dislocations in the MQW due to Si-doping.

We have studied the microstructure of heavily Mg-doped Al0.03Ga0.97N films grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy in the lateral overgrowth mode (ELOG). A new type of defects with a platelet shape has been observed. According to TEM analysis, these defects are embedded in the overgrowth regions. The platelet is normal to the ELOG stripe direction [1100]AIGaN, forming trapezoidal trenches on the film surface. The thickness of the platelet is about 100nm. We have identified these defects as inversion domains using convergent beam electron diffraction and HR-TEM. Mg segregation at the coalescence boundaries between ELOG islands is believed to result in the formation of the defects.

Different magnesium incorporation behavior has been observed in heavily Mg-doped AlGaN epitaxial layers. The films were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy involving a lateral overgrowth technique on patterned sapphire substrates. TEM observations show that direct growth on sapphire exhibits pyramidal defects, while lateral overgrowth is homogeneous and free of structural defects. The orientation of the growth front significantly influences the microstructure, and the {0001} growth facet appears to be essential for the formation of the pyramidal defects. In addition, cylindrical and funnel-shaped nanopipes have been observed at dislocations with an edge component. The relationship between Mg segregation and these defects is discussed, and formation mechanisms are proposed taking into consideration the orientation of the growth front.

Transmission electron microscopy has been used to investigate the core structure of threading dislocations in heavily Mg-doped (1020 cm−3) Al0.03Ga0.97N films grown on (0001) sapphire by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition. Evidence is presented that Mg segregates to edge and mixed dislocations, and that these dislocations often have open cores with diameters in the range 1–5nm. The mechanism of hollow core formation and the role of Mg are discussed.

In0.1Ga0.9N/In0.01Ga0.99N multiple quantum wells (MQWs) with heavily Si-doped barriers, grown with Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) at about 8000C, have been studied in detail with optical spectroscopy. Such structures are shown to be very sensitive to a near surface depletion field, and if no additional layer is grown on top of the MQW structure the optical spectra from the individual QWs are expected to be drastically different. For a sample with 3 near surface QWs and Si-doped barriers, only the QW most distant from the surface is observed in photoluminescence (PL). The strong surface depletion field is suggested to explain these results, so that the QWs closer to the surface cannot hold the photo-excited carriers. A similar effect of the strong depletion field is found in an LED structure where the MQW is positioned at the highly doped n-side of the pn-junction. The internal polarization induced electric field in the QWs is also rather strong, and incompletely screened by carriers transferred from the doped barriers. The observed PL emission for this QW is of localized exciton character, consistent with the temperature dependence of peak position and PL decay time. The excitonic lineshape of 35-40 meV in the QW PL is explained as caused by a combination of random alloy fluctuations and interface roughness; the corresponding localization potentials are also responsible for the localization of the excitons in the low temperature range (<150 K). These samples show no evidence of localization due to nanoscale In fluctuations, these commonly observed problems are concluded to be not present in our samples. A second PL feature at lower energy, observed at low temperatures, is shown to be related to an electron pocket at the interface to the underlying n-GaN buffer layer in these samples.

In0.11Ga0.89N/In0.01Ga0.99N multiple quantum wells (MQWs) with heavily Si-doped barriers are shown to be very sensitive to a near surface depletion field. For a sample with 3 QWs, similar to what is often used in LEDs, only the QW most distant from the surface is observed in photoluminescence (PL). The appearance of a second lower energy PL peak below the ordinary QW exciton peak is a proof of a substantial band bending across the MQW structure. A similar effect seems to occur in pn-junctions having an MQW in the depletion region of a highly doped n-side. The strong depletion field is suggested to explain these results. The apparent absence of PL from the QWs closer to the surface (pn-junction) is tentatively ascribed to a loss of hole confinement in the strong depletion field.

Uniaxial wurtzite group-III nitride heterostructures are subject to large polarization effects with significant consequences for device physics in optoelectronic and transport device applications. A central aspect for the proper implementation is the experimental quantification of polarization charges and associated fields. In modulated reflection spectroscopy of thin films and heterostructures of AlGaInN we observe pronounced Franz-Keldysh oscillations that allow direct and accurate readings of the field strength induced by polarization dipoles at the heterointerfaces. In piezoelectric GaInN/GaN quantum wells this dipole is found to induce an asymmetry in barrier heights with a respective splitting of interband transitions. This splitting energy appears to reflect in the transitions of spontaneous and stimulated luminescence in the well. From these experiments the polarization dipole is identified as controllable type-II staggered band offset between adjacent barrier layers which can extend the flexibility in AlGaInN bandstructure design. The derived field values can serve as important input parameters in the further interpretation of the entire system.