The effect of moisture content and temperature on the melt ̄ow behavior and the resulting morphology of thermoplastic starch (TPS)/ poly(hydroxy ester ether) blends is studied. The viscosity ratio (l) was found to vary over two orders of magnitude (0.1±10) with changes in the TPS moisture content (15±30%) and temperature (120±1608C). This had a substantial effect on the level of mixing, nature ...

Water susceptible properties of subgrade soils play important role in the structural design of highways. In this research study laboratory investigations were conducted on subgrade soil samples for determining the influence of water susceptible properties on Natural moisture content, Optimum moisture content, Compaction, California Bearing Ratio (CBR)-soaked and unsoaked, and Unconfined Compres...

Soil moisture is a key variable in dryland ecosystems since it determines the occurrence and duration of vegetation water stress and affects the development of weather patterns including rainfall. However, the lack of ground observations of soil moisture and rainfall dynamics in many drylands has long been a major obstacle in understanding ecohydrological processes in these ecosystems. It is al...

Moisture transfer in mixtures of lowand high-moisture content (MC) rough rice (ranging from 9.5 to 18.0% w.b.) was investigated with a single-kernel moisture tester over a period of30 days. The intergranular air attained constant relative humidity corresponding to the mean MC of the mixture within afew minutes ofmixing. About 90% ofthe change in the MC of lowand high-MC kernels occurred within ...

The flux-adjusting surface data assimilation system (FASDAS) is developed to provide continuous adjustments for initial soil moisture and temperature and for surface air temperature and water vapor mixing ratio for mesoscale models. In the FASDAS approach, surface air temperature and water vapor mixing ratio are directly assimilated by using the analyzed surface observations. Then, the differen...

Experimental and field studies of different turtle species suggest that moisture influences embryonic development and sex ratios, wetter substrates tend to produce more males, and drier substrates produce more females. In this study, we used Trachemys scripta elegans to test the effect of moisture on embryonic development and sex ratios. T. s. elegans eggs were incubated under different tempera...

This research provides an optimal design of structural parameters for ring-die granulators used in the cool briquetting process. Experimental research on the briquetting rate of pellets was carried out for three kinds of crop straws with different granularities, moisture ratios, and lengthdiameter ratios of the die hole. Results showed that: when the swoop angle β was 45 and the diameter ratio ...

– Local content policy in Nigeria promotes the development of innovative indigenous technology aimed at contributing to national science and technological development. Consequently, bioremediation agent (Ecorem) was formulated from Nigeria local raw materials as a contribution to enhanced environmental performance in the petroleum sector. As part of evaluating kinetic mechanism of this product,...

Global carbon budget studies are currently dominated by temperature analysis since the importance of this meteorological variable on photosynthesis processes and soil carbon dynamics. Yet, the strong coupling between the carbon and hydrological cycles is a longstanding acquisition of the biogeophysical sciences. To take the important aspect of water limitation in carbon studies into account, wa...

Large-scale simulation of the soil-derived dust emission in semi-arid regions needs to account for the in ̄uence of the soil moisture on the wind erosion threshold. Soil water retention consists of molecular adsorption on the soil grain surface and capillary forces between the grain. Interparticle capillary forces (characterized by the moisture tension) are the main factor responsible for the in...