Embodiments of the present disclosure include a method including receiving first impact data. The method includes receiving second impact data. The method includes applying a first filter to both the first impact data and the second impact data. The method includes applying a second filter to both the first impact data and the second impact data. Filtering includes time and frequency based discriminating filter to isolate specific signatures that representatively indicate impact signatures generated by the sand on the interrogator. The method includes comparing the first impact data and the second impact data for corresponding signatures. The method includes identifying a corresponding signature in both the first impact data and the second impact data. The method includes determining the corresponding signature meets a threshold criterion. The method includes determining one or more particulate properties based at least in part on the corresponding peak.

A computer-implemented method for characterization of solid particles, especially sand particles, includes the steps of: providing a sample of solid particles to be analyzed in a predefined sample area; taking at least one digital image of the sample of solid particles with a camera of a mobile computer device; performing an imaging particle analysis of the at least one digital image for extracting at least one particle size parameter and/or at least one particle shape parameter of the population of particles identified in the at least one digital image; making available the at least one particle size parameter and/or the at least one particle shape parameter via a user interface, via a machine interface and/or on a data storage medium.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to determining a size and/or density of Super-cooled Large Droplets (SLDs) in a cloud atmosphere by comparing detected optical signals reflected from small and large sampling volumes of a cloud atmosphere. In some embodiments, an optical pulse is generated and divergently projected from a first optical fiber. A collimating lens is aligned within the divergently projected optical pulse collimating a portion thereof. The collimated and uncollimated portions of the optical pulse are projected into the small and large sampling volumes of the cloud atmosphere, respectively. The ratio of the collimated to the uncollimated portions can be optically controlled. Signals corresponding to optical pulses having different collimated/uncollimated ratios are backscattered by the cloud atmosphere, detected and compared to one another. A processor is configured to calculate, based on scintillation spike differences between the optical pulses of different collimated/uncollimated ratios, a size and/or density of SLDs.

A method for determining a shape of particles in a distribution with reduced measuring and analyzing complexity includes detecting the number of particles, measuring and storing a particle chord length for each particle as a measurement for particle size and measuring at least first and second distributions of the particle size from the particle chord length measured for each particle. The first distribution is based on a first quantity type, the second distribution is based on a second quantity type and the quantity types correspond to different powers of the particle size. A first distribution parameter, corresponding to a cumulative or density distribution, of the first distribution is set into a distribution parameter ratio with a second distribution parameter, corresponding to a cumulative or density distribution, of the second distribution. An aspect ratio is determined from the distribution parameter ratio as a value characterizing the shape of the particles.

There is provided a fine dust measurement module that includes a fluid inlet into which fluid including fine dust with particles of various diameters is flowed, a first channel through which, of the fine dust introduced through the fluid inlet, first fine dust with particles having a diameter greater than or equal to a first diameter passes, a second channel through which, of the fine dust introduced through the fluid inlet, second fine dust with particles having a diameter less than the first diameter passes, a flow ratio control nozzle arranged in the first channel and configured to control a flow ratio between fluid flowing into the first channel and fluid flowing into the second channel, and a fine dust sensor configured to sense fine dust flowing into the second channel.

A method and a system for identifying a glacial lake outburst debris flow (GLODF) are provided. The method is obtained based on considering induced influences of slopes of channels and particle sizes of source particles on the GLODF. The method not only compensates for deficiencies in identifying the GLODF, but also realizes determination of the GLODF, which provides data basis for disaster prevention and control layout such as monitoring and early warning on a glacial lake and assists preventing and managing disasters caused by the GLODF. Meanwhile, multiple parameters used in the method are easy and convenient to obtain, and the parameters can be directly used on site, which saves engineering cost, improves working efficiency, and has high practical and promotional value in environmental protection and disaster prevention and mitigation.

The present invention is drawn to methods and systems for using in-line near infrared spectroscopy to determine the physical parameters of a comminuted product.

A system for determining the growth/dissolution rate of colloidal particles is disclosed and includes multiple light sources and multiple sensors. A light source is constructed to emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation at a specimen chamber that holds the colloidal particles. The chamber allows a portion of the combined beam to scatter perpendicularly or at some other angle to the combined beam. The scattered portion of the beam is directed to a sensor that detects electromagnetic radiation. The sensor is connected to processor that activates the light source and obtains an image from the sensor. Multiple images are taken at a time interval and for each image taken, and a total image intensity level is calculated and normalized. A formula is then calculated that fits the normalized values over time and a slope is determined from the formula.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to determining a size and/or density of Super-cooled Large Droplets (SLDs) in a cloud atmosphere by comparing detected optical signals reflected from small and large sampling volumes of a cloud atmosphere. In some embodiments, an optical pulse is generated and divergently projected from a first optical fiber. A collimating lens is aligned within the divergently projected optical pulse collimating a portion thereof. The collimated and uncollimated portions of the optical pulse are projected into the small and large sampling volumes of the cloud atmosphere, respectively. The ratio of the collimated to the uncollimated portions can be optically controlled. Signals corresponding to optical pulses having different collimated/uncollimated ratios are backscattered by the cloud atmosphere, detected and compared to one another. A processor is configured to calculate, based on scintillation spike differences between the optical pulses of different collimated/uncollimated ratios, a size and/or density of SLDs.

The disclosure is directed at apparatus for portable PM2.5 monitoring including a PM2.5 sampling device including a housing portion for collecting and separating air-borne particulate matter, an inlet port, connected to the housing portion, for receiving the air-borne particulate matter, a core portion, located within the housing portion, the core portion assisting in generating a cyclonic airflow pattern to produce a uniflow system for separating particulate matter below a predetermined size from particulate matter above a predetermined size within the air-borne particulate matter, and an outlet port for receiving the particulate matter below the predetermined size; a particle counter, connected to the outlet port, for receiving the particulate matter smaller than the predetermined size and for determining a mass of the particulate matter below the predetermined size; and a processor for determining a PM2.5 level based on the mass of the particulate matter below the predetermined size.