Deposition transports air pollution onto vegetation and soil surfaces, endangering ecosystems. Dry deposition (and its more subtle variations, known as occult deposition) accounts for much of the pollution load within a few meters of vegetative surfaces.
Researchers investigating particle suspensions have observed that different particles produce either smoother or rougher deposition profiles at drop edges depending on their shape, potentially improving DED process reliability.
Geology
Geology is a broad discipline that studies Earth both above and below its surface. Sometimes referred to as the liberal arts of sciences, geology takes ideas from math, physics, chemistry and biology and applies them directly to it – finding metals and energy resources as well as helping understand life on our planet over its 4.5 billion year lifespan.
Geologists use sediment composition to understand erosion and transport processes. By sorting sediment deposits – coarse-grained near its source and finer material farther away – geologists can ascertain which form of transport mechanism was responsible for its formation.
Deposition plays a pivotal role in shaping Earth’s surface and ecosystems. From river sediment settling slowly over time to sudden accumulation of sand dunes, understanding how deposition works enables scientists to anticipate environmental changes as well as formulate plans for risk mitigation and resource management.
Chemistry
Deposition, in chemistry, refers to the process in which gas changes directly into solid without first going through liquid form. A classic example is when ice precipitates off of window pane when temperatures become cold enough; or placing a beaker of purple iodine vapor onto glass of ice water and watching beautiful needle-like crystals form from this transformation process.
Chemical deposition encompasses processes like etching used in semiconductor production and provides an essential solution for producing lightweight cars, aircraft power systems and spacecraft engines.
NADP recently issued a white paper, entitled Science Needs for Continued Development of Total Nitrogen Deposition Budgets in the United States, that details current Nr deposition knowledge as well as research needs to support critical loads and secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This document builds upon previous reports to serve as a roadmap for future research activities.
Physics
Students in primary school typically begin exploring state changes between solids and liquids from year 4 onwards (aged 8+). Deposition science can serve as an excellent starting point to understand these processes, detailing how things like frost, raindrops and sand build up over time.
As one example of sedimentary formation, calcium carbonate deposits from marine plankton skeletons over time can form precipitated layers known as lithogenesis, while transport by rivers of sediment that has been deposited downstream is another key process in creating sedimentary rocks.
Deposition rates of small particles depend heavily on particle inertia and how their shapes interact with fluid flows; experimental data have revealed that normalised deposition rates vary by over four orders of magnitude due to this factor. With respect to larger particles, deposition rates are mostly determined by gravitational settling and impaction processes.
Materials Science
At the core of materials science research lies an interdisciplinary field dedicated to developing new materials to meet industry requirements. From metal alloys used for airplane wings and tennis rackets, to ceramics and polymers used in spacecraft power systems, semiconductors, and advanced medical devices – materials science research touches every part of our lives.
Material scientists use their knowledge of matter at both the atomic and millimeter scales to optimize existing materials, create entirely new ones, or modify existing ones to optimize 3D printers or biomaterials like artificial tissue and surgical mesh – helping engineers design better cars, computers, solar cells or threat-detecting sensors.
This field emerged from metallurgy and ceramic engineering departments, gradually adding polymer engineering, solid state physics (later becoming condensed matter physics), nanotechnology and chemical biology into its scope.