Nuclear condensation and symmetry energy of dilute nuclear matter: an S-matrix approach

Based on the general analysis of the grand canonical partition function in the S-matrix framework, the calculated results on symmetry energy, free energy and entropy of dilute warm nuclear matter are presented. At a given temperature and density, the symmetry energy or symmetry free energy of the clusterized nuclear matter in the S-matrix formulation deviates, particularly at low temperature and relatively higher density, in a subtle way, from the linear dependence on the square of the isospin asymmetry parameter $X=(\rho_n-\rho_p)/(\rho_n+\rho_p)$, contrary to those obtained for homogeneous nucleonic matter. The symmetry coefficients, in the conventional definition, can then be even negative. The symmetry entropy similarly shows a very different behavior.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures. PRC (in press

Constraining the density dependence of symmetry energy from nuclear masses

Empirically determined values of the nuclear volume and surface symmetry energy coefficients from nuclear masses are expressed in terms of density distributions of nucleons in heavy nuclei in the local density approximation. This is then used to extract the value of the symmetry energy slope parameter $L$. The density distributions in both spherical and well deformed nuclei calculated within microscopic framework with different energy density functionals give $L = 59.0 \pm 13.0$ MeV. Application of the method also helps in a precision determination of the neutron skin thickness of nuclei that are difficult to measure accurately.Comment: 6 pages including 3 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev. C (Rapid Comm.

Niobium-based superconducting nano-devices fabrication using all-metal suspended masks

We report a novel method for the fabrication of superconducting nanodevices based on niobium. The well-known difficulties of lithographic patterning of high-quality niobium are overcome by replacing the usual organic resist mask by a metallic one. The quality of the fabrication procedure is demonstrated by the realization and characterization of long and narrow superconducting lines and niobium-gold-niobium proximity SQUIDs

Density reorganization in hot nuclei

The density profile of a hot nuclear system produced in intermediate energy heavy ion collisions is studied in a microcanonical formulation with a momentum and density dependent finite range interaction. The caloric curve and the density evolution with excitation are calculated for a number of systems for the equilibrium mononuclear configuration; they compare favorably with the recent experimental data. The studied density fluctuations are seen to build up rapidly beyond an excitation energy of 8 MeV/u indicating the instability of the system towards nuclear disassembly. Explicit introduction of deformation in the expansion path of the heated nucleus, however, shows that the system might fragment even earlier. We also explore the effects of the nuclear equation of state and of the mass and isospin asymmetry on the nuclear equilibrium configuration and the relevant experimental observables.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figures, revtex

Evaluation of bupirimate against rose powdery mildew

Bupirimate 25% Emulsifiable concentrate (EC) was evaluated for efficacy on Sphaerotheca pannosa, the causal agent of rose powdery mildew in vivo. In this experiment Bupirimate 25% EC 6 ml/L and 4 ml/L effectively reduced the powdery mildew infection over rest of the treatments and improved the flower yield. Moreover, application of Bupirimate 25% EC at the doses of 2, 4 and 6 ml/L and even at higher dose 8 ml/L did not show any phyto-toxic symptoms on rose plant. Thus, Bupirimate 25% EC may be considered as compared to other fungicides

Isotope thermometery in nuclear multifragmentation

A systematic study of the effect of fragment$-$fragment interaction, quantum statistics, $\gamma$-feeding and collective flow is made in the extraction of the nuclear temperature from the double ratio of the isotopic yields in the statistical model of one-step (Prompt) multifragmentation. Temperature is also extracted from the isotope yield ratios generated in the sequential binary-decay model. Comparison of the thermodynamic temperature with the extracted temperatures for different isotope ratios show some anomaly in both models which is discussed in the context of experimentally measured caloric curves.Comment: uuencoded gzipped file containing 20 pages of text in REVTEX format and 12 figures (Postscript files). Physical Review C (in press

S-matrix approach to equation of state of nuclear matter

We calculate the equation of state of nuclear matter based on the general analysis of the grand canonical partition function in the $S$-matrix framework. In addition to the low mass stable particles and their two-body scattering channels considered earlier, the calculation includes systematically all the higher mass particles and their exited states as well as the scattering channels formed by any number of these species. We estimate the latter contribution by resonances in all the channels. The resulting model-independent virial series for pressure gets substantial contribution from the heavy particles and the channels containing them. The series converges for larger values of baryon density than found earlier.Comment: Version to appear in PRC, Rapid Communication

Temperature induced shell effects in deformed nuclei

The thermal evolution of the shell correction energy is investigated for deformed nuclei using Strutinsky prescription in a self-consistent relativistic mean-field framework. For temperature independent single-particle states corresponding to either spherical or deformed nuclear shapes, the shell correction energy $\Delta_{sc}$ steadily washes out with temperature. However, for states pertaining to the self-consistent thermally evolving shapes of deformed nuclei, the dual role played by the single-particle occupancies in diluting the fluctuation effects from the single-particle spectra and in driving the system towards a smaller deformation is crucial in determining $\Delta_{sc}$ at moderate temperatures. In rare earth nuclei, it is found that $\Delta_{sc}$ builds up strongly around the shape transition temperature; for lighter deformed nuclei like $^{64}Zn$ and $^{66}Zn$, this is relatively less prominent.Comment: 6 pages revtex file + 4 ps files for figures, Phys. Rev. C (in press

Incorporating Radial Flow in the Lattice Gas Model for Nuclear Disassembly

We consider extensions of the lattice gas model to incorporate radial flow. Experimental data are used to set the magnitude of radial flow. This flow is then included in the Lattice Gas Model in a microcanonical formalism. For magnitudes of flow seen in experiments, the main effect of the flow on observables is a shift along the $E^*/A$ axis.Comment: Version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. C, Rapid Communicatio