Not just fractal surfaces, but surface fractal aggregates: Derivation of the expression for the structure factor and its applications

Densely packed surface fractal aggregates form in systems with high local volume fractions of particles with very short diffusion lengths, which effectively means that particles have little space to move. However, there are no prior mathematical models, which would describe scattering from such surface fractal aggregates and which would allow the subdivision between inter- and intraparticle interferences of such aggregates. Here, we show that by including a form factor function of the primary particles building the aggregate, a finite size of the surface fractal interfacial sub-surfaces can be derived from a structure factor term. This formalism allows us to define both a finite specific surface area for fractal aggregates and the fraction of particle interfacial sub-surfaces at the perimeter of an aggregate. The derived surface fractal model is validated by comparing it with an ab initio approach that involves the generation of a "brick-in-a-wall" von Koch type contour fractals. Moreover, we show that this approach explains observed scattering intensities from in situ experiments that followed gypsum (CaSO4 · 2H2O) precipitation from highly supersaturated solutions. Our model of densely packed "brick-in-a-wall" surface fractal aggregates may well be the key precursor step in the formation of several types of mosaic- and meso-crystals

Effect of Solution Stoichiometry on BaSO4 Crystallization from Turbidity Measurements and Modeling

The impact of solution stoichiometry on the nucleation and growth of BaSO4 was studied by measuring solution transmittance and subsequent fitting to a crystallization model. Our results show that a large excess of either Ba2+ or SO42− ions inhibits both the nucleation and growth of BaSO4. However, for a small excess of Ba2+, the growth is enhanced. The dependence of nucleation and growth rates on supersaturation and solution stoichiometry was captured by a semiempirical rate model. Hence, the solution stoichiometry is a highly relevant parameter while studying all aspects of BaSO4 crystallization, and it could be worthwhile to examine other minerals similarly

Measurement of double-differential cross sections for top quark pair production in pp collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] and impact on parton distribution functions.

Normalized double-differential cross sections for top quark pair ([Formula: see text]) production are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text] with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]. The measurement is performed in the dilepton [Formula: see text] final state. The [Formula: see text] cross section is determined as a function of various pairs of observables characterizing the kinematics of the top quark and [Formula: see text] system. The data are compared to calculations using perturbative quantum chromodynamics at next-to-leading and approximate next-to-next-to-leading orders. They are also compared to predictions of Monte Carlo event generators that complement fixed-order computations with parton showers, hadronization, and multiple-parton interactions. Overall agreement is observed with the predictions, which is improved when the latest global sets of proton parton distribution functions are used. The inclusion of the measured [Formula: see text] cross sections in a fit of parametrized parton distribution functions is shown to have significant impact on the gluon distribution

Measurement of prompt and nonprompt [Formula: see text] production in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] collisions at [Formula: see text].

This paper reports the measurement of [Formula: see text] meson production in proton-proton ([Formula: see text]) and proton-lead ([Formula: see text]) collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of [Formula: see text] by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The data samples used in the analysis correspond to integrated luminosities of 28[Formula: see text] and 35[Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] collisions, respectively. Prompt and nonprompt [Formula: see text] mesons, the latter produced in the decay of [Formula: see text] hadrons, are measured in their dimuon decay channels. Differential cross sections are measured in the transverse momentum range of [Formula: see text], and center-of-mass rapidity ranges of [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) and [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]). The nuclear modification factor, [Formula: see text], is measured as a function of both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Small modifications to the [Formula: see text] cross sections are observed in [Formula: see text] relative to [Formula: see text] collisions. The ratio of [Formula: see text] production cross sections in [Formula: see text]-going and Pb-going directions, [Formula: see text], studied as functions of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], shows a significant decrease for increasing transverse energy deposited at large pseudorapidities. These results, which cover a wide kinematic range, provide new insight on the role of cold nuclear matter effects on prompt and nonprompt [Formula: see text] production

A search for new phenomena in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] in final states with missing transverse momentum and at least one jet using the [Formula: see text] variable.

A search for new phenomena is performed in final states containing one or more jets and an imbalance in transverse momentum in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13[Formula: see text]. The analysed data sample, recorded with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.3[Formula: see text]. Several kinematic variables are employed to suppress the dominant background, multijet production, as well as to discriminate between other standard model and new physics processes. The search provides sensitivity to a broad range of new-physics models that yield a stable weakly interacting massive particle. The number of observed candidate events is found to agree with the expected contributions from standard model processes, and the result is interpreted in the mass parameter space of fourteen simplified supersymmetric models that assume the pair production of gluinos or squarks and a range of decay modes. For models that assume gluino pair production, masses up to 1575 and 975[Formula: see text] are excluded for gluinos and neutralinos, respectively. For models involving the pair production of top squarks and compressed mass spectra, top squark masses up to 400[Formula: see text] are excluded

Measurement of the WZ production cross section in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] and 8[Formula: see text] and search for anomalous triple gauge couplings at [Formula: see text].

The WZ production cross section is measured by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in proton-proton collision data samples corresponding to integrated luminosities of 4.9[Formula: see text] collected at [Formula: see text], and 19.6[Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text]. The measurements are performed using the fully-leptonic WZ decay modes with electrons and muons in the final state. The measured cross sections for [Formula: see text] are [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]. Differential cross sections with respect to the [Formula: see text] boson [Formula: see text], the leading jet [Formula: see text], and the number of jets are obtained using the [Formula: see text] data. The results are consistent with standard model predictions and constraints on anomalous triple gauge couplings are obtained

Quantitative plane-resolved crystal growth and dissolution kinetics by coupling in situ optical microscopy and diffusion models : the case of salicylic acid in aqueous solution

The growth and dissolution kinetics of salicylic acid crystals are investigated in situ by focusing on individual microscale crystals. From a combination of optical microscopy and finite element method (FEM) modeling, it was possible to obtain a detailed quantitative picture of dissolution and growth dynamics for individual crystal faces. The approach uses real-time in situ growth and dissolution data (crystal size and shape as a function of time) to parametrize a FEM model incorporating surface kinetics and bulk to surface diffusion, from which concentration distributions and fluxes are obtained directly. It was found that the (001) face showed strong mass transport (diffusion) controlled behavior with an average surface concentration close to the solubility value during growth and dissolution over a wide range of bulk saturation levels. The (1̅10) and (110) faces exhibited mixed mass transport/surface controlled behavior, but with a strong diffusive component. As crystals became relatively large, they tended to exhibit peculiar hollow structures in the end (001) face, observed by interferometry and optical microscopy. Such features have been reported in a number of crystals, but there has not been a satisfactory explanation for their origin. The mass transport simulations indicate that there is a large difference in flux across the crystal surface, with high values at the edge of the (001) face compared to the center, and this flux has to be redistributed across the (001) surface. As the crystal grows, the redistribution process evidently can not be maintained so that the edges grow at the expense of the center, ultimately creating high index internal structures. At later times, we postulate that these high energy faces, starved of material from solution, dissolve and the extra flux of salicylic acid causes the voids to close