Theory of x-ray absorption by laser-dressed atoms

An ab initio theory is devised for the x-ray photoabsorption cross section of atoms in the field of a moderately intense optical laser (800nm, 10^13 W/cm^2). The laser dresses the core-excited atomic states, which introduces a dependence of the cross section on the angle between the polarization vectors of the two linearly polarized radiation sources. We use the Hartree-Fock-Slater approximation to describe the atomic many-particle problem in conjunction with a nonrelativistic quantum-electrodynamic approach to treat the photon-electron interaction. The continuum wave functions of ejected electrons are treated with a complex absorbing potential that is derived from smooth exterior complex scaling. The solution to the two-color (x-ray plus laser) problem is discussed in terms of a direct diagonalization of the complex symmetric matrix representation of the Hamiltonian. Alternative treatments with time-independent and time-dependent non-Hermitian perturbation theories are presented that exploit the weak interaction strength between x rays and atoms. We apply the theory to study the photoabsorption cross section of krypton atoms near the K edge. A pronounced modification of the cross section is found in the presence of the optical laser.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, RevTeX4, corrected typoe

Analysis of Inelasticity Effect Due to Damage on Stress Distributions in Composite Laminates

A damage mechanics model characterizing damage behavior of composite materials proposed earlier by the authors is employed to analyze the damage effects on stress field near the free edge in symmetrically laminated graphite/epoxy composites of finite dimensions under umaxial tension. A quasi-three-dimensional finite element analy sis is developed for the present investigation. The results from the damaged and undam aged stress distributions of [0/90°]s, [90/0°]s, and [±45°] s laminates are compared and examined. The processes of initiation and development of damage zone in these composite laminates are also discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68869/2/10.1177_073168449301200805.pd

Pseudo-dynamic method for structural analysis of automobile seats

This work describes the application of a pseudo-dynamic (PsD) method to the dynamic analysis of passenger seats for the automotive industry. The project of such components involves a structural test considering the action of dynamic forces arising from a crash scenario. The laboratory certification of these automotive components consists essentially on the inspection of the propagation and extension of plastic deformations zones in metallic members of the seat structure as consequence of the mutual action between the seat and the passenger fastened to the seat via seat belt anchorages. This work presents a relatively simple experiment using PsD techniques as a novel method to performa test equivalent to the dynamic model of a dummy-seat pair subjected to impulsive loads from a car crash. Essentially, the PsD test method is a hybrid and hierarchic computer-driven testing procedure where a numerical algorithm and experimental step are used and combined on-line in order to solve a problem in the scope of structural dynamics. The implementation of the method is not expensive and has the leading advantage of offering the operator a total control of any intermediate structure state during the test still keeping the realism of a real dynamic testing.Project: NDT-AUTO Ref 13-02-2003-FDR-01281 (Agencia de Inovação

A new flat shell finite element for the linear analysis of thin shell structures

In this paper, a new rectangular flat shell element denoted ‘ACM_RSBE5’ is presented. The new element is obtained by superposition of the new strain-based membrane element ‘RSBE5’ and the well-known plate bending element ‘ACM’. The element can be used for the analysis of any type of thin shell structures, even if the geometry is irregular. Comparison with other types of shell elements is performed using a series of standard test problems. A correlation study with an experimentally tested aluminium shell is also conducted. The new shell element proved to have a fast rate of convergence and to provide accurate results

Metabolic Signatures of Lung Cancer in Biofluids: NMR-Based Metabonomics of Blood Plasma

In this work, the variations in the metabolic profile of blood plasma from lung cancer patients and healthy controls were investigated through NMR-based metabonomics, to assess the potential of this approach for lung cancer screening and diagnosis. PLS-DA modeling of CPMG spectra from plasma, subjected to Monte Carlo Cross Validation, allowed cancer patients to be discriminated from controls with sensitivity and specificity levels of about 90%. Relatively lower HDL and higher VLDL + LDL in the patients' plasma, together with increased lactate and pyruvate and decreased levels of glucose, citrate, formate, acetate, several amino acids (alanine, glutamine, histidine, tyrosine, valine), and methanol, could be detected. These changes were found to be present at initial disease stages and could be related to known cancer biochemical hallmarks, such as enhanced glycolysis, glutaminolysis, and gluconeogenesis, together with suppressed Krebs cycle and reduced lipid catabolism, thus supporting the hypothesis of a systemic metabolic signature for lung cancer. Despite the possible confounding influence of age, smoking habits, and other uncontrolled factors, these results indicate that NMR-based metabonomics of blood plasma can be useful as a screening tool to identify suspicious cases for subsequent, more specific radiological tests, thus contributing to improved disease management.ERDF - Competitive Factors Thematic Operational ProgrammeFCT/PTDC/ QUI/68017/2006FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-007439SFRH/BD/ 63430/2009National UNESCO Committee - L'Oréal Medals of Honor for Women in Science 200Portuguese National NMR Network - RNRM

Production of π0 and η mesons in Cu+Au collisions at sNN =200 GeV

Production of π0 and η mesons has been measured at midrapidity in Cu+Au collisions at sNN=200GeV. Measurements were performed in π0(η)→γγ decay channel in the 1(2)-20GeV/c transverse momentum range. A strong suppression is observed for π0 and η meson production at high transverse momentum in central Cu+Au collisions relative to the p+p results scaled by the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions. In central collisions the suppression is similar to Au+Au with comparable nuclear overlap. The η/π0 ratio measured as a function of transverse momentum is consistent with mT-scaling parametrization down to pT=2GeV/c, its asymptotic value is constant and consistent with Au+Au and p+p and does not show any significant dependence on collision centrality. Similar results were obtained in hadron-hadron, hadron-nucleus, and nucleus-nucleus collisions as well as in e+e- collisions in a range of collision energies sNN=3-1800 GeV. This suggests that the quark-gluon-plasma medium produced in Cu+Cu collisions either does not affect the jet fragmentation into light mesons or it affects the π0 and η the same way

Pion Freeze-Out Time in Pb+Pb Collisions at 158 A GeV/c Studied via pi-/pi+ and K-/K+ Ratios

The effect of the final state Coulomb interaction on particles produced in Pb+Pb collisions at 158 A GeV/c has been investigated in the WA98 experiment through the study of the pi-/pi+ and K-/K+ ratios measured as a function of transverse mass. While the ratio for kaons shows no significant transverse mass dependence, the pi-/pi+ ratio is enhanced at small transverse mass values with an enhancement that increases with centrality. A silicon pad detector located near the target is used to estimate the contribution of hyperon decays to the pi-/pi+ ratio. The comparison of results with predictions of the RQMD model in which the Coulomb interaction has been incorporated allows to place constraints on the time of the pion freeze-out.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figure

Systematics of Inclusive Photon Production in 158 AGeV Pb Induced Reactions on Ni, Nb, and Pb Targets

The multiplicity of inclusive photons has been measured on an event-by-event basis for 158 AGeV Pb induced reactions on Ni, Nb, and Pb targets. The systematics of the pseudorapidity densities at midrapidity (rho_max) and the width of the pseudorapidity distributions have been studied for varying centralities for these collisions. A power law fit to the photon yield as a function of the number of participating nucleons gives a value of 1.13+-0.03 for the exponent. The mean transverse momentum, , of photons determined from the ratio of the measured electromagnetic transverse energy and photon multiplicity, remains almost constant with increasing rho_max. Results are compared with model predictions.Comment: 16 pages including 4 figure

Beam Energy and Centrality Dependence of Direct-Photon Emission from Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions.

The PHENIX collaboration presents first measurements of low-momentum (0.41  GeV/c) direct-photon yield dN_{γ}^{dir}/dη is a smooth function of dN_{ch}/dη and can be well described as proportional to (dN_{ch}/dη)^{α} with α≈1.25. This scaling behavior holds for a wide range of beam energies at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider, for centrality selected samples, as well as for different A+A collision systems. At a given beam energy, the scaling also holds for high p_{T} (>5  GeV/c), but when results from different collision energies are compared, an additional sqrt[s_{NN}]-dependent multiplicative factor is needed to describe the integrated-direct-photon yield

Scaling of Particle and Transverse Energy Production in 208Pb+208Pb collisions at 158 A GeV

Transverse energy, charged particle pseudorapidity distributions and photon transverse momentum spectra have been studied as a function of the number of participants (N_{part}) and the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions (N_{coll}) in 158 A GeV Pb+Pb collisions over a wide impact parameter range. A scaling of the transverse energy pseudorapidity density at midrapidity as N_{part}^{1.08 \pm 0.06} and N_{coll}^{0.83 \pm 0.05} is observed. For the charged particle pseudorapidity density at midrapidity we find a scaling as N_{part}^{1.07 \pm 0.04} and N_{coll}^{0.82 \pm 0.03}. This faster than linear scaling with N_{part} indicates a violation of the naive Wounded Nucleon Model.Comment: 13 pages, 16 figures, submitted to European Physical Journal C (revised results for scaling exponents