Energy and volume activation parameters of the retro-Diels-Alder reaction in different solvents

The temperature and pressure effects on the decay rate of an adduct obtained from 9-chloroanthracene and tetracyanoethene by a Diels-Alder reaction were studied. The rate constants (298.2 K) and the enthalpies, entropies, and volumes of activation were determined for the retro-Diels-Alder reaction in different solvents. The data obtained confirm a possible decrease in the molar volume of the solvated adduct upon partial bond cleavage on the way to the transition state. The reversal of the sign in front of the activation volume cannot be indicative of a changed reaction mechanism. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc

Experimental study of direct photon emission in K- --> pi- pi0 gamma decay using ISTRA+ detector

The branching ratio in the charged-pion kinetic energy region of 55 to 90 MeV for the direct photon emission in the K- --> pi- pi0 gamma decay has been measured using in-flight decays detected with the ISTRA+ setup operating in the 25 GeV/c negative secondary beam of the U-70 PS. The value Br(DE)=[0.37+-0.39(stat)+-0.10(syst)]*10^(-5) obtained from the analysis of 930 completely reconstructed events is consistent with the average value of two stopped-kaon experiments, but it differs by 2.5 standard deviations from the average value of three in-flight-kaon experiments. The result is also compared with recent theoretical predictions.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure

Study of the K- -> pi0 e- nu decay

The decay K- -> pi0 e- nu has been studied using in-flight decays detected with "ISTRA+" setup operating at the 25 GeV negative secondary beam of the U-70 PS. About 130K events were used for the analysis. The lambda_+ parameter of the vector formfactor has been measured: lambda_+ = 0.0293 +- 0.0015(stat) +- 0.002(syst). The limits on the possible tensor and scalar couplings have been derived: f_T/f_+(0)=-0.044 +0.059 -0.057 (stat) f_S/f_+(0)=-0.020 +0.025 -0.016 (stat)Comment: 11 pages, Latex, 9 picture

The double sheath on cathodes of discharges burning in cathode vapour

International audienceThe model of a collisionless near-cathode space-charge sheath with ionization of atoms emitted by the cathode surface is considered. Numerical calculations showed that the mathematical problem is solvable and its solution is unique. In the framework of this model, the sheath represents a double layer with a potential maximum, with the ions which are produced before the maximum returning to the cathode surface and those produced after the maximum escaping into the plasma. Numerical results are given in a form to be readily applicable in analysis of discharges burning in cathode vapor, such as vacuum arcs. In particular, the results indicate that the ion backflow coefficient in such discharges is at least 53%, in agreement with values extracted from the experiment

Form Factors in the radiative pion decay

We perform an analysis of the form factors that rule the structure-dependent amplitude in the radiative pion decay. The resonance contributions to pion -> e nu_e gamma decays are computed through the proper construction of the vector and axial-vector form factors by setting the QCD driven asymptotic properties of the three-point Green functions VVP and VAP, and by demanding the smoothing of the form factors at high transfer of momentum. A comparison between theoretical and experimental determinations of the form factors is also carried out. We also consider and evaluate the role played by a non-standard tensor form factor. We conclude that, at present and due to the hadronic incertitudes, the search for New Physics in this process is not feasible.Comment: 14 pages, no figures. Typos corrected. Accepted for publication in The European Physical Journal

Measurement of Direct Photon Emission in K^+ -> pi^+ pi^0 gamma Decay

We have performed a measurement of the K^+ -> pi^+ pi^0 gamma decay and have observed 2 X 10^4 events. The best fit to the decay spectrum gives a branching ratio for direct photon emission of (4.7\pm0.8\pm0.3) X 10^{-6} in the pi^+ kinetic energy region of 55 to 90 MeV and requires no component due to interference with inner bremsstrahlung.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. To be submitted to PR

ChPT tests at the NA48 and NA62 experiments at CERN

The NA48/2 Collaboration at CERN has accumulated unprecedented statistics of rare kaon decays in the Ke4 modes: Ke4(+-) ($K^\pm \to \pi^+ \pi^- e^\pm \nu$) and Ke4(00) ($K^\pm \to \pi^0 \pi^0 e^\pm \nu$) with nearly one percent background contamination. The detailed study of form factors and branching rates, based on these data, has been completed recently. The results brings new inputs to low energy strong interactions description and tests of Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) and lattice QCD calculations. In particular, new data support the ChPT prediction for a cusp in the $\pi^0\pi^0$ invariant mass spectrum at the two charged pions threshold for Ke4(00) decay. New final results from an analysis of about 400 $K^\pm \to \pi^\pm \gamma \gamma$ rare decay candidates collected by the NA48/2 and NA62 experiments at CERN during low intensity runs with minimum bias trigger configurations are presented. The results include a model-independent decay rate measurement and fits to ChPT description.Comment: XIIth International Conference on Heavy Quarks and Leptons 2014, Mainz, German

Recent NA48/2 and NA62 results

The NA48/2 Collaboration at CERN has accumulated and analysed unprecedented statistics of rare kaon decays in the $K_{e4}$ modes: $K_{e4}(+-)$ ($K^\pm \to \pi^+ \pi^- e^\pm \nu$) and $K_{e4}(00)$ ($K^\pm \to \pi^0 \pi^0 e^\pm \nu$) with nearly one percent background contamination. It leads to the improved measurement of branching fractions and detailed form factor studies. New final results from the analysis of 381 $K^\pm \to \pi^\pm \gamma \gamma$ rare decay candidates collected by the NA48/2 and NA62 experiments at CERN are presented. The results include a decay rate measurement and fits to Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) description.Comment: Prepared for the Proceedings of "Moriond QCD and High Energy Interactions. March 22-29 2014." conferenc

A nearly complete database on the records and ecology of the rarest boreal tiger moth from 1840s to 2020

Global environmental changes may cause dramatic insect declines but over century-long time series of certain species’ records are rarely available for scientific research. The Menetries’ Tiger Moth (Arctia menetriesii) appears to be the most enigmatic example among boreal insects. Although it occurs throughout the entire Eurasian taiga biome, it is so rare that less than 100 specimens were recorded since its original description in 1846. Here, we present the database, which contains nearly all available information on the species’ records collected from 1840s to 2020. The data on A. menetriesii records (N = 78) through geographic regions, environments, and different timeframes are compiled and unified. The database may serve as the basis for a wide array of future research such as the distribution modeling and predictions of range shifts under climate changes. It represents a unique example of a more than century-long dataset of distributional, ecological, and phenological data designed for an exceptionally rare but widespread boreal insect, which primarily occurs in hard-to-reach, uninhabited areas of Eurasia.Peer reviewe