A selected ion flow tube study of the reactions of gas-phase cations with PSCl3

A selected ion flow tube was used to investigate the positive ion chemistry of thiophosphoryl chloride, PSCl$_3$. Rate coefficients and ion product branching ratios have been determined at room temperature for reactions with nineteen cations ; H$_3$O$^+$, CF$_3^+$, CF$^+$, NO$^+$, NO$_2^+$, SF$_2^+$, SF$^+$, CF$_2^+$, O$_2^+$, H$_2$O$^+$, N$_2$O$^+$, O$^+$, CO$_2^+$, CO$^+$, N$^+$, N$_2^+$, Ar$^+$, F$^+$ and Ne$^+$ (in order of increasing recombination energy). Complementary data described in the previous paper have been obtained for this molecule via the observation of threshold photoelectron photoion coincidences. For ions whose recombination energies are in the range 10-22 eV, comparisons are made between the product ion branching rations of PSCl$_3$ from photoionisation and from ion-molecule reactions. In most instances, the data from the two experiments are well correlated, suggesting that long-range charge transfer is the dominant mechanism for these ion-molecule reactions ; the agreement is particularly good for the atomic ions Ar$^+$, F$^+$ and Ne$^+$. Some reactions (e.g. O$_2^+$ + PSCl$_3$), however, exhibit significant differences; short-range charge transfer must then be occurring following the formation of an ion-molecule complex. For ions whose recombination energies are less than 10 eV (i.e. H$_3$O$^+$, CF$_3^+$, CF$^+$ and NO$^+$), reactions can only occur via a chemical process in which bonds are broken and formed, because the recombination energy of the cation is less than the ionisation energy of PSCl$_3$

Stratigraphic columns for the Neogene succession exposed in central parts of Hawke’s Bay Basin, eastern North Island, New Zealand

This report is a compilation of stratigraphic columns for geological sections and outcrops of Neogene sedimentary units in central parts of Hawke’s Bay Basin, eastern North Island, New Zealand. The columns have been prepared as part of a basin analysis investigation undertaken by the Sedimentary and Petroleum Geology Research Group in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Waikato and have been compiled into a common format from six recent MSc and PhD theses to make the information more readily available, principally to assist hydrocarbon exploration activities in the region. The columns represent a level of detail underpinning a rationalized lithostratigraphy of the Neogene basin fill. The systematic lithostratigraphic description of the basin fill is given in a companion report (Bland et al. 2007)

The Scottish Mental Survey 1932 linked to the Midspan studies: a prospective investigation of childhood intelligence and future health

The Scottish Mental Survey of 1932 (SMS1932) recorded mental ability test scores for nearly all of the age group of children born in 1921 and at school in Scotland on 1st June 1932. The Collaborative and Renfrew/Paisley studies, two of the Midspan studies, obtained health and social data by questionnaire and a physical examination in the 1970s. Some Midspan participants were born in 1921 and may have taken part in the SMS1932, so might have mental ability data available from childhood. The 1921-born Midspan participants were matched with the computerised SMS1932 database. The total numbers successfully matched were 1032 out of 1251 people (82.5%). Of those matched, 938 (90.9%) had a mental ability test score recorded. The mean score of the matched sample was 37.2 (standard deviation [SD] 13.9) out of a possible score of 76. The mean (SD) for the boys and girls respectively was 38.3 (14.2) and 35.7 (13.9). This compared with 38.6 (15.7) and 37.2 (14.3) for boys and girls in all of Scotland. Graded relationships were found between mental ability in childhood, and social class and deprivation category of residence in adulthood. Being in a higher social class or in a more affluent deprivation category was associated with higher childhood mental ability scores and the scores reduced with increasing deprivation. Future plans for the matched data include examining associations between childhood mental ability and other childhood and adult risk factors for disease in adulthood, and modelling childhood mental ability, alongside other factors available in the Midspan database, as a risk factor for specific illnesses, admission to hospital and mortality

Direct CP violation and the ΔI=1/2 rule in K→ππ decay from the standard model

We present a lattice QCD calculation of the ΔI=1/2, K→ππ decay amplitude A0 and ϵ′, the measure of direct CP violation in K→ππ decay, improving our 2015 calculation [1] of these quantities. Both calculations were performed with physical kinematics on a 323×64 lattice with an inverse lattice spacing of a-1=1.3784(68)  GeV. However, the current calculation includes nearly 4 times the statistics and numerous technical improvements allowing us to more reliably isolate the ππ ground state and more accurately relate the lattice operators to those defined in the standard model. We find Re(A0)=2.99(0.32)(0.59)×10-7  GeV and Im(A0)=-6.98(0.62)(1.44)×10-11  GeV, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. The former agrees well with the experimental result Re(A0)=3.3201(18)×10-7  GeV. These results for A0 can be combined with our earlier lattice calculation of A2 [2] to obtain Re(ϵ′/ϵ)=21.7(2.6)(6.2)(5.0)×10-4, where the third error represents omitted isospin breaking effects, and Re(A0)/Re(A2)=19.9(2.3)(4.4). The first agrees well with the experimental result of Re(ϵ′/ϵ)=16.6(2.3)×10-4. A comparison of the second with the observed ratio Re(A0)/Re(A2)=22.45(6), demonstrates the standard model origin of this “ΔI=1/2 rule” enhancement.We present a lattice QCD calculation of the $\Delta I=1/2$, $K\to\pi\pi$ decay amplitude $A_0$ and $\varepsilon'$, the measure of direct CP-violation in $K\to\pi\pi$ decay, improving our 2015 calculation of these quantities. Both calculations were performed with physical kinematics on a $32^3\times 64$ lattice with an inverse lattice spacing of $a^{-1}=1.3784(68)$ GeV. However, the current calculation includes nearly four times the statistics and numerous technical improvements allowing us to more reliably isolate the $\pi\pi$ ground-state and more accurately relate the lattice operators to those defined in the Standard Model. We find ${\rm Re}(A_0)=2.99(0.32)(0.59)\times 10^{-7}$ GeV and ${\rm Im}(A_0)=-6.98(0.62)(1.44)\times 10^{-11}$ GeV, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. The former agrees well with the experimental result ${\rm Re}(A_0)=3.3201(18)\times 10^{-7}$ GeV. These results for $A_0$ can be combined with our earlier lattice calculation of $A_2$ to obtain ${\rm Re}(\varepsilon'/\varepsilon)=21.7(2.6)(6.2)(5.0) \times 10^{-4}$, where the third error represents omitted isospin breaking effects, and Re$(A_0)$/Re$(A_2) = 19.9(2.3)(4.4)$. The first agrees well with the experimental result of ${\rm Re}(\varepsilon'/\varepsilon)=16.6(2.3)\times 10^{-4}$. A comparison of the second with the observed ratio Re$(A_0)/$Re$(A_2) = 22.45(6)$, demonstrates the Standard Model origin of this "$\Delta I = 1/2$ rule" enhancement

Ultra-High Energy Neutrino Fluxes and Their Constraints

Applying our recently developed propagation code we review extragalactic neutrino fluxes above 10^{14} eV in various scenarios and how they are constrained by current data. We specifically identify scenarios in which the cosmogenic neutrino flux, produced by pion production of ultra high energy cosmic rays outside their sources, is considerably higher than the "Waxman-Bahcall bound". This is easy to achieve for sources with hard injection spectra and luminosities that were higher in the past. Such fluxes would significantly increase the chances to detect ultra-high energy neutrinos with experiments currently under construction or in the proposal stage.Comment: 11 pages, 15 figures, version published in Phys.Rev.

Phantom Field with O(N) Symmetry in Exponential Potential

In this paper, we study the phase space of phantom model with O(\emph{N}) symmetry in exponential potential. Different from the model without O(\emph{N}) symmetry, the introduction of the symmetry leads to a lower bound $w>-3$ on the equation of state for the existence of stable phantom dominated attractor phase. The reconstruction relation between the potential of O(\textit{N}) phantom system and red shift has been derived.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, replaced with the version to appear on Phys. Rev.

Absolute Proper Motions to B~22.5: IV. Faint, Low Velocity White Dwarfs and the White Dwarf Population Density Law

The reduced proper motion diagram (RPMD) for a complete sample of faint stars with high accuracy proper motions in the North Galactic Pole field SA57 is investigated. Eight stars with very large reduced proper motions are identified as faint white dwarf candidates. We discriminate these white dwarf candidates from the several times more numerous QSOs based on proper motion and variability. We discuss the implausibility that these stars could be any kind of survey contaminant. If {\it bona fide} white dwarfs, the eight candidates found here represent a portion of the white dwarf population hitherto uninvestigated by previous surveys by virtue of the faint magnitudes and low proper motions. The newly discovered stars suggest a disk white dwarf scaleheight larger than the values of 250-350 pc typically assumed in assessments of the local white dwarf density. Both a <V/V_{max}> and a more complex maximum likelihood analysis of the spatial distribution of our likely thin disk white dwarfs yield scaleheights of 400-600 pc while at the same time give a reasonable match to the local white dwarf volume density found in other surveys. Our results could have interesting implications for white dwarfs as potential MACHO objects. We can place some direct constraints (albeit weak ones) on the contribution of halo white dwarfs to the dark matter of the Galaxy. Moreover, the elevated scale height that we measure for the thin disk could alter the interpretation of microlensing results to the extent of making white dwarfs untenable as the dominant MACHO contributor. (Abridged)Comment: 38 pages, 5 figures, to appear in April Ap

Tobacco Retail Outlets, Neighborhood Deprivation and the Risk of Prenatal Smoke Exposure

INTRODUCTION: Smoking and smoke exposure among pregnant women remain persistent public health issues. Recent estimates suggest that approximately one out of four nonsmokers have measurable levels of cotinine, a marker indicating regular exposure to secondhand smoke. Epidemiological research has attempted to pinpoint individual-level and neighborhood-level factors for smoking during pregnancy. However, most of these studies have relied upon self-reported measures of smoking. AIMS AND METHODS: To more accurately assess smoke exposure resulting from both smoking and secondhand exposure in mothers during pregnancy, we used Bayesian regression models to estimate the association of cotinine levels with tobacco retail outlet (TRO) exposure and a neighborhood deprivation index (NDI) in six counties in North Carolina centered on Durham County. RESULTS: Results showed a significant positive association between TRO exposure (β = 0.008, 95% credible interval (CI) = [0.003, 0.013]) and log cotinine after adjusting for individual covariates (eg, age, race/ethnicity, education, marital status). TRO exposure was not significant after including the NDI, which was significantly associated with log cotinine (β = 0.143, 95% CI = [0.030, 0.267]). However, in a low cotinine stratum (indicating secondhand smoke exposure), TRO exposure was significantly associated with log cotinine (β = 0.005, 95% CI = [0.001, 0.009]), while in a high cotinine stratum (indicating active smoking), the NDI was significantly associated with log cotinine (β = 0.176, 95% CI = [0.005, 0.372]). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings add to the evidence that contextual factors are important for active smoking during pregnancy. IMPLICATIONS: In this study, we found several significant associations that suggest a more nuanced understanding of the potential influence of environmental- and individual-level factors for levels of prenatal smoke exposure. Results suggested a significant positive association between TRO exposure and cotinine levels, after adjusting for the individual factors such as race, education, and marital status. Individually, NDI was similarly positively associated with cotinine levels as well. However, when combining TRO exposure alongside NDI in the same model, TROs were no longer significantly associated with overall cotinine levels

A new measurement of direct CP violation in two pion decays of the neutral kaon

The NA48 experiment at CERN has performed a new measurement of direct CP violation, based on data taken in 1997 by simultaneously collecting K_L and K_S decays into pi0pi0 and pi+pi-. The result for the CP violating parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon) is (18.5 +/- 4.5(stat)} +/- 5.8 (syst))x10^{-4}.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

Partially ionizing the universe by decaying particles

We show that UV photons produced by decaying particles can partially reionize the universe and explain the large optical depth observed by Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe. Together with UV fluxes from early formed stars and quasars, it is possible that the universe is fully ionized at z \lesssim 6 and partially ionized at z \gtrsim 6 as observed by Sloan Digital Sky Survey for large parameter space of the decaying particle. This scenario will be discriminated by future observations, especially by the EE polarization power spectrum of cosmic microwave background radiation.Comment: 5 pages, 6 postscript figures include