Direct optical observations of surface thermal motions at sub-shot noise levels

We measure spectral properties of surface thermal fluctuations of liquids, solids, complex fluids and biological matter using light scattering methods. The random thermal fluctuations are delineated from random noise at sub-shot noise levels. The principle behind this extraction, which is quite general and is not limited to surface measurements, is explained. An optical lever is used to measure the spectrum of fluctuations in the inclinations of surfaces down to $\sim 10^{-17}\rm rad^2/Hz$ at $1\sim10 \mu$W optical intensity, corresponding to $\sim 10^{-29} \rm m^2/\rm Hz$ in the vertical displacement, in the frequency range $1{\rm}\rm kHz\sim10 MHz$. The dynamical evolution of the surface properties is also investigated. The measurement requires only a short amount of time and is essentially passive, so that it can be applied to a wide variety of surfaces.Comment: 5pp, 5 figure

Mars mission solar array Semiannual progress report, period ending 31 Dec. 1969

Design and testing of beryllium-structure solar panel for Mars missio

Background light measurements at the DUMAND site

Ambient light intensities at the DUMAND site, west of the island of Hawaii were measured around the one photoelectron level. Throughout the water column between 1,500m and 4,700m, a substantial amount of stimulateable bioluminescence is observed with a ship suspended detector. But non-stimulated bioluminescence level is comparable, or less than, K sup 40 background, when measured with a bottom tethered detector typical of a DUMAND optical module

Identification problems of muon and electron events in the Super-Kamiokande detector

In the measurement of atmospheric nu_e and nu_mu fluxes, the calculations of the Super Kamiokande group for the distinction between muon-like and electronlike events observed in the water Cerenkov detector have initially assumed a misidentification probability of less than 1 % and later 2 % for the sub-GeV range. In the multi-GeV range, they compared only the observed behaviors of ring patterns of muon and electron events, and claimed a 3 % mis-identification. However, the expressions and the calculation method do not include the fluctuation properties due to the stochastic nature of the processes which determine the expected number of photoelectrons (p.e.) produced by muons and electrons. Our full Monte Carlo (MC) simulations including the fluctuations of photoelectron production show that the total mis-identification rate for electrons and muons should be larger than or equal to 20 % for sub-GeV region. Even in the multi-GeV region we expect a mis-identification rate of several % based on our MC simulations taking into account the ring patterns. The mis-identified events are mostly of muonic origin.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figure

Nonchaotic Stagnant Motion in a Marginal Quasiperiodic Gradient System

A one-dimensional dynamical system with a marginal quasiperiodic gradient is presented as a mathematical extension of a nonuniform oscillator. The system exhibits a nonchaotic stagnant motion, which is reminiscent of intermittent chaos. In fact, the density function of residence times near stagnation points obeys an inverse-square law, due to a mechanism similar to type-I intermittency. However, unlike intermittent chaos, in which the alternation between long stagnant phases and rapid moving phases occurs in a random manner, here the alternation occurs in a quasiperiodic manner. In particular, in case of a gradient with the golden ratio, the renewal of the largest residence time occurs at positions corresponding to the Fibonacci sequence. Finally, the asymptotic long-time behavior, in the form of a nested logarithm, is theoretically derived. Compared with the Pomeau-Manneville intermittency, a significant difference in the relaxation property of the long-time average of the dynamical variable is found.Comment: 11pages, 5figure

Noise spectroscopy of optical microcavity

The intensity noise spectrum of the light passed through an optical microcavity is calculated with allowance for thermal fluctuations of its thickness. The spectrum thus obtained reveals a peak at the frequency of acoustic mode localized inside the microcavity and depends on the size of the illuminated area. The estimates of the noise magnitude show that it can be detected using the up-to-date noise spectroscopy technique.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur

Search for an exotic three-body decay of orthopositronium

We report on a direct search for a three-body decay of the orthopositronium into a photon and two penetrating particles, o-Ps -> gamma + X1 + X2. The existence of this decay could explain the discrepancy between the measured and the predicted values of the orthopositronium decay rate. From the analysis of the collected data a single candidate event is found, consistent with the expected background. This allows to set an upper limit on the branching ratio < 4.4 \times 10^{-5} (at the 90% confidence level), for the photon energy in the range from 40 keV < E_gamma< 400 keV and for mass values in the kinematical range 0 gamma + X1 + X2 decay mode as the origin of the discrepancy.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Keratoconus and granular dystrophy

Concurrent bilateral keratoconus and granular dystrophy is reported in a 32 year old patient with decreased vision. Initially contact lenses were attempted unsuccessfully to treat the conditions. There are a handful of other reports of these combined pathologies in the literature, and the likelihood of a chance cause or possible genetic linkage between the conditions is discussed

Field-Induced Two-Step Phase Transitions in the Singlet Ground State Triangular Antiferromagnet CsFeBr3_3

The ground state of the stacked triangular antiferromagnet CsFeBr$_3$ is a spin singlet due to the large single ion anisotropy $D(S^z)^2$. The field-induced magnetic ordering in this compound was investigated by the magnetic susceptibility, the magnetization process and specific heat measurements for an external field parallel to the $c$-axis. Unexpectedly, two phase transitions were observed in the magnetic field $H$ higher than 3 T. The phase diagram for temperature versus magnetic field was obtained. The mechanism leading to the successive phase transitions is discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures, 10 eps files, jpsj styl