Plasma Electronics

Contains research objectives and reports on twelve research projects.National Science Foundation under Grant G-9330U. S. Navy (Office of Naval Research) under Contract Nonr-1841(78)U. S. NavyLincoln Laboratory, Purchase Order DDL B-00306U. S. ArmyU. S. Air Force under Air Force Contract AF19(604)-740

Plasma Electronics

Contains research objectives and reports on six research objectives.National Science Foundation (Grant G-24073)Lincoln Laboratory, Purchase Order DDL BB-107U. S. Air Force under Contract AF 19(628)-50

Allocation under dictatorship : research in Stalin’s archives

We survey recent research on the Soviet economy in the state, party, and military archives of the Stalin era. The archives have provided rich new evidence on the economic arrangements of a command system under a powerful dictator including Stalin’s role in the making of the economic system and economic policy, Stalin’s accumulation objectives and the constraints that limited his power to achieve them, the limits to administrative allocation, the information flows and incentives that governed the behavior of economic managers, the scope and significance of corruption and market-oriented behavior, and the prospects for economic reform

Insulated molecular wires: inhibiting orthogonal contacts in metal complex based molecular junctions

Metal complexes are receiving increased attention as molecular wires in fundamental studies of the transport properties of metal|molecule|metal junctions. In this context we report the single-molecule conductance of a systematic series of d8 square-planar platinum(II) trans-bis(alkynyl) complexes with terminal trimethylsilylethynyl (C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3) contacting groups, e.g. trans-Pt{C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CC6H4C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3}2(PR3)2 (R = Ph or Et), using a combination of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) experiments in solution and theoretical calculations using density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. The measured conductance values of the complexes (ca. 3–5 × 10−5G0) are commensurate with similarly structured all-organic oligo(phenylene ethynylene) and oligo(yne) compounds. Based on conductance and break-off distance data, we demonstrate that a PPh3 supporting ligand in the platinum complexes can provide an alternative contact point for the STM tip in the molecular junctions, orthogonal to the terminal C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3 group. The attachment of hexyloxy side chains to the diethynylbenzene ligands, e.g. trans-Pt{C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CC6H2(Ohex)2C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CSiMe3}2(PPh3)2 (Ohex = OC6H13), hinders contact of the STM tip to the PPh3 groups and effectively insulates the molecule, allowing the conductance through the full length of the backbone to be reliably measured. The use of trialkylphosphine (PEt3), rather than triarylphosphine (PPh3), ancillary ligands at platinum also eliminates these orthogonal contacts. These results have significant implications for the future design of organometallic complexes for studies in molecular junctions

Venus Evolution Through Time: Key Science Questions, Selected Mission Concepts and Future Investigations

In this work we discuss various selected mission concepts addressing Venus evolution through time. More specifically, we address investigations and payload instrument concepts supporting scientific goals and open questions presented in the companion articles of this volume. Also included are their related investigations (observations & modeling) and discussion of which measurements and future data products are needed to better constrain Venus’ atmosphere, climate, surface, interior and habitability evolution through time. A new fleet of Venus missions has been selected, and new mission concepts will continue to be considered for future selections. Missions under development include radar-equipped ESA-led EnVision M5 orbiter mission (European Space Agency 2021), NASA-JPL’s VERITAS orbiter mission (Smrekar et al. 2022a), NASA-GSFC’s DAVINCI entry probe/flyby mission (Garvin et al. 2022a). The data acquired with the VERITAS, DAVINCI, and EnVision from the end of this decade will fundamentally improve our understanding of the planet’s long term history, current activity and evolutionary path. We further describe future mission concepts and measurements beyond the current framework of selected missions, as well as the synergies between these mission concepts, ground-based and space-based observatories and facilities, laboratory measurements, and future algorithmic or modeling activities that pave the way for the development of a Venus program that extends into the 2040s (Wilson et al. 2022)

Villa of the Papyri

East colonnade, view looking south; Based on 1st century Roman villa. The Villa is frequently and erroneously said to be in Malibu, but it is actually in the city of Los Angeles in the wealthy community of Pacific Palisades. In 1974, Getty opened the Getty Villa as his second museum in a re-creation of the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, as well as incorporating details from several other ancient sites. In 1997 the main part of the museum moved to its current location in Brentwood to become the Getty Center and the Palisades museum, renamed the "Getty Villa", was closed for renovation. Reopened on January 28, 2006, the Getty Villa once again holds Greek and Roman sculptures housed in the interim at the Getty Center. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 2/11/2008

Villa of the Papyri

Copy of "Hermes at Rest", bronze statue, 1st century CE, from the great peristyle of the Villa dei Papiri, Herculaneum (the Villa dei Papiri statue, itself a copy of a Hellenistic bronze original by Lysippus dating to the end of the 4th or the beginning); Based on 1st century Roman villa. The Villa is frequently and erroneously said to be in Malibu, but it is actually in the city of Los Angeles in the wealthy community of Pacific Palisades. In 1974, Getty opened the Getty Villa as his second museum in a re-creation of the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, as well as incorporating details from several other ancient sites. In 1997 the main part of the museum moved to its current location in Brentwood to become the Getty Center and the Palisades museum, renamed the "Getty Villa", was closed for renovation. Reopened on January 28, 2006, the Getty Villa once again holds Greek and Roman sculptures housed in the interim at the Getty Center. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 2/11/2008

Villa of the Papyri

Inner Peristyle Garden, view looking down at the reflecting pool and statues, on axis with the East Garden; Based on 1st century Roman villa. The Villa is frequently and erroneously said to be in Malibu, but it is actually in the city of Los Angeles in the wealthy community of Pacific Palisades. In 1974, Getty opened the Getty Villa as his second museum in a re-creation of the Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum, as well as incorporating details from several other ancient sites. In 1997 the main part of the museum moved to its current location in Brentwood to become the Getty Center and the Palisades museum, renamed the "Getty Villa", was closed for renovation. Reopened on January 28, 2006, the Getty Villa once again holds Greek and Roman sculptures housed in the interim at the Getty Center. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 2/11/2008