701 research outputs found
Nucleation and cluster formation in low-density nucleonic matter: A mechanism for ternary fission
Ternary fission yields in the reaction 241Pu(nth,f) are calculated using a
new model which assumes a nucleation-time moderated chemical equilibrium in the
low density matter which constitutes the neck region of the scissioning system.
The temperature, density, proton fraction and fission time required to fit the
experimental data are derived and discussed. A reasonably good fit to the
experimental data is obtained. This model provides a natural explanation for
the observed yields of heavier isotopes relative to those of the lighter
isotopes, the observation of low proton yields relative to 2H and 3H yields and
the non-observation of 3He, all features which are shared by similar thermal
neutron induced and spontaneous fissioning systems.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Voluntary Risk Taking By Young Bicyclists:A Case Study of University Students at Montreal
Young bicyclists in Montreal are taking voluntary risks such as bicycling without wearing helmet and braking system of bicycle although they are aware of the presence of danger. This article analyses the behaviour of young bicyclists taking voluntary risks. The university students in Montreal are considered as the case study since they are more risk takers and the bicycle is a favorite mode of transport among them. This study reveals that half of the respondents did not use helmets. They were also spontaneously taking a risk by high speeding, violating signals, bicycling in mixed traffic, ignoring protective equipment after dark, and avoiding the bicycle designated roads. They were taking voluntary risks based on their attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control. They did not perceive the severity of risks since they experienced relevant and unremarkable minor injuries. The attractiveness of risk and accomplishing the risk activities encouraged the young bicyclists to take voluntary risks repeatedly. Increasing feelings of vulnerability among young bicyclists reduce voluntary risks taking attitude and physical and psychological sufferings of the victims of bicycle-related accidents. Findings of this study suggest that the City of Montreal as well as other cities consider the behaviour of bicyclists particularly the young people to avoid bicycle-related accidents along with other physical measures
Pressure dependence of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation pectrum of beta''-(BEDT-TTF)4(NH4)[Cr(C2O4)3].DMF
The Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) oscillation spectra of the
beta''-(BEDT-TTF)4(NH4)[Cr(C2O4)\_3].DMF organic metal have been studied in
pulsed magnetic fields of up to either 36 T at ambient pressure or 50 T under
hydrostatic pressures of up to 1 GPa. The ambient pressure SdH oscillation
spectra can be accounted for by up to six fundamental frequencies which points
to a rather complex Fermi surface (FS). A noticeable pressure-induced
modification of the FS topology is evidenced since the number of frequencies
observed in the spectra progressively decreases as the pressure increases.
Above 0.8 GPa, only three compensated orbits are observed, as it is the case
for several other isostructural salts of the same family at ambient pressure.
Contrary to other organic metals, of which the FS can be regarded as a network
of orbits, no frequency combinations are observed for the studied salt, likely
due to high magnetic breakdown gap values or (and) high disorder level
evidenced by Dingle temperatures as large as about 7 K.Comment: To be published in European Physical Journal
Experimental study of fusion neutron and proton yields produced by petawatt-laser-irradiated D2-3He or CD4-3He clustering gases
We report on experiments in which the Texas Petawatt laser irradiated a
mixture of deuterium or deuterated methane clusters and helium-3 gas,
generating three types of nuclear fusion reactions: D(d, 3He)n, D(d, t)p and
3He(d, p)4He. We measured the yields of fusion neutrons and protons from these
reactions and found them to agree with yields based on a simple cylindrical
plasma model using known cross sections and measured plasma parameters. Within
our measurement errors, the fusion products were isotropically distributed.
Plasma temperatures, important for the cross sections, were determined by two
independent methods: (1) deuterium ion time-of-flight, and (2) utilizing the
ratio of neutron yield to proton yield from D(d, 3He)n and 3He(d, p)4He
reactions, respectively. This experiment produced the highest ion temperature
ever achieved with laser-irradiated deuterium clusters.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure
An experimental survey of the production of alpha decaying heavy elements in the reactions of U +Th at 7.5-6.1 MeV/nucleon
The production of alpha particle decaying heavy nuclei in reactions of
7.5-6.1 MeV/nucleon U +Th has been explored using an in-beam
detection array composed of YAP scintillators and gas ionization chamber-Si
telescopes. Comparisons of alpha energies and half-lives for the observed
products with those of the previously known isotopes and with theoretically
predicted values indicate the observation of a number of previously unreported
alpha emitters. Alpha particle decay energies reaching as high as 12 MeV are
observed. Many of these are expected to be from decay of previously unseen
relatively neutron rich products. While the contributions of isomeric states
require further exploration and specific isotope identifications need to be
made, the production of heavy isotopes with quite high atomic numbers is
suggested by the data.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figure
Temperature measurements of fusion plasmas produced by petawatt laser-irradiated D2-3He or CD4-3He clustering gases
Two different methods have been employed to determine the plasma temperature
in a laser-cluster fusion experiment on the Texas Petawatt laser. In the first,
the temperature was derived from time-of-flight data of deuterium ions ejected
from exploding D2 or CD4 clusters. In the second, the temperature was measured
from the ratio of the rates of two different nuclear fusion reactions occurring
in the plasma at the same time: D(d, 3He)n and 3He(d, p)4He. The temperatures
determined by these two methods agree well, which indicates that: i) The ion
energy distribution is not significantly distorted when ions travel in the
disassembling plasma; ii) The kinetic energy of deuterium ions, especially the
hottest part responsible for nuclear fusion, is well described by a
near-Maxwellian distribution.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure
Measurement of the plasma astrophysical S factor for the 3He(D, p)4He reaction in exploding molecular clusters
The plasma astrophysical S factor for the 3He(D, p)4He fusion reaction was
measured for the first time at temperatures of few keV, using the interaction
of intense ultrafast laser pulses with molecular deuterium clusters mixed with
3He atoms. Different proportions of D2 and 3He or CD4 and 3He were mixed in the
gas jet target in order to allow the measurement of the cross-section for the
3He(D, p)4He reaction. The yield of 14.7 MeV protons from the 3He(D, p)4He
reaction was measured in order to extract the astrophysical S factor at low
energies. Our result is in agreement with other S factor parameterizations
found in the literature
Caloric curves and critical behavior in nuclei
Data from a number of different experimental measurements have been used to
construct caloric curves for five different regions of nuclear mass. These
curves are qualitatively similar and exhibit plateaus at the higher excitation
energies. The limiting temperatures represented by the plateaus decrease with
increasing nuclear mass and are in very good agreement with results of recent
calculations employing either a chiral symmetry model or the Gogny interaction.
This agreement strongly favors a soft equation of state. Evidence is presented
that critical excitation energies and critical temperatures for nuclei can be
determined over a large mass range when the mass variations inherent in many
caloric curve measurements are taken into account.Comment: In response to referees comments we have improved the discussion of
the figures and added a new figure showing the relationship between the
effective level density and the excitation energy. The discussion has been
reordered and comments are made on recent data which support the hypothesis
of a mass dependence of caloric curve
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