The One Quail Per Acre Myth

Data are presented which conflict with the 1-bird-per-acre saturation point concept for bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). Conclusions are that if a saturation point exists it is at a level greater than 2 bobwhites per acre

Real-time beam-profile monitor for a medical cyclotron

Introduction Measuring the beam profile on a medical cyclo-tron in real time can aid in improved tuning of the cyclotron and give important information for a smooth operation. Typically the beam profile is measured by an autoradiography technique or even by a scintillator that can be viewed in real time [1, 2]. Another method is to use collimators in front of the target to assess the beam center-ing [3]. All these methods have potential draw-backs including; an inability to monitor the beam in real time for the radiograph, exhibiting a non-linear correlation in signal response to the power deposited for a scintillator, and not providing a 2-dimensional profile of the complete beam for collimators. Our goal was to design a realtime, linear, 2-dimensional beam-profile monitor that is able to withstand the high power of a PET cyclotron. Material and Methods The beam-profile monitor (PM) is designed for the TR13, a 13MeV negative hydrogen-ion cyclotron at TRIUMF. The design follows the concept of a ‘harp’ monitor, widely used at TRIUMF for tuning proton and radioactive ion beams, and is installed on the extraction port without separation from the tank vacuum. The TR13 monitor is designed to withstand a 13 MeV proton beam with a beam current of up to 25 µA, has an active area of 10 by 10 mm and does not affect the 10-7 torr tank vacuum. The device consists of a water-cooled Faraday cup made out of aluminium for low activation and two orthogonal rows of eight tungsten electrodes each mounted on a water-cooled support frame. Electrodes are spaced 1 mm apart from each other, see FIG. 1. The electrodes are electrically isolated from each other and each has a current pickup soldered to it. The material and the shape of the electrodes are optimized to withstand the deposited power of the proton beam. A voltage of -90 V is applied to the electrodes to repel secondary electrons and prevent crosstalk between neighbouring electrodes. The electrode current is amplified using a custom current amplifier, and read by an ADC. From there, the current data is displayed on a PC. This allows one to observe changes of the beam profile in real time. The electronics are designed to read out all sixteen channels in parallel, or, if only a limited number of ADC channels are available, to cycle through the different channels. In our current setup all sixteen channels are read out simultaneously. Results and Conclusion The beam-profile monitor provides a real-time representation of the proton beam, see FIG. 2. The data can also be recorded and analyzed at a later time. The linearity of the monitor has been measured up to 30 µA of proton beam current [4]. With the use of the monitor, it was possible to increase the output of the ion source into the target by 50% in comparison to the standard tune

Unconventional MBE Strategies from Computer Simulations for Optimized Growth Conditions

We investigate the influence of step edge diffusion (SED) and desorption on Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) using kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations of the solid-on-solid (SOS) model. Based on these investigations we propose two strategies to optimize MBE growth. The strategies are applicable in different growth regimes: During layer-by-layer growth one can exploit the presence of desorption in order to achieve smooth surfaces. By additional short high flux pulses of particles one can increase the growth rate and assist layer-by-layer growth. If, however, mounds are formed (non-layer-by-layer growth) the SED can be used to control size and shape of the three-dimensional structures. By controlled reduction of the flux with time we achieve a fast coarsening together with smooth step edges.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

The deuteron: structure and form factors

A brief review of the history of the discovery of the deuteron in provided. The current status of both experiment and theory for the elastic electron scattering is then presented.Comment: 80 pages, 33 figures, submited to Advances in Nuclear Physic

Structure determination of the (1×2) and (1×3) reconstructions of Pt(110) by low-energy electron diffraction

The atomic geometry of the (1×2) and (1×3) structures of the Pt(100) surface has been determined from a low-energy electron-diffraction intensity analysis. Both structures are found to be of the missing-row type, consisting of (111) microfacets, and with similar relaxations in the subsurface layers. In both reconstructions the top-layer spacing is contracted by approximately 20% together with a buckling of about 0.17 Å in the third layer and a small lateral shift of about 0.04 Å in the second layer. Further relaxations down to the fourth layer were detectable. The surface relaxations correspond to a variation of interatomic distances, ranging from -7% to +4%, where in general a contraction of approximately 3% for the distances parallel to the surface occurs. The Pendry and Zanazzi-Jona R factors were used in the analysis, resulting in a minimum value of RP=0.36 and RZJ=0.26 for 12 beams at normal incidence for the (1×2) structure, and similar agreement for 19 beams of the (1×3) structure. The (1×3) structure has been reproducibly obtained after heating the crystal in an oxygen atmosphere of 5×10-6 mbar at 1200 K for about 30 min and could be removed by annealing at 1800 K for 45 min after which the (1×2) structure appeared again. Both reconstructed surfaces are clean within the detection limits of the Auger spectrometer. CO adsorption lifts the reconstruction in both structures. After desorption at 500 K the initial structures appear again, indicating that at least one of the reconstructions does not represent the equilibrium structure of the clean surface and may be stabilized by impurities