540 research outputs found
Hydrogenic Transitions in Multiply Charged Fe and Ni Ions
Ten lines in the range 3880≦λ≦5666 Å in the beam-foil spectrum of iron have been identified with specific hydrogenic transitions in Fe iv-viii. The same transitions were observed from Ni and Ar beams. Deviations from the hydrogenic wavelengths are shown to be consistent with that expected from core polarization. The absence of these lines in astrophysical sources is discussed. A wavelength table is presented for identification of hydrogenic transitions to be expected in beam-foil spectra
Blue flag with yellow tiger? Flags, authenticity and identity
The Flag of the Formosa Republic in the collection of the National Taiwan Museum is a national icon. It is a copy of one made in 1895 to mark the formation of a new Taiwanese republic; this replica, described in a contemporary newspaper account as an exact copy, was made in Japan in 1909. The painted flag was an intriguing puzzle. Instrumental analysis and a close study of the flag itself and of surviving historic photographs and records were used to try to establish whether what looked like later additions and repairs were actually part of the original construction. An international team of conservators and scientists from Taiwan, the UK, the USA and Germany carried out the investigation and the conservation treatment. Although dye analysis was inconclusive and it has not yet been possible to ascertain the original colour, it was felt that an addition in the upper right corner and some of the repairs could well be part of the original construction and these were left in situ though other repairs were removed. The paper lining was removed, revealing that the flag was painted on both sides. The fabric was cleaned using a vacuum suction table, while the paint surface was cleaned with swabs. The flag was supported using an adhesive treatment with Lascaux acrylic resin
Surface-directed spinodal decomposition in the pseudobinary alloy (HfO_2)_x(SiO_2)_{1-x}
Hf silicate films (HfO_2)_{0.25}(SiO_2)_{0.75} with thicknesses in the range
4-20 nm were grown on silicon substrate by atomic layer deposition at 350
deg.C.The Hf distributions in as-grown and 800 deg.C annealed films were
investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM),
angle-resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS) and medium energy ion
scattering (MEIS). HRTEM images show a layered structure in films thinner than
8 nm. The ARXPS data also reveal a non-uniform distribution of Hf throughout
the film depth. Diffusion of SiO_2 to the film surface after a longer time
anneal was observed by MEIS. All these observations provide evidence for
surface-directed spinodal decomposition in the pseudobinary
(HfO_2)_x(SiO_2)_{1-x} alloy system.Comment: 1o figures, one tabl
Slowing Down of Positrons and Applications to Solid Surfaces
When monoenergetic positrons enter a solid they scatter and lose energy via processes similar to those for electrons. Theoretical details of these processes have been well established for decades, but experimental results using low energy positron beams are only now becoming available for comparison. We review the theoretical results for elastic and inelastic scattering of positrons and the predictions that follow for backscattering, inner-shell ionization, energy loss and stopping profiles. In this presentation, emphasis is given to specific comparisons with calculations for electrons. We discuss recent experimental results in each of these areas, and conclude with two examples of applications of positron beam techniques to near-surface research
Profitable and Sustainable Grazing Systems for Livestock Producers with Saline Land in Southern Australia
Dryland salinity affects over 2.5 M ha in Australia, mostly in southern states and is expanding at 3-5% per year (NLWRA, 2001). The prognosis is for considerable expansion of the area affected by salinity and waterlogging (12–17 M ha at equilibrium), because groundwater levels continue to rise and only small-scale land management programmes have been implemented. In addition, many waterways are increasingly saline, especially in the Murray Darling Basin and in Western Australia (WA). Sustainable Grazing on Saline Land (SGSL) addresses the need to make productive use of saline land and water resources. Its research component operates at 12 sites across WA, South Australia (SA), Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) and consists of coordinated activities that have regional relevance and contribute nationally. The programme seeks to develop and demonstrate profitable and sustainable grazing systems on saline land that have positive environmental and social impacts. Whilst there are different priority research issues at each site, data collection is governed by common measurement protocols for salt and water movement, biodiversity, and pasture and animal performance in order to make comparisons and data sharing across sites practical
Accurate Detection of the Four Most Prevalent Carbapenemases in E. coli and K. pneumoniae by High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Background: At present, phenotypic growth inhibition techniques are used in routine diagnostic microbiology to determine antimicrobial resistance of bacteria. Molecular techniques such as PCR are often used for confirmation but are indirect as they detect particular resistance genes. A direct technique would be able to detect the proteins of the resistance mechanism itself. In the present study targeted high resolution mass spectrometry assay was developed for the simultaneous detection of KPC, OXA-48-like, NDM, and VIM carbapenemases. Methods: Carbapenemase specific target peptides were defined by comparing available sequences in GenBank. Selected peptide sequences were validated using 62 Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolates containing: 16 KPC, 21 OXA-48-like, 16 NDM, 13 VIM genes, and 21 carbapenemase negative isolates. Results: For each carbapenemase, two candidate peptides were validated. Method validation was performed in a blinded manner for all 83 isolates. All carbapenemases were detected. The majority was detected by both target peptides. All target peptides were 100% specific in the tested isolates and no peptide carry-over was detected. Conclusion: The applied targeted bottom-up mass spectrometry technique is able to accurately detect the four most prevalent carbapenemases in a single analysis
Nuclear structure of 30S and its implications for nucleosynthesis in classical novae
The uncertainty in the 29P(p,gamma)30S reaction rate over the temperature
range of 0.1 - 1.3 GK was previously determined to span ~4 orders of magnitude
due to the uncertain location of two previously unobserved 3+ and 2+ resonances
in the 4.7 - 4.8 MeV excitation region in 30S. Therefore, the abundances of
silicon isotopes synthesized in novae, which are relevant for the
identification of presolar grains of putative nova origin, were uncertain by a
factor of 3. To investigate the level structure of 30S above the proton
threshold (4394.9(7) keV), a charged-particle spectroscopy and an in-beam
gamma-ray spectroscopy experiments were performed. Differential cross sections
of the 32S(p,t)30S reaction were measured at 34.5 MeV. Distorted wave Born
approximation calculations were performed to constrain the spin-parity
assignments of the observed levels. An energy level scheme was deduced from
gamma-gamma coincidence measurements using the 28Si(3He,n-gamma)30S reaction.
Spin-parity assignments based on measurements of gamma-ray angular
distributions and gamma-gamma directional correlation from oriented nuclei were
made for most of the observed levels of 30S. As a result, the resonance
energies corresponding to the excited states in 4.5 MeV - 6 MeV region,
including the two astrophysically important states predicted previously, are
measured with significantly better precision than before. The uncertainty in
the rate of the 29P(p,gamma)30S reaction is substantially reduced over the
temperature range of interest. Finally, the influence of this rate on the
abundance ratios of silicon isotopes synthesized in novae are obtained via 1D
hydrodynamic nova simulations.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure
A new parametric equation of state and quark stars
It is still a matter of debate to understand the equation of state of cold
supra-nuclear matter in compact stars because of unknown on-perturbative strong
interaction between quarks. Nevertheless, it is speculated from an
astrophysical view point that quark clusters could form in cold quark matter
due to strong coupling at realistic baryon densities. Although it is hard to
calculate this conjectured matter from first principles, one can expect the
inter-cluster interaction to share some general features to nucleon-nucleon
interaction. We adopt a two-Gaussian component soft-core potential with these
general features and show that quark clusters can form stable simple cubic
crystal structure if we assume Gaussian form wave function. With this
parameterizing, Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation is solved with reasonable
constrained parameter space to give mass-radius relation of crystalline solid
quark star. With baryon densities truncated at 2 times nuclear density at
surface and range of interaction fixed at 2fm we can reproduce similar
mass-radius relation to that obtained with bag model equations of state. The
maximum mass ranges from about 0.5 to 3 solar mass. Observed maximum pulsar
mass (about 2 solar mass) is then used to constrain parameters of this simple
interaction potential.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Structural and Electronic Instabilities in Polyacenes: Density Matrix Renormalization Group Study of a Long--Range Interacting Model
We have carried out Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) calculations
on the ground state of long polyacene oligomers within a Pariser-Parr-Pople
(PPP) Hamiltonian. The PPP model includes long-range electron correlations
which are required for physically realistic modeling of conjugated polymers. We
have obtained the ground state energy as a function of the dimerization
and various correlation functions and structure factors for
. From energetics, we find that while the nature of the Peierls'
instabilityin polyacene is conditional and strong electron correlations enhance
the dimerization. The {\it cis} form of the distortion is favoured over the
{\it trans} form. However, from the analysis of correlation functions and
associated structure factors, we find that polyacene is not susceptible to the
formation of a bond order wave (BOW), spin density wave (SDW) or a charge
density wave (CDW) in the ground state.Comment: 31 pages, latex, 13 figure
Graphite and Hexagonal Boron-Nitride Possess the Same Interlayer Distance. Why?
Graphite and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) are two prominent members of the
family of layered materials possessing a hexagonal lattice. While graphite has
non-polar homo-nuclear C-C intra-layer bonds, h-BN presents highly polar B-N
bonds resulting in different optimal stacking modes of the two materials in
bulk form. Furthermore, the static polarizabilities of the constituent atoms
considerably differ from each other suggesting large differences in the
dispersive component of the interlayer bonding. Despite these major differences
both materials present practically identical interlayer distances. To
understand this finding, a comparative study of the nature of the interlayer
bonding in both materials is presented. A full lattice sum of the interactions
between the partially charged atomic centers in h-BN results in vanishingly
small monopolar electrostatic contributions to the interlayer binding energy.
Higher order electrostatic multipoles, exchange, and short-range correlation
contributions are found to be very similar in both materials and to almost
completely cancel out by the Pauli repulsions at physically relevant interlayer
distances resulting in a marginal effective contribution to the interlayer
binding. Further analysis of the dispersive energy term reveals that despite
the large differences in the individual atomic polarizabilities the
hetero-atomic B-N C6 coefficient is very similar to the homo-atomic C-C
coefficient in the hexagonal bulk form resulting in very similar dispersive
contribution to the interlayer binding. The overall binding energy curves of
both materials are thus very similar predicting practically the same interlayer
distance and very similar binding energies.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, 2 table
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