Forbidden transitions in the helium atom

Nonrelativistically forbidden, single-photon transition rates between low lying states of the helium atom are rigorously derived within quantum electrodynamics theory. Equivalence of velocity and length gauges, including relativistic corrections is explicitly demonstrated. Numerical calculations of matrix elements are performed with the use of high precision variational wave functions and compared to former results.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Schwinger boson theory of anisotropic ferromagnetic ultrathin films

Ferromagnetic thin films with magnetic single-ion anisotropies are studied within the framework of Schwinger bosonization of a quantum Heisenberg model. Two alternative bosonizations are discussed. We show that qualitatively correct results are obtained even at the mean-field level of the theory, similar to Schwinger boson results for other magnetic systems. In particular, the Mermin-Wagner theorem is satisfied: a spontaneous magnetization at finite temperatures is not found if the ground state of the anisotropic system exhibits a continuous degeneracy. We calculate the magnetization and effective anisotropies as functions of exchange interaction, magnetic anisotropies, external magnetic field, and temperature for arbitrary values of the spin quantum number. Magnetic reorientation transitions and effective anisotropies are discussed. The results obtained by Schwinger boson mean-field theory are compared with the many-body Green's function technique.Comment: 14 pages, including 7 EPS figures, minor changes, final version as publishe

Benchmarking occupational stressors and strain levels for rural nurses and other health sector workers

This study was conducted with 1097 employees (866 females, 217 males, 14 did not indicate gender) in a regional Health Service District (HSD) who completed the Queensland Public Agency Staff Survey (QPASS). Nurses' results on measures of organisational climate and psychological outcomes were compared with those of other employees in the HSD. Nurses reported less favourable outcomes on all but one of the organisational climate scales, and also were found to have more distress (strain), and lower levels of morale, job satisfaction, and quality of worklife than others. Results were generally less favourable for nurses working in the large regional hospital and in mental health than for nurses in other facilities

Geophysical identification of leachate levels and refuse characterization in a landfill at Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois

Magnetic and electrical geophysical techniques were used to survey the 800 Area landfill at Argonne National Laboratory as part of an environmental site assessment. This landfill was opened in 1966 and has accepted non-radioactive laboratory, office, food service and construction wastes. Magnetic profiles and electrical resistivity surveys using Wenner, Schlumberger and dipole-dipole arrays were made primarily over the northern portion of the landfill and long its margins. Mounding of leachate to within 5 ft. (1.5 m) of the surface was identified within the north-central and northeastern portions of the landfill using resistivity soundings and dipole-dipole surveys. Soundings also suggest refuse thickness varies from 10--30 ft (3--10 m) south to north across the landfill. Both dipole-dipole and magnetic profiles have identified conductive and insulating objects in the refuse. Areas of low resistivity flanking the northeastern and eastern margins of the landfill may represent migration of leachate to the north and east. High resistivity layers detected beneath the landfill suggest little or no downward percolation of mineralized leachate. Such high resistivity layers, however, may indicate the presence of sand and gravel layers/lenses embedded in the drift which are potential contaminant pathways. The geophysical results are presently being used in optimum placement of monitoring wells, soil gas probes and future remediation planning. 5 refs., 6 figs

Composição química, digestibilidade e cinética de degradação ruminal das silagens de híbridos de girassol em diferentes épocas de semeadura Effects of sowing dates on chemical composition, digestibility and ruminal degradation kinetics of silages from sunflower hybrids

Objetivou-se estimar o valor nutritivo das silagens de quatro híbridos de girassol - Rumbosol-91 (forrageiro), M-734 (duplo-propósito), C-11 (duplo-propósito) e BRS-191 (granífero) - semeados em três épocas: outubro (antecipada), novembro (normal) e dezembro (tardia) - por meio de análises químicas, da digestibilidade e da cinética de degradação ruminal. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com arranjo fatorial 4 x 3 (quatro híbridos x três épocas de semeadura) e três repetições. Os teores de MS variaram de 23,2 a 43,0%; o pH, de 4,0 a 5,1; e o N-NH3%/NT, de 5,3 a 16,8%. Os teores de CZ oscilaram de 6,8 a 8,8% e aumentaram da semeadura em outubro para dezembro. O Rumbosol-91 apresentou teores menores de EE e maiores de N na parede celular, de N indisponível e de carboidratos totais (CHOT). Os teores de PB aumentaram e os de CHOT diminuíram de outubro para dezembro. A semeadura de novembro e o C-11 apresentaram menores teores de FDN, FDNcp e FDA. O C-11 semeado em novembro apresentou menor teor de LDA. A semeadura de outubro e o Rumbosol-91 tiveram maior proporção de LDA%/FDN. O Rumbosol-91 apresentou maior DIVMS e DIVFDN. A semeadura de novembro e os híbridos C-11 e M-734 apresentaram maior teor de NDT. O desaparecimento da MS pode ser representado por um único perfil de degradação. A proporção de FDN indegradável (I) aumentou da semeadura em outubro para dezembro, com maiores valores para o BRS-191 semeado em dezembro. A extensão (Vf1) e a taxa (k1) de degradação da fração solúvel de rápida digestão diminuíram da semeadura em outubro para dezembro, com maiores valores para o Rumbosol-91 semeado em outubro. A relação entre análise química, digestibilidade, NDT e cinética de degradação ruminal foi melhor para os híbridos M-734 e C-11 semeados em novembro.<br>The objective of this trial was to estimate chemical composition, digestibility and ruminal degradation kinetics of silages from four sunflower hybrids: Rumbosol-91 (forage), M-734 (double purpose), C-11 (double purpose) and BRS-191 (grain) sowed in October (early), November (normal) and December (late). A randomized complete block design in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement (four hybrids x three seeding dates) with three replicates was used. Dry matter values ranged from 23.2 to 43.0%, pH from 4.0 to 5.1, and NH3-N%/TN from 5.3 to 16.8%. Ash values increased from October to December ranging from 6.8 to 8.8%. The Rumbosol-91 showed the lowest content of EE and the highest contents of N in the cell wall, unavailable N and total carbohydrates (TC). Crude protein contents increased from October to December while the opposite was observed for TC. November sowing and the C-11 gave the lowest contents of NDF, NDFcp and ADF. The C-11 sowed in November gave the lowest ADL values. October sowing and the Rumbosol-91 gave the highest content of ADL%/NDF. The Rumbosol-91 gave higher IVDMD and IVNDFD. November sowing and the C-11 and M-734 hybrids gave the highest value of TDN. Only one degradation profile was necessary to fit DM disappearance data. The proportion of undegradable NDF (I) increased from October to December sowing, being the BRS-191 sowed in December gave the highest values. The extent (Vf1) and rate (k1) of degradation of soluble fractions of rapid digestion decreased from October to December sowing, being the Rumbosol-91 sowed in October gave the highest values. The overall nutritive value measured by chemical composition, digestibility, total digestible nutrients and ruminal degradation kinetics was better for the M-734 and C-11 hybrids sowed in November

High resolution seismic imaging at the planned tunnel entrance to the Forsmark repository for spent nuclear fuel, central Sweden

© 2014 European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers. The Swedish Nuclear Waste Management Company (SKB) plans to build a repository for storage of high-level radioactive spent nuclear fuel at the Forsmark site in central Sweden at a depth of about 470 m. The planned repository will cover an area of about 3.6 km2 at this depth. Prior to beginning excavation and tunneling, some detailed geophysical surveys are being performed at the planned site. One of these was a refraction seismic survey to determine depth to bedrock in the vicinity of the planned access ramp. Two lines, each about 300 m long and spaced about 35 m apart, were acquired in August 2011. Since the bedrock topography is known to be highly variable, a close receiver (2 m) and source (6 m) spacing was required to map it. This close spacing allowed the data also to be treated as reflection seismic data and some adjustments to the acquisition procedure were made in the field with this in mind to aid in the later processing. The main adjustment was that seismic data were recorded on all geophone stations simultaneously. That is, as shots were fired along one line, data were recorded along both that line and the other one. Likewise, when shots were fired along the other line, data were recorded along that line and the first line. This adjustment allowed semi-3D coverage between the lines. Results from first break traveltime tomography along the lines indicate a depth to bedrock that is greater than that found from geotechnical observations along the lines. This discrepancy is attributed to the uppermost bedrock being highly fractured and having a velocity significantly below that expected from the intact bedrock deeper down. Reflection seismic processing of the data shows a reflection at about 20 ms (about 60 m). The reflection is interpreted to have a gentle northwesterly dip component to it. Comparison with core data in the area suggests that the reflection is from a thin (a few metres thick) fracture zone, although none of the boreholes actually penetrate the reflector where it is mapped by the seismic data. This fracture zone may be part of a larger fracture zone mapped by core drilling further to the east. The newly mapped reflector may be crossed by the ramp when excavation begins. Further seismic surveying towards the west is required to verify if this will be the case