A mass-flow-calorimetry system for scaled-up experiments on anomalous heat evolution at elevated temperatures

We have been studying phenomena of anomalous heat evolution from hydrogen-isotope-loaded nanocomposite samples at elevated temperatures as well as at room temperature using a twin absorption system. Recent experiments have used Ni-based nano-composite samples; Pd1 Ni7/ZrO2 ("PNZ"), Ni/ZrO2 ("NZ"), Cu0.081 Ni0.36/ZrO2 ("CNZ") and Cu0.21Ni0.21/ZrO2 ("CNZII"). The results of measurements have been presented in the meetings of the 12th Japan CF-Research Society (JCF12), the 17th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science (ICCF17) and the 13th Japan CFResearch Society (JCF13), and have been/will be published in [3], [4] and [5], respectively. These will be summarized, and the time-dependent data will be re-analyzed in another paper by A. Takahashi in this Conference for speculating heat releasing mechanisms during the several-week-lasted phase of D(H)-loading into the nano-composite samples. As will be shown there, a lot of interesting, even astonishing, features are involved; burst-like heat release with anomalously high values of differential heat of sorption (η) reaching ca. 600 eV/atom-H, large values of integrated heat reaching ca. 800 eV/atom-Ni from the CNZ sample absorbing H, and abrupt desorption with absorbed energy of 50 - 80 eV/atom-Ni observed almost exclusively in the first 573-K run for each sample. To confirm the interesting phenomena, repeated measurements with improved signal-to-noise ratio are required. Since the easiest way for this is to increase the sample amount, we have fabricated a reaction chamber with a ten-times-larger volume than in-being one. Another important improvement is a mass flow calorimetry applied to the system using an oil coolant with a boiling point of 390 deg-C. Moreover, to make residual gas mass spectral analysis in A = 1 - 6 amu range, a QMA system is going to be installed in the line of the apparatus. In the presentation we will show the schematics of this new oil-cooling mass-flow calorimetry system for observing anomalous heat evolution in H(D)-gas charging to Ni-based nano-composite samples and for calibration runs using blank alumina sample

Heterogeneity of LL 5-7 chondrites in relation to HAYABUSA samples.

第3回極域科学シンポジウム/第35回南極隕石シンポジウム 11月30日（金） 国立国語研究所 2階講

Intermediate states at structural phase transition: Model with a one-component order parameter coupled to strains

We study a Ginzburg-Landau model of structural phase transition in two dimensions, in which a single order parameter is coupled to the tetragonal and dilational strains. Such elastic coupling terms in the free energy much affect the phase transition behavior particularly near the tricriticality. A characteristic feature is appearance of intermediate states, where the ordered and disordered regions coexist on mesoscopic scales in nearly steady states in a temperature window. The window width increases with increasing the strength of the dilational coupling. It arises from freezing of phase ordering in inhomogeneous strains. No impurity mechanism is involved. We present a simple theory of the intermediate states to produce phase diagrams consistent with simulation results.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figure

Loop quantum gravity effects on inflation and the CMB

In loop quantum cosmology, the universe avoids a big bang singularity and undergoes an early and short super-inflation phase. During super-inflation, non-perturbative quantum corrections to the dynamics drive an inflaton field up its potential hill, thus setting the initial conditions for standard inflation. We show that this effect can raise the inflaton high enough to achieve sufficient e-foldings in the standard inflation era. We analyze the cosmological perturbations generated when slow-roll is violated after super-inflation, and show that loop quantum effects can in principle leave an indirect signature on the largest scales in the CMB, with some loss of power and running of the spectral index.Comment: revtex4, 5 pages, 3 figures, significant improvements in explanation of quantization and perturbation issues; version to appear Classical and Quantum Gravit

Remote Imaging Applied to Schistosomiasis Control: The Anning River Project

The use of satellite imaging to remotely detect areas of high risk for transmission of infectious disease is an appealing prospect for large-scale monitoring of these diseases. The detection of large-scale environmental determinants of disease risk, often called landscape epidemiology, has been motivated by several authors (Pavlovsky 1966; Meade et al. 1988). The basic notion is that large-scale factors such as population density, air temperature, hydrological conditions, soil type, and vegetation can determine in a coarse fashion the local conditions contributing to disease vector abundance and human contact with disease agents. These large-scale factors can often be remotely detected by sensors or cameras mounted on satellite or aircraft platforms and can thus be used in a predictive model to mark high risk areas of transmission and to target control or monitoring efforts. A review of satellite technologies for this purpose was recently presented by Washino and Wood (1994) and Hay (1997) and Hay et al. (1997)

Anomalous exothermic and endothermic data observed by Nano-Ni-composite samples

This is an experimental paper summarizing the observations of anomalous data on excess heat, D(H)-loading and abrupt desorption with endothermic heat sink in Ni-nano-composite samples under D(H)-gas charging at both room and elevated temperatures, done by Kobe-Technova group in 2012-2013. Referring to our JCF12 paper (Y. Miyoshi et al., JCF-12-1) on Pd1Ni7/ZrO2 samples, experimental procedure and results reported for Ni/ZrO2, Cu0.21Ni0.21/ZrO2 and Cu0.08Ni0.36/ZrO2 samples (partially reported in our JCF13-15 paper by Sakoh et al.) will be summarized. We have reanalyzed time-dependent data for speculating heat releasing mechanisms during the long (several weeks) lasted phase of D(H)-loading-into-nano-metal. It seems that competing process of D(H)-gas sorption and desorption at the surface of nano-powders would be attributed to the mechanism. Burst-like heat peaks of η-values (in unit of eV per D(H)-take-in/out) were observed with anomalously high values reaching 600 eV/H-sorption, and with smaller [eta]-values for isotopic Dsorption than H-sorption, at 573K. Integrated heat values for several-week runs were reached at the levels of ca. 800eV/atom-Ni for Cu0.08Ni0.36/ZrO2 samples, which were about 10 times larger than those of Ni/ZrO2 samples and about 4 times larger than those of Cu0.21Ni0.21/ZrO2 samples, at temperatures of 523 to 573K

A swollen phase observed between the liquid-crystalline phase and the interdigitated phase induced by pressure and/or adding ethanol in DPPC aqueous solution

A swollen phase, in which the mean repeat distance of lipid bilayers is larger than the other phases, is found between the liquid-crystalline phase and the interdigitated gel phase in DPPC aqueous solution. Temperature, pressure and ethanol concentration dependences of the structure were investigated by small-angle neutron scattering, and a bending rigidity of lipid bilayers was by neutron spin echo. The nature of the swollen phase is similar to the anomalous swelling reported previously. However, the temperature dependence of the mean repeat distance and the bending rigidity of lipid bilayers are different. This phase could be a precursor to the interdigitated gel phase induced by pressure and/or adding ethanol.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure