Near threshold rotational excitation of molecular ions by electron-impact

New cross sections for the rotational excitation of H$_3^+$ by electrons are calculated {\it ab initio} at low impact energies. The validity of the adiabatic-nuclei-rotation (ANR) approximation, combined with $R$-matrix wavefunctions, is assessed by comparison with rovibrational quantum defect theory calculations based on the treatment of Kokoouline and Greene ({\it Phys. Rev. A} {\bf 68} 012703 2003). Pure ANR excitation cross sections are shown to be accurate down to threshold, except in the presence of large oscillating Rydberg resonances. These resonances occur for transitions with $\Delta J=1$ and are caused by closed channel effects. A simple analytic formula is derived for averaging the rotational probabilities over such resonances in a 3-channel problem. In accord with the Wigner law for an attractive Coulomb field, rotational excitation cross sections are shown to be large and finite at threshold, with a significant but moderate contribution from closed channels.Comment: 3 figures, a5 page

Electron-impact rotational excitation of symetric-top molecular ions

We present electron-impact rotational excitation calculations for polyatomic molecular ions. The theory developed in this paper is an extension of the work of Rabadán et al (Rabadán I, Sarpal B K and Tennyson J 1998 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 31 2077) on linear molecular ions to the case of symmetric-top species. The H3+ and H3O+ ions, as well as their deuterated forms D3+ and D3O+, are used as test cases and cross sections are obtained at various levels of approximation for impact energies up to 5 eV. As in the linear case, the widely used Coulomb–Born (CB) approximation is found to be unreliable in two major aspects: transitions with ΔJ > 1 are entirely dominated by short-range interactions and threshold effects are important at very low energies. Electron collisional selection rules are found to be consistent with the CB theory. In particular, dominant transitions are those for which ΔJ ≤ 2 and ΔK = 0

Collisional excitation of HC3N by para- and ortho-H2

New calculations for rotational excitation of cyanoacetylene by collisions with hydrogen molecules are performed to include the lowest 38 rotational levels of HC3N and kinetic temperatures to 300 K. Calculations are based on the interaction potential of Wernli et al. A&A, 464, 1147 (2007) whose accuracy is checked against spectroscopic measurements of the HC3N-H2 complex. The quantum coupled-channel approach is employed and complemented by quasi-classical trajectory calculations. Rate coefficients for ortho-H2 are provided for the first time. Hyperfine resolved rate coefficients are also deduced. Collisional propensity rules are discussed and comparisons between quantum and classical rate coefficients are presented. This collisional data should prove useful in interpreting HC3N observations in the cold and warm ISM, as well as in protoplanetary disks.Comment: 8 pages, 2 tables, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Low-energy electron collisions with water: elastic and rotationally inelastic scattering

Differential, integral and momentum transfer cross sections for the vibrationally elastic and rotationally inelastic scattering of electrons from water at low collision energies (E < 7 eV) are reported. The R-matrix method is used to compute the body-fixed T-matrices while the scattering calculations are performed within the fixed-nuclei approximation corrected with the standard Born-closure formula. Our calculations are compared with the very recent experimental results of Cho et al (2003 Radiat. Phys. Chem. 68 115). The differential and momentum transfer cross sections are in good agreement with the experimental results. The relative contribution of the rotationally inelastic processes is investigated in some detail. In particular, the importance of the pure elastic process at very low energy is emphasized

Experiments with a fully instrumented split Stirling cryocooler

A practical model that can be used to accurately size and optimally split stirling cryocoolers is discussed. A practical model that could be used to extrapolate existing designs to meet different specifications was developed. However, to do this detailed knowledge of the dynamic operating parameters of this type of cryocooler is required. The first stage is to fully instrument a refrigerator so that various dynamic parameters can be measured. The second stage involves the application of these measurements to the design and optimization of a range of coolers

Many parameter Hoelder perturbation of unbounded operators

If $u\mapsto A(u)$ is a $C^{0,\alpha}$-mapping, for $0< \alpha \le 1$, having as values unbounded self-adjoint operators with compact resolvents and common domain of definition, parametrized by $u$ in an (even infinite dimensional) space, then any continuous (in $u$) arrangement of the eigenvalues of $A(u)$ is indeed $C^{0,\alpha}$ in $u$.Comment: LaTeX, 4 pages; The result is generalized from Lipschitz to Hoelder. Title change

Quasi-classical rate coefficient calculations for the rotational (de)excitation of H2O by H2

The interpretation of water line emission from existing observations and future HIFI/Herschel data requires a detailed knowledge of collisional rate coefficients. Among all relevant collisional mechanisms, the rotational (de)excitation of H2O by H2 molecules is the process of most interest in interstellar space. To determine rate coefficients for rotational de-excitation among the lowest 45 para and 45 ortho rotational levels of H2O colliding with both para and ortho-H2 in the temperature range 20-2000 K. Rate coefficients are calculated on a recent high-accuracy H2O-H2 potential energy surface using quasi-classical trajectory calculations. Trajectories are sampled by a canonical Monte-Carlo procedure. H2 molecules are assumed to be rotationally thermalized at the kinetic temperature. By comparison with quantum calculations available for low lying levels, classical rates are found to be accurate within a factor of 1-3 for the dominant transitions, that is those with rates larger than a few 10^{-12}cm^{3}s^{-1}. Large velocity gradient modelling shows that the new rates have a significant impact on emission line fluxes and that they should be adopted in any detailed population model of water in warm and hot environments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 1 table (the online material (4 tables) can be obtained upon request to [email protected]

Niaogho versus beghedo : un conflit foncier à la veille de la révolution burkinabé

Le conflit foncier qui a opposé les habitants des deux bourgs de Niaogho et Beghedo dans la région bissa du Burkina Faso est plus qu'une bagarre entre deux villages. C'est l'illustration des enjeux politiques et économiques dont la terre est porteuse dans le Burkina d'aujourd'hui. Cette crise s'est déroulée en même temps que la course pour le pouvoir au niveau national, qui a abouti à la mise en place de la Révolution démocratique et populaire en 1983. La description des causes du conflit montre qu'il était urgent de clarifier les droits fonciers des exploitants. Le programme de "gestion des terroirs" permet aujourd'hui d'appliquer de façon plus réaliste la réorganisation agraire et foncière. (Résumé d'auteur

Plasma wake inhibition at the collision of two laser pulses in an underdense plasma

An electron injector concept for laser-plasma accelerator was developed in ref [1] and [2] ; it relies on the use of counter-propagating ultrashort laser pulses. In [2], the scheme is as follows: the pump laser pulse generates a large amplitude laser wakefield (plasma wave). The counter-propagating injection pulse interferes with the pump laser pulse to generate a beatwave pattern. The ponderomotive force of the beatwave is able to inject plasma electrons into the wakefield. We have studied this injection scheme using 1D Particle in Cell (PIC) simulations. The simulations reveal phenomena and important physical processes that were not taken into account in previous models. In particular, at the collision of the laser pulses, most plasma electrons are trapped in the beatwave pattern and cannot contribute to the collective oscillation supporting the plasma wave. At this point, the fluid approximation fails and the plasma wake is strongly inhibited. Consequently, the injected charge is reduced by one order of magnitude compared to the predictions from previous models.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure