Improved Spectrophotometric Analysis of Fullerenes C60 and C70 in High-solubility Organic Solvents

Fullerenes are among a number of recently discovered carbon allotropes that exhibit unique and versatile properties. The analysis of these materials is of great importance and interest. We present previously unreported spectroscopic data for C60 and C70 fullerenes in high-solubility solvents, including error bounds, so as to allow reliable colorimetric analysis of these materials. The Beer–Lambert–Bouguer law is found to be valid at all wavelengths. The measured data were highly reproducible, and yielded high-precision molar absorbance coefficients for C60 and C70 in o-xylene and o-dichlorobenzene, which both exhibit a high solubility for these fullerenes, and offer the prospect of improved extraction efficiency. A photometric method for a C60/C70 mixture analysis was validated with standard mixtures, and subsequently improved for real samples by correcting for light scattering, using a power-law fit. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of C60/C70 mixtures extracted from fullerene soot

Halley's spin state determined

Since VEGA and GIOTTO flybys of comet Halley, there was a rising controversy about the nature of the spin state of its nucleus. The problem was resolved by M. J. S. Belton et al., who found a spin state that simultaneously satisfies the VEGA and GIOTTO imaging data and a wide range of ground-based data. The total spin is not fixed in the nucleus but is inclined to the total angular momentum vector at an average angle of 21.4 deg and precesses around it with an average period of 3.69 days

Io's atmosphere detected by ground-based microwave spectroscopy

Io's corona and extended atmosphere, i.e., the plasma torus and neutral Na and K clouds, were the subject of intensive ground-based studies. E. Lellouch et al. not only detected but also fully resolved the profiles of two pure rotational lines of SO2. The lines were found in emission showing that early theoretical predictions for a thermally inverted atmospheric structure were correct

Low cost missions to explore the diversity of near Earth objects

We propose a series of low-cost flyby missions to perform a reconnaissance of near-Earth cometary nuclei and asteroids. The primary scientific goal is to study the physical and chemical diversity in these objects. The mission concept is based on the Pegasus launch vehicle. Mission costs, inclusive of launch, development, mission operations, and analysis are expected to be near $50 M per mission. Launch opportunities occur in all years. The benefits of this reconnaissance to society are stressed

International workshop on Time-Variable Phenomena in the Jovian System

Many of the scientifically interesting phenomena that occur in the Jovian system are strongly time variable. Some are episodic (e.g., Io volcanism); some are periodic (wave transport in Jupiters atmosphere); and some are exceedingly complex (magnetosphere - Io - Torus-Auroral interactions) and possibly unstable. To investigate this class of phenomena utilizing Voyager data and, in the future, Galileo results, a coherent program of ground based and earth-orbital observations, and of theory that spans the time between the missions, is required. To stimulate and help define the basis of such a scientific program researchers organized an International Workshop on the subject with the intent of publishing the proceedings which would represent the state of knowledge in 1987

Quantum Feynman-Kac perturbations

We develop fully noncommutative Feynman-Kac formulae by employing quantum stochastic processes. To this end we establish some theory for perturbing quantum stochastic flows on von Neumann algebras by multiplier cocycles. Multiplier cocycles are constructed via quantum stochastic differential equations whose coefficients are driven by the flow. The resulting class of cocycles is characterised under alternative assumptions of separability or Markov regularity. Our results generalise those obtained using classical Brownian motion on the one hand, and results for unitarily implemented flows on the other.Comment: 27 pages. Minor corrections to version 2. To appear in the Journal of the London Mathematical Societ

Quasirational models of sentencing

Cognitive continuum theory points to the middle-ground between the intuitive and analytic modes of cognition, called quasirationality. In the context of sentencing, we discuss how legal models prescribe the use of different modes of cognition. These models aim to help judges perform the cognitive balancing act required between factors indicating a more or less severe penalty for an offender. We compare sentencing in three common law jurisdictions (i.e., Australia, the US, and England and Wales). Each places a different emphasis on the use of intuition and analysis; but all are quasirational. We conclude that the most appropriate mode of cognition will likely be that which corresponds best with properties of the sentencingtask. Finally, we discuss the implications of this cognition-task correspondence approach for researchers and legal policy-makers