Uranium oligomerization in chloride-based high temperature melts: in situ XAS studies

In situ EXAFS spectroscopic studies of uranium compounds in high temperature alkali chloride melts indicate the presence of oligomeric species. An investigation into UCl(3) and UCl(4) dissolved in LiCl reveals long range ordering of uranium atoms in the molten state which is not maintained on quenching. Studies of uranium dioxide dissolved in LiCl-KCl eutectic with HCl exhibit long range ordering in both molten and quenched states, and the EXAFS data can be modeled using multiple coordination shells.     

Gamma-rays from the24Mg(p,γ)25Al reaction for proton energiesE p=800 keV toE p=1,830 keV

The yield curve and resonance strengths of resonances in the²⁴Mg(p, γ)²⁵Al reaction for the proton energy rangeE _p=800 keV toE _p=1,830 keV, have been determined and the existence of a resonance atE _p=1.184 MeV confirmed. Single energy spectra as well as decay schemes and branching ratios are given for these resonances. An upper level of 2.0×10^?15 sec for the lifetime of the 3.079 MeV level in²⁵Al results from a Doppler shift attenuation measurement carried out on the 2.624 MeV gamma line originating in the 3.070 MeV→0.455 MeV transition in²⁵Al.     

Nanoporous Network Channels from Self‐Assembled Triblock Copolymer Supramolecules

Supramolecular complexes of a poly(tert‐butoxystyrene)‐block‐polystyrene‐block‐poly(4‐vinylpyridine) triblock copolymers and less than stoichiometric amounts of pentadecylphenol (PDP) are shown to self‐assemble into a core–shell gyroid morphology with the core channels formed by the hydrogen‐bonded P4VP(PDP)complexes. After structure formation, PDP was removed using a simple washing procedure, resulting in well‐ordered nanoporous films that were used as templates for nickel plating.

     

Exact Pseudospin Symmetric Solution of the Dirac Equation for Pseudoharmonic Potential in the Presence of Tensor Potential

Under the pseudospin symmetry, we obtain exact solution of the Dirac equation for the pseudoharmonic potential in the presence of the tensor potential with arbitrary spin–orbit coupling quantum number κ. The energy eigenvalue equation of the Dirac particles is found and the corresponding radial wave functions are presented in terms of confluent hypergeometric functions. We investigate the tensor potential dependence of the energy of the each state in the pseudospin doublet. It is shown that degeneracy between members of the pseudospin doublet is removed by tensor interaction. Furthermore, the radial node structure of the Dirac spinor is discussed.     

Laboratory singing sand avalanches

Some desert sand dunes have the peculiar ability to emit a loud sound up to 110 dB, with a well-defined frequency: this phenomenon, known since early travelers (Darwin, Marco Polo, etc.), has been called the song of dunes. But only in late 19th century scientific observations were made, showing three important characteristics of singing dunes: first, not all dunes sing, but all the singing dunes are composed of dry and well-sorted sand; second, this sound occurs spontaneously during avalanches on a slip face; third this is not the only way to produce sound with this sand.More recent field observations have shown that during avalanches, the sound frequency does not depend on the dune size or shape, but on the grain diameter only, and scales as the square root of g/d - with g the gravity and d the diameter of the grains - explaining why all the singing dunes in the same vicinity sing at the same frequency.We have been able to reproduce these singing avalanches in laboratory on a hard plate, which made possible to study them more accurately than on the field. Signals of accelerometers at the flowing surface of the avalanche are compared to signals of microphones placed above, and it evidences a very strong vibration of the flowing layer at the same frequency as on the field, responsible for the emission of sound.Moreover, other characteristics of the booming dunes are reproduced and analyzed, such as a threshold under which no sound is produced, or beats in the sound that appears when the flow is too large. Finally, the size of the coherence zones emitting sound has been measured and discussed.