Calculation of high frequency ultrasonic signals for shear wave insonification in solid material

The goal of the theoretical part is to simulate an automatic ultrasonic inspection with contact technique shear wave probes, where the high frequency signals are captured and used to perform a reconstruction based on the synthetic aperture focusing method "SAFT". Therefore the ultrasonic probe, the scanning path and the defects are parameters in a CAD model. The scattering behavior of the defect is calculated by the Kirchhoff approximation in its elastodynamic version. The result of the simulation--the high frequency data--and the result of the SAFT-reconstructions are compared with experimental results on a steel test block with side drilled and flat bottom holes. The model is validated by the experiment. One of the applications of the model is to identify multiple reflections.     

Universal pion freeze-out in heavy-ion collisions

Based on an evaluation of data on pion interferometry and on particle yields at midrapidity, we propose a universal condition for thermal freeze-out of pions in heavy-ion collisions. We show that freeze-out occurs when the mean free path of pions lambda(f) reaches a value of about 1 fm, which is much smaller than the spatial extent of the system at freeze-out. This critical mean free path is independent of the centrality of the collision and beam energy from the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron to the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider.     

Ultimate state of thermal convection

The ultimate regime of thermal convection, the so-called Kraichnan regime [R. H. Kraichnan, Phys. Fluids 5, 1374 (1962)]], hitherto has been elusive. Here numerical evidence for that regime is presented by performing simulations of the bulk of turbulence only, eliminating the thermal and kinetic boundary layers and replacing them with periodic boundary conditions.     

Nonnegatively Curved Metrics on S 2 × ℝ2

We classify the complete metrics of nonnegative sectional curvature on M ² × ², where M ² is any compact 2-manifold.     

Solvability of second-order left-invariant differential operators on the Heisenberg group satisfying a cone condition

We discuss local solvability of operators of the form where theV _j are left-invariant vector fields on the Heisenberg group such that [V _j ,V _j+n ]=U for 1≤j≤n andA=(a _jk )=A ₁+iA ₂ is a complex symmetric matrix satisfying the “cone condition” |A ₂|≤CA ₁. The authors acknowledge the support for this work by the European Commission through the European HCM-program “Fourier Analysis” and the TMR network “Harmonic Analysis”.     

Local solvability for positive combinations of generalized sub-Laplacians on the Heisenberg group

As one step in a program to understand local solvability of complex coefficient second order differential operators on the Heisenberg group in a complete way, solvability of operators of the form , where the leading term is a ``positive combination of generalized and degenerate generalized sub-Laplacians', has been studied in a recent article by M. Peloso, F. Ricci and the first-named author (J. Reine Angew Math. 513 (1999)). It was shown that there exists a discrete set of ``critical' values , such that solvability holds for . The case remained open, and it is the purpose of this note to close this gap. Our results extend corresponding results in another article by the above-mentioned authors (J. Funct. Anal. 148 (1997)), by means of an even simplified approach which should allow for further generalizations.

     

Experiences with synthetic aperture focusing technique in the field

The detection and evaluation of defects in industrial components relies strongly on ultrasonic inspection techniques. Distance gain size (DG) or reference reflector methods can be improved concerning their localization, signal-to-noise ratio and sizing accuracy by the synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT). To obtain a high quality image, parameters like focal probe versus contact technique probe, achieved resolution or features of SAFT images compared with B-scan images are discussed. The implementation of SAFT in a CAD environment allows us to present stacked 2D reconstructions dynamically. On a cladded testblock with half-penny shaped cracks the advantage of combining CAD with SAFT is shown. A 3D SAFT example finalizes the overview of two decades of experience in applying this technique.     

Uptake of magnetic nanoparticles into cells for cell tracking

A challenge for future applications in nanotechnology is the functional integration of nano-sized materials into cellular structures. Here we investigated superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ iron oxide nanoparticles coated with a lipid bilayer for uptake into cells and for targeting subcellular compartments. It was found that magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are effectively taken up into cells and make cells acquire magnetic activity. Biotin-conjugated MNPs were further functionalized by binding of the fluorescent tag streptavidin–fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and, following uptake into cells, shown to confer magnetic activity and fluorescence labeling. Such FITC-MNPs were localized in the lysosomal compartment of cells which suggests a receptor-mediated uptake mechanism.     

Short range order in the isotropic phase of antiferroelectric liquid crystals

Optical activity measurements in the isotropic phase of two antiferroelectric liquid crystal systems in which the chirality can be varied reveal unusual behaviour of the short range order. In one system the phase sequence as the chirality is increased is smectic A, smectic C^*_A, and smectic Q. In the other system the phase sequence is smectic C^*, smectic C^*_A, and smectic Q as the chirality is increased. The short range order of the isotropic phase behaves similarly for these systems, showing mean field behaviour at low chirality and far above the phase transition, but deviating from this behaviour significantly as the chirality is increased and the phase transition is approached. These optical activity results indicate how different is the short range order in the isotropic phase for these antiferroelectric liquid crystal systems and demonstrates the crucial role played by chirality. Past theoretical work that includes smecticlike fluctuations in the calculation of short range order in the isotropic phase is capable of qualitatively explaining these results.