Groups in which every non-abelian subgroup is permutable

A subgroupH of a groupG is said to bepermutable ifHX=XH for every subgroupX ofG. In this paper the structure of groups in which every subgroup either is abelian or permutable is investigated. This work was done while the last author was visiting the University of Napoli Federico II. He thanks the “Dipartimento di Matematica e Applicazioni” for its financial support.     

Weak density of smooth maps for the Dirichlet energy between manifolds

We prove that given a simply connected compact manifold M and a closed manifold N, any map in the Sobolev space W ^1,2(M,N) can be approximated weakly by smooth maps between M and N. Submitted: September 2002, Final version: November 2002.     

Lasing of iodine in the fullerene-oxygen-iodine system

The possibility of lasing in the fullerene-oxygen-iodine system with optical excitation of fullerene is studied. Laser radiation with an energy of 25 mJ and a pulse duration of 5–10 ms is obtained.     

Mössbauer Study of Ceramic Finds from the Galería de las Ofrendas, Chavín de Huántar

Ceramic finds from the Galería de las Ofrendas at Chavín de Huántar and surface finds from the settlement of Chavín were characterised by combining the results of archaeological typology with archaeometric studies using neutron activation analysis, Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thin-section microscopy. Sherds from the pyramid Tello are included in the study as representative of local material. The analyses show that the vessels were made from different raw materials and that different firing procedures were used in their production. Sherds of certain styles largely exhibit similar types of Mössbauer patterns and in many instances also have similar element compositions. This supports the archaeological notion that the vessels were brought to Chavín from the provinces, perhaps on the occasion of a festivity.     

Photoproduction of mesons on the nucleon

Experimental studies of the photomeson production on the nucleon provide an abundant amount of data to address key issues of its structure. Depending on the selected channels and kinematics, different aspects can be investigated. The measurements of charged channels at low t constitute a large part of the cross section and exhibit a special sensitivity of the meson cloud. These contributions can be strongly suppressed by using a polarized beam and target. Instead, the excitation of resonances are emphasized in this case. The choice of neutral channels in the final state shows also dominant sensitivities for resonance excitation. The sequential decay of resonances can be studied systematically for the first time.     

Theory of two-frequency excitation in<Superscript>14</Superscript>N NQR

A simple and effective technique for calculating the transient signals in three-level spin systems irradiated at one and two frequencies is described. All possible signals are presented and discussed. The application of the two-frequency excitation technique for the investigation of the inhomogeneity of the crystalline lattice is suggested.     

Time-resolved electron transport studies on InGaAs/GaAs-QWIPs

Due to the short internal response time, quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) are interesting for high-speed applications such as heterodyne spectroscopy or laser pulse monitoring. We studied the photocurrent transients of InGaAs/GaAs-QWIPs after irradiation with infrared laser pulses of 250 fs duration. The excitation wavelength of about 9 μm matches the peak wavelength of the QWIP structure. The photocurrent transient consists of two different dynamical components, representing the fast photoionization in the quantum-wells and the slow injection current that compensates the remaining space charge. The investigations of the different components as a function of temperature and bias voltage were performed on a nanosecond time-scale. The experimental separation of the two photocurrent contributions allows us to determine the photoconductive gain. The Fourier transform of the photocurrent transient was compared with other experimental methods including heterodyne detection and microwave rectification. The quantitative agreement between these different measurement techniques is excellent.     

In search of a noncontact underwater acoustic source

The history of studies of the photoacoustic effect in liquids and its applications to the development of a “virtual” source of underwater acoustic signals is briefly reviewed. The problem of the efficiency of the photoacoustic conversion is considered. The modes of laser generation of sound, i.e., the thermooptical, nonlinear surface, and nonlinear bulk modes of operation, are discussed taking into account the real features of the marine environment, the most important of them being the surface waves. A review of the publications concerned with the problem of a moving photoacoustic source is presented. Advances in the photoacoustic underwater remote sensing technology are described.     

High-Q whispering gallery modes in a spherical shell dielectric resonator: Characterization at microwave frequencies

We present a numerical and experimental characterization of high-Q whispering gallery resonant modes excited in a fused quartz spherical shell operated in the 18-26.5 GHz band; easy coupling and selection of modes is a most advantageous feature of the proposed structure with respect to ordinary bulk resonators. The numerical results, based on a finite element algorithm, well match experimental data, which also show the capability of our device to perform gaseous spectroscopy measurements. Received 25 October 2002 Published online 4 February 2003