Interpreting early land management through compound specific stable isotope analyses of archaeological soils

Compound specific stable isotope analyses of managed soils using isotope ratio mass spectrometry have been undertaken as a means of determining early land use practices. delta (15)N amino acid signals demonstrate differences between manured grassland, unmanured grassland and continuous cereal cultivation under long-term experimental land use control conditions, with delta (15)N in hydrophobic amino acids providing the most distinctive signals. Analysis of early modern/medieval and of Bronze age anthropogenic soils from Orkney demonstrates that such signals are retained in archaeological contexts. delta (13)C analyses of n- alkanoic acid components of the fossil, Bronze Age, anthropogenic soils suggest a major terrestrial input to these soils, with uniform composition of formation materials. Surficial soils demonstrate the assimilation of isotopically lighter carbon, providing a means of assessing the mobility of the n- alkanoic acids within soils and sediments. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vortex lattice transitions in YNi2B2C

We have performed extensive small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) diffraction studies of the vortex lattice in single crystal YNi₂B₂C for B‖c. High-resolution SANS, combined with a field-oscillation vortex lattice preparation technique, allows us to separate Bragg scattered intensities from two orthogonal domains and accurately determine the unit cell angle, β. The data suggest that upon increasing field there is a finite transition width where both low- and high-field distorted hexagonal vortex lattice phases, mutually rotated by 45°, coexist. The smooth variation of diffracted intensity from each phase through the transition corresponds to a redistribution of populations between the two types of domains.     

Neutron-rich rare isotope production below the Fermi energy and its application to the Texas A&;M RIB upgrade

Recent efforts to produce and separate neutron-rich rare isotopes in peripheral collisions below the Fermi energy are presented. The experiments have been performed at the Cyclotron Institute of Texas A&M University employing beams from the K500 Superconducting Cyclotron. Two magnetic separators were used: the MARS recoil separator and the Superconducting Solenoid Line (BigSol Line). An enhanced production of neutron-rich nuclides in comparison with high-energy fragmentation mechanisms has been observed and attributed to the role of the N/Z and the nuclear periphery of the target. From a practical viewpoint, these reactions below or around the Fermi energy offer a novel way to access very neutron-rich rare isotopes. The experience obtained in the production of rare isotope beams (RIB) below the Fermi energy will be exploited in the ongoing RIB upgrade of the Cyclotron Institute that will involve production, stopping and reacceleration of rare isotopes.     

Centred TVD schemes for hyperbolic conservation laws

New first- and high-order centred methods for conservation lawsare presented. Convenient TVD conditions for constructing centredTVD schemes are then formulated and some useful results areproved. Two families of centred TVD schemes are constructedand extended to nonlinear systems. Some numerical results arealso presented.