Mode dependent vibrational autoionization of Rydberg states of NO2. II. Comparing the symmetric stretching and bending vibrations

Triple-resonance excitation and high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy are combined to characterize the mode selectivity of vibrational autoionization of the high Rydberg states of NO2. Photoelectron spectra and vibrational branching fractions are reported for autoionizing Rydberg states converging to the NO2+ X 1Sigmag +(110) state, that is, with one quantum in the symmetric stretch, nu1, and one quantum in the bending vibration, nu2. These results indicate that autoionization proceeds most efficiently through the loss of one quantum from the symmetric stretch rather than from the bending vibration. The implications of this result are discussed in terms of the autoionization mechanism.     

Synthesis of methanesulfonyl chloride (MSC) from methane and sulfuryl chloride

Methane is transformed selectively to methanesulfonyl chloride at low temperature by liquid-phase reaction of methane with SO(2)Cl(2) in the presence of a free radical initiator and a promoter using 100% H(2)SO(4) as the solvent.     

Direct oxidation of methane to acetic acid catalyzed by Pd2+ and Cu2+ in the presence of molecular oxygen

Methane is catalytically converted primarily to acetic acid in concentrated sulfuric acid using a combination of Pd(2+) and Cu(2+) in the presence of oxygen.     

Measurement of prompt charm meson production cross sections in pp collisions at square root s = 1.96 TeV

We report on measurements of differential cross sections dsigma/dp(T) for prompt charm meson production in ppmacr; collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV using 5.8+/-0.3 pb(-1) of data from the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The data are collected with a new trigger that is sensitive to the long lifetime of hadrons containing heavy flavor. The charm meson cross sections are measured in the central rapidity region |y|K-pi(+), D(*+)-->D0pi(+), D+-->K-pi(+)pi(+), D(+)(s)-->phipi(+), and their charge conjugates. The measured cross sections are compared to theoretical calculations.     

Resistive collimation of electron beams in laser-produced plasmas

Intense relativistic electron beams, produced by high-intensity short-pulse laser irradiation of a solid target, have many potential applications including fusion by fast ignition. Using a unique Fokker-Planck code, supported by analytic calculations, we show that fast electrons can be collimated into a beam even when the fast electron source is not strongly anisotropic, and we derive a condition for collimation to occur.     

Sensitised near-infrared emission from lanthanides using a covalently-attached Pt(II) fragment as an antenna group

In a series of heterodinuclear complexes in which a Pt(PPh3)2(catecholate) chromophore is covalently linked to a lanthanide tris(diketonate) unit, sensitised near-IR emission from Yb(III), Nd(III) and Er(III) occurs on excitation of the Pt(II) chromophore at 520 nm.     

Scope of the directed dihydroxylation: application to cyclic homoallylic alcohols and trihaloacetamides

The synthesis and directed dihydroxylation of a range of cyclic alkenes was investigated. Both homoallylic alcohols and homoallylic trihaloacetamides were found to be efficient directing groups, giving rise to good to excellent levels of remote asymmetric induction with OsO4-TMEDA. Interestingly, in all cases examined, trifluoroacetamides were found to be superior to trichloroacetamides as directing groups and an argument is presented which rationalises this observation.     

Variational representations of Varadhan functionals

Motivated by the theory of large deviations, we introduce a class of non-negative non-linear functionals that have a variational ``rate function" representation.

     

The feasibility of maximum length sequences to reduce acquisition time of the middle latency response

Maximum length sequences (MLS) have been used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of otoacoustic emissions [Thornton, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 94, 132-136 (1993)] and the auditory brainstem response [Thornton and Slaven, Br. J. Audiol. 27, 205-210 (1993)]. By implication, a shorter recording time would be required to give equal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This study aimed to establish whether it is also possible to improve the SNR of the auditory-evoked potential termed the middle latency response (MLR) using maximum length sequences (MLS). Recordings of 180 s each were made using a conventional recording rate and MLS rates of 42, 89, and 185 clicks/s. Three different stimulus intensities were used in the range 30 to 70 dB nHL. The rate of 89 clicks/s was found to produce most improvement in SNR for both the Na-Pa region of the MLR and the Na-Pb region. This improvement in SNR using MLS implies that an MLS rate of 89 clicks/s would produce a fourfold reduction in recording time for equal SNR over conventional recording for the Pa-Nb region of the MLR at a stimulus intensity of 70 dB nHL. The latency of the Nb wave was found to reduce significantly using MLS. An MLR could not be recorded from every subject in this study, but more subjects had an identifiable response for MLS than for conventional recordings. Use of MLS to record the MLR appears to offer the potential for reduction in test time and better wave identification.     

First measurement of the ratio B(t --> Wb)/B(t --> Wq) and associated limit on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa element /V(tb)/

We present the first measurement of the ratio of branching fractions R identical withB(t-->Wb)/B(t-->Wq) from p_p collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV. The data set corresponds to 109 pb(-1) of data recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab during the 1992-95 Tevatron run. We measure R = 0.94(+0.31)(-0.24)(stat+syst) or R>0.61 (0.56) at 90% (95)% C.L., in agreement with the standard model predictions. This measurement yields a limit on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix element /V(tb)/ under the assumption of three generations and unitarity.