Minimal-energy clusters of hard spheres

What is the tightest packing ofN equal nonoverlapping spheres, in the sense of having minimal energy, i.e., smallest second moment about the centroid? The putatively optimal arrangements are described forN≤32. A number of new and interesting polyhedra arise.     

Quantum discontinuity for massive spin-3/2 with a Λ term

We show that the recently demonstrated absence of the van Dam–Veltman–Zakharov discontinuity for massive spin-3/2 with a Λ term is an artifact of the tree approximation, and that the discontinuity reappears at one loop. As a numerical check on the calculation, we rederive the vanishing of the one-loop beta function for D=11 supergravity on AdS₄×S⁷ level-by-level in the Kaluza–Klein tower.     

Superunification from eleven dimensions

We show how N = 8 supersymmetry can break spontaneously to N = 1 at the Planck scale via a Kaluza-Klein compactification of d = 11 supergravity on the squashed seven-sphere. Features unique to Kaluza-Klein supergravity are (i) the massless gravitino of the N = 1 phase comes from a massiveN = 8 supermultiplet, (ii) the scalars developing nonzero VEVs also belong to massive N = 8 supermultiplets, (iii) parity remains unbroken when N = 8 breaks to N = 1.Next we ask whether the resulting N = 1 theory can provide a realistic SU(3) × SU(2) × U(1) unification and speculate that it might if some of the gauge bosons and fermions are composite as in the EGMZ model. In contrast to their model, however, we avoid unwanted helicities and problems with their non-compact E₇. Moreover, we suggest a scheme in which the electroweak SU(2) × U(1) is a subgroup of the d = 11 general coordinate group but that the strong SU(3) is a subgroup of the d = 11 local Lorentz group and are not, therefore, to be combined into a GUT. The special properties of the seven-sphere also suggest a possible solution of the cosmological constant problem involving fermion condensates.     

Semi-analytic evaluation of morse oscillator energies and wavefunctions in excited rotational states

A simple technique for generating accurate semi-analytic solutions for the one-dimensional Morse oscillator is presented. This modified Morse technique retains the simplicity and form of the j = 0 Morse solution but still satisfactorily includes the rotational features of the cases where j ≠ 0. The modified Morse solutions are compored to rigid rotor and exact numerical calculations performed by the finite element method. The technique is shown to give an accurate representation of the true wavefunction, and this result should make the method particularly useful for the generation of vibration-rotation transition matrix elements.     

Classical probability matrix: Prediction of quantum-state distributions by a moment analysis of classical trajectories

A new method is presented for extracting approximate quantum mechanical state-to-state transition probabilities from the results of classical trajectory calculations. The method recognizes quantum discreteness by dealing with the quantum mechanical probability matrix, but all dynamical quantities are evaluated by classical mechanics. It is illustrated by application to the linear atom-diatom collision (vibrational excitation); it is capable of treating both classically allowed and classically forbidden processes.     

The holographic bubble chamber experiment and the determination of the effective charmed quark mass and theK-factor for hadronic charm production

In the first holographic bubble chamber experiment — the HOBC experiment — we have accumulated a total of 40000 holograms with particle interactions. We have determined the total charm pair cross section inpN collisions to be 23.3 _?7.7 ⁺¹⁰ μb and 3.6 _?1.7 ^+2.3 μb for 360 and 200 GeV/c incident protons respectively. We have assumed a linear dependence of the cross section on the atomic number of the target. This experiment has demonstrated the feasibility of holographic recording in small bubble chambers. Assuming that the charm cross section can be described by the standard QCD factorized expression with gluon fusion and quark-antiquark annihilation, we have used our measured charm cross sections with other measurements to determine the effective charmed quark mass to be 1.8 _?0.35 ^+0.25 GeV/c². TheK factor, which describes the importance of the higher order corrections, is calculated to be 9.8 _?6.9 ^+12.5 (See noted added in proof.)     

Molecular dynamics investigation of the effects of a water surface on the aggregation of bent-core molecules

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to determine how the presence of a water surface affects the way that bent-core surfactant molecules interact with one another. The simulations are carried out for isolated pairs of bent-core molecules, and for pairs of bent-core molecules on a water surface. The results show that the water surface fundamentally alters the nature of the interaction between the bent-core molecules: a stable complex is formed when the two molecules are on the water surface, but not for an isolated pair of molecules. This difference occurs because the water surface constrains the internal structure and orientation of the molecules, which makes the packing of the molecules into a stable complex more thermodynamically favorable.     

Surface modification of titanium by anodic oxidation in phosphoric acid at low potentials. Part 1. Structure,electronic properties and thickness of the anodic films

Titanium surface characteristics determine the degree of success of permanent implants. The topography, morphology of the surface in micro and nano scales, the impurities present and other characteristics are a main concern, and therefore a multi‐technique approach is required in order to evaluate modification process effects on the surface. Surface modification of titanium in the nanometrical range was performed by means of anodisation in phosphoric with the aim of improving both the biocompatibility and the corrosion resistance in the biological media. Biocompatible characteristics of the modified titanium surface, as the presence of anatase in the oxide film and the incorporation of phosphate to the surface, were determined. Moreover, the electronic properties of the surface oxide presented a carrier number adequate for biomedical applications. The increase in the film thickness from 3 to 42 nm was estimated from EIS results when anodising potentials from 0 to 30 V were applied, whereas a bi‐layer structure of the protective oxides formed was determined. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.