K-line X-ray fluorescence from highly charged iron ions under dense astrophysical plasma conditions

In the present work, we report an investigation of plasma environment effects on the atomic parameters associated with the K-vacancy states in highly charged iron ions within the astrophysical context of accretion disks around black holes. More particularly, the sensitivity of K-line X-ray fluorescence parameters (wavelengths, radiative transition probabilities, and Auger rates) in Fe XVII–Fe XXV ions has been estimated for plasma conditions characterized by an electron temperature ranging from 10⁵ to 10⁷ K and an electron density ranging from 10¹⁸ to 10²² cm⁻³. In order to do this, relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock atomic structure calculations have been carried out by considering a time averaged Debye-Hückel potential for both the electron–nucleus and electron–electron interactions.     

A Galerkin-type state-space approach for transverse vibrations of slender double-beam systems with viscoelastic inner layer

A novel state-space form for studying transverse vibrations of double-beam systems, made of two outer elastic beams continuously joined by an inner viscoelastic layer, is presented and numerically validated. As opposite to other methods available in the literature, the proposed technique enables one to consider (i) inhomogeneous systems, (ii) any boundary conditions and (iii) rate-dependent constitutive law for the inner layer. The formulation is developed by means of Galerkin-type approximations for the fields of transverse displacements in the system. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed approach is accurate and versatile, and lends itself to be used for both frequency- and time-domain analyses.     

Experimental and theoretical lifetimes in Yb III

Lifetimes of three levels belonging to the configuration 4f ¹³5d with J = 1 in Yb III have been measured for the first time using the time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence method. Experimental transition probabilities have been deduced for the transitions between the levels studied and the ground state. The comparison of the experimental lifetimes with theoretical data, deduced within the relativistic Hartree-Fock (HFR) approach, underlines the dramatic importance of an adequate consideration of core-polarization effects in the theoretical model and the sensitivity of one of the lifetime values to small correlation effects. Received 2 April 2001     

Study of the Capabilities of the ALICE inner tracking system stand-alone for HBT analysis

Results are shown from a Monte Carlo simulation study of the capabilities of the Inner Tracking System of the ALICE experiment, used in standalone mode, for HBT analysis of Pb?Pb collisions at LHC energies (5.5 ATeV). Different values of the coherence factor and the Gaussian source radius have been studied. For this purpose, a specific ITS stand-alone tracking algorithm, based on the Denby-Peterson neural algorithm, has been developed.     

ESI‐MS/MS of expanded porphyrins: a look into their structure and aromaticity

Electrospray mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry was used to investigate the gas‐phase properties of protonated expanded porphyrins, in order to correlate those with their structure and conformation. We have selected five expanded meso‐pentafluorophenyl porphyrins, respectively, a pair of oxidized/reduced fused pentaphyrins (22 and 24 π electrons), a pair of oxidized/reduced regular hexaphyrins (26 and 28 π electrons) and a regular doubly N‐fused hexaphyrin (28 π electrons). The gas‐phase behavior of the protonated species of oxidized and reduced expanded porphyrins is different. The oxidized species (aromatic Hückel systems) fragment more extensively, mainly by the loss of two HF molecules. The reduced species (Möbius aromatic or Möbius‐like aromatic systems) fragment less than their oxidized counterparts because of their increased flexibility. The protonated regular doubly fused hexaphyrin (non‐aromatic Hückel system) shows the least fragmentation even at higher collision energies. In general, cyclization through losses of HF molecules decreases from the aromatic Hückel systems to Möbius aromatic or Möbius‐like aromatic systems to non‐aromatic Hückel systems and is related to an increase in conformational distortion. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lifetime measurements and transition probability calculations in singly ionized tungsten (W<Subscript>II</Subscript>)

New measurements of radiative lifetimes for 9 levels in singly ionized tungsten (W_II) have been performed with the time-resolved laser-induced-fluorescence technique. Transition probabilities have been obtained from a combination of experimental lifetimes and theoretical branching fractions. The reliability of the present results is assessed through the good agreement observed between the calculated lifetimes and the experimental values from this work and from previous publications. These new results fill in a gap in the available data for this atomic species particularly important for fusion reactors.     

Decay of metastable states in Nd II

The difficulty associated with an accurate determination of transition rates for forbidden lines in lowly ionized heavy elements is illustrated in the case of Nd II. We have investigated the radiative decay of the low-lying metastable levels in Nd⁺ including the two levels K_11/2 and I_13/2. In these two particular cases, using different theoretical approaches, we find that the decay is dominated by the M1 channels but that the E2 contributions are of the same order of magnitude. These levels have also been studied experimentally by lifetime measurements with the heavy ion storage ring CRYRING of Stockholm University. The difficulties encountered when performing such experiments are underlined and discussed.     

Thermal denaturation of fluctuating DNA driven by bending entropy

A statistical model of homopolymer DNA, coupling internal base-pair states (unbroken or broken) and external thermal chain fluctuations, is exactly solved using transfer kernel techniques. The dependence on temperature and DNA length of the fraction of denaturation bubbles and their correlation length is deduced. The thermal denaturation transition emerges naturally when the chain fluctuations are integrated out and is driven by the difference in bending (entropy dominated) free energy between broken and unbroken segments. Conformational properties of DNA, such as persistence length and mean-square-radius, are also explicitly calculated, leading, e.g., to a coherent explanation for the experimentally observed thermal viscosity transition.     

On the feasibility of remote palpation using acoustic radiation force

A method of acoustic remote palpation, capable of imaging local variations in the mechanical properties of tissue, is under investigation. In this method, focused ultrasound is used to apply localized (on the order of 2 mm3) radiation force within tissue. and the resulting tissue displacements are mapped using ultrasonic correlation based methods. The tissue displacements are inversely proportional to the stiffness of the tissue, and thus a stiffer region of tissue exhibits smaller displacements than a more compliant region. In this paper, the feasibility of remote palpation is demonstrated experimentally using breast tissue phantoms with spherical lesion inclusions, and in vitro liver samples. A single diagnostic transducer and modified ultrasonic imaging system are used to perform remote palpation. The displacement images are directly correlated to local variations in tissue stiffness with higher contrast than the corresponding B-mode images. Relationships between acoustic beam parameters, lesion characteristics and radiation force induced tissue displacement patterns are investigated and discussed. The results show promise for the clinical implementation of remote palpation.