Properties of the two-dimensional exponential integral functions

In this paper uniform convergences of the two-dimensional exponential integral functions are investigated. We also study the continuity, integrability and asymptotic behaviour of these functions.     

Non-orthogonal basis functions in the solution of diffusional problems

The diffusion equation in presence of strong potential gradients can be conveniently solved by means of a suitable set of non-orthogonal basis functions that mimic the asymptotic behaviour of the eigensolutions of the time evolution operator. This method is discussed in the context of the calculation of spectroscopic observables by means of the Lanczos algorithm, that is by representing the spectral density as a continued fraction. The modified Lanczos algorithm, which takes into account the non-orthogonality of the basis functions, is analysed in detail. In order to test the performance of the new procedure, the planar rotor subject to a cosine potential is considered, and the set of non-orthogonal functions having the correct asymptotic behaviour is derived in both cases of single and double minimum. The results of the numerical calculations clearly show the advantages of the proposed method when dealing with systems characterized by hindered motions.     

A simplified molecular-thermodynamic model of a microphase-separated ionic gel swollen in salt solution

A molecular-thermodynamic model [A.I. Victorov, C.J. Radke, J.M. Prausnitz, Mol. Phys., 2004, submitted for publication] of diblock copolymer ionic gels swollen in brine is simplified by deriving asymptotic expressions for electrostatic terms. This model derived recently from the self-consistent field theory in the limit of strong segregation gives thermodynamic functions for gels of lamellar, bicontinuous, cylindrical and spherical morphologies and details the gel structure including equilibrium microdomain spacing, distribution of mobile ions, polymer segments, and the electric potential across the microdomains. The model reflects the copolymer chain composition, length, rigidity, ionization degree and the effective polymer–polymer and polymer–solvent interactions. Several asymptotic regimes are considered that lead to simple formulae for the solvent chemical potential. Applicability of asymptotic relations is tested. Equilibrium uptakes of salt are calculated for gels of varying ionic charge over a wide range of solution salinity.     

Analytical solutions of Schr?dinger equation for the diatomic molecular potentials with any angular momentum

Analytical solutions of the Schrodinger equation are obtained for some diatomic molecular potentials with any angular momentum. The energy eigenvalues and wave functions are calculated exactly. The asymptotic form of the equation is also considered. Algebraic method is used in the calculations.     

Applicability of the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type asymptotic exponential functions for ice, hydrates, and polystyrene latex

The validity of the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type asymptotic exponential functions for representing the temperature dependence of various properties, such as the particle-particle pull-off adherence forces in ice and hydrates and the annealing effect on polystyrene latex films, is demonstrated. The parameters of this equation are determined using the reported experimental data. The applications show that such functions yield accurate correlations of the experimental property data measured at various temperatures.     

Buoyancy-driven convection around chemical fronts traveling in covered horizontal solution layers

Density differences across an autocatalytic chemical front traveling horizontally in covered thin layers of solution trigger hydrodynamic flows which can alter the concentration profile. We theoretically investigate the spatiotemporal evolution and asymptotic dynamics resulting from such an interplay between isothermal chemical reactions, diffusion, and buoyancy-driven convection. The studied model couples the reaction-diffusion-convection evolution equation for the concentration of an autocatalytic species to the incompressible Stokes equations ruling the evolution of the flow velocity in a two-dimensional geometry. The dimensionless parameter of the problem is a solutal Rayleigh number constructed upon the characteristic reaction-diffusion length scale. We show numerically that the asymptotic dynamics is one steady vortex surrounding, deforming, and accelerating the chemical front. This chemohydrodynamic structure propagating at a constant speed is quite different from the one obtained in the case of a pure hydrodynamic flow resulting from the contact between two solutions of different density or from the pure reaction-diffusion planar traveling front. The dynamics is symmetric with regard to the middle of the layer thickness for positive and negative Rayleigh numbers corresponding to products, respectively, lighter or heavier than the reactants. A parametric study shows that the intensity of the flow, the propagation speed, and the deformation of the front are increasing functions of the Rayleigh number and of the layer thickness. In particular, the asymptotic mixing length and reaction-diffusion-convection speed both scale as square root Ra for Ra>5. The velocity and concentration fields in the asymptotic dynamics are also found to exhibit self-similar properties with Ra. A comparison of the dynamics in the case of a monostable versus bistable kinetics is provided. Good agreement is obtained with experimental data on the speed of iodate-arsenous acid fronts propagating in horizontal capillaries. We furthermore compare the buoyancy-driven dynamics studied here to Marangoni-driven deformation of traveling chemical fronts in solution open to the air in the absence of gravity previously studied in the same geometry [L. Rongy and A. De Wit, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 164705 (2006)].     

Determination of competitive adsorption isotherms applying the nonlinear frequency response method: Part I. Theoretical analysis

In this work adsorption equilibria of binary mixtures are quantified analyzing the nonlinear frequency response of a chromatographic column. Local partial derivatives of an isotherm model can be estimated for certain steady-states from the low frequency asymptotes of the corresponding frequency response functions (FRFs). The required FRFs correspond to two different compounds and the type of the imposed inlet concentration changes, e.g. periodical inlet concentration changes of only one compound or of both of them. For an accurate determination of isotherm parameters, it is necessary to approach as close as possible the low frequency asymptotic behaviour of these functions. Based on principles valid for the FRFs corresponding to the adsorption of a single solute, frequencies needed to reach the low frequency asymptotes of the functions of interest for estimating competitive isotherms are defined in this paper. The relation between the accuracy of the isotherm parameters determined and numbers and types of periodical inlet concentration changes and steady-states analyzed is also evaluated.     

Communication: a minimal model for the diffusion-relaxation backbone dynamics of proteins

We present a model for the local diffusion-relaxation dynamics of the C(α)-atoms in proteins describing both the diffusive short-time dynamics and the asymptotic long-time relaxation of the position autocorrelation functions. The relaxation rate spectra of the latter are represented by shifted gamma distributions, where the standard gamma distribution describes anomalous slow relaxation in macromolecular systems of infinite size and the shift accounts for a smallest local relaxation rate in macromolecules of finite size. The resulting autocorrelation functions are analytic for any time t ≥ 0. Using results from a molecular dynamics simulation of lysozyme, we demonstrate that the model fits the position autocorrelation functions of the C(α)-atoms exceptionally well and reveals moreover a strong correlation between the residue's solvent-accessible surface and the fitted model parameters.     

Limits of the plane wave approximation in the measurement of molecular properties

Rescattering electrons offer great potential as probes of molecular properties on ultrafast timescales. The most famous example is molecular tomography, in which high harmonic spectra of oriented molecules are mapped to "tomographic images" of the relevant molecular orbitals. The accuracy of such reconstructions can be greatly affected by the distortion of scattering wave functions from their asymptotic forms due to interactions with the parent ion. We investigate the validity of the commonly used plane wave approximation in molecular tomography, showing how such distortions affect the resulting orbital reconstructions.     

On the investigation of the low-energy conformational space of molecules

A new perspective on traditional energy minimization problems is provided by a connection between statistical thermodynamics and combinatorial optimization (finding the minimum of a function depending on many variables). The joint use of a new method for uncovering the global minimum of intramolecular potential energy functions, based on following the asymptotic behavior of a system of stochastic differential equations, and an iterative-improvement technique, whereby a search for relative minima is made by carrying out local quasi-Newton minimizations starting from many distinct points of the energy hypersurface, proved most effective for investigating the low-energy conformational space of molecules.     

Atomic wave function forms

Using variational Monte Carlo, we compare the features of 118 trial wave function forms for selected ground and excited states of helium, lithium, and beryllium in order to determine which characteristics give the most rapid convergence toward the exact nonrelativistic energy. We find that fully antisymmetric functions are more accurate than are those which use determinants, that exponential functions are more accurate than are linear function, and that the Padé function is anomalously accurate for the two-electron atom. We also find that the asymptotic and nodal behavior of the atomic wave function is best described by a minimal set of functions. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 63: 1001–1022, 1997     

An Approximate Kinetic Treatment of Slow‐Initiated Living Polymerization. I. First‐Order Initiation and Propagation

A new method for deriving the initiation rate constant for a slowinitiated living polymerization process in which all reactions are first order with respect to all participants is presented. The method is based upon an approximate analytical solution of the set of differential equations modeling this class of processes. The solution is found by asymptotic expansion of the unknown functions, using a dimensionless parameter which characterizes the process.     

Semiempirical approach to the problem of the radiative lifetime of the excited F-color center

It is emphasized that for the theoretical consideration of many problems of defect centers in crystals (especially of problems which need the correct asymptotic behavior of the wave functions) the semiempirical approach can be effective. As an example the spontaneous radiative time decay of the excited F-center in alkali halides is calculated by using the experimental energies of absorption and emission bands.