Ball lightning with a lifetime t⩽1 s

Among luminous formations acknowledged as examples of artificial ball lightning with lifetimes t⩽1 s, examples are presented whose nature is well described by a weakly ionized plasma with a gas temperature T≈0.5 eV. It is shown that such lifetimes do not contradict the estimates of P. L. Kapitsa if it is taken into account the fact that the plasma under consideration is not an ideal blackbody. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 131–134 (October 1999)     

Properties of Hg1−xZnxSe (0.09 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.0) thin films prepared by flash evaporation technique

Flash evaporated mercury zinc selenide films are observed to grow as single phase ternary alloys of the type Hg_1−xZn_xSe in the composition range 0.09 ⩽ x ⩽ 1.0, with a f.c.c./sphalerite structure on substrates maintained at T_s between 30°C and 175°C. The grain size is observed to increase with increase in T_s for all compositions. The films are observed to have a direct optical band gap which increases from 0.01 to 2.60 eV as the Zn concentration x is varied between 0.09 and 1.0. The band gap V_scomposition shows a bowing, typical of pseudobinary solid solutions. Zn rich films were observed to be p-type whereas Hg-rich films were n-type. Room temperature resistivity was observed to increase with Zn concentration x, which can be attributed to the increase in the band gap of the semiconductors. Higher resistivity in films deposited at high substrate temperatures is due to the decrease in contribution to conduction from the highly conducting grain boundaries.     

A mean-field study on the thermo-magnetic properties of GdxCo1−x amorphous alloys (0.16⩽x⩽0.25)

We present a mean-field study on the thermo-magnetic properties of Gd_xCo_1−x amorphous alloys in the 0.16⩽x⩽0.25 composition range. A single set of exchange integrals and fixed values of the angular momenta of Gd and Co fairly describe the temperature dependence of magnetization. The magnetic specific heat and magnetic entropy show field and composition dependence. Both the specific heat anomaly and the saturated entropy, at the temperature of the magnetic phase transition, increase with increasing Co concentration. The two magnetic subnetworks and their cross-interactions contribute differently to the specific heat.     

Critical points and points of the bifurcation of the rotating magnetized newtonian polytropes with a 1 ⩽ n ⩽ 1.6 index

The presence of critical points and the bifurcation points of rotating Newtonian polytropes with an index of 1 ? n ? 1.6 has been shown for the first time in this paper. The symbolic-numerical calculation error in metric L ₂ has reached the size of the 10^?4 order. The approximate analytical solution to the problem to the abovementioned accuracy has been set forth. A critical value of the polytropes index n = n _k = 1.51025 has been calculated which is the highest among the critical points and bifurcation points. The value n _k corresponds to the infinitely slow polytropes rotation. Furthermore, in this paper the presence of the period jump at the bifurcation point T _b has been predicted and the relative value of this jump ΔT _b /T _b ～ B _0in ^4/3 has been estimated.     

Effects of Er substitution for Nd on structural and magnetic properties of Nd1−xErxMn2Ge2 (0⩽x⩽1)

The structure and magnetic properties of Nd_1−xEr_xMn₂Ge₂ (0.0⩽x⩽1) were studied by X-ray powder diffraction and magnetization measurements. All compounds crystallize in the ThCr₂Si₂-type structure with space group I4/mmm. Substitution of Er for Nd led to a linear decrease in the lattice constants and the unit cell volume. Increasing substitution of Er for Nd in NdMn₂Ge₂ shows a depression of ferromagnetic ordering and the gradual development of antiferromagnetic ordering. A typical SmMn₂Ge₂-like behaviour is observed for the x=0.4 sample. The results are summarized in α preliminary magnetic phase diagram.     

Mössbauer study of an amorphous iron III flouride: FeF3, xHF (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1)

A ferric amorphous flouride FeF₃, xHF with 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1 synthesized by a soft chemistry reaction was studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The hyperfine characteristics are very close to those of deposited variety previously published: they show that the Fe³⁺ ions are surrounded by weakly distorted octahedra of flourine atoms. The study under external magnetic field indicates that the spins are randomly distributed: FeF₃, xHF has a speromagnetic behaviour like deposited amorphous FeF₃. Elsewhere the similarity between the two amorphous forms is confirmed by susceptibility measurements.     

Elastic scattering of 11B from 209Bi in the energy range 49.8 ⩽ E ⩽ 84.1 MeV

The elastic scattering of ¹¹B from ²⁰⁹Bi has been measured at laboratory energies of 49.8, 51.3, 52.2, 52.8, 54.3, 55.8, 59.8, 64.8, 69.8, 74.8 and 84.1 MeV. These data have been analyzed using a microscopic optical model and the energy dependence of the real and the imaginary parts of the optical potential at near barrier energies has been determined. The “threshold anomaly” observed in the real part of the potential is found to be consistent with the dispersion relation which connects the real and the imaginary parts of the potential. Inelastic scattering and transfer reactions have also been measured at energies of 51.3, 55.8, 59.8 and 74.8 MeV. DWBA calculations for the 3⁻ state in ²⁰⁹Bi are made. From the measured transfer probabilities, using a semiclassical approach the strength of the form factors have been obtained. The fusion cross sections have been derived at these energies from the corresponding quasi-elastic scattering angular distribution data. The fusion cross sections calculated using the energy dependent barriers extracted from the energy dependent real parts of the potential compare well with, that determined from quasi-elastic scattering data and are also in good agreement with simplified coupled channels calculation for fusion incorporating important inelastic and transfer channels.     

X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer Studies of γ′-(Fe1−xSnx)4N compounds (0.0⩽x⩽0.3)

The structure and magnetic properties of γ′-(Fe_1−xSn_x)₄N samples have been studied using X-ray diffraction and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. It has been shown that the single-phase (Fe_1−xSn_x)₄N compounds can be prepared in the composition range of 0.0⩽x⩽0.3, which have the similar structure as γ′-Fe₄N The lattice parameter with the increase of Sn concentration can be well fitted with two linear relationships a₀(x)=3.795+0.019x (with x⩽0.10 ) and a₀(x)=3.797+0.228(x−0.10) (with 0.1⩽x⩽ 0.3). The fitting results of Mössbauer spectra indicate that the hyperfine parameters have the same changing tendency with lattice parameter, and the Sn atoms have a preference to be located at the corner site.     

A magnetic study of HoMn6Sn6−xGax single crystals (0.14⩽x⩽1.89)

Single crystals of hexagonal HfFe₆Ge₆-type HoMn₆Sn_6−xGa_x compounds (0.14⩽x⩽1.89) have been obtained by a flux method and studied by magnetisation measurements. All the compounds order ferrimagnetically (308⩽T_c⩽386 K) with moments lying in the (0 0 1) plane and undergo a moment reorientation transition at lower temperatures (156⩽T_SR⩽195 K). At 5 K, the moments are aligned along an intermediate direction (44⩽φ_c⩽50°). These results are discussed and compared with the neutron diffraction results related to the isotypic TmMn₆Sn_6−xGa_x and TbMn₆Sn_6−xGa_x series where a change of the easy direction is observed with increasing gallium contents.     

57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetization study of YFexAl12−x (4.4⩽x⩽5)

YFe_xAl_12−x in the composition range 4.4⩽x⩽5 was prepared by induction melting followed by annealing in vacuum at 1270 K. Magnetization data below 150 K show complex magnetic behaviour dependent on applied field, composition and temperature. The transition temperature T_c, corresponding to the main maximum of the magnetization vs. temperature curves and below which magnetic interactions are observed for a significant fraction of the Fe atoms in the Mössbauer spectra, decreases from 180 K for x=4 down to 100 K for 4.2⩽x⩽4.7 and rises again up to 160 K for x=5. The analysis of the spectra obtained at 5 K is consistent with full occupation of the 8f sites by Fe atoms and sharing of the 8j sites by Fe and Al as deduced from the Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data. The Mössbauer spectra further show a dependence of magnetic hyperfine fields and isomer shifts on the crystallographic site and on the number of the Fe nearest neighbours similar to that observed in UFe_xAl_12−x (4⩽x⩽6) and RFe_xAl_12−x (R=Y, Lu, x=4, 4.2). The magnetic properties of the UFe_xAl_12−x and YFe_xAl_12−x series are compared and the magnetic interactions between the different Fe sublattices are discussed.     

Elastic scattering and the associated anomalous dispersion in the energy range 8.63⩽E⩽42.75 keV from heavy atoms

Elastic scattering cross-sections for Pt, Au and Pb were measured using nearly monoenergetic unpolarized Kα x-ray photons in the energy range 8.63⩽E⩽42.75 keV at an angle of 90°. The experimental results were compared with theoretical elastic scattering cross-sections calculated using relativistic form factors (RFFs), relativistic modified form factors (RMFs), a combination of RFFs, RMFs with angle-independent anomalous scattering factors (ASFs) and relativistic numerical calculations based on the multipole expansion of the second-order S-matrix approach. The experimental results were in reasonable agreement with the S-matrix values and values based on an RMF+ASF approach compared with an RFF+ASF approach. © 1988 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Further Monte Carlo calculations for the classical one-component plasma in the range 100 ⩽ Γ ⩽ 160: The FCC lattice

Very accurate Monte Carlo calculations for the one-component plasma (OCP) have been compared with the results of Slattery, Doolen, and DeWitt.^(1,2) We confirm their results and also find a slight dependence of the calculation of the internal energy per particle uponN, the number of particles. A detailed investigation forN=108 permits us to evaluate the Helmholtz free energy for an OCP fcc lattice. As is usually believed, we find that the bcc lattice is more stable than the fcc lattice. The transition from the liquid to the fcc lattice phase occurs when ^fcc = 196 ± 1. A three-dimensional modified cubic procedure, capable of achieving high accuracy in using tables of two-particle interaction potentials, is described in Appendix B.     

Colossal magnetoresistance in La0.7Ca0.3−xHgxMnO3 (0⩽x⩽0.2) system over wide temperature range

The divalent substitutions in rare-earth manganites create quenched disorders; those are responsible for the modification of magnetoelectronic properties through competition of two phases. In this regards, the substitution of divalent Hg is rarely studied. Here, we present the results on effect of Hg²⁺ substitution in LCMO manganites. We have synthesized polycrystalline samples with nominal compositions La_0.7Ca_0.3?xHg_xMnO₃ (0?x?0.2) by the standard solid-state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction data revealed monophasic nature without a signature of Hg related or any other impurity phase. The ac susceptibility measurement showed variation in the magnetic transition temperature as well as the transition width. The electrical resistivity measurement showed variation in metal-insulator transition temperature. The magnetoresistance (MR) measurements were carried out at 5 T magnetic field. The samples show varying magnitude of magnetoresistance as high as 74.48%. The distinct feature seen with Hg substitution is the increase in the magnitude of MR and temperature range over which MR value is sustained. It also improves the microstructure of the samples.     

Pressure effect on magnetic properties of NdMn2−xFexGe2 (0.1⩽x⩽1.0) series of solid solutions

Temperature and pressure dependence of magnetic properties in the NdMn_2−xFe_xGe₂ series of solid solutions (0.1⩽x⩽1.0) are reported. The (P, T) magnetic phase diagrams are determined on the basis of the AC magnetic susceptibility measured in a weak magnetic field. The measurements were carried out under hydrostatic pressure up to 1.5 GPa in the temperature range 80−430 K. The reported data show that in the studied series of solid solutions, a drastic change in magnetic properties takes place in a narrow dilution parameter range (0.4⩽x⩽0.5). While taking into account the magnetic properties, the studied range of Fe content could be divided into four regions. Only in the case of x=0.3 and 0.4, the external pressure significantly influences the magnetic properties of the samples.     

Exchange integrals and magnetic short range order in the system CdCr2−xGaxSe4(0⩽x⩽0.06)

High-temperature series expansions are derived for the magnetic susceptibility and two-spin correlation functions for a Heisenberg ferromagnetic model on the B-spinel lattice. The calculations are developed in the framework of the random phase approximation and are given for both nearest and next-nearest neighbour exchange integrals $J_1$ and $J_2$, respectively. Our results are given up to order 6 in $\beta =(k_{\mathrm{B}}T{)}^{-1}$and are used to study the paramagnetic region of the ferromagnetic spinel CdCr_2−xGa_xSe₄. The critical temperature $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ and the critical exponents $\gamma$ and $\nu$ associated with the magnetic susceptibility $\chi (T)$ and the correlation length $\xi (T)$, respectively are deduced by applying the Padé approximate methods. The results as a function of the dilution x obtained by the present approach are found to be in agreement with the experimental ones.