Analysis of alpha-cluster transfer in O + C and C + O at energies near Coulomb barrier

The aim of this work is to track the phenomenon of α-cluster transfer mechanism at low energies 1.25, 1.5 and 1.75 MeV/n, close to the Coulomb barrier energy for ¹²C(¹⁶O, ¹²C)¹⁶O and ¹⁶O(¹²C, ¹⁶O)¹²C nuclear systems. The measurements of the angular distribution show a significant increase in the differential cross section at large angles due to alpha-transfer mechanism. The optical model code SPI-GENOA could be used effectively for fitting the experimental data with the theoretical predictions nearly up to angle 90°, where the differential cross section decreases steadily with increasing the scattering angle. For the second hemisphere, at angles greater than 100°, there is a large increase in cross section due to the contribution of α-transfer mechanism, and the Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA) method could be used effectively for fitting the experimental data with the theoretical predictions at this region using (DWUCK5) code.     

Study of Be + C elastic scattering at energies near the Coulomb barrier

In this work, angular distribution measurements for the elastic channel were performed for the ⁹Be + ¹²C reaction at the energies ELab=13.0$E_{\mathit{Lab}}=13.0$, 14.5, 17.3, 19.0 and 21.0 MeV, near the Coulomb barrier. The data have been analyzed in the framework of the double folding São Paulo potential. The experimental elastic scattering angular distributions were well described by the optical potential at forward angles for all measured energies. However, for the three highest energies, an enhancement was observed for intermediate and backward angles. This can be explained by the elastic transfer mechanism.     

Breakup excitation function at backward angles from α-spectra in the Li + Sm system

Breakup cross sections were obtained for the ⁶Li + ¹⁴⁴Sm system at energies above and below the Coulomb barrier from a detailed analysis of the data recorded at backward angles. These cross sections are compared with inelastic target excitations previously reported revealing a similar behavior as a function of the bombarding energy but a large absolute difference between them. Using kinematical considerations we have analyzed possible contributions from different breakup channels and we have extracted information on magnitudes such as the relative kinetic energies of the corresponding breakup fragments.     

Cross sections for (d–t) neutron interaction with germanium isotopes

The cross sections for (n,x)$(n,x)$ reactions with Ge isotopes were measured at (d–t) neutron energies around 14 MeV with the activation technique using metal discs of natural composition. Calculations of detector efficiency, incident neutron spectrum and correction factors were performed with the Monte Carlo technique (MCNP4C code). Cross sections data are presented for ⁷⁰Ge(n,2n$n,2n$)⁶⁹Ge, ⁷⁴Ge(n,α$n,\alpha$)^71mZn, ⁷⁶Ge(n,2n$n,2n$)^75(m + g)Ge, ⁷⁰Ge(n,p$n,p$)⁷⁰Ga and ⁷²Ge(n,2n$n,2n$)^71gGe reactions. The cross section results for ⁷²Ge(n,2n$n,2n$)^71gGe reaction were reported for the first time. Some other cross sections were obtained with higher precision, including the ⁷⁰Ge(n,p$n,p$)⁷⁰Ga reaction. Theoretical calculations of excitation functions were performed with the TALYS-1.0 code and compared with the experimental cross section values. Data were included in the EXFOR database.     

Measurement of the fragmentation of Carbon nuclei used in hadron-therapy

The increasing use of Carbon nuclei in cancer therapy centres is motivated by their potential advantages as a very precise high LET radiation. The knowledge of the fragmentation of Carbon nuclei when they interact with the human body is important to evaluate the spatial profile of their energy deposition in the tissues, hence the damage to the tissues neighbouring the tumour. We report here a study of the fragmentation with the nuclear emulsion experimental technique. We have designed, built and exposed to a Carbon nuclei beam a chamber made of Lexan plates alternated with nuclear emulsion films. Lexan plates acted as passive material simulating human body tissues while nuclear emulsion films were used as both tracking devices with micrometric accuracy and ionisation detectors. Such a detector allowed the detection of Carbon interactions produced along their path, the identification of the fragments produced and the measurement of their scattering angle. We have measured the Carbon ion survival probability and studied their interactions. We report on the secondary particle multiplicity and the electrical charge distribution. We give results of the scattering angle of final state fragments as well as the range for H and He. Finally we give the total and partial charge-changing cross-sections for Δz=1,2,3,4$\mathrm{\Delta }z=1,2,3,4$ which are compared with previous results when available. The present work aims at providing data required as input to Monte Carlo simulations of Carbon ion interactions in the human body and ultimately of their therapeutic effectiveness.     

Commuting conformal and dual conformal symmetries in the Regge limit

In this paper we continue our study of the dual SL(2,C)$\mathit{SL}(2,C)$ symmetry of the BFKL equation, analogous to the dual conformal symmetry of N=4$N=4$ super-Yang–Mills. We find that the ordinary and dual SL(2,C)$\mathit{SL}(2,C)$ symmetries do not generate a Yangian, in contrast to the ordinary and dual conformal symmetries in the four-dimensional gauge theory. The algebraic structure is still reminiscent of that of N=4$N=4$ SYM, however, and one can extract a generator from the dual SL(2,C)$\mathit{SL}(2,C)$ close to the bi-local form associated with Yangian algebras. We also discuss the issue of whether the dual SL(2,C)$\mathit{SL}(2,C)$ symmetry, which in its original form is broken by IR effects, is broken in a controlled way, similar to the way the dual conformal symmetry of N=4$N=4$ satisfies an anomalous Ward identity. At least for the lowest orders it seems possible to recover the dual SL(2,C)$\mathit{SL}(2,C)$ by deforming its representation, keeping open the possibility that it is an exact symmetry of BFKL. Independently of a possible relation to N=4$N=4$ scattering amplitudes, this opens an avenue for explaining the integrability of BFKL in terms of two finite-dimensional subalgebras.     

Fine structure of the isoscalar giant quadrupole resonance in Ca due to Landau damping?

The fragmentation of the Isoscalar Giant Quadrupole Resonance (ISGQR) in ⁴⁰Ca has been investigated in high energy-resolution experiments using proton inelastic scattering at Ep=200 MeV$E_{\mathrm{p}}=200\text{MeV}$. Fine structure is observed in the region of the ISGQR and its characteristic energy scales are extracted from the experimental data by means of a wavelet analysis. The experimental scales are well described by Random Phase Approximation (RPA) and second-RPA calculations with an effective interaction derived from a realistic nucleon–nucleon interaction by the Unitary Correlation Operator Method (UCOM). In these results characteristic scales are already present at the mean-field level pointing to their origination in Landau damping, in contrast to the findings in heavier nuclei and also to SRPA calculations for ⁴⁰Ca based on phenomenological effective interactions, where fine structure is explained by the coupling to two-particle–two-hole (2p–2h) states.     

Mass resolved angular distribution in helium ion induced fission of233U

Mass resolved fission fragment angular distribution was measured in the 28.5 MeV alpha induced fission of²³³U using recoil catcher technique and direct gamma spectrometry. The angular distribution of 8 fission products were obtained. The angular anisotropies of asymmetric fission products were found to be higher than those of symmetric products indicating a correlation between the fragment angular distribution and the mass distribution.The authors are grateful to Dr. S.K. Kataria and Dr. T. Datta for fruitful discussions. We thank the operation crew of the variable energy cyclotron, Calcutta for their help in carrying out the irradiations. Thanks are due to Dr. P.R. Natarajan, Head of the Radiochemistry Division for his keen interest in the work.     

First search for double β decay of dysprosium

A search for double β decay of dysprosium was realized for the first time with the help of an ultra-low background HP Ge γ detector. After 2512 h of data taking with a 322 g sample of dysprosium oxide limits on double beta processes in ¹⁵⁶Dy and ¹⁵⁸Dy have been established on the level of T_1/2?¹⁰¹⁴–¹⁰¹⁶ yr$T_{1/2}?{10}^{14}\text{–}{10}^{16}\text{yr}$. Possible resonant double electron captures in ¹⁵⁶Dy and ¹⁵⁸Dy were restricted on a similar level. As a by-product of the experiment we have measured the radioactive contamination of the Dy₂O₃ sample and set limits on the α   decay of dysprosium isotopes to the excited levels of daughter nuclei as T_1/2?¹⁰¹⁵–¹⁰¹⁷ yr$T_{1/2}?{10}^{15}\text{–}{10}^{17}\text{yr}$.     

Effects of oxygen-containing defect complex on the electronic structures and transport properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes

The electronic structures and transport properties of (10,0)$(10,0)$ single-walled carbon nanotube ((10,0)$(10,0)$ (SWNT)) with oxygen-containing defect complex are investigated using density functional theory in combination with nonequilibrium Green?s function method. The complex delocalizes the local states of (10,0)$(10,0)$ SWNT induced by mono- and di-vacancy but strengthens the localization of the states induced by the Stone–Wales defect. As a result, the complex partially restores the transport properties of (10,0)$(10,0)$ SWNT with vacancies, but reduces the transmission of (10,0)$(10,0)$ SWNT with Stone–Wales defect. However, the oxygen-containing defect complex only slightly influences the transmission gap and threshold voltage of the system.     

More about chiral symmetry restoration at finite temperature in the planar limit

In the planar limit, in the deconfined phase, the Euclidean Dirac operator has a spectral gap around zero. We show that functions of eigenvalues close to the spectral edge, which are independent of common rescalings and shifts gauge configuration by gauge configuration, have distributions described by a Gaussian Hermitian matrix model. However, combinations of eigenvalues that are scale and shift invariant only on the average, do not match this matrix model.     

Magnetism of Fe,Co, and Ni nanowires encapsulated in carbon nanotubes

We have investigated the electronic and magnetic properties of Fe, Co, and Ni nanowires encapsulated in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using spin polarized ab initio calculation. The incorporated systems with hollow region between the nanowire and the C shell have the enhanced magnetic moments compared to the ferromagnetic nanowires tightly wrapped by CNTs. The Co nanowire encapsulated in CNTs is a strong ferromagnet and has high spin polarization regardless of the distance between the nanowire and the C shell. The results show that the Co-filled CNTs are useful for spin polarized transport nanodevice.     

Noise spectrum of charge current in a quantum dot system under the irradiation of quantum electromagnetic field

We have investigated the noise spectrum of a quantum dot (QD) coupled to two normal metal leads under the perturbation of a quantum electromagnetic field (QEMF) by nonequilibrium Green?s function method. Current correlation function is determined through making the ensemble average over the lowest SU(1,1)$\mathrm{SU}(1,1)$ coherent state. The fluctuation of QEMF makes important contribution to the noise by imposing an additional term, and quantum feature of the QEMF is transferred to the shot noise. The total noise of our system is composed of three parts: the thermal noise, the quantum field noise, and the shot noise. The quantum field noise is generated from the QEMF, and it dominates the total noise. The shot noise and quantum field noise belong to different types, and they display quite differently. The stair-like and photon-assisted behaviors are obviously exhibited. The enhancement and suppression of noise can be controlled by adjusting the parameters according to its behaviors.     

Double-electron capture of Se and the search for neutrinoless decay

Experimental results on the measurement of the double-electron capture (εε) decay process of ⁷⁴Se are described. This decay is particularly interesting, because ⁷⁴Se is almost degenerate to the second excited state at 1204 keV in the daughter nucleus ⁷⁴Ge. Such a degeneracy favors a neutrinoless decay because of the large phase-space suppression for a decay with two neutrinos. Subsequent de-excitation would generate a 2γ-ray cascade of 608 and 596 keV, whose coincident detection provides a unique signature for this particular εε process. The 2γ-ray cascade has been searched for by a HPGe γ-ray detector in coincidence with a NaI detector using 3 kg of natural selenium.     

Maximum entropy production principle in physics,chemistry and biology

The tendency of the entropy to a maximum as an isolated system is relaxed to the equilibrium (the second law of thermodynamics) has been known since the mid-19th century. However, independent theoretical and applied studies, which suggested the maximization of the entropy production during nonequilibrium processes (the so-called maximum entropy production principle, MEPP), appeared in the 20th century. Publications on this topic were fragmented and different research teams, which were concerned with this principle, were unaware of studies performed by other scientists. As a result, the recognition and the use of MEPP by a wider circle of researchers were considerably delayed. The objectives of the present review consist in summation and analysis of studies dealing with MEPP. The first part of the review is concerned with the thermodynamic and statistical basis of the principle (including the relationship of MEPP with the second law of thermodynamics and Prigogine's principle). Various existing applications of the principle to analysis of nonequilibrium systems will be discussed in the second part.     

The Schwinger Dyson equations and the algebra of constraints of random tensor models at all orders

Random tensor models for a generic complex tensor generalize matrix models in arbitrary dimensions and yield a theory of random geometries. They support a 1/N$1/N$ expansion dominated by graphs of spherical topology. Their Schwinger Dyson equations, generalizing the loop equations of matrix models, translate into constraints satisfied by the partition function. The constraints have been shown, in the large N limit, to close a Lie algebra indexed by colored rooted D  -ary trees yielding a first generalization of the Virasoro algebra in arbitrary dimensions. In this paper we complete the Schwinger Dyson equations and the associated algebra at all orders in 1/N$1/N$. The full algebra of constraints is indexed by D-colored graphs, and the leading order D-ary tree algebra is a Lie subalgebra of the full constraints algebra.