Indoor radon monitoring in some buildings surrounding the national Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) project at upper Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, India

In the present study measurement of radon and its progeny concentration has been undertaken in the buildings constructed in the surroundings of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). LR-115 Type-II solid state nuclear track detectors fixed on a thick flat card were exposed in bare mode. Track etch technique has been used to estimate the radon concentration in the rooms of some buildings. Annual effective dose has been calculated from the radon concentration to carry out the assessment of the variability of expected radon exposure of the population due to radon and its progeny. The radon levels in these dwellings vary from 9±4 to 472±28 Bq m⁻³ with an average value of 158±14.9 Bq m⁻³ whereas annual effective dose varies from 0.1±0.04 to 7±0.4 mSv y⁻¹ with an average value of 2.3±0.2 mSv y⁻¹. These values are below the recommended action levels.     

Atmospheric gamma rays in the energy region 40–1000 GeV

A large stack of lead-emulsion sandwich detector assembly was flown over Hyderabad, India. High energy gamma rays at the float altitude were unambiguously identified from the cascades they induced, and their energies reliably determined by improved methods. From an analysis of 163 gamma rays of energy ≳ 30 GeV, it is found that the differential energy spectrum is represented by the power lawJ _r (E)= 129·4E ^{−2·62±0·12} photons m⁻² sr⁻¹sec⁻¹ GeV⁻¹ at an effective atmospheric depth of 14·3 g cm⁻²; this is the first reliable balloon measurement of atmospheric gamma rays in the energy range 40–1000 GeV. After correcting for the gamma rays radiated by the primary cosmic ray electrons, the production spectrum of gamma rays, resulting from the collisions of cosmic ray nuclei with air nuclei, at the top of the atmosphere isP _r (E, 0)=8·2 × 10⁻⁴ E^2.60±0.09 photons g⁻¹sr⁻¹sec⁻¹ GeV⁻¹. The atmospheric propagation of the electromagnetic component due to the cascade process is also derived from the gamma ray production spectrum.     

Proton conductivity in nanopore silica xerogels

The lower cost and higher hydrophilicity of silica xerogels could make them potential substitutes for perfluorosulfonic polymeric membranes in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). For that purpose, we need to obtain micro or micro plus mesoporous silica xerogels with a high porosity. The preparation of micro (<2 nm) and micro plus mesoporous silica xerogels (2<d_{pore size} ≤10 nm) from particulate as opposed to polymeric suspensions of silica using TEOS as precursor is employed in this work. Mixing of sols with different average particle size (particles formed under acid and base catalyzed reactions) allows silica xerogels with a high porosity and a controlled average pore size to be obtained. Proton conductivity of the xerogels was measured as a function of temperature and relative humidity (RH). The calcined xerogels showed microporosity or micro plus mesoporosity in the whole range of calcination temperatures. By mixing sols with a different average particle size (molar ratio: acid/base =1.2) porosities up to 48.0 %±0.1 are achieved after calcination at 300 °C for 1 hour. According to EMF measurements, electrical transport is due to protons in this kind of material. The proton conductivity of the studied xerogels increased linearly with temperature. An S-shaped dependence of the conductivity with the RH was observed with the greatest increase noted between 58 and 81% RH. Xerogels with a low porosity (40.8%±0.1) and an average pore size less than 2.0 nm showed lower values of proton conductivity than that of xerogels with a higher porosity and a higher average pore size in the whole range of temperature and RH. When silica xerogels with the highest conductivity are treated at pH 1.5, the proton conductivity increased from 2.84 × 10⁻³±5.11 × 10⁻⁵ S/cm to 4.0 × 10⁻³±7.2×10⁻⁵ S/cm, at 81% RH and 80 °C, indicating that the surface site-density of these materials has a strong effect on conductivity. Paper presented at the 9th EuroConference on Ionics, Ixia, Rhodes, Greece, Sept. 15 – 21, 2002.     

First experimental observations of neutron bursts under thunderstorm clouds near sea level

The connection of short-term neutron bursts near sea level with the electric and geomagnetic atmospheric fields during thunderstorms in 2009–2011 has been experimentally studied. The data from the cosmic-ray spectrograph named after Kuzmin, an electrostatic fluxmeter, and a three-component fluxgate magnetometer in Yakutsk have been analyzed. It has been shown that short-term (no longer than 4 min) neutron bursts are due to negative lightning discharges. The bursts are detected at the ground level 1–3 km below thunderstorm clouds. In this case, the neutron flux is about 4 × 10⁻³ cm⁻² s⁻¹. The minimum energy of the neutrons that are efficiently detected by the monitor is about 10 MeV. It has been found that short-term neutron bursts are detected when the electric field strength reaches a threshold value of −16 kV/m.     

Relaxation and shift of the precession frequency of the spin of a negative muon in n-type silicon

The residual polarization of negative muons in n-type silicon with impurity density (1.6±0.2) · 10¹³ cm⁻³ is investigated as a function of temperature in the range 10–300 K. The measurements are performed in an external magnetic field of 0.08 T oriented transversely to the spin of the muons. Relaxation of the muon spin and a shift of the precession frequency are observed at temperatures below 30 K. The relaxation rate at 30 K equals 0.25±0.08 μs⁻¹. The shift of the precession frequency at 20 K equals 7 · 10⁻³. Both the relaxation rate and the shift of the precession frequency increase as the temperature decreases. At temperatures below 30 K the relaxation rate is described well by the relation Λ=bT ^−q , where q=2.8±0.2. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 7, 539–543 (10 April 1996)     

Line strength and collisional broadening studies of hydrogen sulphide in the 1.58 μm region using diode laser spectroscopy

High resolution diode laser spectroscopy has been applied to the detection of hydrogen sulphide at ppm levels utilizing different transitions within the region of the ν ₁+ν ₂+ν ₃ and 2ν ₁+ν ₂ combination bands around 1.58 μm. Suitable lines in this spectral region have been identified, and absolute absorption cross sections have been determined through single-pass absorption spectroscopy and confirmed in the Doppler linewidth regime using cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (CEAS). The desire for a sensitive system potentially applicable to H₂S sensing at atmospheric pressure has led to an investigation on suitable transitions using wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS). The set-up sensitivity has been calculated as 1.73×10⁻⁸ cm⁻¹ s^1/2, and probing the strongest line at 1576.29 nm a minimum detectable concentration of 700 ppb under atmospheric conditions has been achieved. Furthermore, pressure broadening coefficients for a variety of buffer gasses have been measured and correlated to the intermolecular potentials governing the collision process; the H₂S–H₂S dimer well depth is estimated to be 7.06±0.09 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Ultrasonic velocity dispersion in methylcyclohexane

Ultrasonic velocity dispersion in methylcyclohexane was studied in the frequency range of 0.5 to 5.0 MHz at 60°, 65°, 70°, 75° and 80°C using a variable path interferometer. Necessary corrections for the diffraction of the ultrasonic beam were applied. The velocity data were used to evaluate the relaxation parameters pertaining to the interconversion of the axial and equatorial isomers. The value of the difference in enthalpy, difference in entropy and the activation energy are 11.2±4.0 kJ mole⁻¹, 28.0±8.0 J mole⁻¹K⁻¹ and 43.7±4.0 kJ mole⁻¹ respectively. These values are in good agreement with values derived by Piercy and Subrahmanyam from their ultrasonic absorption measurements.     

Aggregation of 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine with methylene blue in aqueous solution

We have studied self-association of aromatic molecules of the thiazine dye methylene blue in aqueous solution, using a dimer model. We have determined the dimerization equilibrium constant for the dye molecules K_D = 3900 ± 800 M⁻¹ at T = 293 K. We have decomposed the experimental spectrum into dimer and monomer components. Using the ratio of the molar absorption coefficients for two absorption bands of the dimer spectrum, we obtained the “average” value of the angle between the electronic transition moments of the molecules in the dimers, α = 48°. We have studied heteroassociation of methylene blue (MB) and 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine (caffeine) molecules in aqueous solution. We have calculated the heteroassociation constant as 200 ± 34 M⁻¹. We conclude that heteroassociation of methylene blue and caffeine molecules leads to a lower effective dye concentration in solution, which hypothetically may affect its biological activity. We have determined the values of the Gibbs free energy, the enthalpy, and the entropy for dimerization of methylene blue molecules: ΔG₂₉₃ = −(20 ± 3) kJ/mol, ΔH = −(25 ± 9) kJ/mol, Δ S₂₉₃ = −(17 ± 6) J/mol·K; and for methylene blue-caffeine heteroassociation: ΔG₂₉₃ = −(13 ± 3) kJ/mol, ΔH = −(14 ± 10) kJ/mol, ΔS₂₉₃ = −(2.4 ± 0.2) J/mol·K, respectively. We have shown that the methylene blue aggregates and the heteroassociates with caffeine are predominantly stabilized by dispersion interactions between the chromophore molecules in the associates. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 73, No. 2, pp. 158–163, March–April, 2006.     

Quadrupole interaction of tantalum impurities in bismuth metal

The time differential perturbed angular correlation technique has been used in the measurement of the electric quadrupole interaction of Ta impuritiy in bismuth metal. The interaction frequencies at 293, 400 and 500 K have been observed to be 288±1.5, 266.9±3 and 244.5±4.3 MHz respectively. The electric field gradient at 293 K is 4.75±0.3 × 10¹⁷ V/cm² with the temperature coefficientB=2.2±0.2 × 10⁻⁵ (K)^−3/2.     

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy of germane plasma induced by IR CO2 pulsed laser

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in germane (GeH₄), initially at room temperature and pressures ranging from 2 to 10 kPa, was studied using a high-power transverse excitation atmospheric (TEA) CO₂ laser (λ=10.653 μm, τ _FWHM=64 ns and power densities ranging from 0.28 to 5.52 GW cm⁻²). The strong emission spectrum of the generated plasma is mainly due to electronic relaxation of excited Ge, H and ionic fragments Ge⁺, Ge²⁺ and Ge³⁺. The weak emission is due to molecular bands of H₂. Excitation temperatures of 8100±300 K and 23,500±2500 K were estimated by Ge atomic and Ge⁺ singly ionized lines, respectively. Electron number densities of the order of (0.7–6.2)×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ were deduced from the Stark broadening of several atomic Ge lines. The characteristics of the spectral emission intensities from different species have been investigated as functions of the germane pressure and laser irradiance. Optical breakdown threshold intensities in germane at 10.653 μm have been determined. The mechanism of initiation of the laser-induced plasma in germane has been analyzed.     

Self-diffusion of lithium,hydrogen, and oxygen ions in crystalline lithium hydroxide

The self-diffusion coefficients of ions of the three chemical elements forming lithium hydroxide have been determined by the crystal-crystal and crystal-gas isotope exchange method in the temperature range 500–720 K. Crystal samples with different isotope compositions have been grown by the Bridgman method from melts. The melting temperature is 743 ± 2 K. Original methods have been developed for high-precision measurements of the isotope ratios of all three elements, i.e., lithium (⁶Li/⁷Li), hydrogen (H/D), and oxygen (¹⁶O/¹⁸O), and their changes after diffusion annealings with the use of the same sample. The self-diffusion coefficients of lithium and hydrogen ions differ but by a factor of no more than 3–5; however, their values exceed those for oxygen by several orders of magnitude. In particular, at 670 K, they are equal to 6.0 × 10⁻⁹, 3.2 × 10⁻⁹, and 2.0 × 10⁻¹² cm² s⁻¹ for hydrogen, lithium, and oxygen, respectively. In the range 680–720 K, the self-diffusion coefficients of hydrogen and lithium increase sharply with increasing temperature to approximately 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹. A probable mechanism of migration of protons and lithium ions in LiOH and the role played in this process by the oxygen ions with a lower mobility have been discussed.     

Cosmic ray muons at a depth of 754 hg/cm2 in the Kolar gold Mines

A telescope of area 4 m², consisting of horizontal layers of plastic scintillators, neon flash tubes and absorbers was operated at a depth of 754 hg/cm² in the Kolar Gold Mines. New values for the vertical intensities of muons have been obtained from observations of the angular distribution over the slant depths ∼ 750–2300 hg/cm² and are compared with the existing measurements. From the angular distribution observed, we conclude that muons are produced wholly through the decay of pions and kaons up to energies of the order of 1 TeV. A value of 0.3±0.2 is estimated for theK/π ratio at production, for muon energies around 500 GeV. A decoherence distribution has been obtained for parallel muon events up to distances of the order of 10 m. From this we conclude that the averageP _t of the parents of muons of energy ∼ 250 GeV is of the order of 0.3 GeV/c. From an analysis of rock showers, we obtain the cross section for inelastic interaction of muons of mean energy 100 GeV as (3.8±1.5)×10⁻³⁰ cm²/nucleon.     

Reflection asymmetry in the structure and spectroscopy of224Ac

Minor changes in the assignments of gamma rays following the alpha decay of²²⁸Pa in two previous studies make possible a reinterpretation of²²⁴Ac into two alternative level schemes. The resulting level structures arise from the reflection asymmetric configurations π3/2^±(0.0 −0.3)−ν3/2^±(−0.1 0.6), π5/2^±(0.0 −0.2)±ν3/2^±(−0.1 0.6) and π5/2^±(0.0 −0.2)±ν1/2^±(0.2 −0.1 3) which give rise to eitherK=0^± or 1^±,K=4^±,K=2^± andK=3^± parity doublet bands. The bands with appreciable band structure, namelyK=0^± or 1^± andK=3^±, have average parity doublet splittings of 11.0 and 5.8 keV respectively. These are extremely small values and suggest that²²⁴Ac is the most octupole deformed nucleus studied thus far. A method of calculating the parity doublet splitting in odd-odd nuclei is suggested and tested for²²⁴Ac. It seems to work remarkably well. The systematics of the hindrance factors for the bands with extended band structures confirm their interpretations as band structures. Finally, the two alternative level schemes are analyzed in the framework of the axially-symmetric rigid rotor model including the Coriolis interaction.     

Fluorimetric Determination of Some Sulfur Containing Compounds Through Complex Formation with Terbium (Tb<Superscript>+3</Superscript>) and Uranium (U<Superscript>+3</Superscript>)

Two simple, sensitive and specific fluorimetric methods have been developed for the determination of some sulphur containing compounds namely, Acetylcysteine (Ac), Carbocisteine (Cc) and Thioctic acid (Th) using terbium Tb⁺³ and uranium U⁺³ ions as fluorescent probes. The proposed methods involve the formation of a ternary complex with Tb⁺³ in presence of Tris-buffer method (I) and a binary complex with aqueous uranyl acetate solution method (II). The fluorescence quenching of Tb⁺³ at 510, 488 and 540 nm (λ_ex 250, 241 and 268 nm) and of uranyl acetate at 512 nm (λ_ex 240 nm) due to the complex formation was quantitatively measured for Ac, Cc and Th, respectively. The reaction conditions and the fluorescence spectral properties of the complexes have been investigated. Under the described conditions, the proposed methods were applicable over the concentration range (0.2–2.5 μg ml⁻¹), (1–4 μg ml⁻¹) and (0.5–3.5 μg ml⁻¹) with mean percentage recoveries 99.74±0.36, 99.70±0.52 and 99.43±0.23 for method (I) and (0.5–6 μg ml⁻¹), (0.5–5 μg ml⁻¹), and (1–6 μg ml⁻¹) with mean percentage recoveries 99.38±0.20, 99.82±0.28 and 99.93±0.32 for method (II), for the three cited drugs, respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied for the determination of the studied compounds in bulk powders and in pharmaceutical formulations, as well as in presence of their related substances. The results obtained were found to be in agree statistically with those obtained by official and reported ones. The two methods were validated according to USP guidelines and also assessed by applying the standard addition technique.     

Observation of the anisotropic spin-glass transition and transverse spin ordering in pseudo-brookite through muon spin relaxation

Zero-field longitudinal muon-spin-relaxation (μSR) experiments have been performed on single crystals of pseudo-brookite (Fe₂−_xTi_l+x ^O ₅; x=0.25), an anisotropic spin-glass system. The spinglass temperature (Tg) is determined to be 44.0±0.5K. Above Tg, a distinct exponential muon-spin-relaxation rate (λ) is observed, while below Tg a square-root exponential decay is seen, indicating fast spin fluctuations in the ‘frozen’ state. Near 8K, a maximum in λ is observed, which is due to transverse spin ordering at these low temperatures. Even near Tg, λ is very low (<1 μs⁻¹), likely due to a well-defined muon-oxygen state in the single crystals. The sharp λ-increase (with decreasing temperatures) above Tg allows a comparison between spinfreezing models like the Vogel-Fulcher law and a power law. The results of these initial measurements indicate that dynamic (and static) magnetism in oxide spin glasses can be directly monitored through μSR.     

Lasers based on electrodynamically dispersed media

We demonstrate the possibility of creating a suspension of active-media particles in a discharge tube by using an electrodynamic dispersing system. An electric discharge in an electrodynamically dispersed system of 30-μm Cu particles was studied. The velocity of Cu (30 μm), Al (30 μm), and W (6-μm flakes) particles was measured at atmospheric pressure using a laser Doppler velocimeter. The velocities were found to be in the 0.1−5-m/s range. The electric field strength required to levitate Cu, Al, and W particles was studied as a function of buffer gas (air) pressure in the range from 2 × 10⁻² Torr to 1 atm. It is shown that powders can be suspended with the help of electrodynamic dispersing system at air pressure below 0.1 Torr or above 100 Torr.     

Influence of iodine on the electrical properties of magnesium phthalocyanines thin film devices

The influence of iodine on the electrical properties of sandwich structures of magnesium phthalocyanine (Mg Pc) thin films with gold and aluminium electrodes has been investigated. The various electrical properties and different electrical parameters of the iodine-doped Mg Pc thin film devices have been estimated and compared with the values of normal Mg Pc devices from the analysis of the current-voltage characteristics. Generally samples showed an asymmetric conductivity both under forward and reverse bias. From our study we found that iodine doped Mg Pc films showed an enhanced electrical conductivity of nearly ten times that of typical Mg Pc. At low voltages the films showed an ohmic conduction with a hole concentration of P₀ = 6.34 × 10¹⁸ m⁻³ and hole mobility μ = 9.16 × 10⁻⁵ m ² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, whereas at higher voltage levels the conduction is dominated by space charged limited conduction (SCLC) with a discrete trapping level of 1.33 × 10²² m⁻³ at 0.63 eV above the valance band edge. The ratio of the free charges to trapped charges (trapping factor) for the doped samples was found to be 1.07 × 10⁻⁷. Furthermore the reverse conduction mechanisms have also been investigated. From the current limitations in the reverse condition a strong rectifying behaviour was evident which was attributed to Poole-Frankel emission with a field-lowering coefficient of value 2.24 × 10⁻⁵ eV m^1/2 V^−1/2.     

Temperature sensitivity of the burning velocity of nitroglycerin-based propellants

An analysis of the temperature sensitivity of the burning velocity for nitrocellulose and a number of model nitroglycerin-based propellants was performed. The dependences of the temperature sensitivity of the burning velocity on the pressure were obtained: at initial temperatures of below −50°C the pressure dependence of this parameter was virtually absent, whereas at temperatures above −50°C, it decreases sharply with increasing pressure.     

Dispersion and spectral characteristics of crossfield instability in collisional magnetoplasma

Results on dispersion and spectral characteristics of crossfield instability in a collisional magnetoplasma are presented for different values of externally applied radial electric field. The dispersion relation obtained experimentally differs significantly from predictions of linear theory for strong electric fields.K-spectra for density and potential fluctuations follow power law with indices (−3·7 ± 0·5) and (−5·6 ± 0·6) respectively. At large values of applied electric fields, the main crossfield modes appear to give rise to a number of other modes possibly through non-linear wave-wave interactions. Large amplitudem = 2 mode displays strong sidebands indicating particle trapping by the non-linear waves. Non-linear wave-wave and wave particle interactions, thus, appear to play at important role in the saturation of the cross field instability.     

EPR of Fe3+ ion and symmetry of [AIF5·H2O]2? complex ion in (NH4)2AIF5·H2O single crystals

We used the spin-Hamiltonian method for the analysis of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of Fe³⁺ as a probe ion in (NH₄)₂AlF₅·H₂O single crystalline basic material. The theoretical expressions for the magnetic field (at which the fine structure transition lines appear) versus the angle between the magnetic field and the axis of symmetry of the magnetic complex are also given. These values were calculated by applying the perturbation theory to the second-order terms. From the experimental results (at 300 K and 9.21 GHz), the spin-Hamiltonian parameters were deduced:D=(668±10)·10⁻⁴ T,E=(−56±10)·10⁻⁴ T,a=(−54±10)·10⁻⁴ T,F=(30±10)·10⁻⁴ T. An isotropic superhyperfine structure was evidenced for the five fluorine ions. The obtained EPR data were used to determine the local symmetry of the Al³⁺ ion. A good agreement with X-ray diffraction measurements was found.