Thermoluminescence in sea sediments during the cosmogenic isotopes enhancement 35000 y BP

Summary We have measured the thermoluminescence (TL) profile of the Mediterranean Sea core CT85.5 at the same depths where the cosmogenic-isotope¹⁰Be production peak at 35 ky BP was found. Strong TL peaks are evident at 37.5 ky and 35.6 ky BP. The Fourier analysis of the TL time series running from 32.5 ky to 42.6 ky at 100 y sampling interval shows 2500 y and 500 y periodicities. We suggest that the Sun was ?active? at the time of the¹⁰Be enhancement. Paper presented at the 6th Cosmic Physics National Conference, Palermo, 3–7 November 1992.     

The CaCO3 profiles of deep and shallow Mediterranean sea cores as indicators of past solar-terrestrial relationships

Summary We study the total carbonate profiles of three coastal cores extracted from the continental shelf in the Ionian Sea and of two deep-sea cores extracted from the Tyrrhenian abissal plane. An overall similarity between the two deep-sea profiles and among the three coastal profiles is observed, indicating the complete reproductibility of this type of experimental measurements. In the case of the coastal cores, a constant sedimentation rates=(0.0646±0.0007) cm/y has been determined by radiometric methods and by tephroanalysis. For the deep-sea cores, the spectra of the upper and lower halves of the carbonate depth profiles display the same periodic components, suggesting that the sedimentation rate is nearly the same along the entire deep cores as well. The use of a careful tephroanalysis, the recognition of the Ignimbrite layers of Campanian origin at the expected depths and the similarity between the upper part (5000y) of the carbonate profile of the deep-sea core with that of the coastal cores provide the indication that, on the average, 1 cm of sediment is deposited in about 100 y. We show that the trend of the carbonate record in the deep-sea core is well approximated by a signal obtained by linearly superposing the obliquity and the precession parameters of the Earth rotation axis. Since these astronomical factors contribute to the temporal variations of the Earth insolation, and since the CaCO₃ content of the sediment is presumably affected by climatic factors, this result supports the evidence of astronomical control on the Earth's climate, as already pointed out by several authors who analysed the power spectra of δ¹⁸O, δD and CO₂ temporal series from sediment and ice cores. After removal of the ?astronomical? trend, the carbonate record displays a dominant periodicity at approximately 12000 y. The 12000 y wave, taken with the opposite sign, corresponds to the trend of the radiocarbon record in tree-rings. This result becomes particularly relevant in view of the existence of common periodicities of about 200 y waves (Suess wiggles) which have already been detected in the carbonate profiles of the coastal cores and in tree-ring radiocarbon data.     

Lattice mechanical properties of noble and transition metals

A model pseudopotential depending on an effective core radius but otherwise parameter free is used to study the interatomic interactions, phonon dispersion curves (inq and r-space analysis), phonon density of states, mode Grüneisen parameters, dynamical elastic constants (C ₁₁,C ₁₂ andC ₄₄), bulk modulus (B), shear modulus (C′), deviation from Cauchy relation (C ₁₂–C ₄₄), Poisson’s ratio (σ), Young’s modulus (Y), behavior of phonon frequencies in the elastic limit independent of the direction (Y ₁), limiting value in the [110] direction (Y ₂), degree of elastic anisotropy (A), maximum frequencyω _max, mean frequency 〈ω〉, 〈ω ²〉^1/2=(〈ω〉/〈ω ⁻¹〉)^1/2, fundamental frequency 〈ω ²〉, and propagation velocities of the elastic constants in Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, and Pt. The contribution of s-like electrons is calculated in the second-order perturbation theory for the model potential while that of d-like electrons is taken into account by introducing repulsive short-range Born-Mayer like term. Very recently proposed screening function due to Sarkar et al. has been used to obtain the screened form factor. The theoretical results are compared with experimental findings wherever possible. A good agreement between theoretical investigations and experimental findings has proved the ability of our model potential for predicting a large number of physical properties of transition metals.     

Stable isotope analysis of white-tailed deer teeth as a paleoenvironmental proxy at the Maya site of La Joyanca,northwestern Petén,Guatemala*

ABSTRACT

Carbon and oxygen isotopes ratios from herbivore teeth have previously been used as paleo-environmental proxies in temperate zones. However, their utility in tropical zones remains uncertain. In this study, sequential sub-samples from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) teeth (second and third molars) from the Maya archaeological site of La Joyanca, located in northwestern Petén, Guatemala, show that δ¹⁸O of enamel carbonate corresponds broadly to modern observed precipitation δ¹⁸O over the 10-month period of tooth formation, capturing rainfall seasonality. The analyses also detect significant diachronic differences in the δ¹⁸O between the periods 1100–1000 BP (850–950 A.D.) and 1000–900 BP (950–1050 A.D.) at La Joyanca. The δ¹³C in both periods are indicative of a C₃-plant based diet, which suggests cultivation of maize did not differentially affect deer diet during this period.     

Isotope dependent predissociation in the C 1 Σ + , v =0 and v =1 states of CO

Rotationally resolved spectral lines in the C - X (1, 0) band of carbon monoxide are investigated under high resolution using a coherent vacuum ultraviolet laser source, continuously tunable near 107 nm. Transition frequencies are determined by calibrating against a reference standard of iodine lines, recorded with saturation spectroscopy in the visible range, yielding an absolute accuracy of 0.003 cm^-1 in the vacuum ultraviolet. Improved molecular constants for the excited state are derived and no effects of perturbation are found at the present level of accuracy. Line broadening measurements result in information on the excited state lifetime of the C ¹ Σ ⁺ , v = 1 state for five natural isotopomers of carbon monoxide: τ( ¹² C ¹⁷ O ) = 280 ps, τ( ¹² C ¹⁸ O ) = 210 ps, τ( ¹³ C ¹⁶ O ) = 295 ps, τ( ¹³ C ¹⁷ O ) = 160 ps, and τ( ¹³ C ¹⁸ O ) = 150 ps. Within the accuracy of the present measurements no effects of J-dependent lifetimes were observed, for neither of the isotopomers. In addition direct time domain measurements of the lifetime of the C ¹ Σ ⁺ , v = 0 and v = 1 states of the main isotopomer are performed in a pump-probe experiment using a picosecond VUV-laser, yielding τ( ¹² C ¹⁶ O ) = 1780 ps for v = 0 and τ( ¹² C ¹⁶ O ) = 625 ps for v = 1. For C ¹ Σ ⁺ , v = 0 in ¹²C¹⁶O and ¹³C¹⁶O the same lifetime is found; this lifetime matches experimental values of the oscillator strength and hence supports previous results showing pure radiative decay in this state; the error margins however do not exclude some low level of predissociation. The measurements indicate that the C ¹ Σ ⁺ , v = 0 state of the ¹³C¹⁸O isotopomer is predissociated with an estimated yield of 17% (i.e. above the level of predissociation for ¹²C¹⁶O.) From the combined data predissociation yields upon excitation of the C ¹ Σ ⁺ , v = 1 state are derived, lying in the range 0.84-0.91 for the five less abundant isotopomers; for the main ¹²C¹⁶O isotopomer a strongly deviating predissociation yield of 0.65 is deduced. Received 21 December 2000 and Received in final form 26 March 2001     

Molecular-statistical approach to a behavior of ferroelectric,antiferroelectric and ferrielectric smectic phases in the electric field

The fundamental theoretical approach derived in A.V. Emelyanenko et al., Phys. Rev. E 74, 011705 (2006) is complemented by a consideration of the influence of the homogeneous electric field on Sm- C _A ^* , biaxial intermediate phases, and Sm-C ^* . The crucial role of the induced polarization is investigated for the first time. The evolution of any tilted smectic phase in the electric field is found to meet the two thresholds. The first threshold corresponds to the unwinding process, and the second one corresponds to the phase transition into the bi-domain structure of Sm-C ^* , where the tilt plane has some contribution either along or against the electric field, while the average direction may still be perpendicular to the electric field. The tilt plane in the monodomain (conventional) structure preceding the second threshold is the same in every unwound phase, and is perpendicular to the electric field. No 3D distortion in Sm- C _A ^* is predicted on application of the electric field. The entire electric-field-temperature phase diagrams including the possibility of existence of the maximal number of tilted smectic phases are plotted and compared with the experimental ones. The numerical calculations in the framework of this fundamental study are done with help of AFLC Phase Diagram Plotter software developed by the author and available at his web page.     

The Representation of Isometric Operators on <Emphasis Type="Italic">C</Emphasis><Superscript>(1)</Superscript>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis>)

In this paper,we introduce a new norm on C ⁽¹⁾(X), which is induced by a hexagon on R ², and prove that every isometric operator on C ⁽¹⁾(X) can be induced by a homeomorphism of X, where X is a connected subset of R.     

Resonance Raman excitation and electronic structure of the single bonded dimers (C ¯60)2 and (C 59N)2

Raman spectra are presented for the single bonded dimeric fullerene (C ₆₀ ^- ) ₂ and compared to optical spectra and Raman spectra of the isostructural and isoelectronic heterofullerene (C₅₉N)₂. The spectra of both materials exhibit strong correlations with respect to splitting, line position, and line intensity. This holds for non resonant excitation with blue and green lasers as well as for the strong resonances observed with red lasers. The latter observation is consistent with a downshift for the electronic transition energies as compared to C₆₀. The absorption edge of thin films of (C₅₉N)₂ was found at 1.4 eV. The three intercage modes were observed at 82, 103, and 111, and at 88, 98, and 106 cm^-1 for (C₅₉N)₂ and (C ₆₀ ^- ) ₂ , respectively. A surprising difference was found for the position of the pentagonal pinch modes in the two materials as they were observed at 1461 and at 1451 cm^-1, for (C₅₉N)₂ and (C ₆₀ ^- ) ₂ , respectively. This is interpreted as a consequence of some characteristic differences in the electronic structure of the two compounds. Received 25 January 2000 and Received in final form 10 April 2000     

Speckle correlations in the light scattered from weakly rough random metal surfaces

Abstract

Diagrammatic perturbation theory and computer simulation methods are used to compute the angular intensity correlation function C(q, k|q′,k′)=([I(q|k) - (I(q|k))] × [I(q′|k′) - (I(q′|k′))]) for p-polarized light scattered from a weakly rough, one-dimensional random metal surface. I(q|k) is the squared modulus of the scattering matrix for the system, and q, q′ and k, k′ are the projections on the mean scattering surface of the wavevectors of the scattered and incident light, respectively. Contributions to C include: (a) short-range memory effect and time-reversed memory effect terms, C ⁽¹⁾; (b) an additional short-range term of comparable magnitude C ⁽¹⁰⁾; (c) a long-range term C ⁽²⁾; (d) an infinite-range term C ⁽³⁾; and (e) a term C ^(1.5) that along with C ⁽²⁾ displays peaks associated with the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons. The diagrammatic methods are also extended to treat the angular intensity correlation function for the scattering of p to p, p to s, s to p, and s to s polarizations of light from a two-dimensional randomly rough surface. These correlations are again described in terms of C ⁽¹⁾, C ⁽¹⁰⁾, C ^(1.5), C ⁽²⁾, and C ⁽³⁾ contributions to C for the two-dimensional surfaces. Short-range memory and time-reversed memory effects are observed in the two-dimensional C ⁽¹⁾ correlations, and peaks associated with the excitation of surface polaritons are observed in the two-dimensional C ^(1.5) and C ⁽²⁾ correlations. Most of the results for the one- and two-dimensional systems are presented for incident electromagnetic plane waves. In addition, results for one-dimensional systems are presented for incident electromagnetic beams of finite width. Some of the results for one-dimensional surfaces are corroborated by means of computer simulation techniques.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Comment on</Emphasis>¶Low temperature specific heat of blue bronze K <Emphasis Type="Bold">0.30</Emphasis>MoO <Emphasis Type="Bold">3</Emphasis>, by J. Odin,J.C. Lasjaunias,K. Biljaković, K. Hasselbach,and P. Monceau

Eur. Phys. J. B 24, 315 (2001) Here we comment on a recently published paper on the presence of a phason contribution in the low temperature heat capacity data of the charge-density-wave compounds K_0.3MoO₃ and (TaSe₄)₂I. We have shown that the anomaly in the C _P / T ³ data reported by Odin et al. is straightforwardly interpreted in terms of low energy phonon modes resulting from the peculiar topology of these compounds. Received 21 February 2002 Published online 19 July 2002