Search for neutrino oscillations at the nuclear power reactor in G?sgen

Summary The positron spectrum from the reaction was measured at two distances 37.9 m and 45.9 m from the core of the 2.8 GW power reactor in G?sgen (Switzerland). The data were analysed in terms of two neutrino oscillations of the disappearance type . No evidence for neutrino oscillations was found and limits on the oscillation parameters Δm ² and sin²2θ were derived.

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Riassunto Si è misurato lo spettro dei positroni della reazione alle due distanze di 37.9 m e 45.9 dal nucleo del reattore di potenza di G?sgen (Svizzera). Si sono analizzati i dati in termini di due oscillazioni del tipo della sparizione . Non si è trovata alcuna prova di oscillazioni del neutrino e si sono dedotti limiti ai parametri di oscillazione Δm ² e sin²2θ.

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Резюме Измерялся спектр позитронов из реакции на двух расстояниях 37.9 м и 45.9 м от активной зоны энергетического реактора в Гэсгене (Щвейцария). Полученные данные анализируются на основе двух нейтринных осцилляций исчезающего типа . Не было обнаружено доказательств для нейтринных осцилляций. Определяются пределы для параметров осцилляций Δm ² и sin²2θ.

     

Full distributed fiber optical sensor for intrusion detection in application to buried pipelines

Based on the microbend effect of optical fiber, a distributed sensor for real-time continuous monitoring of intrusion in application to buried pipelines is proposed. The sensing element is a long cable with a special structure made up of an elastic polymer wire, an optical fiber, and a metal wire. The damage point is located with an embedded optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) instrument. The intrusion types can be indicated by the amplitude of output voltage. Experimental results show that the detection system can alarm adequately under abnormal load and can locate the intrusion point within 22.4 m for distance of 3.023 km.     

Boltzmann Limit for a Homogeneous Fermi Gas with Dynamical Hartree-Fock Interactions in a Random Medium

We study the dynamics of the thermal momentum distribution function for an interacting, homogeneous Fermi gas on ℤ³ in the presence of an external weak static random potential, where the pair interactions between the fermions are modeled in dynamical Hartree-Fock theory. We determine the Boltzmann limits associated to different scaling regimes defined by the size of the random potential, and the strength of the fermion interactions.     

The Mean-Field Limit for Solid Particles in a Navier-Stokes Flow

We propose a mathematical derivation of Brinkman’s force for a cloud of particles immersed in an incompressible viscous fluid. Specifically, we consider the Stokes or steady Navier-Stokes equations in a bounded domain Ω⊂ℝ³ for the velocity field u of an incompressible fluid with kinematic viscosity ν and density 1. Brinkman’s force consists of a source term 6π ν j where j is the current density of the particles, and of a friction term 6π ν ρ u where ρ is the number density of particles. These additional terms in the motion equation for the fluid are obtained from the Stokes or steady Navier-Stokes equations set in Ω minus the disjoint union of N balls of radius ε=1/N in the large N limit with no-slip boundary condition. The number density ρ and current density j are obtained from the limiting phase space empirical measure , where x _k is the center of the k-th ball and v _k its instantaneous velocity. This can be seen as a generalization of Allaire’s result in [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 113:209–259, [1991]] who considered the case of periodically distributed x _k s with v _k =0, and our proof is based on slightly simpler though similar homogenization arguments. Similar equations are used for describing the fluid phase in various models for sprays.     

Hartmann phase pick-up method for detection and correction of piston aberrations in a multi-beam coherent combination system

In multi-beam coherent combination laser systems, piston aberration between each sub-beam is often regarded as the dominative factor to deteriorate the combination performance. So as to obtain a favorable combination result, a Hartmann phase pick-up method in combination with a seven-element active segmented mirror is presented to pick up and correct the piston aberrations of a seven-beam coherent combination system. A simulative result indicates that the RMS value of the wavefront can be reduced from 401 nm to 3.7 nm, while the far-field Strehl ratio can be increased from 0.22 to 0.99 after correction.     

Spectroscopy of laser-produced cerium plasma for remote isotope analysis of nuclear fuel

A cerium oxide sample was ablated by 2nd harmonic radiation of Nd:YAG laser at a power density of 0.1 GW/cm². Time evolution of the ablation plume was investigated by laser absorption time-of-flight (TOF) measurement. It was found that the ablated ionic plume in vacuum consisted of two components having different velocities whereas the ablated neutral atoms had mainly a single component. The flow velocity perpendicular to the sample surface in vacuum was determined to be 3.5 km/s for neutral atoms, and 4.7 km/s and 9.3 km/s for singly charged ions. From the detailed plume evolution in ambient atmosphere with several pressures we obtained some experimental conditions suitable for isotope analysis of atomic cerium.     

Linear optimal control for tracking a single fluorescent particle in a confocal microscope

We study the problem of localizing and tracking in a confocal laser scanning microscope a single fluorescent particle diffusing in three dimensions. The position of the particle is estimated from a collection of intensity measurements using a novel analytical algorithm. This estimator is then combined with a tracking algorithm based on a linear quadratic Gaussian controller to steer the detection volume of the microscope and follow the molecule. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated through numerical simulations. These results indicate that, in such a system, tracking in three dimensions of a particle moving with a diffusion constant larger than 1 μm²/s is possible without the need for additional sensors or lasers.     

Polymer pixel enhancement by laser-induced forward transfer for sensor applications

This paper presents polymer pixel printing for applications in chemoselective sensors where nanosecond laser direct transfer methods, with a triazene polymer (TP) acting as a Dynamic Release Layer (DRL), are used. A systematic study of laser fluence, donor film morphology and both single- and multiple-pixel deposition were optimized with the final goal to obtain continuous pixels of sensitive polymers, polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyisobutylene (PIB), on SAW surfaces. Morphology characterization after the laser transfer has been performed by Optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The responses of the coated transducers were measured after deposition with different laser fluences and it was found that a fluence under 625 mJ/cm² was required in order to prevent damage of the interdigital transducers (IDT) of the sensor devices. The sensitivity of the polymer coated devices to acetone concentrations gives an indication that LIFT can be used for printing sensitive polymer pixels onto transducer devices.     

Performance comparison of interferometer topologies for carrier-envelope phase detection

Performance and noise immunity of different interferometer set-ups for carrier-envelope phase detection are compared. The frequently used Mach–Zehnder interferometer is found to be easily corrupted by acoustic noise contributions and air streaks, whereas a quasi-common-path variant of the f-to-2f interferometer exhibits a 40% reduction of residual noise. This comparative analysis also provides deeper insight into additional mechanisms that are currently limiting the performance of carrier-envelope phase stabilization schemes.     

A mid-infrared scanned-wavelength laser absorption sensor for carbon monoxide and temperature measurements from 900 to 4000 K

Mid-infrared laser absorption sensors based on quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology offer the potential for high-sensitivity, selective, and high-speed measurements of temperature and concentration for species of interest in high-temperature environments, such as those found in combustion devices. A new mid-infrared QCL absorption sensor for carbon monoxide and temperature measurements has been developed near the intensity peak of the CO fundamental band at 4.6 μm, providing orders-of-magnitude greater sensitivity than the overtone bands accessible with telecommunications lasers. The sensor is capable of probing the R(9), R(10), R(17), and R(18) transitions of the CO fundamental ro-vibrational band which are located at frequencies where H₂O and CO₂ spectral interference is minimal. Temperature measurements are made via scanned-wavelength two-line ratio techniques using either the R(9) and R(17) or the R(10) and R(18) line pairs. The high-speed (1–2 kHz) scanned-wavelength sensor is demonstrated in room-temperature gas cell measurements of CO and, to demonstrate the potential of the sensor for high-temperature thermometry, in shock-heated gases containing CO for a very wide range of temperature (950–3500 K) near 1 atm. To our knowledge, these measurements represent the first use of QCL-based absorption sensor for thermometry at elevated combustion-like temperatures. The high-temperature measurements of CO mole fraction and temperature agree with the post-reflected-shock conditions within ±1.5% and ±1.2% (1σ deviation), respectively.     

The Transformation Properties at the Quantum Level in Field Theories for a Gauge-Invariant System with a Higher-Order Lagrangian

Based on the configuration-space generating functional of the Green functions for the gauge-invariant system in higher-order derivatives theories, the equations of the transformation properties at the quantum level have been derived. It follows that the sufficient conditions are found which implies that there exists the conservation laws and the expressions of the quantal conserved laws are also given. Applying the results to the non-Abelian Chern-Simons higher-order derivatives theories, the quantal BRST conserved charge and other conserved charges are found, the transformation properties of the conformal transformation at the quantum level is discussed, the quantal conserved angular momentum is derived, it is pointed out that fractional spin in this system may be also preserved in quantum theories. But the connection between the symmetries and conservation laws in classical theories are not always preserved in quantum theories.     

Hybrid fusion–fission reactor with a thorium blanket: Its potential in the fuel cycle of nuclear reactors

Discussions are currently going on as to whether it is suitable to employ thorium in the nuclear fuel cycle. This work demonstrates that the ²³¹Pa–²³²U–²³³U–Th composition to be produced in the thorium blanket of a hybrid thermonuclear reactor (HTR) as a fuel for light-water reactors opens up the possibility of achieving high, up to 30% of heavy metals (HM), or even ultrahigh fuel burnup. This is because the above fuel composition is able to stabilize its neutron-multiplying properties in the process of high fuel burnup. In addition, it allows the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) to be better protected against unauthorized proliferation of fissile materials owing to an unprecedentedly large fraction of ²³²U (several percent!) in the uranium bred from the Th blanket, which will substantially hamper the use of fissile materials in a closed NFC for purposes other than power production.     

Master Equation in Phase Space for a Uniaxial Spin System

A master equation, for the time evolution of the quasi-probability density function of spin orientations in the phase space representation of the polar and azimuthal angles is derived for a uniaxial spin system subject to a magnetic field parallel to the axis of symmetry. This equation is obtained from the reduced density matrix evolution equation (assuming that the spin-bath coupling is weak and that the correlation time of the bath is so short that the stochastic process resulting from it is Markovian) by expressing it in terms of the inverse Wigner-Stratonovich transformation and evaluating the various commutators via the properties of polarization operators and spherical harmonics. The properties of this phase space master equation, resembling the Fokker-Planck equation, are investigated, leading to a finite series (in terms of the spherical harmonics) for its stationary solution, which is the equilibrium quasi-probability density function of spin “orientations” corresponding to the canonical density matrix and which may be expressed in closed form for a given spin number. Moreover, in the large spin limit, the master equation transforms to the classical Fokker-Planck equation describing the magnetization dynamics of a uniaxial paramagnet.     

Precise predictions for Higgs production in association with a W-boson pair at ILC

Higgs-boson production in association with a W-boson pair at e ⁺ e ⁻ linear colliders is one of the important processes in probing the coupling between the Higgs boson and vector gauge bosons and discovering the signature of new physics. We describe the impact of the complete electroweak (EW) radiative corrections of to this process in the standard model (SM) at the International Linear Collider (ILC), and investigate the dependence of the lowest-order (LO) and EW next-to-leading order (NLO) corrected cross sections on the colliding energy and the Higgs-boson mass. The LO and NLO EW corrected distributions of the invariant mass of the W-boson pair and the transverse momenta of the final W-boson and Higgs boson are presented. Our numerical results show that the relative EW radiative correction (δ _ew) varies from −19.4% to 0.2% when m _H=120 GeV and grows from 300 GeV to 1.2 TeV.     

Functional derivative for the distribution function of a Λ-nucleon pair in nuclear matter

An exact expression for the functional derivative of the distribution function of a -nucleon pair in nuclear matter is derived. An approximate expression is also derived by means of the Kirkwood superposition approximation. The latter expression is subsequently used to obtain the Euler equation for the correlation functionf(r1) of a -nucleon pair in nuclear matter.     

Quantum Dynamics of a Harmonic Oscillator in a Deformed Bath

The dissipative quantum dynamics of a harmonic oscillator in the presence of a deformed bath is investigated. The deformed bath is modelled by a collection of deformed quantum harmonic oscillators as a generalization of Hopfield model. The transition probabilities between energy levels of the oscillator are obtained perturbatively and discussed.     

On the Stability of a Quantum Dynamics of a Bose-Einstein Condensate Trapped in a One-Dimensional Toroidal Geometry

We rigorously analyze the stability of the “quasi-classical” dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate with repulsive and attractive interactions, trapped in an effective 1D toroidal geometry. The “classical” dynamics, which corresponds to the Gross-Pitaevskii mean field theory, is stable in the case of repulsive interaction, and unstable (under some conditions) in the case of attractive interaction. The corresponding quantum dynamics for observables is described by using a closed system of linear partial differential equations. In both cases of stable and unstable quasi-classical dynamics the quantum effects represent a singular perturbation to the quasi-classical solutions, and are described by the terms in these equations which consist of a small quasi-classical parameter which multiplies high-order “spatial” derivatives. We demonstrate that as a result of the quantum singularity for observables a convergence of quantum solutions to the corresponding classical solutions exists only for limited times, and estimate the characteristic time-scales of the convergence.