Tropical Weyl Group Action via Point Configurations and τ-Functions of the q-Painlevé Equations

Starting from certain point sets in the projective plane, we construct a tropical (or subtraction-free birational) representation of Weyl groups over the field of τ-functions. In particular, our construction includes E ₈ ⁽¹⁾ , E ₇ ⁽¹⁾ , E ₆ ⁽¹⁾ and D ₅ ⁽¹⁾ as affine cases; each of them gives rise to the q-difference Painlevé equation.     

Study of Strangeness Photoproduction on the Neutron in the Threshold Region

Photoproduction of the neutral kaon on the deuteron has been investigated at the Research Center for Electron Photon Science, Tohoku University. We constructed the Neutral Kaon Spectrometer-2 for the detection of charged particles from the decay of the neutral kaon and the hyperon. We obtained a momentum distribution of K ⁰ with the inclusive measurement. It was consistent with the previous measurement. The total cross section of γ + d → K ⁰ + Λ + p was estimated from the measured integral cross section of γ + d → Λ + X. The total cross section with respect to the photon energy was compared with the theoretical calculations. It favored the Saclay-Lyon A model calculation with the ratio of the neutral to charged coupling constants of the axial-vector meson, K ₁, as ~ ?1.5. The energy dependence and the magnitude of the total cross section were similar to the total cross section of γ + p → K ⁺ Λ.     

High-resolution electron microscopy of microstructure of MnF2 subjected to shock compression at 4.4 GPa

Microstructure of MnF₂ subjected to by shock compression at 4.4 GPa was examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Lamellar structure consisting of twin-related domains of rutile-structure and intergrowth of α- PbO₂-type phase is observed in the electron diffraction pattern and TEM images. The crystallographic relationship between rutile and α- PbO₂-type phases can be expressed as and .     

Study of γ d → π + π − d Reaction in an Energy Region of 0.67 ≤ E γ ≤ 1.08 GeV

Double charged pion photoproductions from the deuteron have been studied at Research Center for Electron Photon Science (ELPH), Tohoku University. Tagged photon beams in an energy range of 0.67 ≤ E _γ ≤ 1.08 GeV were impinged on the liquid deuteron target. Produced charged particles were observed with the Neutral Kaon Spectrometer2 (NKS2). The γ d → π ⁺ π ^? d process was clearly separated among the three charged tracks. We obtained the photon energy dependence of the normalized yields of this process.     

Application of novel SIMS technique for imaging the active sites of oxygen reduction at the SOFC cathode/electrolyte interfaces

The oxygen reduction active sites were visualized around the O₂/SOFC cathode/electrolyte triple phase boundaries (TPB) by the¹⁶O/¹⁸O exchange techniques and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis. The higher¹⁸O concentration is observed on the cathode top surfaces (La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃-mesh, Au-mesh, and Ag-porous), which suggested the promotion of oxygen adsorption and oxygen surface exchange at the cathode. The oxygen diffusion through the bulk of cathode occurred at the La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃-mesh and the Ag-porous cathodes, not at the Au-mesh cathode. On the YSZ surfaces after removing the cathode, the active sites for oxygen incorporation were analyzed by SIMS. The active sites for oxygen incorporation were at the La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃/YSZ interface as well as the TPB. On the other hand, the active sites for oxygen incorporation are limited to the TPB in the case of the Au-mesh removed YSZ surface. From the SIMS analysis, the expansion of the active sites for oxygen incorporation is less than a few μm from the TPB lines. Paper presented at the 8th EuroConference on Ionics, Carvoeiro, Algarve, Portugal, Sept. 16–22, 2001.     

CHARACTERISTIC PROPERTIES OF LECITHIN AS A SURFACTANT

Characteristic solution properties of lecithin were studied in 1) water+propanol/lecithin/hexadecane and 2) ethanol/lecithin/ hexadecane systems. 1) Solvent property of water changes by added alcohol and the hydrophile-lipophile property of lecithin is balanced in 13 wt% propanol aq.-hexadecane system. Three liquid phases, i.e. aqueous alcohol, lecithin and hexadecane are found. The volume fraction of the lecithin phase increases with its concentration and at 2.3 wt%/system, all solvent molecules are swelled and one microemulsion phase is obtained. 2) In ethanol/ lecithin/hexadecane system, lecithin is also insoluble in the solvent, and swells a large amount of hexadecane.     

Synthesis of multisubstituted 1,3-butadienes using the ruthenium-catalysed double addition of trimethylsilyldiazomethane to alkynylboronates

The ruthenium-catalysed double addition of trimethylsilyldiazomethane to alkynes developed by Dixneuf and co-workers was applied to the synthesis of 2-alkyl- or 2-aryl-3-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)-1,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)-1,3-butadienes by use of alkynylboronates instead of alkynes. Di- and tetrasubstituted 1,3-butadienes were prepared from a 2-boryl-1,4-disilyl-1,3-butadiene, using the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction, iodolysis of the alkenylsilane moieties with N-iodosuccinimide and hydrolysis of the carbon-silicon bonds with trifluoroacetic acid. The same compound was converted also to a bicyclic compound, a trisubstituted 1,3-butadiene and a dienone through the Diels-Alder reaction, oxidation of the alkenylboronate moiety and the Mukaiyama aldol reaction.