Possible effects of a cosmological constant on black hole evolution

We explore possible effects of vacuum energy on the evolution of black holes. If the universe contains a cosmological constant, and if black holes can absorb energy from the vacuum, then black hole evaporation could be greatly suppressed. For the magnitude of the cosmological constant suggested by current observations, black holes larger than 4×10²⁴ g would accrete energy rather than evaporate. In this scenario, all stellar and supermassive black holes would grow with time until they reach a maximum mass scale of 6×10⁵⁵ g, comparable to the mass contained within the present day cosmological horizon.     

Surface- and microanalysis as a tool for studying the corrosion of aluminium

Corrosion phenomena of Al-1 % Si bond wires, observed after life testing of certain transistors, are studied. The following information is derived from laboratory simulation tests: the kinetics of the corrosion process, information about the corrosion mechanism and critical parameters, especially the influence of the environmental gas and Si content and finally the identification of the corrosion products and their comparison with those found for the transistor. It is demonstrated, using a combination of several surface analytical techniques, that the A1 pitting corrosion is induced and enhanced by the presence of water as a transport medium and surface electrolyte in an oxygen-rich atmosphere, with chloride ions as a stimulating and activating species. The effect of 1 % Si in the wire consists in acceleration of the corrosion rate, and is probably due to grain boundary effects. All critical corrosion parameters could be traced in the transistor system by electron microscopy, laser microprobe mass analysis and residual gas (and moisture) analysis by mass spectrometry.     

A CNDO/2 study of σ- and π- relaxation energies and core electron binding energy shifts in some simple molecules

A relaxation potential model has been used to study relaxation energies and shifts in core electron binding energies for some substituted alkenes and carbonyl compounds in terms of σ- and π-contributions.The conclusions from this study may be summarized as follows:(A) For the series R₁R₂C^*CH₂ and R₁R₂C^*O: (i) The total shifts vary in a regular manner, similar to the shifts in saturated systems; (ii) The variation in σ-relaxation energies is greater than the variation in π-relaxation energies.(B) For the series R₁R₂CCH₂ and R₁R₂CO: (i) There is little variation in the σ-relaxation energies; (ii) The π-relaxation energies show moderately large variations and the higher values are associated with unsaturated substituents which can donate π-electrons to the core-ionized atom via the conjugated π-system; (iii) The π-relaxation energies in the fluorinated systems are similar to those in the unsubstituted molecules; and (iv) The large -ve π-shift in the fluorinated systems results from a ground state build up of electron density at the site of core ionization.     

Stereochemistry of reactions of the inhibitor/substrates L- and D-beta-chloroalanine with beta-mercaptoethanol catalysed by L-aspartate aminotransferase and D-amino acid aminotransferase respectively

Two members of the alpha-family of PLP-dependent enzymes, L-aspartate aminotransferase and D-amino acid aminotransferase, have been shown to catalyse beta-substitution of L- and D-beta-chloroalanine respectively with beta-mercaptoethanol, reactions typical of the beta-family of PLP-dependent enzymes. The reaction catalysed by L-aspartate aminotransferase has been shown to occur with retention of stereochemistry, a typical outcome for reactions catalysed by beta-family enzymes. There are also indications that the reaction catalysed by D-amino acid aminotransferase may involve retention of stereochemistry. Both enzymes have been shown to catalyse exchange at C-3 when the appropriate enantiomer of beta-chloroalanine is the substrate.     

Study of Zgamma events and limits on anomalous ZZgamma and Zgammagamma couplings in pp collisions at square root s = 1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of the Zgamma production cross section and limits on anomalous ZZgamma and Zgammagamma couplings for form-factor scales of lambda = 750 and 1000 GeV. The measurement is based on 138 (152) candidates in the eegamma (mumugamma) final state using 320(290) pb(-1) of pp(-1) collisions at square root of s = 1.96 TeV. The 95% C.L. limits on real and imaginary parts of individual anomalous couplings are /h(10,30)Z/ < 0.23, /h(20,40)Z/ < 0.020, /h(10,30)gamma/ < 0.23, and /h(20,40)gamma/ < 0.019 for lambda = 1000 GeV.     

Measurement of the Lambda0b lifetime in the decay lambda0b--> J/psiLambda0 with the D0 detector

We present measurements of the Lambda(0)(b) lifetime in the exclusive decay channel Lambda(0)(b)--> J/psiLambda(0), with J/psi--> mu(+)mu(-) and Lambda(0)--> ppi(-), the B0 lifetime in the decay B0-->J/psiK(0)(S) with J/psi--> mu(+)mu(-) and K(0)(S)-->pi(+)pi(-), and the ratio of these lifetimes. The analysis is based on approximately 250 pb(-1) of data recorded with the D0 detector in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.96 TeV. The Lambda(0)(b) lifetime is determined to be tau(Lambda(0)(b)) = 1.22(+0.22)(-0.18)(stat) +/- 0.04(syst) ps, the B0 lifetime tau(B0) = 1.40(+0.11)(-0.10)(stat) +/- 0.03(syst) ps, and the ratio tau(Lambda(0)(b))/tau(B0) = 0.87(+0.17)(-0.14)(stat) +/- 0.03(syst). In contrast with previous measurements using semileptonic decays, this is the first determination of the Lambda(0)(b) lifetime based on a fully reconstructed decay channel.     

Measurement of the muonic branching fractions of the narrow upsilon resonances

The decay branching fractions of the three narrow Upsilon resonances to mu(+)mu(-) have been measured by analyzing about 4.3 fb(-1) e(+)e(-) data collected with the CLEO III detector. The branching fraction B(Upsilon(1S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.49+/-0.02+/-0.07)% is consistent with the current world average, but B(Upsilon(2S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.03+/-0.03+/-0.08)% and B(Upsilon(3S)-->mu(+)mu(-))=(2.39+/-0.07+/-0.10)% are significantly larger than prior results. These new muonic branching fractions imply a narrower total decay width for the Upsilon(2S) and Upsilon(3S) resonances and lower other branching fractions that rely on these decays in their determination.