Measurement and simulations of hollow atom X-ray spectra of solid-density relativistic plasma created by high-contrast PW optical laser pulses

K-shell spectra of solid Al excited by petawatt picosecond laser pulses have been investigated at the Vulcan PW facility. Laser pulses of ultrahigh contrast with an energy of 160 J on the target allow studies of interactions between the laser field and solid state matter at 10²⁰ W/cm². Intense X-ray emission of KK hollow atoms (atoms without n = 1 electrons) from thin aluminum foils is observed from optical laser plasma for the first time. Specifically for 1.5 μm thin foil targets the hollow atom yield dominates the resonance line emission. It is suggested that the hollow atoms are predominantly excited by the impact of X-ray photons generated by radiation friction to fast electron currents in solid-density plasma due to Thomson scattering and bremsstrahlung in the transverse plasma fields. Numerical simulations of Al hollow atom spectra using the ATOMIC code confirm that the impact of keV photons dominates the atom ionization. Our estimates demonstrate that solid-density plasma generated by relativistic optical laser pulses provide the source of a polychromatic keV range X-ray field of 10¹⁸ W/cm² intensity, and allows the study of excited matter in the radiation-dominated regime. High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of hollow atom radiation is found to be a powerful tool to study the properties of high-energy density plasma created by intense X-ray radiation.     

Aromatic interactions impact ligand binding and function at serotonin 5-HT2C G protein-coupled receptors: receptor homology modelling,ligand docking,and molecular dynamics results validated by experimental studies

The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) 5-HT₂ G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family consists of types 2A, 2B, and 2C that share ～75% transmembrane (TM) sequence identity. Agonists for 5-HT_2C receptors are under development for psychoses; whereas, at 5-HT_2A receptors, antipsychotic effects are associated with antagonists – in fact, 5-HT_2A agonists can cause hallucinations and 5-HT_2B agonists cause cardiotoxicity. It is known that 5-HT_2A TM6 residues W6.48, F6.51, and F6.52 impact ligand binding and function; however, ligand interactions with these residues at the 5-HT_2C receptor have not been reported. To predict and validate molecular determinants for 5-HT_2C-specific activation, results from receptor homology modelling, ligand docking, and molecular dynamics simulation studies were compared with experimental results for ligand binding and function at wild type and W6.48A, F6.51A, and F6.52A point-mutated 5-HT_2C receptors.     

Interannual variability in solar ultraviolet irradiance over decadal time scales at latitude 55 degrees south.

Ground-based measurements of solar UV spectral irradiance made from Ushuaia, Argentina at latitude 55 degrees S reveal a large degree of variability among corresponding months of different years over the period from September 1990 through April 1998. The magnitude and wavelength dependence of year-to-year changes in monthly spectral UV-B irradiation are consistent with expectations based on the behavior of column ozone and cloudiness. When combined with satellite measurements of column ozone, a regression model fit to the ground-based data set allows estimates of monthly UV-B irradiation over a time frame of two decades, 1978-1998, during several months of the year. Results show a general increase in ground-level irradiation at 305.0 nm from the end of the 1970s to the early 1990s during calendar months from September through December. This is followed by generally smaller irradiances through the middle to late 1990s for all months except November, where the increase continues through the end of the data record. The long-term variability in monthly irradiation over the time period studied is more complicated than can be described by a simple linear trend.     

Measurements of opacity and temperature of warm dense matter heated by focused soft X-ray laser irradiation

The transmission of plasma-based soft X-ray lasers through thin targets can be used to measure the target opacity. Measurements of warm dense matter transmission obtained using a focused 59 eV photon energy laser irradiation on thin targets of polyimide (C₂₂H₁₀N₂O₅) and aluminum are shown to produce simultaneous heating and probing enabling opacity and temperature measurements of warm dense matter. It is shown that the opacity of the warm dense matter considered in the experiments follows closely tabulated cold ‘room temperature’ opacities at temperatures below ～10 eV. Transmission measurements of thin iron targets which are highly opaque to the X-ray laser radiation are also presented.     

Scaling violation favouring high multiplicity events at 540 GeV CMS energy

New data are presented on the charged multiplicity distribution for non single-diffractive events produced in pp? interactions at a CM energy $\text{s}\text{= 540}\text{GeV}$. The distribution in the full pseudorapidity range is compared with data from the ISR. Using the scaling variable $\text{z =}\text{n}\text{〈n〉}$ a change of shape is observed. The effect is manifested as an increase from 2% to 6% in the proportion of high multiplicity (z > 2) events. For the central pseudorapidity range, |η| ? 1.5, scaling is approximately valid up to $\text{s}\text{= 540}\text{GeV}$.     

High transverse momentumη production in π− p, π+ p,andpp interactions at 280 GeV/c

The inclusive cross sections for η production by the interactions of 280 GeV/c momentum π^?, π⁺, and proton beams in hydrogen have been measured. The kinematical range covered is ?0.45<x _F <0.45, and 4.0<P _T <7.0 GeV/c for Feynmanx _F and transverse momentum respectively. The η to π⁰ cross section ratios are given for the three reactions. The ratio of π^? p to π⁺ p cross sections for η production in the above kinematic ranges is 1.22±0.08±0.11.