Characterization of low molecular weight hydrocarbon oligomers by laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry using a solvent-free sample preparation method.

A new solvent-free sample preparation method using silver trifluoroacetate (AgTFA) was developed for the analysis of low molecular weight paraffins and microcrystalline waxes by laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-TOFMS). Experiments show that spectral quality can be enhanced by dispersing AgTFA directly in liquid paraffins without the use of additional solvents. This preparation mixture is applied directly to the MALDI probe. Solid waxes could be examined by melting prior to analysis. The method also provides sufficiently reproducible spectra that peak area ratios between mono- and bicyclic alkane peaks indicated variations in the cycloalkane content of paraffin samples. Dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons observed during the desorption/ionization process was studied by analysis of alkane standards.     

Electrochemical Recovery of Silver from Lead Alloys in Chloride Melts

Electrochemical separation of lead-silver alloys into the constituents by thin-layer electrolysis in molten electrolytes, with bismuth as metal separator, is studied. It is proposed to determine the extent of component recovery by potentiometry.     

Carathéodory's method for a class of dynamic games

The method of equivalent variational methods, originally due to Carathéodory for free problems in the calculus of variations is extended to investigate feedback Nash equilibria for a class of n-person differential games. Both the finite-horizon and infinite-horizon cases are considered. Examples are given to illustrate the presented results.     

Odd-Excited Binomial States of the Radiation Field and Some of Their Statistical Properties

In this paper a new state called odd-excited binomial state (OEBS) is introduced. It interpolates between the odd number state and the odd-excited coherent state. We discuss some statistical properties, such as the Glauber second-order correlation function and squeezing phenomenon (normal and amplitude-squared squeezing) for this state. The quasiprobability distribution functions (Husimi Q-function and Wigner W-function) are also examined.     

Studies on amine hydrothiocyanates. IV. Thermal decomposition studies using TG

The thermal decomposition of piperidine hydrothiocyanate, piperazine hydrothiocyanate, and the dihydrothiocyanates of ethylenediamine and 1,3-diaminopropane has been studied using TG. Piperidine hydrothiocyanate decomposes in a single step while the dihydrothiocyanates follow more complicated decomposition patterns yielding H₂S and half of the organic moiety first. The second step involves the loss of H₂S and the remainder of the organic moiety. In each case, complex polymeric materials result. Piperazine hydrothiocyanate also decomposes in two steps, the first involving the loss of half of the piperazine and the second involving the loss of piperazine and H₂S. Kinetic parameters have been determined for all these reactions.     

Characteristics of propagation of light beams in gyrotropic crystals

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 54, No. 5, pp. 815–819, May, 1991.     

Charged Black Holes and Multidimensional Gravity

A multidimensional generalization of the Reissner-Nordström solution of general relativity is obtained for the case of n Ricci-flat internal spaces. A two-parameter family of black-hole solutions for an arbitrary dimensionality D is selected. Nontrivial black holes with D > 4 are shown to exist only with a nonzero electric charge. Observational consequences are discussed, in particular, a violation of Coulomb's law.     

Temperature dependence of corundum roentgenoluminescence and thermoluminescence

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 54, No. 3, pp. 438–444, March, 1991.     

Kaplansky conjecture in the theory of quadratic forms

This article considers the splitting properties of finite-dimensional division rings over universal splitting fields of quadratic forms. An example of a field with u-invariant equal to 6 is constructed, which contradicts Kaplansky's conjecture concerning u-invariants.Translated from Zapiski Nauchnykh Seminarov Leningradskogo Otdeleniya Matematicheskogo Instituta im, V. A. Steklova Akademii Nauk SSSR, Vol. 175, pp. 75–89, 1989.     

Investigation of the structure of a melt and molecular dynamics of ortho- and pyrophosphates by Raman spectroscopy

Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 55, No. 4, pp. 535–540, October, 1991.