The Geometry of Systems of Third Order Differential Equations Induced by Second Order Regular Lagrangians

A system of third order differential equations, whose coefficients do not depend explicitly on time, can be viewed as a third order vector field, which is called a semispray, and lives on the second order tangent bundle. We prove that a regular second order Lagrangian induces such a semispray, which is uniquely determined by two associated Poincaré-Cartan one-forms. To study the geometry of this semispray, we construct a horizontal distribution, which is a Lagrangian subbundle for an associated Poincaré-Cartan two-form. Using this semispray and the associated nonlinear connection we define dynamical covariant derivatives of first and second order. With respect to this, the second order dynamical derivative of the Lagrangian metric tensor vanishes.     

Hamilton-Poisson formulation for the rotational motion of a rigid body in the presence of an axisymmetric force field and a gyroscopic torque

We give sufficient conditions for the rigid body in the presence of an axisymmetric force field and a gyroscopic torque to admit a Hamilton-Poisson formulation. Even if by adding a gyroscopic torque we initially lose one of the conserved Casimirs, we recover another conservation law as a Casimir function for a modified Poisson structure. We apply this frame to several well-known results in the literature.     

Orbital picture of ionization and its breakdown in nanoarrays of quantum dots

We present exact numerical results indicating that ionization could be a useful tool to study electron correlations in artificial molecules and nanoarrays of metallic quantum dots. For nanorings consisting of Ag quantum dots of the type already fabricated, we demonstrate that the molecular orbital picture breaks down even for lowest energy ionization processes, in contrast to ordinary molecules. Our ionization results yield a transition point between localization and delocalization regimes in good agreement with various experimental data.     

Surface photovoltage spectroscopy and surface piezoelectric effect in GaAs

“Real” (111) surfaces of n-type GaAs were investigated employing surface photovoltage spectroscopy and the surface piezoelectric effect. Surface states at the energy position E_c ? E_t ? 0.72 eV were found on both the Ga and the As surfaces. Both types of surfaces exhibited a barrier of about 0.55 V. No variations in the surface barrier or the energy position of the surface states were observed in various ambients at atmospheric pressure (dry air, wet air, ammonia and ozone). However, the capture cross-section of the surface states for electrons, as determined from the surface piezoelectric effect transients (of the order of 10^?13 cm²), was found to be sensitive to the ambient. It decreased in wet air and increased in ozone. This effect was more pronounced on the As than on the Ga surfaces. Additional surface states were found to be present in the energy region of 0.9 to 1.0 eV, below the bottom of the conduction band. However, their exact energy positions could not be determined due to interference caused by the carrier trapping of the surface states at E_c ? E_t ? 0.72 eV.     

Fluctuation-driven molecular transport through an asymmetric membrane channel

Channel proteins that selectively conduct molecules across cell membranes often exhibit an asymmetric structure. By means of a stochastic model, we argue that channel asymmetry in the presence of nonequilibrium fluctuations, fueled by the cell's metabolism as observed recently, can dramatically influence the transport through such channels by a ratchetlike mechanism. For an aquaglyceroporin that conducts water and glycerol, we show that a previously determined asymmetric glycerol potential leads to enhanced inward transport of glycerol, but for unfavorably high glycerol concentrations also to enhanced outward transport that protects a cell against poisoning.     

Spectroscopy of 40Ca and negative-parity bands

We have studied the reactions as well as the binary channel , in order to search for deformed states, which form rotational bands in ⁴⁰Ca. We observe positive- and negative-parity bands. The negative-parity band is proposed to be a partner of an inversion doublet with the positive-parity states being based on 4p-4h configurations. The properties of the positive-parity states are discussed on the basis of the shell model and the parity doublet on the basis of a cluster model with intrinsic reflection asymmetric shapes.Received: 2 May 2003, Revised: 23 September 2003, Published online: 20 January 2004PACS: 21.10.-k Properties of nuclei; nuclear energy levels - 21.60.Gx Cluster models     

The heavy-ion magnetic spectrometer PRISMA

PRISMA is a magnetic spectrometer installed at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (Italy) and designed for A=100–200, E=5–10 MeV-per-nucleon beams, and for possible use with the proposed radioactive beam facility SPES. The foremost features of the instrument are presented, along with the outline of two data analyses exemplifying the effectiveness of PRISMA-CLARA in studies of reaction dynamics.     

Frequency‐dependent NMR relaxation of liquids confined inside porous media containing an increased amount of magnetic impurities

Frequency‐dependent NMR relaxation studies have been carried out on water (polar) and cyclohexane (nonpolar) molecules confined inside porous ceramics containing variable amounts of iron oxide (III). The porous ceramics were prepared by compression of powders mixed with iron oxide followed by thermal treatment. The pore size distribution was estimated using a technique based on diffusion in internal fields that exposed a narrow distribution of macropore sizes with an average pore dimension independent of iron oxide content. The relaxation dispersion curves were obtained at room temperature using a fast field cycling NMR instrument. They display an increase of the relaxation rate proportional to the iron oxide concentration. This behavior is more prominent at low Larmor frequencies and is independent of the polar character of the confined molecules. The results reported here can be fitted well with a relaxation model considering exchange between molecules in the close vicinity of the paramagnetic centers located in the surface and bulk‐like molecules inside the pores. This model allows the extraction of the transverse diffusional correlation time that can be related to the polar character of the confined molecules. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.