Towards light scalar meson structure

The origin of the lightest scalar mesons is studied in the framework of the instanton liquid model of the QCD vacuum. The impact of phonon-like vacuum excitations on the σ-meson features is qualitatively analyzed. In particular, it is noticed that the changes produced in the scalar sector may unexpectedly become quite considerable in spite of insignificant values of corrections to the dynamical quark masses and then the medley of σ-meson and those excitations may reveal itself as broad resonance states of different masses.     

Quantum subdiffusion with two- and three-body interactions

We study the dynamics of a few-quantum-particle cloud in the presence of two- and three-body interactions in weakly disordered one-dimensional lattices. The interaction is dramatically enhancing the Anderson localization length ξ ₁ of noninteracting particles. We launch compact wave packets and show that few-body interactions lead to transient subdiffusion of wave packets, m ₂ ~ t ^α , α< 1, on length scales beyond ξ ₁. The subdiffusion exponent is independent of the number of particles. Two-body interactions yield α ≈ 0.5 for two and three particles, while three-body interactions decrease it to α ≈ 0.2. The tails of expanding wave packets exhibit exponential localization with a slowly decreasing exponent. We relate our results to subdiffusion in nonlinear random lattices, and to results on restricted diffusion in high-dimensional spaces like e.g. on comb lattices.     

Integrable cosmological potentials

The problem of classification of the Einstein–Friedman cosmological Hamiltonians H with a single scalar inflaton field \(\varphi \), which possess an additional integral of motion polynomial in momenta on the shell of the Friedman constraint \(H=0\), is considered. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of the first-, second- and third-degree integrals are derived. These conditions have the form of ODEs for the cosmological potential \(V(\varphi )\). In the case of linear and quadratic integrals we find general solutions of the ODEs and construct the corresponding integrals explicitly. A new wide class of Hamiltonians that possess a cubic integral is derived. The corresponding potentials are represented in parametric form in terms of the associated Legendre functions. Six families of special elementary solutions are described, and sporadic superintegrable cases are discussed.     

Exergetic Analysis of a Cryogenic Air Separation Unit

This case study analyzes a cryogenic air separation unit (ASU) with a production of V˙O2=58,300 [m3Nh] of gaseous oxygen with a concentration greater than 98.5%, operating in Romania on a steel plant platform. The goal of the paper is to provide an extensive model of exergetic analysis that could be used in an optimization procedure when decisional parameters are changed or structural design modifications are implemented. For each key part of the Air Separation Unit, an exergetic product and fuel were defined and, based on their definition, the coefficient of performance of each functional zone was calculated. The information about the magnitude of the exergetic losses offers solutions for their future recovery. The analysis of the exergy destructions suggests when it is worth making a larger investment. The exergetic analysis of the compression area of the ASU points out an exergy destruction and loss of 37% from the total plant’s electrical energy input. The exergy loss with the heat transferred to the cooling system of compressors can be recovered; for the exergy destruction portion, the challenge between investment and operating costs should be considered. The exergy destruction of the air separation columns found the High Pressure Column (HPC) to be more destructive than the Low Pressure Column. The share of the exergy destruction in the total plant’s electrical energy input is 8.3% for the HPC. The local COP of the HPC, calculated depending on the total exergy of the local product and fuel, is 62.66%. The calculus of the air separation column is performed with the ChemSep simulator.     

On the Minimal Number of Even Submatrices of 0-1 Matrices

An asymptotic formula for the minimum possible number of even p x q submatrices of an m x n 0-1 matrix A is obtained. It is shown that if Ais considered random and pq is even, then the distributionof the number of the even p x q submatricesof A is highly skewed to the right, the left endpointof the distribution being very close to its mean, while its rightendpoint is twice the mean. A relation to Turán numbersis indicated.     

High-frequency asymptotic expansions of a backscattering cross-section and an HH/VV polarization ratio for smooth two-dimensional surfaces

High-frequency asymptotic expansions of electrical and magnetic fields are obtained at a perfectly conducting smooth 2D surface illuminated by a plane incident wave in two cases of TE and TM polarization. Corrections to the geometrical optics backscattering HH and VV cross-sections are derived and the polarization ratio HH/VV is estimated for the specular points of a general form. It is shown that the coefficient of the first term in this series ∼ 1/k² depends not only on the local surface curvature radius at the specular reflecting points,but also on higher derivatives up to the sixth order.

For backscattering from a statistically rough surface, averaging over surface random derivatives at the specular points was performed. It was shown that for statistically uniform (stationary on space variables) random surfaces, the polarization ratio HH/VV (dB) is positive on average and proportional to ∼ 1/k²     

Radar backscattering from Gerstner's sea surface wave

In the framework of a two-scale scattering model, radar backscattering from the rough sea surface was considered. The sea surface was modelled as a superposition of a nonlinear, large-scale Gerstner's wave and small-scale resonant Bragg scattering ripples. The zero-order diffracted field was found by a geometrical optics approach, with shadowing taken into account, and by an 'exact' solution of the diffraction problem obtained numerically. For vertical and horizontal polarizations, the spatial distribution of specific scattering cross sections along the large-scale wave was obtained. The spatially averaged specific backscattering cross sections, as well as the mean Doppler frequency shifts at both polarizations, obtained by the geometrical optics approach are compared with those obtained by using the 'exact' solution of the large-scale diffraction problem. The roles of shadowing and multiple wave scattering processes are discussed, and qualitative explanations of the difference between these two approaches are given.     

Electrolytic preparation of a reduced ninhydrin reagent for amino acid analysis

Summary A flow-through electrolysis using a column electrode was applied to the preparation of a reduced ninhydrin reagent suitable for a highly reproducible and sensitive determination of amino acids. Non-reduced ninhydrin solution, which could be stably stored for long duration even in contact with atmospheric oxygen, was fed at a constant flow rate of 0.25 ml min^–1 into the flow-through electrolysis cell, whereby ninhydrin was reduced to hydrindantin. The hydrindantin content in the reagent (presumably 1.61 mol%) was sufficiently constant for the subsequent quantitative reaction of the amino acids being eluted from the HPLC system. The electrolytically prepared reagent was practically identical with those prepared by chemical reduction.

---

Elektrolytische Herstellung von reduziertem Ninhydrinreagens für die AminosÄureanalyse

     

The analysis of conductive solid samples by r.f. capacitively coupled plasma at atmospheric pressure

A radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma (rf CCP) with tip-ring electrode geometry has been used for the analysis of Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, and V in low and medium alloyed steel. The sample is used as one of the electrodes of the plasma torch. The influence of plasma power, argon flow rate and distance between the electrodes on the analytical signals has been studied. The limits of detection are in the range of 0.001 to 0.048%. The dynamic range is three orders of magnitude.