Continuous removal of radiolytic products from TBP extraction systems

In the actinide separation process using TBP as extractant, hydrolytic and radiolytic reactions cause a gradual decomposition of the extractant, resulting in the formation of degradation products which can affect process performance adversely. The TBP diluent has to be cleaned from these degradation products before it is reused. This paper deals with a procedure for solvent cleanup, using a fourstage continuous contactor for increasing the scrubbing efficiency.     

Semi-infinite homology and 2D gravity. I

In [33], we studied the constraint problem for two-dimensional quantum gravity in the conformal gauge. In this gauge, we proposed an ansatz for the gravitational sector. Using this ansatz, we established a striking connection between the matrix models and continuum 2D gravity. We also announced several results on semi-infinite homology of the Virasoro algebra with coefficients in a suitable class of positive energy modules. In this article, we will provide details of the proof of the announced results.Supported in part by the Alfred P. Sloan FoundationSupported by NSF Grant DMS-8703581     

Single LED based dual wavelength referenced optical fibre sensor system using intensity modulation

An intensity-modulated optical fibre sensor system is described which employs a single LED source to provide the measurand and the reference signals with two separate wavelength bands. The allocated wavelength bands are selected to minimize any differential intensity effects that may arise from LED thermal variations. The sensor system, comprising a transceiver unit connected to an optical displacement sensor using a single optical fibre, provides an output fully referenced for all major common-mode variations that are likely to occur. Performance characteristics for the prototype system are reported which show a linear displacement range of over 20 mm.     

Observation of sharp resistance anomalies near Tc in granular superconductors

Granular films prepared from well-defined In clusters embedded in Kr (? 10-40 at % Kr) show sharp resistance anomalies very close to the superconducting transition temperature. The observed resistance peak(s), which go(es) above the normal state resistance R_N and which can be as high as ? 1.5 R_N, can be explained by a “mesoscopic” effect: Superconducting percolation aggregates of size ξ_ρ, larger than the superconducting coherence length ξ_S, but smaller than the quasiparticle relaxation length λ_Q*, have a superconducting gap, but are not yet able to carry a supercurrent.     

Day-side auroral signatures based on simultaneous, coordinatedobservations at Svalbard and Greenland

The height distribution of the dayside cusp aurora and the relation between optical emissions and net downward electron energy flux are discussed. These two important characteristics of day-side cusp aurora are still unknown. It is instructive to compare particle flux and optical luminosity because these two quantities should be proportional if the cusp aurora is caused by electron impact, as has been found for nighttime aurora in the oval. Furthermore, there should then be a direct relation between auroral altitudes and particle energy. Based on coordinated auroral observations at Svalbard and Greenland, together with simultaneous, overhead F-9 satellite measurements, these quantities have been evaluated     

Temperature dependence of magnetization in nanocrystalline FeCoZr alloy

The temperature dependence of magnetization of a nanocrystalline Fe₆₀Co₃₀Zr₁₀ alloy annealed at various temperatures to varying crystal sizes was investigated down to 5 K in the field range up to 5 T. The fitting procedure gave T^3/2 as the leading term irrespective of the crystal size. We suggest that the increase of the coefficient by this term for smaller crystals may be connected to an increased relative volume of their surface.     

Neighborhood unions and the cycle cover number of a graph

For several years, the study of neighborhood unions of graphs has given rise to important structural consequences of graphs. In particular, neighborhood conditions that give rise to hamiltonian cycles have been considered in depth. In this paper we generalize these approaches to give a bound on the smallest number of cycles in G containing all the vertices of G. We show that if for all x, y ? V(G), |N(x) ∩ N(y)| ≧ 2n/5 + 1, then V(G) is coverable by at most two cycles. Several related results and extensions to t cycles are also given.     

Spectroscopic studies of new model compounds for poly[N,N′-bis(phenoxyphenyl)pyromellitimide]

New model compounds for poly[N,N′-bis(phenoxyphenyl)pyromellitimide] have been synthesized in order to investigate the formation of imine bonds which are proposed to form during the curing process and lead to crosslinking in the bulk polymer. Raman studies show that terminal amines can react with imide carbonyls during curing to form C?N bonds. The Raman band due to C?N appears at 1656 cm^?1 and the band due to C?O closest to the imine bond is observed at 1742 cm^?1. These results are in agreement with previously published results on vapor deposited polyimide films.