A boosted Kerr black hole solution and the structure of a general astrophysical black hole

A solution of Einstein’s vacuum field equations that describes a boosted Kerr black hole relative to an asymptotic Lorentz frame at future null infinity is derived. The solution has three parameters (mass, rotation and boost) and corresponds to the most general configuration that an astrophysical black hole must have; it reduces to the Kerr solution when the boost parameter is zero. In this solution the ergosphere is north-south asymmetric, with dominant lobes in the direction opposite to the boost. However the event horizon, the Cauchy horizon and the ring singularity—which are the core of the black hole structure—do not alter, being independent of the boost parameter. Possible consequences for astrophysical processes connected with Penrose processes in the asymmetric ergosphere are discussed.     

Nonadiabatic molecular dynamics with solvent effects: A LR-TDDFT QM/MM study of ruthenium (II) tris (bipyridine) in water

The previously derived trajectory-based nonadiabatic molecular dynamics scheme [E. Tapavicza, I. Tavernelli, U. Rothlisberger, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98 (2007) 023001] is extended to include the coupling of the quantum system with a classically described environment. The dynamics is performed using LR-TDDFT energies and forces computed on-the-fly together with the nonadiabatic coupling vectors needed for the propagation of the nuclear coefficients according to Tully’s fewest-switches surface hopping algorithm. The resulting LR-TDDFT-QM/MM approach is applied to the study of the ultrafast relaxation of the photoexcited singlet metal-to-ligand-charge-transfer state (¹MLCT) of [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) in water. The observed intersystem crossing dynamics with the triplet MLCT is in good agreement with available experimental results.     

Pyrolysis–GC–MS to trace terrigenous organic matter in marine sediments: a comparison between pyrolytic and lipid markers in the Adriatic Sea

The effectiveness of semiquantitative pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS) as a rapid analytical technique for sourcing continental organic matter (OM) in marine sediments was examined by comparison with classical GC–MS analyses of solvent extractable lipid markers. Py–GC–MS was directly applied to HCl/HF de-ashed surface sediment samples collected in five stations located in north western Adriatic Sea. The resulting pyrolysates were characterised by compounds indicative of different biological precursors (e.g. proteins, carbohydrates, chlorophylls), including lignin methoxyphenols diagnostic for continental inputs. The relative abundance of pyrolytic markers was compared to the distribution of n-alkanes, n-alkanols and sterols extracted from the same sediments and determined by GC–MS analyses. For each class of molecular indicators, the terrigenous to aquatic ratio (TAR) was determined as follows: relative abundance of methoxyphenol/protein markers (TAR_PY), concentration ratios of (C27 + C29 + C31)/(C15 + C17 + C19) n-alkanes (TAR_HC), (C26 + C28+ C30)/(C14 + C16) n-alkanols (TAR_AL) and sitosterol/cholesterol (TAR_ST). A positive correlation was found between TAR_PY and both TAR_HC and TAR_AL indicating a decreasing contribution of land-plant-derived materials seaward in two investigated transects. TAR_ST values displayed a different trend suggesting a mixed origin for sitosterol. The distribution of TAR_PY values was also in good agreement with that of atomic C/N ratios. Considering the complexity of environmental systems (diagenetic alteration, different fractions of OM analysed) the obtained results indicate that the pyrolytic marker approach by Py–GC–MS is valuable for sourcing marine OM on a semiquantitative base, providing data consistent with GC–MS determinations of lipid markers and elemental bulk analyses.     

On the geometrization of quantum mechanics

Nonrelativistic quantum mechanics is commonly formulated in terms of wavefunctions (probability amplitudes) obeying the static and the time-dependent Schrödinger equations (SE). Despite the success of this representation of the quantum world a wave–particle duality concept is required to reconcile the theory with observations (experimental measurements). A first solution to this dichotomy was introduced in the de Broglie–Bohm theory according to which a pilot-wave (solution of the SE) is guiding the evolution of particle trajectories. Here, I propose a geometrization of quantum mechanics that describes the time evolution of particles as geodesic lines in a curved space, whose curvature is induced by the quantum potential. This formulation allows therefore the incorporation of all quantum effects into the geometry of space–time, as it is the case for gravitation in the general relativity.     

Environmental formaldehyde analysis by active diffusive sampling with a bundle of polypropylene porous capillaries followed by capillary zone electrophoretic separation and contactless conductivity detection

Compared to other volatile carbonylic compounds present in outdoor air, formaldehyde (CH(2)O) is the most toxic, deserving more attention in terms of indoor and outdoor air quality legislation and control. The analytical determination of CH(2)O in air still presents challenges due to the low-level concentration (in the sub-ppb range) and its variation with sampling site and time. Of the many available analytical methods for carbonylic compounds, the most widespread one is the time consuming collection in cartridges impregnated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine followed by the analysis of the formed hydrazones by HPLC. The present work proposes the use of polypropylene hollow porous capillary fibers to achieve efficient CH(2)O collection. The Oxyphan fiber (designed for blood oxygenation) was chosen for this purpose because it presents good mechanical resistance, high density of very fine pores and high ratio of collection area to volume of the acceptor fluid in the tube, all favorable for the development of air sampling apparatus. The collector device consists of a Teflon pipe inside of which a bundle of polypropylene microporous capillary membranes was introduced. While the acceptor passes at a low flow rate through the capillaries, the sampled air circulates around the fibers, impelled by a low flow membrane pump (of the type used for aquariums ventilation). The coupling of this sampling technique with the selective and quantitative determination of CH(2)O, in the form of hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS) after derivatization with HSO(3)(-), by capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C(4)D) enabled the development of a complete analytical protocol for the CH(2)O evaluation in air.     

Polyethylene waxes by metallocenes

The syntheses of low‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (PE), in the presence of catalysts based on five different metallocene frameworks, have been compared. High yields and low molecular masses, typical of industrially relevant PE waxes, can be easily achieved by using overpressure of hydrogen. Particularly suitable for the production of PE waxes are catalytic systems based on the C₂ symmetric rac‐dimethyl‐silyl‐bis‐(2‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1‐indenyl)‐zirconium dichloride ( 1 ) and the C_2v symmetric bis‐cyclopentadienyl‐zirconium dichloride ( 5 ). The wax yields can be substantially increased by increasing the MAO/Zr molar ratio. The control of the PE molecular weight allows an easy control of physical properties. In fact, as M_n increases in the range 10³–10⁴ g/mol, the degree of crystallinity decreases from nearly 85 to 60% while the melting temperature increases from 125°C up to 135°C. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.