Radiation-driven hydrodynamics of high- hohlraums on the national ignition facility

The first hohlraum experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) using the initial four laser beams tested radiation temperature limits imposed by plasma filling. For a variety of hohlraum sizes and pulse lengths, the measured x-ray flux shows signatures of filling that coincide with hard x-ray emission from plasma streaming out of the hohlraum. These observations agree with hydrodynamic simulations and with an analytical model that includes hydrodynamic and coronal radiative losses. The modeling predicts radiation temperature limits with full NIF (1.8 MJ), greater, and of longer duration than required for ignition hohlraums.     

Dipole-dipole coupling constant for a directly bonded CH pair--a carbon-13 relaxation study

Multiple-field (4.7, 9.4, 14.1 T) carbon-13 relaxation data are reported for hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in the cryosolvent D(2)O/DMSO at 243 K. Under these conditions, the reorientational motion of HMTA is outside of the extreme narrowing range and the relaxation data can be subjected to a quantitative interpretation. Because of the high symmetry of the HMTA molecule, the reorientation must be isotropic. Treating the reorientation as a small-step rotational diffusion of a rigid body, we obtain a rotational correlation time of 1.0 ns and a carbon-proton dipole-dipole coupling constant corresponding to an effective internuclear distance of 114. 2 pm. The harmonic vibrational correction to the dipole-dipole coupling constant, based on a known force field, yields an NMR estimate of the r(alpha) distance of 110.8 +/- 0.3 pm.     

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of iron(II) complex with tetradentate nitrogen ligands under conditions of atom transfer radical polymerization

Four tetradentate nitrogen ligands, viz. dichloro{[N,N^′-diphenyl-N,N^′-di(quinoline-2-methyl)]-1,2-ethylene diamine} (1), {[N,N^′-dioctyl-N,N^′-di(quinoline-2-methyl)]-1,2-ethylene diamine} (2), {[N,N^′-dibenzyl-N,N^′-di(quinoline-2-methyl)]-1,2-ethylene diamine} (3), and (1R,2R)-(−)-N,N^′-di(quinoline-2-methyl) di-iminocyclohexane (4), were investigated as novel complexing ligands in iron-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate where ethyl-2-bromoisobutyrate was the initiator in o-xylene at 90 °C. With ligands 1 and 2 the experimental molecular weights increased gradually with monomer conversion. High to moderate conversions (87%, 43%) were obtained in relatively short times (90 min for 1 and 30 min for 2), which indicates an efficient catalyst system, but after these times a dramatic increase in viscosity of the polymerization medium led to loss of control. It is noteworthy that polymerization proceeded in a controlled manner with ligand 1, which has two rather bulky substituents on the N-atom. Such bulky ligands did not work for a copper-based system, where they led to excessive terminations or other side reactions. When the bulkiness of the substituents was significantly increased, as in ligand 3, a decrease in polymerization rate and loss of control occurred. Ligand 4 was less efficient than the other ligands, probably because the ethylene bridge was replaced by cyclohexane bridge.     

Kinematic analysis of Bricard’s mechanism

We show how the tools of computational algebra can be used to analyze the configuration space of multibody systems. One advantage of this approach is that the mobility can be computed without using the Jacobian of the system. As an example, we treat thoroughly the well-known Bricard’s mechanism, but the same methods can be applied to a wide class of rigid multibody systems. It turns out that the configuration space of Bricard’s system is a smooth closed curve, which can be explicitly parametrized. Our computations also yield a new formulation of constraints which is better than the original one from the point of view of numerical simulations.     

Lateral reflections are favorable in concert halls due to binaural loudness

A recent study on perceptual difference in simulated concert halls showed that a concert hall renders stronger sound with more bass when the temporal envelope of a signal is preserved in the reflections [Lokki et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 129, EL223-EL228 (2011)]. In the same study the lateral reflections were shown to contribute to the perceived envelopment and openness. Moreover, the listening test results suggest that lateral reflections contribute to perception of sound source distance. Here, it is shown that lateral reflections are beneficial due to their increasing effect on binaural loudness-the phenomenon known well in psychoacoustics, but not in architectural acoustics. The reflections from the side are amplified more than median plane reflections, in particular at high frequencies, due to the shape of the human head.     

Investigations on the balloon as an impulse source

Measurements of impulses produced by bursting balloons are presented. Various sizes of balloons were popped with a mechanical device in an anechoic chamber and recorded with a spherical microphone array. The power responses and directivity of the balloons are analyzed. Results indicate that power responses have two emphasized frequencies which depend on balloon size and inflation level. Larger balloons radiated more energy and higher inflation levels resulted in stronger high frequency content. Balloon directivity patterns are stable over repetitions. However, balloons do not radiate omnidirectionally. The degree of omnidirectionality improves with balloon size and for midrange frequencies.     

Detection of phase biaxiality in liquid crystals by use of the quadrupole shift in 131Xe NMR spectra

An experimental method to unambiguously distinguish between uniaxial and biaxial liquid crystal phases is introduced. The method is based on the second order quadrupole shift (SOQS) observable in 131Xe NMR spectra of xenon dissolved in liquid crystals. It is shown that besides revealing the biaxiality, the 131Xe SOQS offers a novel method to determine the tilt angle in smectic C phases. As an example, the 131Xe SOQS in a ferroelectric liquid crystal is reported. It yields up a biaxial phase in between isotropic and smectic C phases.     

On the importance of behavioral operational research: The case of understanding and communicating about dynamic systems

We point out the need for Behavioral Operational Research (BOR) in advancing the practice of OR. So far, in OR behavioral phenomena have been acknowledged only in behavioral decision theory but behavioral issues are always present when supporting human problem solving by modeling. Behavioral effects can relate to the group interaction and communication when facilitating with OR models as well as to the possibility of procedural mistakes and cognitive biases. As an illustrative example we use well known system dynamics studies related to the understanding of accumulation. We show that one gets completely opposite results depending on the way the phenomenon is described and how the questions are phrased and graphs used. The results suggest that OR processes are highly sensitive to various behavioral effects. As a result, we need to pay attention to the way we communicate about models as they are being increasingly used in addressing important problems like climate change.     

On the notion of coexistence in quantum mechanics

The notion of coexistence of quantum observables was introduced to describe the possibility of measuring two or more observables together. Here we survey the various different formalisations of this notion and their connections. We review examples illustrating the necessary degrees of unsharpness for two noncommuting observables to be jointly measurable (in one sense of the phrase). We demonstrate the possibility of measuring together (in another sense of the phrase) noncoexistent observables. This leads us to a reconsideration of the connection between joint measurability and noncommutativity of observables and of the statistical and individual aspects of quantum measurements.     

High‐molar‐mass polypropene with tunable elastic properties by hafnocene/borate catalysts

Elastic polypropene has gained growing industrial and academic interest as a thermoplastic elastomer. In this study, “rac”‐ and “meso”‐dimethylsilyl(3‐benzylindenyl)(2‐methylindenyl)hafnium dichloride complexes (Hfr and Hfm, respectively), activated with [NHMe₂Ph][B(C₆F₅)₄]/triisobutyl aluminum, were used in propene polymerization. Using these catalyst systems, we obtained polymers with high molar masses, up to 550 kg/mol, and moderate isotacticities between 34 and 52%. By varying the polymerization conditions, we could modify the polymer microstructure and molar mass. ¹³C NMR was used to calculate the polymer pentad sequence distributions. The crystalline parts of the polymers were analyzed with the differential scanning calorimetry successive self‐nucleation and annealing (SSA) technique. The SSA thermograms revealed that Hfr produced polypropene with a more uniform lamellar structure than Hfm. The mechanical properties were tested with dynamic mechanical analysis creep‐recovery tests. In the series, the polymers with the lowest isotacticities and therefore lowest crystallinities showed the best elastic properties. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4743–4751, 2006