Quantum mechanics for space applications

This paper is an introduction to the following articles in the scope of quantum mechanics for space study initiated by ESA and lead by ONERA. The context of quantum mechanics for space is summarised, and the fields under development are briefly introduced. Technological applications of quantum mechanics in space are explored and some tests of quantum mechanics are outlined. We also give a brief presentation of the opto-electronic section of the European Space Agency, and the technology development activities it carries out, with particular emphasis on those activities related to the topics of interest of the quantum mechanics in space workshop. As an example, a summary of two ESA studies on gravity gradiometry and their relevance to the field of atomic interferometry is given. In view of the scientific requirements, derived for both Earth observation and planetology for future space missions, atom interferometry shows promise and may provide an advantage over currently available accelerometer and inertial sensor systems. PACS 04.25.Nx; 04.80.Cc; 07.60.Ly; 95.30.Sf     

Copolymerization of Ethene and Carbon Monoxide with (Diphosphine)nickel Catalysts

This work presents the results of the ethene–CO copolymerization with in situ generated catalysts based on atropisomeric 1,4‐diphosphines and nickel(II). The influence of the reaction conditions and the NMR characterization of the copolymers are described.     

Parallel gradient projection successive overrelaxation for symmetric linear complementarity problems and linear programs

A gradient projection successive overrelaxation (GP-SOR) algorithm is proposed for the solution of symmetric linear complementary problems and linear programs. A key distinguishing feature of this algorithm is that when appropriately parallelized, the relaxation factor interval (0, 2) isnot reduced. In a previously proposed parallel SOR scheme, the substantially reduced relaxation interval mandated by the coupling terms of the problem often led to slow convergence. The proposed parallel algorithm solves a general linear program by finding its least 2-norm solution. Efficiency of the algorithm is in the 50 to 100 percent range as demonstrated by computational results on the CRYSTAL token-ring multicomputer and the Sequent Balance 21000 multiprocessor.This material is based on research supported by National Science Foundation Grants DCR-8420963 and DCR-8521228 and Air Force Office of Scientific Research Grants AFOSR-86-0172 and AFOSR-86-0255.     

Upper bounds on dynamic deformations of elastoplastic continua

Summary Suitable measures of plastic and of total deflections developed over a time interval by an elastic-perfectly plastic continuous structure in the presence of significant inertia and viscous forces, is shown to be bounded from above by a quantity which can be evaluated merely on the basis of a linear-elastic dynamic analysis. The results achieved are extended to elastic-workhardening bodies under the assumption of piecewiselinear yield surfaces. The practical use of the present results is checked comparatively by a simple example.

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Sommario Si mostra come misure opportunamente definite delle deformazioni plastiche o totali che si sviluppano in un certo intervallo di tempo in un continuo perfettamente elastoplastico soggetto ad azioni dinamiche, siano delimitate superiormente da quantità valutabili attraverso un'analisi dinamica in campo elastico-lineare. I risultati ottenuti vengono estesi a materiali incrudenti, mediante linearizzazione a tratti della superficie di snervamento. La loro utilizzabilità pratica è illustrata da unsemplice esempio.

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Paper accepted for presentation at the Second Bulgarian Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Varna, 8–14 October 1973.     

Near-i.r. Absorption of H2O and D2O in the liquid and supercooled range

Summary Results are reported on near-i.r. absorption spectra of H₂O and D₂O down to the temperature region of supercooled liquid. No anomalous behaviour is observed when the absorbance at any given frequency is studied as a function of temperature. A critical-exponent behaviour strikingly correlating with that exhibited by transport properties is instead observed when spectral deconvolution methods are used. Results are discussed in relation with current views on water structure, based on molecular-dynamics simulation results and connectivity calculations.

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Riassunto Si riportano risultati sugli spettri di assorbimento i.r. di H₂O e D₂O fino alla regione di temperature del liquido sopraraffreddato. L'andamento dell'assorbanza a frequenza costante in funzione della temperatura non mostra alcuna indicazione di comportamento anomalo. Al contrario, quando gli spettri sono analizzati con metodo di deconvoluzione, si osserva un comportamento di tipo esponente critico, che correla straordinariamente bene con quello mostrato dalle proprietà di trasporto. I risultati sono discussi anche in relazione ai piú recenti modelli di struttura dell'acqua, derivanti dai risultati di simulazione e dai calcoli di connettività.

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Резюме Приводятся результаты для спектров инфракрасного поглощения H₂O и D₂O для температур переохлажденной жидкости. Не обнаружено аномального поведения, когда поглощательная способность при заданной частоте изучается как функция темпетатуры. Напротив, при анализе спектров с помощью спектральных методов конволюции наблюдается поведение типа критической экспоненты, которое коррелирует с поведением, определяемым транспортыми свойствами. Полученные результаты обсуждаются в связи с недавними моделями структуры воды, полученными на основе моделирования молекулярной динамики и нычислений связности.

     

Two-color cross-correlation of fs-laser pulses by two-photon induced photoconductivity for near and far field optical measurements

Two-color two-photon induced photoconductivity in a GaAsP diffusion type photodiode is demonstrated by measuring femtosecond cross-correlation functions for widely separated wavelength pairs of 775 and 1300 nm. Results are obtained for a range of tunable wavelengths and average powers of the incident lasers by measuring the two-photon induced photocurrent as a function of the optical delay between the pulses. The temporal autocorrelation of femtosecond laser pulses in the near-field of a small diameter aluminum coated optical fiber tip is also obtained with the same photodiode method for single colors.     

Core percolation and onset of complexity in boolean networks

The determination and classification of fixed points of large Boolean networks is addressed in terms of a constraint-satisfaction problem. We develop a general simplification scheme that, removing all those variables and functions belonging to trivial logical cascades, returns the computational core of the network. The transition line from an easy to a complex regulatory phase is described as a function of the parameters of the model, identifying thereby both theoretically and algorithmically the relevant regulatory variables.     

High-resolution apertureless near-field optical imaging using gold nanosphere probes

An apertureless near-field scanning optical microscope (ANSOM) that utilizes the enhanced field around a gold nanosphere, which is attached to the end of an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip, is used to image the local dielectric constant of the patterned metallic surfaces and local electric field around plasmonic nanosphere samples. A colloidal gold nanosphere (approximately 50 nm diameter) is linked to the extremity of the conventional etched-silicon probe. The scattering of laser radiation (633 or 532 nm) is modulated by the oscillating nanosphere-functionalized silicon tip, and the scattered radiation is detected. The approach curve (scattering intensity as a function of the tip-sample distance), the polarization dependence (scattering intensity as a function of the excitation polarization direction), and ANSOM image contrast confirm that the spherical nanosphere attached to the silicon tip acts as a point dipole that interacts with the sample surface via a dipole-dipole coupling, in which the dipole created by the field at the tip interacts with its own image dipole in the sample. The image obtained with the nanoparticle functionalized tip provides a dielectric map of the sample surface with a spatial resolution better than 80 nm. In addition, we show that the functionalized tip is capable of imaging the local electric field distribution above the plasmonic nanosphere samples. Overall, the result shows that high-resolution ANSOM is possible without the aid of the lightning-rod effect. With an improved tip-fabrication method, we believe that the method can provide a versatile high-resolution chemical imaging that is not available from usual forms of ANSOM.