Crossing of shears bands in196Pb

High-spin states in¹⁹⁶Pb have been populated using the reaction¹⁷⁰Er(³⁰Si,4n). The previously observed shears bands in this nucleus have been extended and some of their transitions have been reordered. They now form regular bands with band crossings. One of the bands splits into two pathways at high spin.     

Gravity in non-commutative geometry

We study general relativity in the framework of non-commutative differential geometry. As a prerequisite we develop the basic notions of non-commutative Riemannian geometry, including analogues of Riemannian metric, curvature and scalar curvature. This enables us to introduce a generalized Einstein-Hilbert action for non-commutative Riemannian spaces. As an example we study a space-time which is the product of a four dimensional manifold by a two-point space, using the tools of non-commutative Riemannian geometry, and derive its generalized Einstein-Hilbert action. In the simplest situation, where the Riemannian metric is taken to be the same on the two copies of the manifold, one obtains a model of a scalar field coupled to Einstein gravity. This field is geometrically interpreted as describing the distance between the two points in the internal space.Dedicated to H. ArakiSupported in part by the Swiss National Foundation (SNF)     

Calibration of a basket option model applied to company valuation

Applying real options thinking to company valuation seems theoretically and intuitively appealing. However, the real option analogy of a single European option as well as the compound option proxy perform poorly when applied to company valuation. We therefore suggest to rework the building blocks of real option applications to corporate valuation.  We introduce a framework to delineate the distribution of the underlying asset in the risk neutral world, which is important in order to value any derivative. This is achieved by an algorithm to calibrate a basket option model using real world data of observed share prices. The fitting takes account of the class of stable distributions. The index of stability of asymmetric α stable distribution serves as an over-all parameter to characterise the specific distribution.     

Wrinkle-free solutions in the theory of annular elastic membranes

Rotationally symmetric deformations of a flat annular elastic membrane under a gravitational force are studied, with prescribed radial stresses or horizontal displacements at the edges. The small-finitedeflection theory of Föppl-Hencky as well as a simplified version of Reissner's static first approximation theory of thin shells of revolution are applied which lead to consider a single, second-order, ordinary differential equation for the derivation of the principal stresses in the membrane. Using analytical methods, the range of those boundary data is determined for which the solutions of the differential equation are wrinkle free in the sense that both the radial and the circumferential stress components are nonnegative everywhere.     

The role of the pion cloud in the interpretation of the valence light-cone wavefunction of the nucleon

The pion cloud renormalises the light-cone wavefunction of the nucleon which is measured in hard, exclusive photon-nucleon reactions. We discuss the leading twist contributions to high-energy exclusive reactions taking into account both the pion cloud and perturbative QCD physics. The nucleon’s electromagnetic form-factor at high Q² is proportional to the bare nucleon probability Z and the cross-sections for hard (real at large angle or deeply virtual) Compton scattering are proportional to Z². Our present knowledge of the pion-nucleon system is consistent with Z = 0.7 ± 0.2. If we apply just perturbative QCD to extract a light-cone wavefunction directly from these hard exclusive cross-sections, then the light-cone wavefunction that we extract measures the three valence quarks partially screened by the pion cloud of the nucleon. We discuss how this pion cloud renormalisation effect might be understood at the quark level in terms of the (in-)stability of the perturbative Dirac vacuum in low energy QCD.     

μSR in oxygen deficient YBa2Cu3O x (6.5⩽x⩽7.0)

A systematic μSR study of the local magnetic field distribution in a series of oxygen deficient YBa₂Cu₃O _x samples with 6.5⩽x⩽7.0 is reported. Special attention was given to perform the experiments under the same conditions, so that the oxygen content of the measured samples was the only parameter varied. The behavior of the depolarization rate σ as a function of the oxygen contentx was found to have strong similarities with the behavior of the critical temperatureT _c as a function ofx. In particular, two step-like increases of σ were observed abovex=6.7 and 6.9. The temperature dependence of the normalized depolarization rate σ(T)/σ(0) is well described by the two-fluid model forx⩾6.781(1) and clearly deviates from this behavior forx⩽6.704(1). Our results are compared to those obtained by other groups.     

Multiple Wavelength Extinction Technique for Particle Characterization in Dense Particle Clouds

In utilizing the advantages of extinction measurements in micron and especially submicron particle characterization, the properties of a multiple wavelength extinction technique have been the subject of extended theoretical studies. Furthermore, an experimental set-up was designed which provides high flexibility owing to its modular design. The performance of the technique described is demonstrated by a large variety of applications in aerosol and combustion research and in large-scale industrial systems. It was found to be a reliable tool in characterizing dense particulate systems.