Spontaneous-fission decay properties and production cross-sections for the neutron-deficient nobelium isotopes formed in the 44, 48Ca + 204, 206, 208Pb reactions

Heavy-ion fusion reactions ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁰⁴Pb and ⁴⁴Ca + ²⁰⁸Pb leading to the same compound nucleus ²⁵²No^* were run in attempts to produce new neutron-deficient spontaneous-fission isotopes of ^249,250No using the electrostatic separator VASSILISSA. Production cross-sections for the spontaneous-fission activities with the half-lives 5.6 and 54 μs observed in these reactions are compared with the measured ones for the well-known isotopes of ^{251 - 255}No formed in the heavy-ion fusion reactions ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁰⁶Pb and ⁴⁸Ca + ²⁰⁸Pb. The obtained excitation functions for the reaction products formed after the evaporation of 1-4 neutrons from the corresponding compound No nuclei have been compared with similar data obtained earlier and results of statistical model calculations. Received: 26 July 2002 / Accepted: 5 November 2002 / Published online: 18 March 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: eremin@sunvas.jinr.ru Communicated by J. ?yst?     

The HERO project for the study of high-energy primary cosmic radiation

Proposals for the High-Energy Ray Observatory (HERO) comprising scientific equipment with increased power availability are presented. Under the long exposure (>7 years), it is proposed to investigate the spectrum and charge composition of cosmic-ray nuclei up to E ₀ ～ 10¹⁶ eV and to determine the behavior of the energy spectrum in the energy regions >100 GeV for cosmic-ray electrons and >50 GeV for γ radiation. The geometrical factor of the apparatus is 6.0–9.0 m² sr depending on the type of particles.     

Inhibition of flame propagation by an endothermic reaction

The propagation of a premixed laminar flame supported by anexothermic chemical reaction under adiabatic conditions butsubject to inhibition through a parallel endothermic chemicalprocess is considered. The heat loss through the endothermicreaction, represented by the dimensionless parameter ; has astrong quenching effect on wave propagation. The temperatureprofile can have a front or a pulse structure depending on therelative values of the parameters and ß; the latterrepresents the rate at which inhibitor is consumed relativeto the consumption of fuel. The wave speed–cooling parameter() curves are determined for various values of the other parameters.These curves can be monotone decreasing or S-shaped, dependingon the value of ß and the ratio of the activationenergies of the reactants. This gives the possibility of havingeither one, two or three different flame velocities for thesame value of the cooling parameter .     

How to Determine the Amplitude-Phase Structure of a 2D Optical Field and a 2D Complex Transfer Function, with the Effect of the Medium Described by Convolution

We consider the solution to the phase problem in optics in application to registration and analysis of the amplitude–phase structure of twodimensional optical fields that form or transmit images, as well as the amplitude–phase structure of transfer and spread functions of media, in which light propagates, or those of systems that form fields or images. The idea of our method is to introduce two additional modulators that visualize phase information. We consider two variants of optical schemes designed for analyzing the amplitudephase characteristics of twodimensional optical fields as well as twodimensional complex transfer and spread functions. These schemes are special because the twodimensional structure of the fields is transmitted at a distance in a disturbing medium or system and four independent twodimensional intensity distributions are to be registered in the course of processing the twodimensional fields. To solve the problem, the first additional modulation preceding the transmitting medium is introduced in the scheme. Then the spectrum of spatial frequencies is formed by the optical system. The second additional spatial modulation is applied either in the optical system plane (the first variant of the scheme) or in the plane of spatial frequencies formed by the optical system (the second variant). A separate optical system is used for registration in the plane of spatial frequencies in the first variant of the scheme and in the image plane in the second variant. The intensity distributions obtained make it possible to solve the problem.     

Octopamine increases the excitability of neurons in the snail feeding system by modulation of inward sodium current but not outward potassium currents

Background  

Although octopamine has long been known to have major roles as both transmitter and modulator in arthropods, it has only recently been shown to be functionally important in molluscs, playing a role as a neurotransmitter in the feeding network of the snail Lymnaea stagnalis. The synaptic potentials cannot explain all the effects of octopamine-containing neurons on the feeding network, and here we test the hypothesis that octopamine is also a neuromodulator.     

Steady mixed convection boundary-layer flow over a vertical flat surface in a porous medium filled with water at 4°C: variable surface heat flux

The steady mixed convection boundary-layer flow over a vertical impermeable surface in a porous medium saturated with water at 4°C (maximum density) when the surface heat flux varies as x ^m and the velocity outside the boundary layer varies as x ^(1+2m)/2, where x measures the distance from the leading edge, is discussed. Assisting and opposing flows are considered with numerical solutions of the governing equations being obtained for general values of the flow parameters. For opposing flows, there are dual solutions when the mixed convection parameter λ is greater than some critical value λ _c (dependent on the power-law index m). For assisting flows, solutions are possible for all values of λ. A lower bound on m is found, m > −1 being required for solutions. The nature of the critical point λ _c is considered as well as various limiting forms; the forced convection limit (λ = 0), the free convection limit (λ → ∞) and the limits as m → ∞ and as m → −1.     

A note on the similarity equations arising in free convection boundary layers with blowing and suction

The similarity equations for the free convection boundary-layer flow on a vertical plate with prescribed wall temperature and transpiration velocity are considered. The range of existence of solution is discussed first. For blowing this is seen to be independent of the transpiration parameter , depending only on the Prandtl number. For suction this range of existence of solutions is seen to depend on as well. Asymptotic solutions for strong suction and strong blowing are derived and compared with numerical solutions of the similarity equations.