Structure ofN=1 conformal and Poincaré supergravity in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions

We discuss a component formalism ofN=1 supergravity theories in 2 and 3 spacetime dimensions. Starting from gauge theories of the superconformal group, we derive the tensor calculus for conformal and Poincaré supergravity theories. A supersymmetric extension of the non-trivial analog of Einstein's equation for 2 dimensions is given in terms of the scalar curvature multiplet.     

Dual Meissner effect and magnetic displacement currents

The dual Meissner effect is observed without monopoles in quenched SU(2) QCD with Landau gauge fixing. Magnetic displacement currents that are time-dependent Abelian magnetic fields act as solenoidal currents squeezing Abelian electric fields. Monopoles are not always necessary for the dual Meissner effect. A mean-field calculation suggests that the dual Meissner effect through the mass generation of the Abelian electric field is related to a gluon condensate A(a)(mu)A(a)(mu) not equal 0 of mass dimension 2.     

Coexistence of solvated electrons and solvent valence anions in negatively charged acetonitrile clusters, (CH3CN)-n(n=10-100)

Anion photoelectron spectroscopy of acetonitrile cluster anions, (CH3CN)(-)(n) (n=10-100), successfully demonstrates the competitive coexistence of two different anionic species: a solvated electron and a solvent-bound valence anion. The distinctly different nature of these anions is revealed by hole-burning-type photoelectron spectroscopy and relative photodetachment cross section measurements. This unusual coexistence is attributed to the closely lying nature of their anionic states at just the number of solvent molecules sufficient to almost complete the first solvation layer.     

Spontaneous noise spectroscopy of an atomic magnetic resonance

We have experimentally demonstrated a new type of noise spectroscopy, which requires neither amplitude nor frequency noise of the light source. A highly stabilized diode laser provides low-noise light for the optical magnetic resonance of Rb atoms. The laser light transmitted through the Rb vapor contains significant intensity fluctuations whose power spectrum has a distinct peak at the Larmor frequency. The fluctuations are spontaneously generated by the atoms and are attributed to the stochastic properties of the photon scattering which randomly interrupts the Larmor precession of the atomic magnetic moment.     

A SAXS study of V2O5·nH2O sols and gels

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements on V₂O₅·nH₂O sols and gels, prepared by dissolving V₂O₅ glass into water at room temperature, show that there are V₂O₅ polymeric fibers entangled like random coils in the sol of n 5000, while the deviation from the random coil behavior occurs in the dilute sol of n 6000.

A Bragg peak appears at the scattering vector h 0.02 Å⁻¹ to be superimposed on an asymptotic h⁻²-course in the SAXS curve of the concentrated sol of n 680. This means that the spatial correlation between V₂O₅ polymeric fibers takes place even in the fluid state.

V₂O₅·nH₂O sols completely lose fluidity at n 250 to transfer to the gel state, where V₂O₅ polymeric fibers begin to pile up in the parallel with a substrate surface. Such a layer structure is preserved up to the gel of n 4. However, V₂O₅ polymeric fibers are randomly oriented within each layer.     

Soft-landing isolation of vanadium-benzene sandwich clusters on a room-temperature substrate using n-alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayer matrixes

Gas-phase synthesized vanadium-benzene 1:2 (VBz(2)) sandwich clusters were size-selectively deposited onto bare gold and long-chain n-alkanethiolate [-S-(CH(2))(n-1)-CH(3); n = 16, 18, and 22] self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-coated gold substrates under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. Investigation of the resulting deposited clusters was performed by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS) and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). The IR frequencies of the soft-landed VBz(2) clusters show excellent agreement with the fundamentals reported in IR data of VBz(2) in an argon matrix. The analysis of IRAS spectra reveals that while there was no orientational preference of the VBz(2) clusters on a bare gold substrate, the VBz(2) clusters deposited onto the SAM substrates were highly oriented with the molecular axis 70-80 degrees tilted off the surface normal. In addition, analysis of TDS spectra revealed unusually large adsorption heats of the physisorbed VBz(2) clusters. The present results are explained by cluster penetration into the long-chain alkanethiolate SAM and for the first time demonstrate the matrix isolation of gas-phase organometallic clusters around room temperature.     

Effects of electron beam preirradiation on the γ radiolysis of polyethylene

The γ radiolysis of polyethylene preirradiated with electron beams to 3 Mrad was carried out at 30–100°C in vacuo with a dose rate of 6.35 × 10⁵ rad/hr. The hydrogen formation in the γ radiolysis was little affected by the preirradiation of electron beams, whereas the formation of trans-vinylene unsaturation and gel was somewhat retarded. The rates of the formation of hydrogen and trans-vinylene unsaturation were described by the zero-order formation kinetics with respect to each concentration combined with the first-order disappearance. The apparent rate constants and activation energies for the formation and disappearance of hydrogen and trans-vinylene unsaturation were almost independent of the preirradiation. The gel fraction was analyzed by using the Charlesby–Pinner equation. The G values of crosslinking and main chain scission were increased by the preirradiation, whereas their activation energies remained unaltered. On the basis of these results the effects of preirradiation on the reactions induced by γ rays in polyethylene were discussed.     

Rheological properties of deionized Chinese ink

Rheological properties for Chinese ink in exhaustively deionized aqueous media were carefully examined. In the steady shear measurement, the shear viscosities of the ink could be well explained by considering the “effective” volume fraction of the particles in the ink including the electrical double layers and by using Einstein's equation for dilute suspension viscosity, when the particle volume fraction was substantially low. In the case that the volume fraction was higher, the shear viscosities showed extremely higher than those from Einstein's prediction, though the ink remained a Newtonian liquid. In the stress-strain measurement, the shear moduli were observed at strain smaller than 0.2. The “weak” aggregation among the particles in the ink under no shear or low shear rates was supported. It should be noted that the glue in the suspension plays an important role for the good liquidity of the ink and for the “weak” bridges among the particles resulting its good dispersion stability.