Summarizing complexity in high dimensions

High-dimensional, multispectral data on complex physical systems are increasingly common. As the amount of information in data sets increases, the difficulty of effectively utilizing it also increases. For such data, summary information is required for understanding and modeling the underlying dynamics. It is here proposed to use an extension of computational mechanics [C. R. Shalizi and J. P. Crutchfield, J. Stat. Phys. 104, 817 (2001)] to arbitrary spatiotemporal and spectral dimension, for providing such summary information. An example of the use of these tools to identify state evolution in the brain, an archetypal, complex biophysical system, serves as an illustration.     

The stabilization mechanism and structure of turbulent hydrocarbon lifted flames

The structure and stabilization mechanism of turbulent lifted non-premixed hydrocarbon flames have been investigated using combined laser imaging techniques. The techniques include Rayleigh scattering, laser induced predissociation fluorescence of OH, LIF of PAH, LIF of CH₂O, and planar imaging velocimetry. The geometrical structure of multi-reaction zones and flow field at the stabilization region have been simultaneously measured in 16 hydrocarbon flames. The data reveal the existence of triple flame structure at the stabilization region of turbulent lifted flames. Increasing the jet velocity leads to an increase of the lift-off height and to a broadening of the lift-off region. Further analysis of the stabilization criterion at the lift-off height based on the premixed nature of triple-flame propagation and flow field data has been presented and discussed.     

Intermolecular hybridization governs molecular electrical doping

Current models for molecular electrical doping of organic semiconductors are found to be at odds with other well-established concepts in that field, like polaron formation. Addressing these inconsistencies for prototypical systems, we present experimental and theoretical evidence for intermolecular hybridization of organic semiconductor and dopant frontier molecular orbitals. Common doping-related observations are attributed to this phenomenon, and controlling the degree of hybridization emerges as a strategy for overcoming the present limitations in the yield of doping-induced charge carriers.     

Strangeness production in AA collisions at SIS18

Aluminium oxides doped with 1% ⁵⁷Fe were prepared by sol-gel method, and annealed for 3 hours at various temperatures between 550°C and 1100°C. Amorphous phases were obtained below 1000°C, and crystalline α–Al₂O₃ was formed at 1100°C. Although Al₂O₃ itself shows diamagnetism, the light doping of Fe ions into aluminium oxide induced a very weak ferromagnetism, but the ferromagnetism disappeared by longer annealing. M?ssbauer spectra were composed of paramagnetic Fe^2?+? and Fe^3?+? species for samples heated below 750°C, and of paramagnetic Fe^3?+? above 850°C, in addition to a magnetic sextet and relaxation peaks of Fe^3?+?. The magnetic and quadrupole interactions of the sextet and the relaxation peaks and the density functional calculations suggest that the lightly doped Fe^3?+? ions are substituted at Al sites in the Al₂O₃ lattice.     

Structure–conductivity relations of simulated highly porous nanoparticle aggregate films

Electrical conductivity of porous films composed of nanoparticle aggregates is theoretically evaluated with respect to aggregate structure and film packing density. The aggregates are fractals composed of 5–30 primary particles with diameter of 10 nm. The film properties are derived from simulated boxes in the range of 0.5–1 μm. The electrical conductivity across the films of packing densities ranging from 0.01 to 0.15 was studied. All films prepared by an aerosol deposition technique, which uses nanoparticle aggregates, exhibited percolation behavior between planes parallel to the moving direction of the aggregates. They also followed the classical percolation relation for electrical conductivity while the critical percolation packing density depends on the aggregate size and structure used to build the films. Films using larger aggregates as building blocks have higher electrical conductance than smaller aggregates close to the percolation limit. For validation and supplementary information, two independent models are developed: one model follows the percolation theory to get detailed physical insights and another one computes the exact conductivities but at the cost of some details. This analysis gives new insights into the conduction backbone structures of these films with regard to neck contacts within an aggregate and grain boundary contacts between aggregates. The results shown are important for solar application of these films and especially for gas sensors where high sensitivity is often counteracted by low conductivity.     

Spatial unmasking of nearby pure-tone targets in a simulated anechoic environment

Detection thresholds were measured for different spatial configurations of 500- and 1000-Hz pure-tone targets and broadband maskers. Sources were simulated using individually measured head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) for source positions varying in both azimuth and distance. For the spatial configurations tested, thresholds ranged over 50 dB, primarily as a result of large changes in the target-to-masker ratio (TMR) with changes in target and masker locations. Intersubject differences in both HRTFs and in binaural sensitivity were large; however, the overall pattern of results was similar across subjects. As expected, detection thresholds were generally smaller when the target and masker were separated in azimuth than when they were at the same location. However, in some cases, azimuthal separation of target and masker yielded little change or even a small increase in detection threshold. Significant intersubject differences occurred as a result both of differences in monaural and binaural acoustic cues in the individualized HRTFs and of different binaural contributions to performance. Model predictions captured general trends in the pattern of spatial unmasking. However, subject-specific model predictions did not account for the observed individual differences in performance, even after taking into account individual differences in HRTF measurements and overall binaural sensitivity. These results suggest that individuals differ not only in their overall sensitivity to binaural cues, but also in how their binaural sensitivity varies with the spatial position of (and interaural differences in) the masker.     

Rapid chemical separation procedures

Fast, discontinuous separation procedures are described for zirconium, niobium, technetium and antimony from fission products. Other rapid separation methods from aqueous solutions are summarized. The combination of a gas jet recoil transport system with a continuous solvent extraction technique and with a thermochromatographic separation method is presented. The application of such procedures to the investigation of new and already known short-lived nuclides is illustrated by some examples.     

Der Nachweis des Eisens als Tri-n-butylammonium-eisen(III)-rhodanid

Ohne ZusammenfassungHierüber und über die quantitative Bestimmung des Eisens wird in Kürze berichtet.