A molecular dynamics method for simulations in the canonical ensemble

A molecular dynamics simulation method which can generate configurations belonging to the canonical (T, V, N) ensemble or the constant temperature constant pressure (T, P, N) ensemble, is proposed. The physical system of interest consists of N particles (f degrees of freedom), to which an external, macroscopic variable and its conjugate momentum are added. This device allows the total energy of the physical system to fluctuate. The equilibrium distribution of the energy coincides with the canonical distribution both in momentum and in coordinate space. The method is tested for an atomic fluid (Ar) and works well.     

Recent atomic clock comparisons at NIST

The record of atomic clock frequency comparisons at NIST over the past half-decade provides one of the tightest constraints of any present-day temporal variations of the fundamental constants. Notably, the 6-year record of increasingly precise measurements of the absolute frequency of the Hg⁺ single-ion optical clock (using the cesium primary frequency standard NIST-F1) constrains the temporal variation of the fine structure constant α to less than 2 · 10⁻⁶yr⁻¹ and offers a Local Position Invariance test in the framework of General Relativity. The most recent measurement of the frequency ratio of the Al⁺ and Hg⁺ optical clocks is reported with a fractional frequency uncertainty of ±5.2 · 10⁻¹⁷. The record of such measurements over the last year sensitively tests for a temporal variation of α and constrains , consistent with zero.     

Optical lattice induced light shifts in an yb atomic clock

We present an experimental study of the lattice-induced light shifts on the (1)S(0) --> (3)P(0) optical clock transition (nu(clock) approximately 518 THz) in neutral ytterbium. The "magic" frequency nu(magic) for the 174Yb isotope was determined to be 394 799 475(35) MHz, which leads to a first order light shift uncertainty of 0.38 Hz. We also investigated the hyperpolarizability shifts due to the nearby 6s6p(3)P(0) --> 6s8p(3)P(0), 6s8p(3)P(2), and 6s5f(3)F(2) two-photon resonances at 759.708, 754.23, and 764.95 nm, respectively. By measuring the corresponding clock transition shifts near these two-photon resonances, the hyperpolarizability shift was estimated to be 170(33) mHz for a linear polarized, 50 microK deep, lattice at the magic wavelength. These results indicate that the differential polarizability and hyperpolarizability frequency shift uncertainties in a Yb lattice clock could be held to well below 10(-17).     

The shear modulus of the human vocal fold in a transverse direction

The aim of this study was to measure the shear modulus of the vocal fold in a human hemilarynx, such that the data can be related to direction of applied stress and anatomical context. Dynamic spring rate data were collected using a modified linear skin rheometer using human hemilarynges, and converted to estimated shear modulus via application of a simple shear model. The measurement probe was attached to the epithelial layer of the vocal fold cover using suction. A sinusoidal force of 3g was applied to the epithelium, and the resultant displacement logged at a rate of 1kHz. Force measurement accuracy was 20microg and position measurement accuracy was 4microm. The force was applied in a transverse direction at the midmembranous point between the vocal process and the anterior commissure. The shear modulus of the three female vocal folds ranged from 814 to 1232Pa. The shear modulus of the three male vocal folds ranged from 1021 to 1796Pa. These data demonstrate that it is possible to obtain estimates for the shear modulus of the vocal fold while preserving anatomical context. The modulus values reported here are higher than those reported using parallel plate rheometry. This is to be expected as the tissue is attached to surrounding structures, and is under natural tension.     

Spherically symmetric inhomogeneous dust collapse in higher dimensional space-time and cosmic censorship hypothesis

We consider a collapsing spherically symmetric inhomogeneous dust cloud in higher dimensional space-time. We show that the central singularity of collapse can be a strong curvature or a weak curvature naked singularity depending on the initial density distribution.     

Fast neutron activation: Sample preparation utilizing graphite as a diluent

A method has been developed for the preparation of irradiation samples which ensures that both standard and unknown samples are of the same size, shape, density and composition. Powdered standard and unknown samples were diluted with graphite to give homogeneous mixtures containing ≥80% graphite; these mixtures were pressed into cylindrical pellets. This method of sample preparation has been applied to the determination of nitrogen in organic and polymeric compounds. The results generally agree with Kjeldahl analyses within 5%. This work was supported by the United States Atomic Energy Commission.     

Evaluation of synthetic water-soluble metal-binding polymers with ultrafiltration for selective concentration of americium and plutonium

Water-soluble metal-binding polymers in combination with ultrafiltration are shown to be an effective method for selectively removing dilute actimide ions from acidic solutions of high ionic strength. The actinide-binding properties of commercially available water-soluble polymers and several polymers which have been reported in the literature were evaluated. The functional groups incorporated in the polymers were pyrrolidone, amine, oxime, and carboxylic, phosphonic, or sulfonic acid. The polymer containing phosphonic acid groups gave the best results with high distribution coefficients and concentration factors for²⁴¹Am(III) and²³⁸Pu(III)/(IV) at pH 4 to 6 and ionic strengths of 0.1 to 4.     

Kinetics and Mechanism of Oxidation of 1-Phenylsemicarbazide by Peroxydisulphate

Kinetics of oxidation of 1-phenylsemicarbazide (PSC) by peroxydisulphate ion (PDS) have been carried out where by the pseudo first order condition was verified at large excess of PDS concentration. The rate of the reaction was followed spectrophotometrically, The stoichiometry was found to be 1:1 where 1-phenylazoformamide is the oxidation product. The effect of acidity on the rate of oxidation was investigated for different temperatures. The parameters of activation ΔG*, ΔH* and ΔS* were computed for both hydrogen ion depedent and hydrogen ion independent reaction pathes. A free radical mechanism was proposed.     

Estimation of Mean and Covariance Operator for Banach Space Valued Autoregressive Processes with Dependent Innovations

In this paper we study autoregressive processes of order 1 with values in a separable Banach space it B. Such ARB(1)-processes are defined by the recursion equation

Coherent optical phase transfer over a 32-km fiber with 1 s instability at 10{-17}

The phase coherence of an ultrastable optical frequency reference is fully maintained over actively stabilized fiber networks of lengths exceeding 30 km. For a 7-km link installed in an urban environment, the transfer instability is 6 x 10{-18} at 1 s. The excess phase noise of 0.15 rad, integrated from 8 mHz to 25 MHz, yields a total timing jitter of 0.085 fs. A 32-km link achieves similar performance. Using frequency combs at each end of the coherent-transfer fiber link, a heterodyne beat between two independent ultrastable lasers, separated by 3.5 km and 163 THz, achieves a 1-Hz linewidth.