Determination of trace elements in Brazilian rice grains and in biological reference materials by neutron activation analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was applied to the determination of the elements Na, K, Br, As, Rb, Zn, Co, Fe and Sc in Brazilian rice samples and in biological standards. Hg and Se concentrations were determined by using a simple radiochemical separation. The chemical procedure was carried out by means of distillation of Hg and Se in HBr medium and subsequent precipitation of selenium by sodium metabisulfite and mercury by thioacetamide. The accuracy of the instrumental and radiochemical methods was evaluated by means of analysis of the Reference Materials NBS-Bovine Liver, Bowen's Kale and NBS-Rice Flour.     

Electrohydrodynamic instability in some nematic cyanobiphenyls in an a.c. electric field

Electrohydrodynamic instability in homeotropically oriented nematic samples of 4'-n-octyl-4-cyano-biphenyl and 4'n-alkyloxy-4-cyanobiphenyl, (n = 8.9) have been studied in an a.c. electric field. The domain patterns during the instability in these compounds in a very low frequency a.c. field are very similar to those in a d.c. field. The domain patterns observed at higher frequencies have been identified as 'maltese crosses' or 'crossed isogyres'. The electro-convective 'isotropic' flows near the electrode play an important role in the observed instability.     

Control of small phase arrays to form a prescribed amplitude-phase distribution

Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 32, No. 9, pp. 1132–1136, September, 1989.     

Collective flow model for the pion transverse momentum spectra from relativistic nuclear collisions at CERN

The transverse momentum spectra for pions observed by WA80 and NA35 collaborations are analysed within a fireball model with collective isentropic expansion and a realistic freeze-out criterion. By varing the initial state of the fireball, an excellent fit to the data is achieved for the whole measured range ofP _T . Slight differences in the data for the spectral slopes from central and pheripheral collisions originate in our model from the difference in the size of the fireball and in the number of participating nucleons in central and peripheral collisions. Using additional information from two-pion correlations, we can extrapolate our model back from the freeze-out point (determined from the spectra) to the initial state; we find that an initial energy density of 1.5–2GGeV/fm³ is sufficient to explain the data from central O+Au collisions at 200A GeV.     

On the condensate values in QCD

Conclusions The sets (3) and (4) of condensates have been compared using the QCD sum rules (2) with indefinite weight functions. A bad matching between both sets of condensates and experimental data has been obtained. The standard values (3) appear to be closer to data but some increase ofQ is necessary to improve the agreement. Only higher values ofm ₀ ² could change the results of this analysis. It is interesting that negative values ofm ₀ ² considerably improve the agreement with data; note that this quantity cannot be determined with a sufficient accuracy. We conclude that the QCD sum rules (2) cannot definitely determine a privileged set of condensates.Dedicated to Academician Václav Votruba on the occasion of his eightieth birthday.     

Spectral features of laser induced plasma from YBa2Cu3O7 and GdBa2Cu3O7 highT c superconductors

Laser induced plasma emission spectra from highT _c superconducting samples of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ and GdBa₂Cu₃O₇ obtained with 1.06μm radiation from a Q switched Nd:YAG laser beam has been analysed. The results clearly show the presence of diatomic oxides in addition to ionized species of the constituent metals in the plasma thus produced.     

Anomalies of ultrasonic velocity in high-Tc ceramics YBa2Cu3Oy and BiSrCaCu2Oy

Ultrasonic longitudinal velocity and adsorption have been measured in ceramic superconductors YBa₂Cu₃O_y with various porosity and also in BiSrCaCu₂O_y. A velocity drop of about 400 ppm was found at T_c only in the measurements on cooling. The magnitude of the velocity drop is anomalously large compared with the value expected from the thermodynamics. A hysteresis of velocity with respect to temperature was observed in all the samples studied. It is suggested that some structural change at pore size level is responsible for this phenomenon.     

Time structure of iodine laser pulse in the free running mode of operation

Time structure of iodine laser pulse in the free running mode of operation was studied using the power amplifier of laser system PERUN as the laser oscillator. Two characteristic shapes of laser pulse correspond to different regimes of laser operation, the existence of which is ascribed to the critical concentration of I₂ molecules. Simultaneously an additional chemical pumping was proved at least in the initial phase of photodissociation and in a late-time lasing after the end of flashlamps pumping light.