Nucleon charge exchange on the deuteron: A critical review

The existing experimental data on the d(n, p)nn and d(p, n)pp cross-sections in the forward direction are reviewed in terms of the Dean sum rule. It is shown that the measurement of the ratio of the charge exchange on the deuteron to that on the proton might, if taken together with other experimental data, allow a direct construction of the np → np scattering amplitude in the backward direction with few ambiguities. Communicated by T. Hennino     

Coulometric determination of total sulfur and reduced inorganic sulfur fractions in environmental samples

Evaluation of the solid-phase partitioning of sulfur is frequently an important analytical component of risk assessments at hazardous waste sites because minerals containing reduced-sulfur can significantly affect the transport and fate of organic and inorganic contaminants in natural environments. We applied selected methods for the determination of total sulfur, acid-volatile sulfide (AVS), chromium-reducible sulfur (CRS), and extractable-sulfate in standard reference materials and sediment samples from a contaminated site. A coulometric titration method is presented and evaluated for total sulfur, AVS, and CRS. This method is especially advantageous for AVS and CRS determinations because hydrogen sulfide gas evolved during chemical extraction is detected and quantitated in-line; consequently, measurement endpoints can be precisely determined without need for setting arbitrary time limits. The coulometric method allows for improved data quality and increased laboratory throughput of samples. Data on sulfur partitioning are presented for four standard reference materials (NIST 1646a, NIST 2780, CCRMP LKSD-1, CCRMP RTS-3) for the purpose of supporting quality control in environmental studies involving the geochemical and biochemical cycling of sulfur.     

Morse theory, Higgs fields, and Yang–Mills–Higgs functionals

In this mostly expository paper we describe applications of Morse theory to moduli spaces of Higgs bundles. The moduli spaces are finite-dimensional analytic varieties but they arise as quotients of infinite-dimensional spaces. There are natural functions for Morse theory on both the infinite-dimensional spaces and the finite-dimensional quotients. The first comes from the Yang?CMills?CHiggs energy, while the second is provided by the Hitchin function. After describing what Higgs bundles are, we explore these functions and how they may be used to extract topological information about the moduli spaces.     

Spin selectivity of the polarised (d, 2p) reaction

Tensor polarisation observables in intermediate energy $\text{(}\text{d}\text{, 2}\text{p}\text{)}$ charge exchange on 0⁺ nuclei are investigated. It is shown that for small excitation energies of the di-proton the polarisation can help to distinguish between 0^?, 1^? and 2^? final nuclear states produced through ΔL = 1, ΔS = 1 transitions. The information to be obtained is similar to that inherent in $\text{(}\text{p}\text{,}\text{n}\text{)}$ spin transfer experiments but the deutron-induced experiments should have much higher efficiency.     

Stochastic entangled chain dynamics of dense polymer solutions

We propose an adjustable-parameter-free, entangled chain dynamics model of dense polymer solutions. The model includes the self-consistent dynamics of molecular chains and solvent by describing the former via coarse-grained polymer dynamics that incorporate hydrodynamic interaction effects, and the latter via the forced Stokes equation. Real chain elasticity is modeled via the inclusion of a Pincus regime in the polymer's force-extension curve. Excluded volume effects are taken into account via the combined action of coarse-grained intermolecular potentials and explicit geometric tracking of chain entanglements. We demonstrate that entanglements are responsible for a new (compared to phantom chain dynamics), slow relaxation mode whose characteristic time scale agrees very well with experiment. Similarly good agreement between theory and experiment is also obtained for the equilibrium chain size. We develop methods for the solution of the model in periodic flow domains and apply them to the computation of entangled polymer solutions in equilibrium. We show that the number of entanglements Π agrees well with the number of entanglements expected on the basis of tube theory, satisfactorily reproducing the latter's scaling of Π with the polymer volume fraction φ. Our model predicts diminishing chain size with concentration, thus vindicating Flory's suggestion of excluded volume effects screening in dense solutions. The predicted scaling of chain size with φ is consistent with the heuristic, Flory theory based value.     

Relativistic corrections in the LCGTO–local-spin-density method. I. Atomic bases for transition metals

Compact orbital GTO basis sets optimized with a nonrelativistic Hamiltonian, then decontracted, are utilized in an SCF treatment with a quasi-relativistic scalar Hamiltonian including the mass–velocity and one-electron Darwin operators. Ionization and excitation energies, orbital energies, and radial mean values obtained from different expansion patterns have been tested in atomic calculations for Ag and generalized for Cu and Au atoms. The one-electron spin–orbit operator is also used in an SCF treatment. Spin–orbit coupling energies are calculated for Cu, Ag, and Au atoms.     

Study of ω-meson production in pp collisions at ANKE

The production of ω-mesons in the pp → ppω reaction has been investigated with the COSY-ANKE spectrometer for excess energies of 60 and 92MeV by detecting the two final protons and reconstructing their missing mass. The large physical background was subtracted using an event-by-event transformation of the proton momenta between the two energies. Differential distributions and total cross-sections were obtained after careful studies of possible systematic uncertainties in the overall ANKE acceptance. The results are compared with the predictions of theoretical models. Combined with data on the φ-meson, a more refined estimate is made of the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule violation in the φ/ω production ratio.     

Final state interactions in large momentum transfer inelastic electron-deuteron scattering

A theory for large momentum transfer quasi-elastic electron-deuteron scattering is developed using a diagrammatic technique, and expressions derived for those triply and doubly differentiated cross sections which are experimentally measured. The effects of spin are included in an approximate way, and the results are compared with recent experiments when this is possible. The importance of the various corrections is investigated.     

Near-threshold η-meson production in the dd↦He η reaction

The dd↦⁴Heη reaction has been investigated near threshold using the ANKE facility at COSY-Jülich. Both total and differential cross-sections have been measured at two excess energies, Q = 2.6 MeV and 7.7 MeV, with a subthreshold measurement being undertaken at Q = - 2.6 MeV to study the physical background. While consistent with isotropy at the lower energy, the angular distribution reveals a pronounced anisotropy at the higher one, indicating the presence of higher partial waves. Options for the decomposition into partial amplitudes and their consequences for the determination of the s-wave ηα scattering length are discussed.     

Search for A γ-branch from shape isomers in 236U and 238Np

It is pointed out that for excitations involving magnetic transitions, pion scattering from nuclei should in principle allow a separation of the orbital and spin contributions. This is not possible in electron scattering.