Towards a general solution of the Hamiltonian constraints of General Relativity

The present work has a double aim. On the one hand, we call attention on the relationship existing between the Ashtekar formalism and other gauge-theoretical approaches to gravity, in particular the Poincaré Gauge Theory. On the other hand, we study two kinds of solutions for the constraints of General Relativity, consisting of two mutually independent parts, namely a general three-metric-dependent contribution to the extrinsic curvature K _ab in terms of the Cotton–York tensor, and besides it further metric independent contributions, which we analyze in particular in the presence of isotropic three-metrics.     

Specific features of photoisomerization of provitamin D 3 in a nematic liquid crystal

Photoisomerization of provitamin D ₃ (7-dehydrocholesterol) in a nematic liquid crystal (ZLI-1695, Merck) is investigated in detail by UV absorption spectroscopy. It is found that dissolution of chiral molecules of provitamin D ₃ induces the cholesteric phase in a nematic. The spectral kinetics of photoisomerization in this phase changes significantly from that in an ethanol solution. A sharp nonmonotonic dependence of the increase in accumulation of trans isomer tachysterol in a liquid crystal matrix with a decrease in the induced cholesteric pitch from 2200 to 25 μm is revealed.     

INFLUENCE OF A LEVELNESS DEFECT IN A THRUST BEARING ON THE DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR OF AN ELASTIC SHAFT

This paper examines the non-linear dynamic behaviour of a flexible shaft. The shaft is mounted on two journal bearings and the axial load is supported by a defective hydrodynamic thrust bearing at one end. The defect is a levelness defect of the rotor. The thrust bearing behaviour must be considered to be non-linear because of the effects of the defect. The shaft is modelled with typical beam finite elements including effects such as the gyroscopic effects. A modal technique is used to reduce the number of degrees of freedom. Results show that the thrust bearing defects introduce supplementary critical speeds. The linear approach is unable to show the supplementary critical speeds which are obtained only by using non-linear analysis.     

赝能隙导致的YBa2(Cu1-xMx)3O7-δ(M=Co,Zn)薄膜的输运性质异常

报道了两类典型元素替代的超导Y123相体系-YBa2(Cu1-xCox)3O7-δ(x=0.01,0.02)和YBa2(Cu1-yZny)3O7-δ(y=0.005,0.010)薄膜的电阻率-温度特性(ρ(T))和Hall效应(RH (T)).研究表明,Co掺杂的Y123相体系十分类似于氧欠掺杂的情况,对Co掺杂的薄膜样品,由电阻率-温度特性定义的赝能隙打开的温度T*分别为193和225K.而Zn掺杂的样品没有观察到赝能隙打开对电阻率-温度特性的影响.由Hall效应的测量和Hall角(cotθH)定义了另一个特征温度T 0,介于Tc与T*之间,这一特征温度与核磁共振(NMR)给出的赝能隙打开温度相近,说明可能源于电子自旋自由度上的能隙打开.在室温到Tc范围内,电阻率-温度特性和Hall效应分别定义了两类不同的转变温度(T*和T 0),可能分别源于电子电荷和自旋通道上的赝能隙的打开,预示着电荷和自旋自由度分别进入某种基态.     

C- and N-Amidotrichloroethylation of Azoles

1H-Pyrazoles, triazoles, and imidazoles in reaction with ethoxycarbonylimine and arylsulfonylimines of chloral yield addition products, corresponding 1-(1-amidotrichloroethyl)azoles. Derivatives of 1-alkylpyrazoles and pyrazolones react with chloral 4-chlorophenylsulfonylimine to furnish products of C-amidotrichloroethylation into position 4 of the azole ring.     

Efficient computation of natural convection in a concentric annulus between an outer square cylinder and an inner circular cylinder

In this work, the natural convection in a concentric annulus between a cold outer square cylinder and a heated inner circular cylinder is simulated using the differential quadrature (DQ) method. The vorticity‐stream function formulation is used as the governing equation, and the coordinate transformation technique is introduced in the DQ computation. It is shown in this paper that the outer square boundary can be approximated by a super elliptic function. As a result, the coordinate transformation from the physical domain to the computational domain is set up by an analytical expression, and all the geometrical parameters can be computed exactly. Numerical results for Rayleigh numbers range from 104 to 106 and aspect ratios between 1.67 and 5.0 are presented, which are in a good agreement with available data in the literature. It is found that both the aspect ratio and the Rayleigh number are critical to the patterns of flow and thermal fields. The present study suggests that a critical aspect ratio may exist at high Rayleigh number to distinguish the flow and thermal patterns. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metastable States in Antiprotonic Helium Atoms: An Island of Stability in a Sea of Continuum

 In this contribution we consider a phenomenon of metastable states in antiprotonic helium atoms, precise spectroscopy of these states and a present-day study of the electromagnetic properties of antiprotons. Received October 16, 2001; accepted for publication November 13, 2001     

Effect of hydrogen on the photoelectronic properties of GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well heterostructures with an island palladium layer on the surface

The effect of hydrogen on the photoluminescence and planar conductivity of GaAs/InGaAs quantum-well heterostructures with an island Pd layer at the anodically oxidized surface was studied. Unlike continuous deposited Pd layers, island layers do not cause the formation of defects in the GaAs surface region and yet the Pd layer maintains high catalytic activity with respect to hydrogen. It is found that the thermal treatment of such a structure in a hydrogen atmosphere causes atomic-hydrogen passivation of the defects in quantum wells. Studies of the characteristics of planar photoresistors with an island Pd layer acting as hydrogen sensors show that their hydrogen detectivity is approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that of diode structures with continuous Pd layers.     

Fundamental processes in long air gap discharges

The development of atmospheric lightning is initiated and sustained by the formation in virgin air of ‘streamer corona’ and ‘leader’ discharges, very similar to those observed in laboratory long sparks. Therefore, the experimental and theoretical investigations of these laboratory discharges have become of large interest to improve the physical knowledge of the lightning process and to develop self-consistent models that could be applied to new protection concepts.In the present paper the fundamental processes of the subsequent phases of long air gap discharges are analyzed, from the first corona inception and development to the leader channel formation and propagation. For all these processes simulations models are discussed that have been essentially derived and simplified by the authors, in order to develop sequential time-dependent simulation of the laboratory breakdown, with both positive and negative voltages. The possibility of extending these models to the case of natural lightning is discussed in the companion paper, presented in this same volume. To cite this article: I. Gallimberti et al., C. R. Physique 3 (2002) 1335–1359.     

A simplified method of computing the process of opening of a parachute

We propose a simplified method of determining the integral characteristics of the opening of a parachute which makes it possible to compute the maximal stress on a parachute and the trajectory parameters of the motion of the load in the region of the opening of the parachute, and to determine the size of the portion of the canopy at the time of maximal stress.Translated fromDinamicheskie Sistemy, No. 6, 1987, pp. 38–41.