Fully confined events indicative of proton decay in the Kolar Gold Fields detector

Three events have been recorded in the Kolar Gold Field experiment with tracks fully confined to the detector volume. It is shown that their characteristics are in conformity with the decay of bound nucleons and that the background due to neutrino interactions is extremely small. Based on these as well as the events reported earlier, we tentatively suggest a mean lifetime of about 7 × 10³⁰ yr for nucleons bound in iron nuclei.     

Emission spectrum of PrO

The bands of PrO at 8488.95 A and 7986.44 A of system I and at 7662.85 A of system III have been photographed on 6.6 meter concave grating spectrograph at a dispersion of 1.2 A/mm and their rotational structure analysed. They are assigned transitions fromv′ = 0 and 1 levels of A² Δ_5/2 andv′ = 0 level of B² Δ_5/2 to a commonv′’ = 0 level of the ground, X² Π_3/2 state.     

Elastic-scattering cross-section for electrons and positrons from atomic hydrogen

The differential cross-sections of atomic hydrogen for elastic scattering of electrons and positrons have been rederived with the help of a method using a single parameter-dependent unitary shift operator for the calculation of the direct contribution. When the parameter approaches zerc the new method leads to the well-known conventional Glauber results. The numerical calculations include polarization effects and the exchange corrections obtained according to alternative approximation methods. Results calculated with Franco’s exchange show a definite improvement over the earlier results for medium energy electrons at large angles of scattering. Total elastic cross-sections have been calculated for 50 and 100eV electrons and positrons.     

Anomalous conversion in the decay of197mHg

The total andK-shell conversion coefficients of the 165 keV transition in the decay of^197mHg are determined from intensity balance considerations and a coincidence technique using a Ge(Li)—NaI (Tl) system respectively. The resultant values area _T =274.8±19.2 anda _K =47±12, whil the corresponding theoretical values are 344 and 77 respectively, indicating anomalous conversion. The gamma ray transition probability however, shows a hindrance of only about 6 and cannot be correlated with the present anomalous conversion data. TheK/L ratio of the 130 keV transition, determined using a summing method with a Ge(Li) detector, yielded 0.090±0.012, while the corresponding theoretical value is 0.048, indicating anomalous conversion. The corresponding gamma transition probability shows a hindrance of about 3000, in correlation with anomalous conversion.     

Infra-red spectral studies of CHF2-CHCl2 and CBrCl2-CBrCl2

The infra-red spectra of two polyhalogenated ethanes, 1, 1-difluoro-2, 2-dichloro ethane and 1, 2-dibromo-1, 1, 2, 2-tetrachloro ethane were obtained in the region of 2·5–38 microns. The spectra of CHF₂-CHCl₂ were obtained in gas, liquid and solid states and also in solvents of widely varying dielectric constants. These spectral studies showed that the molecule exists in the form of two rotational isomers. The fundamental modes of the two isomers were identified on the basis of intensity changes from gas to liquid to solid and in solvents of different dielectric constants. The observed infra-red absorption bands have been assigned in terms of the fundamental absorption bands. Spectra of CBrCl₂-CBrCl₂ were obtained in the solid and vapour phase and in various solvents. These spectra showed that CBrCl₂-CBrCl₂ exists only in the trans form. The infra-red spectra, combined with Raman data available from literature was used for complete assignment of the observed absorption bands.     

Electrical properties of GeSbSe glasses

The dc and ac conductivities of glasses of the system GeSbSe (with the general formula Ge_xSb₁₀Se_90?x have been studied. The dc conductivity results indicate a maximum in the glass transition temperature and activation energy and a minimum in conductivity for the composition Ge₂₅Sb₁₀Se₆₅. These results have been explained on the basis of the prevalent structural arrangement wherein structural units of GeSe₂ and Sb₂Se₃ are dispersed among excess Se or Ge. Based on this picture, a model has been developed which accounts for the observed dependence of conductivity on composition at any temperature. The ac results have been utilized to find the hopping conductivity as a function of composition; the characteristics of lone pair amorphous semiconductors seem to account for the observed features.