Shock-tube study of the thermal decomposition of CH3CHO and CH3CHO + H reaction

The thermal decomposition of acetaldehyde, CH3CHO + M --> CH3 + HCO + M (eq 1), and the reaction CH3CHO + H --> products (eq 6) have been studied behind reflected shock waves with argon as the bath gas and using H-atom resonance absorption spectrometry as the detection technique. To suppress consecutive bimolecular reactions, the initial concentrations were kept low (approximately 10(13) cm(-3)). Reaction was investigated at temperatures ranging from 1250 to 1650 K at pressures between 1 and 5 bar. The rate coefficients were determined from the initial slope of the hydrogen profile via k1 = [CH3CHO]0(-1) x d[H]/dt, and the temperature dependences observed can be expressed by the following Arrhenius equations: k1(T, 1.4 bar) = 2.9 x 10(14) exp(-38 120 K/T) s(-1), k1(T, 2.9 bar) = 2.8 x 10(14) exp(-37 170 K/T) s(-1), and k1(T, 4.5 bar) = 1.1 x 10(14) exp(-35 150 K/T) s(-1). Reaction was studied with C2H5I as the H-atom precursor under pseudo-first-order conditions with respect to CH3CHO in the temperature range 1040-1240 K at a pressure of 1.4 bar. For the temperature dependence of the rate coefficient the following Arrhenius equation was obtained: k6(T) = 2.6 x 10(-10) exp(-3470 K/T) cm(3) s(-1). Combining our results with low-temperature data published by other authors, we recommend the following expression for the temperature range 300-2000 K: k6(T) = 6.6 x 10(-18) (T/K) (2.15) exp(-800 K/T) cm(3) s(-1). The uncertainties of the rate coefficients k1 and k6 were estimated to be +/-30%.     

Multiple transmission-reflection infrared spectroscopy for high-sensitivity measurement of molecular monolayers on silicon surfaces

A new infrared spectroscopic measurement involving multiple transmissions and reflections for molecular monolayers adsorbed on silicon surfaces has been established. Compared to the well-known multiple internal reflection (MIR) method, the distinctive advantage of multiple transmission-reflection infrared spectroscopy (MTR-IR) is the convenient measurement using standard silicon wafers as samples, while in the MIR setup special fabrication of geometric shapes such as 45 degrees bevel cuts on an attenuated total reflection silicon crystal is needed. Both p- and s-polarized spectra can be obtained reproducibly with the same order of sensitivity as by the MIR spectroscopy. Optimal conditions for spectral acquisition have been obtained from theoretical calculations. The ability of this methodology to gather high quality infrared spectra of adsorbed monolayers is demonstrated and the analysis of the surface packing and molecular orientation is discussed.     

DNA microarrays: is there a role for analytical chemistry?

DNA microarrays, or "DNA chips", represent a relatively new technology that is having a profound impact on biology and medicine, yet analytical research into this area is somewhat sparse. This article presents an overview of DNA microarrays and their application to gene expression analysis from the perspective of analytical chemistry, treating aspects of array platforms, measurement, image analysis, experimental design, normalization, and data analysis. Typical approaches are described and unresolved issues are discussed, with a view to identifying some of the contributions that might be made by analytical chemists.     

Estimates for the extinction time for the Ricci flow on certain -manifolds and a question of Perelman

We show that the Ricci flow becomes extinct in finite time on any Riemannian -manifold without aspherical summands.

     

Q2 dependence of the neutron spin structure function g2(n) at low Q2

We present the first measurement of the Q2 dependence of the neutron spin structure function g2(n) at five kinematic points covering 0.57 (GeV/c)2 < or = Q2 < or = 1.34 (GeV/c)2 at x approximately = 0.2. Though the naive quark-parton model predicts g2 = 0, nonzero values occur in more realistic models of the nucleon which include quark-gluon correlations, finite quark masses, or orbital angular momentum. When scattering from a noninteracting quark, g2(n) can be predicted using next-to-leading order fits to world data for g1(n). Deviations from this prediction provide an opportunity to examine QCD dynamics in nucleon structure. Our results show a positive deviation from this prediction at lower Q2, indicating that contributions such as quark-gluon interactions may be important. Precision data obtained for g1(n) are consistent with next-to-leading order fits to world data.     

Wave chaos in real-world vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We report the onset of wave chaos in a real-world vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. In a joint experimental and modeling approach we demonstrate that a small deformation in one layer of the complicated laser structure changes the emission properties qualitatively. Based on the analysis of the spatial emission profiles and spectral eigenvalue spacing distributions, we attribute these changes to the transition from regular behavior to wave chaos, and justify the full analogy to two-dimensional billiards by model calculations. Hence, these lasers represent fascinating devices for wave chaos studies.