1H one- and two-dimensional five-pulse ESEEM investigations on a radiation center in betaine phosphite single crystals

1D and 2D five-pulse ESEEM experiments on a PO ₃ ^2? center in γ-irradiated betaine phosphite are presented to study the protons bound to the radical in more detail. The ESEEM results are in accordance with previous ENDOR investigations. From the 2D fivepulse ESEEM experiments the¹H ENDOR assignment in the ferroelectric ordered state of betaine phosphite could be completed. Additionally, the occurrence of ordered proton states in the disordered paraelectric high-temperature phase and of disordered proton states in the ordered ferroelectric low-temperature phase as well could be observed due to the enhanced resolution of the 2D method.     

The nature of the C-defects in nickel and their rôle in the interpretation of radiation damage in metals

In previous Perturbed-Angular-Correlation (PAC) studies of the - emission of ¹¹¹In probe nuclei in cold-worked or particle-irradiated nickel, it has been found that thermal annealing in the temperature regime of recovery stage III leads to the formation of so-called C-defects (Cubic defects). This is indicated by the occurrence of a new frequency of about 80 Mrad/s, in addition to the frequency (200 Mrad/s) that is due to ¹¹¹In on substitutional sites. Obviously, the C-defects are complexes consisting of ¹¹¹In and the intrinsic point-defect species that migrates freely in recovery stage III. Therefore, they have played an important rôle in the long-standing controversy on whether the recovery-stage-III defects are vacancies (one-interstitial model) or self-interstitials (two-interstitial model). The present paper reports on a novel experimental effort to reveal the nature of the C-defects by combining PAC studies on nickel samples differently pretreated in a systematic way, investigations of the Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) on In-doped nickel, and measurements of the decay rate of ¹¹¹In nuclei in the Electron-Capture-Induced Decay (ECID). On the basis of the results of these experiments it is concluded that the defects trapped by substitutional ¹¹¹In atoms (In_s) in recovery stage III are self-interstitials (I), as expected according to the two-interstitial model. Moreover, there is evidence that the C-defects are In interstitials on tetrahedral sites (In_i) that form exclusively in the vicinity of the specimen surface from In_s – I pairs via the reaction In_s+I In_i.     

Spectro-streak picosecond studies of intramolecular charge-transfer fluorescence

A spectro-streak photometer, an instrument for simultaneously measuring fluorescence intensity, time, and wavelength,I(t, ), with a single picosecond excitation pulse, has been constructed. Two typical and currently highly topical examples of mesurements are discussed. (1) the temporal development of the fluorescence form the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) state of the rigid aromatic compound 4,5-(1-methylindolino)3,4-naphthanthracene is studied in the protic solvent hexanol. (2) Propyl chain-linked pyrene/N,N-dimethylaniline is used as the model compound to study conformational changes associated with the transition from a contact ion pair to a sandwich exciplex.     

Photorefractive properties of ruthenium-doped potassium niobate

Photoconductivities and photovoltaic currents of ruthenium-doped KNbO₃ are orders of magnitude larger than that of undoped and ion-doped crystals. KNbO₃:Ru is very sensitive for holographic recording with red light and the photovoltaic current increases sublinearly with light intensity.     

Germination, growth rates, and electron microscope analysis of tomato seeds flown on the LDEF

The purpose of the experiment was to determine cosmic rays long-term effects on living tissue. A batch of tomato seeds were flown in orbit aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) for almost 6 y. During this time, the seeds received an abundant exposure to cosmic radiation. Upon the return of the LDEF to Earth, the seeds were distributed throughout the United States and 30 foreign countries for analysis. Our university analysis included germination and growth rates as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray analysis of the control as well as space exposed tomato seeds.

In analyzing the seeds under the electron microscope, usual observations were performed on the nutritional and epidermis layer of the seed. These layers appeared to be more porous in the space exposed seeds than on Earth-based control seeds. This unusual characteristic may explain the increases in the space seeds growth pattern. (Several test results showed that the space-exposed seeds germinated sooner than Earth-based seeds. Also, the space-exposed seeds grew at a faster rate.) The porous nutritional region may allow the seeds to receive necessary nutrients and liquids more readily, thus enabling the plant to grow at a faster rate.

Roots, leaves and stems were cut into small sections and mounted. After sputter coating the specimens with argon/gold palladium plasma, they were viewed under the electron microscope. Many micrographs were taken. The X-ray analysis displayed possible identifications of calcium, potassium, chlorine, copper, aluminum, silicon, phosphate, carbon, and sometimes sulfur and iron. The highest concentrations were shown in potassium and calcium. As a result of the electron interaction and X-ray production within the open seeds, the traditional layers of the space-exposed seed gave peaks of Mg, P and S, while the Earth seed gave an iron peak, which was not detected in the space-exposed seed because of electron beam positioning difference. The space-exposed seed and the Earth-control seed specimens displayed high concentrations of copper.     

Isotope anomalies of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen in peat from the area of the tunguska cosmic body explosion (1908)

Abstract Peat profiles from the area of the Tunguska explosion epicentre indicate significant carbon and hydrogen isotopic effects which are clearly associated with the zone of the 1908 "catastrophe", and which cannot be attributed to any known terrestrial processes. We explain them with the presence of extraterrestrial matter similar to carbonaceous chondrites or, more probably, to cometary matter. Initial data on nitrogen content and its isotope composition are consistent with the assumption of acid rainfall following the passage and explosion of the Tunguska cosmic body, as is known to have occurred during the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary.