An introduction to induced loudness reduction

Induced loudness reduction (ILR) is a phenomenon by which a preceding higher-level tone (an inducer tone) reduces the loudness of a lower-level tone (a test tone). The strength of this effect depends on a number of parameters, reviewed here. Some of the implications of ILR on loudness data are presented via the analysis of several studies in which ILR likely resulted in otherwise unexplained biases in data sets. These results serve as examples of the pervasiveness of ILR in loudness measurements and indicate that it is necessary to consider ILR when designing any psychoacoustical experiment in which level varies.     

Progress in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion research at the laboratory for laser energetics

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is expected to demonstrate high gain on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the next decade and is a leading candidate for inertial fusion energy production. The demonstration of high areal densities in hydrodynamically scaled cryogenic DT or D₂ implosions with neutron yields that are a significant fraction of the “clean” 1-D predictions will validate the ignition-equivalent direct-drive target performance on the OMEGA laser at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). This paper highlights the recent experimental and theoretical progress leading toward achieving this validation in the next few years. The NIF will initially be configured for X-ray drive and with no beams placed at the target equator to provide a symmetric irradiation of a direct-drive capsule. LLE is developing the “polar-direct-drive” (PDD) approach that repoints beams toward the target equator. Initial 2-D simulations have shown ignition. A unique “Saturn-like” plastic ring around the equator refracts the laser light incident near the equator toward the target, improving the drive uniformity. LLE is currently constructing the multibeam, 2.6-kJ/beam, petawatt laser system OMEGA EP. Integrated fast-ignition experiments, combining the OMEGA EP and OMEGA Laser Systems, will begin in FY08.     

Control of spatiotemporal disorder in parametrically excited surface waves

Interacting surface waves, parametrically excited by two commensurate frequencies, yield a number of nonlinear states. Near the system's bicritical point, a state, highly disordered in space and time, results from competition between nonlinear states. Experimentally, this disordered state can be rapidly stabilized to a variety of nonlinear states via open-loop control with a small-amplitude third frequency excitation, whose temporal symmetry governs the temporal and the spatial symmetry of the selected nonlinear state. This technique also excites rapid switching between nonlinear states.     

Photoinduced magnetism, dynamics, and cluster glass behavior of a molecule-based magnet

We overview several recent experimental and numerical observations, which are at odds with the vortex glass theory of the freezing of disordered vortex matter. To reinvestigate the issue, we performed numerical simulations of the overdamped London-Langevin model, and use finite size scaling to analyze the data. Upon approaching the transition the initial vortex-glass-type criticality is arrested at some crossover temperature. Below this temperature the time scales continue growing very quickly, consistent with the Vogel-Fulcher form, while the spatial correlation length ξ stops exhibiting any observable divergence. We call this mode of freezing the vortex molasses scenario.     

An analytical-experimental estimation of elastic linear zone for photoelastic mode I SIF extraction

The traction continuity condition is used to delineate the elastic linear zone (ELZ) for the extraction of the Mode I stress intensity factor (SIF) from photoelastic data. The procedure requires an estimation, with the aid of experimental data, of some non-dimensional quantities which are the ratios of unknown parameters of the LEFM equations and the corresponding ones for an infinite body problem. Furthermore, the crack tip nonlinear zone is assumed to admit of plastic deformation with small-scale yielding.The estimation of the ELZ thus obtained seems to predict well the experimentally observed one.     

Crown compounds for anions. Sandwich complex of cyclic trimeric perfluoro-o-phenylenemercury with [B12H11SCN]2– anion

The reaction of cyclic trimeric perfluoro-o-phenylenemercury (o-C₆F₄Hg)₃ (1) with the polyhedral [B₁₂H₁₁SCN]^2– anion in THF at 20 °C affords the {[(o-C₆F₄Hg)₃](B₁₂H₁₁SCN)}^2– (4) and {[(o-C₆F₄Hg)₃]₂(B₁₂H₁₁SCN)}^2– (5) complexes. Complex 5 was isolated as the tetrabutylammonium salt. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that this complex has a bent-sandwich structure in which the [B₁₂H₁₁SCN]^2– anion is located between the planes of two molecules 1 and is coordinated to both these molecules through B—H—Hg bridges and S—Hg bonds. The stability constants of complexes 4 and 5 in THF (20 °C), which were determined from the IR spectroscopic data, are 16 L mol^–1 and 992 L² mol^–2, respectively.     

Influence of adding carbon nanotubes on photoelectric conversion properties of dye-doped titania gel

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were incorporated into amorphous dye-doped titania gel by the sol?Cgel method at room temperature. The working electrodes were prepared by coating the ITO glass with the sol?Cgel titania precursor containing the dye and MWCNTs. The photoelectric conversion properties of the electrodes were examined by simple spectroscopic and electric measurements. The photocurrent spectrum originated from the absorption of the dye. The short circuit photocurrent was enhanced by adding a small amount of MWCNTs evenly to the amorphous dye-doped titania gel. The open circuit voltage was due to the semiconducting characteristics property of the titania gel. The experimental results indicated the electron transport from the dye excited states to the MWCNTs through the titania gel. The MWCNTs functioned as bridges between the titania and ITO. Steam treatment of the titania gel electrodes significantly increased the photoelectric performance due to crystallization of the titania and enhancement of the dye?Ctitania interaction forming the chelate complex on the titania particle surface.     

Eu(III) macrocyclic complexes promote cleavage of and bind to models for the 5'-cap of mRNA. Effect of pendent group and a second metal ion

The interaction of three Eu(III) macrocyclic complexes Eu(THED)3+, Eu(ATHC)3+, and Eu(ATHC)3+, and Eu(S-THP)3+ with two 5'-cap model compounds, GpppG and m7GpppG is studied (THED = 1,4,7,10-tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,4,7,-10-tetraazacyclododecane, ATHC = 1-(carbamoylmethyl)-4,7,10-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,4,7,10- tetraazacyclododecane, S-THP = 1S,4S,7S,10S-tetrakis(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane). Laser-induced excitation luminescence spectroscopy is used to study the binding of Eu(S-THP)3+ to GpppG (K = 5.9 x 10(4) M-1) and to characterize the Eu(S-THP)-GpppG complex. Both Eu(THED)3+ and Eu(S-THP)3+ bind to m7GpppG as monitored by use of fluorescence spectroscopy with binding constants of 5.9 x 10(3) and 4.4 x 10(4) M-1, respectively. The kinetics of cleavage of GpppG by two macrocyclic complexes is studied. Cleavage of GpppG by Eu(THED)3+ is accelerated by 15-fold in the presence of an equivalent of Zn(NO3)2 at pH 7.3, 37 degrees C, suggesting that two metal ions accelerate the cap cleavage reaction. Eu(ATHC)3+ promotes cleavage of GpppG with a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 2.6 x 10(-5) s-1 at pH 7.3, 37 degrees C, and 0.30 mM complex.