String Thermalization in Static Spacetimes

We study the evolution, the transverse spreadingand the subsequent thermalization of string states inthe Weyl static axisymmetric spacetime. This possessesa singular event horizon on the symmetry axis and a naked singularity along the otherdirections. The branching diffusion process of stringbits approaching the singular black-hole horizonprovides the notion of the temperature that iscalculated for this process. We find that the solution of theFokker-Planck equation in the phase space of thetransverse variables of the string, can be factored asa product of two thermal distributions, provided that the classical conjugate variables satisfy theuncertainty principle. We comment on the possiblephysical significance of this result.     

Supercritical biharmonic equations with power-type nonlinearity

We study two different versions of a supercritical biharmonic equation with a power-type nonlinearity. First, we focus on the equation Δ² u = |u| ^p-1 u over the whole space , where n > 4 and p > (n + 4)/(n − 4). Assuming that p < p _c, where p _c is a further critical exponent, we show that all regular radial solutions oscillate around an explicit singular radial solution. As it was already known, on the other hand, no such oscillations occur in the remaining case p ≥ p _c. We also study the Dirichlet problem for the equation Δ² u = λ (1 + u) ^p over the unit ball in , where λ > 0 is an eigenvalue parameter, while n > 4 and p > (n + 4)/(n − 4) as before. When it comes to the extremal solution associated to this eigenvalue problem, we show that it is regular as long as p < p _c. Finally, we show that a singular solution exists for some appropriate λ > 0.      

BRST analysis of the gauged SU(2) WZW model and Darboux’s transformations

The four dimensional SU(2) WZW model coupled to electromagnetism is treated as a constraint system in the context of the Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky formalism. Common features with the Faddeev-Jackiw approach are stressed and the same results are obtained. The Darboux’s transformations which are used to diagonalize the canonical one-form in the Faddeev-Jackiw formalism, are shown to transform the fields of the model into BRST and σ closed. The same analysis is also carried out in the case of spinor electrodynamics.     

The special status ofη 1 in QCD

On the basis of the approximate vanishing of the singlet axial charge of the nucleon, it is argued that ₁ should decouple from all hadrons constructed out of the constituentu, d ors quarks in theU(3) _L ×U(3) _R chiral limit for largeN _c . Furthermore ₁ should dominate the processesJ/, . A phenomenological analysis of the and couplings to many hadronic states is consistent with these results.     

Mechanistic studies on the O-directed free-radical hydrostannation of disubstituted acetylenes with Ph3SnH and Et3B and on the iodination of allylically oxygenated alpha-triphenylstannylalkenes

[reaction: see text] The free-radical hydrostannation of 1 with Ph(3)SnH and catalytic Et(3)B in PhMe has been mechanistically probed. At high Ph(3)SnH concentrations, the O-directed hydrostannation pathway dominates, and 2 is formed with good selectivity (ca. 11.1:1). Substantially lower stannane/substrate concentrations increase the amount of tandem 5-exo-trig cyclization product 3 that is observed.     

Mechanism of gold metal ion reduction, nanoparticle growth and size control in aqueous amphiphilic block copolymer solutions at ambient conditions

Spontaneous formation and efficient stabilization of gold nanoparticles with an average diameter of 7 approximately 20 nm from hydrogen tetrachloroaureate(III) hydrate (HAuCl4.3H2O) were achieved in air-saturated aqueous poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) block copolymer solutions at ambient temperature in the absence of any other reducing agent. The particle formation mechanism is considered here on the basis of the block copolymer concentration dependence of absorption spectra, the time dependence (kinetics) of AuCl4- reduction, and the block copolymer concentration dependence of particle size. The effects of block copolymer characteristics such as molecular weight (MW), PEO block length, PPO block length, and critical micelle concentration (cmc) are explored by examining several PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymers. Our observations suggest that the formation of gold nanoparticles from AuCl4- comprises three main steps: (1) reduction of metal ions by block copolymer in solution, (2) absorption of block copolymer on gold clusters and reduction of metal ions on the surface of these gold clusters, and (3) growth of metal particles stabilized by block copolymers. While both PEO and PPO blocks contribute to the AuCl4- reduction (step 1), the PEO contribution appears to be dominant. In step 2, the adsorption of block copolymers on the surface of gold clusters takes place because of the amphiphilic character of the block copolymer (hydrophobicity of PPO). The much higher efficiency of particle formation attained in the PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymer systems as compared to PEO homopolymer systems can be attributed to the adsorption and growth processes (steps 2 and 3) facilitated by the block copolymers. The size of the gold nanoparticles produced is dictated by the above mechanism; the size increases with increasing reaction activity induced by the block copolymer overall molecular weight and is limited by adsorption due to the amphiphilic character of the block copolymers.     

Single-step synthesis and stabilization of metal nanoparticles in aqueous pluronic block copolymer solutions at ambient temperature

A single-step synthesis of gold nanoparticles with an average diameter of approximately 10 nm from hydrogen tetrachloroaureate(III) hydrate (HAuCl4.3H2O) has been achieved in air-saturated aqueous solutions that contain poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) block copolymers but not any other reducing agent. These amphiphilic block copolymers act as both reductants and colloidal stabilizers and prove very efficient in both functions. The formation of gold nanoparticles is controlled by the overall molecular weight and relative block length of the block copolymer. The synthesis procedure reported here is environmentally benign and economic, as it involves the minimum possible number of components: it uses water as the solvent, it uses commercially available polymers, it proceeds fast to completion, and it results in a "ready-to-use" product.     

High-K multi-quasiparticle states in No

We report results from an experiment on the decay of the high-K isomers in ²⁵⁴No. We have been able to establish the decay from the known high-lying four-quasiparticle isomer, which we assign as a Kπ=¹⁶⁺${\mathrm{K}}^{\pi }={16}^{+}$ state at an excitation energy of Ex=2.928(3) MeV${\mathrm{E}}_x=2.928(3)\text{MeV}$. The decay of this state passes through a rotational band based on a previously unobserved state at Ex=2.012(2) MeV${\mathrm{E}}_x=2.012(2)\text{MeV}$, which we suggest is based on a two-quasineutron configuration with Kπ=¹⁰⁺${\mathrm{K}}^{\pi }={10}^{+}$. This state in turn decays to a rotational band based on the known Kπ=⁸⁻${\mathrm{K}}^{\pi }=8^{-}$ isomer, which we infer must also have a two quasineutron configuration. We are able to assign many new gamma-rays associated with the decay of the Kπ=⁸⁻${\mathrm{K}}^{\pi }=8^{-}$ isomer, including the identification of a highly K-forbidden ΔK=8$\mathrm{\Delta }\mathrm{K}=8$ E1 transition to the ground-state band. These results provide valuable new information on the orbitals close to the Fermi surface, pairing correlations, deformation and rotational response, and K-conservation in nuclei of the deformed trans-fermium region.