Lorentz invariance with an invariant energy scale

We propose a modification of special relativity in which a physical energy, which may be the Planck energy, joins the speed of light as an invariant, in spite of a complete relativity of inertial frames and agreement with Einstein's theory at low energies. This is accomplished by a nonlinear modification of the action of the Lorentz group on momentum space, generated by adding a dilatation to each boost in such a way that the Planck energy remains invariant. The associated algebra has unmodified structure constants. We also discuss the resulting modifications of field theory and suggest a modification of the equivalence principle which determines how the new theory is embedded in general relativity.     

Subpicosecond laser ablation of copper and fused silica: Initiation threshold and plasma expansion

We investigated the subpicosecond laser ablation of copper and fused silica under 100 fs laser irradiation at 800 nm in vacuum by means of fast plume imaging and time- and space-resolved optical emission spectroscopy. We found that, to the difference of copper ablation, the laser-generated plasma from a fused silica target exhibited one “main” component only. The “slow” plasma component, observed during copper ablation and usually assigned to optical emission from nanoparticles was not detected by either plasma fast imaging or optical emission spectroscopy even when fused silica targets were submitted to the highest incident fluences used in our experiments. The characteristic expansion velocity of this unique component was about three times larger than the velocity of the fast plume component observed during copper ablation. The dependence of laser fluence on both plasma expansion and ablation rate was investigated and discussed in terms of ablation efficiency and initiation mechanisms.     

Integrated electro-optic platform using ferroelectric crystals with the point symmetry of orthorhombic mm2

We theoretically and numerically investigate the modulation efficiencies of integrated electro-optic (EO) modulators based on ferroelectric crystals with the point symmetry of orthorhombic mm2. An analytical expression describing the index-ellipsoid under the EO effect is derived, where all 5 non-zero linear EO coefficients of mm2-crystals are considered. As practical candidates for integrated EO platform, three mm2-crystals (KNbO₃, KTiOPO₄, and Ba₂NaNb₅O₁₅) that are well-established and commercially available are chosen for numerical simulations. The refractive-index (RI) changes caused by an external electric field applied to each crystal with an arbitrary direction are analyzed in detail for the given optical polarization states of input light wave. For each crystal, the modulation efficiency is evaluated in terms of the half-wave voltage required for a π-phase shift of input wave, which is compared with the established counterpart based on LiNbO₃. The results indicate that higher modulation efficiencies are achievable in the two schemes using KNbO₃ and Ba₂NaNb₅O₁₅ than those for other cases, meaning that either lower power-consuming or larger beam-window integrated EO devices are feasible.     

Utilization of Fly Ash Nanofluids in Two-phase Closed Thermosyphon for Enhancing Heat Transfer

This study investigates how fly ash nanofluids affect the thermal performance of a two-phase closed thermosyphon at various states of operation. The utilization of nanofluids obtained from X₂O₃-type oxides, such as Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, or CuO, on the improvement of two-phase closed thermosyphon performance was reported in a number of studies in the literature. The present study experimentally demonstrated the effect of using a nanofluid obtained from fly ash comprised of various types of metal oxides in varying ratios on improving the performance of a two-phase closed thermosyphon. The fly ash was obtained from the flue gas that was captured in the cyclones of the Yatagan thermal power plant (Turkey). Triton X-100 (Dow Chemical Company) dispersant was used in the study to produce the 0.2% (wt) fly ash/water nanofluid via direct synthesis. A straight copper tube with an inner diameter of 13 mm, outer diameter of 15 mm, and length of 1 m was used as the two-phase closed thermosyphon. The nanofluid filled 33.3% (44.2 ml) of the volume ofthe two-phase closed thermosyphon. Three heating power levels (200, 300, and 400 W) were used in the experiments with three different flow rates of cooling water (5, 7.5, and 10 g/s) used in the condenser for cooling the system. A increase of 26.39% was achieved in the efficiency of the two-phase closed thermosyphon when 4% (wt) fly ash containing nanofluid was used to replace deionized water at a heat load of 200 W and with a cooling water flow rate of 5 g/s.     

Electronic effects of heterocyclic ring systems as evaluated with the aid of 13C and 15N NMR chemical shifts and NBO analysis

The electronic effects of the 5‐ and 6‐membered heterocyclic rings on the C?N? N unit of five different hydrazone derivatives of pyridine‐2‐, ‐3‐ and ‐4‐carbaldehydes, pyrrole‐2‐carbaldehyde, furan‐2‐ and ‐3‐carbaldehydes and thiophene‐2‐ and ‐3‐carbaldehydes have been studied with the aid of ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR measurements together with the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. As model compounds are used the corresponding substituted benzaldehyde derivatives. The polarization of the C?N unit of the hydrazone functionality of the heteroaryl derivatives occurs in an analogous manner with that of phenyl derivatives. The electron‐withdrawing heteroaryl groups destabilize and the electron‐donating groups stabilize the positive charge development at the C?N carbon while the effect on the negative charge development is opposite. The ¹⁵N NMR chemical shift of the C?N and C?N? N nitrogens and the NBO charges at C?N? N unit can be correlated with the replacement substituent constants σ of the heteroaryl groups. ¹³C NMR shifts of the C?N carbon of N,N‐dialkylhydrazones of the heteroarenecarbaldehydes can be correlated with a dual parameter equation possessing the polar substituent constant σ* of the heteroaryl group and the electronegativity of the heteroatom as variables. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Generalized Hyperbolic Octonion Formulation for the Fields of Massive Dyons and Gravito-Dyons

The close analogy between electromagnetic theory and linear gravity is discussed by the hyperbolic (split) octonion formalism. Using the similarities between the relevant field equations of massive dyons in electromagnetic theory and gravito-dyons in linear gravity, a new mathematical model is proposed to formulate these fields in a compact and simple form. The generalized wave equation including both massive dyon and monopole terms is derived. Similarly, the most generalized form of hyperbolic octonionic Klein–Gordon equation is obtained for the hypothetical particle carrying simultaneously both electromagnetic and gravitational charges (masses).     

Analytic solution for the nondegenerate quantum control problem

We present an analytic solution for the nondegenerate quantum control problem, i.e., the transfer of a deliberate amount of population, 0%-100%, between arbitrary initial Psi(t)> and final Psi'(t)> states, which can be expanded in terms of nondegenerate energy eigenstates k>. The solution constitutes a robust two-photon multicomponent adiabatic passage, via an intermediate eigenstate 0>, which relies on three types of "null states."     

Characterization of the road surfaces in real time

The main factor in the propagation of traffic noise is the road surface, where the vehicles generate noise due to the contact between tire and pavement, in addition to the noise produced by the engine.     

Stopping power of low-energy deuterons in 3He gas

The stopping power of atomic and molecular deuterons in ³He gas was measured over the range E _d = 10 to 100 keV using the ³He pressure dependence of the ³He(d,p) ⁴He reaction yield. At energies above 30 keV, the observed stopping power values are in good agreement with a standard compilation. However, near 18 keV the experimental values drop by a factor 50 below the extrapolated values of the compilation. In a simple model, the behavior is due to the minimum 1s↦2s electron excitation of the He target atoms (= 19.8 eV, corresponding to E _d = 18.2 keV), i.e. it is a quantum effect, by which the atoms become nearly transparent for the ions.     

Dynamical event during slow crack propagation

We address the role of material heterogeneities on the propagation of a slow rupture at laboratory scale. With a high speed camera, we follow an in-plane crack front during its propagation through a transparent heterogeneous Plexiglas block. We obtain two major results. First, the slip along the interface is strongly correlated over scales much larger than the asperity sizes. Second, the dynamics is scale dependent. Locally, mechanical instabilities are triggered during asperity depinning and propagate along the front. The intermittent behavior at the asperity scale is in contrast with the large scale smooth creeping evolution of the average crack position. The dynamics is described on the basis of a Family-Vicsek scaling.