Astrophysical S-factors from asymptotic normalization coefficients

S-factors for direct capture reactions can be found at astrophysical energies from asymptotic normalization coefficients which provide the normalization of the tail of the overlap function. For example the overlap for ⁸B → ⁷Be+p defines the S-factor for ⁷Be (p, γ)⁸B. Peripheral transfer reactions offer a technique to determine these asymptotic normalization coefficients. As a test of the technique, the ¹⁶O(³He, d)¹⁷F reaction has been used to determine asymptotic normalization coefficients for transitions to the ground and first excited states of ¹⁷F. The S-factors for ¹⁶O(p, γ)¹⁷F calculated from these ¹⁷F → ¹⁶O+p asymptotic normalization coefficients are found to be in very good agreement with recent measurements. Following the same technique, the ¹⁰B(⁷Be, ⁸B)⁹Be and ¹⁴N(⁷Be, ⁸B)¹³C reactions have been used to measure the asymptotic normalization coefficient for ⁷Be(p, γ)⁸B. This result provides an indirect determination of S ₁₇(0).     

Isolation of NO(3)(-)-N as 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol (Sudan-1) for measurement of delta(15)N

The conversion of nitrate (NO(3)(-)) to 1-phenylazo-2-naphthol (Sudan-1) has been examined as a method for natural abundance measurement of delta(15)N of NO(3)(-). The reaction results in dilution of NO(3)(-)-N with only one reagent-derived N and the product is readily concentrated from dilute samples by reverse phase chromatography. There is systematic isotopic fractionation during the reaction, but this can be allowed for by analysing known NO(3)(-) standards along with each sample set. Sudan-1 prepared from surface water samples containing approximately 50 &mgr;g NO(3)(-)-N can be analysed by automated continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry with a precision of 0.2 per thousand (one standard deviation) and the accuracy is not affected by interference from other nitrogenous species in the sample or reagents. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combinatorics of reliability Monte Carlo

We study one class of unbiased Monte Carlo estimators for system reliability, avoiding the rare event difficulty. This class is closely related to the system combinatorics and contains unique “extreme” members, having the minimum and maximum relative error. Some known Monte Carlo heuristics for network reliability, including fully polynomial cases, are of this type. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 14: 329–343, 1999     

Anisotropic effects in surface acoustic wave propagation from a point source in a crystal

Strong anisotropic effects in the propagation of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) from a point-like source are studied experimentally and theoretically. Nanosecond SAW pulses are generated by focused laser pulses and detected with a cw probe laser beam at a large distance from the source compared to the SAW wavelength, which allows us to resolve fine intricate features in SAW wavefronts. In our theoretical model, we represent the laser excitation by a localized impulsive force acting on the sample surface and calculate the far-field surface response of an elastically anisotropic solid to such a force. The model simulates the measured SAW waveforms very well and accounts for all experimentally observed features. Using the data obtained for the (111) and (001) surfaces of GaAs, we describe a variety of effects encountered in the SAW propagation from a point source in crystals. The most interesting phenomenon is the existence of cuspidal structures in SAW wavefronts resulting in multiple SAW arrivals for certain ranges of the observation angle. Cuspidal edges correspond to the phonon focusing directions yielding sharp peaks in the SAW amplitude. A finite SAW wavelength results in internal diffraction whereby the SAW wavefront spreads beyond the group velocity cusps. Degeneration of a SAW into a transverse bulk wave is another strong effect influencing the anisotropy of the SAW amplitude and making whole sections of the SAW wavefront including some phonon focusing directions unobservable in the experiment. The propagation of a leaky SAW mode (pseudo-SAW) is affected by a specific additional effect i.e. anisotropic attenuation. We also demonstrate that many of the discussed features are reproduced in powder patterns, a simple technique developed by us earlier for visualization of SAW amplitude anisotropy.Received: 17 June 2003, Published online: 15 October 2003PACS: 43.35.+d Ultrasonics, quantum acoustics, and physical effects of sound - 68.35.Gy Mechanical properties; surface strains - 62.65.+k Acoustical properties of solidsA.M. Lomonosov: On leave from the General Physics Institute, 117942 Moscow, Russia     

Lunar orbital radio detector and detection potential of ultrahigh-energy particles

The problems of ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray and neutrino detection are considered. It is shown that the radio method is most promising for detecting particles with the highest energies in the Nature. The concept of the LORD experiment is proposed, in which a radio wave detector is installed aboard a circumlunar satellite. The structure and operating principle of this instrument are described. Based on an analytical approach and Monte Carlo simulation, a high scientific potential of the LORD experiment is demonstrated, whose capability to detect particles with limiting energies is much higher than that of all currently existing systems.     

On the neutral stability of a shock wave in real media

The results of the theoretical analysis and computer simulation of the behavior of neutrally stable shock waves with real (van der Waals gas, magnesium) equations of state are presented. An approach is developed in which the region of the neutral stability of a shock wave for each pressure value in front of the wave is determined from the analysis of the equation of state. A simple algorithm is developed to determine the cause of acoustic perturbations (a shock front or an external source) immediately from the flow pattern. In contrast to the predictions of the linear theory, the amplitude of the perturbations of the neutrally stable shock wave decreases with time, although this process is noticeably slower than in the case of an absolutely stable shock wave.     

Diagnostics of residual stress in metals with wideband surface acoustic pulses

A method for diagnostics of biaxial residual stress in metals with the use of short pulses of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) is discussed. Laser thermoelastic excitation of SAW pulses with a length of about 30 ns and piezoelectric detection by a specially designed wedgelike receiver with a high time resolution are used. Relative variations in the phase and group SAW velocities due to the presence of a weld are measured experimentally in two mutually perpendicular directions. The frequency range of measurements was 5–25 MHz, which corresponds to a depth of SAW penetration of about 120–600 μm. Measurements were conducted on samples made of 12X18H10T stainless steel with planar dimensions of 105 × 76 mm and thickness h = 8 mm, which were welded along the axis by an electron beam. The weld width was 5–7 mm. After the measurements, the samples were investigated by the fracture method based on the technique of a complete relief. The results of measurements are compared with the data obtained by fracture tests. The potential of the studied method is analyzed, and the measurement errors are estimated.     

On Conditions for <Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript>-Dissipativity of Linearized Explicit QGD Finite-Difference Schemes for One-Dimensional Gas Dynamics Equations

An explicit two-level in time and spatially symmetric finite-difference scheme approximating the 1D quasi-gasdynamic system of equations is studied. The scheme is linearized about a constant solution, and new necessary and sufficient conditions for the L²-dissipativity of solutions to the Cauchy problem are derived, including, for the first time, the case of a nonzero background velocity and depending on the Mach number. It is shown that the condition on the Courant number can be made independent of the Mach number. The results provide a substantial development of the well-known stability analysis of the linearized Lax–Wendroff scheme.