Spacetime Topology from the Tomographic Histories Approach: Part II

As an inverse problem, we recover the topology of the effective spacetime that a system lies in, in an operational way. This means that from a series of experiments we get a set of points corresponding to events. This continues the previous work done by the authors. Here the relativistic case is considered. The existence of upper bound in the speed of transfer of matter and information induces a partial order on the set of events. While the actual partial order is not known in our operational set up, the grouping of events to (unordered) subsets corresponding to possible histories, is given. From this we recover the partial order up to certain ambiguities that are then classified. Finally two different ways to recover the topology are sketched and their interpretation is discussed.     

Effects of MHD free convection and mass transfer on the flow past an oscillating infinite coaxial vertical circular cylinder

The effects of MHD free convection and mass transfer are taken into account on the flow past oscillating infinite coaxial vertical circular cylinder. The analytical expressions for velocity, temperature and concentration of the fluid are obtained by using perturbation technique.

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Einwirkungen von freier MHD-Konvektion und Stoffübertragung auf eine Strömung nach einem schwingenden unendlichen koaxialen vertikalen Zylinder

Zusammenfassung Die Einwirkungen der freien MHD-Konvektion und Stoffübertragung auf eine Strömung nach einem schwingenden, unendlichen, koaxialen, vertikalen Zylinder wurden untersucht. Die analytischen Ausdrücke der Geschwindigkeit, Temperatur und Fluidkonzentration sind durch die Perturbationstechnik erhalten worden.

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Nomenclature C _p Specific heat at constant temperature - C the species concentration near the circular cylinder - C _w the species concentration of the circular cylinder - C the species concentration of the fluid at infinite - * dimensionless species concentration - D chemical molecular diffusivity - g acceleration due to gravity - Gr Grashof number - Gm modified Grashof number - K thermal conductivity - Pr Prandtl number - r _a ,r _b radius of inner and outer cylinder - a, b dimensionless inner and outer radius - r,r coordinate and dimensionless coordinate normal to the circular cylinder - Sc Schmidt number - t time - t dimensionless time - T temperature of the fluid near the circular cylinder - T _w temperature of the circular cylinder - T temperature of the fluid at infinite - u velocity of the fluid - u dimensionless velocity of the fluid - U ₀ reference velocity - z,z coordinate and dimensionless coordinate along the circular cylinder - coefficient of volume expansion - * coefficient of thermal expansion with concentration - dimensionless temperature - H ₀ magnetic field intensity - coefficient of viscosity - _e permeability (magnetic) - kinematic viscosity - electric conductivity - density - M Hartmann number - dimensionless skin-friction - frequency - dimensionless frequency     

Experimental and theoretical Mössbauer study of an extended family of [Fe8(μ4-O)4(μ-4-R-px)12X4] clusters

Six [Fe(8)(μ(4)-O)(4)(μ-4-R-pyrazolato)(12)X(4)] complexes containing an identical Fe(8)(μ(4)-O)(4) core have been structurally characterized and studied by M?ssbauer spectroscopy. In each case, an inner μ(4)-O bridged Fe(III) cubane core is surrounded by four trigonal bipyramidal iron centers, the two distinct sites occurring in a 1:1 ratio. The M?ssbauer spectrum of each of the clusters consists of two quadrupole doublets, which, with one exception (X = NCS, R = H), overlap to give three absorption lines. The systematic variation of X and R causes significant changes in the M?ssbauer spectra. A comparison with values for the same clusters computed using density functional theory allows us to establish an unequivocal assignment of these peaks in terms of a nested model for the overlapping doublets. The changes in M?ssbauer parameters (both experimental and computed) for the 1-electron reduced species [Fe(8)(μ(4)-O)(4)(μ-4-Cl-pyrazolato)(12)Cl(4)](-) are consistent with a redox event that is localized within the cubane core.     

Relative response of TL and component-resolved OSL to alpha and beta radiations in annealed sedimentary quartz

Knowledge of the relative luminescence response to alpha and beta radiation is very important in TL and OSL dating. In the present study the relative alpha to beta response is studied in a sedimentary quartz sample, previously fired at 900 °C for 1 h, in the dose region between 1 and 128 Gy, for both thermoluminescence (TL) and linearly modulated optically stimulated luminescence (LM – OSL). The LM – OSL measurements were performed at room temperature and at 125 °C. All OSL signals were deconvolved into their individual components. Comparison of OSL curves after alpha and beta irradiation strongly supports that quartz OSL components follow first order kinetics in both cases. In the case of TL, the relative alpha to beta response is found to be very different for each TL glow-peak, but it does not depend strongly on irradiation dose. In the case of LM – OSL measurements, it is found that the relative behaviour of the alpha to beta response is different for three distinct regions, namely the fast OSL component, the region of medium OSL component originating from the TL glow-peak at 110 °C when stimulation takes place at room temperature and finally the region of slow OSL component. Following stimulation at ambient temperature, the relative alpha to beta response of all components was not observed to depend significantly on dose, with the value of ratio being 0.03 and a tendency to decrease with increasing dose. However, in the case of measurements performed at 125 °C, the relative response of the fast components is much enhanced, and for the remaining components it increases with increasing dose. Special care must be taken to examine the relative alpha to beta response of the fast component at 125 °C which contrasts the relative response of the TL peak at ca. 325 °C. The implications for the dating of annealed quartz are also briefly discussed.     

Dye-sensitized intrazeolite photooxygenation of 4-substituted cyclohexenes. Remote substituent effects in regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity

The product distribution in the dye-sensitized photooxygenation of α-terpinyl acetate and terpinen-4-ol is quite similar in solution, however, by zeolite Y confinement, is substantially influenced by the position of the remote polar substituents relative to the reacting double bond. The intrazeolite results were rationalized in terms of Na⁺-substrate and Na⁺-singlet oxygen interactions.     

Tuning of the [Cu3(mu-O)]4+/5+ redox couple: spectroscopic evidence of charge delocalization in the mixed-valent [Cu3(mu-O)]5+ species

Trinuclear Cu (II)-complexes of formula [Cu (II) 3(mu 3-E)(mu-4-R-pz) 3X 3] (+/- n ), E = O and OH; R = H, Cl, Br, CH(O) and NO 2; X = Cl, NCS, CH 3COO, and py, have been synthesized and characterized and the effect of substitution of terminal ligands, as well as 4-R-groups, in the one-electron oxidation process has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry. In situ UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemical characterization of the mixed valence Cu 3 (7+)-complex [Cu 3(mu 3-O)(mu-pz) 3Cl 3] (-) revealed an intervalence charge transfer band at 9550 cm (-1) (epsilon = 2600 cm (-1) M (-1)), whose analysis identifies this species as a delocalized, Robin-Day class-III system, with an electronic coupling factor, H ab, of 4775 cm (-1).     

Electrochemical promotion of conventional and bipolar reactor configurations for NO reduction

The reduction of NO by CO or C₃H₆ in the presence of O₂, a reaction of great technological importance, was investigated on porous polycrystalline Rh catalyst films using a single-chamber and a wireless bipolar cell configuration. In the latter case the Rh catalyst films were deposited on the inner side of a YSZ tube, while two Au films deposited on the outer side of the tubes were used to polarize the Rh catalyst surface. The experimental conditions used in this study were close to those in the exhaust of a lean burn or diesel engine, i.e., high flowrates and space velocities and in some cases, considerable excess of oxygen. It was found that both direct (conventional) and indirect (wireless) polarization of the catalyst causes significant enhancement in the reaction rates (up to a factor of 20) and in the reactant conversion. These rate increases are strongly non-Faradaic with apparent Faradaic efficiencies, A, in the order of 100, manifesting the effect of Electrochemical Promotion or Non-faradaic Electrochemical Modification of Catalytic Activity (NEMCA). The Rh catalyst films were subsequently promoted in a classical way, via dry impregnation with NaOH, followed by drying and calcination. The thus Na-promoted Rh films were found to exhibit higher catalytic activity than the unpromoted films, with a considerable decrease in their light-off temperature. The effect of Electrochemical Promotion was then studied on these, already Na-promoted Rh catalysts. The results showed that the effect of Chemical and Electrochemical Promotion on the catalyst performance can be synergetic and their combination may lead to interesting practical applications. This is further supported by the fact that such bipolar tube configurations: (a) do not need electrical connection to the catalyst and (b) can be adapted easier to commercial exhaust units. Paper presented at the 8th EuroConference on Ionics, Carvoeiro, Algarve, Portugal, Sept. 16 – 22, 2001.     

Systematische Fehler bei der Selenbestimmung im ng/g-Bereich in biologischen Matrices nach dem Hydrid-AAS-Verfahren

Zusammenfassung Vier biologische Standardreferenz-substanzen (NBS und IAEA) werden mit zwei unterschiedlichen Aufschlußmethoden, einem Naßaufschluß mit einem HNO₃/HClO₃/HClO₄-Gemisch nach optimiertem Temperatur-Zeit-Programm sowie einer Verbrennungsmethode im Sauerstoffstrom (Trace-O-Mat), mineralisiert und die Selengehalte der Aufschlußlösungen nach der Hydrid-AAS-Methode bestimmt. Dabei treten gegenüber den zertifizierten Selengehalten mit zunehmender Einwaage Minusbefunde auf, die — von den Aufschlußmethoden unabhängig — auf sich addierende Querstörungen durch Begleitelemente im g/g-Bereich bei der Selenhydridbildung zurückzuführen sind, wie bereits an anderer Stelle [3] beschrieben wurde.

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Systematic errors in the determination of selenium in the ng/g-range in biological matrices by the hydride-AAS method

Summary Four biological standard-reference materials (NBS and IAEA) were mineralized with two independent decomposition methods — a wet decomposition with a mixture of HNO₃/HClO₃/HClO₄ using an optimized temperature-time programme, and a combustion method in an oxygen stream (Trace-O-Mat). The selenium contents of the decomposition solutions were determined by the hydride-AAS method. The selenium concentrations were in agreement with the certified values at low sample weights, but decreased as the sample weights were increased. This effect is independent of the decomposition method, but is caused by interferences of concomitant elements in the g/g-range with the formation of selenium hydride, as has been previously discussed [3].

Diese Arbeit wurde in dankenswerter Weise von der Fa. Sandoz AG, Basel, unterstützt.