Measurement of the neutrino asymmetry parameter B in neutron decay

A new measurement of the neutrino asymmetry parameter B in neutron decay, the angular correlation between neutron spin and antineutrino momentum, is presented. The result, B=0.9802(50), confirms earlier measurements but features considerably smaller corrections. It agrees with the standard model expectation and permits updated tests on "new physics" in neutron decay.     

Some aspects of the optical techniques for strain determination

In a general view, a comparison is made of different optical methods where either photoelastic models, opaque bodies with transparent coatings or noncontacted objects are examinèd with coherent light. Further, it is tried to show that some common features are contained by the three groups. These aspects concern the separation, by controlled determination, of displacement, rotation and strain (or of certain of their components), the multiplication of the optical effects in the detection and the elimination of secondary influences. In particular, the noncontacting method of wavefront reconstruction with double-exposure holograms is discussed and the role of the localization condition for the fringes in space is analyzed. On the other hand, it is illustrated that, besides the generally known birefringence and diffraction. use could be made of nonorthodox effects like rotation of the plane of polarization, second-harmonic generation in nonlinear optics, etc. This may, for instance, contribute to the optical instrumentation when transparent models and bodies with photoelastic coatings are investigated under the above aspects.     

Homogenized equations of motion for rod bundles in fluid with periodic structure

Summary Homogenized or averaged equations of motion are deduced for linear dynamic fluid-structure interactions of rod bundles immersed in an acoustical fluid. The equations define an effective density tensor which couples the fluid and rod accelerations. In the pressure wave equation a sound speed tensor arises. The theory assumes that the bundle consists of a periodic lattice of cells with diameters which are very small in comparison to the bundle diameter and that cell averages are smooth functions in space and time. The derivation is based on Hamilton's principle. For the specific case of circular cylindrical rods in a square pattern the tensors are given numerically and the fluid-structure interaction effects are discussed.

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Übersicht Es werden homogenisierte oder gemittelte Bewegungs-Gleichungen für lineare, dynamische Fluid-Struktur-Wechselwirkungen von Stabbündeln in einem akustischen Fluid abgeleitet. Die Gleichungen definieren einen Tensor der effektiven Dichten, der die Fluid- und Stabbeschleunigungen koppelt. In der Wellengleichung für das Druckfeld tritt ein Schallgeschwindigkeits-Tensor auf. Die Theorie unterstellt, daß das Bündel aus einem periodischen Gitter von Zellen besteht, deren Abmaße sehr klein sind im Vergleich zum Bündeldurchmesser und daß Zellen-Mittelwerte glatte Funktionen in Raum und Zeit sind. Die Ableitungen gehen aus vom Hamiltonschen Prinzip. Für den Sonderfall von kreisförmigen, zylindrischen Stäben in quadratischer Anordnung werden die Tensoren zahlenmäßig angegeben und die Effekte der Fluid-Struktur-Wechselwirkungen diskutiert.

     

Optimal enough?

An alleged weakness of heuristic optimisation methods is the stochastic character of their solutions: instead of finding the truly optimal solution, they only provide a stochastic approximation of this optimum. In this paper we look into a particular application, portfolio optimisation. We demonstrate that the randomness of the ‘optimal’ solution obtained from the algorithm can be made so small that for all practical purposes it can be neglected. More importantly, we look at the relevance of the remaining uncertainty in the out-of-sample period. The relationship between in-sample fit and out-of-sample performance is not monotonous, but still, we observe that up to a point better solutions in-sample lead to better solutions out-of-sample. Beyond this point there is no more cause for improving the solution any further: any in-sample improvement leads out-of-sample only to financially meaningless improvements and unpredictable changes (noise) in performance.     

Syntheses and structures of heterometallic clusters by the reaction of o-carboranyl cobaltadichalcogenolato complexes

Metalladichalcogenolate cluster complexes [Cp'Co{E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))}]{Co2(CO)5} [Cp' = eta5-C5H5, E = S(3a), E = Se(3b); Cp' = eta5-C5(CH3)5, E = S(4a), E = Se(4b)], {CpCo[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)Mo(CO)2] [E = S(5a), Se(5b)], Cp*Co(micro2-CO)Mo(CO)(py)2[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [E = S(6a), Se(6b)], Cp*Co[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]Mo(CO)2[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [E = S(7a), Se(7b)], (Cp'Co[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]W(CO)2 [E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [Cp' = eta5-C5H5, E = S(8a), E = Se(8b); Cp' = eta5-C5(CH3)5, E = S(9a), E = Se(9b)], {CpCo[E(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))]}(2)Ni [E = S(10a), Se(10b)] and 3,4-(PhCN(4)S)-3,1,2-[PhCN(4)SCo(Cp)S(2)]-3,1,2-CoC(2)B(9)H(8) 12 were synthesized by the reaction of [Cp'CoE(2)C(2)(B(10)H(10))] [Cp' = eta5-C5H5, E = S(1a), E = Se(1b); Cp' = eta5-C5(CH3)5, E = S(2a), E = Se(2b)] with Co2(CO)8, M(CO)3(py)3 (M = Mo, W), Ni(COD)2, [Rh(COD)Cl]2, and LiSCN4Ph respectively. Their spectrum analyses and crystal structures were investigated. In this series of multinuclear complexes, 3a,b and 4a,b contain a closed Co3 triangular geometry, while in complexes 5a-7b three different structures were obtained, the tungsten-cobalt mixed-metal complexes have only the binuclear structure, and the nickel-cobalt complexes were obtained in the trinuclear form. A novel structure was found in metallacarborane complex 12, with a B-S bond formed at the B(7) site. The molecular structures of 4a, 5a, 6a, 7b, 9a, 9b, 10a and 12 have been determined by X-ray crystallography.