Collision-induced absorption of hydrogen deuteride dissolved in liquid neon

First observation of the collision-induced IR-fundamental band of hydrogen deuteride (HD) in liquid neon is described. A developed intracell rattling model yields highly accurate fits to the measured diffuse Q1-branch profiles enabling a detailed shape analysis of the adjacent spectral lines. Strong intracollisional anticorrelation found at the location of the permanent dipole-allowed R1(0) transition is interpreted in the frame of the Fano-Mori theory. A new striking narrowing effect (by 30%) is observed on the sharp Q(q)(1)(0) vibrational line with increasing HD concentration in solutions. The T1(0), U1(0) and a few pair transitions are identified in the spectrum.     

A mixed-bridging ligand nonanuclear Ru(II) dendrimer containing a tris- chelating core. Synthesis and redox properties

The first ligand-cored dendrimer based on branching Ru(II) centers and containing mixed polypyridine bridging ligands has been prepared; redox experiments suggest that the redox-active core is not reduced at the expected potential, probably as a consequence of shielding induced by the rigid dendritic array.     

Ortho-Babinet polarization-interrogating filter: an interferometric approach to polarization measurement

A novel, interferometric, polarization-interrogating filter assembly and method for the simultaneous measurement of all four Stokes parameters across a partially polarized irradiance image in a no-moving-parts, instantaneous, highly sensitive manner is described. In the reported embodiment of the filter, two spatially varying linear retarders and a linear polarizer comprise an ortho-Babinet, polarization-interrogating (OBPI) filter. The OBPI filter uniquely encodes the incident ensemble of electromagnetic wave fronts comprising a partially polarized irradiance image in a controlled, deterministic, spatially varying manner to map the complete state of polarization across the image to local variations in a superposed interference pattern. Experimental interferograms are reported along with a numerical simulation of the method.     

Acousto-optic lens for pulsed lasers

Theoretical predictions of the acousto-optic interaction under Raman-Nath conditions of ultrasound and laser light with a beam width w comparable to or smaller than the ultrasonic wavelength lambda are experimentally investigated, and good agreement between experiment and prediction is found. The experimental setup consists of a pulsed laser, emitting pulses that are synchronized with the sound frequency by means of a controllable delay time. When w approximately lambda, strong focusing is obtained for most delay times. The lensing properties of this configuration are carefully investigated.     

Upper bounds on the independence and the clique covering number

New upper bounds for the independence number and for the clique covering number of a graph are given in terms of the rank, respectively the eigenvalues, of the adjacency matrix. We formulate a conjecture concerning an upper bound of the clique covering number. This upper bound is related to an old conjecture of Alan J. Hoffman which is shown to be false. Key words: adjacency matrix, eigenvalues, independence number, clique covering number. AMS classification: 05C.     

First Measurement of the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn Sum Rule for 1H from 0.7 to 1.8 GeV at ELSA

To verify the fundamental Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule for the first time experimentally, we measured the helicity dependent total photoabsorption cross section with circularly polarized real photons and longitudinally polarized nucleons in the photon energy range 0.68-1.82 GeV with the tagged photon facility at ELSA. The experiment was carried out with a 4pi detection system, a circularly polarized tagged photon beam, and a frozen spin polarized proton target. The contribution to the GDH sum rule in this photon energy range is [49.9+/-2.4(stat)+/-2.2(syst)] microb.     

Vortex fluctuations in underdoped Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) crystals

Vortex thermal fluctuations in heavily underdoped Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) (T(c)=69.4 K) are studied using Josephson plasma resonance. From the zero-field data, we obtain the c-axis penetration depth lambda(L,c)(0)=230+/-10 micrometer and the anisotropy ratio gamma(T). The low plasma frequency allows us to study phase correlations over the whole vortex solid state and to extract a wandering length r(w) of vortex pancakes. The temperature dependence of r(w) as well as its increase with dc magnetic field is explained by the renormalization of the vortex line tension by the fluctuations, suggesting that this softening is responsible for the dissociation of the vortices at the first order transition.     

MRI and x-ray CT study of spatial distribution of core breakdown in 'Conference' pears

Two non-destructive tomographic techniques, X-ray CT imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were applied to study the development of core breakdown disorder in 'Conference' pears (Pyrus communis cv. Conference). This disorder, which is characterized by brown discoloration of the tissue and development of cavities, is induced by elevated CO(2) and decreased O(2) levels during controlled atmosphere storage. Tomographic images of pears stored for 10 months under disorder inducing conditions, were acquired with both techniques and compared to the actual slices. Both X-ray and MRI were able to differentiate between unaffected tissue, brown tissue and cavities. A simple image-processing program, based on threshold values, was developed to determine the area percentage of affected and unaffected tissue as well as the cavity and core area per slice. For all three imaging techniques the area percentage brown tissue per slice increased with the diameter of the pear, but was systematically underestimated by 12% and 6% for, respectively, X-ray and MRI, compared to the actual slices. The area percentage cavity corresponded very well for all techniques. It was also found that the contours of the brown tissue were parallel to the fruit boundaries, suggesting a relation between the disorder symptoms and gas diffusion properties of the fruit. It was concluded that MRI is the most appropriate technique to study the development of core breakdown disorder during postharvest storage in future experiments.     

Anechoic chamber qualification: traverse method,inverse square law analysis method,and nature of test signal

Qualification of anechoic chambers is intended to demonstrate that the chamber supports the intended free-field environment within some permissible tolerance bounds. Key qualification issues include the method used to obtain traverse data, the analysis method for the data, and the use of pure tone or broadband noise as the chamber excitation signal. This paper evaluates the relative merits of continuous versus discrete traverses, of fixed versus optimal reference analysis of the traverse data, and of the use of pure tone versus broadband signals. The current practice of using widely space discrete sampling along a traverse is shown to inadequately sample the complexity of the sound field extant with pure tone traverses, but is suitable for broadband traverses. Continuous traverses, with spatial resolution on the order of 15% of the wavelength at the frequency of interest, are shown to be necessary to fully resolve the spatial complexity of pure tone qualifications. The use of an optimal reference method for computing the deviations from inverse square law is shown to significantly improve the apparent performance of the chamber for pure tone qualifications. Finally, the use of broadband noise as the test signal, as compared to pure tone traverses over the same span, is demonstrated to be a marginal indicator of chamber performance.