Theoretical and experimental investigation of the linear optical response of YBa2Cu4O8 The relevance of LDA calculations

We report results of ellipsometric measurements of the dielectric tensor of YBa₂Cu₄O₈ as well as calculations employing density functional theory in the local density approximation (LDA). For the computation of the one-electron eigenvalues and states the linear-muffin-tin-orbital method (LMTO) was used. Measured and calculated results show good agreement. In particular, the calculation predicts different band structures for YBa₂Cu₃O₇ and YBa₂Cu₄O₈ in the vicinity of the Fermi energy which lead to significant differences in the optical spectra. One such difference is a region of small ε₂ in the near infrared which is a fingerprint of the high (relative to the top of the highest fully occupied band) Fermi energy as compared to the situation in YBa₂Cu₃O₇. Our experimental results confirm the theoretical findings.     

μSR in oxygen deficient YBa2Cu3O x (6.5⩽x⩽7.0)

A systematic μSR study of the local magnetic field distribution in a series of oxygen deficient YBa₂Cu₃O _x samples with 6.5⩽x⩽7.0 is reported. Special attention was given to perform the experiments under the same conditions, so that the oxygen content of the measured samples was the only parameter varied. The behavior of the depolarization rate σ as a function of the oxygen contentx was found to have strong similarities with the behavior of the critical temperatureT _c as a function ofx. In particular, two step-like increases of σ were observed abovex=6.7 and 6.9. The temperature dependence of the normalized depolarization rate σ(T)/σ(0) is well described by the two-fluid model forx⩾6.781(1) and clearly deviates from this behavior forx⩽6.704(1). Our results are compared to those obtained by other groups.     

On the use of the Galerkin method for 3D numerical modelling of the general circulation: the South Atlantic eperiment

A linear three‐dimensional hydrodynamical numerical model, with the application of the Galerkin Method for the vertical dependence, is here presented. The spherical coordinate system is used, in order to allow large‐scale simulations. The equations and mathematical development of the model are shown in detail, together with the boundary and initial conditions, and the sequence of equations' solution. The model is applied to the South Atlantic Ocean, for estimating typical seasonal circulations, and the results are summarized in maps of currents at surface and 1000 m depth, and in transport values of the Brazil Current between 30°S and 40°S. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrical Conductance Studies in Aqueous Solutions with Ascorbate Ions

Conductivity measurements in dilute aqueous solutions of L-ascorbic acid, sodium-L-ascorbate, magnesium-L-ascorbate, calcium-L-ascorbate and ferrous-L-ascorbate were performed in the (288.15 to 323.15) K temperature range. The limiting molar conductances of the ascorbic anion, λ^∘(HAsc⁻, T), and the dissociation constants of ascorbic acid, K(T), were derived by the use of the Debye-Hückel equation for the activity coefficients and the Onsager and Quint and Viallard conductivity equations.     

Ternary complexes of substituted catechols and catecholamines

Stability constants of the ternary complexes [CuAL] whereA = 5-Nitro-1,10-phenanthroline, bis(2-pyridyl) ketone (DPK) orbis(2-pyridyl)amine (DPA) andL is the dianion of catechol, tiron, protocatechic acid, pyrogallol, 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene, catecholaldehyde, 2,3-dihydroxynaphthalene, dopamine or adrenaline have been determined by potentiometric titration in dioxane water (1:1 v/v) medium using a SCOGS computer programme. The observed trend of stability is explained on the basis of the nature of substitution over the ligands, chelate ring size and also the composition of mixed solvent in case of DPK. Structural changes in DPK have also been discussed as a function of pH, composition of medium and coordinating mode of the secondary ligand in the ternary complexes.