Preparative isolation of (+)-beta-eudesmol fromAmyris balsamifera

Summary Optically pure (+)-beta-eudesmol is a possible starting material for the synthesis of several termite defense compounds. A two step procedure for the isolation of gram quantities of (+)-beta-eudesmol from commercially availableAmyris balsamifera oil (syn. West Indian sandalwood oil), containing 8% beta-eudesmol, was developed. Step one consisted of an efficient vacuum distillation of the total oil. Step two was a medium pressure LC separation with an AgNO₃ impregnated silica gel stationary phase. Several other separation procedures failed due to the presence of many closely related sesquiterpene alcohols (75% of the oil).     

Phase change measurement,and speed of sound and attenuation determination,from underwater acoustic panel tests

A technique for measuring the change in phase produced by the insertion of a panel between a projector and receiver is described. Presented also is a procedure for determining the phase speed and attenuation of the panel material. Although the methods were developed over the frequency decade 10-100 kHz, they are not limited to that band. It was observed that a "settling time" of approximately 20 min is required to obtain reproducible phase measurements if the experiment is disturbed even slightly. For example, rotating the panel 10 degrees, then immediately returning to the original position, causes the observed phases to differ by up to 10 deg from those obtained prior to the disturbance. These differences are distributed randomly across frequency. Temperature stabilization within the medium as well as the material is also required before measurements can take place. After the stated 20 min settling time, however, the phases return to the values obtained prior to rotation, or after temperature stabilization, to within +/- 1/2 deg. The sound speed and attenuation determination technique employs least-squares fitting of a causal model to the measurements. Four (or fewer) adjusted parameters accommodate the measurements over the stated frequency decade, even for samples that exhibit significant dispersion. The sound speed is typically determined to an accuracy of +/- 30 m/s, as judged from a propagation-of-error calculation. This model assumes single-layered panels.     

Investigations into beam monitors at the AEg ̄ IS experiment

Detailed diagnostic of antiproton beams at low energies is required for essentially all experiments at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD), but will be particularly important for the future Extra Low ENergy Antiproton ring (ELENA) and its keV beam lines to the different experiments. Many monitors have been successfully developed and operated at the AD, but in particular beam profile monitoring remains a challenge. A dedicated beam instrumentation and detector test stand has recently been setup at the AE \(\bar {g}\) IS experiment (Antimatter Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy). Located behind the actual experiment, it allows for parasitic use of the antiproton beam at different energies for testing and calibration. With the aim to explore and validate different candidate technologies for future low energy beam lines, as well as the downstream antihydrogen detector in AE \(\bar {g}\) IS, measurements have been carried out using Silicon strip and pixel detectors, a purpose-built secondary emission monitor and emulsions. Here, results from measurements and characterization of the different detector types with regard to their future use at the AD complex are presented.