Energy levels of174Yb populated in the decay of174Tm

The decay of the¹⁷⁴Tm activity has been studied with Ge(Li) detectors and with a Ge(Li)—NaI(Tl) coincidence arrangement. Gamma ray energies and relative intensities were determined. Five new gamma transitions are reported, four of which have been placed in the decay scheme in addition to the previously observed but unplaced 1305 keV transition. Five energy levels at 1557.7, 1762.1, 1781.1, 1877.5 and 2050.1 keV not earlier reported to be populated in the decay of¹⁷⁴Tm are suggested. Some spin and parity assignments are proposed and the intrinsic structure of several states is discussed in terms of two quasi-particle excitations. For the half-life of¹⁷⁴Tm a value 5.4±0.1 min was measured.     

Conjugate duality in the optimization of the search for a target with generalized conditionally deterministic motion

A target moves in Euclideann-spaceR ⁿ according to the generalized conditionally deterministic law. The search density that accumulates on the target during its route determines the probability of detection. A necessary and sufficient condition for the search density (x, t) to be optimal is first represented, when there are two types of constraints for the search density: pointwise constraints and total-amount constraints. The second part consists of formulation of the dual problem with the aid of sensitivity parameters for the constraints. By using the dual functional, we obtain the maximal error from the minimum value of the primal objective functional for an arbitrary feasible . Finally, we study the discretized case, which is necessary for numerical calculations.     

Electrosteric Stabilization of Al(2)O(3), ZrO(2), and 3Y-ZrO(2) Suspensions: Effect of Dissociation and Type of Polyelectrolyte

The mechanisms of eight anionic polyelectrolytes stabilizing colloidal sized alpha-Al(2)O(3), pure ZrO(2), and Y(2)O(3)-doped ZrO(2) particles in aqueous solution are discussed. The polyelectrolytes studied were the Na(+) and NH(4)(+) salts of polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid having different molecular weights. The particle-dispersant interactions were studied by measuring adsorption isotherms, particle size, thickness of adsorbed layer, and zeta potentials by elektrokinetic sonic analysis at different powder volume fractions (straight phi=0.01-0.3), pH, and electrolyte (KCl) content. The dissociation of the polyelectrolytes was studied by potentiometric titrations. The dissociation constant of the polymethacrylates was found to be 0.6 pH unit higher than that for the polyacrylates. High-affinity adsorption isotherms were observed over the pH range when the polyelectrolytes were fully ionized. The results show good correlation between adsorption isotherms and zeta potential data in systems of dispersed, dilute alumina particles. When particles and polymers were of equal charge (the same sign of charge) the polymer shell was thicker. At higher volume fractions (straight phi=0.3), and when alumina particles/added ammonium polyelectrolyte were of equal charge, a maximum in the absolute value of zeta potential resulted. Due to adsorption all the anionic polyelectrolytes studied provided electrosteric stabilization of the alpha-Al(2)O(3), and Y(2)O(3)-doped ZrO(2) suspensions by enhancing the zeta potential to 40 mV or over and by shifting the isoelectric point to lower pH, the low-molecular-weight polyelectrolytes decreasing the isoelectric point more than the polyelectrolytes having higher molecular weight. The polyelectrolytes studied failed to stabilize pure monoclinic ZrO(2) particles. Due to the shortness of the chain of polyelectrolytes studied, no bridging was observed between oppositely charged polyelectrolyte/alumina particles. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

The decay of 1.4 min173Er

A 1.4 ± 0.1 min activity which is assigned to β^?-decay of ₆₈ ¹⁷³ Er has been produced with 14–15 MeV neutrons through the reaction¹⁷⁶Yb(n, α)¹⁷³Er. Its decay has been studied with Ge(Li) detectors and several (γ)(γ) as well as (γ)(β) coincidence arrangements. Eight gamma rays with energies 94.2, 116.14, 118.6, 122.40, 192.8, 199.2, 800.8 and 895.2 keV were assigned to the decay of¹⁷³Er. The proposed level scheme of the daughter nuclide ₆₉ ¹⁷³ Tm contains levels at 0, 2.5, 118.6, 124.9, 317.7, 411.9 and 1212.8 keV. The 317.7 keV level is an isomeric state with a measured half-life of 10±3 μs. This 10 μs isomer and the 411.9 keV level are thought to be the band head and 9/2^? rotational member of 7/2^? [523] Nilsson state, respectively. The levels at 0, 2.5, 118.6 and 124.9 keV are interpreted as 1/2⁺, 3/2⁺, 5/2⁺ and 7/2⁺ members of the 1/2⁺ [411] band and the level at 1212.8 keV as the 9/2^? [514] Nilsson state. Some systematic considerations and theoretical transition probability calculations are also included.     

A control theory approach in the theory of search when the motion of the target is conditionally deterministic with stochastic parameters

The target is moving in a discrete space, consisting of cells, according to so called conditionally deterministic law with stochastic parameters. A necessary condition for search density to be optimal is determined by using control theory in the cases when a) probability of detection during given time is to be maximized and b) expected search time is to be minimized. The results obtained are applicable also in the cases where the conditional non-detection function is not convex.