Measurement of the Hydrodynamic Efficiency of Laser Plasma at the “Kanal-2” Installation using Aluminum and Copper Targets

The results of experimental measurements of the hydrodynamic efficiency of laser plasma for aluminum and copper targets are presented. The studies were performed on the “Kanal-2” laser setup system using the ballistic pendulum method. The pressure in the interaction chamber was 10^?4 Torr, the pendulum length was 145 mm, the mass of the pendulum with a target was 7.2 g. At the half-height pulse duration of 2.5 ns, the power density on the target surface was ～10¹³ W/cm². In the case of aluminum target, the hydrodynamic efficiency coefficient increased from 1.5% to 4.5% with increasing laser pulse energy from 5 J to 10 J, whereas it remained at the level of 5% for the copper target.     

Addition of the oxirane derivatives to CO2 catalyzed by Lewis bases under mild conditions

Russian Chemical Bulletin - The addition of the oxirane derivatives to CO2 was found to occur without Lewis acid involvement but requires the presence of the Lewis base. The reaction was carried...     

Free vibrations of rectangular orthotropic shallow shells with varying thickness

The paper proposes a numerical-analytic approach to studying the free vibrations of orthotropic shallow shells with double curvature and rectangular planform. The approach is based on the spline-approximation of unknown functions. Calculations are carried out for different types of boundary conditions. The influence of the mid-surface curvature and variable thickness on the behavior of dynamic characteristics is studied __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 43, No. 6, pp. 102–115, June 2007.     

Amplifier module of the “Del'fin” facility for thermonuclear plasma heating

The construction principle and the applicable system are considered for the highpower laser amplifier module of the “Del'fin” facility, intended for spherical heating of thermonuclear targets. Results are presented of investigations of the radiation parameters of the amplifier module under various operating regimes. The system for focusing the laser radiation on the target surfaces is described and the results of experiments on plasma heating by radiation of three composite laser beams, at a laser energy level up to 1 kJ at a flux density up to 10¹⁴ W/cm², are analyzed.     

Effect of the structure of a graphite target on the parameters of carbon films obtained by the laser plasma method

We have used Raman light scattering and electron paramagnetic resonance methods to study carbon films obtained by laser plasma deposition, using different types of graphite targets. We have established that the films deposited in this way have a diamond-like structure and are a nanostructured composite containing clusters of both sp² and sp³-hybridized carbon. We have shown that an increase in structural perfection of the graphite target causes an improvement in the structure of the carbon films obtained from it and an increase in the content of sp³-hybridized carbon in it. Thermal stimulation of the substrate during application of a coating leads to the same effect. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 75, No. 4, pp. 539–546, July–August, 2008.     

Exchange Capacity of Polysiloxane Ion Exchangers Modified with Dithiooxamide Groups with Respect to Silver(I), Platinum(IV), and Palladium(II)

Russian Journal of Physical Chemistry A - A polysiloxane with attached groups of rubeanic acid is proposed for the extraction of silver(I), platinum(IV) and palladium(II) from dilute aqueous...     

Energy Spectrum and Charge Composition of Ions of Laser-Produced Gd and Al Plasmas

The energy spectrum and the distribution of the total charge over the ion energy are studied for plasma produced by partially coherent radiation of the neodymium glass laser with a power density of ~10¹³ W/cm² in the focusing spot incident on continuous gadolinium (Gd) and aluminum(Al) plates. The spectra of plasma ions for gadolinium and aluminumtargets are presented at laser radiation energies of 2, 7, 20 J and 1 J, respectively. For the gadolinium target, an increase in the peak amplitudes in ion spectra with increasing influencing radiation energy and manifestations of higher-energy ions are observed. The difference in the ion emission for gadolinium and aluminum targets is also recorded at close radiation energies of 2 and 1 J, respectively.     

Damping characteristics of a reentry vehicle at hypersonic velocities

The experimental equipment, model, test conditions, and methods used for determining the streamwise damping on a setup with free oscillations on rolling bearings are described. Characteristics of aerodynamic damping of the model with two positions of the rotation axis and Mach numbers M_∞ = 2, 4, and 6 are measured. Irregular oscillations of the model with a greater displacement of the rotation axis with respect to the longitudinal axis are found to arise at M_∞ = 2.     

Phylogenetics of worldwide human populations as determined by polymorphic Alu insertions

Alu elements, the largest family of interspersed repeats, mobilize throughout the genomes of primates by retroposition. Alu are present in humans in an excess of 500 000 copies per haploid genome. Since some of the insertion alleles have not reached fixation, they remain polymorphic and can be used as biallelic DNA marker systems in investigations of human evolution. In this study, six polymorphic Alu insertional (PAI) loci were used as genetic markers. These markers are thought to be selectively neutral. The presence of these six PAIs was determined by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay in 1646 individuals from 47 populations from around the world. Examination of the populations by plotting the first and second principal components, shows the expected segregation of populations according to geographical vicinity and established ethnic affinities. Centroid analysis demonstrated that sub-Sahara populations have experienced higher than average gene flow and/or represent larger populations as compared to groups in other parts of the globe and especially to known inbreed populations. This is consistent with greater heterogeneity and diversity expected of source groups. In addition, maximum likelihood (ML) analyses were performed with these 47 populations and a hypothetical ancestral group lacking the insertion in all six loci. Analysis of our data supports the Out of Africa hypothesis. African populations and admixed groups of African descent formed a single monophyletic group with a basal placement on the tree, which grouped closest to the hypothetical ancestor.     

Jumping Platonic Solids on a Vibrating Plate

The mechanical excitation of solid bodies by a vibrating plate is not only an interesting fundamental problem, but also has relevance in many mechanical systems, for example, in the preparation of granular gases in microgravity. Herein, the energy input by an oscillating plate is numerically investigated as a function of the excitation parameters for selected Platonic solids and their behavior compared to that of a jumping sphere. The most important additional features, not relevant for spheres, are the excitation of body rotations and a permanent energy exchange between the rotational and translational degrees of freedom during the collisions with the plate. The distribution of kinetic energies is analyzed by a numerical simulation of the dynamics, using structures which emulate the mechanical behavior of regular polyhedra.