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Hole hopping through tryptophan/tyrosine chains enables rapid unidirectional charge transport over long distances. We have elucidated structural and dynamical factors controlling hopping speed and efficiency in two modified azurin constructs that include a rhenium(I) sensitizer, Re(His)(CO)(3)(dmp)(+), and one or two tryptophans (W(1), W(2)). Experimental kinetics investigations showed that the two closely spaced (3 to 4 Å) intervening tryptophans dramatically accelerated long-range electron transfer (ET) from Cu(I) to the photoexcited sensitizer. In our theoretical work, we found that time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics/molecular dynamics (QM/MM/MD) trajectories of low-lying triplet excited states of Re(I)(His)(CO)(3)(dmp)(+)–W(1)(–W(2)) exhibited crossings between sensitizer-localized (*Re) and charge-separated [Re(I)(His)(CO)(3)(dmp(•–))/(W(1)(•+) or W(2)(•+))] (CS1 or CS2) states. Our analysis revealed that the distances, angles, and mutual orientations of ET-active cofactors fluctuate in a relatively narrow range in which the cofactors are strongly coupled, enabling adiabatic ET. Water-dominated electrostatic field fluctuations bring *Re and CS1 states to a crossing where *Re(CO)(3)(dmp)(+)←W(1) ET occurs, and CS1 becomes the lowest triplet state. ET is promoted by solvation dynamics around *Re(CO)(3)(dmp)(+)(W(1)); and CS1 is stabilized by Re(dmp(•–))/W(1)(•+) electron/hole interaction and enhanced W(1)(•+) solvation. The second hop, W(1)(•+)←W(2), is facilitated by water fluctuations near the W(1)/W(2) unit, taking place when the electrostatic potential at W(2) drops well below that at W(1)(•+). Insufficient solvation and reorganization around W(2) make W(1)(•+)←W(2) ET endergonic, shifting the equilibrium toward W(1)(•+) and decreasing the charge-separation yield. We suggest that multiscale TDDFT/MM/MD is a suitable technique to model the simultaneous evolution of photogenerated excited-state manifolds.

Analysis of deep-ocean archives reveals that a few per cent of fresh 60Fe has been captured in interstellar dust and deposited in Earth’s crust, indicating that many supernova events occurred over the past ten million years within a distance of up to 100 parsecs from Earth. Twenty years ago it was suggested that nearby supernova explosions could leave their mark here on Earth in the shape of geological isotope anomalies caused by direct deposition of debris or through cosmic-ray spallation in the atmosphere. So it proved, with the emergence of iron-60, found in deep-sea ferromanganese crusts, as a supernova indicator. Two papers in this issue add further detail to the picture, and suggest there have been multiple supernovae within a few hundred light years, over the past few million years. Anton Wallner et al. report that the deep-sea 60Fe signal is global, extended in time and of interstellar origin from multiple events. Their results reveal 60Fe interstellar influxes onto Earth 1.7–3.2 and 6.5–8.7 million years ago. Dieter Breitschwerdt et al. report calculations of the most probable trajectories and masses of the supernova progenitors, and hence their explosion times and sites. The 60Fe signal arises from two supernovae at distances between 90 and 100 parsecs. The closest occurred 2.3 million years ago, and the second about 1.5 million years ago at 9.2 and 8.8 solar masses, respectively. The rate of supernovae in our local Galactic neighbourhood within a distance of about 100 parsecs from Earth is estimated to be one every 2–4 million years, based on the total rate in the Milky Way (2.0 ± 0.7 per century1,2). Recent massive-star and supernova activity in Earth’s vicinity may be traced by radionuclides with half-lives of up to 100 million years3,4,5,6, if trapped in interstellar dust grains that penetrate the Solar System. One such radionuclide is 60Fe (with a half-life of 2.6 million years)7,8, which is ejected in supernova explosions and winds from massive stars1,2,9. Here we report that the 60Fe signal observed previously in deep-sea crusts10,11 is global, extended in time and of interstellar origin from multiple events. We analysed deep-sea archives from all major oceans for 60Fe deposition via the accretion of interstellar dust particles. Our results reveal 60Fe interstellar influxes onto Earth at 1.5–3.2 million years ago and at 6.5–8.7 million years ago. The signal measured implies that a few per cent of fresh 60Fe was captured in dust and deposited on Earth. Our findings indicate multiple supernova and massive-star events during the last ten million years at distances of up to 100 parsecs.

We searched for the presence of ^{26}Al in deep-sea sediments as a signature of supernova influx. Our data show an exponential dependence of ^{26}Al with the sample age that is fully compatible with radioactive decay of terrigenic ^{26}Al. The same set of samples demonstrated a clear supernova ^{60}Fe signal between 1.7 and 3.2 Myr ago. Combining our ^{26}Al data with the recently reported ^{60}Fe data results in a lower limit of 0.18_{-0.08}^{+0.15} for the local interstellar ^{60}Fe/^{26}Al isotope ratio. It compares to most of the ratios deduced from nucleosynthesis models and is within the range of the observed average galactic ^{60}Fe/^{26}Al flux ratio of (0.15±0.05).

The Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking In-beam Nuclear Array (GRETINA) is a new generation high-resolution γ - ray spectrometer consisting of electrically segmented high-purity germanium crystals. GRETINA is capable of reconstructing the energy and position of each γ - ray interaction point inside the crystal with high resolution. This enables γ - ray energy tracking which in turn provides an array with large photopeak efficiency, high resolution and good peak-to-total ratio. GRETINA is used for nuclear structure studies with demanding γ - ray detection requirements and it is suitable for experiments with radioactive-ion beams with high recoil velocities. The GRETINA array has a 1 π solid angle coverage and constitutes the first stage towards the full 4 π array GRETA. We present in this paper the main parts and the performance of the GRETINA system.

This chapter is devoted to spin-orbit torques and their interplay with the magnetization of magnetically ordered materials. We will introduce basic concepts of spin dynamics and mechanisms to manipulate magnetization by spin torques. Besides that, we will review recent theoretical and experimental progress in this field. The scope of this chapter is to provide an elementary discussion of important aspects of the physics of spin torques as it relates to switching or dynamically exciting magnetization in ferromagnets.

The complex structure of the valence band in many semiconductors leads to multifaceted and unusual properties for spin-3/2 hole systems compared to common spin-1/2 electron systems. In particular, two-dimensional hole systems show a highly anisotropic Zeeman interaction. We have investigated this anisotropy in GaAs/AlAs quantum well structures both experimentally and theoretically. By performing time-resolved Kerr rotation measurements, we found a nondiagonal tensor g that manifests itself in unusual precessional motion, as well as distinct dependencies of hole-spin dynamics on the direction of the magnetic field B. We quantify the individual components of the tensor g for [113]-, [111]-, and [110]-grown samples. We complement the experiments by a comprehensive theoretical study of Zeeman coupling in in-plane and out-of-plane fields B. To this end, we develop a detailed multiband theory for the tensor g. Using perturbation theory, we derive transparent analytical expressions for the components of the tensor g that we complement with accurate numerical calculations based on our theoretical framework. We obtain very good agreement between experiment and theory. Our study demonstrates that the tensor g is neither symmetric nor antisymmetric. Opposite off-diagonal components can differ in size by up to an order of magnitude. The tensor g encodes not only the Zeeman energy splitting but also the direction of the axis about which the spins precess in the external field B. In general, this axis is not aligned with B. Hence our study extends the general concept of optical orientation to the regime of nontrivial Zeeman coupling.

This paper presents the overall design for large ( $$\sim $$ 400 mm aperture) reference blackbody cavities currently under development at the Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Space Department (STFC RAL Space), in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). These blackbodies are designed to operate in vacuum over a temperature range from 160 K to 370 K, with an additional capability to operate at $$\sim $$ 100 K as a point of near-zero radiance. This is a challenging problem for a single blackbody. The novel thermal design presented in this paper enables one target that can physically achieve and operate successfully at both thermal extremes, whilst also meeting stringent temperature gradient requirements. The overall blackbody design is based upon a helium gas-gap heat switch and modified to allow for variable thermal conductance. The blackbody design consists of three main concentric cylinder components—an inner cavity (aluminium alloy), a radiation shield (aluminium) and an outer liquid nitrogen ( $$\hbox {LN}_{2}$$ ) jacket (stainless steel). The internal surface of the cavity is the effective radiating surface. There is a helium gas interspace surrounding the radiation shield and enclosed by the $$\hbox {LN}_{2}$$ jacket and the inner cavity. The blackbodies are now at a mature stage of development. In this paper, the overall design, focusing upon the thermal design solution, is detailed. This paper will also concern the full-scale prototype breadboard model, for which results on thermal stability, spatial gradients and other sensitivities will be presented.

International audience; One-neutron knockout reactions have been performed on a beam of radioactive 53Co in a high-spinisomeric state. The analysis is shown to yield a highly selective population of high-spin states in an exoticnucleus with a significant cross section, and hence represents a technique that is applicable to the plannednew generation of fragmentation-based radioactive beam facilities. Additionally, the relative cross sectionsamong the excited states can be predicted to a high level of accuracy when reliable shell-model input isavailable. The work has resulted in a new level scheme, up to the 11þ band-termination state, of the protonrichnucleus 52Co (Z ¼ 27, N ¼ 25). This has in turn enabled a study of mirror energy differences inthe A ¼ 52 odd-odd mirror nuclei, interpreted in terms of isospin-nonconserving (INC) forces in nuclei.The analysis demonstrates the importance of using a full set of J-dependent INC terms to explain theexperimental observations.

Background: The study of excited states in mirror nuclei allows us to extract information on charge-dependent (i.e., isospin-nonconserving) interactions in nuclei. Purpose: To extend previous studies of mirror nuclei in the f7/2 region, investigating charge symmetry breaking of the strong nuclear force. Methods: γ-ray spectroscopy has been performed for the mirror (Tz= ±3/2) pair 53Ni and 53Mn, produced via mirrored one-nucleon knockout reactions. Results: Several new transitions have been identified in 53Ni from which a new level scheme has been constructed. Cross sections for knockout have been analyzed and compared with reaction model calculations where evidence is found for knockout from high-spin isomeric states. Mirror energy differences between isobaric analog states have been computed, compared to large scale shell-model calculations, and interpreted in terms of isospin-nonconserving effects. In addition, lifetimes for the long-lived J π = 5 /2 − 1 analog states in both 53Mn and 53Ni have been extracted through lineshape analysis, giving half-lives of t1/2 = 120 (14) ps and t1/2 = 198 (12) ps,respectively. Conclusions: The inclusion of a set of isovector isospin-nonconserving matrix elements to the shell-model calculations gave the best agreement with the experimental data.

The neutron-deficient nucleus Sn 107 has been studied by using the one-neutron knockout reaction. By measuring the decay γ rays and momentum distributions of reaction residues, the spins of the ground, 5/2 + , and first-excited, 7/2 + , states of Sn 107 have been assigned by comparisons to eikonal-model reaction calculations. Limits on the inclusive and exclusive cross sections have been measured and transitions due to neutron removals from below the N=50 closed shell have been observed. New excited states up to 5.5 MeV in Sn 107 have been identified.

The study of the collective properties of nuclear excitations far from stability provides information about the shell structure at extreme conditions. Spectroscopic ob- servables such as the energy or the transition probabilities of the lowest states, in nuclei with large neutron excess, allow to probe the density and isospin dependence of the ef- fective interaction. Indeed, it was recently shown that tensor and three-body forces play an important role in breaking and creating magic numbers. Emblematic is the case of the evolution of the Ni isotopic chain where several features showed up moving from the most neutron rich stable isotope ( 64 Ni) towards the 78 Ni nucleus where the large neutron excess coincides with a double shell closure. In this framework, we have recently per- formed an experiment with the goal to extract the B(E2; 0 + ! 2 + ) value for the 74 Ni nucleus in an intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation experiment: preliminary results are discussed.

Current quantum technology is approaching the system sizes and fidelities required for quantum error correction. It is therefore important to determine exactly what is needed for proof-of-principle experiments, which will be the first major step towards fault-tolerant quantum computation. Here we propose a surface code based experiment that is the smallest, both in terms of code size and circuit depth, that would allow errors to be detected and corrected for both the $X$ and $Z$ basis of a qubit. This requires $17$ physical qubits initially prepared in a product state, on which $16$ two-qubit entangling gates are applied before a final measurement of all qubits. A platform agnostic error model is applied to give some idea of the noise levels required for success. It is found that a true demonstration of quantum error correction will require fidelities for the preparation and measurement of qubits and the entangling gates to be above $99\%$., Comment: Additional author and numerics for v3

A brief introduction into the progress of the analysis of the electron kinetics and the self-consistent description of inhomogeneous and nonstationary plasmas is given. The spectrum of problems treated by electron kinetic studies as well as by the overall description of non-isothermal plasmas is briefly characterized. Main aspects of the analyses are outlined and the progress reached in recent years in the framework of the collaborative research activities of the Sonderforschungsbereich 198 “Kinetics of partially ionized plasmas” is illustrated by topical kinetic study and self-consistent modelling results of some selected problems. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A brief introduction into the progress of the analysis of the electron kinetics in spatially one- and two-dimensional steady-state plasmas and in spatiotemporal transition processes of spatially one-dimensional plasma configurations is given. The wide spectrum of the involved kinetic problems is briefly characterized, main aspects of its kinetic studies are outlined and the progress reached in recent years is illustrated by the kinetic study and deduced results of some selected problems.

The long-lived radionuclide 244Pu (t1/2=80.8±1.0 Ma) is a candidate for the detection as a live remnant of close-lying and relatively recent supernovae in geological records on the earth. We will present the development of an AMS method for measuring 244Pu at the low abundance levels which are expected for natural 244Pu. For artificial samples prepared from chemically pure reagents a sensitivity of more than 3 × 10−6 counts in detector per atom in sputter target was achieved. For true sediment samples the detector background induced by chemical impurities and possible cross contamination from high level standards were identified as the present limitations.

The neutron-rich isotope 182Hf with its half-life of 9 ± 2 million years was alive in the early solar system and has been used to study the early development of the Earth and the Moon through isotopic anomalies of its stable decay product 182W. In addition, 182Hf may also complement a few other radionuclides in the million-year half-life range to trace relatively recent stellar events with high neutron fluxes in the vicinity of the Earth. This may be accomplished by finding measurable traces of live 182Hf in suitable terrestrial archives. With accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) it should be possible to detect minute amounts of 182Hf. We will show that the main interference for the detection, the stable isobar 182W, can be significantly reduced by using HfF5− ions. The AMS detection method of 182Hf and first results from Hf control rods of a recently retired research reactor are presented, which encourage us to search for naturally produced traces of 182Hf on Earth.

Diamond is an attractive alternative to silicon as a heavy ion detector owing to its exceptional radiation hardness and very fast timing. These remarkable properties of diamond allow one to expect that diamond detectors can outperform silicon detectors and ionization chambers for many applications, in particularly, for heavy ion accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements. However, most reported diamond particle detectors have been based on polycrystalline chemical-vapor-deposited diamond films and exhibited poor energy resolution (due to loss of charge carriers in the grain boundaries) resulting in limited applications, primarily for counting ions at hundreds of MeV/u. In this paper the evaluation of a thin single-crystal natural diamond detector as an energy spectrometer for 13C, 180Hf, and 238U ions in the energy range from 12 to 38 MeV is presented. The influence of “priming” and “polarization” effects is discussed. Initial measurements of energy resolution, stability and radiation hardness of the natural diamond detector have demonstrated its suitability for heavy ion AMS, in spite of some technical problems to be solved.

The presence of live 182Hf (t1/2∼9 Myr) in the early solar system is well established but the understanding of its abundance is still challenging. Live 182Hf is expected to be present in the interstellar medium (ISM) as a result of recent nucleosynthesis activity. We are attempting a search for live 182Hf possibly deposited on Earth. The search focuses on deep-ocean sediments and a method for chemical extraction of the Zr–Hf fraction from sediments has been developed. The detection of 182Hf is performed at the Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator (VERA). Measurements of Hf and W isotopic abundances for the Zr–Hf fraction extracted from deep-sea sediment samples were performed. Present limits for the 182Hf abundance derived from the measured isotopic abundances are discussed.

The interpretation of the anode current characteristics obtained in the famous Franck-Hertz experiment of 1914 led to the verification of Bohr's predictions of quantised atomic states. This fundamental experiment has been often repeated, and nowadays is generally part of the curriculum in modern physics education. However, the interpretation of the experiment is typically based upon significant simplifying assumptions, some quite unrealistic. This is the case especially in relation to the kinetics of the electron gas, which is in reality quite complex, due mainly to non-uniformities in the electric field, caused by a combination of accelerating and retarding components. This non-uniformity leads to a potential energy valley in which the electrons are trapped. The present state of understanding of such effects, and their influence upon the anode characteristics, is quite unsatisfactory. In this article a rigorous study of a cylindrical Franck-Hertz experiment is presented, using mercury vapour, the aim being to reveal and explain what really happens with the electrons under realistic experimental conditions. In particular, the anode current characteristics are investigated over a range of mercury vapour pressures appropriate to the experiment to clearly elaborate the effects of elastic collisions (ignored in typical discussions) on the power budget, and the trapping of electrons in the potential energy valley.

Starting from the active region of a weakly ionized plasma the spatial transition of the electron gas through an adjacent field decay region into the field-free remote plasma is studied in neon on a rigorous basis by using two independent kinetic approaches. The main objective of the analysis concerns the complex features of the electron gas in its transition process from a field-driven active plasma to a purely diffusion-driven remote plasma. In addition to the energy resolved characterization of the velocity distribution, in particular, the spatial decay behavior of important, energy space averaged transport and dissipation properties of the electrons, as the density, the particle and energy fluxes and the power transfer rates to the gas particles in electron collisions, is elaborated and interpreted. Moreover, the influence of a variation of the active plasma conditions and of the spread of the field decay region on the resultant transition behavior of the electron gas is evaluated. A particular finding is that the spatial field decay is generally accompanied by a large density increase in order to allow the continuation of the electron flux by a pure diffusion process in the adjacent remote plasma. This finding could be completely confirmed by the almost perfect coincidence of corresponding results obtained by two independent kinetic approaches.

In former investigations on the spatial relaxation of the electron component of weakly ionized plasmas a considerable spectrum of distinct spatial structures has been found in the velocity distribution function as well as in various macroscopic quantities of the electrons. These results have been mainly obtained by solving the spatially inhomogeneous electron Boltzmann equation considering the action of uniform electric fields and the impact of elastic and inelastic collisions of the electrons with the gas atoms. To verify these partly unexpected results on the complex structure formation, analogous Monte Carlo simulations were performed now for a helium plasma at various reduced electric field strengths. Detailed comparisons were made between the results of the two independent kinetic approaches with respect to the spatial evolution of the velocity distribution function as well as of associated macroscopic quantities. Good agreement was generally found, thus confirming the earlier results on the complex spatial relaxation structures.

The most fundamental characteristic of a physical system can often be deduced from its behaviour under discrete symmetry transformations, such as time reversal, parity and chirality. Here, we review some of the basic symmetry properties of the relativistic quantum theories for free electrons in (2 + 1)- and (1 + 1)-dimensional spacetime. Additional flavour degrees of freedom are necessary to properly define symmetry operations in (2 + 1) dimensions, and are generally present in physical realizations of such systems, for example in single sheets of graphite. We find that there exist two possibilities for defining any flavour-coupling discrete symmetry operation of the twoflavour (2 + 1)-dimensional Dirac theory. Some physical implications of this previously unnoticed duplicity are discussed., OA-Komponente aus Allianzlizenz

The reduced transition probability $B(E2;{0}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{2}^{+})$ has been measured for the neutron-rich nucleus $^{74}\mathrm{Ni}$ in an intermediate energy Coulomb excitation experiment performed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University. The obtained $B(E2;{0}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{2}^{+})=64{2}_{\ensuremath{-}226}^{+216}\text{ }\text{ }{e}^{2}\text{ }{\mathrm{fm}}^{4}$ value defines a trend which is unexpectedly small if referred to $^{70}\mathrm{Ni}$ and to a previous indirect determination of the transition strength in $^{74}\mathrm{Ni}$. This indicates a reduced polarization of the $Z=28$ core by the valence neutrons. Calculations in the $pfgd$ model space reproduce well the experimental result indicating that the $B(E2)$ strength predominantly corresponds to neutron excitations. The ratio of the neutron and proton multipole matrix elements supports such an interpretation.

The lifetimes of the yrast ${8}^{+}$ and ${9}^{+}$ states of $^{70}\mathrm{As}$ have been measured via the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray lineshape method following population by the ${}^{9}\mathrm{Be}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{(}^{78}\mathrm{Rb},{}^{70}\mathrm{As})$ reaction at 101.6 MeV/nucleon. The strength of the $E1\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}{8}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{7}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ transition is found to be $B(E1)=1.3(5)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5} {e}^{2}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\text{fm}}^{2}$ or $1.2(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ Weisskopf units (W.u.) while the ${9}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{8}^{+} M1$ transition is found to have a strength of $B(M1)=1.5(8) {\ensuremath{\mu}}_{N}^{2}$ or $0.85(42)$ W.u. The implications for the structure of these states is discussed and found to be consistent with an assignment to a $\ensuremath{\pi}{g}_{9/2}\ensuremath{\nu}{g}_{9/2}$ configuration.

We show that bilayer graphene exhibits magneto-electric effects that are formally similar to those commonly seen in band insulators with broken inversion and time-reversal symmetries. Three unusual features characterize the magneto-electric responses exhibited by bilayer graphene: (i) unlike most other magneto-electric media, bilayer graphene is a conductor, (ii) bilayer graphene has a non-quantized magneto-electric coupling even though its electronic structure does not break parity and time-reversal symmetry, and (iii) the magnitude of the magneto-electric coupling in bilayer graphene is determined by the valley-isospin density, which can be manipulated experimentally. This last property also enables a purely electric measurement of valley-isospin densities. While our theoretical arguments use bilayer graphene as an example, they are generally valid for any material with similar symmetries., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, RevTex 4.1, to appear in Phys. Rev. B

The cylindrical column plasma of a neon dc glow discharge under the influence of a weak longitudinal magnetic field is studied. An extended, fully self-consistent model of the column plasma has been used to determine the kinetic quantities of electrons, ions and excited atoms, the radial space charge field, and the axial electric field for given discharge conditions. The model includes a nonlocal kinetic treatment of the electrons by solving their spatially inhomogeneous kinetic equation, taking into account the radial space charge field and the axial magnetic field. The treatment is based on the two-term expansion of the velocity distribution and comprises the determination of its isotropic and anisotropic components in the axial, radial, and azimuthal direction. A transition from a distinctly nonlocal kinetic behavior of the electrons in the magnetic-field-free case to an almost local kinetic behavior has been found by increasing the magnetic field. The establishment of the electron cyclotron motion around the column axis increasingly restricts the radial electron energy transport and reduces the radial ambipolar current. The complex interaction of these transport phenomena with the alterations in the charge carrier production leads finally to a specific variation of the electric field components. The axial field increases by applying weak magnetic fields, however, decreases with increasingly higher magnetic fields. At higher magnetic fields, the radial space-charge field is considerably reduced.

A new method for the self-consistent description of radial space-charge confinement and the corresponding nonlocal kinetics of plasma components in the cylindrical dc column plasma is presented. The method comprises the solution of the space-dependent kinetic equation of the electron component, the fluid equations of ions and excited neutral particles and Poisson's equation. The nonlinearly coupled equations are solved self-consistently applying a nonlinear optimization technique, which is used to optimize a polynomial representation of the radial space-charge potential. The applicability of several optimization methods and their suitability concerning the convergence and accuracy are discussed. Examples of the self-consistent description are presented.

The temporal evolution of the electron velocity-distribution function(EVDF), the concentration, mean energy, and the drift velocity of theelectrons is studied on a kinetic basis in a weakly ionized Ar/F2mixture plasma under conditions when the electron concentration temporallydecreases as a result of the electron attachment to fluoride molecules. Usingan appropriate relaxation model, the time-dependent electron Boltzmannequation was solved in multiterm and two-term approximations of the velocitydistribution function. The multiterm results confirmed predictions on theoccurrence of negative electron mobilities in such a decaying Ar/F2plasma, which were made in a former study using the conventional two-termapproximation. The investigations particularly showed that this approximationgives almost accurate results for the EVDF and related electron swarm parametersexcept for in the very beginning of the relaxation process. It has been furthershown that for a certain range of the reduced electric field strength, thedrift velocity becomes negative in the process of temporal evolution and remainsnegative even when approaching the hydrodynamic stage of the electronswarm. In addition, the role played by the back heating from the gas byelastic collisions on the EVDF formation is studied and various comparisonswith corresponding Monte Carlo results are performed.

Recent observations of spherical striations in large-volume nitrogen dcdischarges with a central anode have stimulated investigations of thenonlocal electron kinetics in these striations by solving the spatiallyinhomogeneous Boltzmann equation adapted to spherical geometry. Becausethe radial course of the electric potential is largely unknown in thisdischarge, different models concerning its radial course have been developedand used. These models are based on the measured radii of the striationsand the assumption that the potential drop between successive striationsdoes not change. As a consequence, with decreasing distance between thestriations the electric field strongly increases toward the centralanode. It has been found that spherical striations are only obtained ifthe electric field is strongly modulated. In this case, a highly nonlocalbehavior of the velocity distribution function and strongly modulatedradial courses of the macroscopic quantities have been obtained.

We report Doppler-only radar observations of Icarus at Goldstone at a transmitter frequency of 8510 MHz (3.5 cm wavelength) during 8-10 June 1996, the first radar detection of the object since 1968. Optimally filtered and folded spectra achieve a maximum opposite-circular (OC) polarization signal-to-noise ratio of about 10 and help to constrain Icarus' physical properties. We obtain an OC radar cross section of 0.05 km(2) (with a 35% uncertainty), which is less than values estimated by Goldstein (1969) and by Pettengill et al. (1969), and a circular polarization (SC/OC) ratio of 0.5+/-0.2. We analyze the echo power spectrum with a model incorporating the echo bandwidth B and a spectral shape parameter it, yielding a coupled constraint between B and n. We adopt 25 Hz as the lower bound on B, which gives a lower bound on the maximum pole-on breadth of about 0.6 km and upper bounds on the radar and optical albedos that are consistent with Icarus' tentative QS classification. The observed circular polarization ratio indicates a very rough near-surface at spatial scales of the order of the radar wavelength. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The detailed study of the radially dependent kinetics of the electrons in the space charge confined, cylindrically symmetric positive column plasma of low current dc discharges requires the solution of a complicated elliptic boundary value problem for the isotropic part of the electron velocity distribution function. To avoid this laborious and time consuming task, in the limit of weak energy dissipation in electron—atom collisions the elliptic kinetic equation has been replaced by the so-called “nonlocal approach”. In this approximation a much simpler, spatially integrated kinetic equation is finally deduced which has to be solved numerically. When increasing the discharge current the nonlinear Coulomb interaction between the electrons becomes more and more important and has, in addition to the electron—atom collisions, to be included in the kinetic treatment. The paper reports on basic aspects of the numerical solution method, developed for the nonlinear kinetic equation of the nonlocal approach when additionally including the electron—electron interaction, and on several applications of the method. In particular, the impact of increasing electron density and thus of the COULOMB interaction between the electrons on their kinetics in the column plasma is investigated and discussed in the frame of the nonlocal approach.

On the basis of the time-dependent electron Boltzmann equation the temporal relaxation of the electrons in the presence of electric and magnetic fields in weakly ionized, collision dominated plasmas has been studied. The relaxation process is treated by using a strict time-dependent two-term approximation of the velocity distribution function expansion in spherical harmonics. A new technique for solving the time-dependent electron kinetic equation in this two-term approximation for arbitrary angles between the electric and magnetic fields has been developed and the main aspects of the efficient solution method are presented. Using this new approach and starting from steady-state plasmas under the action of time-independent electric fields only, the impact of superimposed DC magnetic fields on the electron relaxation is analyzed with regard to the control of a neon plasma. The investigations reveal an important effect of the magnetic field on the temporal relaxation process. In particular, it has been found that the relaxation time of the electron component with respect to the establishment of steady-state can be enlarged by some orders of magnitude when increasing the magnetic field strength.

The spatial evolution of the electron component in a neon plasma is investigated under the action of spatially inhomogeneous electric fields. In the center of the studies are those macroscopic quantities which describe the transport and the dissipation of power and momentum of the electrons. These quantities are determined from the velocity distribution function of the electrons obtained by the solution of the spatially inhomogeneous Boltzmann equation. Both a spatially limited disturbance of the field as well as a strongly modulated periodic field typical of s striations are considered. Moreover, the results of the strict kinetic treatment are compared with the corresponding ones obtained by the so-called local field approximation which corresponds to a hydrodynamic description of the electron component assuming a local compensation of power and momentum gain by the respective loss processes. The large deviation of both results from each other confirms the strongly nonlocal character of the electron transport and dissipation coefficients under the plasma conditions considered.

The method of the nonlocal approach is used to describe the spatially dependent electron kinetics in an inert gas dc column plasma taking into account the space charge confinement. The historical concept of the method, the applied simplification of the electron kinetic equation, and the specifications about its validity are critically discussed. The accuracy of the results are evaluated by means of detailed comparisons with a strict solution of the relevant kinetic equation based on the two-term approximation. An extension of the method is deduced to estimate the anisotropic part of the electron velocity distribution which allows an approximate description of the electron particle and power fluxes. These estimations are used for a consistent treatment of the spatially resolved electron power balance in the column plasma.

The nonlocal behavior of the electrons in strongly modulated and period-averaged electric fields typical of s- and p-striations in neon glow discharge plasmas is investigated by numerically solving the axially inhomogeneous electron Boltzmann equation. A good agreement between the period lengths measured in the striations and those obtained from the spatially periodic electron relaxation in the period-averaged field of the striations is found confirming the close relation of both phenomena. The s- and p-striations represent the fundamental and first harmonics of the inherent periodic electron relaxation. Furthermore, starting from different boundary conditions the establishment of the velocity distribution function and of selected macroscopic quantities of the electrons into unique periodic states under the action of strongly modulated striation-like fields is investigated. It is shown that the same damping processes that cause in homogeneous fields a relaxation into homogeneous states lead to unique periodic states in strongly modulated fields.

Using a new method for solving the time-dependent electron Boltzmann equation in higher order accuracy, studies of the temporal behaviour of electrons in weakly ionized, collision-dominated plasmas under the action of rf fields have been performed. The method is based upon a multi-term approximation of the Legendre polynomial expansion of electron velocity distribution function and is applied to investigate the established periodic behaviour of the electron velocity distribution in helium, argon and CO plasmas. The results obtained in various approximation orders are discussed. The analysis has shown that the simplified treatment using only two terms of the velocity distribution expansion can fail in several conditions. In general, the four-term approximation gives already a good representation of the convergent solution of the electron Boltzmann equation at each instant of the rf period. The discrepancies between two-term and convergent results are found to depend sensitively on the specific atomic data, in particular on the magnitude of the various electron collision cross sections involved. Furthermore, the results obtained in the multi-term approximation are compared with corresponding ones obtained by accurate Monte Carlo simulations. Very good agreement between convergent eight-term Boltzmann and Monte Carlo calculations is found.

The 9Be(28Mg,27Na) one-proton removal reaction with a large proton separation energy of Sp(28Mg)=16.79 MeV is studied at intermediate beam energy. Coincidences of the bound 27Na residues with protons and other light charged particles are measured. These data are analyzed to determine the percentage contributions to the proton removal cross section from the elastic and inelastic nucleon removal mechanisms. These deduced contributions are compared with the eikonal reaction model predictions and with the previously measured data for reactions involving the re- moval of more weakly-bound protons from lighter nuclei. The role of transitions of the proton between different bound single-particle configurations upon the elastic breakup cross section is also quantified in this well-bound case. The measured and calculated elastic breakup fractions are found to be in good agreement., Comment: Phys. Rev. C 2014 (accepted)

Radar observations of comet Hyakutake (C/1996 B2) made at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California have detected echoes from the nucleus and from large grains in the inner coma. The nucleus of this bright comet was estimated to be only 2 to 3 kilometers in diameter. Models of the coma echo indicate backscatter from porous, centimeter-size grains ejected anisotropically at velocities of tens of meters per second. The radar observations suggest that a comet's activity may be a poor indicator of its size and provide evidence that large grains constitute an important component of the mass loss from a typical active comet.

We describe Doppler-only radar observations of near-Earth asteroids 2062 Aten, 2101 Adonis, 3103 Eger, 4544 Xanthus, and 1992 QN that were obtained at Arecibo and Goldstone between 1984 and 1996. Estimates of the echo spectral bandwidths, radar cross sections, and circular polarization ratios of these objects constrain their pole-on breadths, radar albedos, surface roughnesses, taxonomic classes, rotation periods, and spin vectors.

The impact of different collision processes of the electrons with the gas atoms on their spatial relaxation under the action of space-independent electric fields is analyzed in a weakly ionized, collision-dominated helium plasma. Based on the numerical solution of the one-dimensional inhomogeneous electron Boltzmann equation, the spatial evolution of the electron velocity distribution function and of the related macroscopic quantities is investigated for different models concerning the treatment of the elastic, exciting, and ionizing collision processes. The spatial relaxation into homogeneous states is initiated by a disturbance which is directly imposed on the electron velocity distribution as a boundary condition. At moderate and higher electric fields this disturbance excites spatially periodic structures in the distribution function which are damped out by special mechanisms inherent in the exciting and ionizing collision processes. With decreasing field strength the damping due to the energy loss in elastic collisions becomes more effective and causes at lower fields an aperiodic establishment into homogeneous states.

The spatial relaxation of electrons to homogeneous states under the action of space-independent electric fields is investigated in helium, krypton, and N2 plasmas for various electric field strengths. These investigations are based on a new method recently developed for solving the one-dimensional inhomogeneous electron Boltzmann equation in weakly ionized, collision-dominated plasmas. Elastic as well as conservative inelastic collisions of electrons with gas atoms have been included in the kinetic treatment. The spatial relaxation is caused by an imposed direct disturbance in the velocity distribution of the electrons on a spatial boundary. A pronounced dependence of the relaxation structure and the resultant relaxation length on the atomic data of the electron collision processes in different gases has been found. Furthermore the relaxation process sensitively depends on the electric field strength in the region of medium field values.

A new method for solving the electron Boltzmann equation in spatially inhomogeneous, steady state plasmas by using a multi-term approximation of the expansion of the electron velocity distribution function is presented. This method is a generalization of that approach which has been recently developed to solve the inhomogeneous kinetic equation using the conventional two-term approximation. The objective of using the multi-term approximation is to improve the accuracy of the spatial relaxation treatment of the electrons and to analyse the impact of higher order terms on the relaxation behaviour of both the electron velocity distribution function and the relevant macroscopic electron quantities. In this paper the higher order approximation is used to study the spatial relaxation of plasma electrons in a constant electric field. The investigations are performed for a model plasma, varying in particular some atomic data of the electron collision processes in this model, and for real plasmas. A detailed comparison of the results relevant to the isotropic and the first anisotropic component of the electron velocity distribution function which have been obtained in the multi-term approximation and in the conventional two-term approximation is made. Based on such studies the accuracy already reached concerning the spatial relaxation process by the simpler two-term approximation is critically evaluated.

In generalization of former approaches for the simplified solution of the inhomogeneous electron Boltzmann equation a higher order solution technique has been developed. This technique is based on a multi-term expansion of the electron velocity distribution function and allows a strict study of the electron kinetics in plasmas acted upon by space-dependent electric fields. This solution technique is used to investigate the response of the plasma electrons to spatially limited disturbances of the electric field in weakly ionized plasmas of helium and mercury. By solving the kinetic equation with increasing order of the multi-term expansion the convergent solution of the kinetic problem and thus the strict spatial behaviour of the velocity distribution and of significant macroscopic properties of the electrons has been determined and analysed. Furthermore, the impact of higher order terms of the expansion has been revealed and the falsification of the velocity distribution and of related macroscopic properties has been evaluated when instead of the multi-term solution the simpler two-term solution of the kinetic equation is used.

Samples of two deep-sea sediment cores from the Indian Ocean are analyzed with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to search for traces of recent supernova activity around 2 Myr ago. Here, long-lived radionuclides, which are synthesized in massive stars and ejected in supernova explosions, namely 26Al, 53Mn and 60Fe, are extracted from the sediment samples. The cosmogenic isotope 10Be, which is mainly produced in the Earths atmosphere, is analyzed for dating purposes of the marine sediment cores. The first AMS measurement results for 10Be and 26Al are presented, which represent for the first time a detailed study in the time period of 1.7-3.1 Myr with high time resolution. Our first results do not support a significant extraterrestrial signal of 26Al above terrestrial background. However, there is evidence that, like 10Be, 26Al might be a valuable isotope for dating of deep-sea sediment cores for the past few million years., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of the Heavy Ion Accelerator Symposium on Fundamental and Applied Science, 2013, will be published by the EPJ Web of conferences

Neutron-rich N=22, 24, 26 magnesium isotopes were studied via in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory following secondary fragmentation reactions on a carbon target at ≈200 MeV/nucleon. In the one- and two-proton removal channels from 39Al and 40Si beams, two distinct γ-ray transitions were observed in 38Mg, while in the one-proton removal reaction from 37Al a new transition was observed in addition to the known 2(1)(+)→0(g.s.)(+) decay. From the experimental systematics and comparison to theoretical predictions it is concluded that the transitions belong to the 2(1)(+)→0(g.s.)(+) and 4(1)(+)→2(1)(+) decays in 36Mg and 38Mg, respectively. For 34Mg, previously reported 2(1)(+) and 4(1)(+) level energies were remeasured. The deduced E(4(1)(+))/E(2(1)(+)) ratios for 34,36,38Mg of 3.14(5), 3.07(5), and 3.07(5) are almost identical and suggest the emergence of a large area of deformation extending from the N=20 to the N=28 shell quenching.