Digital Commons Network^™

Pion-Pion Scattering In Two Dimensions, Joseph Schechter, D. Delphenich, S. Vaidya

Physics - All Scholarship

Massive two-flavor QED_2 is known to have many similarities to the two-flavor QCD_4. Here we compare the \pi-\pi scattering amplitudes (actually an analog process in QED_2) of the two theories. The QED_2 amplitude is computed from the bosonized version of the model while the QCD_4 amplitude is computed from an effective low energy chiral Lagrangian. A number of interesting features are noted. For example, the contribution of the two-dimensional Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) term in QED_2 is structurally identical to the vector meson exchange contribution in QCD_4. Also it is shown that the QED_2 amplitude computed at tree level is a reasonable …

Steps Toward Determination Of The Size And Structure Of The Broad-Line Region In Active Galactic Nuclei. Xiv. Intensive Optical Spectrophotometric Observations Of Ngc 7469, S.J. Collier, Keith Horne, Shai Kaspi, Hagai Netzer, Bradley M. Peterson, I. Wanders, T. Alexander, R. Bertram, A. Comastri, C. Martin Gaskell, Yu. F. Malkov, D. Maoz, M. Mignoli, Richard William Pogge, V.I. Pronik, S.G. Sergeev, Stephanie A. Snedden, G.M. Stirpe, N.G. Bochkarev, A.N. Burenkov, A.I. Shapovalova, R.M. Wagner

C. Martin Gaskell Publications

We present results of an intensive 2 month campaign of ground-based spectrophotometric monitoring of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 7469, with a temporal resolution [approximately less than]1 day. The broad Hα and Hβ emission lines respond to ~35% ultraviolet continuum variations with an amplitude of ~10% and time delays of 5.6±1.3 days and 5.4±0.8 days, respectively. We interpret this as evidence of variable Balmer line gas ~5-6 light days from the central source in this object, widely believed to be a supermassive black hole. The virial mass of the central source implied by line widths and time delays is ~10 …

Renormalized Effective Hamiltonian Approach To Qcd, David G. Robertson

Physics Faculty Scholarship

Continuing our previous QCD Hamiltonian studies in the gluonic and quark sectors, we describe a new renormalization procedure which generates an effective Hamiltonian. The formulation, which is in the Coulomb gauge, provides an improved framework for investigating hadron structure.

B→Sγ Constraints On The Minimal Supergravity Model With Large Tanβ, Howard Baer, Michal Brhlik, Diego Castano, Xerxes Tata

Chemistry and Physics Faculty Articles

In the minimal supergravity model (MSUGRA), as the parameter tanβ increases, the charged Higgs boson and light bottom squark masses decrease, which can potentially increase contributions from tH±, ̃gbj and Zibj loops in the decay →bsγ. We update a previous QCD improved →bsγ decay calculation to include in addition the effects of gluino and neutralino loops. We find that, in the MSUGRA model, loops involving charginos also increase, and dominate over tW, tH±, ̃g̃q and Zĩq contributions for tanβ≳5−10. We find for large values of tanβ∼35 that most of the parameter space of the MSUGRA model for μ<0 is ruled out due to too large a value of branching ratio B(→bsγ). For μ>0 and …

The Discovery Of Trapped Energetic Electrons In The Outer Cusp, R. B. Sheldon, Harlan E. Spence, J. D. Sullivan, T. A, Fritz, Jiasheng Chen

Physics & Astronomy

We report on the POLAR/CEPPAD discovery of a trapped, 60°<θ<120° pitch angle electron population in the outer cusp (7−9+ Re), whose energetic electron component extends from below 30 keV to ∼2 MeV. Because the time variability in the outer cusp precludes mapping with POLAR, we have carried out test particle simulations using the Tsyganenko 1996 model (T96) to demonstrate the trapping of these energy electrons in the outer cusp region and the resonant frequencies of its trapped motion. We discuss the boundaries and regions of the cusp trap and show that it is analogous to the dipole trap. We show that the phase space densities observed there are equal or greater than the phase space densities observed in the radiation belts at constant magnetic moment, thus allowing the possibility of diffusive filling of the radiation belts from the cusp

Long Base-Line Measurements Of Short Period Mesospheric Gravity Waves During The Seek Campaign, Michael J. Taylor, S. H. Seo, T. Nakamura, T. Tsuda, H. Fukunishi, Y. Takahashi

All Physics Faculty Publications

Simultaneous observations of short‐period (<1 hour) mesospheric gravity waves were made over an extended base‐line (∼660 km) from two sites in Japan (at Shigaraki and Yamagawa) during the SEEK (Sporadic‐E Experiment over Kyushu) campaign, 9–23 August, 1996. Coincident image data obtained on four nights provided a rare opportunity to investigate the horizontal spatial extent and propagation characteristics of the waves in detail. Surprisingly, out of a total of 12 events observed from Shigaraki and 10 from Yamagawa at most only three exhibited similar propagation characteristics at each site. The majority of the wave displays (∼70–75%) had quite dissimilar characteristics suggesting a preponderance for localized wave motions of limited lifetimes and geographical extent. A marked preference for wave progression towards the N‐NE indicates that the gravity waves imaged in the near infrared OH and OI (557.7 nm) nightglow emissions were probably not directly associated with the observed E‐region irregularities.

Phase Formation And Magnetic Properties Of Co-Rare Earth Magnetic Films, Yi Liu, Richard A. Thomas, S.S. Malhotra, Z.S. Shan, Sy_Hwang Liou, David J. Sellmyer

Sy-Hwang Liou Publications

Co–Sm and Co–Pr films were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering. Transmission electron microscopy and magnetic measurement were used to study the microstructure and magnetic property relationship. The nanostructure of the as-deposited Co 19 at. % Sm films consists of two phases: the amorphous phase and the crystallite phase. Upon annealing at 600 °C, the Co₅Sm phase with the Cu₅Ca structure, having grain size of about 20 nm, is obtained along with high coercivity (45 kOe). The as-deposited Co 22 at. % Sm films also have nanostructure similar to the Co 19 at. % films except the …

Translational Diffusion Of Small And Large Mesoscopic Probes In Hydroxypropylcellulose-Water In The Solutionlike Regime, Kiril A. Streletzky, George D.J. Phillies

Physics Faculty Publications

Quasi-elastic light scattering spectroscopy was used to study the translational diffusion of monodisperse spheres in aqueous 1 MDa hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) at 25 °C. Probe diameters d spanned 14–455 nm; HPC concentrations were 0⩽c⩽7g/L. Light scattering spectroscopy consistently found spectra having the form g(1)(t)=(1−Af)exp(−θtβ)+Af exp(−θftβf). Here θf and βf refer to the “fast” mode; θ and β describe the “slow” mode. We examine the dependence of θ, β, θf, βf, and Af on d, c, scattering vector q, and viscosity η. β=1 for large probes; elsewise, β and βf are ∈(0,1). The slow mode, with short-lived memory function, is diffusive; for …

Strain Induced Alteration Of The Gadolinium Surface State, C. Waldfried, D.N. Mcilroy, T. Mcavoy, D. Welipitiya, Peter A. Dowben, Elio Vescovo

Peter Dowben Publications

Strain induced alteration of the gadolinium surface state The electronic structure of strained and unstrained Gd(0001) has been studied with photoemission, inverse photoemission, and spin-polarized photoemission. A shift of the occupied majority and unoccupied minority surface states has been observed as a result of the strain, consistent with the phase accumulation model. There is a strain induced shift of the minority spin surface state across the Fermi level. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.

Magnetic And Structural Properties Of Prco3–XSiX Compounds, T. Matsui, R. D. Stevenson, Roger D. Kirby, David J. Sellmyer

Roger Kirby Publications

We have systematically investigated the magnetic properties of the rare-earth compounds PrCo₈Si and PrCo_3–xSi_x, the crystal structures of which are hexagonal CeNi₃-type and rhombohedral Be₃Nb-type, respectively. Sharp cusps were observed in the real and imaginary parts of the ac susceptibility at temperatures between 282 (x = .08) and 209 K (x = .23). Also observed were bifurcations of the zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization curves at the same temperatures, showing that the magnetization was irreversible below these temperatures. The effect of Si substitution for Co in this system …

Coercivity And Exchange Coupling In Prco:Co Nanocomposite Films, J. Ping Liu, Yi Liu, David J. Sellmyer

David Sellmyer Publications

Magnetic hysteresis and intergrain exchange coupling in nanostructured PrCo:Co composite films have been investigated. The composite thin films were made by multilayer sputtering and subsequent annealing. It is found that the coercivity mechanism is related to film morphology, especially the Co phase fraction. Evidence for the hard-soft-phase exchange coupling has been found and high energy products have been obtained.

Hydrogen In R2Fe17 Intermetallic Compounds: Structural, Thermodynamic, And Magnetic Properties, S. Wirth, Ralph Skomski, J.M.D. Coey

Ralph Skomski Publications

The absorption and diffusion behavior of hydrogen in iron-rich rare-earth intermetallics of the type R₂Fe₁₇ (R=Y, Sm, Gd) and the resulting changes of their magnetic properties are investigated. Intermediate hydrogen concentration indicate the solid-solution character of the hydrides. From equilibrium and nonequilibrium absorption experiments net reaction energies, bulk diffusion constants, and surface barrier energies for Sm₂Fe₁₇ are determined and discussed. The low-temperature quantum diffusion is discussed for the hydride and the corresponding nitride. The interstitial modification changes drastically the crystalline electric field in the rare-earth intermetallics. For Sm₂Fe₁₇H₄ the …

Possible Evidence Of Gravity Wave Coupling Into The Mid-Latitude F Region Ionosphere During The Seek Campaign, Michael J. Taylor, J. M. Jahn, S. Fukao, A. Saito

All Physics Faculty Publications

On five of eight observation nights during the 1996 SEEK (Sporadic E Experiment over Kyushu) campaign, Japan, unusual “wave‐like” structures were imaged in the 630 nm thermospheric nightglow emission. Four of these events were observed to travel towards the southwest, providing new evidence in support of recent theories describing the coupling of medium‐scale gravity waves into the mid‐latitude F region ionosphere. Available ionosonde data and the visual characteristics of the wave structures indicate no association with the occurrence of mid‐latitude spread F or F region upwellings. Instead, the data support the novel concept of feedback from the ionosphere into the …

Path Integral For The Quantum Harmonic Oscillator Using Elementary Methods, Scott M. Cohen

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present a purely analytical method to calculate the propagator for the quantum harmonic oscillator using Feynman’s path integral. Though the details of the calculation are involved, the general approach uses only matrix diagonalization and well-known integrals, techniques which an advanced undergraduate should understand. The full propagator, including both the prefactor and the classical action, is obtained from a single calculation which involves the exact diagonalization of the discretized action for the system.

Dynamically Maintained Steady-State Pressure Gradients, D. P. Sheehan

Physics and Biophysics: Faculty Scholarship

In a sealed blackbody cavity with gas, pressure gradients commonly take three forms: (a) statistical fluctuations, (b) transients associated with the system relaxing toward equilibrium, and (c)equilibrium pressure gradients associated with potential gradients (such as with gravity). In this paper, it is shown that in the low-density (collisionless) regime, a fourth type of pressure gradient may arise, this due to steady-state differential thermal desorption of surface species from chemically active surfaces. This gas phase is inherently nonequilibrium in character. Numerical simulations using realistic physical parameters support the possibility of this gas phase and indicate that these novel pressure gradients might …

Four Paradoxes Involving The Second Law Of Thermodynamics, D. P. Sheehan

Physics and Biophysics: Faculty Scholarship

Recently four independent paradoxes have been proposed which appear to challenge the second law of thermodynamics [1-8]. These paradoxes are briefly reviewed. It is shown that each paradox results from a synergism of two broken symmetries - one geometric, one thermodynamic

General Formulation Of The Semirelativistic Approach To Atomic Sum Rules, P.T. Leung, Scott M. Cohen

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

A general scheme is presented for obtaining systematic relativistic corrections to quantum-mechanical sum rules for various calculations in atomic physics. The single-particle picture and the Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation [Phys. Rev. 78, 29 (1950)] are adopted to derive such corrections. Results are obtained for the ldquogeneralized Bethe sums,rdquo which include all higher moments of the energy transfer, and explicit results are given to the lowest order of relativistic corrections.

A Study Of The Knowledge Structure Of Expert, Intermediate, And Novice Subjects In The Domain Of Physics, Jennifer L. Discenna

Dissertations

The objective of this research was to investigate the knowledge structure in physics by describing the knowledge of experts, intermediates, and novices. A review of the literature on expertise, physics knowledge, and conceptual structure provided two competing representations of physics knowledge: one defined as a hierarchy of models arranged from general to specific models, the second defined by theories which link knowledge together.

In order to investigate the two representations described above, a reiterative categorization task was employed. This task resulted in a hierarchical sort with larger piles at the top of the hierarchy and smaller piles at the bottom …

Electron Emission Following The Interaction Of Slow Highly Charged Ions With Solids, Joseph W. Mcdonald

Dissertations

The interaction of highly-charged ions with surfaces involves many excitation processes of the surface atoms and the bulk material. One such process, the emission of electrons from surfaces due to the potential energy of the incident ions has been studied. The experimental results presented here confirm that the majority of electrons emitted as a result of highly-charged ions interacting with a solid surface have energies of about 20 eV. Auger processes contribute a smaller fraction of the total emitted electrons with increasing Z o f the projectile. This contribution to the total electron emission yield is found to be less …

Finite Size Scaling In The Thin Film Limit, C. Waldfield, D. Welipitiya, T. Mcavoy, Peter A. Dowben, Elio Vescovo

Peter Dowben Publications

The thickness dependent spin-polarized electronic structure of strained thin and ultrathin films of Gd is characterized by a distinct change in the critical exponent λ in the formalism of finite size scaling. The reduced critical exponent in the ultrathin films can be correlated to the increased dominance of the surface magnetic structure and the increasing paramagnetic-like behavior of the bulk. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.

Immobilization Diffusion In R2Fe17 Nitrides, Ralph Skomski, S. Wirth

Ralph Skomski Publications

The diffusion of nitrogen in R₂Fe₁₇ intermetallics is investigated by an approach which reconciles the solid-solution and immobilization theories of nitrogen diffusion. It turns out that two-sublattice diffusions may yield sharp concentration profiles but leave the phase structure of the nitride unchanged. Beside the reaction time and a local relaxation time there exists a global relaxation time which governs the smoothing of concentration gradients. Due to the large number of unknown energy parameters involved it is difficult to make quantitative predictions, but in general the diffusion behavior depends on factors such as the use of N_{2 …}

Observation Of Oscillations Between Degenerate Bound-State Configurations In Rapidly Autoionizing Two-Electron Atoms, M. B. Campbell, Thomas J. Bensky, Robert R. Jones

Physics

The oscillation between bound-state configurations in a rapidly autoionizing three-body Coulomb system has been directly observed. Using a 500-fsec laser pulse, calcium atoms are excited to the pure 4p_3/215d two-electron configuration at an energy greater than 3 eV above the ionization limit. As a result of configuration interaction, the electrons scatter coherently into multiple bound and continuum configurations. The oscillation between the degenerate 4p_1/2n′d and 4p_3/2nd modes as well as autoionization into 4s_1/2εl, 3d_3/2εl, and 3d_5/2εl …

Nanostructured Ndfeb Films Processed By Rapid Thermal Annealing, M. Yu, Yi Liu, Sy_Hwang Liou, David J. Sellmyer

Sy-Hwang Liou Publications

Nanostructured NdFeB films were prepared by magnetron sputtering followed by rapid thermal annealing at a ramp rate of 200 °C/s. Isotropically oriented Nd₂Fe₁₄B crystallites were formed in the films and coercivities up to 20 kOe and remanence ratios up to 0.8 were obtained. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that the majority phase of the magnetic layer in the high coercivity films consists of Nd₂Fe₁₄B nanocrystallites with an average size of about 50 nm. These nanocrystallites are believed to be single-domain particles, which are responsible for the high coercivities. MFM measurements show that …

Finite-Temperature Behavior Of Anisotropic Two-Sublattice Magnets, Ralph Skomski

Ralph Skomski Publications

The finite-temperature magnetism of rare-earth transition-metal intermetallics is investigated by extending the n-component vector spin model to two-sublattice magnets. Mean-field analysis shows that the influence of the rare-earth anisotropy on the mean-field Curie temperature is much smaller than expected from the low-temperature rare-earth anisotropy. The use of ultraspherical polynomials yields a generalization of the famous m (m+1)/2 power-law exponent to m (m+n-2)/( n-1).

Micromagnetic Localization, Ralph Skomski

Ralph Skomski Publications

The localization of nucleation modes in inhomogeneous ferromagnets and its influence on the coercivity are investigated. From the formal analogy between quantum mechanics and micromagnetics follows that anisotropy inhomogeneities may cause localization. The nucleation modes of one-dimensional arrays, such as multilayers composed of hard and soft magnetic materials, are localized even if the superlattice exhibits a nearly ideal periodicity. Gaussian distributions of the layer thicknesses lead to Urbach tails and very low coercivities, but a maximum thickness l_m of the soft layers suppresses the Urbach tails. The related problem of magnetic viscosity leads to a supersymmetric Fokker–Planck description where …

Search For A New Gauge Boson In Π0 Decays, Nomad Collaboration, J. Altegoer, D. Autiero, A. Baldisseri, M. Baldo-Ceolin, G. Ballocchi, M. Banner, S. Basa, G. Bassompierre, K. Benslama, N. Besson, I. Bird, B. Blumenfeld, F. Bobisut, J. Bouchez, S. Boyd, A. Bueno, S. Bunyatov, L. Camilleri, K. Zuber, Roberto Petti, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

A search was made for a new light gauge boson X which might be produced in π⁰→γ+X decay from neutral pions generated by 450 GeV protons in the CERN SPS neutrino target. The X's would penetrate the downstream shielding and be observed in the NOMAD detector via the Primakoff effect, in the process of X→π⁰ conversion in the external Coulomb field of a nucleus. With 1.45×10¹⁸ protons on target, 20 candidate events with energy between 8 and 140 GeV were found from the analysis of neutrino data. This number is in …

Pressure Ionization And Line Merging In Strongly Coupled Plasmas Produced By 100-Fs Laser Pulses, M. Nantel, G. Ma, S. Gu, C.Y. Côté, J. Itatani, Donald Umstadter

Donald Umstadter Publications

Time- and space-resolved extreme ultraviolet spectra of carbon plasmas, created with 100-fs laser pulses, are obtained with the novel technique of picosecond jitter-free streak-camera averaging. Spectroscopic diagnostics indicate electron densities and temperatures evolving from 10²³ to 10²¹ cm^-3 and 80 to 50 eV, respectively, implying less than one particle in a Debye sphere at early times. The emission reveals conditions of extreme pressure ionization and line merging. Comparisons of the experimental spectra with numerical simulations validate the use of the Inglis-Teller limit for line merging, and confirm that pressure ionization models based on the Debye-Huckel potential are …

Search For Inclusive B→Sl+L-, S. Glenn, Kenneth A. Bloom, Cleo Collaboration

Kenneth Bloom Publications

We have searched for the effective flavor changing neutral-current decays b→sl⁺l^- using an inclusive method. We set upper limits on the branching ratios B(b→ se⁺e^-) < 5.7 X 10^-5, B(b→ sμ⁺μ^-) < 5.8 X 10^-5 and Bb→se⁺μ^-) < 2.2 3 10^-5 [at 90% confidence level (C.L.)]. Combing the dielectron and dimuon decay modes we find b→sl⁺l^-) < 4.2 X 10^-5 (at 90% C.L.).

Orthogonal Polynomial Projectors For The Projector Augmented Wave Method Of Electronic Structure Calculations, N. A. W. Holzwarth, G. E. Matthews, A. R. Tackett, Rodney Dunning

Chemistry & Physics Faculty Publications

The projector augmented wave (PAW) method for electronic structure calculations developed by Blochl [Phys. Rev. B 50, 17 953 (1994)] has been very successfully used for density functional studies. It has the numerical advantages of pseudopotential techniques while retaining the physics of all-electron formalisms. We describe a method for generating the set of atom-centered projector and basis functions that are needed for the PAW method. This scheme chooses the shapes of the projector functions from a set of orthogonal polynomials multiplied by a localizing weight factor. Numerical benefits of the scheme result from having direct control of the …

Particulate Sizing And Emission Indices For A Jet Engine Exhaust Sampled At Cruise, Donald E. Hagen, Philip D. Whitefield, J. Paladino, Max B. Trueblood, H. Lilenfeld

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Particle size and emission indices measurements for jet engines, primarily the Rolls Royce RB211 engines on a NASA 757 aircraft are reported. These data were used to estimate the fraction of fuel sulfur that was converted to particulates. These measurements were made in-situ with the sampling aircraft several kilometers behind the source. Some complimentary ground measurements on the same source aircraft and engines are also reported. Significant differences are seen between the ground observations and the in-situ observations, indicating that plume processes are changing the aerosol' s characteristics.