Observation of charge-dependent azimuthal correlations and possible local strong parity violation in heavy-ion collisions

Parity (P)-odd domains, corresponding to nontrivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the orbital momentum of the system created in noncentral collisions. To study this effect, we investigate a three-particle mixed-harmonics azimuthal correlator which is a P-even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge-separation effect. We report measurements of this observable using the STAR detector in Au + Au and Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 200 and 62 GeV. The results are presented as a function of collision centrality, particle separation in rapidity, and particle transverse momentum. A signal consistent with several of the theoretical expectations is detected in all four data sets. We compare our results to the predictions of existing event generators and discuss in detail possible contributions from other effects that are not related to P violation.

Investigation of High-Speed Combustible Gas Ignited by a Hot Gas Jet Produced in the Shock Tube

The high-speed combustible gas ignited by a hot gas jet, which is induced by shock focusing, was experimentally investigated. By use of the separation mode of shock tube, the test section of a single shock tube is split into two parts, which provide the high-speed flow of combustible gas and pilot flame of hot gas jet, respectively. In the interface of two parts of test sections the flame of jet was formed and spread to the high-speed combustible gas. Two kinds of the ignitions, 3-D “line-flame ignition” and 2-D “plane-flame ignition”, were investigated. In the condition of 3-D “lineflame ignition” of combustion, thicker hot gas jet than pure air jet, was observed in schlieren photos. In the condition of 2-D “plane-flame ignition” of combustion, the delay time of ignition and the angle of flame front in schlieren photos were measured, from which the velocity of flame propagation in the high-speed combustible gas is estimated in the range of 30–90 m/s and the delay time of ignition is estimated in the range of 0.12–0.29 ms.

On post-instability processes in adiabatic shear in hot rolled steel

EXPERIMENTS carried out using a split Hopkinson torsional bar have shown that only one shear band develops in specimens of hot rolled steel which break during testing. We observed, however, that in specimens which were not deformed to failure, several fine shear bands appeared. We believe that these formed during the loading cycle before the appearance of the final shear band and were not due to the effect of unloading. So we developed a numerical model to study the evolution of shear banding from several finite amplitude disturbances (FADs) in both temperature and strain rate. This numerical model reveals the detailed processes by which the FADs evolve into a fully developed shear band and suggests that beyond instability, the so-called shear banding process consists of two stages: inhomogeneous shearing and true shear-banding. The latter is characterized by the collapse of the stress and an abrupt increase of the local shear strain rate.

Investigation of High-Speed Combustible Gas Ignited by a Hot Gas Jet Produced in the Shock Tube

The high-speed combustible gas ignited by a hot gas jet, which is induced by shock focusing, was experimentally investigated. By use of the separation mode of shock tube, the test section of a single shock tube is split into two parts, which provide the high-speed flow of combustible gas and pilot flame of hot gas jet, respectively. In the interface of two parts of test sections the flame of jet was formed and spread to the high-speed combustible gas. Two kinds of the ignitions, 3-D "line-flame ignition" and 2-D "plane-flame ignition", were investigated. In the condition of 3-D "line-flame ignition" of combustion, thicker hot gas jet than pure air jet, was observed in schlieren photos. In the condition of 2-D "plane-flame ignition" of combustion, the delay time of ignition and the angle of flame front in schlieren photos were measured, from which the velocity of flame propagation in the high-speed combustible gas is estimated in the range of 30-90m/s and the delay time of ignition is estimated in the range of 0.12-0.29ms.

The Effect of the Thickness of Fe2 Al5 Phase Layer at Fe/Al Interface on the Mechanics Behavior of Hot Dip Aluminizing Coating

Hot Dip Aluminized Coatings with different thickness were prepared on Q235 steel in aluminum solutions with different temperature for certain time. Through tensile tests and in-situ SEM observations, the effect of the coating's microstructure on the tensile strength of the samples was studied. It was disclosed at certain aluminum solution temperature,transaction layers mainly composed of Fe2 Al5 phase got thicker with time prolonging, and this changed initial crack's extending direction from parallel with to vertical with stretching direction. The change in crack direction decreased tensile strength of samples, thus made the coating easy to break. It was concluded that the existence of thick Fe2 Al5 phase layer was the basic reason for the lowering of tensile strength of the coating.

Hot spot formation outside of the fusion-fuel core

An alternative fast-ignition method is proposed involving the formation of a hot spot outside the precompressed fusion-fuel core by a series of shocks driven directly by the light pressure of laser pulses of increasing intensities. It is shown that a hot spot, which can be of different material from that of the fuel core, with temperature similar to 10 keV and density similar to 200 g/cm(2), can be formed. Being an electrically neutral plasma, the hot spot can easily be sent into the fuel core. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Optimum hot electron production with low-density foams for laser fusion by fast ignition

We propose a foam cone-in-shell target design aiming at optimum hot electron production for the fast ignition. A thin low-density foam is proposed to cover the inner tip of a gold cone inserted in a fuel shell. An intense laser is then focused on the foam to generate hot electrons for the fast ignition. Element experiments demonstrate increased laser energy coupling efficiency into hot electrons without increasing the electron temperature and beam divergence with foam coated targets in comparison with solid targets. This may enhance the laser energy deposition in the compressed fuel plasma.

Ground-state energy shifts of H-like Ti under dense and hot plasma conditions

In this study, by adopting the ion sphere model, the self-consistent. field method is used with the Poisson-Boltzmann equation and the Dirac equation to calculate the ground-state energies of H-like Ti at a plasma electron density from 10(22) cm(-3) to 10(24) cm(-3) and the electron temperature from 100 eV to 3600 eV. The ground-state energy shifts of H-like Ti show different trends with the electron density and the electron temperature. It is shown that the energy shifts increase with the increase in the electron density and decrease with the increase in the electron temperature. The energy shifts are sensitive to the electron density, but only sensitive to the low electron temperature. In addition, an accurately fitting formula is obtained to fast estimate the ground-state energies of H-like Ti. Such fitted formula can also be used to estimate the critical electron density of pressure ionization for the ground state of H-like Ti.

Hot-pressed translucent aluminum oxynitride (AlON) ceramics

AlON with a composition of Al23O27N5 was prepared by hot pressing at temperatures lower than 1900°C. The microstructures and final properties, including both mechanical properties and optical properties, of the sintered specimens were studied. The results showed that sintering temperature had a great influence on the densification of specimens and could lead to very different properties, especially the optical transmittance and the maximum infrared transmission.

What are the closest relatives of the hot-spring snakes (Colubridae, Thermophis), the relict species endemic to the Tibetan Plateau?

We conducted phylogenetic analyses to identify the closest related living relatives of the Xizang and Sichuan hot-spring snakes (T baileyi and T. zhaoermii) endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, using mitochondrial DNA sequences (cyt b, ND4) from eight specimen

Meiothermus rosaceus sp nov isolated from Tengchong hot spring in Yunnan, China

A rosy-pigmented Gram-negative, thermophilic bacterium with an optimum growth temperature of about 55degreesC was isolated from Tengchong hot springs in Yunnan province, China. Its growth scarcely occurred below 40degreesC or above 70degreesC. Phylogenetic and secondary structural analyses of 16S rRNA and DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the organism represented a new species of the genus Meiothermus. This new species could be distinguished easily from other species of the genus Meiothermus by the following phenotypic characteristics: rosy pigment, expanded body, sucrose and maltose were not utilized, gelatin and starch were not hydrolyzed. On the basis of the above data, the name Meiothermus rosaceus sp. nov. was proposed for the species represented by the strain RH9901(T)(CCTCC-AB200291). (C) 2002 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of GaN nanowires and nano-pyramids in a two-hot-boat chemical vapor deposition system via an in-doping technique

A two-hot-boat chemical vapor deposition system was modified from a thermal evaporation equipment. This system has the advantage of high vacuum, rapid heating rate and temperature separately controlled boats for the source and samples. These are in favor of synthesizing compound semiconducting nano-materials. By the system, we have synthesized high-quality wurtzite single crystal GaN nanowires and nanotip triangle pyramids via an in-situ doping indium surfactant technique on Si and 3C-SiC epilayer/Si substrates. The products were analyzed by x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, highresolution transmission electron microscopy, energy- dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements. The GaN nanotip triangle pyramids, synthesized with this novel method, have potential application in electronic/ photonic devices for field-emission and laser.

Influence of longitudinal electric field on the hot-phonon effect in quantum wells

Using the Huang-Zhu model [K. Huang and B.-F. Zhu, Phys. Rev. B 38, 13377 (1988)] for the optical phonons and associated carrier-phonon interactions in semiconductor superlattices, the effects of longitudinal electric field on the energy-loss rates (ELRs) of hot carriers as well as on the hot-phonon effect (HPE) in GaAs/AlAs quantum wells (QWs) are studied systematically. Contributions of various bulklike and interface phonons to the hot-carrier relaxation are compared in detail, and comprehensively analyzed in relation to the intrasubband and intersubband scatterings for quantum cascade lasers. Due to the broken parity of the electron (hole) states in the electric field, the bulklike modes with antisymmetric potentials are allowed in the intrasubband relaxation processes, as well as the modes with symmetric potentials. As the interface phonon scattering is strong only in narrow wells, in which the electric field affects the electron (hole) states little, the ELRs of hot carriers through the interface phonon scattering are not sensitive to the electric field. The HPE on the hot-carrier relaxation process in the medium and wide wells is reduced by the electric field. The influence of the electric field on the hot-phonon effect in quantum cascade lasers is negligible. When the HPE is ignored, the ELRs of hot electrons in wide QWs are decreased noticeably by the electric field, but slightly increased by the field when considering the HPE. In contrast with the electrons, the ELRs of hot holes in wide wells are increased by the field, irrespective of the HPE. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.