Model of two-dimensional electron gas formation at ferroelectric interfaces
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Aguado-Puente, P.↗
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Composition of Polar Stratospheric Clouds from Infrared Spectroscopy
Heterogeneous reactions on polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) have recently been implicated in Arctic and Antarctic ozone destruction. Although the chemistry is well documented, the composition of the clouds remains uncertain. The most common PSCs (type I) are thought to be composed of HNO3/H2O mixtures. Although the exact process is not clear, type I PSCs are believed to nucleate on preexisting stratospheric sulfate aerosols (SSAs) composed of sulfuric acid and water. We are using infrared spectroscopy to study the composition and formation mechanism of type I PSCs. In the laboratory, we have used FTIR spectroscopy to probe the composition and phase of H2SO4/HNO3/H2O aerosols under winter polar stratospheric conditions. We have also used recently measured infrared optical constants for HNO3/H2O mixtures to analyze solar infrared extinction measurements of type I PSCs obtained in September 1987 over Antarctica. The results of these studies will be discussed in the context of current theories for polar stratospheric clouds formation.
Tolbert, M. A.↗
Origin of the multiphoton-regime harmonic-generation plateau structure
A physical interpretation is provided for the formation of the multiphoton-regime plateau feature in the spectra of nonlinear and correlated process of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) of two-active-electron atoms interacting with an intense linearly polarized laser field. While in the strong-field tunneling regime the plateau feature is well known to be due to rescattering effects of the freed electron, its counterpart in the multiphoton regime is due to atomic resonance effects involving both singly excited states and doubly excited states. Here, we propose a strategy to uncover which kind of these states are responsible for this phenomenon. By studying the sensitivity of HHG to the initial state in helium, in this work we show that this multiphoton-regime plateau structure mostly originates from singly excited states.
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
Structural, dielectric and magnetic behavior of nanocrystalline zinc substituted magnesium ferrite
Zinc substituted magnesium ferrites Zn{sub 0.2}Mg{sub 0.8}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and Zn{sub 0.4}Mg{sub 0.6}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} were prepared by sol-gel auto combustion method. Rietveld profile refinement of the XRD patterns confirms the formation of a cubic spinel structure in single phase. The dielectric properties viz. dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent tanδ increase with increasing temperature. The dielectric behavior is explained by using the mechanism of polarization process, which is correlated to that of electron exchange interaction. The saturation magnetization, coercivity and remanent magnetization decreases appreciably with increase in Zn which could be attributed to change in cation distribution.
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
Influence of thermal annealing on the spin injection and spin detection through Fe/GaAs interfaces
A strong bias asymmetry of the spin-injection efficiency through an epitaxial Fe/GaAs Schottky tunnel contact is observed. Low-temperature post-growth thermal annealing is shown to strongly affect the spin-injection efficiency. The annealing leads either to a reduction or an enhancement. The spin accumulation is addressed electrically in a lateral spin-valve geometry using a non-local spin-valve setup at liquid helium temperatures. A spin-injection efficiency of up to 5.5% is estimated from experimental results. The electrical properties of the Schottky tunnel diode do not reflect the bias asymmetry and the changes in the spin-injection efficiency during annealing. Formation of spin-polarized interface states (IS) close to the Fermi-level is a possible explanation. The IS will not only radically affect the spin-injection but also the spin-detection process.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Bias-hardened estimators of patchy screening profiles
Detecting anisotropic screening of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) holds the promise of revealing the distribution of gas in the Universe, characterizing the complex processes of galaxy formation and feedback, and studying the epoch of reionization. Estimators for inhomogeneous screening, including some recently proposed small-scale (stacked) estimators, are quadratic or higher order in the CMB temperature or polarization fields and are therefore subject to contamination from CMB lensing. We review the origin of this lensing bias and show that, when stacking on unWISE galaxies, the expected lensing bias dominates the signal if left unmitigated. Hardening techniques that null the lensing bias have been proposed for standard quadratic estimators, whereas only approximate methods have been proposed for stacked estimators. In conclusion, we review these techniques and apply the former to stacked estimators, presenting several strategies (including the optimal strategy) to null lensing contamination when stacking on any large-scale structure tracer.
Cosmic microwave background↗
Interstellar dust and related topics; Proceedings of the Symposium, State University of New York, Albany, N.Y., May 29-June 2, 1972
Theoretical studies and observations of interstellar dust are described in papers dealing with the passive properties of dust grains, their physical and chemical activities in the interstellar medium, and their interactions in association with stars. The papers are grouped according to the principal topics of (1) extinction and polarization, (2) diffuse interstellar features, (3) dust around and in close association with stars, (4) reflection nebulae and other aspects of dust scattering properties, (5) alignment mechanisms, (6) distribution of molecules and processes of molecule formation, (7) radiation effects on dust, (8) physical and chemical interactions of dust with the ambient medium, and (9) gas and dust in H II regions. Individual items are announced in this issue.
Greenberg, J. M.↗
The Presidents' Day cyclone of 18-19 February 1979 - Influence of upstream trough amplification and associated tropopause folding on rapid cyclogenesis
The Presidents' Day cyclone of 18-19 February, 1979 is analyzed based on conventional radiosonde data, infrared and visible satellite imagery, water vapor images and ozone measurement. The well-known synoptic-scale characteristics of the PJ-trough system are described, and evidence for the development of the tropopause fold are presented. Processes contributing to the formation of the fold are discussed in terms of an evaluation of the Sawyer-Eliassen circulation equation and a diagnostic evaluation of the ageostrophic winds and vertical motion near the polar jet streak. The documentation of stratospheric extrusions and their possible role in cyclogenesis is reviewed, and Eulerian and Lagrangian diagnostics are used to establish a connection between the tropopause fold associated with the polar jet streak and rapid cyclogenesis along the East Coast. Conservation of potential vorticity expressed in isentropic coordinates is used as a constraint from which to view cyclogenesis.
Uccellini, L. W.↗
Electromagnetic hot ion beam instabilities - Quasi-linear theory and simulation
This paper considers the quasi-linear theory of the right- and left-hand resonant electromagnetic instabilities driven by a hot ion beam streaming parallel to a magnetic field in a homogeneous Vlasov plasma. Using the single-mode approximation, the time evolutions of important parameters are obtained to show that for the range of parameters considered, reduction of the beam speed and formation of temperature anisotropies are the most significant factors in the quasi-linear stabilization process. Combining both instabilities in a quasi-linear study is found to produce a roughly equal mixture of both polarizations and relatively isotropic conditions for tenuous beam densities and low initial beam drift speeds. Computer simulations are used to compare with the quasi-linear results. The simulations justify the single-mode assumption, verify that quasi-linear changes are the means of saturation for the parameter range of concern, and check the nonlinear evolution of the system when both modes are present.
Rogers, B.↗
A study of Type I polar stratospheric cloud formation
Mechanisms for the formation of Type I (nitric acid-based) polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are discussed. If the pre-existing sulfate aerosols are liquid prior to PSC formation, then nitric acid particles (Type Ib) form by HNO3 dissolution in aqueous H2SO4 solution droplets. This process does not require a nucleation step for the formation of HNO3 aerosols, so most pre-existing aerosols grow to become relatively small HNO3-containing particles. At significantly lower temperatures, the resulting supercooled solutions (Type Ib) may freeze to form HNO3 ice particles (Type Ia). If the pre-existing sulfate aerosols are initially solid before PSC formation, then HNO3 vapor can be deposited directly on the frozen sulfate particles. However, because an energy barrier to the condensation exists a nucleation mechanism is involved. Here, we suggest a unique nucleation mechanism that involves formation of HNO3/H20 solutions on the sulfate ice particles. These nucleation processes may be highly selective, resulting in the formation of relatively small number of large particles.
Tabazadeh, A.↗
Structure, Function, Self-Assembly and Origin of Simple Membrane Proteins
Integral membrane proteins perform such essential cellular functions as transport of ions, nutrients and waste products across cell walls, transduction of environmental signals, regulation of cell fusion, recognition of other cells, energy capture and its conversion into high-energy compounds. In fact, 30-40% of genes in modem organisms codes for membrane proteins. Although contemporary membrane proteins or their functional assemblies can be quite complex, their transmembrane fragments are usually remarkably simple. The most common structural motif for these fragments is a bundle of alpha-helices, but occasionally it could be a beta-barrel. In a series of molecular dynamics computer simulations we investigated self-organizing properties of simple membrane proteins based on these structural motifs. Specifically, we studied folding and insertion into membranes of short, nonpolar or amphiphatic peptides. We also investigated glycophorin A, a peptide that forms sequence-specific dimers, and a transmembrane aggregate of four identical alpha-helices that forms an efficient and selective voltage-gated proton channel was investigated. Many peptides are attracted to water-membrane interfaces. Once at the interface, nonpolar peptides spontaneously fold to a-helices. Whenever the sequence permits, peptides that contain both polar and nonpolar amino also adopt helical structures, in which polar and nonpolar amino acid side chains are immersed in water and membrane, respectively. Specific identity of side chains is less important. Helical peptides at the interface could insert into the membrane and adopt a transmembrane conformation. However, insertion of a single helix is unfavorable because polar groups in the peptide become completely dehydrated upon insertion. The unfavorable free energy of insertion can be regained by spontaneous association of peptides in the membrane. The first step in this process is the formation of dimers, although the most common are aggregates of 4-7 helices. The helices could arrange themselves such that they formed pores capable of transporting ions and small molecules across membranes. Stability of transmembrane aggregates of simple proteins is often only marginal and, therefore, it can be regulated by environmental signals or small sequence modifications in the region of interhelical interactions. A key step in the earliest evolution of membrane proteins was the emergence of selectivity for specific substrates. Many channels could become selective if one or only a few properly chosen amino acids are properly placed along the channel, acting as filters or gates. This is a convenient evolutionary solution because it does not require imposing conditions on the whole sequence.
Pohorille, Andrew↗
Pitting Corrosion of 10Ni8CrMoV High-Strength Steel Induced by a Potential Perturbation
Pitting corrosion of high-strength steel 10Ni8CrMoV under square wave polarization (SWP) in simulated deep-sea environment is investigated and the possible mechanism is proposed. The results show that potential perturbation generates periodic intensification effect on both anodic and cathodic processes by frequently breaking the electrode equilibrium state. The intensity of periodic intensification effect essentially depends on the concentration gradient of Fe{sup 2+} cations at the steel/solution interface which acts as the forced electrochemical oscillator. The concentration gradient and the resulting concentration polarization effect increase periodically with the increase in SWP potential range. The morphology observation of the pitting and electric charge calculation indicate that the periodic intensification effect can promote the initiation and growth of pits by enhancing the anodic dissolution even under cathodic protection, but it is ineffective below the hydrogen evolution potential. The decrease in either upper or lower potential can mitigate anodic dissolution. Through the statistical analysis of pitting size, it is found that the wide potential range tends to activate the metastable pitting formed under hydrostatic pressure, forming densely distributed pitting. Meanwhile, it is more favorable to the formation of fully grown pits with high size dispersion degree when the proportion of electric charge in the anodic process is higher.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Formation of wide-blocky calcite veins by extreme growth competition
Liassic limestones on the coast of Somerset in the UK contain dense arrays of calcite microveins with a common, but poorly understood microstructure, characterized by laterally wide crystals that form bridges across the vein. We investigated the mechanisms of formation and evolution of these ‘wide-blocky’ vein microstructures using a combination of high-resolution analytical methods, including virtual petrography, optical cathodoluminescence and scanning electron microscopy techniques (e.g. energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, back-scattered electron imaging, cathodoluminescence and electron back-scattered diffraction), laboratory experiments and multiphase field modelling. Our results indicate that the studied veins formed in open, fluid-filled fractures, each in a single opening and sealing episode. As shown by the optical and electron back-scattered diffraction images, the vein crystals grew epitaxially on grains of the wall rock and we hypothesize that their growth rates differed depending on whether the crystals were on a wall rock grain substrate that fractured intergranularly (slow growth rates) or transgranularly (rapid growth rates). Our multiphase field models support this hypothesis, showing that wide, blocky crystals only form where there are significant differences in the growth rate and are dependent on the type of seed grain. These results provide strong evidence for extreme growth competition, a process that we propose controls vein-filling in many micritic carbonate reservoirs, as well as demonstrate that the characteristics of the fracture wall can affect the filling processes in syntaxial veins. Supplementary material: The description and images of the studied thin sections are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5172371 . High-resolution optical microscopy mosaics (under plane-polarized- and crossed polarized light) of the thin section collection in PetroScan file format are available on request from the authors.
Geology↗
Copper Electrodeposition from Deep Eutectic Solvents—Voltammetric Studies Providing Insights into the Role of Substrate: Platinum vs Glassy Carbon
We report on the effect of the substrate on electrochemical deposition of Cu from deep eutectic solvent ethaline. We investigated the polarization behavior during electrodeposition of Cu on Pt and glassy carbon (GC) from both Cu 2+ and Cu + containing ethaline using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Formation of bulk Cu deposits on both substrates underwent nucleation and growth processes; however, the nucleation was considerably sluggish on GC compared to Pt. While experiments in Cu+ solutions indicated that coalescence of Cu islands on Pt is a slow process and that its surface may not be fully covered by Cu, such determination of Cu coverage could not be made on GC. Cu dissolution is also slower from GC than from Pt. It was observed that CV of Cu deposition on GC is influenced by the surface preparation method. Since ethaline has high chloride concentration, a parallel study in aqueous 3 M NaCl solution was conducted in order to examine the influence of the chloride medium on the electrodeposition process. Lastly, this revealed that electrodeposition in both media occurred in the same manner but with different charge and mass transfer rates caused by the differences in viscosity and chloride concentrations of the two solutions.
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
COEVAL INTERMEDIATE-MASS STAR FORMATION IN N4W
Protostars are mostly found in star-forming regions, where the natal molecular gas still remains. At about 5{sup ′} west of the molecular bubble N4, N4W is identified as a star-forming clump hosting three Class II (IRS 1–3), and one Class I (IRS 4) young stellar objects (YSOs), as well as a submillimeter source SMM1. The near-IR polarization imaging data of N4W reveal two infrared reflection nebulae close to each other, which are in favor of the outflows of IRS 1 and IRS 2. The bipolar mid-IR emission centered on IRS 4 and the arc-like molecular gas shell are lying on the same axis, indicating a bipolar molecular outflow from IRS 4. There are two dust temperature distributions in N4W. The warmer one is widely distributed and has a temperature of T{sub d}≳28 K, with the colder one being from the embedded compact submillimeter source SMM1. N4W’s mass is estimated to be ∼2.5×10{sup 3} M{sub ⊙}, and the mass of SMM1 is ∼5.5×10{sup 2} M{sub ⊙} at T{sub d}=15 K, calculated from the CO 1 − 0 emission and 870 μm dust continuum emission, respectively. Based on the estimates of the bolometric luminosity of IRS 1–4, these four sources are intermediate-mass YSOs at least. SMM1 is gravitationally bound, and is capable of forming intermediate-mass stars or even possibly massive stars. The co-existence of the IR bright YSOs and the submillimeter source represents potential sequential star formation processes separated by ∼0.5 Myr in N4W. This small age spread implies that the intermediate-mass star formation processes happening in N4W are almost coeval.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
The Formation of Charon's Red Poles from Seasonally Cold-Trapped Volatiles
A unique feature of Plutos large satellite Charon is its dark red northern polar cap. Similar colours on Plutos surface have been attributed to tholin-like organic macromolecules produced by energetic radiation processing of hydrocarbons. The polar location on Charon implicates the temperature extremes that result from Charons high obliquity and long seasons in the production of this material. The escape of Pluto's atmosphere provides a potential feedstock for a complex chemistry. Gas from Pluto that is transiently cold-trapped and processed at Charon's winter pole was proposed as an explanation for the dark coloration on the basis of an image of Charon's northern hemisphere, but not modelled quantitatively. Here we report images of the southern hemisphere illuminated by Pluto-shine and also images taken during the approach phase that show the northern polar cap over a range of longitudes. We model the surface thermal environment on Charon and the supply and temporary cold-trapping of material escaping from Pluto, as well as the photolytic processing of this material into more complex and less volatile molecules while cold-trapped. The model results are consistent with the proposed mechanism for producing the observed colour pattern on Charon.
Grundy, W. M.↗
Image Formation in High Contrast Optical Systems: The Role of Polarization
To find evidence of life in the Universe outside our solar system is one of the most compelling and visionary adventures of the 21st century. The technologies to create the telescopes and instruments that will enable this discovery are now within the grasp of mankind. Direct imaging of a very faint planet around a neighboring bright star requires high contrast or a hypercontrast optical imaging system capable of controlling unwanted radiation within the system to one part in ten to the 11th. This paper identifies several physical phenomena that affect image quality in high contrast imaging systems. Polarization induced at curved metallic surfaces and by anisotropy in the deposition process (Smith-Purcell effect) along with beam shifts introduced by the Goos-Hachen effect are discussed. A typical configuration is analyzed, and technical risk mitigation concepts are discussed.
polorization↗
Unraveling Triplet Formation Mechanisms in Acenothiophene Chromophores
The evolution of molecular platforms for singlet fission (SF) chromophores has fueled the quest for new compounds capable of generating triplets quantitatively at fast time scales. As the exploration of molecular motifs for SF has diversified, a key challenge has emerged in identifying when the criteria for SF have been satisfied. Here, we show how covalently bound molecular dimers uniquely provide a set of characteristic optical markers that can be used to distinguish triplet pair formation from processes that generate an individual triplet. These markers are contained within (i) triplet charge-transfer excited state absorption features, (ii) kinetic signatures of triplet-triplet annihilation processes, and (iii) the modulation of triplet formation rates using bridging moieties between chromophores. Our assignments are verified by time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements, which directly identify triplet pairs by their electron spin and polarization patterns. Here we apply these diagnostic criteria to dimers of acenothiophene derivatives in solution that were recently reported to undergo efficient intermolecular SF in condensed media. While the electronic structure of these heteroatom-containing chromophores can be broadly tuned, the effect of their enhanced spin-orbit coupling and low-energy nonbonding orbitals on their SF dynamics has not been fully determined. We find that SF is fast and efficient in tetracenothiophene but that anthradithiophene exhibits fast intersystem crossing due to modifications of the singlet and triplet excited state energies upon functionalization of the heterocycle. We conclude that it is not sufficient to assign SF based on comparisons of the triplet formation kinetics between monomer and multichromophore systems.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗