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At least 109 records · Page 6

A Coupled-Cluster Study of XON (X=H, F, Cl), and the XON (left and right arrow) XNO Transition States

The XON molecules (X=H, F, and Cl) have been studied using the singles and doubles coupled-cluster method that includes a perturbational estimate of the effects of connected triple excitations, CCSD(T), in conjunction with a double polarized triple-zeta basis set. The equilibrium geometries, dipole moments, harmonic vibrational frequencies and infrared intensities have been predicted. The X-O bond distance is shown to be abnormally long for X=F and Cl, and this is attributed to the degree of ionic bonding and the stability of NO(+). Based on Mulliken population analyses, it is shown that there is a significant degree of X(-), ON(+) ionic bonding character for FON and ClON, whereas for HON the ionic character is reduced and best described as H(+), NO(-). The stability of the XON molecule relative to the XNO isomer is shown to increase in the order HON<FON<ClON, although even ClON is 27.0 plus or minus 1.0 kcal/mol (0 K) less stable than ClNO. The XON (left and right arrow) XNO transition states are also investigated. FON and ClON possess the lowest barrier heights to isomerization (7.2 plus or minus 1.0 kcal/mol at 0 K), but these are sufficiently large to suggest that isomerization should not be rapid at low temperatures.

Lee, Timothy↗

Laser spectroscopy of the CN radical and astrophysical applications

The formation of CN radicals by flash photolysis of a number of parent molecules was monitored by laser induced fluorescence in the B2Sigma(plus)-X2Sigma(plus) transition of CN. The rotational and vibrational energy of the newly formed radicals in the X state was measured directly. Formation of CN(A2Pi) in the lower vibrational levels was determined by an indirect method based on resonant energy transfer to higher vibrational levels of the ground state. These laboratory studies have shown that high initial internal excitation of CN with rotational levels of maximum N equals 50-70 is the rule. In general, the formation of simple molecules in excited states is commonly the case. There appear to be astrophysical systems where radiation from these excited levels may be detectable. Such observations would serve as a probe of molecular formation.

Cody, R. J.↗

Vibrational frequencies for Be3 and Be4

The harmonic frequencies of Be3 and Be4, evaluated by multireference configuration-interaction (MRCI) and singles and doubles coupled-cluster (CCSD) methods, are reported, as are IR intensities evaluated by using the double harmonic approximation. A comparison of the results shows that the CCSD method augmented with a correction for connected triple excitations, CCSD(T), can be a viable alternative to MRCI for determining the ground-state properties of small Be clusters (other than the dimer). Results of normal mode analyses indicate that the anharmonic vibrational frequencies of Be3 and Be4 are reasonably consistent at the CCSD, CCSD(T), or MRCI levels of treatment.

Rendell, Alistair P.↗

Near-Threshold Rovibrational Excitation of HF by Electron Impact

The pronounced threshold peaks found in cross sections for electron-impact excitation of the vibrational levels of HF have been studied using an R-matrix method, in which electron exchange, correlation effects and polarization are included. Vibration is modelled inside the R-matrix sphere using the energy-modified adiabatic phase matrix method (EMAP). Rotation of the target molecule is treated outside the R-matrix sphere, using the frame transformation method. The external rovibronic close-coupling equations are solved by analytic methods. Analysis of the multichannel threshold structures indicates that the peaks found for rovibrational excitation of nu = 1 can be interpreted as virtual states while those for nu = 2 correspond to nuclear-excited Feshbach resonances. These two different results correspond simply to a change of sign of a small parameter that is determined by the threshold analysis. Whereas the overall shapes of the excitation peaks agree with earlier theoretical results, we have found detailed rotational fine structures for scattering energies on the order of the rotational constant above and below the opening of the vibrational channels. The partial and total cross sections for rovibrational state-to-state transitions in the energy region of the peaks are analysed. Characteristic cusp structures and excitation peaks are found at the rovibrational thresholds for transitions with small angular momentum transfer (Delta)j =0, 1 and 2. Differential cross sections are similar to recent measurements. These experimental data do not show the relatively sharp rise at the vibrational thresholds indicated by theory. Theory and experiment are in good agreement for the shape and magnitude of the angular dependence of cross sections for rovibrational state-to-state transitions, especially at larger energies.

Thummel, Helmar T.↗

A Full-Envelope Air Data Calibration and Three-Dimensional Wind Estimation Method Using Global Output-Error Optimization and Flight-Test Techniques

A novel, efficient air data calibration method is proposed for aircraft with limited envelopes. This method uses output-error optimization on three-dimensional inertial velocities to estimate calibration and wind parameters. Calibration parameters are based on assumed calibration models for static pressure, angle of attack, and flank angle. Estimated wind parameters are the north, east, and down components. The only assumptions needed for this method are that the inertial velocities and Euler angles are accurate, the calibration models are correct, and that the steady-state component of wind is constant throughout the maneuver. A two-minute maneuver was designed to excite the aircraft over the range of air data calibration parameters and de-correlate the angle-of-attack bias from the vertical component of wind. Simulation of the X-48B (The Boeing Company, Chicago, Illinois) aircraft was used to validate the method, ultimately using data derived from wind-tunnel testing to simulate the un-calibrated air data measurements. Results from the simulation were accurate and robust to turbulence levels comparable to those observed in flight. Future experiments are planned to evaluate the proposed air data calibration in a flight environment.

Taylor, Brian R.↗

Atomic oxygen fluorescence excitation using a Raman-shifted, tunable ArF-excimer laser

A novel method for exciting the two-photon, 2p3 3p 3P left arrow 2p4 3P atomic oxygen transition is reported. The transition to the upper state is achieved through the combined absorption of photons from the second and third Stokes order pulses of an ArF-excimer laser that is wavelength-shifted by the use of deuterium Raman cell. All three transitions from the ground electronic state of the oxygen atom lie within the tuning range of the Raman-shifted ArF laser. The available pulse energy from this laser configuration is comparable to that of commercially available Nd:YAG-pumped dye laser systems operated at 226 nm.

Fletcher, D. G.↗

Responses of the Jovian Atmosphere to Cometary Particles and Photon Impacts

Detailed calculations were performed of the deposition of energetic oxygen ions into the atmosphere of Jupiter. A Monte Carlo simulation was used. Similar processes occur in other astrophysical environments to which our methods can be applied. In particular Cravens has suggested that the X-ray emissions seen from comets are due to transitions from excited states following capture of electrons by solar wind ions colliding with the atmosphere of the comet. Alternative proposals have been advanced for the source of the cometary X-rays. We have carried out a study of the spectra and have shown that with the spectral resolution of about 20 eV the different excitation mechanisms can be distinguished. The response of the two components of the solar wind predict a spectrum that is consistent with the cometary observations. X-rays from the comets arise from the slow solar wind.

Dalgarno, Alex↗

Substituent and Solvent Effects on Excited State Charge Transfer Behavior of Highly Fluorescent Dyes Containing Thiophenylimidazole-Based Aldehydes

The excited state charge transfer for a series of highly fluorescent dyes containing thiophenylimidazole moiety was investigated. These systems follow the Twisted Intramolecular Charge Transfer (TICT) model. Dual fluorescence was observed for each substituted dye. X-ray structures analysis reveals a twisted ground state geometry for the donor substituted aryl on the 4 and 5 position at the imidazole ring. The excited state charge transfer was modeled by a linear solvation energy relationship using Taft's pi and Dimroth's E(sub T)(30) as solvent parameters. There is linear relation between the energy of the fluorescence transition and solvent polarity. The degree of stabilization of the excited state charge transfer was found to be consistent with the intramolecular molecular charge transfer. Excited dipole moment was studied by utilizing the solvatochromic shift method.

Santos, Javier↗

Synthesis of phthalocyanine doped sol-gel materials

The synthesis of sol-gel silica materials doped with three different types of metallophthalocyanines has been studied. Homogeneous materials of good optical quality were prepared and the first optical limiting measurements of dyes in sol-gel hosts were carried out. The properties of these solid state limiters are similar to limiters based on phthalocyanine (Pc) in solution. Sol-gel silica materials containing copper, tin and germanium phthalocyanines were investigated. The initial step in all cases was to prepare silica sols by the sonogel method using tetramethoxy silane (TMOS), HCl and distilled water. Thereafter, the synthesis depended upon the specific Pc and its solubility characteristics. Copper phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid tetra sodium salt (CuPc4S) is soluble in water and various doping levels (1 x 10 (exp -4) M to 1 x 10 (exp -5) M) were added to the sol. The group IV Pc's, SnPc(OSi(n-hexyl)3)2 and GePc(OSi(n-hexyl)3)2, are insoluble in water and the process was changed accordingly. In these cases, the compounds were dissolved in THF and then added to the sol. The Pc concentration in the sol was 2 x 10(exp -5)M. The samples were then aged and dried in the standard method of making xerogel monoliths. Comparative nanosecond optical limiting experiments were performed on silica xerogels that were doped with the different metallophthalocyanines. The ratio of the net excited state absorption cross section (sigma(sub e)) to the ground state cross section (sigma(sub g)) is an important figure of merit that is used to characterize these materials. By this standard the SnPc sample exhibits the best limiting for the Pc doped sol-gel materials. Its cross section ratio of 19 compares favorably with the value of 22 that was measured in toluene. The GePc materials appear to not be as useful as those containing SnPc. The GePc doped solids exhibit a higher onset energy (2.5 mj and lower cross section ratio, 7. The CuPc4S sol-gel material has a still lower cross section ratio, 4, however, the tetrasulfonate groups make the dye soluble in water which greatly facilitates its incorporation into the sol-gel matrix. The nonlinear transmission of CuPc4S in a pH 2 buffer solution and in a silica xerogel were compared. It is evident that the CuPc4S preserves its optical limiting behavior in the sol-gel matrix, indicating that the fundamental excited state absorption process is essentially the same for a molecule in solution or in the solid state. Although the spectroscopic details of energy level lifetimes are unknown, the significance is that passive optical limiting has been achieved in the solid state via incorporation of a dye into an inorganic host. The only compromise occurs at the extremely high energy regime where photobleaching is observed. This is a result of the limited mobility of the dye molecules in the solid silica host relative to a liquid host. The effects of photodegradation in the xerogel are additive, whereas the solution provides a supply of fresh molecules that are free to enter the active volume between pulses.

Dunn, Bruce↗

The dynamic behaviour of postbuckled composite plates under acoustic excitation

The Rayleigh-Ritz method was used to find the postbuckling static displacement pattern of a composite plane (CFRP) under uniaxial in-plane compression of uniform edge-shortening. The resonance frequencies and mode shapes at various postbuckled states are then evaluated by eigenvalue analysis of the dynamical matrix equation consisting of up-dated tangential stiffness matrix at corresponding static configuration. The theoretical results are compared with experimental results obtained in 16-layered CFRP laminate of aspect ratio 1.5. The resonance frequencies and mode shapes obtained are used to interpret the multimodal and nonlinear strain responses to high level of acoustic excitation. The dominance of second-mode contribution and softening-spring behavior are found in the strain response of postbuckled plates.

Ng, C. F.↗

Full CI benchmark calculations on N2, NO, and O2 - A comparison of methods for describing multiple bonds

Full configuration interaction (CI) calculations on the ground states of N2, NO, and O2 using a DZP Gaussian basis are compared with single-reference SDCI and coupled pair approaches (CPF), as well as with CASSCF multireference CI approaches. The CASSCF/MRCI technique is found to describe multiple bonds as well as single bonds. Although the coupled pair functional approach gave chemical accuracy (1 kcal/mol) for bonds involving hydrogen, larger errors occur in the CPF approach for the multiple bonded systems considered here. CI studies on the 1Sigma(g +) state of N2, including all single, double, triple, and quadruple excitations show that triple excitations are very important for the multiple bond case, and accounts for most of the deficiency in the coupled pair functional methods.

Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.↗

A solid state tunable laser for resonance measurements of atmospheric sodium

The measurement of wave dynamics in the upper mesosphere using a solid-state laser to excite the resonance fluorescence line of sodium is examined. Two Nd:YAG lasers are employed to produce the sodium resonance line. The method involves mixing the 1064 nm radiation with that from a second Nd:YAG operating at 1319 nm in a nonlinear infrared crystal to directly produce 589 nm radiation by sum frequency generation. The use of the transmitter to measure the sodium layer from the Space Shuttle Platform is proposed. A diagram of the laser transmitter is presented.

Philbrick, C. R.↗

Yield spectra and the continuous-slowing-down approximation

The continuous-slowing-down approximation (CSDA) and the modified discrete-energy-bin (MDEB) method are used to calculate a yield spectra U(E, E sub 0) of electrons with energy E resulting from a primary of energy E sub 0. The results of the two calculations are then compared. The MDEB method is found to produce consistently more ions per energy loss while at the same time producing less excitations of some of the low-lying states when compared with the CSDA. These discrepancies can be explained by studying the contributions from the individual generations of electrons to the yield spectra. An integral equation for the solution of the yield spectra is also presented.

Jackman, C. H.↗

Collisional excitation of the highly excited hydrogen atoms in the dipole form of the semiclassical impact parameter and Born approximations

Expressions for the excitation cross section of the highly excited states of the hydrogenlike atoms by fast charged particles have been derived in the dipole approximation of the semiclassical impact parameter and the Born approximations, making use of a formula for the asymptotic expansion of the oscillator strength of the hydrogenlike atoms given by Menzel. When only the leading term in the asymptotic expansion is retained, the expression for the cross section becomes identical to the expression obtained by the method of the classical collision and correspondence principle given by Percival and Richards. Comparisons are made between the Bethe coefficients obtained here and the Bethe coefficients of the Born approximation for transitions where the Born calculation is available. Satisfactory agreement is obtained only for n yields n + 1 transitions, with n the principal quantum number of the excited state.

Omidvar, K.↗

Dynamic Modeling using Output-Error Parameter Estimation based on Frequency Responses Estimated with Multisine Inputs

A method is developed for estimating model parameters, such as nondimensional stability and control derivatives, by fitting transfer function or state-space models to empirical frequency response data using the output-error approach. The frequency response data were computed using Fourier transforms of measured input and output data. The control surfaces were excited with periodic multisine inputs which facilitated time-ecient estimation of multiple-input multiple-output frequency responses. The method was applied to lateral data from a nonlinear flight dynamics simulation of the F-16 aircraft, and to longitudinal data from multiple repeated flight test maneuvers of the NASA T-2 subscale aircraft. Results using simulation data showed the frequency response method compared well to other standard methods for parameter estimation. In addition to including all the available inputs, outputs, and harmonic frequencies in the estimation, relatively small subsets of the measured data could also be used to focus on identifying specific parts of the model. Results from flight test data showed that parameter estimates and uncertainties determined from repeated maneuvers were accurate and in statistical agreement with each other.

Grauer, Jared A.↗

Gas-Phase Reaction Pathways and Rate Coefficients for the Dichlorosilane-Hydrogen and Trichlorosilane-Hydrogen Systems

As part of NASA Ames Research Center's Integrated Process Team on Device/Process Modeling and Nanotechnology our goal is to create/contribute to a gas-phase chemical database for use in modeling microelectronics devices. In particular, we use ab initio methods to determine chemical reaction pathways and to evaluate reaction rate coefficients. Our initial studies concern reactions involved in the dichlorosilane-hydrogen (SiCl2H2--H2) and trichlorosilane-hydrogen (SiCl2H-H2) systems. Reactant, saddle point (transition state), and product geometries and their vibrational harmonic frequencies are determined using the complete-active-space self-consistent-field (CASSCF) electronic structure method with the correlation consistent polarized valence double-zeta basis set (cc-pVDZ). Reaction pathways are constructed by following the imaginary frequency mode of the saddle point to both the reactant and product. Accurate energetics are determined using the singles and doubles coupled-cluster method that includes a perturbational estimate of the effects of connected triple excitations (CCSD(T)) extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. Using the data from the electronic structure calculations, reaction rate coefficients are obtained using conventional and variational transition state and RRKM theories.

Dateo, Christopher E.↗

Statistical parameters of reverberating fields, calculated by computer

A method, developed for making measurements in reverberation chambers in the steady state mode, is reported. Spatial distribution patterns of the square of the sound pressure vs type of exciting signal were produced theoretically and checked experimentally in a reverberation chamber. Results of measurements of spatial irregularities of the field with pure tones and with noise bands in the 200 to 2,000 Hz frequency range were used for calculating statistical parameters of the reverbation fields by computer. The calculation program included determination of density probability function, integral distribution pattern, mathematical expectation, normalized dispersion of the mean square of the pressure.

Lebedeva, I. V.↗

Towards the Synthesis and Identification of Tetrahedral N4

Tetrahedral (Td)-N4 has attracted attention as a high energy density material candidate. Although computational studies have shown Td-N4 to be a stable structure on the ground-state potential energy surface, it has yet to be experimentally observed. This study investigates possible synthetic pathways via excited state surfaces. Preliminary results include a comparison of vertical excitation energies from Td-N4 using CIS, CIS(D), CIS(3), LRCCSD, CASSCF, CASPT2, and MRCI ab initio methods. Previous studies have predicted weak IR vibrational intensities. Therefore, alternative detection schemes of Td-N4 are also investigated, such as UV and vibrational Raman spectroscopy.

Dateo, Christopher E.↗