The Gardner and van Genuchten models of relativepermeability are widely used in analytical and numerical solutions toflow problems. However, the applicab ility of the Gardner model to realproblems is usually limited, because empirical relative permeability datato calibrate the model are not routinely available. In contrast, vanGenuchten parameters can be estimated using more routinely availablematric potential and saturation data. However, the van Genuchten model isnot amenable to analytical solutions. In this paper, we introducegeneralized conversion formulae that reconcile these two models. Ingeneral, we find that the Gardner parameter alpha G is related to the vanGenuchten parameters alpha vG and n by alpha G=alpha vG ~; 1:3 n. Thisconversion rule will allow direct recasting of Gardner-based analyticalsolutions in the van Genuchten parameter space. The validity of theproposed formulae was tested by comparing the predicted relativepermeability of various porous media with measured values.

We describe the design and operation of a detector system for measuring all-photon decays of mesons photoproduced in a tagged photon beam with energies between 4.3 and 5.4 GeV and a flux of 5×107 tagged photons per second. Photons from meson decays were detected with a lead-glass calorimeter with an energy resolution of 11% at 1 GeV. Various veto and trigger components were also present. Final states with as many as six photons were successfully detected and reconstructed.

The China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) is an accelerator-based high-power project currently in preparation under the direction of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The complex is based on an H- linear accelerator, a rapid cycling proton synchrotron accelerating the beam to 1.6 GeV, a solid tungsten target station, and five initial instruments for spallation neutron applications. The facility will operate at 25 Hz repetition rate with a phase-I beam power of about 120 kW. The major challenge is to build a robust and reliable user's facility with upgrade potential at a fractional of ''world standard'' cost.

Using data from the FOCUS (E831) experiment at Fermilab, they present new measurements for the Cabbibo-suppressed decay mode D{sup 0} {yields} {pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}. They measure the branching ratio {Lambda}(D{sup 0} {yields} {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -})/{Lambda}(D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup -} {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}) = 0.0914 {+-} 0.0018 {+-} 0.0022. An amplitude analysis has been performed, a first for this channel, in order to determine the resonant substructure of this decay mode. The dominant component is the decay D{sup 0} {yields} a{sub 1}(1260){sup +}{pi}{sup -}, accounting for 60% of the decay rate. The second most dominant contribution comes from the decay D{sup 0} {yields} {rho}(770){sup 0}{rho}(770){sup 0}, with a fraction of 25%. They also study the a{sub 1}(1260) line shape and resonant substructure. Using the helicity formalism for the angular distribution of the decay D{sup 0} {yields} {rho}(770){sup 0}{rho}(770){sup 0}, they measure a longitudinal polarization of P{sub L} = (71 {+-} 4 {+-} 2)%.

Increasing observational evidence gathered especially in X-rays and {gamma}-rays during the course of the last few years support the notion that Supernova remnants (SNRs) are Galactic particle accelerators up to energies close to the ''knee'' in the energy spectrum of Cosmic rays. This review summarizes the current status of {gamma}-ray observations of SNRs. Shell-type as well as plerionic type SNRs are addressed and prospect for observations of these two source classes with the upcoming GLAST satellite in the energy regime above 100 MeV are given.

Propylene hydrogenation over Pt nanoparticles supported onmesoporous silica type SBA-15 was monitored by time-resolved FT-IRspectroscopy at 23 ms resolution using short propylene gas pulses thatjoined a continuous flow of hydrogen in N2 (1 atm total pressure).Experiments were conducted in the temperature range 323-413 K. Propanewas formed within 100 milliseconds or faster. The CH stretching regionrevealed distinct bands for propane molecules emerging inside thenanoscale channels of the silica support. Spectral analysis gave thedistribution of the propane product between support and surrounding gasphase as function of time. Kinetic analysis showed that the escape ofpropane molecules from the channels occurred within hundreds ofmilliseconds (3.1 + 0.4 s-1 at 383 K). A steady state distribution ofpropane between gas phase and mesoporous support is established as theproduct is swept from the catalyst zone by the continuous flow ofhydrogen co-reactant. This is the first direct spectroscopic observationof emerging products of heterogeneous catalysis on nanoporous supportsunder reaction conditions.

Ecosystem health with its near infinite number of variables is difficult to measure, and there are many opinions as to which variables are most important, most easily measured, and most robust, Bioassessment avoids the controversy of choosing which physical and chemical parameters to measure because it uses responses of a community of organisms that integrate all aspects of the system in question. A variety of bioassessment methods have been successfully applied to aquatic ecosystems using fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Terrestrial biotic index methods are less developed than those for aquatic systems and we are seeking to address this problem here. This study had as its objective to examine the baseline differences in ant communities at different seral stages from clear cut back to mature pine plantation as a precursor to developing a bioassessment protocol. Comparative sampling was conducted at four seral stages; clearcut, 5 year, 15 year and mature pine plantation stands. Soil and vegetation data were collected at each site. All ants collected were preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol and identified to genus. Analysis of the ant data indicates that ants respond strongly to the habitat changes that accompany ecological succession in managed pine forests and that individual genera …