This proposal funded the 19th Annual National Conference of Black Physics Students. This conference provided physics students with the opportunity to interact with world-class researchers and the facilities at which they work. The conference supports the well established need for the US to foster a larger and stronger scientific workforce through the recruitment and retention of science and engineering students.

Recent experiments were carried out on the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) towards the demonstration of a soft x-ray laser Thomson scattering diagnostic for a laser-produced exploding foil. The Thomson probe utilized the Ne-like zinc x-ray laser which was double-passed to deliver {approx}1 mJ of focused energy at 21.2 nm wavelength and lasting {approx}100 ps. The plasma under study was heated single-sided using a Gaussian 300-ps pulse of 438-nm light (3{omega} of the PALS iodine laser) at laser irradiances of 10{sup 13}-10{sup 14} W cm{sup -2}. Electron densities of 10{sup 20}-10{sup 22} cm{sup -3} and electron temperatures from 200 to 500 eV were probed at 0.5 or 1 ns after the peak of the heating pulse during the foil plasma expansion. A flat-field 1200 line mm{sup -1} variable-spaced grating spectrometer with a cooled charge-coupled device readout viewed the plasma in the forward direction at 30{sup o} with respect to the x-ray laser probe. We show results from plasmas generated from {approx}1 {micro}m thick targets of Al and polypropylene (C{sub 3}H{sub 6}). Numerical simulations of the Thomson scattering cross-sections will be presented. These simulations show electron peaks in addition to a narrow ion feature due to collective (incoherent) Thomson scattering. The …

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We study the phase structure of SU(2) gauge theories at zero and high temperature, with and without scalar matter fields, in terms of the symmetric/broken realization of the remnant gauge symmetry which exists after fixing to Coulomb gauge. The symmetric realization is associated with a linearly rising color Coulomb potential (which we compute numerically), and is a necessary but not sufficient condition for confinement.

This is a compilation of papers presented at the ADVISOR (ADvanced Vehicle SimulatOR) Users Conference held in Costa Mesa, California, August 24-25, 2000. Major topics of the conference included modeling and simulation; partnering with the auto industry; co-simulation: partnering with the software industry in optimization and thermal modeling and geometric and mechanical modeling; forward-looking simulations coupled with ADVISOR; new concepts from universities; validation, vehicle development and applications.

Motivated by the recent developments in the cyclotron resonance upscattering of soft photons or CUSP model of Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) continuum spectra, we revisit a select database of GRBs with credible cyclotron absorption features. We measure the break energy of the continuum, the slope below the break and deduce the soft photon energy or the electron beam Lorentz factor cutoff. We study the correlation (or lack of) between various parameters in the context of the CUSP model. One surprise result is that there appears to be marginal correlation between the break energy and the spectral index below the break. 20 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

This article uses geographic information systems and landscape-level data obtained from remote sensing sources to build a habitat suitability index model for the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros.

In this paper we study one-dimensional three-phase flow through porous media of immiscible, incompressible fluids. The model uses the common multiphase flow extension of Darcy's equation, and does not include gravity and capillarity effects. Under these conditions, the mathematical problem reduces to a 2 x 2 system of conservation laws whose essential features are: (1) the system is strictly hyperbolic; (2) both characteristic fields are nongenuinely nonlinear, with single, connected inflection loci. These properties, which are natural extensions of the two-phase flow model, ensure that the solution is physically sensible. We present the complete analytical solution to the Riemann problem (constant initial and injected states) in detail, and describe the characteristic waves that may arise, concluding that only nine combinations of rarefactions, shocks and rarefaction-shocks are possible. We demonstrate that assuming the saturation paths of the solution are straightlines may result in inaccurate predictions for some realistic systems. Efficient algorithms for computing the exact solution are also given, making the analytical developments presented here readily applicable to interpretation of lab displacement experiments, and implementation of streamline simulators.

The Embedded Fiber Optic probe directly measures detonation speed continuously in time, without the need to numerically differentiate data, and is a new tool for measuring time-dependent as well as steady detonation speed to high accuracy. It consists of a custom-design optical fiber probe embedded in high explosive. The explosive is detonated and a refractive index discontinuity is produced in the probe at the location of the detonation front by the compression of the detonation. Because this index-jump tracks the detonation front a measurement of the Doppler shift of laser light reflected from the jump makes it possible to continuously measure detonation velocity with high spatial and temporal resolution. We have employed this probe with a Fabry-Perot-type laser Doppler velocimetry system additionally equipped with a special filter for reducing the level of non-Doppler shifted light relative to the signal. This is necessary because the index-jump signal is relatively weak compared to the return expected from a well-prepared surface in the more traditional and familiar example of material interface velocimetry. Our observations were carried out on a number of explosives but this work is focused on our results on PBX-9502 (95% TATB, 5% Kel-F) and LX-17 (92.5% TATB, 7.5% Kel-F) at …

Numerous long-lived radionuclides, including {sup 99}Tc (technetium) and {sup 129}I (iodine), are present in groundwater at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) as a result of 828 underground nuclear weapons tests conducted between 1951 and 1992. We synthesize a body of groundwater data collected on the distribution of a number of radionuclides ({sup 3}H, {sup 14}C, {sup 36}Cl, {sup 99}Tc and {sup 129}I), which are presumably mobile in the subsurface and potentially toxic to down-gradient receptors, to assess their migration at NTS, at field scales over distances of hundreds of meters and for durations of more than thirty years. Qualitative evaluation of field-scale migration of these radionuclides in the saturated zone provides an independent approach to validating their presumably conservative transport in the performance assessment of the proposed geological repository at Yucca Mountain, which is located on the western edge of NTS. The analyses show that the interaction of {sup 3}H with a solid surface via an isotopic exchange with clay lattice hydroxyls may cause a slight delay in the transport of {sup 3}H. The transport of {sup 14}C could be retarded by its isotopic exchange with carbonate minerals, and the exchange may be more pronounced in the alluvial aquifer. In …

An experimental primary {gamma}-ray spectrum vs. excitation-energy bin (P(E{sub x}, E{sub {gamma}}) matrix) in a light-ion reaction is obtained for {sup 56,57}Fe isotopes using a subtraction method. By factorizing the P(E{sub x}, E{sub {gamma}}) matrix according to the Axel-Brink hypothesis the nuclear level density and the radiative strength function (RSF) in {sup 56,57}Fe are extracted simultaneously. A step structure is observed in the level density for both isotopes, and is interpreted as the breaking of Cooper pairs. The RSFs for {sup 56,57}Fe reveal an anomalous enhancement at low {gamma}-ray energies.

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Article discusses how the Peace Council of Ghana ranks farmer–herder conflicts among the country's three most significant threats to peace. The literature the authors cite emphasizes natural factors contributing to farmer–herder conflicts, namely, climate change which results in environmental degradation and consequently leads to droughts, and food insecurity.

Investigations of mass and kinetic-energy distributions from spontaneous fission have been extended in recent years to an isotope of element 104 and, for half-lives, to an isotope of element 108. The results have been surprising in that spontaneous fission half-lives have turned out to be much longer than expected and mass and kinetic- energy distributions were found to abruptly shift away from those of the lighter actinides, showing two modes of fission. These new developments have caused a re-evaluation of our understanding of the fission process, bringing an even deeper appreciation of the role played by nuclear shell effects upon spontaneous fission properties. 16 refs., 10 figs.

The authors discuss a cosmology in which cold dark-matter particles decay into relativistic particles. They argue that such decays could lead naturally to a bulk viscosity in the cosmic fluid. for decay lifetimes comparable to the present hubble age, this bulk viscosity enters the cosmic energy equation as an effective negative pressure. They investigate whether this negative pressure is of sufficient magnitude to account for the observed cosmic acceleration. They show that a single decaying species in a {Lambda} = 0, flat, dark-matter dominated cosmology can not reproduce the observed magnitude-redshift relation from Type Ia supernovae. However, a delayed bulk viscosity, possibly due to a cascade of decaying particles may be able to account for a significant fraction of the apparent cosmic acceleration. Possible candidate nonrelativistic particles for this scenario include sterile neutrinos or gauge-mediated decaying supersymmetric particles.

The role of humic acid (HA) in the biodegradation of toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been the subject of controversy, particularly in unsaturated environments. By utilizing an infrared spectromicroscope and a very bright, nondestructive synchrotron photon source, we monitored in situ and, over time, the influence of HA on the progression of degradation of pyrene (a model PAH) by a bacterial colony on a magnetite surface. Our results indicate that HA dramatically shortens the onset time for PAH biodegradation from 168 to 2 h. In the absence of HA, it takes the bacteria about 168 h to produce sufficient glycolipids to solubilize pyrene and make it bioavailable for biodegradation. These results will have large implications for the bioremediation of contaminated soils.

The Channel Control ASIC (CCA) is used along with a custom Charge Integrator and Encoder (QIE) ASIC to digitize signals from the hybrid photo diodes (HPDs) and photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) in the CMS hadron calorimeter. The CCA sits between the QIE and the data acquisition system. All digital signals to and from the QIE pass through the CCA chip. One CCA chip interfaces with two QIE channels. The CCA provides individually delayed clocks to each of the QIE chips in addition to various control signals. The QIE sends digitized PMT or HPD signals and time slice information to the CCA, which sends the data to the data acquisition system through an optical link.

The recognition criterion for discovery of a new chemical element includes two aspects, the characterization properties and the assignment properties. In this paper, we will discuss the status of element 115 experiments that have been performed in Dubna, Russia, highlighting the characterization and assignment properties as they specifically relate to a recent experiment. After discussing the status of what is known about the decay properties of element 115 [1], observed previously using the Dubna Gas-Filled Recoil Separator, we will discuss the prior chemical studies that have been performed on the Db descendant of element 115 [2]. Following the success of that experiment, some additional chemical information was desired. Two separation chemistries were then developed at LLNL and JINR. LLNL utilized reversed phase chromatography and JINR utilized anion exchange chromatography to perform not only +4/+5 separations, but also intra-group separations, where Nb-like and Ta-like fractions were eluted. The results from an experiment using these chemistries for the first time during December 2005 in Dubna, Russia, will be compared with prior chemical results. We will conclude with a discussion of possible enhancements to the work already performed and the current status of the future experimental plans.

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Measurements of CP violating observables of the decays B{sup 0} {yields} {phi}K{sup 0}, B{sup 0} {yields} {eta}'K{sub S}, B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}K{sub S}, B{sup 0} {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -}K{sup 0} and B{sup 0} {yields} K{sub S}K{sub S}K{sub S} are presented. In addition limits on the branching functions of B{sup 0} {yields} {phi}{pi}{sup 0}, B{sup 0} {yields} {phi}{pi}{sup +}, B {yields} K{sup *}K{sub S}, B {yields} {eta}'{pi}{sup 0}, B {yields} {eta}'{eta}, and B{sup 0} {yields} K{sub S}K{sub S}K{sub L} are reported.

Article provides assemblage maps showing the elements related to creativity, innovation, and creativity and innovation. These assemblage maps highlight virtual and dynamic flight lines that represent potentially active components with varying intensity and direction, which provides a tool for managers and practitioners to identify potentialities for future predictions better.

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The authors present a combined measurement of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V{sub cb}| and of the parameters {rho}{sup 2}, R{sub 1}, and R{sub 2}, which fully characterize the form factors of the B{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup -}{ell}{sup +}{nu}{sub {ell}} decay in the framework of HQET, based on a sample of about 52,800 B{sup 0} {yields} D*{sup -}{ell}{sup +}{nu}{sub {ell}} decays recorded by the BABAR detector. The kinematical information of the fully reconstructed decay is used to extract the following values for the parameters (where the first errors are statistical and the second systematic): {rho}{sup 2} = 1.156 {+-} 0.094 {+-} 0.028, R{sub 1} = 1.329 {+-} 0.131 {+-} 0.044, R{sub 2} = 0.859 {+-} 0.077 {+-} 0.022, F(1)|V{sub cb}| = (35.03 {+-} 0.39 {+-} 1.15) x 10{sup -3}. By combining these measurements with the previous BABAR measurements of the form factors which employs a different technique on a partial sample of the data, they improve the statistical accuracy of the measurement, obtaining: {rho}{sup 2} = 1.179 {+-} 0.048 {+-} 0.028, R{sub 1} = 1.417 {+-} 0.061 {+-} 0.044, R{sub 2}, = 0.836 {+-} 0.037 {+-} 0.022, and F(1)|V{sub cb}| = (34.68 {+-} 0.32 {+-} 1.15) x 10{sup -3}. Using the …