In this contribution the authors discuss the physics of strange hadrons in low energy ({approx_equal} 1-2 AGeV) heavy ion collision. In this energy range the relevant strange particle are the kaons and anti-kaons. The most interesting aspect concerning these particles are so called in-medium modifications. They will attempt to review the current status of understanding of these in medium modifications. In addition they briefly discuss other issues related with kaon production, such as the nuclear equation of state and chemical equilibrium.

Neutron imaging systems measure the spatial distribution of neutron emission from burning inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets. These systems use a traditional pinhole geometry to project an image of the source onto a two-dimensional scintillator array, and a CCD records the resulting scintillation image. The recent history of ICF neutron images has produced images with qualities that have improved as the fusion neutron yields have increased to nearly 10{sup 14} neutrons. Anticipated future neutron yields in excess of 10{sup 16} at the National Ignition Facility and LMJ have raised the prospect of neuron imaging diagnostics which simultaneously probe several different characteristics of burning fusion targets. The new measurements rely on gated-image recording to select images corresponding to specific bands of neutron energies. Gated images of downscattered neutrons with energies from 5 to 8 MeV can emphasize regions of the target which contain DT fuel which is not burning. At the same time, gated images which select different portions of the 14-MeV spectral peak can produce spatial temperature maps of a burning target. Since the neutron production depends on the DT fuel density and temperature, simultaneous images of temperature and neutron emission can be combined to infer the an image of …

We report the two-dimensional alignment of semiconductor islands using rudimentary metal patterning to control nucleation and growth. In the Ge on Si system, a square array of sub-micron Au dots on the Si (001) surface induces the assembly of deposited Ge adatoms into an extensive island lattice. Remarkably, these highly ordered Ge islands form between the patterned Au dots and are characterized by a unique truncated pyramidal shape. A model based on patterned diffusion barriers explains the observed ordering and establishes general criteria for the broader applicability of such a directed assembly process to quantum dot ordering.

At the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), mitigation of laser surface damage growth on fused silica using single and multiple CO{sub 2} laser pulses has been consistently successful for damage sites whose lateral dimensions are less than 100 {micro}m, but has not been for larger sites. Cracks would often radiate outward from the damage when a CO{sub 2} pulse was applied to the larger sites. An investigation was conducted to mitigate large surface damage sites using galvanometer scanning of a tightly focused CO{sub 2} laser spot over an area encompassing the laser damage. It was thought that by initially scanning the CO{sub 2} spot outside the damage site, radiating crack propagation would be inhibited. Scan patterns were typically inward moving spirals starting at radii somewhat larger than that of the damage site. The duration of the mitigation spiral pattern was {approx}110 ms during which a total of {approx}1.3 J of energy was delivered to the sample. The CO{sub 2} laser spot had a 1/e{sup 2}-diameter of {approx}200 {micro}m. Thus, there was general heating of a large area around the damage site while rapid evaporation occurred locally at the laser spot position in the spiral. …

The compression of a laser pulse by amplification of an ultra short pulse beam which seeds the stimulated Raman scatter of the first beam has been long been discussed in the context of solid and gas media. We investigate the possibility of using intersecting beams in a plasma to compress nanosecond pulses to picosecond duration by scattering from driven electron waves. Recent theoretical studies have shown the possibility of efficient compression with large amplitude, non-linear Langmuir waves driven either by SRS [1] or non-resonantly [2].

In coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy (CARS) experiments, usually the amplitude of the signal is measured and the phase information is lost. With a polarization- and phase-controlled pulse shaping technique, the relative phase between the resonant and non-resonant CARS signals is controlled, and spectral interferometry is performed without an interferometer. Both the real and imaginary parts of the background-free resonant CARS spectrum are measured via spectral interferometry between the resonant and non-resonant signals from the same sample. The resonant signal is amplified significantly by homodyne mixing with the non-resonant signal as a local oscillator, greatly improving the detection limit.

Matrix diffusion is an important mechanism for solutetransport in fractured rock. We recently conducted a literature survey onthe effective matrix diffusion coefficient, Dem, a key parameter fordescribing matrix diffusion processes at the field scale. Forty fieldtracer tests at 15 fractured geologic sites were surveyed and selectedfor study, based on data availability and quality. Field-scale Dem valueswere calculated, either directly using data reported in the literature orby reanalyzing the corresponding field tracer tests. Surveyed dataindicate that the effective-matrix-diffusion-coefficient factor FD(defined as the ratio of Dem to the lab-scale matrix diffusioncoefficient [Dem]of the same tracer) is generally larger than one,indicating that the effective matrix diffusion coefficient in the fieldis comparatively larger than the matrix diffusion coefficient at therock-core scale. This larger value could be attributed to the manymass-transfer processes at different scales in naturally heterogeneous,fractured rock systems. Furthermore, we observed a moderate trend towardsystematic increase in the emDFmDDF value with observation scale,indicating that the effective matrix diffusion coefficient is likely tobe statistically scale dependent. The FD value ranges from 1 to 10,000for observation scales from 5 to 2,000 m. At a given scale, the FD valuevaries by two orders of magnitude, reflecting the influence of differingdegrees of fractured rock heterogeneity at different …

The morphology of Si{sub 1-Y} Ge{sub Y}:H films in the range of Y=0.23 to 0.9 has been studied by AFM. The films were deposited by Low Frequency (LF) PE CVD at substrate temperature T{sub s}=300 C and discharge frequency f=110 kHz from silane+germane mixture with and without, Ar and H{sub 2} dilution. The films were deposited on silicon and glass substrates. AFM images were taken and analyzed for 2 x 2 mm{sup 2} area. All the images demonstrated ''grain'' like structure, which was characterized by the height distribution function F(H) average roughness <H>, standard height deviation Rq, lateral correlation length L{sub c} area distribution function F(s), mean grain area <s>, diameter distribution function F(d), and mean grain diameter <d>. The roughness <H> of the films monotonically increases with Y for all dilutions, but more significantly in the films deposited without dilution. L{sub c} continuously grows with Y in the films deposited without dilution, while more complex behavior L{sub c}(Y) is observed in the films deposited with H- or Ar dilution. The sharpness of F(H) characterized by curtosis {gamma} depends on dilution and the sharpest F(H) are for the films deposited with Ar ({gamma}=5.30,Y=0.23) and without dilution ({gamma}=4.3, Y=0.45). Isothermal annealing …

The potential use of different iron phosphates as cathodematerials in lithium-ion batteries has recently been investigated.1 Oneof the promising candidates is LiFePO4. This compound has severaladvantages in comparison to the state-of-the-art cathode material incommercial rechargeable lithium batteries. Firstly, it has a hightheoretical capacity (170 mAh/g). Secondly, it occurs as mineraltriphylite in nature and is inexpensive, thermally stable, non-toxic andnon-hygroscopic. However, its low electronic conductivity (~;10-9 S/cm)results in low power capability. There has been intense worldwideresearch activity to find methods to increase the electronic conductivityof LiFePO4, including supervalent ion doping,2 introducingnon-carbonaceous network conduction3 and carbon coating, and theoptimization of the carbon coating on LiFePO4 particle surfaces.4Recently, the Li doped LiFePO4 (Li1+xFe1-xPO4) synthesized at ARL hasyield electronic conductivity increase up to 106.5 We studied electronicstructure of LiFePO4 and Li doped LiFePO4 by synchrotron based soft X-rayemission (XES) and X-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopies. XAS probes theunoccupied partial density of states, while XES the occupied partialdensity of states. By combining XAS and XES measurements, we obtainedinformation on band gap and orbital character of both LiFePO4 and Lidoped LiFePO4. The occupied and unoccupied oxygen partial density ofstates (DOS) of LiFePO4 and 5 percent Li doped LiFePO4 are presented inFig. 1. Our experimental results clearly indicate …

The performance and unique features of the RHIC polarized jet target and our solutions to the important design constraints imposed on the jet by the RHIC environment are described. The target polarization and thickness were measured to be 0.924 {+-} 2% and 1.3 {+-} 0.2 x 10{sup 12} atoms/cm{sup 2} respectively.

We present a microscopic model of the interface between liquid water and a hydrophilic, solid surface, as obtained from ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we focused on the (100)surface of cubic SiC, a leading candidate semiconductor for bio-compatible devices. Our results show that, in the liquid in contact with the clean substrate, molecular dissociation occurs in a manner unexpectedly similar to that observed in the gas phase. After full hydroxylation takes place, the formation of a thin ({approx}3 {angstrom})interfacial layer is observed, which has higher density than bulk water and forms stable hydrogen bonds with the substrate. The liquid does not uniformly wet the surface, rather molecules preferably bind along directions parallel to the Si dimer rows. Our calculations also predict that one dimensional confinement between two hydrophilic surfaces at about 1.3 nm distance does not affect the structural and electronic properties of the whole water sample.

The analyzing power A{sub N} for pp elastic scattering is expected to reach a peak value of 0.045 in the Coulomb Nuclear Interference (CNI) region at a momentum transfer -t of 0.003 (GeV/c){sup 2}. During the 2004 RHIC Run, we completed a measurement of A{sub N} in the CNI region by detecting the recoil protons from pp elastic scattering using a polarized atomic hydrogen gas jet target and the 100 GeV RHIC proton beam. We report the first measurements of the A{sub N} absolute value and shape in the -t range from 0.0015 to 0.010 (GeV/c){sup 2} with a precision better than 0.005 for each A{sub N} data point. The recoil protons were detected with two arrays of Si detectors. The absolute target polarization as monitored by a Breit-Rabi polarimeter was stable at 0.924 {+-} 0.018. This result allows us to further investigate the spin dependence of elastic pp scattering in the very low -t region.

We count the number of bound states of BPS black holes on local Calabi-Yau three-folds involving a Riemann surface of genus g. We show that the corresponding gauge theory on the brane reduces to a q-deformed Yang-Mills theory on the Riemann surface. Following the recent connection between the black hole entropy and the topological string partition function, we find that for a large black hole charge N, up to corrections of O(e^-N), Z_BH is given as a sum of a square of chiral blocks, each of which corresponds to a specific D-brane amplitude. The leading chiral block, the vacuum block, corresponds to the closed topological string amplitudes. The sub-leading chiral blocks involve topological string amplitudes with D-brane insertions at 2g-2 points on the Riemann surface analogous to the Omega points in the large N 2d Yang-Mills theory. The finite N amplitude provides a non-perturbative definition of topological strings in these backgrounds. This also leads to a novel non-perturbative formulation of c=1 non-critical string at the self-dual radius.

We study Z2 orbifolds of M-theory in terms of E10. We find a simple relation between the Z2 action on E10 and the imaginary root that corresponds [hep-th/0401053]to the"twisted sector" branes. We discuss the connection between the Kac-Moody algebra DE10 and the"untwisted" sector, and we demonstrate how DE18 can describe both the untwisted and twisted sectors simultaneously.

As a follow up to the initial 1998 intercomparison study, a second study was initiated in 2001 as part of the ongoing evaluation of the capabilities of various ultra-sensitive methods to analyze {sup 239}Pu in urine samples. The initial study was sponsored by the Department of Energy, Office of International Health Programs to evaluate and validate new technologies that may supersede the existing fission tract analysis (FTA) method for the analysis of {sup 239}Pu in urine at the {micro}Bq/l level. The ultra-sensitive techniques evaluated in the second study included accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) by LLNL, thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) by LANL and FTA by the University of Utah. Only the results for the mass spectrometric methods will be presented. For the second study, the testing levels were approximately 4, 9, 29 and 56 {micro}Bq of {sup 239}Pu per liter of synthetic urine. Each test sample also contained {sup 240}Pu at a {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atom ratio of {approx}0.15 and natural uranium at a concentration of 50 {micro}Bq/ml. From the results of the two studies, it can be inferred that the best performance at the {micro}Bq level is more laboratory specific than method specific. The second study demonstrated that LANL-TIMS …

Supernovae launch spherical shocks into the circumstellar medium (CSM). These shocks may interact with both the intergalactic magnetic field (IGM) and local mass accumulations (possibly with their own local magnetic fields). The latter interaction may trigger star formation. The shocks have high Mach numbers and may be radiative. We have created similar shocks in the laboratory by focusing laser pulses onto the tip of a solid pin surrounded by ambient gas; ablated material from the pin rapidly expands and launches a shock through the surrounding gas. The shock may then be allowed to interact with (a) mass accumulations, (b) magnetic fields, or (c) allowed to expand freely. We will present examples of each type of experiment, but mainly discuss a new phenomena observed first in (c); at the edge of the radiatively heated gas ahead of the shock, a second shock forms. The two expanding shocks are simultaneously visible for a time, until the original shock stalls from running into the heated gas. The second shock remains visible and continues to expand. A minimum condition for the formation of the second shock is that the original shock is super-critical, i.e., the temperature distribution ahead of the original shock has an …

A database storage, search and retrieval method of constitutive model responses for use in plasticity simulations is developed to increase the computational efficiency of finite element simulations employing complex non-linear material models. The method is based in the in situ adaptive tabulation method that has been successfully applied in the field of combustion chemistry, but is significantly modified to better handle the system of equations in plasticity. When using the database, the material response is estimated by a linear extrapolation from an appropriate database entry. This is shown to provide a response with an acceptable error tolerance. Two different example problems are chosen to demonstrate the behavior of the constitutive model estimation technique: a dynamic shock simulation, and a quasi-static inhomogeneous deformation simulation. This generalized in situ adaptive tabulation method shows promise for enabling simulations with complex multi-physics and multi-length scale constitutive descriptions.

The gas phase is generally ignored in remediation of metals and radionuclides because it is assumed that there is no efficient way to exploit it. In the literal sense, all remediations involve the gas phase because this phase is linked to the liquid and solid phases by vapor pressure and thermodynamic relationships. Remediation methods that specifically use the gas phase as a central feature have primarily targeted volatile organic contaminants, not metals and radionuclides. Unlike many organic contaminants, the vapor pressure and Henry's Law constants of metals and radionuclides are not generally conducive to direct air stripping of dissolved contaminants. Nevertheless, the gas phase can play an important role in remediation of inorganic contaminants and provide opportunities for efficient, cost effective remediation. The objective here is to explore ways in which manipulation of the gas phase can be used to facilitate remediation of metals and radionuclides.

We have calculated spectra of stable secondary particles ({gamma}, e{sup {+-}}, {nu}{sub e}, {bar {nu}}{sub e}, {nu}{sub {mu}}{bar {nu}}{sub {mu}}) produced in high energy p-p interactions in astrophysical environment. The calculation has incorporated the up-to-date rising inelastic cross-sections, the diffraction dissociation process, and the Feynman scaling violation for the first time. We then found that the diffractive process makes secondary particle spectra harder than that of the incident proton; that the rising inelastic cross-section and the scaling violation produces significantly more secondary particles than previous calculations. Combination of the three features explain about a half of the ''GeV Excess'' in the EGRET Galactic diffuse {gamma}-ray spectrum with the local cosmic proton spectrum (power-law index around 2.7). The excess can be fully explained if the proton spectral index in the Galactic ridge is harder by 0.2 than above. As an extension of the calculation, we have parameterized the inclusive secondary particle spectra as functions of the incident proton kinetic energy: we predict {approx} 30% more e{sup +} and {nu}{sub e} than e{sup -} and {bar {nu}}{sub e} to be produced in the GeV range by p-p interactions.

Future energy scaling of high-energy chirped-pulse amplification systems will benefit from the capability to coherently tile diffraction gratings into larger apertures. Design and operation of a novel, accurate alignment diagnostics for coherently tiled diffraction gratings is required for successful implementation of this technique. An invariant diffraction direction and phase for special moves of a diffraction grating is discussed, allowing simplification in the design of the coherently tiled grating diagnostics. An analytical proof of the existence of a unique diffraction grating eigenvector for translational and rotational motion which conserves the diffraction direction and diffracted wave phase is presented.

The predicted high pressure superionic phases of water and HF are investigated via ab initio molecular dynamics. These phases could potentially be achieved through either static compression with heating or through shock compression. We study water at densities of 2.0-3.0 g/cc (34-115 GPa) along the 2000K isotherm.We find that extremely rapid (superionic) diffusion of protons occurs in a fluid phase at pressures between 34 and 58 GPa. A transition to a stable body-centered cubic (bcc) O lattice with superionic proton conductivity is observed between 70 and 75 GPa, a much higher pressure than suggested in prior work. We find that all molecular species at pressures greater than 75 GPa are too short lived to be classified as bound states. Up to 95 GPa, we find a solid superionic phase characterized by covalent O-H bonding. Above 95 GPa, a transient network phase is found characterized by symmetric O-H hydrogen bonding with nearly 50% covalent character. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of HF were conducted at densities of 1.8-4.0 g/cc along the 900 K isotherm. According to our simulations, a unique form of (symmetric) hydrogen bonding could play a significant role in superionic conduction. Our work shows that superionic phases could be …

Analytical models are developed for the translation and rotation of metallic rods in a uniform electric field. The limits of thin and thick electric double layers are considered. These models include the effect of stripes of different metals along the length of the particle. Modeling results are compared to experimental measurements for metallic rods. Experiments demonstrate the increased alignment of particles with increasing field strength and the increase in degree of alignment of thin versus thick electric double layers. The metal rods polarize in the applied field and align parallel to its direction due to torques on the polarized charge. The torque due to polarization has a second order dependence on the electric field strength. The particles are also shown to have an additional alignment torque component due to non-uniform densities along their length. The orientation distributions of dilute suspensions of particles are also shown to agree well with results predicted by a rotational convective-diffusion equation.

The distribution and characteristics of surface cracking (i.e. sub-surface damage or SSD) formed during standard grinding processes has been investigated on fused silica glass. The SSD distributions of the ground surfaces were determined by: (1) creating a shallow (18-108 {micro}m) wedge/taper on the surface by magneto-rheological finishing; (2) exposing the SSD by HF acid etching; and (3) performing image analysis of the observed cracks from optical micrographs taken along the surface taper. The observed surface cracks are characterized as near-surface lateral and deeper trailing indent type fractures (i.e., chatter marks). The SSD depth distributions are typically described by a single exponential distribution followed by an asymptotic cutoff in depth (c{sub max}). The length of the trailing indent is strongly correlated with a given process. Using established fracture indentation relationships, it is shown that only a small fraction of the abrasive particles are being mechanically loaded and causing fracture, and it is likely the larger particles in the abrasive particle size distribution that bear the higher loads. The SSD depth was observed to increase with load and with a small amount of larger contaminant particles. Using a simple brittle fracture model for grinding, the SSD depth distribution has been related to …

With the use of modern tools such as molecular modeling on increasingly powerful computers, new materials can be evaluated by their structural activity relationships, SAR, and their approximate physical and chemical properties can be calculated in some cases with surprising accuracy. These new capabilities enable streamlined synthetic routes based on safety, performance and processing requirements, to name a few [1]. Current work includes both understanding properties of old explosives and measuring properties of new ones. The necessity to know and understand the properties of energetic materials is driven by the need to improve performance and enhance stability to various stimuli, such as thermal, friction and impact insult. This review will concentrate on the physical properties of RX-55-AE-5, which is formulated from heterocyclic explosive, 2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide, LLM-105, and 2.5% Viton A. Differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, was used to measure a specific heat capacity, C{sub p}, of {approx} 0.950 J/g {center_dot} C, and a thermal conductivity, {kappa}, of {approx} 0.160 W/m {center_dot} C. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) code Kinetics05 and the Advanced Kinetics and Technology Solutions (AKTS) code Thermokinetics were both used to calculate Arrhenius kinetics for decomposition of LLM-105. Both obtained an activation energy barrier E {approx} 180 kJ mol{sup …