Key among various issues of ignited plasmas is understanding the physics of energy transfer between thermal plasma particles and magnetically confined, highly energetic charged ions in a tokamak device. The superthermal particles are products of fusion reactions. The efficiency of energy transfer by collisions, from charged fusion products (e.g., {alpha}-particles) to plasma ions, grossly determines whether or not plasma conditions are self-sustaining without recourse to auxiliary heating. Furthermore, should energy transfer (efficiency be poor, and substantial auxiliary heating power is required to maintain reacting conditions within the plasma, economics may preclude commercial viability of fusion reactors. The required charged fusion product information is contained in the energy distribution function of these particles. Knowledge of temporal variations of the superthermal particle energy distribution function could be used by a fusion reactor control system to balance plasma conditions between thermal runaway and a modicum of fusion product energy transfer. Therefore, diagnostics providing data on the dynamical transfer of alpha-particle and other charged fusion product energy to the plasma ions are essential elements for a fusion reactor control system to insure that proper plasma conditions are maintained. The objective of this work is to assess if spectral analysis of rf radiation emitted by …

In our last report we discussed observations in our cell concerning the behavior or Illinois No. 6 coal in tetralin to 460{degrees}C. We noted that there were possibly two distinct types of particles comprising the organic phase, reacting respectively at 420{degrees}--430{degrees}C, and at 450{degrees}--460{degrees}C. Alternatively we could interpret the data as describing a range of reactivity bounded by those temperatures. As evidenced by the contraction of the particles, the reactions were rapid. The particles lost half of their substance within 1 min, and we suggested that the rates were too fast to be accommodated by the commonly held scheme for coal liquefaction involving thermolytic scission of weak, bibenzyl-like bonds. Our analyses were aided by our use of Adobe Photoshop, which allows us to store, digitized versions of our recorded images. The images can then be manipulated at will to provide quantitative data on morphological changes. We noted in our last report that printer limitations prevented us from presenting images with the desirable quality, and we are at present attempting to find access to equipment which will provide satisfactory figures. Accordingly our progress will be described here without any photographs, and we expect to present a more complete account of our …

This paper describes the meaning and applications of ecosystem and of the related terms watershed and biome. It discusses the pros and cons of all three as organizing principles for land management, and the major issues that are likely to arise in the debate over ecosystem management.

High resolution photoionization and fluorescence excitation spectra of dimers of the aromatic molecule fluorene (C{sub 13}H{sub 12}){sub 2} reveal complex excitonic interactions. Comparison of results for isotopically pure and isotopically mixed dimers provide the information necessary to analyze the spectra in terms of intermolecular motion on two perturbed adiabatic potential surfaces. The intermolecular force field on the lower surface is characterized by a perturbed quartic potential, whereas the upper surface is characterized by a displaced quadratic potential. The results provide the first detailed experimental description of strong coupling between an intermolecular coordinate and the excitonic state of a molecular dimer.