Diffusive-like redistribution in state-changing collisions between Rydberg atoms and ground state atoms

Exploring the dynamics of inelastic and reactive collisions on the quantum level is a fundamental goal in quantum chemistry. Such collisions are of particular importance in connection with Rydberg atoms in dense environments since they may considerably influence both the lifetime and the quantum state of the scattered Rydberg atoms. Here, we report on the study of state-changing collisions between Rydberg atoms and ground state atoms. We employ high-resolution momentum spectroscopy to identify the final states. In contrast to previous studies, we find that the outcome of such collisions is not limited to a single hydrogenic manifold. We observe a redistribution of population over a wide range of final states. We also find that even the decay to states with the same angular momentum quantum number as the initial state, but different principal quantum number is possible. We model the underlying physical process in the framework of a short-lived Rydberg quasi-molecular complex, where a charge exchange process gives rise to an oscillating electric field that causes transitions within the Rydberg manifold. The distribution of final states shows a diffusive-like behavior.

Upgrade of the MAGNEX spectrometer toward the high-intensity phase of NUMEN

The NUMEN experimental activity with accelerated beams is performed at INFN–Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) in Catania using the Superconducting Cyclotron and the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer. The scientific motivation of NUMEN is to extract experiment-driven information on the nuclear matrix elements entering in the expression of the 0νββ decay half-life. The reaction cross sections involved, especially for the double charge exchange process, are very low, thus limiting the present exploration to a few selected isotopes of interest in the context of typically low-yield experimental runs. In order to make feasible a systematic study of all the candidate nuclei, a major upgrade of the LNS facility is foreseen to increase the experimental yield by more than two orders of magnitude. To this purpose, frontier technologies are being developed for the accelerator and the detection systems. An updated description of the choices derived from the recent R&D activity on the target system and MAGNEX focal plane detector is given.

Modeling of the Hα Emission from ADITYA Tokamak Plasmas

The spatial profile of Hα spectrum is regularly measured using a high-resolution multi-track spectrometer in ADITYA tokamak to study the neutral particle behavior. The Monte Carlo neutral particle transport code DEGAS2 is used to model the experimental Hα spectral emissions. Through the modeling of the spectral line profile of Hα, it is found that the neutral hydrogen, which is produced from molecular hydrogen and molecular hydrogen ion dissociation processes contributes 56% to the total Hα emission, and the atoms which are produced from charge-exchange process have 30% contribution. Furthermore, the experimentally measured spatial profile of chord integrated brightness was modeled for the two plasma discharges having relatively high and low density to understand the neutral particle penetration. The presence of neutrals inside the core region of the ADITYA tokamak is mainly due to the charge-exchange process. Furthermore, it is observed that neutral particle penetration is lower in higher density discharge.

Analysis of charge exchange in a single-cylinder of spark ignition engine

The article presents the results of tests carried out on a single-cylinder of spark-ignition engine. The charge exchange process in the combustion chamber is very important to determine the possibility of improving the overall efficiency of the engine. Describes of impact modifications engine on open indicator diagrams. Open indicator diagrams show that the higher compression ratio is assumed, the higher the pressure in the system is. First parts of the research describes analysis of charge exchange on not working engine. Results of research presents different open indicators diagrams. Then the pressure results were obtained on the working engine. The possibilities of improving the overall efficiency of the engine by reducing the pumping loss, associated with the replacement of the air fuel mixture, were presented. The article describes the modification of a spark-ignition engine that affects the pressure change in the combustion chamber. The use of innovative methods of regulating the compression pressure gives a lot of positive effects.

Turbocharging the aircraft two-stroke diesel engine

The power and efficiency of a two-stroke engine strongly depends on the efficiency of the scavenging process which consists in re-moving the rest of the exhaust gases from the cylinder and filling it with a fresh charge. The quality of the charge exchange process is significantly influenced by the construction of the intake system. The paper presents a zero-dimensional model of the aircraft two-stroke opposed-piston diesel engine with two variants of the intake system: with a mechanical compressor and a turbocharger connected in series with a mechanical compressor. Simulation studies of the developed cases were carried out in the AVL BOOST software. For the defined engine operating points, its performance was compared for different designs of the intake system. It was confirmed that the use of a turbocharger with a mechanical compressor extends the range of operating at high altitudes.

Структура призондового слоя в газоразрядной плазме при произвольной ориентации плоского зонда относительно электрического поля в плазме

We investigate the structure of the wall sheath of a gas discharge near a flat surface at a negative potential for high mean electron energy. It is shown that in the conditions where the mean energy of ions in the plasma is much lower than the mean electron energy, the parameters of the wall sheath weakly depend on the mutual orientation of the normal to the surface and the electric field in the plasma for an arbitrary ratio of the Debye radius to the ion mean free path relative to the resonant charge exchange process. It is found that for inert gases (He, Ar) for ratio E / P of the electric field to pressure exceeding 10 V/(cm Torr) in the plasma, the disregard of ionization in the perturbed wall sheath can lead to substantial errors in the calculation of its parameters. It is shown that the ionization leads to an increase in the electric field in the wall sheath and, as a consequence, to an increase in the mean velocity of ions at the boundary between the quasi-neutral presheath and the part of the perturbed wall sheath in which quasi-neutrality is substantially violated. The parameters of the wall sheath where quasi-neutrality is significantly violated depend on the ionization rate much less strongly than the corresponding parameters of the quasi-neutral presheath. We have determined the relation for concentration of charged particles in the unperturbed plasma from the ion saturation current considering the actual ion energy distribution function in the plasma as well as ionization in the presheath and the part of the perturbed wall sheath in which quasi-neutrality is violated significantly.

Towards a first measurement of the free neutron bound beta decay detecting hydrogen atoms at a throughgoing beamtube in a high flux reactor

In addition to the common 3-body decay of the neutron n → pe-ν̅e there should exist an effective 2-body subset with the electron and proton forming a Hydrogen bound state with well defined total momentum, total spin and magnetic quantum numbers. The atomic spectroscopic analysis of this bound system can reveal details about the underlying weak interaction as it mirrors the helicity distributions of all outgoing particles. Thus, it is unique in the information it carries, and an experiment unravelling this information is an analogue to the Goldhaber experiment performed more than 60 years ago. The proposed experiment will search for monoenergetic metastable BoB H atoms with 326 eV kinetic energy, which are generated at the center of a throughgoing beamtube of a high-flux reactor (e.g., at the PIK reactor, Gatchina). Although full spectroscopic information is needed to possibly reveal new physics our first aim is to prove the occurrence of this decay and learn about backgrounds. Key to the detection is the identification of a monoerergtic line of hydrogen atoms occurring at a rate of about 1 s−1 in the environment of many hydrogen atoms, however having a thermal distribution of about room temperature. Two scenarios for velocity (energy) filtering are discussed in this paper. The first builds on an purely electric chopper system, in which metastable hydrogen atoms are quenched to their ground state and thus remain mostly undetectable. This chopper system employs fast switchable Bradbury Nielsen gates. The second method exploits a strongly energy dependent charge exchange process of metastable hydrogen picking up an electron while traversing an argon filled gas cell, turning it into manipulable charged hydrogen. The final detection of hydrogen occurs through multichannel plate (MCP) detector. The paper describes the various methods and gives an outlook on rates and feasibility at the PIK reactor in Gatchina.

CFD Analysis of Charge Exchange in an Aircraft Opposed-Piston Diesel Engine

The paper presents a description of geometric models, computational algorithms, and results of numerical analysis of charge exchange in an opposed-piston two-stroke engine. The research engine is a newly designed internal diesel engine. This unit is composed of three cylinders in which operate three pairs of opposed-pistons. The engine generates a power output equal to 100 kW at a crankshaft rotation speed of 3800-4000 rpm. The numerical investigations were carried out using ANSYS FLUENT solver. The geometrical model includes an intake manifold, a cylinder and an outlet manifold. The study was conducted for a series of modifications of manifolds and intake and exhaust ports to optimise the charge exchange process in the engine. In addition, we attempted to verify the effect of the combustion chamber shape on the charge exchange process in the engine. The calculations specified a swirl coefficient obtained under steady conditions for fully open intake and exhaust ports as well as the CA value of 280° for all cylinders. In addition, mass flow rates were identified separately in all of the intake and exhaust ports to achieve the best possible uniformity of flow in particular cylinders. The paper includes comparative analyses of all of the intake and exhaust manifolds of the designed engine.