Low-Energy Electron Elastic Collisions with Actinide Atoms Am, Cm, Bk, Es, No and Lr: Negative-Ion Formation

The rigorous Regge-pole method is used to investigate negative-ion formation in actinide atoms through electron elastic total cross sections (TCSs) calculation. The TCSs are found to be characterized generally by negative-ion formations, shape resonances and Ramsauer-Townsend(R-T) minima, and they exhibit both atomic and fullerene molecular behavior near the threshold. Additionally, a polarization-induced metastable cross section with a deep R-T minimum is identified near the threshold in the Am, Cm and Bk TCSs, which flips over to a shape resonance appearing very close to the threshold in the TCSs for Es, No and Lr. We attribute these new manifestations to size effects and orbital collapse significantly impacting the polarization interaction. From the TCSs unambiguous and reliable ground, metastable and excited states negative-ion binding energies (BEs) for Am−, Cm−, Bk−, Es−, No− and Lr− anions formed during the collisions are extracted and compared with existing electron affinities (EAs) of the atoms. The novelty of the Regge-pole approach is in the extraction of the negative-ion BEs from the TCSs. We conclude that the existing theoretical EAs of the actinide atoms and the recently measured EA of Th correspond to excited anionic BEs.

Analyticity and Regge asymptotics in virtual Compton scattering on the nucleon

We test the consistency of the data on the nucleon structure functions with analyticity and the Regge asymptotics of the virtual Compton amplitude. By solving a functional extremal problem, we derive an optimal lower bound on the maximum difference between the exact amplitude and the dominant Reggeon contribution for energies $$\nu $$ ν above a certain high value $$\nu _h(Q^2)$$ ν h ( Q 2 ) . Considering in particular the difference of the amplitudes $$T_1^\text {inel}(\nu , Q^2)$$ T 1 inel ( ν , Q 2 ) for the proton and neutron, we find that the lower bound decreases in an impressive way when $$\nu _h(Q^2)$$ ν h ( Q 2 ) is increased, and represents a very small fraction of the magnitude of the dominant Reggeon. While the method cannot rule out the hypothesis of a fixed Regge pole, the results indicate that the data on the structure function are consistent with an asymptotic behaviour given by leading Reggeon contributions. We also show that the minimum of the lower bound as a function of the subtraction constant $$S_1^\text {inel}(Q^2)$$ S 1 inel ( Q 2 ) provides a reasonable estimate of this quantity, in a frame similar, but not identical to the Reggeon dominance hypothesis.

Confronting dual models of the strong interaction

Studies of the mathematical properties of Regge-pole and dual amplitudes are important both for their applications in high energy phenomenology and in their generalizations to strings, superstrings, branes, and other theoretical developments. In this paper, we investigate the similarities and differences between two classes of dual amplitudes: one with Mandelstam analyticity (DAMA) and another one with logarithmic trajectories (Dual-log). By using quantum (q-) deformations, new features of Dual-log amplitude are unveiled, in particular those concerning its asymptotic behavior and the spectrum of resonances. The two classes of dual amplitudes are compared in various kinematic regions: at fixed transferred momenta asymptotic, fixed angle asymptotic, and in the resonance region.

Spin and Polarization in High-Energy Hadron-Hadron and Lepton-Hadron Scattering

The role of spin degrees of freedom in high-energy hadron-hadron and lepton-hadron scattering is reviewed with emphasis on the dominant role of soft, diffractive, non-perturbative effects. Explicit models based on analyticity and Regge-pole theory, including the pomeron trajectory (gluon exchange in the t channel) are discussed. We argue that there is a single, universal pomeron in Nature, manifest as relatively “soft” or “hard”, depending on the kinematics considered. Both the pomeron and the non-leading (secondary) Regge trajectories, made of quarks are non-linear, complex functions. They are populated by a finite number of resonances: known baryons and mesons in case of the reggeons and hypothetical glueballs in case of the pomeron (“oddballs” on the odderon trajectory). Explicit models and fits are presented that may be used in recovering generalized parton distributions from deeply virtual Compton scattering and electoproduction of vector mesons.

Fullerene Negative Ions: Formation and Catalysis

We first explore negative-ion formation in fullerenes C44 to C136 through low-energy electron elastic scattering total cross sections calculations using our Regge-pole methodology. Then, the formed negative ions C44ˉ to C136ˉ are used to investigate the catalysis of water oxidation to peroxide and water synthesis from H2 and O2. The exploited fundamental mechanism underlying negative-ion catalysis involves hydrogen bond strength-weakening/breaking in the transition state. Density Functional Theory transition state calculations found C60ˉ optimal for both water and peroxide synthesis, C100ˉ increases the energy barrier the most, and C136ˉ the most effective catalyst in both water synthesis and oxidation to H2O2.

Low-Energy Electron Elastic Total Cross Sections for Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf Atoms

The robust Regge-pole methodology wherein is fully embedded the essential electron-electron correlation effects and the vital core polarization interaction has been used to explore negative ion formation in the large lanthanide Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf atoms through the electron elastic total cross sections (TCSs) calculations. These TCSs are characterized generally by dramatically sharp resonances manifesting ground, metastable, and excited negative ion formation during the collisions, Ramsauer-Townsend minima, and shape resonances. The novelty and generality of the Regge-pole approach is in the extraction of the negative ion binding energies (BEs) of complex heavy systems from the calculated electron TCSs. The extracted anionic BEs from the ground state TCSs for Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Hf atoms are 3.51 eV, 3.53 eV, 3.36 eV, 3.49 eV, 4.09 eV and 1.68 eV, respectively. The TCSs are presented and the extracted from the ground; metastable and excited anionic states BEs are compared with the available measured and/or calculated electron affinities. We conclude with a remark on the existing inconsistencies in the meaning of the electron affinity among the various measurements and/or calculations in the investigated atoms and make a recommendation to resolve the ambiguity.

Fullerene Negative Ions: Formation and Catalysis

We first explore negative-ion formation in fullerenes C44, C60, C70, C98, C112, C120, C132 and C136 through low-energy electron elastic scattering total cross sections calculations using our Regge-pole methodology. Water oxidation to peroxide and water synthesis from H2 and O2 are then investigated using the anionic catalysts C44ˉ to C136ˉ. The fundamental mechanism underlying negative-ion catalysis involves hydrogen bond strength-weakening in the transition state. DFT transition state calculations found C60ˉ numerically stable for both water and peroxide synthesis, C100ˉ increases the energy barrier the most and C136ˉ the most effective catalyst in both water synthesis and oxidation to H2O2.