Acoustic Properties of Amorphous Solids at Very Low Temperatures: The Quest for Interacting Tunneling States

We discuss the strain dependence of the acoustic properties of amorphous metals in both normal and superconducting states, in the temperature range 0.1 mK<T<1 K. A crossover is found when the strain energy is of the order of the effective interaction energy between tunneling systems at the corresponding temperature. Our results provide clear evidence for the interaction between tunneling systems, whose energy is in quantitative agreement with theoretical expectations, and reveal that without the knowledge of the corresponding strain dependences, the measured temperature dependences below ～50 mK of the acoustic properties of disordered solids are rather meaningless.     

MOBSY: Integration of vision and dialogue in service robots

Abstract. This contribution introduces MOBSY, a fully integrated, autonomous mobile service robot system. It acts as an automatic dialogue-based receptionist for visitors to our institute. MOBSY incorporates many techniques from different research areas into one working stand-alone system. The techniques involved range from computer vision over speech understanding to classical robotics. Along with the two main aspects of vision and speech, we also focus on the integration aspect, both on the methodological and on the technical level. We describe the task and the techniques involved. Finally, we discuss the experiences that we gained with MOBSY during a live performance at our institute.     

High yield formation of carbon nanotubes using a rotating cathode in open air

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been synthesized using the arc discharge method with a rotating graphite disc as the cathode. Arcing was carried out in open air and without the use of catalysts. The current density was maintained constant through out the experiment, while, the rate of rotation of the cathode and atmosphere under which arcing was carried out were changed during experimentation. Characterization of the samples produced indicates that rotation of the cathode has a significant impact on the quality and yield of the process. It is proposed that rotation of the cathode drags plasma formed between two electrodes away from high temperature region. This results in a sudden quenching of the reactive plasma. The time available for nucleation and growth phenomena is significantly reduced and thus leads to the formation of highly graphitic multi walled CNTs (yield 60%) and traces of double walled CNTs.     

Agglomeration and networks in spatial economies

We consider the parallel developments in the economics of agglomeration and the economics of networks. We explore the complementarities between the productivity benefits of agglomeration and those of network linkages, arguing that networks of actors dispersed over space may substitute for agglomerations of actors at a single point.JEL Classification: D20, L14, R30     

Thomas Fincke und die <Emphasis Type="Italic">Geometria rotundi</Emphasis>

Thomas Fincke (January 6^th, 1561–April 24^th, 1656), born in Flensburg (Germany), was one of the very most important and significant scientists in Denmark during the seventeenth century, a mathematician and astrologer and physician in the beginning of modern science, a representative of humanism and an influentual academic organizer. He studied in Strasbourg (since 1577) and Padua (since 1583) and received his M.D. in Basel (1587), he practised as a physician throughout his life (since 1587 or 1590) and became a professor at Copenhagen (1591). But he was best known because of his Geometriae rotundi libri XIIII (1583), a famous book on plane and spherical trigonometry, based not on Euclid but on Petrus Ramus. In this influentual work, in which Fincke introduced the terms tangent and secant and probable first noticed the Law of Tangents and the so-called Newton-Oppel-Mauduit-Simpson-Mollweide-Gauss-formula, he showed himself to be „abreast of the mathematics of his time“.      

Bemerkungen zu “Himmelsbeobachtungen in karolingischer Zeit

Additional remarks are given for the data of auroras during the earlier centuries.     

Review on testers for measuring flow properties of bulk solids

 The author was asked by the International Fine Particle Research Institue (IFPRI) to write a critical review on shear testers for IFPRI-members. The review was delivered to IFPRI in summer 1999. Following the contract with IFPRI it was not allowed to publish the review elsewhere for at least two years. Granular Matter invited the author to submit the review in the original form; during the refereeing process (besides other changes) it turned out that some remarks should be added here for clarification: - Since 1999, the author is not aware of a really new device for testing bulk solid properties, which could lead to a change of the general comments and conclusions provided in the review. It was argued, that the review is referring too much to the work of Jenike, while the works of Johanson and Peschl were not adequately cited. Both are excellent engineers with a lot of experience, but their basic ideas are not available in published form, and if, they are not set in relation to alternative approaches so that an objective comparison in detail would be a future research issue rather than a topic in this report. A discussion on the influence of electrostatic charges was missing. There hardly is an influence, since the particles are in continuous contact. Only with non-conducting plastic particles electrostatic charges could cause problems. But no relevant experiments and results are known. In closed systems, the effect of electric charges is thus mainly neglected, but it is clear that electrostatic forces are eminent in flows with a free surface – an issue not addressed in this review. Received: 1 November 2002