University, Diss., 2002--Giessen.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Mainz. / Erscheinungsjahr an der Haupttitelstelle: 2004.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2004. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Science and Engineering. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [133-138)

Direct detection of gravitational waves is opening a new window onto our universe. Here, we study the sensitivity to continuous-wave strain fields of a kg-scale optomechanical system formed by the acoustic motion of superfluid helium-4 parametrically coupled to a superconducting microwave cavity. This narrowband detection scheme can operate at very highQ-factors, while the resonant frequency is tunable through pressurization of the helium in the 0.1-1.5 kHz range. The detector can therefore be tuned to a variety of astrophysical sources and can remain sensitive to a particular source over a long period of time. For thermal noise limited sensitivity, we find that strain fields on the order of h similar to 10(-23)/root Hz are detectable. Measuring such strains is possible by implementing state of the art microwave transducer technology. Weshow that the proposed system can compete with interferometric detectors and potentially surpass the gravitational strain limits set by them for certain pulsar sources within a few months of integration time.

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The processes by which the three particle final state is formed in the He³(He³,2p)He⁴ reaction were investigated by observing the angular distribution of coincidence events between the two protons as a function of the angle between the protons. The reaction mechanism was determined by comparing the experimental distribution with those predicted for the various possible processes obtained from kinematic and phase space arguments. The reaction was found to proceed predominantly by sequential decays through unbound intermediate states and to a lesser extent by a direct instantaneous three body breakup. The majority of the two stage decays passed through the ground state of Li⁵ , The mean lifetime of this state was measured and found to be (1.0 ± .3) x 10⁻²¹ sec There was also good evidence of a sequential decay through the diproton state. In order to fit the shape of the observed distribution it was necessary to assume that a diproton system exists which is unbound by 600 keV and has a mean lifetime of 1.5 x 10⁻²² sec However another possible interpretation is that a direct breakup occurs and the angular distribution of the protons is distorted by an attractive final state two proton interaction similar to the scattering interaction, although whether this interaction would be strong enough to produce the observed distribution is not known. A more quantitative three body decay theory is therefore necessary in order to draw any firm conclusions about the existence of the diproton state. / Science, Faculty of / Physics and Astronomy, Department of / Graduate

The present work proposes trial wave functions for the three-body problem in nuclear physics taking into account the group theoretical classification of the states given by Derrick and Blatt and by Verde. We start from the Schroedinger equation in the internal variables (the interparticle distances) obtained by Derrick from a summation over the matrix elements for kinetic energy and potential energy extended over all variables except the internal variables. An “equivalent" Schroedinger equation is set up using a potential due to Eckart. This equation has the same form as the original Schroedinger equation in the region outside the range of the nuclear forces. The variables in this equation can be separated in a hyperspherical coordinate system and the resulting separate equations can be solved. Then using a superposition principle the solutions of the original equation are expanded in terms of solutions to the "equivalent" equation. The Rayleigh-Ritz variational procedure is used to determine the coefficients of the expansions with a given potential. Because of the computational labor involved significant approximation is made in allowing only the leading terms in the angular variables to appear in the expansions while keeping a sufficient number of radial terms to insure convergence. The present functions with a radial variable R = [formula omitted] give less than 1/2 of the binding energy predicted by Blatt, Derrick and Lyness (1962) who used a radial variable R = r₁₂ + r₂₃ + r₃₁. This shows that our approximation with the former radial variable is indeed too crude to predict a reliable value for the binding energy and that more angular terms must be included in the expansions, at least for the preponderent symmetric S-state. Wave functions derived by the Rayleigh-Ritz variational principle are used to calculate cross sections for the reaction D(p, γ)He³. The electric dipole cross section depends very sensitively on the potential used to derive the wave function and a comparison with experimental data provides a test of the various model assumptions used to describe the nuclear interaction. A realistic potential must contain a tensor potential plus a hard core in the central potential. The tensor interaction couples the S and D states and is necessary to explain the quadrupole moment of He³ while the hard core produced the required mixed-symmetry S-state. The experimentally observed isotropic component of the gamma ray yield is attributed to a magnetic dipole transition between a continuum quartet S-state and the mixed-symmetry component of the ground state wave function. For a range of the variable parameter used in the calculation comparison with experiment requires a 5% admixture of the mixed-symmetry S-state in the ground state wave function. / Science, Faculty of / Physics and Astronomy, Department of / Graduate

We report the results of a series of experiments in three interrelated areas: light induced nucleation of vapor bubbles in superheated liquid helium 4, transient heat transfer in liquid helium isotopes 3 and 4, and homogeneous nucleation of vapor bubbles in superheated liquid helium 3. This work has resulted in significant contributions in each of these particular areas. Our transient heat transfer work has resulted in extremely high temperature measurements of the Kapitza thermal boundary conductance limits in helium 3 and 4, in measurements of the delay time to the onset of film boiling over a wide range of bath temperatures in helium 4, and in a determination of bubble growth rates in helium 4. These measurements have been compared with theory and have in some cases allowed the extension or elucidation of that theory. We have characterized the so called "light effect" and established photographically that small amounts of visible light will cause the formation of vapor bubbles at the interface of a solid and superheated liquid helium 4 and that this vapor can influence the quasi-steady-state heat flux vs temperature hysteresis curve. Finally, we have measured the homogeneous nucleation temperature of liquid helium 3 and found good agreement with the predictions of the Becker-Doring-Volmer-Zel'dovich Frenkel nucleation theory. This work is shown to have applications to practical cryogenic engineering, to further understanding of basic heat transfer and nucleation theory, and to practical and theoretical environmental and resource considerations.