Cosmic reionization in a dynamic quintessence cosmology

In this paper we investigate the effects that a dynamic dark energy component dominant in the universe at late epochs has on reionization. We follow the evolution of HII regions with the analytic approach of Furlanetto and Oh (2005) in two different universes for which we assume the Peebles and Ratra (2003) and Brax and Martin (2000) quintessence models and we compare our results to the LCDM scenario. We show that, for a fixed ionization efficiency, at the same cosmological epoch the topology of bubbles is dominated by high-mass objects and the characteristic size of the ionized regions is slightly smaller than in the LCDM model, especially at the latest stages of reionization, due to the higher recombination efficiency. As a consequence, the bubbles' `epoch of overlap' happens earlier than in LCDM. Finally, we show how the different evolution of the HII regions affects the transmission of the high-z QSO spectra, reducing the Lyman flux absorption at small optical depths.Comment: 10 pages, minor changes to match the version accepted for publication by MNRA

Modeling the QSO luminosity and spatial clustering at low redshifts

We investigate the ability of hierarchical models of QSO formation and evolution to match the observed luminosity, number counts and spatial clustering of quasars at redshift z<2. These models assume that the QSO emission is triggered by galaxy mergers, that the mass of the central black hole correlates with halo properties and that quasars shine at their Eddington luminosity except, perhaps, during the very early stages of evolution. We find that models based on simple analytic approximations successfully reproduce the observed B-band QSO luminosity function at all redshifts, provided that some mechanisms is advocated to quench mass accretion within haloes larger than about 1e13 Msun that host bright quasars. These models also match the observed strength of QSO clustering at z~0.8. At larger redshifts, however, they underpredict the QSO biasing which, instead, is correctly reproduced by semi-analytic models in which the halo merger history and associated BHs are followed by Monte Carlo realizations of the merger hierarchy. We show that the disagreement between the luminosity function predicted by semi-analytic models and observations can be ascribed to the use of B-band data, which are a biased tracer of the quasar population, due to obscuration.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Accepted by MNRA

EoR in alternative cosmological scenarios

The aim of this Thesis is to investigate the possibility that the observations related to the epoch of reionization can probe not only the evolution of the IGM state, but also the cosmological background in which this process occurs. In fact, the history of the IGM ionization is indeed affected by the evolution of the sources of ionizing photons that, under the assumption of a structure formation paradigm determined by the hierarchic growth of the matter uctuations, results strongly dependent on the characteristics of the background universe. For the purpose of our investigation, we have analysed the reionization history in innovative cosmological frameworks, still in agreement with the recent observational tests related to the SNIa and the CMB probes, comparing our results with the reionization scenario predicted by the commonly used LCDM cosmology. In particular, in this Thesis we have considered two different alternative universes. The first one is a at universe dominated at late epochs by a dynamic dark energy component, characterized by an equation of state evolving in time. The second cosmological framework we have assumed is a LCDM characterized by a primordial overdensity field having a non-Gaussian probability distribution. The reionization scenario have been investigated, in this Thesis, through semi-analytic approaches based on the hierarichic growth of the matter uctuations and on suitable assumptions concerning the ionization and the recombination of the IGM. We make predictions for the evolution and the distribution of the HII regions, and for the global features of reionization, that can be constrained by future observations. Finally, we brie y discuss the possible future prospects of this Thesis work

η1-Allylpalladium complexes with a tridentate PNP ligand with different phosphino groups

The iminodiphosphine 2-(PPh2)C6H4-1-CHvNC6H4-2-(PPh2) (P–N–P′) is used for the preparation of the complexes [Pd(η1-CHR1–CHvCR2R3)(P–N–P′)]BF4 [R1 = R2 = R3 = H: (1); R1 = R2 = Ph, R3 = H: (2); R1 = R3 = H, R2 = Ph: (3); R1 = H, R2 = R3 = Me: (4)]. The P–N–P′ tridentate coordination and the η1-allyl bonding mode in the solid are confirmed by the X-ray structural analysis of 1. In solution, the complexes 1 and 2 undergo an η1–η3–η1 rearrangement at 298 K interconverting the bonding site of the allyl group. A five-coordinate structure with the phosphine ligands in the axial position is proposed for the η3-allyl intermediate. For the dynamic process, a ΔG≠ value of 53.8 kJ mol−1 is obtained from 1H NMR data of 2. In 3 and 4, the allyl ligand is rigidly bound to the metal through the less substituted terminus, in line with the higher free energy content of the corresponding isomers: [Pd(η1-CHPh– CHvCH2)(P–N–P′)]+ +48.78 kJ mol−1; [Pd(η1-CMe2–CHvCH2)(P–N–P′)]+ +69.35 kJ mol−1. The complexes react with secondary amines in the presence of fumaronitrile at different rates yielding allylamines and the palladium(0) derivative [Pd(η2-fn)(P–N–P′)] (5). On the basis of charge distribution on the allylic carbon atoms and of steric factors, the difference in rate and the regioselectivity in the amination of 1–3 are better rationalized by a mechanism with nucleophilic attack at the η3-intermediate rather than by an SN2 mechanism with nucleophilic attack at the Pd–CHR1 carbon atom. The high regioselectivity in the reaction of 4 with piperidine implies an SN2′ mechanism with nucleophilic attack at the CMe2 allyl carbon. A dynamic process occurs also for the 18-electron complex 5 consisting in a dissociation–association equilibrium of the olefin

Investigation of work function and chemical composition of thin films of borides and nitrides

Thin films of various borides, nitrides, and barium fluorides were tentatively deposited by pulsed laser deposition and by magnetron sputtering in order to develop the components of thermionic-photovoltaic devices for the high-temperature thermal to electrical conversion by solid state. To improve the device performance, the materials characterized by a low work function were selected. In the present work, the chemical composition and work function of obtained films were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. The values of work function were determined from the cut-off in the He I valence band spectra. Different films were compared and estimated on the basis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy results

[PdCl2{8-(di-tert-butylphosphinooxy)quinoline)}]: a highly efficient catalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura reaction

The complex [PdCl2(P-N)] containing the basic and sterically demanding 8-(di-tert-butylphosphinooxy)quinoline ligand (P-N) is a highly efficient catalyst for the coupling of phenylboronic acid with aryl bromides or aryl chlorides. The influence of solvent and base has been investigated, the highest rates being observed at 110 C in toluene with K2CO3 as the base. With aryl bromides the reaction rates are almost independent on the electronic properties of the para aryl substituents, on the contrary, reduced reaction rates are observed when bulky substituents are present on the substrate. Nevertheless the coupling of 2-bromo-1,3,5-trimethylbenzene with phenylboronic acid can be carried out to completion in 2 h using a catalyst loading of 0.02 mol %. Under optimized reaction conditions, turnover frequencies as high as 1900 h(-1) can be obtained in the coupling of 4-chloroacetophenone with phenylboronic acid: lower reaction rates are obtained with Substrates bearing EDG substituents on the aryl group. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved