[en] These lectures are designed as an introduction to classical statistical mechanics and its relation to thermodynamics. They are intended to bridge the gap between the treatment of the subject in physics text books and the modern presentations of mathematically rigorous results. We shall first introduce the probability distributions, ensembles, appropriate for describing systems in equilibrium and consider some of their basic physical applications. We also discuss the problem of approach to equilibrium and how irreversibility comes into the dynamics. We then give a detailed description of how the law of large numbers for macrovariables in equilibrium is derived from the fact that entropy is an extensive quantity in the thermodynamic limit. We show in a natural way how to split the energy changes in an thermodynamical process into work and heat leading to a derivation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics from the rules of thermodynamical equilibrium. We have elaborated this part in detail because we feel it is quite satisfactory, that the establishment of the limit of thermodynamic functions as achieved in the modern development of the mathematical aspects of statistical mechanics allows a more general and logically clearer presentation of the bases of thermodynamics. We close these lectures by presenting the basic facts about fluctuation theory. The treatment aims to be reasonably self-contained both concerning the physics and mathematics needed. No knowledge of quantum mechanics is presupposed. Since we spent a large part on mathematical proofs and give many technical facts these lectures are probably most digestive for the mathematically inclined reader who wants to understand the physics of the subject. (HJ)

[en] This book provides in-depth coverage of the current thinking and the latest developments in the field of calcitonins and calcitonin-gene related peptides (CGRP). (Auth.)

No abstract available

[en] This lecture on supernova theory is divided into three parts. The first deals with the current stage of our understanding of the conditions required for producing a supernova explosion, together with estimates of the resultant products: neutron star, neutrino flux, radiative flux, mechanical outburst, etc. - i.e., it is a theoretician's supernova. The second part deals more directly with observations of SNRs and their interpretation in terms of blast wave theory. This part could be more accurately called an attempt to 'marry' some gross aspects of the theoretician's supernovae to the bulk properties of observed supernovae - a template for success perhaps. The third part deals with theoretical instabilities, notably the Rayleigh-Taylor and thermal instabilities. Relevant to this section are the observations of X-ray emission, and of optical filamentary 'sheets' and fast moving 'knots', in some SNRs. (orig./WL)

[en] New results have been presented in the fields of laser physics and laser applications including the development of new laser light sources, new laser frequencies in the UV and VUV spectral regions using anti-Stokes Raman scattering, nonlinear optical effects for the formation of ultrashort optical pulses, laser spectroscopy, collisionless multiphoton excitation processes using molecular beams, selective generation of free radicals by laser, laser applications in medicine, plasma diagnostics analysing X-ray spectra for studying laser fusion problems, coherence properties in phase-sampling interferometric techniques, and fundamental problems in quantum physics and nonlinear processes

No abstract available

[en] This report contains 12 publications as contributions to the three above mentioned conferences. (AH)

[en] We present a general introduction to the world of fractals. The attention is mainly devoted to stress how fractals do indeed appear in the real world and to find quantitative methods for characterizing their properties. The idea of multifractality is also introduced and it is presented in more details within the framework of the percolation problem

[en] Earlier work showed how problems of plasticity in the plane can be studied by means of slip lines, and possibly with flow lines. In axisymmetric extrusion the construction of slipe lines becomes difficult and the whole study was finally carried out by flow lines. The chief methods using flow lines in axial symmetry are described and the construction of slip lines in the axisymmetric extrusion of a perfectly plastic rigid medium is given by way of example. The main properties of discontinuity lines in such a case are outlined

[en] The following topics are discussed: ultrasonic physics; ultrasonic technology; ultrasonic testing; transfer functions of transducers; acoustical holography; automation of ultrasonic testing; applications of ultrasonic waves to physical metallurgy; focused ultrasonic beams; ultrasonic display methods