Table of contents

We review the basic principles underlying the use of quantum chromodynamics in understanding the structure of high-Q² processes in high-energy hadronic collisions. Several applications relevant to the Tevatron and the LHC are illustrated.

The field of electron kinetics in extremely nonequilibrium glow discharge plasma is reviewed, starting from the classical works of Langmuir. It is shown that it is only in terms of kinetics that many aspects of nonequilibrium plasma — such as the structure of near-electrode regions, spatial profiles of ionization and luminosity, striations and particle and energy flows — can be adequately understood.

The propagation features of laser radiation are discussed for the case of axiconic focusing. Issues explored include the nature of gas breakdown in the field of a Bessel laser beam, the gasdynamic expansion of the breakdown plasma, and how optical discharges and plasma channels are structured.

Unlike macroscopic objects, clusters and nanoparticles lack a definite melting temperature at a given pressure but rather have their solid and liquid phases coexistent in a certain temperature range and their melting temperature dependent on the particle size. As the particle size decreases, the melting temperature becomes fundamentally difficult to define. This review examines methods for measuring the melting temperature and the heat of melting of clusters and nanoparticles. The temperature (internal energy) of the particles is defined and how it affects the properties of and processes involving the particles is discussed. The melting features of clusters and nanoparticles versus bulk materials are examined. Early methods of determining the melting temperature of large clusters are described. New precision methods of measuring the melting temperature and the heat of melting of clusters are discussed, which use the clusters themselves as 'high-sensitivity calorimeters' to measure energy. Laser-based nanoparticle melting techniques are outlined.

The behavior of ferroelectricity at the nanoscale is the focus of increasing research activity because of intense interest in the fundamental nature of spontaneous order in condensed-matter systems and because of the many practical applications of ferroelectric thin films and nanocrystals to, for example, electromechanical transducers, infrared imaging sensors, and nonvolatile memories. In recent years there has been increasing interest in the growth and characterization of ferroelectric nanocrystals. In spite of the limited number of reported results, we hope that this will be a useful review of important recent developments.

The energy density of a luminous silicon ball [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98 048501 (2007)] is calculated for a model with a metal core surrounded by an atmosphere of silicon oxides. Experimental data combined with the molecular orbital calculations of the oxidation enthalpy lead to a mean energy density of 3.9 MJ m⁻³, which is within the range of estimates from other ball lightning models. This result provides good evidence to support the silicon-based model.

The problems addressed in this paper include estimating: the energy density of luminous silicon balls, the density range of a natural lightning ball, and whether and how the object created and described in the commented paper (Usp. Fiz. Nauk 180 218 (2010) [Phys. Usp. 53 (2) 209 (2010)]) corresponds to the natural phenomenon.