Notes: [Auszug] reply The comment by Putterman et al. in essence addresses two questions: the role of water vapour inside bubbles that undergo single-bubble sonoluminescence, and the use of Rayleigh–Plesset dynamics to describe collapsing bubbles. Regarding the first point, water ...

Notes: Abstract: Solving the Navier-Stokes equation for incompressible fluids is greatly simplified by the solution of the vorticity equation. To accomplish this for three-dimensional flows requires vector potentials. These potentials are not only useful to take care of the incompressibility. Their modes are suitable also as test functions since the familiar Galerkin procedure does not work. The new method is checked by examples with known results and its relation to the classical approach with the stream function is clarified. The principle demonstration, however, concerns the transition to turbulence in plane shear flows. A simple layer of long rolls with axes parallel to the basic flow incites the transition.

Notes: Abstract We consider the spreading of an ensemble of phase points on a nested hierarchy of levels whose spatial extension scales self-similar. In order to model turbulent pair separation, a deterministic dynamical law is defined that maps a given scale to all (infinitely many) smaller scales and also to the next larger scale. The model can be solved analytically. We find anomalous diffusion (exponential increase of the variance) or trapping (finite limiting value of low order moments) depending on the dominance of level-up or level-down mapping.

Notes: Abstract The interplay of decay and diffusion in a hierarchical system is investigated studying the properties of the underlying master equation. The long time behaviour of the total number of particles in the system is analyzed and the regions in the parameter plane where the decay is diffusion-limited are determined. The influence of the decay on the diffusional spreading is also investigated.

Notes: Abstract A scaling relation is derived connecting the exponent of the algebraically decaying correlation and response functions with the degree of intermittency and the order of the maximum. It is universal, i.e. within a large class independent of the correlated variables. This implies universal 1/f-like spectra. The corrections to scaling are investigated, too.

Notes: Abstract The velocity field of a fully developed isotropic turbulent flow is decomposed into a smoothed fieldu i (r) and a strongly fluctuating partũ i (r) depending on a lengthr which is varied through all scales. The eddies described byu i (r) loose their energy either by direct dissipation or by energy transfer to theũ i (r) -eddies. Both contributions can be traced back to the second order static structure functionD(r) and the Lagrangian time correlation function. The latter can also be evaluated in terms ofD(r). The energy balance then gives an integro-differential equation forD(r) which determinesD(r) uniquely. The solution is not only in agreement with the scaling behaviour in the viscous and inertial subranges as predicted by dimensional arguments, but it also gives the correct transition between the two regimes. A comparison with experimental data is offered.

Notes: Abstract The eigenvalues of the master equation describing the motion on a nested hierarchy ofd-dimensional intervals with selfsimilar scaling of spatial extension as well as of the level dependent transition rates are derived. Based on this spectrum the diffusion behaviour is obtained, which is anomalous, either exponential or obeying a power law with various exponents. Emphasis is put on the insight into the mechanism of the anomalous diffusion, in particular the geometrical structure of the decay rate spectrum.

Notes: Abstract Quantum effects generate “channels” which guide a nucleus from ground state to scission. We present here the channels of258Fm and relate them to the measured kinetic energies of the fission products, to the mass asymmetry and to the relative abundance of the various fission components. The microscopic reason is discussed.

Notes: This coming year, 2002, will already be the fifth year of publication for the European Physical Journal B, EPJ B. The journal is still influenced by the centennial tradition of its parent journals, Il Nuovo Cimento (section B), Journal de Physique and Zeitschrift für Physik B, which have formed the basis of the merger, EPJ B is rapidly expanding and has now managed to capture the interest of eleven European Physical Societies. We are happy to announce that in 2001 both the Polish Physical Society and the Roland Eötvös Physical Society from Hungary were included as part of our Scientific Advisory Committee. All information regarding the various sections of EPJ can be seen by accessing the Web address: http://www.eurphysj.org/ 2001 has been a healthy year for EPJ B with interesting physics, increasing support from the scientific community, an increase in the overall number of submissions, a growing readership and continuously improving performance of the editorial procedures. With high quality physics already published we continue to be a generalist physics journal focusing on specific themes of current interest. A special topic has also been emphasised in 2001 with a topical issue on Interdisciplinary Physics based on invited papers at the conference APFA-2 (Applications of Physics to Financial Analysis) in Liège, Belgium. This topic will be further emphasised again in 2002. Thanks to the competence of the Editorial Office and the efficiency of the publishers, we have reached a highly competitive publication time (with an average of 2.5 months between the acceptance and the publication of articles). As for the evaluation process, two or sometimes three referees are asked to advise the associate editors, therefore contributing to a thorough evaluation and often providing authors with valuable suggestions, with three quarters of the manuscripts accepted in less than four months (including revision time). This editorial is a good opportunity to thank very warmly all our colleagues, associate editors and their referees who have devoted time and effort to perform fair and constructive scientific evaluations. The quality of the journal has been recognised by the ISI impact factor since it has climbed from the twelfth up to the fifth rank from 1999 to 2000. EPJ B is now ranked as the first European-based journal in Condensed Matter Physics. Two new associate editors have joined the Editorial Board in 2001, M. Dacorogna (Interdisciplinary Physics) and F. Mila (Solid and Condensed Matter Physics), both of whom are located in Switzerland. More new associate editors are expected to join us in 2002. This will expand both the topical and geographical coverage of the journal. Let us remind you about the existence of the Rapid Notes which have been quite successful in EPJ B. These notes provide a means of publication of short papers, less than four printed pages, describing important advances, within three months of their reception by the Editorial Office. Authors, referees and the editorial office benefit from an improved inquiry service (IS) or manuscript management system (MMS) which allow on-line submissions, on-line response from referees as well as the follow up of the evaluation and production processes by the authors. Finally we are happy to announce that from now onwards the DOI referencing procedure will be used (http://www.doi.org) allowing a means of persistent electronic referencing to the on-line first version of the articles. All in all we have good reasons to be proud of this European-based journal with a world-wide distribution. All colleagues on the editorial staff can assure you that they will do all that is possible to spread high level scientific information and to please both its authors and readers. We invite you to remain with us, publish some of your best papers in EPJ B and read the journal on a regular basis. As always at the turn of the year, we wish you many outstanding results, many exciting discoveries and a Happy New Year. S. Grossmann, D. Jérome and A. Paoletti