A Simplest Swimmer at Low Reynolds Number: Three Linked Spheres

We propose a very simple one-dimensional swimmer consisting of three spheres that are linked by rigid rods whose lengths can change between two values. With a periodic motion in a non-reciprocal fashion, which breaks the time-reversal symmetry as well as the translational symmetry, we show that the model device can swim at low Reynolds number. This model system could be used in constructing molecular-size machines

On the third order structure function for rotating 3D homogeneous turbulent flow

A form for the two-point third order structure function has been calculated for three dimensional homogeneous incompressible slowly rotating turbulent fluid. It has been argued that it may possibly hint at the initiation of the phenomenon of two-dimensionalisation of the 3D incompressible turbulence owing to rotation.Comment: This revised version corrects some serious flaws in the discussions after the equation (2) and the equation (13) of the earlier version. Some typos are also correcte

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of a viscoelastic shear-thinning fluid

We present a hybrid lattice Boltzmann algorithm for the simulation of flow glass-forming fluids, characterized by slow structural relaxation, at the level of the Navier-Stokes equation. The fluid is described in terms of a nonlinear integral constitutive equation, relating the stress tensor locally to the history of flow. As an application, we present results for an integral nonlinear Maxwell model that combines the effects of (linear) viscoelasticity and (nonlinear) shear thinning. We discuss the transient dynamics of velocities, shear stresses, and normal stress differences in planar pressure-driven channel flow, after switching on (startup) and off (cessation) of the driving pressure. This transient dynamics depends nontrivially on the channel width due to an interplay between hydrodynamic momentum diffusion and slow structural relaxation

Conformal Field Theory as Microscopic Dynamics of Incompressible Euler and Navier-Stokes Equations

We consider the hydrodynamics of relativistic conformal field theories at finite temperature. We show that the limit of slow motions of the ideal hydrodynamics leads to the non-relativistic incompressible Euler equation. For viscous hydrodynamics we show that the limit of slow motions leads to the non-relativistic incompressible Navier-Stokes equation. We explain the physical reasons for the reduction and discuss the implications. We propose that conformal field theories provide a fundamental microscopic viewpoint of the equations and the dynamics governed by them.Comment: 4 page

Exact results for the thermal and magnetic properties of strong coupling ladder compounds

We investigate the thermal and magnetic properties of the integrable su(4) ladder model by means of the quantum transfer matrix method. The magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, magnetic entropy and high field magnetization are evaluated from the free energy derived via the recently proposed method of high temperature expansion for exactly solved models. We show that the integrable model can be used to describe the physics of the strong coupling ladder compounds. Excellent agreement is seen between the theoretical results and the experimental data for the known ladder compounds (5IAP)$_2$CuBr$_4$$\cdot$2H$_2$O, Cu$_{2}$(C$_5$H$_{12}$N$_2$)$_2$Cl$_4$ etc.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

On the von Karman-Howarth equations for Hall MHD flows

The von Karman-Howarth equations are derived for three-dimensional (3D) Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) in the case of an homogeneous and isotropic turbulence. From these equations, we derive exact scaling laws for the third-order correlation tensors. We show how these relations are compatible with previous heuristic and numerical results. These multi-scale laws provide a relevant tool to investigate the non-linear nature of the high frequency magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind or, more generally, in any plasma where the Hall effect is important.Comment: 11 page

Universality Class of the Reversible-Irreversible Transition in Sheared Suspensions

Collections of non-Brownian particles suspended in a viscous fluid and subjected to oscillatory shear at very low Reynolds number have recently been shown to exhibit a remarkable dynamical phase transition separating reversible from irreversible behaviour as the strain amplitude or volume fraction are increased. We present a simple model for this phenomenon, based on which we argue that this transition lies in the universality class of the conserved DP models or, equivalently, the Manna model. This leads to predictions for the scaling behaviour of a large number of experimental observables. Non-Brownian suspensions under oscillatory shear may thus constitute the first experimental realization of an inactive-active phase transition which is not in the universality class of conventional directed percolation.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, final versio

Evolution to a singular measure and two sums of Lyapunov exponents

We consider dissipative dynamical systems represented by a smooth compressible flow in a finite domain. The density evolves according to the continuity (Liouville) equation. For a general, non-degenerate flow the result of the infinite time evolution of an initially smooth density is a singular measure. We give a condition for the non-degeneracy which allows to decide for a given flow whether the infinite time limit is singular. The condition uses a Green-Kubo type formula for the space-averaged sum of forward and backward-in-time Lyapunov exponents. We discuss how the sums determine the fluctuations of the entropy production rate in the SRB state and give examples of computation of the sums for certain velocity fields.Comment: 4 pages, published versio

Drag Reduction by Bubble Oscillations

Drag reduction in stationary turbulent flows by bubbles is sensitive to the dynamics of bubble oscillations. Without this dynamical effect the bubbles only renormalize the fluid density and viscosity, an effect that by itself can only lead to a small percentage of drag reduction. We show in this paper that the dynamics of bubbles and their effect on the compressibility of the mixture can lead to a much higher drag reduction.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, submitted to Phys. Rev.