The magnetic, electronic, and light-induced topological properties in two-dimensional hexagonal FeX2 (X = Cl, Br, I) monolayers

Topological materials are fertile ground for investigating topological phases of matter and topological phase transitions. In particular, the quest for novel topological phases in 2D materials is attracting fast growing attention. Here, using Floquet-Bloch theory, we propose to realize chiral topological phases in 2D hexagonal FeX2 (X=Cl, Br, I) monolayers under irradiation of circularly polarized light. Such 2D FeX2 monolayers are predicted to be dynamical stable, and exhibit both ferromagnetic and semiconducting properties. To capture the full topological physics of the magnetic semiconductor under periodic driving, we adopt ab initio Wannier-based tight-binding methods for the Floquet-Bloch bands, with the light-induced band gap closings and openings being obtained as the light field strength increases. The calculations of slab with open boundaries show the existence of chiral edge states. Interestingly, the topological transitions with branches of chiral edge states changing from zero to one and from one to two by tuning the light amplitude are obtained, showing that the topological floquet phase of high Chern number can be induced in the present Floquet-Bloch systems

Actively controlled shaft seals for aerospace applications

The main objective is to determine the feasibility of utilizing controllable mechanical seals for aerospace applications. A potential application was selected as a demonstration case: the buffer gas seal in a LOX (liquid oxygen) turbopump. Currently, floating ring seals are used in this application. Their replacement with controllable mechanical seals would result in substantially reduced leakage rates. This would reduce the required amount of stored buffer gas, and therefore increase the vehicle payload. For such an application, a suitable controllable mechanical seal was designed and analyzed

Nitrogen doping of carbon nanoelectrodes for enhanced control of DNA translocation dynamics

Controlling the dynamics of DNA translocation is a central issue in the emerging nanopore-based DNA sequencing. To address the potential of heteroatom doping of carbon nanostructures to achieve this goal, herein we carry out atomistic molecular dynamics simulations for single-stranded DNAs translocating between two pristine or doped carbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes. Specifically, we consider the substitutional nitrogen doping of capped CNT (capCNT) electrodes and perform two types of molecular dynamics simulations for the entrapped and translocating single-stranded DNAs. We find that the substitutional nitrogen doping of capCNTs stabilizes the edge-on nucleobase configurations rather than the original face-on ones and slows down the DNA translocation speed by establishing hydrogen bonds between the N dopant atoms and nucleobases. Due to the enhanced interactions between DNAs and N-doped capCNTs, the duration time of nucleobases within the nanogap was extended by up to ~ 290 % and the fluctuation of the nucleobases was reduced by up to ~ 70 %. Given the possibility to be combined with extrinsic light or gate voltage modulation methods, the current work demonstrates that the substitutional nitrogen doping is a promising direction for the control of DNA translocation dynamics through a nanopore or nanogap based of carbon nanomaterials.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Gas gun shock experiments with single-pulse x-ray phase contrast imaging and diffraction at the Advanced Photon Source

The highly transient nature of shock loading and pronounced microstructure effects on dynamic materials response call for {\it in situ}, temporally and spatially resolved, x-ray-based diagnostics. Third-generation synchrotron x-ray sources are advantageous for x-ray phase contrast imaging (PCI) and diffraction under dynamic loading, due to their high photon energy, high photon fluxes, high coherency, and high pulse repetition rates. The feasibility of bulk-scale gas gun shock experiments with dynamic x-ray PCI and diffraction measurements was investigated at the beamline 32ID-B of the Advanced Photon Source. The x-ray beam characteristics, experimental setup, x-ray diagnostics, and static and dynamic test results are described. We demonstrate ultrafast, multiframe, single-pulse PCI measurements with unprecedented temporal ($<$100 ps) and spatial ($\sim$2 $\mu$m) resolutions for bulk-scale shock experiments, as well as single-pulse dynamic Laue diffraction. The results not only substantiate the potential of synchrotron-based experiments for addressing a variety of shock physics problems, but also allow us to identify the technical challenges related to image detection, x-ray source, and dynamic loading

Software integration testing based on communication coverage criteria and partial model generation

This paper considers the problem of integration testing the components of a timed distributed software system. We assume that communication between the components is specified using timed interface automata and use computational tree logic (CTL) to define communication-based coverage criteria that refer to send- and receive-statements and communication paths. The proposed method enables testers to focus during component integration on such parts of the specification, e.g. behaviour specifications or Markovian usage models, that are involved in the communication between components to be integrated. A more specific application area of this approach is the integration of test-models, e.g. a transmission gear can be tested based on separated models for the driver behaviour, the engine condition, and the mechanical and hydraulical transmission states. Given such a state-based specification of a distributed system and a concrete coverage goal, a model checker is used in order to determine the coverage or generate test sequences that achieve the goal. Given the generated test sequences we derive a partial test-model of the components from which the test sequences are derived. The partial model can be used to drive further testing and can also be used as the basis for producing additional partial models in incremental integration testing. While the process of deriving the test sequences could suffer from a combinatorial explosion, the effort required to generate the partial model is polynomial in the number of test sequences and their length. Thus, where it is not feasible to produce test sequences that achieve a given type of coverage it is still possible to produce a partial model on the basis of test sequences generated to achieve some other criterion. As a result, the process of generating a partial model has the potential to scale to large industrial software systems. While a particular model checker, UPPAAL, was used, it should be relatively straightforward to adapt the approach for use with other CTL based model checkers. A potential additional benefit of the approach is that it provides a visual description of the state-based testing of distributed systems, which may be beneficial in other contexts such as education and comprehension

Reduced-Order Reference Models for Adaptive Control of Space Structures

In addition to serving as a brief overview of aspects relevant to reduced-order modeling (in particular balanced-state and modal techniques) as applied to structural finite element models, this work produced tools for visualizing the relationship between the modes of a model and the states of its balanced representation. Specifically, error contour and mean error plots were developed that provide a designer with frequency response information absent from a typical analysis of a balanced model via its Hankel singular values. The plots were then used to analyze the controllability and observability aspects of finite element models of an illustrative system from a modal perspective -- this aided in the identification of computational artifacts in the models and helped predict points at which to halt the truncation of balanced states. Balanced reduced-order reference models of the illustrative system were implemented as part of a direct adaptive control algorithm to observe the effectiveness of the models. It was learned that the truncation point selected by observing the mean error plot produced the most satisfactory results overall -- the model closely approximated the dominant modes of the system and eliminated the computational artifacts. The problem of improving the performance of the system was also considered. The truncated balanced model was recast in modal form so that its damping could be increased, and the settling time decreased by about eighty percent

Actively controlled shaft seals for aerospace applications

This study experimentally investigates an actively controlled mechanical seal for aerospace applications. The seal of interest is a gas seal, which is considerably more compact than previous actively controlled mechanical seals that were developed for industrial use. In a mechanical seal, the radial convergence of the seal interface has a primary effect on the film thickness. Active control of the film thickness is established by controlling the radial convergence of the seal interface with piezoelectric actuator. An actively controlled mechanical seal was initially designed and evaluated using a mathematical model. Based on these results, a seal was fabricated and tested under laboratory conditions. The seal was tested with both helium and air, at rotational speeds up to 3770 rad/sec, and at sealed pressures as high as 1.48 x 10(exp 6) Pa. The seal was operated with both manual control and with a closed-loop control system that used either the leakage rate or face temperature as the feedback. The output of the controller was the voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator. The seal operated successfully for both short term tests (less than one hour) and for longer term tests (four hours) with a closed-loop control system. The leakage rates were typically 5-15 slm (standard liters per minute), and the face temperatures were generally maintained below 100 C. When leakage rate was used as the feedback signal, the setpoint leakage rate was typically maintained within 1 slm. However, larger deviations occurred during sudden changes in sealed pressure. When face temperature was used as the feedback signal, the setpoint face temperature was generally maintained within 3 C, with larger deviations occurring when the sealed pressure changed suddenly

Threatened by violence: affective and cognitive reactions to violent victimization

Stranger violence can have a variety of different physical, psychological, social and economic effects on the victim. In this paper we address one possible impact: namely, a heightened sense of uncertainty, risk and fear of violent crime. Drawing on recent advances in the psychology of risk, we make three contributions. First, we differentiate in our analysis between primary experience of violence (where the individual in question has been attacked by a stranger in the local streets) and secondary experience of violence (where the individual knows somebody who has been attacked in the local streets by a stranger). Second, we assess whether risk perception (beliefs about the likelihood, impact and controllability of future victimization) mediates the empirical links between primary and secondary experience of violence and worry about violent crime. Finally, we examine whether victimization experience seems to have a greater impact on risk perception and worry among people with a high need for cognitive closure (who are averse to uncertainty and desire order and structure in their lives). Our findings indicate a number of potentially important mediating and moderating effects regarding the impact of stranger violence on fear of violent crime. We conclude with some implications for research and policy