A critical assessment of viscous models of trench topography and corner flow

Stresses for Newtonian viscous flow in a simple geometry (e.g., corner flow, bending flow) are obtained in order to study the effect of imposed velocity boundary conditions. Stress for a delta function velocity boundary condition decays as 1/R(2); for a step function velocity, stress goes as 1/R; for a discontinuity in curvature, the stress singularity is logarithmic. For corner flow, which has a discontinuity of velocity at a certain point, the corresponding stress has a 1/R singularity. However, for a more realistic circular-slab model, the stress singularity becomes logarithmic. Thus the stress distribution is very sensitive to the boundary conditions, and in evaluating the applicability of viscous models of trench topography it is essential to use realistic geometries. Topography and seismicity data from northern Hoshu, Japan, were used to construct a finite element model, with flow assumed tangent to the top of the grid, for both Newtonian and non-Newtonian flow (power law 3 rheology). Normal stresses at the top of the grid are compared to the observed trench topography and gravity anomalies. There is poor agreement. Purely viscous models of subducting slables with specified velocity boundary conditions do not predict normal stress patterns compatible with observed topography and gravity. Elasticity and plasticity appear to be important for the subduction process

Quantum Gates to other Universes

We present a microscopic model of a bridge connecting two large Anti-de-Sitter Universes. The Universes admit a holographic description as three-dimensional ${\cal N}=4$ supersymmetric gauge theories based on large linear quivers, and the bridge is a small rank-$n$ gauge group that acts as a messenger. On the gravity side, the bridge is a piece of a highly-curved AdS$_5\times$S$_5$ throat carrying $n$ units of five-form flux. We derive a universal expression for the mixing of the two massless gravitons: $M^2 \simeq 3n^2 (\kappa_4^2 + \kappa_4^{\prime\,2})/16\pi^2$, where $M$ is the mass splitting of the gravitons, $\kappa_4^2, \kappa_4^{\prime\,2}$ are the effective gravitational couplings of the AdS$_4$ Universes, and $n$ is the quantized charge of the gate. This agrees with earlier results based on double-trace deformations, with the important difference that the effective coupling is here quantized. We argue that the apparent non-localities of holographic double-trace models are resolved by integrating-in the (scarce) degrees of freedom of the gate.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures. Note added about an implicit assumption in the case of non-identical Universe

Lagrangian and geometric analysis of finite-time Euler singularities

We present a numerical method of analyzing possibly singular incompressible 3D Euler flows using massively parallel high-resolution adaptively refined numerical simulations up to 8192^3 mesh points. Geometrical properties of Lagrangian vortex line segments are used in combination with analytical non-blowup criteria by Deng et al [Commun. PDE 31 (2006)] to reliably distinguish between singular and near-singular flow evolution. We then apply the presented technique to a class of high-symmetry initial conditions and present numerical evidence against the formation of a finite-time singularity in this case.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1210.253