54,081 research outputs found
Chemo-Sensitive Running Droplet
Chemical control of the spontaneous motion of a reactive oil droplet moving
on a glass substrate under an aqueous phase is reported. Experimental results
show that the self-motion of an oil droplet is confined on an acid-treated
glass surface. The transient behavior of oil-droplet motion is also observed
with a high-speed video camera. A mathematical model that incorporates the
effect of the glass surface charge is built based on the experimental
observation of oil-droplet motion. A numerical simulation of this mathematical
model reproduced the essential features concerning confinement within a certain
chemical territory of oil-droplet motion, and also its transient behavior. Our
results may shed light on physical aspects of reactive spreading and a
chemotaxis in living things.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure
Great East Japan Earthquake, JR East Mitigation Successes, and Lessons for California High-Speed Rail, MTI Report 12-37
California and Japan both experience frequent seismic activity, which is often damaging to infrastructure. Seismologists have developed systems for detecting and analyzing earthquakes in real-time. JR East has developed systems to mitigate the damage to their facilities and personnel, including an early earthquake detection system, retrofitting of existing facilities for seismic safety, development of more seismically resistant designs for new facilities, and earthquake response training and exercises for staff members. These systems demonstrated their value in the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and have been further developed based on that experience. Researchers in California are developing an earthquake early warning system for the state, and the private sector has seismic sensors in place. These technologies could contribute to the safety of the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s developing system, which could emulate the best practices demonstrated in Japan in the construction of the Los Angeles-to-San Jose segment
Running performance of an aerodynamic journal bearing with squeeze film effect
Results of theoretical and experimental studies concerning the performance of an aerodynamic journal bearing which running is assisted by squeeze film ultrasonic levitation (SFUL) are presented in this paper. The SFUL mechanism not only can separate journal from the bearing at the start and stop phases of operation but also can significantly contribute to the dynamic stability of the bearing when it runs at speed. Computer calculations and validating experimental testing of a prototype device were carried out. It was found that that SFUL mechanism, when combined with aerodynamic lift, extends the threshold speed of bearing’s instability by almost four times comparing to that of a bearing operating without SFUL. Typically, the bearing running without SFUL became unstable at the speed of 300 rpm while with the SFUL the speed at which instability became apparent was 10,000 rpm (calculated result) or 13,200 (experimental result)
A new design of nanocrystalline silicon optical devices based on 3-dimensional photonic crystal structures
We propose a new design of nanocrystalline silicon optical devices which are based on control of electromagnetic fields, electronic states, as well as the phonon dispersion of size-controlled silicon quantum dots
Supersonic Gas Streams Enhance the Formation of Massive Black Holes in the Early Universe
The origin of super-massive black holes in the early universe remains poorly
understood.Gravitational collapse of a massive primordial gas cloud is a
promising initial process,but theoretical studies have difficulty growing the
black hole fast enough.We report numerical simulations of early black hole
formation starting from realistic cosmological conditions.Supersonic gas
motions left over from the Big Bang prevent early gas cloud formation until
rapid gas condensation is triggered in a proto-galactic halo. A protostar is
formed in the dense, turbulent gas cloud, and it grows by sporadic mass
accretion until it acquires 34,000 solar masses.The massive star ends its life
with a catastrophic collapse to leave a black hole -- a promising seed for the
formation of a monstrous black hole.Comment: Published in Science, combined with updated SOM, additional images
and movies are available at
http://www-utap.phys.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/naoki.yoshida/Blackhole/0929e.htm
Development of a multistage laser frequency stabilization for an interferometric gravitational-wave detector
Laser frequency stabilization is essential for interferometric gravitational-wave detectors to attain their target sensitivity. We have designed a multistage laser frequency stabilization system which has been applied in the development of the TAMA 300 gravitational-wave detector in Japan. The control topology consisting of two cascaded loops were employed to secure high feedback gain and reliable detector operation and thus allow the best frequency stability and uninterrupted long-term observation. We achieved simultaneously a frequency stability of 5 × 10^(−5) Hz/√HZ , and a common-mode rejection ratio (which reduces the coupling of frequency noise to spurious signals in the detector) of 37 dB. The developed system enabled us to operate TAMA 300 with sufficient sensitivity and stability that it had the potential to register gravitational-wave events. The system was confirmed to be suitable for a gravitational-wave detector from the observation run of TAMA 300
- …