Mechanisms for Stable Sonoluminescence

A gas bubble trapped in water by an oscillating acoustic field is expected to either shrink or grow on a diffusive timescale, depending on the forcing strength and the bubble size. At high ambient gas concentration this has long been observed in experiments. However, recent sonoluminescence experiments show that in certain circumstances when the ambient gas concentration is low the bubble can be stable for days. This paper presents mechanisms leading to stability which predict parameter dependences in agreement with the sonoluminescence experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures on request (2 as .ps files

Sonoluminescing air bubbles rectify argon

The dynamics of single bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL) strongly depends on the percentage of inert gas within the bubble. We propose a theory for this dependence, based on a combination of principles from sonochemistry and hydrodynamic stability. The nitrogen and oxygen dissociation and subsequent reaction to water soluble gases implies that strongly forced air bubbles eventually consist of pure argon. Thus it is the partial argon (or any other inert gas) pressure which is relevant for stability. The theory provides quantitative explanations for many aspects of SBSL.Comment: 4 page

Effects of Bulk Viscosity in Non-linear Bubble Dynamics

The non-linear bubble dynamics equations in a compressible liquid have been modified considering the effects of compressibility of both the liquid and the gas at the bubble interface. A new bubble boundary equation has been derived, which includes a new term resulted from the liquid bulk viscosity effects. The influence of this term has been numerically investigated considering the effects of water vapor and chemical reactions on the bubble evolution. The results clearly indicate that the new term has an important damping role at the collapse, so that its consideration decreases the amplitude of the bubble rebounds after the collapse. This damping feature is more remarkable for higher deriving pressures.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figure

Gauge Theories with Cayley-Klein SO(2;j)SO(2;j) and SO(3;j)SO(3;j) Gauge Groups

Gauge theories with the orthogonal Cayley-Klein gauge groups $SO(2;j)$ and $SO(3;{\bf j})$ are regarded. For nilpotent values of the contraction parameters ${\bf j}$ these groups are isomorphic to the non-semisimple Euclid, Newton, Galilei groups and corresponding matter spaces are fiber spaces with degenerate metrics. It is shown that the contracted gauge field theories describe the same set of fields and particle mass as $SO(2), SO(3)$ gauge theories, if Lagrangians in the base and in the fibers all are taken into account. Such theories based on non-semisimple contracted group provide more simple field interactions as compared with the initial ones.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

The Sound of Sonoluminescence

We consider an air bubble in water under conditions of single bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL) and evaluate the emitted sound field nonperturbatively for subsonic gas-liquid interface motion. Sound emission being the dominant damping mechanism, we also implement the nonperturbative sound damping in the Rayleigh-Plesset equation for the interface motion. We evaluate numerically the sound pulse emitted during bubble collapse and compare the nonperturbative and perturbative results, showing that the usual perturbative description leads to an overestimate of the maximal surface velocity and maximal sound pressure. The radius vs. time relation for a full SBSL cycle remains deceptively unaffected.Comment: 25 pages; LaTex and 6 attached ps figure files. Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Theory of quantum radiation observed as sonoluminescence

Sonoluminescence is explained in terms of quantum radiation by moving interfaces between media of different polarizability. In a stationary dielectric the zero-point fluctuations of the electromagnetic field excite virtual two-photon states which become real under perturbation due to motion of the dielectric. The sonoluminescent bubble is modelled as an optically empty cavity in a homogeneous dielectric. The problem of the photon emission by a cavity of time-dependent radius is handled in a Hamiltonian formalism which is dealt with perturbatively up to first order in the velocity of the bubble surface over the speed of light. A parameter-dependence of the zero-order Hamiltonian in addition to the first-order perturbation calls for a new perturbative method combining standard perturbation theory with an adiabatic approximation. In this way the transition amplitude from the vacuum into a two-photon state is obtained, and expressions for the single-photon spectrum and the total energy radiated during one flash are given both in full and in the short-wavelengths approximation when the bubble is larger than the wavelengths of the emitted light. It is shown analytically that the spectral density has the same frequency-dependence as black-body radiation; this is purely an effect of correlated quantum fluctuations at zero temperature. The present theory clarifies a number of hitherto unsolved problems and suggests explanations for several more. Possible experiments that discriminate this from other theories of sonoluminescence are proposed.Comment: Latex file, 28 pages, postscript file with 3 figs. attache

Readout system test benches

We propose to develop and exploit versatile multi-purpose Personal Computer-based Test Benches to support the evaluation and design of the basic elements required for digital front-end readout and data transmission systems for an LHC experiment. These test benches will have modular hardware facilities for the operation of new readout system components under realistic conditions, and will implement advanced modern software engineering concepts. They will support components such as fast ADCs, hybrid fibre-optic transceivers, and the prototype VLSI systolic array and data-flow processors currently being developed in national research laboratories and by the emerging European HDTV industry. These efforts would also lay the foundations for projects involving the development of custom-designed VLSI circuits

Markov analysis of stochastic resonance in a periodically driven integrate-fire neuron

We model the dynamics of the leaky integrate-fire neuron under periodic stimulation as a Markov process with respect to the stimulus phase. This avoids the unrealistic assumption of a stimulus reset after each spike made in earlier work and thus solves the long-standing reset problem. The neuron exhibits stochastic resonance, both with respect to input noise intensity and stimulus frequency. The latter resonance arises by matching the stimulus frequency to the refractory time of the neuron. The Markov approach can be generalized to other periodically driven stochastic processes containing a reset mechanism.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

Assortative Mating between European Corn Borer Pheromone Races: Beyond Assortative Meeting

BACKGROUND: Sex pheromone communication systems may be a major force driving moth speciation by causing behavioral reproductive isolation via assortative meeting of conspecific individuals. The 'E' and 'Z' pheromone races of the European corn borer (ECB) are a textbook example in this respect. 'Z' females produce and 'Z' males preferentially respond to a 'Z' pheromone blend, while the 'E' race communicates via an 'E' blend. Both races do not freely hybridize in nature and their populations are genetically differentiated. A straightforward explanation would be that their reproductive isolation is a mere consequence of "assortative meeting" resulting from their different pheromones specifically attracting males towards same-race females at long range. However, previous laboratory experiments and those performed here show that even when moths are paired in a small box - i.e., when the meeting between sexual partners is forced - inter-race couples still have a lower mating success than intra-race ones. Hence, either the difference in attractivity of E vs. Z pheromones for males of either race still holds at short distance or the reproductive isolation between E and Z moths may not only be favoured by assortative meeting, but must also result from an additional mechanism ensuring significant assortative mating at close range. Here, we test whether this close-range mechanism is linked to the E/Z female sex pheromone communication system. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using crosses and backcrosses of E and Z strains, we found no difference in mating success between full-sisters emitting different sex pheromones. Conversely, the mating success of females with identical pheromone types but different coefficients of relatedness to the two parental strains was significantly different, and was higher when their genetic background was closer to that of their male partner's pheromone race. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that the close-range mechanism ensuring assortative mating between the E and Z ECB pheromone races is unrelated to the difference in female sex pheromone. Although the nature of this mechanism remains elusive, our results show that it is expressed in females, acts at close range, segregates independently of the autosome carrying Pher and of both sex chromosomes, and is widely distributed since it occurs both in France and in the US

Identification of a Sex Pheromone Produced by Sternal Glands in Females of the Caddisfly Molanna angustata Curtis

In the caddisfly Molanna angustata, females produce a sex pheromone in glands with openings on the fifth sternite. Gas chromatographic analyses of pheromone gland extracts with electroantennographic detection revealed four major compounds that stimulated male antennae. These compounds were identified by means of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and enantioselective gas chromatography as heptan-2-one, (S)-heptan-2-ol, nonan-2-one, and (S)-nonan-2-ol in the approximate ratio of 1:1:4:10, respectively. Field tests showed that the mixture of the two alcohols was attractive to males whereas addition of the corresponding ketones reduced trap catches. The sex pheromone of M. angustata, a species in the family Molannidae within the suborder Integripalpia, is similar to the pheromones or pheromone-like compounds previously reported from six other trichopteran families, including members of the basal suborder Annulipalpia. This suggests that minimal evolutionary change of the pheromone chemistry has taken place within the leptoceroid branch of integripalpian Trichoptera compared to the ancestral character state