54,995 research outputs found
Observational and theoretical studies of the evolving structure of baroclinic waves
Dynamical processes involved in comma cloud formation, and passive tracer evolution in a baroclinic wave are discussed. An analytical solution was obtained demonstrating the complex nongeostrophic flow pattern involved in the redistribution of low level constituents in a finite amplitude baroclinic wave, and in the formation of the typical humidity and cloud distributions in such a wave. Observational and theoretical studies of blocking weather patterns in middle latitude flows were studied. The differences in the energy and enstrophy cascades in blocking and nonblocking situations were shown. It was established that pronounced upscale flow of both of these quantities, from intermediate to planetary scales, occurs during blocking episodes. The upscale flux of enstrophy, in particular, suggests that the persistence of blocking periods may be due to reduced dissipation of the large scale circulation and therefore entail some above normal predictability
Properties of Resonating-Valence-Bond Spin Liquids and Critical Dimer Models
We use Monte Carlo simulations to study properties of Anderson's
resonating-valence-bond (RVB) spin-liquid state on the square lattice (i.e.,
the equal superposition of all pairing of spins into nearest-neighbor singlet
pairs) and compare with the classical dimer model (CDM). The latter system also
corresponds to the ground state of the Rokhsar-Kivelson quantum dimer model at
its critical point. We find that although spin-spin correlations decay
exponentially in the RVB, four-spin valence-bond-solid (VBS) correlations are
critical, qualitatively like the well-known dimer-dimer correlations of the
CDM, but decaying more slowly (as with , compared with
for the CDM). We also compute the distribution of monomer (defect) pair
separations, which decay by a larger exponent in the RVB than in the CDM. We
further study both models in their different winding number sectors and
evaluate the relative weights of different sectors. Like the CDM, all the
observed RVB behaviors can be understood in the framework of a mapping to a
"height" model characterized by a gradient-squared stiffness constant . Four
independent measurements consistently show a value , with the same kinds of numerical evaluations of give
results in agreement with the rigorously known value . The
background of a nonzero winding number gradient introduces spatial
anisotropies and an increase in the effective K, both of which can be
understood as a consequence of anharmonic terms in the height-model free
energy, which are of relevance to the recently proposed scenario of "Cantor
deconfinement" in extended quantum dimer models. We also study ensembles in
which fourth-neighbor (bipartite) bonds are allowed, at a density controlled by
a tunable fugacity, resulting (as expected) in a smooth reduction of K.Comment: 26 pages, 21 figures. v3: final versio
Nucleation of quark matter in neutron stars cores
We consider the general conditions of quark droplets formation in high
density neutron matter. The growth of the quark bubble (assumed to contain a
sufficiently large number of particles) can be described by means of a
Fokker-Planck equation. The dynamics of the nucleation essentially depends on
the physical properties of the medium it takes place. The conditions for quark
bubble formation are analyzed within the frameworks of both dissipative and
non-dissipative (with zero bulk and shear viscosity coefficients) approaches.
The conversion time of the neutron star to a quark star is obtained as a
function of the equation of state of the neutron matter and of the microscopic
parameters of the quark nuclei. As an application of the obtained formalism we
analyze the first order phase transition from neutron matter to quark matter in
rapidly rotating neutron stars cores, triggered by the gravitational energy
released during the spinning down of the neutron star. The endothermic
conversion process, via gravitational energy absorption, could take place, in a
very short time interval, of the order of few tens seconds, in a class of dense
compact objects, with very high magnetic fields, called magnetars.Comment: 31 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Ap
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Study on thermal conductivity of gas phase in nano-porous aerogel
This paper was presented at the 4th Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2014), which was held at University College, London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute, ASME Press, LCN London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL University College London, UCL Engineering, the International NanoScience Community, www.nanopaprika.eu.Nano-porous aerogel has an ultra low thermal conductivity and is usually used as the super
insulator. To evaluate the insulation performance of the aerogel, we focus on studying the thermal
conductivity of gas phase in the aerogel. We present a modified model to take into account the effect of nonuniform
pore-size distribution on the gaseous thermal conductivity, and the present model predicts more
agreement results with available data than the existing models. The gaseous thermal conductivity of the
aerogel at high temperature gradient condition is also numerically studied. We also study the effect of the
thermal transpiration flow on the gaseous thermal conductivity, and the results shows that the thermal
transpiration flow effect leads to a reduction of the gaseous thermal conductivity
Magnetization and susceptibility of ferrofluids
A second-order Taylor series expansion of the free energy functional provides
analytical expressions for the magnetic field dependence of the free energy and
of the magnetization of ferrofluids, here modelled by dipolar Yukawa
interaction potentials. The corresponding hard core dipolar Yukawa reference
fluid is studied within the framework of the mean spherical approximation. Our
findings for the magnetic and phase equilibrium properties are in quantitative
agreement with previously published and new Monte Carlo simulation data.Comment: 8 pages including 4 figure
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