19,891 research outputs found
Grain dynamics in zero gravity
The dynamics of granular materials has proved difficult to model, primarily because of the complications arising from inelastic losses, friction, packing, and the effect of many grains being in contact simultaneously. The kinetic model of granular systems is similar to the kinetic theory of gases, except that collisional energy losses are always present in the former and must be treated explicity. Few granular materials on Earth are describable by this limiting model, since gravity tends to collapse the grains into a high density state where Coulombic friction effects are dominant. The planned Space Station offers an unusual opportunity to test the kinetic grain model and to explore its predictions. Without gravity, the regime of low interparticle velocities (where an elastic description of the collision is still valid) can be investigated. This will allow for direct interpretation by dynamical computer simulations as well as by the kinetic theory. The dynamics of spherical grains inside a clear box would be examined. Results would be compared with the predictions of the kinetic theory and computer simulations
Grain dynamics in zero gravity
The dynamics of granular materials has proved difficult to model, primarily because of the complications arising from inelastic losses, friction, packing, and the effect of many grains being in contact simultaneously. One interesting limit for which it was recently possible to construct a theory is that where the grain-grain interactions are dominated by binary collisions. The kinetic model of granular systems if similar to the kinetic theory of gases, except that collisional energy losses are always present in the former and must be treated explicitly. Few granular materials on Earth are describable by this limiting model, since gravity tends to collapse the grains into a high-density state where Coulombic friction effects are dominant. The planned Space Station offers an unusual opportunity to test the kinetic grain model and to explore its predictions. Without gravity, the regime of low interparticle velocities, where an elastic description of the collision is still valid, is investigated. This will allow direct interpretation by dynamical computer simulations as well as by kinetic theory
The Vacuum Structure of Light-Front -Theory
We discuss the vacuum structure of -theory in 1+1 dimensions
quantised on the light-front . To this end, one has to solve a
non-linear, operator-valued constraint equation. It expresses that mode of the
field operator having longitudinal light-front momentum equal to zero, as a
function of all the other modes in the theory. We analyse whether this zero
mode can lead to a non-vanishing vacuum expectation value of the field
and thus to spontaneous symmetry breaking. In perturbation theory, we get no
symmetry breaking. If we solve the constraint, however, non-perturbatively,
within a mean-field type Fock ansatz, the situation changes: while the vacuum
state itself remains trivial, we find a non-vanishing vacuum expectation value
above a critical coupling. Exactly the same result is obtained within a
light-front Tamm-Dancoff approximation, if the renormalisation is done in the
correct way.Comment: 28 pages LaTeX, 1 Postscript figur
A model for melting of confined DNA
When DNA molecules are heated they denature. This occurs locally so that
loops of molten single DNA strands form, connected by intact double-stranded
DNA pieces. The properties of this "melting" transition have been intensively
investigated. Recently there has been a surge of interest in this question,
caused by experiments determining the properties of partially bound DNA
confined to nanochannels. But how does such confinement affect the melting
transition? To answer this question we introduce, and solve a model predicting
how confinement affects the melting transition for a simple model system by
first disregarding the effect of self-avoidance. We find that the transition is
smoother for narrower channels. By means of Monte-Carlo simulations we then
show that a model incorporating self-avoidance shows qualitatively the same
behaviour and that the effect of confinement is stronger than in the ideal
case.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, supplementary materia
Numerical studies of planar closed random walks
Lattice numerical simulations for planar closed random walks and their
winding sectors are presented. The frontiers of the random walks and of their
winding sectors have a Hausdorff dimension . However, when properly
defined by taking into account the inner 0-winding sectors, the frontiers of
the random walks have a Hausdorff dimension .Comment: 15 pages, 15 figure
Evidence for flow in pPb collisions at 5 TeV from v2 mass splitting
We show that a fluid dynamical scenario describes quantitatively the observed
mass splitting of the elliptical flow coefficients v2 for pions, kaons, and
protons. This provides a strong argument in favor of the existence of a fluid
dynamical expansion in pPb collisions at 5TeV
The cool end of the DZ sequence in the SDSS
We report the discovery of cool DZ white dwarfs, which lie in the SDSS (u-g)
vs. (g-r) two-color diagram across and below the main sequence. These stars
represent the extension of the well-known DZ sequence towards cooler
temperatures.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the "17th European Workshop on White
Dwarfs", Tuebingen, Germany, August 16-20, 201
Improved Limit on theta_{13} and Implications for Neutrino Masses in Neutrino-less Double Beta Decay and Cosmology
We analyze the impact of a measurement, or of an improved bound, on
theta_{13} for the determination of the effective neutrino mass in
neutrino-less double beta decay and cosmology. In particular, we discuss how an
improved limit on (or a specific value of) theta_{13} can influence the
determination of the neutrino mass spectrum via neutrino-less double beta
decay. We also discuss the interplay with improved cosmological neutrino mass
searches.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures. Minor corrections, matches version in PR
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