Transmutations: Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality Practices in South and Inner Asia

Introduction to Special Issue of Edited Journal - Transmutations: Rejuvenation, Longevity, and Immortality Practices in South and Inner Asia Wild and diverse outcomes are associated with transmutational practices: the prolongation of life, the recovery of youth, the cure of diseases, invincibility, immortality, enlightenment, liberation from the cycle of rebirths, and unending bliss. This range of outcomes is linked to specific practices taught in separate traditions and lineages in medical, alchemical, yogic and tantric milieus across South and Inner Asia. In this special issue of HSSA, we examine transmutational practices and their underlying concepts in the wider context of South and Inner Asian culture. How do these practices and ideas connect and cross-fertilise? And conversely, how are they delineated and distinct

Frequency modulated self-oscillation and phase inertia in a synchronized nanowire mechanical resonator

Synchronization has been reported for a wide range of self-oscillating systems. However, even though it has been predicted theoretically for several decades, the experimental realization of phase self-oscillation, sometimes called phase trapping, in the high driving regime has been studied only recently. We explored in detail the phase dynamics in a synchronized field emission SiC nanoelectromechanical system with intrinsic feedback. A richer variety of phase behavior has been unambiguously identified, implying phase modulation and inertia. This synchronization regime is expected to have implications for the comprehension of the dynamics of interacting self-oscillating networks and for the generation of frequency modulated signals at the nanoscal

Role of fluctuations and nonlinearities on field emission nanomechanical self-oscillators

A theoretical and experimental description of the threshold, amplitude, and stability of a self-oscillating nanowire in a field emission configuration is presented. Two thresholds for the onset of self-oscillation are identified, one induced by fluctuations of the electromagnetic environment and a second revealed by these fluctuations by measuring the probability density function of the current. The ac and dc components of the current and the phase stability are quantified. An ac to dc ratio above 100% and an Allan deviation of 1.3x10-5 at room temperature can be attained. Finally, it is shown that a simple nonlinear model cannot describe the equilibrium effective potential in the self-oscillating regime due to the high amplitude of oscillations

Columnar structure formation of a dilute suspension of settling spherical particles in a quiescent fluid

The settling of heavy spherical particles in a column of quiescent fluid is investigated. The performed experiments cover a range of Galileo numbers ($110 \leq \text{Ga} \leq 310$) for a fixed density ratio of $\Gamma = \rho_p/\rho_f = 2.5$. In this regime the particles are known (M. Jenny, J. Du\v{s}ek and G. Bouchet, Journal of Fluid Mechanics 508, 201 (2004).) to show a variety of motions. It is known that the wake undergoes several transitions for increasing $\text{Ga}$ resulting in particle motions that are successively: vertical, oblique, oblique oscillating, and finally chaotic. Not only does this change the trajectory of single, isolated, settling particles, but it also changes the dynamics of a swarm of particles as collective effects become important even for dilute suspensions, with volume fraction up to $\Phi_V = \mathcal{O}\left(10^{-3}\right)$, which are investigated in this work. Multi-camera recordings of settling particles are recorded and tracked over time in 3 dimensions. A variety of analysis are performed and show a strong clustering behavior. The distribution of the cell areas of the Vorono\"i tessellation in the horizontal plane are compared to that of a random distribution of particles and shows clear clustering. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between the Vorono\"i area and the particle velocity; clustered particles fall faster. In addition, the angle between two adjacent particles and the vertical is calculated and compared to a homogeneous distribution of particles, clear evidence of vertical alignment of particles is found. The experimental findings are compared to simulations.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Transition to stress focusing for locally curved sheets

A rectangular thin elastic sheet is deformed by forcing a contact between two points at the middle of its length. A transition to buckling with stress focusing is reported for the sheets sufficiently narrow with a critical width proportional to the sheet length with an exponent 2/3 in the small thickness limit. Additionally, a spring network model is solved to explore the thick sheet limit and to validate the scaling behaviour of the transition in the thin sheet limit. The numerical results reveal that buckling does not exist for the thickest sheets and a stability criterion is established for the buckling of a curved sheet.Comment: 10 pages, 15 figure

Simple modeling of self-oscillation in Nano-electro-mechanical systems

We present here a simple analytical model for self-oscillations in nano-electro-mechanical systems. We show that a field emission self-oscillator can be described by a lumped electrical circuit and that this approach is generalizable to other electromechanical oscillator devices. The analytical model is supported by dynamical simulations where the electrostatic parameters are obtained by finite element computations.Comment: accepted in AP

Disordering to Order: de Vries behavior from a Landau theory for smectics

We show that Landau theory for the isotropic, nematic, smectic A, and smectic C phases generically, but not ubiquitously, implies de Vries behavior. I.e., a continuous AC transition can occur with little layer contraction; the birefringence decreases as temperature T is lowered above this transition, and increases again below the transition. This de Vries behavior occurs in models with unusually small orientational order, and is preceded by a first order I − A transition. A first order AC transition with elements of de Vries behavior can also occur. These results correspond well with experimental work to date.Comment: 4 pages, 2 page appendi

Modificaciones químicas inducidas por dos especies de lombrices geófagas en suelos de Veracruz, México.

Dos lombrices tropicales, una exótica (Pontoscolex corethrurus) y otra nativa (Glossoscolecidae sp.) de Veracruz, México, fueron cultivadas en condiciones de laboratorio para colectar sus respectivos turrículos (deyecciones) cada 48 horas, medir su tasa de producción y el efecto que ejercen sobre varios parámetros químicos en el suelo excretado. Ambas especies fueron cultivadas en un Lixisol (La Víbora) y P. corethrurus lo fue también en otros dos tipos de suelo, un Vertisol (Plan de las Hayas) y un Andosol (Los Tuxtlas). Los parámetros químicos medidos en los turrículos y en suelo testigo (control) fueron los siguientes: pH, C, N, C/N, NO3, NH4, Na, K, Ca, Mg, CIC, P-asimilable, P-Total, P-Resinas, Al, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn. Para P. corethrurus la producción de turrículos superficiales fue más alta en los suelos con menor contenido de MO. En el Lixisol, Glossoscolecidae sp. produjo menor cantidad de turrículos comparada con P. corethrurus, pero promovió una disponibilidad mayor, especialmente de K, Na Mg, Mn, Fe, K y NH4. Pontoscolex corethrurus promovió también la concentración de la mayor parte de los parámetros estudiados con respecto al suelo control, tanto en el Andosol como en el Vertisol; en el Lixisol, esta especie incrementó la concentración en la mitad de los parámetros. Pontoscolex corethrurus tiene una capacidad alta de adaptarse a diferentes suelos y de modificar sus características químicas, promoviendo la disponibilidad de diversos elementos esenciales para el crecimiento vegetal; eso es especialmente importante en los suelos más pobres como el Lixisol

Détection, quantification et cinétique TéraHertz de molécules d'intérêt atmosphérique

Cette thèse évolue selon trois axes de recherche. La première partie présente des travaux de spectroscopie TéraHertz (THz) de COV réalisés à l'aide du spectromètre THz par technique de photomélange, ce dernier rendant accessible la région spectrale 0,3-3 THz à haute résolution. Ces travaux concernent l'amélioration de paramètres moléculaires du formaldéhyde (H CO) obtenue grâce à la mise en oeuvre d'un système de métrologie performant reposant sur l'utilisation d'un peigne de fréquence. La très haute résolution de ce spectromètre a également permis un travail de collaboration efficace avec différents laboratoires concernant la détermination de coefficients d'élargissement du chlorure de méthyle (CH Cl). La deuxième partie montre la possibilité de détection de radicaux légers par technique de photomélange au travers d'études concernant les radicuax hybroxyle (OH) et mercaptan (SH). La très haute résolution de notre spectromètre donne accès à leur structure hyperfine avec des précision encore inégalées dans la région 1-3 THz. Cette partie illustre également l'intérêt de notre collaboration avec la ligne AILES du synchrotron SOLEIL et démontre la grande complémentarité entre le spectromètre photo-mélange et l'interféromètre couplée au rayonnement synchrotron. La dernière partie présente l'initiation au sein du groupe THz d'une étude cinétique effectuée grâce à une chaîne par multiplication de fréquence. Cette étude concerne concerne la photolyse de H CO. S'ajoute à ceci une étude visant à caractériser le rayonnement THz en présence d'aérosols de chlorure de sodium hydratés.This thesis covers three research areas. The first is the THz spectroscopy of VOCs using a THz spectrometer based on photomixing, the latter making it possible access the 0.3-3 THz spectral region with high resolution. This work concerns the improvement of molecular parameters of formaldehyde (H CO) obtained through the implementation of metrology system using a frequency comb. The high resolution of spectrometer has also demonstrated its utility effectively together with various laboratories for the determination of broadening-coefficicents of the methyl chloride (CH Cl). The second topic shows the detection of small radicals by photomixing through studies of hydroxyl (OH) and mercaptan (SH) radicals. The high resolution of our spectrometer provides access to their hyperfine structure with details unmatched in the 1-3 THz region. This section also illustrates the importance of our partnership with the AILES beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron and demonstrates the complementary between the photomixing-spectrometer and the interferometer coupled to synchrotron radiation. The last section presents the initiation of a kinetic study in the THz group performed with a frequency multiplication chain. This study concerns the photolysis of the H CO. Accompanied by a study to characterize the THz radiation in the presence of sodium chloride aerosols hydrated.DUNKERQUE-SCD-Bib.electronique (591839901) / SudocSudocFranceF