2,876 research outputs found
Geostatistical simulation of two-dimensional fields of raindrop size distributions at the meso-¿ scale
The large variability of the raindrop size distribution (DSD) in space and time must be taken into account to improve remote sensing of precipitation. The ability to simulate a large number of 2-D fields of DSDs sharing the same statistical properties provides a very useful simulation framework that nicely complements experimental approaches based on DSD ground measurements. These simulations can be used to investigate radar beam propagation through rain and to evaluate different radar retrieval techniques. The proposed approach uses geostatistical methods to provide structural analysis and stochastic simulation of DSD fields. First, the DSD is assumed to follow a Gamma distribution with three parameters. As a consequence, 2-D fields of DSDs can be described as a multivariate random function. The parameters are normalized using a Gaussian anamorphosis and simulated by taking advantage of fast Gaussian simulation algorithms. Variograms are used to characterize the spatial structure of the DSD fields. The generated fields have identical spatial structure and are consistent with the observations. Because intermittency cannot be simulated using this technique, the size of the simulation domain is limited to the meso-¿ scale (2-20 km). To assess the proposed approach, the method is applied to data collected during intense Mediterranean rainfall. Taylor's hypothesis is invoked to convert time series into 1-D range profiles. The anisotropy of the fields is derived from radar measurements. Simulated and measured reflectivity fields are in good agreement with respect to the mean, the standard deviation, and the spatial structure, demonstrating the promising potential of the proposed stochastic model of DSD field
Errors and uncertainties in microwave link rainfall estimation explored using drop size measurements and high-resolution radar data
Microwave links can be used for the estimation of path-averaged rainfall by using either the path-integrated attenuation or the difference in attenuation of two signals with different frequencies and/or polarizations. Link signals have been simulated using measured time series of raindrop size distributions (DSDs) over a period of nearly 2 yr, in combination with wind velocity data and Taylor’s hypothesis. For this purpose, Taylor’s hypothesis has been tested using more than 1.5 yr of high-resolution radar data. In terms of correlation between spatial and temporal profiles of rainfall intensities, the validity of Taylor’s hypothesis quickly decreases with distance. However, in terms of error statistics, the hypothesis is seen to hold up to distances of at least 10 km. Errors and uncertainties (mean bias error and root-mean-square error, respectively) in microwave link rainfall estimates due to spatial DSD variation are at a minimum at frequencies (and frequency combinations) where the power-law relation for the conversion to rainfall intensity is close to linear. Errors generally increase with link length, whereas uncertainties decrease because of the decrease of scatter about the retrieval relations because of averaging of spatially variable DSDs for longer links. The exponent of power-law rainfall retrieval relations can explain a large part of the variation in both bias and uncertainty, which means that the order of magnitude of these error statistics can be predicted from the value of this exponent, regardless of the link length
Efficient multiple time scale molecular dynamics: using colored noise thermostats to stabilize resonances
Multiple time scale molecular dynamics enhances computational efficiency by
updating slow motions less frequently than fast motions. However, in practice
the largest outer time step possible is limited not by the physical forces but
by resonances between the fast and slow modes. In this paper we show that this
problem can be alleviated by using a simple colored noise thermostatting scheme
which selectively targets the high frequency modes in the system. For two
sample problems, flexible water and solvated alanine dipeptide, we demonstrate
that this allows the use of large outer time steps while still obtaining
accurate sampling and minimizing the perturbation of the dynamics. Furthermore,
this approach is shown to be comparable to constraining fast motions, thus
providing an alternative to molecular dynamics with constraints.Comment: accepted for publication by the Journal of Chemical Physic
Aging after shear rejuvenation in a soft glassy colloidal suspension: evidence for two different regimes
The aging dynamics after shear rejuvenation in a glassy, charged clay
suspension have been investigated through dynamic light scattering (DLS). Two
different aging regimes are observed: one is attained if the sample is
rejuvenated before its gelation and one after the rejuvenation of the gelled
sample. In the first regime, the application of shear fully rejuvenates the
sample, as the system dynamics soon after shear cessation follow the same aging
evolution characteristic of normal aging. In the second regime, aging proceeds
very fast after shear rejuvenation, and classical DLS cannot be used. An
original protocol to measure an ensemble averaged intensity correlation
function is proposed and its consistency with classical DLS is verified. The
fast aging dynamics of rejuvenated gelled samples exhibit a power law
dependence of the slow relaxation time on the waiting time.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure
Aggregates relaxation in a jamming colloidal suspension after shear cessation
The reversible aggregates formation in a shear thickening, concentrated
colloidal suspension is investigated through speckle visibility spectroscopy, a
dynamic light scattering technique recently introduced [P.K. Dixon and D.J.
Durian, Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 184302 (2003)]. Formation of particles aggregates
is observed in the jamming regime, and their relaxation after shear cessation
is monitored as a function of the applied shear stress. The aggregates
relaxation time increases when a larger stress is applied. Several phenomena
have been proposed to interpret this behavior: an increase of the aggregates
size and volume fraction, or a closer packing of the particles in the
aggregates.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures; added figures included in the pdf versio
Monitoring spatially heterogeneous dynamics in a drying colloidal thin film
We report on a new type of experiment that enables us to monitor spatially
and temporally heterogeneous dynamic properties in complex fluids. Our approach
is based on the analysis of near-field speckles produced by light diffusely
reflected from the superficial volume of a strongly scattering medium. By
periodic modulation of an incident speckle beam we obtain pixel-wise ensemble
averages of the structure function coefficient, a measure of the dynamic
activity. To illustrate the application of our approach we follow the different
stages in the drying process of a colloidal thin film. We show that we can
access ensemble averaged dynamic properties on length scales as small as ten
micrometers over the full field of view.Comment: To appear in Soft Material
Effects of xanthine amine congener on hypoxic coronary resistance and venous and epicardial adenosine concentrations
Objective: The aim was to define the contributions of interstitial and vascular adenosine in regulating coronary vascular resistance during hypoxia. To help in the assessment of adenosine in the vasodilator response, a potent adenosine receptor antagonist, xanthine amine congener (XAC), was used to block adenosine receptors. Methods: Seven isolated guinea pig hearts were perfused at constant flow with Krebs buffer. Coronary vascular resistance was determined during normoxia (95% O2) and mild hypoxia (60% O2) in the absence or presence of 200 or 400 nM XAC. Interstitial fluid was sampled by the epicardial disc technique and the interstitial concentration of XAC (ISF[XAC]) was determined directly by a radioreceptor assay or as tritiated XAC. Venous and epicardial concentrations of adenosine were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. In six additional experiments, the vasodilator effect of 1 μM intracoronary adenosine was measured in the absence or presence of 100 or 200 nM XAC. Results: Mild hypoxia decreased coronary resistance by 37(SEM 4)% in the absence of XAC and 26(5)% or 17(4)% in the presence of 200 or 400 nM XAC, respectively. ISF[XAC] rapidly equilibrated with [XAC] in the arterial perfusate or venous effluent. XAC 400 nM markedly increased (p<0.05) the hypoxic levels of venous and epicardial fluid adenosine from 49(19) and 251(42) nM to 75(11) and 495(48) nM, respectively. XAC 100-200 nM almost completely prevented the vasodilatation induced by 1 μM intracoronary adenosine. Conclusions: Adenosine mediates at least 54% of hypoxic vasodilatation. XAC rapidly equilibrates within the myocardial interstitial space and, as a result of blocking adenosine receptors, increases interstitial and venous adenosine concentrations. Increases in interstitial adenosine may partially overcome the adenosine receptor blockade by XAC, thereby reducing the effectiveness of XAC in attenuating the hypoxic vasodilatation. XAC attenuates intracoronary adenosine induced vasodilatation (mediated by endothelial adenosine receptors) much more effectively than it attenuates hypoxic vasodilatation, underscoring the minimal role played by the endothelial receptors in hypoxic vasodilatation. Cardiovascular Research 1994;28:604-60
Unexpected Effect of Internal Degrees of Freedom on Transverse Phonons in Supercooled Liquids
We show experimentally that in a supercooled liquid composed of molecules
with internal degrees of freedom the internal modes contribute to the frequency
dependent shear viscosity and damping of transverse phonons, which results in
an additional broadening of the transverse Brillouin lines. Earlier, only the
effect of internal modes on the frequency dependent bulk viscosity and damping
of longitudinal phonons was observed and explained theoretically in the limit
of weak coupling of internal degrees of freedom to translational motion. A new
theory is needed to describe this new effect. We also demonstrate, that the
contributions of structural relaxation and internal processes to the width of
the Brillouin lines can be separated by measurements under high pressure
Super and Sub-Poissonian photon statistics for single molecule spectroscopy
We investigate the distribution of the number of photons emitted by a single
molecule undergoing a spectral diffusion process and interacting with a
continuous wave laser field. The spectral diffusion is modeled based on a
stochastic approach, in the spirit of the Anderson-Kubo line shape theory.
Using a generating function formalism we solve the generalized optical Bloch
equations, and obtain an exact analytical formula for the line shape and
Mandel's Q parameter. The line shape exhibits well known behaviors, including
motional narrowing when the stochastic modulation is fast, and power
broadening. The Mandel parameter, describing the line shape fluctuations,
exhibits a transition from a Quantum sub-Poissonian behavior in the fast
modulation limit, to a classical super-Poissonian behavior found in the slow
modulation limit. Our result is applicable for weak and strong laser field,
namely for arbitrary Rabi frequency. We show how to choose the Rabi frequency
in such a way that the Quantum sub-Poissonian nature of the emission process
becomes strongest. A lower bound on is found, and simple limiting behaviors
are investigated. A non-trivial behavior is obtained in the intermediate
modulation limit, when the time scales for spectral diffusion and the life time
of the excited state, become similar. A comparison is made between our results,
and previous ones derived based on the semi-classical generalized
Wiener--Khintchine theorem.Comment: 14 Phys. Rev style pages, 10 figure
- …