Axisymmetric bifurcations of thick spherical shells under inflation and compression

Incremental equilibrium equations and corresponding boundary conditions for an isotropic, hyperelastic and incompressible material are summarized and then specialized to a form suitable for the analysis of a spherical shell subject to an internal or an external pressure. A thick-walled spherical shell during inflation is analyzed using four different material models. Specifically, one and two terms in the Ogden energy formulation, the Gent model and an I1 formulation recently proposed by Lopez-Pamies. We investigate the existence of local pressure maxima and minima and the dependence of the corresponding stretches on the material model and on shell thickness. These results are then used to investigate axisymmetric bifurcations of the inflated shell. The analysis is extended to determine the behavior of a thick-walled spherical shell subject to an external pressure. We find that the results of the two terms Ogden formulation, the Gent and the Lopez-Pamies models are very similar, for the one term Ogden material we identify additional critical stretches, which have not been reported in the literature before

Experimental evidence of accelerated energy transfer in turbulence

We investigate the vorticity dynamics in a turbulent vortex using scattering of acoustic waves. Two ultrasonic beams are adjusted to probe simultaneously two spatial scales in a given volume of the flow, thus allowing a dual channel recording of the dynamics of coherent vorticity structures. Our results show that this allows to measure the average energy transfer time between different spatial length scales, and that such transfer goes faster at smaller scales.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Factors influencing survival among four competing races of Puccinia coronata avenae

Doctor of PhilosophyDoctorad

Time-symmetric fluctuations in nonequilibrium systems

For nonequilibrium steady states, we identify observables whose fluctuations satisfy a general symmetry and for which a new reciprocity relation can be shown. Unlike the situation in recently discussed fluctuation theorems, these observables are time-reversal symmetric. That is essential for exploiting the fluctuation symmetry beyond linear response theory. Besides time-reversal, a crucial role is played by the reversal of the driving fields, that further resolves the space-time action. In particular, the time-symmetric part in the space-time action determines second order effects of the nonequilibrium driving.Comment: 4 page

DNA loop statistics and torsional modulus

The modelling of DNA mechanics under external constraints is discussed. Two analytical models are widely known, but disagree for instance on the value of the torsional modulus. The origin of this embarassing situation is located in the concept of writhe. This letter presents a unified model for DNA establishing a relation between the different approaches. I show that the writhe created by the loops of DNA is at the origin of the discrepancy. To take this into account, I propose a new treatment of loop statistics based on numerical simulations using the most general formula for the writhe, and on analytic calculations with only one fit parameter. One can then compute the value of the torsional modulus of DNA without the need of any cut-off.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. Accepted by Europhysics Letter

Comet and close-approach asteroid mission study. volume 1- summary report final report

Comet and close-approach asteroid mission stud

A-real compact space

Sin resume