1,762 research outputs found
Coarse Brownian Dynamics for Nematic Liquid Crystals: Bifurcation Diagrams via Stochastic Simulation
We demonstrate how time-integration of stochastic differential equations
(i.e. Brownian dynamics simulations) can be combined with continuum numerical
bifurcation analysis techniques to analyze the dynamics of liquid crystalline
polymers (LCPs). Sidestepping the necessity of obtaining explicit closures, the
approach analyzes the (unavailable in closed form) coarse macroscopic
equations, estimating the necessary quantities through appropriately
initialized, short bursts of Brownian dynamics simulation. Through this
approach, both stable and unstable branches of the equilibrium bifurcation
diagram are obtained for the Doi model of LCPs and their coarse stability is
estimated. Additional macroscopic computational tasks enabled through this
approach, such as coarse projective integration and coarse stabilizing
controller design, are also demonstrated
Statistical and neural classifiers in estimating rain rate from weather radar measurements
Weather radars are used to measure the electromagnetic radiation backscattered by cloud raindrops. Clouds that backscatter more electromagnetic radiation consist of larger droplets of rain and therefore they produce more rain. The idea is to estimate rain rate by using weather radar as an alternative to rain-gauges measuring rainfall on the ground. In an experiment during two days in June and August 1997 over the Italian-Swiss Alps, data from weather radar and surrounding rain-gauges were collected at the same time. The statistical KNN and the neural SOM classifiers were implemented for the classification task using the radar data as input and the rain-gauge measurements as output. The proposed system managed to identify matching pattern waveforms and the rainfall rate on the ground was estimated based on the radar reflectivities with a satisfactory error rate, outperforming the traditional <i>Z</i>/<i>R</i> relationship. It is anticipated that more data, representing a variety of possible meteorological conditions, will lead to improved results. The results in this work show that an estimation of rain rate based on weather radar measurements treated with statistical and neural classifiers is possible
Trends in Competition and Profitability in the Banking Industry: A Basic Framework
This paper brings to the forefront the assumptions that we make when focusing on a particular type of explanation for bank profitability. We evaluate a broad field of research by introducing a general framework for a profit maximizing bank and demonstrate how different types of models can be fitted into this framework. Next, we present an overview of the current major trends in European banking and relate them to each model’s assumptions, thereby shedding light on the relevance, timeliness and shelf life of the different models. This way, we arrive at a set of recommendations for a future research agenda. We advocate a more prominent role for output prices, and suggest a modification of the intermediation approach. We also suggest ways to more clearly distinguish between market power and efficiency, and explain why we need time-dependent models. Finally, we propose the application of existing models to different size classes and sub-markets. Throughout we emphasize the benefits from applying several, complementary models to overcome the identification problems that we observe in individual models.
Critical collapse of collisionless matter - a numerical investigation
In recent years the threshold of black hole formation in spherically
symmetric gravitational collapse has been studied for a variety of matter
models. In this paper the corresponding issue is investigated for a matter
model significantly different from those considered so far in this context. We
study the transition from dispersion to black hole formation in the collapse of
collisionless matter when the initial data is scaled. This is done by means of
a numerical code similar to those commonly used in plasma physics. The result
is that for the initial data for which the solutions were computed, most of the
matter falls into the black hole whenever a black hole is formed. This results
in a discontinuity in the mass of the black hole at the onset of black hole
formation.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX, 7 figures (ps-files, automatically included using
psfig
High-Temperature Activated AB2 Nanopowders for Metal Hydride Hydrogen Compression
A reliable process for compressing hydrogen and for removing all contaminants
is that of the metal hydride thermal compression. The use of metal hydride
technology in hydrogen compression applications though, requires thorough
structural characterization of the alloys and investigation of their sorption
properties. The samples have been synthesized by induction - levitation melting
and characterized by Rietveld analysis of the X-Ray diffraction (XRD) patterns.
Volumetric PCI (Pressure-Composition Isotherm) measurements have been conducted
at 20, 60 and 90 oC, in order to investigate the maximum pressure that can be
reached from the selected alloys using water of 90oC. Experimental evidence
shows that the maximum hydrogen uptake is low since all the alloys are
consisted of Laves phases, but it is of minor importance if they have fast
kinetics, given a constant volumetric hydrogen flow. Hysteresis is almost
absent while all the alloys release nearly all the absorbed hydrogen during
desorption. Due to hardware restrictions, the maximum hydrogen pressure for the
measurements was limited at 100 bars. Practically, the maximum pressure that
can be reached from the last alloy is more than 150 bars.Comment: 9 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1207.354
Simulations of the Poynting--Robertson Cosmic Battery in Resistive Accretion Disks
We describe the results of numerical "2.5--dimensional" MHD simulations of an
initially unmagnetized disk model orbiting a central point--mass and responding
to the continual generation of poloidal magnetic field due to a secular source
that emulates the Poynting--Robertson (PR) drag on electrons in the vicinity of
a luminous stellar or compact accreting object. The fluid in the disk and in
the surrounding hotter atmosphere has finite electrical conductivity and allows
for the magnetic field to diffuse freely out of the areas where it is
generated, while at the same time, the differential rotation of the disk twists
the poloidal field and quickly induces a substantial toroidal--field component.
The secular PR term has dual purpose in these simulations as the source of the
magnetic field and the trigger of a magnetorotational instability (MRI) in the
disk. The MRI is especially mild and does not destroy the disk because a small
amount of resistivity dampens the instability efficiently. In simulations with
moderate resistivities (diffusion timescales up to 16 local dynamical
times) and after 100 orbits, the MRI has managed to transfer outward
substantial amounts of angular momentum and the inner edge of the disk, along
with azimuthal magnetic flux, has flowed toward the central point--mass where a
new, magnetized, nuclear disk has formed. The toroidal field in this nuclear
disk is amplified by differential rotation and it cannot be contained; when it
approaches equipartition, it unwinds vertically and produces episodic jet--like
outflows. The poloidal field in the inner region cannot diffuse back out if the
characteristic diffusion time is of the order of or larger than the dynamical
time; it continues to grow linearly in time undisturbed and without saturation,
as the outer sections of many poloidal loops are being drawn radially outward.Comment: 27 pages, 55 figure
Evidence for Helical Magnetic fields in Kiloparsec-Scale AGN Jets and the Action of a Cosmic Battery
A search for transverse kiloparsec-scale gradients in Faraday rotation-measure (RM) maps of extragalactic radio sources in the literature has yielded 6 AGNs displaying continuous, monotonic RM gradients across their jets, oriented roughly orthogonal to the local jet direction. The most natural interpretation of such transverse RM gradients is that they are caused by the systematic change in the line-of-sight components of helical magnetic fields associated with these jets. All the identified transverse RM gradients increase in the counterclockwise (CCW) direction on the sky relative to the centers of these AGNs. Taken together with the results of Contopoulos et al. who found evidence for a predominance of clockwise (CW) transverse RM gradients across parsec-scale (VLBI) jets, this provides new evidence for preferred orientations of RM gradients due to helical jet magnetic fields, with a reversal from CW in the inner jets to CCW farther from the centers of activity. This can be explained by the "Poynting-Robertson cosmic-battery" mechanism, which can generate helical magnetic fields with a. characteristic "twist," which are expelled with the jet outflows. If the Poynting-Robertson battery mechanism is not operating, an alternative mechanism must be identified, which is able to explain the 'predominance of CW /CCW RM gradients on parsec/kiloparsec scales
Photon redshift and the appearance of a naked singularity
In this paper we analyze the redshift as observed by an external observer
receiving photons which terminate in the past at the naked singularity formed
in a Tolman-Bondi dust collapse. Within the context of models considered here
it is shown that photons emitted from a weak curvature naked singularity are
always finitely redshifted to an external observer. Certain cases of strong
curvature naked singularities, including the self-similar one, where the
photons are infinitely redshifted are also pointed out.Comment: Latex file, 14 pages, no figures, one change in the reference.
Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Galerkin Method in the Gravitational Collapse: a Dynamical System Approach
We study the general dynamics of the spherically symmetric gravitational
collapse of a massless scalar field. We apply the Galerkin projection method to
transform a system of partial differential equations into a set of ordinary
differential equations for modal coefficients, after a convenient truncation
procedure, largely applied to problems of turbulence. In the present case, we
have generated a finite dynamical system that reproduces the essential features
of the dynamics of the gravitational collapse, even for a lower order of
truncation. Each initial condition in the space of modal coefficients
corresponds to a well definite spatial distribution of scalar field. Numerical
experiments with the dynamical system show that depending on the strength of
the scalar field packet, the formation of black-holes or the dispersion of the
scalar field leaving behind flat spacetime are the two main outcomes. We also
found numerical evidence that between both asymptotic states, there is a
critical solution represented by a limit cycle in the modal space with period
.Comment: 9 pages, revtex4, 10 ps figures; Phys. Rev. D, in pres
Null Geodesic Expansion in Spherical Gravitational Collapse
We derive an expression for the expansion of outgoing null geodesics in
spherical dust collapse and compute the limiting value of the expansion in the
approach to singularity formation. An analogous expression is derived for the
spherical collapse of a general form of matter. We argue on the basis of these
results that the covered as well as the naked singularity solutions arising in
spherical dust collapse are stable under small changes in the equation of
state.Comment: 10 pages, Latex File, No figure
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