Effect of Liquid Surface Turbulent Motion on the Vapor Condensation in a Mixing Tank

The effect of liquid surface motion on the vapor condensation in a tank mixed by an axial turbulent jet is numerically investigated. The average value (over the interface area) of the root-mean-squared (rms) turbulent velocity at the interface is shown to be linearly increasing with decreasing liquid height and increasing jet diameter for a given tank size. The average rms turbulent velocity is incorporated in Brown et al. (1990) condensation correlation to predict the condensation of vapor on a liquid surface. The results are in good agreement with available condensation data

Self-pressurization of a spherical liquid hydrogen storage tank in a microgravity environment

Thermal stratification and self-pressurization of partially filled liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage tanks under microgravity condition is studied theoretically. A spherical tank is subjected to a uniform and constant wall heat flux. It is assumed that a vapor bubble is located in the tank center such that the liquid-vapor interface and tank wall form two concentric spheres. This vapor bubble represents an idealized configuration of a wetting fluid in microgravity conditions. Dimensionless mass and energy conservation equations for both vapor and liquid regions are numerically solved. Coordinate transformation is used to capture the interface location which changes due to liquid thermal expansion, vapor compression, and mass transfer at liquid-vapor interface. The effects of tank size, liquid fill level, and wall heat flux on the pressure rise and thermal stratification are studied. Liquid thermal expansion tends to cause vapor condensation and wall heat flux tends to cause liquid evaporation at the interface. The combined effects determine the direction of mass transfer at the interface. Liquid superheat increases with increasing wall heat flux and liquid fill level and approaches an asymptotic value

Optical selection rules of graphene nanoribbons

Optical selection rules for one-dimensional graphene nanoribbons are analytically studied and clarified based on the tight-binding model. A theoretical explanation, through analyzing the velocity matrix elements and the features of wavefunctions, can account for the selection rules, which depend on the edge structure of nanoribbon, namely armchair or zigzag edges. The selection rule of armchair nanoribbons is \Delta J=0, and the optical transitions occur from the conduction to valence subbands of the same index. Such a selection rule originates in the relationships between two sublattices and between conduction and valence subbands. On the other hand, zigzag nanoribbons exhibit the selection rule |\Delta J|=odd, which results from the alternatively changing symmetry property as the subband index increases. An efficiently theoretical prediction on transition energies is obtained with the application of selection rules. Furthermore, the energies of band edge states become experimentally attainable via optical measurements

Numerical modeling of a table-top tunable Smith-Purcell Terahertz free-electron laser operating in the super-radiant regime

Terahertz (THz) radiation occupies a very large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and has generated much recent interest due to its ability to penetrate deep into many organic materials without the damage associated with ionizing radiation such as x-rays. One path for generating copious amount of tunable narrow-band THz radiation is based on the Smith-Purcell free-electron laser (SPFEL) effect. In this Letter we propose a simple concept for a compact two-stage tunable SPFEL operating in the superradiant regime capable of radiating at the grating's fundamental bunching frequency. We demonstrate its capabilities and performances via computer simulation using the conformal finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic solver {\sc vorpal}.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Applied Physics Letter

Toward a Deterministic Model of Planetary Formation VII: Eccentricity Distribution of Gas Giants

The ubiquity of planets and diversity of planetary systems reveal planet formation encompass many complex and competing processes. In this series of papers, we develop and upgrade a population synthesis model as a tool to identify the dominant physical effects and to calibrate the range of physical conditions. Recent planet searches leads to the discovery of many multiple-planet systems. Any theoretical models of their origins must take into account dynamical interaction between emerging protoplanets. Here, we introduce a prescription to approximate the close encounters between multiple planets. We apply this method to simulate the growth, migration, and dynamical interaction of planetary systems. Our models show that in relatively massive disks, several gas giants and rocky/icy planets emerge, migrate, and undergo dynamical instability. Secular perturbation between planets leads to orbital crossings, eccentricity excitation, and planetary ejection. In disks with modest masses, two or less gas giants form with multiple super-Earths. Orbital stability in these systems is generally maintained and they retain the kinematic structure after gas in their natal disks is depleted. These results reproduce the observed planetary mass-eccentricity and semimajor axis-eccentricity correlations. They also suggest that emerging gas giants can scatter residual cores to the outer disk regions. Subsequent in situ gas accretion onto these cores can lead to the formation of distant (> 30AU) gas giants with nearly circular orbits.Comment: 54 pages, 14 Figures; accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

Partonic Effects in Heavy Ion Collisions at RHIC

Effects of partonic interactions in heavy ion collisions at RHIC are studied in a multiphase transport model (AMPT) that includes both initial partonic and final hadronic interactions.It is found that a large parton scattering cross section is needed to understand the measured elliptic flow of pions and two-pion correlation function.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, Workshop on Quark and Hadron Dynamics, Budapest, Hungary, March 3-7, 200