1,208 research outputs found
An Eulerian Approach to the Analysis of Krause's Consensus Models
Abstract. In this paper we analyze a class of multi-agent consensus dynamical systems inspired by Krauseâs original model. As in Krauseâs, the basic assumption is the so-called bounded confidence: two agents can influence each other only when their state values are below a given distance threshold R. We study the system under an Eulerian point of view considering (possibly continuous) probability distributions of agents and we present original convergence results. The limit distribution is always necessarily a convex combination of delta functions at least R far apart from each other: in other terms these models are locally aggregating. The Eulerian perspective provides the natural framework for designing a numerical algorithm, by which we obtain several simulations in 1 and 2 dimensions
A Comparison of Measured Crab and Vela Glitch Healing Parameters with Predictions of Neutron Star Models
There are currently two well-accepted models that explain how pulsars exhibit
glitches, sudden changes in their regular rotational spin-down. According to
the starquake model, the glitch healing parameter, Q, which is measurable in
some cases from pulsar timing, should be equal to the ratio of the moment of
inertia of the superfluid core of a neutron star (NS) to its total moment of
inertia. Measured values of the healing parameter from pulsar glitches can
therefore be used in combination with realistic NS structure models as one test
of the feasibility of the starquake model as a glitch mechanism. We have
constructed NS models using seven representative equations of state of
superdense matter to test whether starquakes can account for glitches observed
in the Crab and Vela pulsars, for which the most extensive and accurate glitch
data are available. We also present a compilation of all measured values of Q
for Crab and Vela glitches to date which have been separately published in the
literature. We have computed the fractional core moment of inertia for stellar
models covering a range of NS masses and find that for stable NSs in the
realistic mass range 1.4 +/- 0.2 solar masses, the fraction is greater than
0.55 in all cases. This range is not consistent with the observational
restriction Q < 0.2 for Vela if starquakes are the cause of its glitches. This
confirms results of previous studies of the Vela pulsar which have suggested
that starquakes are not a feasible mechanism for Vela glitches. The much larger
values of Q observed for Crab glitches (Q > 0.7) are consistent with the
starquake model predictions and support previous conclusions that starquakes
can be the cause of Crab glitches.Comment: 8 pages, including 3 figures and 1 table. Accepted for publication in
Ap
Planetary landing: modelling and control of the propulsion descent
In the propulsive phase, after parachute release, of planetary landing like Mars or Moon, horizontal motion is obtained by tilting the axial thrust, so that it aligns either to the negative velocity vector (gravity turn) or to the requested acceleration vector. The latter strategy is assumed here, as it allows pinpoint landing. As such, tilt angles (pitch and yaw) become proportional to the horizontal acceleration. Instead of designing a hierarchical guidance and control in which horizontal acceleration becomes the attitude control target, a unique control system can be designed based on the fourth order dynamics from angular acceleration to position. The paper shows that the combined dynamics can be (quasi) input-state linearized except the nonlinear factor of the tilt angles (the axial thrust imposed by vertical braking). The paper shows that control design around the reference trajectory (tilt and position) given by the guidance can exploit the quasi linearization, but tracking error stability must be proved in presence of a not stabilizable external disturbance. The paper is restricted to closed-loop control strategies, and their effectiveness is proved through Monte Carlo simulations
Flow pattern transition accompanied with sudden growth of flow resistance in two-dimensional curvilinear viscoelastic flows
We find three types of steady solutions and remarkable flow pattern
transitions between them in a two-dimensional wavy-walled channel for low to
moderate Reynolds (Re) and Weissenberg (Wi) numbers using direct numerical
simulations with spectral element method. The solutions are called
"convective", "transition", and "elastic" in ascending order of Wi. In the
convective region in the Re-Wi parameter space, the convective effect and the
pressure gradient balance on average. As Wi increases, the elastic effect
becomes suddenly comparable and the first transition sets in. Through the
transition, a separation vortex disappears and a jet flow induced close to the
wall by the viscoelasticity moves into the bulk; The viscous drag significantly
drops and the elastic wall friction rises sharply. This transition is caused by
an elastic force in the streamwise direction due to the competition of the
convective and elastic effects. In the transition region, the convective and
elastic effects balance. When the elastic effect dominates the convective
effect, the second transition occurs but it is relatively moderate. The second
one seems to be governed by so-called Weissenberg effect. These transitions are
not sensitive to driving forces. By the scaling analysis, it is shown that the
stress component is proportional to the Reynolds number on the boundary of the
first transition in the Re-Wi space. This scaling coincides well with the
numerical result.Comment: 33pages, 23figures, submitted to Physical Review
Numerical simulations of two dimensional magnetic domain patterns
I show that a model for the interaction of magnetic domains that includes a
short range ferromagnetic and a long range dipolar anti-ferromagnetic
interaction reproduces very well many characteristic features of
two-dimensional magnetic domain patterns. In particular bubble and stripe
phases are obtained, along with polygonal and labyrinthine morphologies. In
addition, two puzzling phenomena, namely the so called `memory effect' and the
`topological melting' observed experimentally are also qualitatively described.
Very similar phenomenology is found in the case in which the model is changed
to be represented by the Swift-Hohenberg equation driven by an external
orienting field.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. Version to appear in Phys. Rev.
Uncertainties of Synthetic Integrated Colors as Age Indicators
We investigate the uncertainties in the synthetic integrated colors of simple
stellar populations. Three types of uncertainties are from the stellar models,
the population synthesis techniques, and from the spectral libraries. Despite
some skepticism, synthetic colors appear to be reliable age indicators when
used for select age ranges. Rest-frame optical colors are good age indicators
at ages 2 -- 7Gyr. At ages sufficiently large to produce hot HB stars, the
UV-to-optical colors provide an alternative means for measuring ages. This UV
technique may break the age-metallicity degeneracy because it separates old
populations from young ones even in the lack of metallicity information. One
can use such techniques on extragalactic globular clusters and perhaps even for
high redshift galaxies that are passively evolving to study galaxy evolution
history.Comment: 38 pages, 21 figures, LaTex, 2003, ApJ, 582 (Jan 1), in pres
Damping of Electron Density Structures and Implications for Interstellar Scintillation
The forms of electron density structures in kinetic Alfven wave turbulence
are studied in connection with scintillation. The focus is on small scales cm where the Kinetic Alfv\'en wave (KAW) regime is active in
the interstellar medium. MHD turbulence converts to a KAW cascade, starting at
10 times the ion gyroradius and continuing to smaller scales. These scales are
inferred to dominate scintillation in the theory of Boldyrev et al. From
numerical solutions of a decaying kinetic Alfv\'en wave turbulence model,
structure morphology reveals two types of localized structures, filaments and
sheets, and shows that they arise in different regimes of resistive and
diffusive damping. Minimal resistive damping yields localized current filaments
that form out of Gaussian-distributed initial conditions. When resistive
damping is large relative to diffusive damping, sheet-like structures form. In
the filamentary regime, each filament is associated with a non-localized
magnetic and density structure, circularly symmetric in cross section. Density
and magnetic fields have Gaussian statistics (as inferred from Gaussian-valued
kurtosis) while density gradients are strongly non-Gaussian, more so than
current. This enhancement of non-Gaussian statistics in a derivative field is
expected since gradient operations enhance small-scale fluctuations. The
enhancement of density gradient kurtosis over current kurtosis is not obvious,
yet it suggests that modest fluctuation levels in electron density may yield
large scintillation events during pulsar signal propagation in the interstellar
medium. In the sheet regime the same statistical observations hold, despite the
absence of localized filamentary structures. Probability density functions are
constructed from statistical ensembles in both regimes, showing clear formation
of long, highly non-Gaussian tails
Numerical Evolution of axisymmetric vacuum spacetimes: a code based on the Galerkin method
We present the first numerical code based on the Galerkin and Collocation
methods to integrate the field equations of the Bondi problem. The Galerkin
method like all spectral methods provide high accuracy with moderate
computational effort. Several numerical tests were performed to verify the
issues of convergence, stability and accuracy with promising results. This code
opens up several possibilities of applications in more general scenarios for
studying the evolution of spacetimes with gravitational waves.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. To appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit
Direct numerical simulations of statistically steady, homogeneous, isotropic fluid turbulence with polymer additives
We carry out a direct numerical simulation (DNS) study that reveals the
effects of polymers on statistically steady, forced, homogeneous, isotropic
fluid turbulence. We find clear manifestations of dissipation-reduction
phenomena: On the addition of polymers to the turbulent fluid, we obtain a
reduction in the energy dissipation rate, a significant modification of the
fluid energy spectrum, especially in the deep-dissipation range, a suppression
of small-scale intermittency, and a decrease in small-scale vorticity
filaments. We also compare our results with recent experiments and earlier DNS
studies of decaying fluid turbulence with polymer additives.Comment: consistent with the published versio
Tunneling mediated by conical waves in a 1D lattice
The nonlinear propagation of 3D wave-packets in a 1D Bragg-induced band-gap
system, shows that tranverse effects (free space diffraction) affect the
interplay of periodicity and nonlinearity, leading to the spontaneous formation
of fast and slow conical localized waves. Such excitation corresponds to
enhanced nonlinear transmission (tunneling) in the gap, with peculiar features
which differ on the two edges of the band-gap, as dictated by the full
dispersion relationship of the localized waves.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure
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