Nucleus-Electron Model for States Changing from a Liquid Metal to a Plasma and the Saha Equation

We extend the quantal hypernetted-chain (QHNC) method, which has been proved to yield accurate results for liquid metals, to treat a partially ionized plasma. In a plasma, the electrons change from a quantum to a classical fluid gradually with increasing temperature; the QHNC method applied to the electron gas is in fact able to provide the electron-electron correlation at arbitrary temperature. As an illustrating example of this approach, we investigate how liquid rubidium becomes a plasma by increasing the temperature from 0 to 30 eV at a fixed normal ion-density $1.03 \times 10^{22}/cm^3$. The electron-ion radial distribution function (RDF) in liquid Rb has distinct inner-core and outer-core parts. Even at a temperature of 1 eV, this clear distinction remains as a characteristic of a liquid metal. At a temperature of 3 eV, this distinction disappears, and rubidium becomes a plasma with the ionization 1.21. The temperature variations of bound levels in each ion and the average ionization are calculated in Rb plasmas at the same time. Using the density-functional theory, we also derive the Saha equation applicable even to a high-density plasma at low temperatures. The QHNC method provides a procedure to solve this Saha equation with ease by using a recursive formula; the charge population of differently ionized species are obtained in Rb plasmas at several temperatures. In this way, it is shown that, with the atomic number as the only input, the QHNC method produces the average ionization, the electron-ion and ion-ion RDF's, and the charge population which are consistent with the atomic structure of each ion for a partially ionized plasma.Comment: 28 pages(TeX) and 11 figures (PS

Negative Electron-electron Drag Between Narrow Quantum Hall Channels

Momentum transfer due to Coulomb interaction between two parallel, two-dimensional, narrow, and spatially separated layers, when a current I_{drive} is driven through one layer, is studied in the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field B. The current induced in the drag layer, I_{drag}, is evaluated self-consistently with I_{drive} as a parameter. I_{drag} can be positive or negative depending on the value of the filling factor \nu of the highest occupied bulk Landau level (LL). For a fully occupied LL, I_{drag} is negative, i.e., it flows opposite to I_{drive}, whereas it is positive for a half-filled LL. When the circuit is opened in the drag layer, a voltage \Delta V_{drag} develops in it; it is negative for a half-filled LL and positive for a fully occupied LL. This positive \Delta V_{drag}, expressing a negative Coulomb drag, results from energetically favored near-edge inter-LL transitions that occur when the highest occupied bulk LL and the LL just above it become degenerate.Comment: Text file in Latex/Revtex/preprint format, 7 separate PS figures, Physical Review B, in pres

Analytic structure factors and pair-correlation functions for the unpolarized homogeneous electron gas

We propose a simple and accurate model for the electron static structure factors (and corresponding pair-correlation functions) of the 3D unpolarized homogeneous electron gas. Our spin-resolved pair-correlation function is built up with a combination of analytic constraints and fitting procedures to quantum Monte Carlo data, and, in comparison to previous attempts (i) fulfills more known integral and differential properties of the exact pair-correlation function, (ii) is analytic both in real and in reciprocal space, and (iii) accurately interpolates the newest, extensive diffusion-Monte Carlo data of Ortiz, Harris and Ballone [Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 5317 (1999)]. This can be of interest for the study of electron correlations of real materials and for the construction of new exchange and correlation energy density functionals.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Experimental study of dense pyroclastic density currents using sustained, gas-fluidized granular flows

© 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. We present the results of laboratory experiments on the behaviour of sustained, dense granular flows in a horizontal flume, in which high-gas pore pressure was maintained throughout the flow duration by continuous injection of gas through the flume base. The flows were fed by a sustained (0.5–30 s) supply of fine (75 ± 15 μm) particles from a hopper; the falling particles impacted an impingement surface at concentrations of ~3 to 45 %, where they densified rapidly to generate horizontally moving, dense granular flows. When the gas supplied through the flume base was below the minimum fluidization velocity of the particles (i.e. aerated flow conditions), three flow phases were identified: (i) an initial dilute spray of particles travelling at 1–2 m s−1, followed by (ii) a dense granular flow travelling at 0.5–1 m s−1, then by (iii) sustained aggradation of the deposit by a prolonged succession of thin flow pulses. The maximum runout of the phase 2 flow was linearly dependent on the initial mass flux, and the frontal velocity had a square-root dependence on mass flux. The frontal propagation speed during phase 3 had a linear relationship with mass flux. The total mass of particles released had no significant control on either flow velocity or runout in any of the phases. High-frequency flow unsteadiness during phase 3 generated deposit architectures with progradational and retrogradational packages and multiple internal erosive contacts. When the gas supplied through the flume base was equal to the minimum fluidization velocity of the particles (i.e. fluidized flow conditions), the flows remained within phase 2 for their entire runout, no deposit formed and the particles ran off the end of the flume. Sustained granular flows differ significantly from instantaneous flows generated by lock-exchange mechanisms, in that the sustained flows generate (by prolonged progressive aggradation) deposits that are much thicker than the flowing layer of particles at any given moment. The experiments offer a first attempt to investigate the physics of the sustained pyroclastic flows that generate thick, voluminous ignimbrites

A One-Dimensional (1-D) Three-Region Model for a Bubbling Fluidized-Bed Adsorber

A general one-dimensional (1-D), three-region model for a bubbling fluidized-bed adsorber with internal heat exchangers has been developed. The model can predict the hydrodynamics of the bed and provides axial profiles for all temperatures, concentrations, and velocities. The model is computationally fast and flexible and allows for any system of adsorption and desorption reactions to be modeled, making the model applicable to any adsorption process. The model has been implemented in both gPROMS and Aspen Custom Modeler, and the behavior of the model has been verified

Conservação de café torrado e moído durante o armazenamento. Parte 2: Massa específica e porosidade

The determination of physical properties is an important factor in the design of machinery and the scaling of post-harvest operations. The present study evaluates the influence of the level of roasting and the size of grinding on the physical properties of coffee during storage. The following physical properties were evaluated: true and bulk density, and intergranular porosity. Raw coffee beans (Coffea canephora and Coffea arabica), hulled and dried, were roasted to two different levels: medium light (SCAA#65) and moderately dark (SCAA#45). The beans were then grinded into three different sizes: fine (0.59 mm), medium (0.84 mm) and coarse (1.19 mm). An additional coffee lot was kept whole. Following grinding, samples were stored at two different temperatures (10 and 30 ºC) and analyzed after five different storage durations (0, 30, 60, 120 and 180 days). The medium light roast had higher values for each of the measured physical properties. Finely ground samples had higher true and bulk densities, and porosities. It is concluded that the size of grinding, level of roasting and duration of storage significantly affect the physical properties of coffee.A determinação das propriedades físicas é fator importante na formulação de projetos de maquinários e dimensionamento de operações pós-colheita. De forma a permitir o dimensionamento correto e o uso desses maquinários, objetivou-se avaliar e determinar, durante o armazenamento, as propriedades físicas: massa específica unitária e aparente e porosidade intergranular, além de avaliar a influência dos níveis de torrefação e moagem sobre essas propriedades. Grãos de café cru (Coffea canephora e Coffea arabica) foram utilizados, descascados e secados e só então torrados em dois níveis: média clara (SCAA#65) e moderadamente escura (SCAA#45). Os grãos foram moídos em três granulometrias: fina (0,59 mm), média (0,84 mm) e grossa (1,19 mm), além do lote de café inteiro. Realizada a moagem as amostras foram armazenadas em duas temperaturas (10 e 30 ºC) e analisadas em cinco tempos distintos de armazenamento (0, 30, 60, 120 e 180 dias). A torra média clara permitiu maiores valores das propriedades físicas; já as amostras de granulometria fina apresentaram aumento das massas específica unitária e aparente e porosidade. Conclui-se que a granulometria, o nível de torrefação e o tempo de armazenamento, afetaram as propriedades físicas do café.National Council for Scientificand Technological Development/[CNPq nº 14/2012]/CNPq/BrasilUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Centro para Investigaciones en Granos y Semillas (CIGRAS