Statistics of surface gravity wave turbulence in the space and time domains

We present experimental results on simultaneous space–time measurements for the gravity wave turbulence in a large laboratory flume. We compare these results with predictions of the weak turbulence theory (WTT) based on random waves, as well as with predictions based on the coherent singular wave crests. We see that the both wavenumber and frequency spectra are not universal and dependent on the wave strength, with some evidence in favour of the WTT at larger wave intensities when the finite-flume effects are minimal. We present further theoretical analysis of the role of the random and coherent waves in the wave probability density function (p.d.f.) and the structure functions (SFs). Analysing our experimental data we found that the random waves and the coherent structures/breaks coexist: the former show themselves in a quasi-Gaussian p.d.f. core and the low-order SFs and the latter in the p.d.f. tails and the high-order SFs. It appears that the x-space signal is more intermittent than the t-space signal, and the x-space SFs capture more singular coherent structures than the t-space SFs do. We outline an approach treating the interactions of these random and coherent components as a turbulence cycle characterized by the turbulence fluxes in both the wavenumber and the amplitude spaces

Effect of wall surface wettability on collective behavior of hydrogen microbubbles rising along a wall

This paper presents an experimental study of the influence of wall surface wettability on the behavior of hydrogen microbubbles rising along a nearly vertical wall. Multiple optical diagnostics, including particle tracking velocimetry, have been employed for the study. The microbubble behavior observed along three different kinds of wall surfaces (hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and super-hydrophilic) was characterized by the microbubble-wall attachment, bubble size distribution, bubble coalescence, and microbubble layer formation. Microbubbles rising along the wall with poor wettability soon attach to the wall and grow to millimeters in size as a result of bubble coalescence. Such millimeter-sized bubbles detach from the wall because of their increased buoyancy, and eventually enhance transverse diffusion of microbubbles, which is known as the sweep-out effect. In contrast, in the case of very good wettability, almost no microbubbles attach to the wall and smoothly form a thin microbubble layer in the wall proximity. The observed phenomena contradict our intuitive expectation of the effect of surface wettability on gas bubbles, and hence may be regarded as a feature of microbubbles that distinguishes them from large bubbles

Effect of heated wall inclination on natural convection heat transfer in water with near-wall injection of millimeter-sized bubbles

Natural convection heat transfer from a heated wall in water with near-wall injection of millimeter-sized bubbles is studied experimentally. Velocity and temperature measurements are conducted in the nearwall region. In the range of the heated wall angles from 0 to 40 degrees from the vertical, the heat transfer coefficient increases by up to an order of magnitude with bubble injection. The ratio of the heat transfer coefficient with bubble injection to that without injection increases with the wall inclination angle. Based upon measured liquid temperature distributions and liquid flow velocity profiles, enhancement of heat transfer by bubble injection is explained by two mechanisms. First, wall-parallel transport of cold liquid into the thermal boundary layer is enhanced by the bubble-driven flow. Second, wall-normal mixing of warm liquid and cold liquid occurs, as a result of wall-normal velocity fluctuations of the liquid phase activated by a combination of bubble rising motion, vortex shedding from the bubbles, and unsteady vortices formed within the boundary layer. The unsteady vortices travel along the wall together with the bubbles, primarily contributing to the enhancement of heat transfer at higher wall inclination angles

Gravity wave turbulence in a laboratory flume

We present an experimental study of the statistics of surface gravity wave turbulence in a flume of a horizontal size 12×6  m. For a wide range of amplitudes the wave energy spectrum was found to scale as Eω∼ω-ν in a frequency range of up to one decade. However, ν appears to be nonuniversal: it depends on the wave intensity and ranges from about 6 to 4. We discuss our results in the context of existing theories and argue that at low wave amplitudes the wave statistics is affected by the flume finite size, and at high amplitudes the wave breaking effect dominates

A role for descending auditory cortical projections in songbird vocal learning

Many learned motor behaviors are acquired by comparing ongoing behavior with an internal representation of correct performance, rather than using an explicit external reward. For example, juvenile songbirds learn to sing by comparing their song with the memory of a tutor song. At present, the brain regions subserving song evaluation are not known. In this study, we report several findings suggesting that song evaluation involves an avian 'cortical' area previously shown to project to the dopaminergic midbrain and other downstream targets. We find that this ventral portion of the intermediate arcopallium (AIV) receives inputs from auditory cortical areas, and that lesions of AIV result in significant deficits in vocal learning. Additionally, AIV neurons exhibit fast responses to disruptive auditory feedback presented during singing, but not during nonsinging periods. Our findings suggest that auditory cortical areas may guide learning by transmitting song evaluation signals to the dopaminergic midbrain and/or other subcortical targets.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01 MH067105

A galloping energy harvester with flow attachment

Aeroelastic energy harvesters are a promising technology for powering wireless sensors and microelectromechanical systems. In this letter, we present a harvester inspired by the trembling of aspen leaves in barely noticeable winds. The galloping energy harvester, a curved blade oriented perpendicular to the flow, is capable of producing self-sustained oscillations at uncharacteristically low wind speeds. The dynamics of the harvesting system are studied experimentally and compared to a lumped parameter model. Numerical simulations quantitatively describe the experimentally observed dynamic behaviour. Flow visualisation is performed to investigate the patterns generated by the device. Dissimilar to many other galloping harvester designs, the flow is found to be attached at the rear surface of the blade when the blade is close to its zero displacement position, hence acting more closely to aerofoils rather than to conventionally used bluff bodies. Simulations of the device combined with a piezoelectric harvesting mechanism predict higher power output than that of a device with the square prism