Fractional dynamics in the L\'evy quantum kicked rotor

We investigate the quantum kicked rotor in resonance subjected to momentum measurements with a L\'evy waiting time distribution. We find that the system has a sub-ballistic behavior. We obtain an analytical expression for the exponent of the power law of the variance as a function of the characteristic parameter of the L\'evy distribution and connect this anomalous diffusion with a fractional dynamics

The sentiment analysis of tweets as a new tool to measure public perception of male erectile and ejaculatory dysfunctions

Twitter is a social network based on "tweets," short messages of up to 280 characters. Social media has been investigated in health care research to ascertain positive or negative feelings associated with several conditions but never in sexual medicin

Decoherent quantum walks driven by a generic coin operation

We consider the effect of different unitary noise mechanisms on the evolution of a quantum walk (QW) on a linear chain with a generic coin operation: (i) bit-flip channel noise, restricted to the coin subspace of the QW, and (ii) topological noise caused by randomly broken links in the linear chain. Similarities and differences in the respective decoherent dynamics of the walker as a function of the probability per unit time of a decoherent event taking place are discussed

Effect of current corrugations on the stability of the tearing mode

The generation of zonal magnetic fields in laboratory fusion plasmas is predicted by theoretical and numerical models and was recently observed experimentally. It is shown that the modification of the current density gradient associated with such corrugations can significantly affect the stability of the tearing mode. A simple scaling law is derived that predicts the impact of small stationary current corrugations on the stability parameter $\Delta'$. The described destabilization mechanism can provide an explanation for the trigger of the Neoclassical Tearing Mode (NTM) in plasmas without significant MHD activity.Comment: Accepted to Physics of Plasma

Computational and experimental investigation of mixing in microchannels

This paper was presented at the 2nd Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2009), which was held at Brunel University, West London, UK. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, IPEM, the Italian Union of Thermofluid dynamics, the Process Intensification Network, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group and the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications.Mixing is a key process for the successful of all chemical or biochemical reactions, so effective micromixers represent essential components for micro total analysis systems (μTAS) or lab-on-a-chip. In the present study a combined computational and experimental approach was adopted to evaluate how the efficiency of a Y-mixer can be enhanced by modifying its downstream geometry. Three different geometries were studied and compared: Y-straight channel, Y-sine channel and Y-wrinkled wall channel. For each of them the influence of perfusing flow rates and channel cross section aspect ratio was investigated. Physical prototypes were built using a simple technique based on a xerographic process, and their mixing performance was experimentally evaluated. Computational models of the designed micromixers were generated: the Navier-Stokes equations for an incompressible Newtonian fluid and the advection-diffusion equation were solved with an uncoupled approach by means of the finite volume method. The computational and experimental results were critically compared, revealing Y-wrinkled wall mixer as the best performer among those considered and suggesting criteria of possible improvements and optimization

Tsunami excitation by inland/coastal earthquakes: the Green function approach

International audienceIn the framework of the linear theory, the representation theorem is derived for an incompressible liquid layer with a boundary of arbitrary shape and in a homogeneous gravity field. In addition, the asymptotic representation for the Green function, in a layer of constant thickness is obtained. The validity of the approach for the calculation of the tsunami wavefield based on the Green function technique is verified comparing the results with those obtained from the modal theory, for a liquid layer of infinite horizontal dimensions. The Green function approach is preferable for the estimation of the excitation spectra, since in the case of an infinite liquid layer it leads to simple analytical expressions. From this analysis it is easy to describe the peculiarities of tsunami excitation by different sources. The method is extended to the excitation of tsunami in a semiinfinite layer with a sloping boundary. Numerical modelling of the tsunami wavefield, excited by point sources at different distances from the coastline, shows that when the source is located at a distance from the coastline equal or larger than the source depth, the shore presence does not affect the excitation of the tsunami. When the source is moved towards thecoastline, the low frequency content in the excitation spectrum ecreases, while the high frequencies content increases dramatically. The maximum of the excitation spectra from inland sources, located at a distance from the shore like the source depth, becomes less than 10% of that radiated if the same source is located in the open ocean. The effect of the finiteness of the source is also studied and the excitation spectrum is obtained by integration over the fault area. Numerical modelling of the excitation spectra for different source models shows that, for a given seismic moment, the spectral level, as well as the maximum value of the spectra, decreases with increasing fault size. When the sources are located in the vicinity of a shore, the synthetic mareograms calculated at distances greater than the source depth show that the maximum tsunami amplitude decays with decreasing source-to-shore distance. The rate of decay is dependent on the dip, length and depth of the fault. The tsunami intensity, defined as maximum peak-to-peak amplitude, decays with the inland distance of the source from the coast. At an inland distance equal to the source depth, it becomes 4?5 times less than that from a source in the open ocean. If the source is located under the coastline, the intensity of tsunami is approximately the same as for oceanic sources

Overview of the JET results

Since the installation of an ITER-like wall, the JET programme has focused on the consolidation of ITER design choices and the preparation for ITER operation, with a specific emphasis given to the bulk tungsten melt experiment, which has been crucial for the final decision on the material choice for the day-one tungsten divertor in ITER. Integrated scenarios have been progressed with the re-establishment of long-pulse, high-confinement H-modes by optimizing the magnetic configuration and the use of ICRH to avoid tungsten impurity accumulation. Stationary discharges with detached divertor conditions and small edge localized modes have been demonstrated by nitrogen seeding. The differences in confinement and pedestal behaviour before and after the ITER-like wall installation have been better characterized towards the development of high fusion yield scenarios in DT. Post-mortem analyses of the plasma-facing components have confirmed the previously reported low fuel retention obtained by gas balance and shown that the pattern of deposition within the divertor has changed significantly with respect to the JET carbon wall campaigns due to the absence of thermally activated chemical erosion of beryllium in contrast to carbon. Transport to remote areas is almost absent and two orders of magnitude less material is found in the divertor

Dynamical Localization in Quasi-Periodic Driven Systems

We investigate how the time dependence of the Hamiltonian determines the occurrence of Dynamical Localization (DL) in driven quantum systems with two incommensurate frequencies. If both frequencies are associated to impulsive terms, DL is permanently destroyed. In this case, we show that the evolution is similar to a decoherent case. On the other hand, if both frequencies are associated to smooth driving functions, DL persists although on a time scale longer than in the periodic case. When the driving function consists of a series of pulses of duration $\sigma$, we show that the localization time increases as $\sigma^{-2}$ as the impulsive limit, $\sigma\to 0$, is approached. In the intermediate case, in which only one of the frequencies is associated to an impulsive term in the Hamiltonian, a transition from a localized to a delocalized dynamics takes place at a certain critical value of the strength parameter. We provide an estimate for this critical value, based on analytical considerations. We show how, in all cases, the frequency spectrum of the dynamical response can be used to understand the global features of the motion. All results are numerically checked.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures included. In this version is that Subsection III.B and Appendix A on the quasiperiodic Fermi Accelerator has been replaced by a reference to published wor