Helical structure of longitudinal vortices embedded in turbulent wall-bounded flow

Embedded vortices in turbulent wall-bounded flow over a flat plate, generated by a passive rectangular vane-type vortex generator with variable angle $\beta$ to the incoming flow in a low-Reynolds number flow ($Re=2600$ based on the inlet grid mesh size $L=0.039\;$m and free stream velocity $U_{\infty} = 1.0\;$m s$^{-1}$) have been studied with respect to helical symmetry. The studies were carried out in a low-speed closed-circuit wind tunnel utilizing Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry (SPIV). The vortices have been shown to possess helical symmetry, allowing the flow to be described in a simple fashion. Iso-contour maps of axial vorticity revealed a dominant primary vortex and a weaker secondary one for $20^{\circ} \leq \beta \leq 40^{\circ}$. For angles outside of this range, the helical symmetry was impaired due to the emergence of additional flow effects. A model describing the flow has been utilized, showing strong concurrence with the measurements, even though the model is decoupled from external flow processes that could perturb the helical symmetry. The pitch, vortex core size, circulation and the advection velocity of the vortex all vary linearly with the device angle $\beta$. This is important for flow control, since one thereby can determine the axial velocity induced by the helical vortex as well as the swirl redistributing the axial velocity component for a given device angle $\beta$. This also simplifies theoretical studies, \eg to understand and predict the stability of the vortex and to model the flow numerically

Message passing for vertex covers

Constructing a minimal vertex cover of a graph can be seen as a prototype for a combinatorial optimization problem under hard constraints. In this paper, we develop and analyze message passing techniques, namely warning and survey propagation, which serve as efficient heuristic algorithms for solving these computational hard problems. We show also, how previously obtained results on the typical-case behavior of vertex covers of random graphs can be recovered starting from the message passing equations, and how they can be extended.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures - version accepted for publication in PR

Intersubband Electron Interaction in 1D-2D Junctions

We have shown that the electron transport through junctions of one-dimensional and two-dimensional systems, as well as through quantum point contacts, is considerably affected by the interaction of electrons of different subbands. The interaction mechanism is caused by Friedel oscillations, which are produced by electrons of the closed subbands even in smooth junctions. Because of the interaction with these oscillations, electrons of the open subbands experience a backscattering. The electron reflection coefficient, which describes the backscattering, has a sharp peak at the energy equal to the Fermi energy and may be as high as about 0.1. This result allows one to explain a number of available experimental facts.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

A hard-sphere model on generalized Bethe lattices: Statics

We analyze the phase diagram of a model of hard spheres of chemical radius one, which is defined over a generalized Bethe lattice containing short loops. We find a liquid, two different crystalline, a glassy and an unusual crystalline glassy phase. Special attention is also paid to the close-packing limit in the glassy phase. All analytical results are cross-checked by numerical Monte-Carlo simulations.Comment: 24 pages, revised versio

Validation of a model for estimating the strength of the vortex created by a Vortex Generator from its Bound Circulation

A hypothesis is tested and validated for predicting the vortex strength induced by a vortex generator in wall-bounded flow by combining the knowledge of the Vortex Generator (VG) geometry and the approaching boundary layer velocity distribution. In this paper, the spanwise distribution of bound circulation on the vortex generator is computed from integrating the pressure force along the VG height calculated using CFD. It is then assumed that all this bound circulation is shed into the wake to fulfill Helmholtz's theorem and then curl up into one primary tip vortex. To validate this, the trailed circulation estimated from the distribution of the bound circulation is compared to the one in the wake behind the vortex generator determined directly from the wake velocities at some downstream distance. In practical situations, the pressure distribution on the vane is unknown and consequently other estimates of the spanwise force distribution on the VG must instead be applied, such as using 2D airfoil data corresponding to the VG geometry at each wall-normal distance. Such models have previously been proposed and used as an engineering tool to aid preliminary VG design and it is not the purpose of this paper to refine such engineering models, but to validate their assumptions such as applying a lifting line model on a VG that has a very low aspect ratio and placed in wall boundary layer. Herein, high Reynolds number boundary layer measurements of VG induced flow were used to validate the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) modeled circulation results and are used for further illustration and validation of the hypothesis.Comment: Accepted for publicatio

Dynamical models for sand ripples beneath surface waves

We introduce order parameter models for describing the dynamics of sand ripple patterns under oscillatory flow. A crucial ingredient of these models is the mass transport between adjacent ripples, which we obtain from detailed numerical simulations for a range of ripple sizes. Using this mass transport function, our models predict the existence of a stable band of wavenumbers limited by secondary instabilities. Small ripples coarsen in our models and this process leads to a sharply selected final wavenumber, in agreement with experimental observations.Comment: 9 pages. Shortened version of previous submissio

Ownership and control in a competitive industry

We study a differentiated product market in which an investor initially owns a controlling stake in one of two competing firms and may acquire a non-controlling or a controlling stake in a competitor, either directly using her own assets, or indirectly via the controlled firm. While industry profits are maximized within a symmetric two product monopoly, the investor attains this only in exceptional cases. Instead, she sometimes acquires a noncontrolling stake. Or she invests asymmetrically rather than pursuing a full takeover if she acquires a controlling one. Generally, she invests indirectly if she only wants to affect the product market outcome, and directly if acquiring shares is profitable per se. --differentiated products,separation of ownership and control,private benefits of control

Flat galaxies with dark matter halos - existence and stability

We consider a model for a flat, disk-like galaxy surrounded by a halo of dark matter, namely a Vlasov-Poisson type system with two particle species, the stars which are restricted to the galactic plane and the dark matter particles. These constituents interact only through the gravitational potential which stars and dark matter create collectively. Using a variational approach we prove the existence of steady state solutions and their nonlinear stability under suitably restricted perturbations.Comment: 39 page

Strange Meson Enhancement in PbPb Collisions

The NA44 Collaboration has measured yields and differential distributions of K+, K-, pi+, pi- in transverse kinetic energy and rapidity, around the center-of-mass rapidity in 158 A GeV/c Pb+Pb collisions at the CERN SPS. A considerable enhancement of K+ production per pi is observed, as compared to p+p collisions at this energy. To illustrate the importance of secondary hadron rescattering as an enhancement mechanism, we compare strangeness production at the SPS and AGS with predictions of the transport model RQMD.Comment: 11 pages, including 4 figures, LATE