1,177 research outputs found
Refining Finite-Time Lyapunov Exponent Ridges and the Challenges of Classifying Them
While more rigorous and sophisticated methods for identifying Lagrangian based coherent structures exist, the finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE) field remains a straightforward and popular method for gaining some insight into transport by complex, time-dependent two-dimensional flows. In light of its enduring appeal, and in support of good practice, we begin by investigating the effects of discretization and noise on two numerical approaches for calculating the FTLE field. A practical method to extract and refine FTLE ridges in two-dimensional flows, which builds on previous methods, is then presented. Seeking to better ascertain the role of a FTLE ridge in flow transport, we adapt an existing classification scheme and provide a thorough treatment of the challenges of classifying the types of deformation represented by a FTLE ridge. As a practical demonstration, the methods are applied to an ocean surface velocity field data set generated by a numerical model. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.ONR N000141210665Center for Nonlinear Dynamic
Analytical and numerical analyses of the micromechanics of soft fibrous connective tissues
State of the art research and treatment of biological tissues require
accurate and efficient methods for describing their mechanical properties.
Indeed, micromechanics motivated approaches provide a systematic method for
elevating relevant data from the microscopic level to the macroscopic one. In
this work the mechanical responses of hyperelastic tissues with one and two
families of collagen fibers are analyzed by application of a new variational
estimate accounting for their histology and the behaviors of their
constituents. The resulting, close form expressions, are used to determine the
overall response of the wall of a healthy human coronary artery. To demonstrate
the accuracy of the proposed method these predictions are compared with
corresponding 3-D finite element simulations of a periodic unit cell of the
tissue with two families of fibers. Throughout, the analytical predictions for
the highly nonlinear and anisotropic tissue are in agreement with the numerical
simulations
BaFe_{1.8}Co_{0.2}As_2 thin film hybrid Josephson junctions
Josephson junctions with iron pnictides open the way for fundamental
experiments on superconductivity in these materials and their application in
superconducting devices. Here, we present hybrid Josephson junctions with a
BaFe_{1.8}Co_{0.2}As_2 thin film electrode, an Au barrier and a PbIn counter
electrode. The junctions show RSJ-like current-voltage characteristics up to
the critical temperature of the counter electrode of about 7.2K. The
temperature dependence of the critical current, IC, does not show an
Ambegaokar-Baratoff behavior. Well-pronounced Shapiro steps are observed at
microwave frequencies of 10-18GHz. Assuming an excess current, I_ex, of 200
{\mu}A at 4.2K we get an effective I_C R_N product of 6 {\mu}V.Comment: submitted to Appl. Phys. Let
Influence of the spreading resistance on the conductance spectrum of planar hybrid thin film SNS' junctions based on iron pnictides
To investigate the superconducting properties of iron pnictides we prepared
planar hybrid SNS' junctions in thin film technology with a pnictide base
electrode, a gold barrier layer and a lead counter electrode. Our design allows
characterization of the electrodes and the junction independently in a 4-probe
method. We show how both electrodes influence the measured spectra due to their
spreading resistance. While the Pb electrode has a constant resistance above
its , the contribution of the pnictide electrode is clearly
current-dependent and thus it needs a more advanced method to be corrected. We
present an empirical method, which is simple to apply and allows to deal with
the spreading resistance in our junctions to recalculate the actual conductance
and voltage of one junction at given temperature
Influenced of Fe buffer thickness on the crystalline quality and the transport properties of Fe/Ba(Fe1-xCox)2As2 bilayers
The implementation of an Fe buffer layer is a promising way to obtain
epitaxial growth of Co-doped BaFe2As2 (Ba-122). However, the crystalline
quality and the superconducting properties of Co-doped Ba-122 are influenced by
the Fe buffer layer thickness, dFe. The well-textured growth of the Fe/Ba-122
bilayer with dFe = 15 nm results in a high Jc of 0.45 MAcm at 12 K in
self-field, whereas a low Jc value of 61000 Acm is recorded for the
bilayer with dFe = 4 nm at the corresponding reduced temperature due to the
presence of grain boundaries
Point-contact study of the LuNi2B2C borocarbide superconducting film
We present point-contact (PC) Andreev-reflection measurements of a
superconducting epitaxial c-axis oriented nickel borocarbide film LuNi2B2C
(Tc=15.9 K). The averaged value of the superconducting gap is found to be 2.6
+/-0.2 meV in the one-gap approach, whereas the two-gap approach results in
2.14+/-0.36 meV and 3.0+/-0.27 meV. The better fit of the Andreev-reflection
spectra for the LuNi2B2C - Cu PC obtained by the two-gap approach provides
evidence for multiband superconductivity in LuNi2B2C. For the first time, PC
electron-phonon interaction (EPI) spectra have been measured for this compound.
They demonstrate pronounced phonon maximum at 8.5+/-0.4meV and a second shallow
one at 15.8+/-0.6 meV. The electron-phonon coupling constant estimated from the
PC EPI spectra turned out to be small (~ 0.1), like in other superconducting
rare-earth nickel borocarbides. Possible reasons for this are discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, V2: figs. 2 & 5 captions are corrected, and new
Refs. 4, 6, 12, 13, 14 are adde
Trapping and ground-state cooling of
We demonstrate co-trapping and sideband cooling of a ion
pair in a cryogenic Paul trap. We study the chemical lifetime of and
its dependence on the apparatus temperature, achieving lifetimes of up to
at 10 K. We demonstrate cooling of translational motion to an
average phonon number of 0.07(1), corresponding to a temperature of . Our results provide a basis for quantum logic spectroscopy experiments of
, as well as other light ions such as , , and
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