2,360 research outputs found
Experimental velocity fields and forces for a cylinder penetrating into a granular medium
We present here a detailed granular flow characterization together with force
measurements for the quasi-bidimensional situation of a horizontal cylinder
penetrating vertically at a constant velocity in dry granular matter between
two parallel glass walls. In the velocity range studied here, the drag force on
the cylinder does not depend on the velocity V_0 and is mainly proportional to
the cylinder diameter d. Whereas the force on the cylinder increases with its
penetration depth, the granular velocity profile around the cylinder is found
stationary with fluctuations around a mean value leading to the granular
temperature profile. Both mean velocity profile and temperature profile exhibit
strong localization near the cylinder. The mean flow perturbation induced by
the cylinder decreases exponentially away from the cylinder on a characteristic
length \lambda, that is mainly governed by the cylinder diameter for large
enough cylinder/grain size ratio d/d_g: \lambda ~ d/4 + 2d_g. The granular
temperature exhibits a constant plateau value T_0 in a thin layer close to the
cylinder of extension \delta_{T_0} ~ \lambda/2 and decays exponentially far
away with a characteristic length \lambda_T of a few grain diameters (\lambda_T
~ 3d_g). The granular temperature plateau T_0 that scales as (V_0^2 d_g/d) is
created by the flow itself from the balance between the "granular heat"
production by the shear rate V_0/\lambda over \delta_{T_0} close to the
cylinder and the granular dissipation far away
Accretion of a satellite onto a spherical galaxy. II. Binary evolution and orbital decay
We study the dynamical evolution of a satellite orbiting outside of a
companion spherical galaxy. The satellite is subject to a back-reaction force
resulting from the density fluctuations excited in the primary stellar system.
We evaluate this force using the linear response theory developed in Colpi and
Pallavicini (1997). The force is computed in the reference frame comoving with
the primary galaxy and is expanded in multipoles. To capture the relevant
features of the physical process determining the evolution of the detached
binary, we introduce in the Hamiltonian the harmonic potential as interaction
potential among stars. The dynamics of the satellite is computed
self-consistently. We determine the conditions for tidal capture of a satellite
from an asymptotic free state. If the binary comes to existence as a bound
pair, stability against orbital decay is lost near resonance. The time scale of
binary coalescence is computed as a function of the eccentricity and mass
ratio. In a comparison with Weinberg's perturbative technique we demonstrate
that pinning the center of mass of the galaxy would induce a much larger torque
on the satellite.Comment: 13 pages, Tex,+ 10 .ps figures Submitted to The Astrophysical Journa
Dynamical friction and the evolution of satellites in virialized halos: the theory of linear response
The evolution of a small satellite inside a more massive truncated isothermal
spherical halo is studied using both the Theory of Linear Response for
dynamical friction and N-Body simulations. The analytical approach includes the
effects of the gravitational wake, of the tidal deformation and the shift of
the barycenter of the primary, so unifying the local versus global
interpretation of dynamical friction. Sizes, masses, orbital energies and
eccentricities are chosen as expected in hierarchical clustering models. We
find that in general the drag force in self-gravitating backgrounds is weaker
than in uniform media and that the orbital decay is not accompanied by a
significant circularization. We also show that the dynamical friction time
scale is weakly dependent on the initial circularity. We provide a fitting
formula for the decay time that includes the effect of mass and angular
momentum loss. Live satellites with dense cores can survive disruption up to an
Hubble time within the primary, notwithstanding the initial choice of orbital
parameters. Dwarf spheroidal satellites of the Milky Way, like Sagittarius A
and Fornax, have already suffered mass stripping and, with their present
masses, the sinking times exceed 10 Gyr even if they are on very eccentric
orbits.Comment: 27 pages including 9 figures. Accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journal. Part 2, issue November 10 1999, Volume 52
Rheology of Granular Rafts
Rheology of macroscopic particle-laden interfaces, called "Granular Rafts"
has been experimentally studied, in the simple shear configuration. The
shear-stress relation obtained from a classical rheometer exhibits the same
behavior as a Bingham fluid and the viscosity diverges with the surface
fraction according to evolutions similar to 2D suspensions. The velocity field
of the particles that constitute the granular raft has been measured in the
stationary state. These measurements reveal non-local rheology similar to dry
granular materials. Close to the walls of the rheometer cell, one can observe
regions of large local shear rate while in the middle of the cell a quasistatic
zone exists. This flowing region, characteristic of granular matter, is
described in the framework of an extended kinetic theory showing the evolution
of the velocity profile with the imposed shear stress. Measuring the
probability density functions of the elementary strains, we provide evidence of
a balance between positive and negative elementary strains. This behavior is
the signature of a quasistatic region inside the granular raft.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
GaN/AlN Quantum Dots for Single Qubit Emitters
We study theoretically the electronic properties of -plane GaN/AlN quantum
dots (QDs) with focus on their potential as sources of single polarized photons
for future quantum communication systems. Within the framework of eight-band
k.p theory we calculate the optical interband transitions of the QDs and their
polarization properties. We show that an anisotropy of the QD confinement
potential in the basal plane (e.g. QD elongation or strain anisotropy) leads to
a pronounced linear polarization of the ground state and excited state
transitions. An externally applied uniaxial stress can be used to either induce
a linear polarization of the ground-state transition for emission of single
polarized photons or even to compensate the polarization induced by the
structural elongation.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures. Accepted at Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte
The Value of Liquidity
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72848/1/1080-8620.00026.pd
Darwin Tames an Andromeda Dwarf: Unraveling the Orbit of NGC 205 Using a Genetic Algorithm
NGC 205, a close satellite of the M31 galaxy, is our nearest example of a
dwarf elliptical galaxy. Photometric and kinematic observations suggest that
NGC 205 is undergoing tidal distortion from its interaction with M31. Despite
earlier attempts, the orbit and progenitor properties of NGC 205 are not well
known. We perform an optimized search for these unknowns by combining a genetic
algorithm with restricted N-body simulations of the interaction. This approach,
coupled with photometric and kinematic observations as constraints, allows for
an effective exploration of the parameter space. We represent NGC 205 as a
static Hernquist potential with embedded massless test particles that serve as
tracers of surface brightness. We explore 3 distinct, initially stable
configurations of test particles: cold rotating disk, warm rotating disk, and
hot, pressure-supported spheroid. Each model reproduces some, but not all, of
the observed features of NGC 205, leading us to speculate that a rotating
progenitor with substantial pressure support could match all of the
observables. Furthermore, plausible combinations of mass and scale length for
the pressure-supported spheroid progenitor model reproduce the observed
velocity dispersion profile. For all 3 models, orbits that best match the
observables place the satellite 11+/-9 kpc behind M31 moving at very large
velocities: 300-500 km/s on primarily radial orbits. Given that the observed
radial component is only 54 km/s, this implies a large tangential motion for
NGC 205, moving from the NW to the SE. These results suggest NGC 205 is not
associated with the stellar arc observed to the NE of NGC 205. Furthermore, NGC
205's velocity appears to be near or greater than its escape velocity,
signifying that the satellite is likely on its first M31 passage.Comment: 34 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journal, A pdf version with high-resolution figures may be obtained from
http://www.ucolick.org/~kirsten/ms.pd
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