Product Integral Formalism and Non-Abelian Stokes Theorem

We make use of the properties of product integrals to obtain a surface product integral representation for the Wilson loop operator. The result can be interpreted as the non-abelian version of Stokes' theorem.Comment: Latex; condensed version of hep-th/9903221, to appear in Jour. Math. Phy

Dynamic Creation and Annihilation of Metastable Vortex Phase as a Source of Excess Noise

The large increase in voltage noise, commonly observed in the vicinity of the peak-effect in superconductors, is ascribed to a novel noise mechanism. A strongly pinned metastable disordered vortex phase, which is randomly generated at the edges and annealed into ordered phase in the bulk, causes large fluctuations in the integrated critical current of the sample. The excess noise due to this dynamic admixture of two distinct phases is found to display pronounced reentrant behavior. In the Corbino geometry the injection of the metastable phase is prevented and, accordingly, the excess noise disappearsComment: 5 pages 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Europhysics letter

Measurements of Pressure Distributions and Force Coefficients in a Squeeze Film Damper. Part 2: Partially Sealed Configuration

Experimental results from a partially sealed squeeze film damper (SFD) test rig, executing a circular centered orbit are presented and discussed. A serrated piston ring is installed at the damper exit. This device involves a new sealing concept which produces high damping values while allowing for oil flow to cool the damper. In the partially sealed damper, large cavitation regions are observed in the pressure fields at orbit radii epsilon equals 0.5 and epsilon equals 0.8. The cavitated pressure distributions and the corresponding force coefficients are compared with a cavitated bearing solution. The experimental results show the significance of fluid inertia and vapor cavitation in the operation of squeeze film dampers. Squeeze film Reynolds numbers tested reach up to Re equals 50, spanning the range of contemporary applications

Measurements of Pressure Distributions and Force Coefficients in a Squeeze Film Damper. Part 1: Fully Open Ended Configuration

Measurements of pressure distributions and force coefficients were carried out in two types of squeeze film dampers, executing a circular centered orbit, an open-ended configuration, and a partially sealed one, in order to investigate the effect of fluid inertia and cavitation on pressure distributions and force coefficients. Dynamic pressure measurements were carried out for two orbit radii, epsilon 0.5 and 0.8. It was found that the partially sealed configuration was less influenced by fluid inertia than the open ended configuration

Melting of Charge/Orbital Ordered States in Nd1/2_{1/2}Sr1/2_{1/2}MnO3_3: Temperature and Magnetic Field Dependent Optical Studies

We investigated the temperature ($T=$ 15 $\sim$ 290 K) and the magnetic field ($H=$ 0 $\sim$ 17 T) dependent optical conductivity spectra of a charge/orbital ordered manganite, Nd$_{1/2}$Sr$_{1/2}$MnO$_3$. With variation of $T$ and $H$, large spectral weight changes were observed up to 4.0 eV. These spectral weight changes could be explained using the polaron picture. Interestingly, our results suggested that some local ordered state might remain above the charge ordering temperature, and that the charge/orbital melted state at a high magnetic field (i.e. at $H=$ 17 T and $$ 4.2 K) should be a three dimensional ferromagnetic metal. We also investigated the first order phase transition from the charge/orbital ordered state to ferromagnetic metallic state using the $T$- and $H$% -dependent dielectric constants $\epsilon_1$. In the charge/orbital ordered insulating state, $\epsilon_1$ was positive and $d\epsilon_1/d\omega \approx 0$. With increasing $T$ and $H$, $\epsilon_1$ was increased up to the insulator-metal phase boundaries. And then, $\epsilon_1$ abruptly changed into negative and $d\epsilon_1/d\omega >0$, which was consistent with typical responses of a metal. Through the analysis of $\epsilon_1$ using an effective medium approximation, we found that the melting of charge/orbital ordered states should occur through the percolation of ferromagnetic metal domains.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.