3,293 research outputs found
Capillary-Gravity Waves on Depth-Dependent Currents: Consequences for the Wave Resistance
We study theoretically the capillary-gravity waves created at the water-air
interface by a small two-dimensional perturbation when a depth-dependent
current is initially present in the fluid. Assuming linear wave theory, we
derive a general expression of the wave resistance experienced by the
perturbation as a function of the current profile in the case of an inviscid
fluid. We then analyze and discuss in details the behavior of the wave
resistance in the particular case of a linear current, a valid approximation
for some wind generated currents.Comment: Submitted to EP
Two-Pulse Propagation in a Partially Phase-Coherent Medium
We analyze the effects of partial coherence of ground state preparation on
two-pulse propagation in a three-level medium, in contrast to
previous treastments that have considered the cases of media whose ground
states are characterized by probabilities (level populations) or by probability
amplitudes (coherent pure states). We present analytic solutions of the
Maxwell-Bloch equations, and we extend our analysis with numerical solutions to
the same equations. We interpret these solutions in the bright/dark dressed
state basis, and show that they describe a population transfer between the
bright and dark state. For mixed-state media with partial ground
state phase coherence the dark state can never be fully populated. This has
implications for phase-coherent effects such as pulse matching, coherent
population trapping, and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). We
show that for partially phase-coherent three-level media, self induced
transparency (SIT) dominates EIT and our results suggest a corresponding
three-level area theorem.Comment: 29 pages, 12 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Estimate of the free energy difference in mechanical systems from work fluctuations: experiments and models
The work fluctuations of an oscillator in contact with a heat reservoir and
driven out of equilibrium by an external force are studied experimentally. The
oscillator dynamics is modeled by a Langevin equation. We find both
experimentally and theoretically that, if the driving force does not change the
equilibrium properties of the thermal fluctuations of this mechanical system,
the free energy difference between two equilibrium states can be
exactly computed using the Jarzynski equality (JE) and the Crooks relation (CR)
\cite{jarzynski1, crooks1, jarzynski2}, independently of the time scale and
amplitude of the driving force. The applicability limits for the JE and CR at
very large driving forces are discussed. Finally, when the work fluctuations
are Gaussian, we propose an alternative empirical method to compute
which can be safely applied, even in cases where the JE and CR might not hold.
The results of this paper are useful to compute in complex systems
such as the biological ones.Comment: submitted to Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and experimen
The Moment of Inertia and the Scissors Mode of a Bose-condensed Gas
We relate the frequency of the scissors mode to the moment of inertia of a
trapped Bose gas at finite temperature in a semi-classical approximation. We
apply these theoretical results to the data obtained in our previous study of
the properties of the scissors mode of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate of
Rb atoms as a function of the temperature. The frequency shifts that we
measured show quenching of the moment of inertia of the Bose gas at
temperatures below the transition temperature - the system has a lower moment
of inertia that of a rigid body with the same mass distribution, because of
superfluidity.Comment: 14 pages, 5 fig
Computing stationary free-surface shapes in microfluidics
A finite-element algorithm for computing free-surface flows driven by
arbitrary body forces is presented. The algorithm is primarily designed for the
microfluidic parameter range where (i) the Reynolds number is small and (ii)
force-driven pressure and flow fields compete with the surface tension for the
shape of a stationary free surface. The free surface shape is represented by
the boundaries of finite elements that move according to the stress applied by
the adjacent fluid. Additionally, the surface tends to minimize its free energy
and by that adapts its curvature to balance the normal stress at the surface.
The numerical approach consists of the iteration of two alternating steps: The
solution of a fluidic problem in a prescribed domain with slip boundary
conditions at the free surface and a consecutive update of the domain driven by
the previously determined pressure and velocity fields. ...Comment: Revised versio
Repetitive fracturing during spine extrusion at Unzen volcano, Japan
Rhythmic seismicity associated with spine extrusion is a well-documented phenomenon at a number of dome-forming volcanic systems. At Unzen volcano, Japan, a 4-year dome-forming eruption concluded with the emplacement of a spine from October 1994 to February 1995, offering a valuable opportunity to further investigate seismogenic processes at dome-forming volcanoes. Using continuous data recorded at a seismic station located close to the dome, this study explores trends in the seismic activity during the extrusion of the spine. We identify a total of 12 208 volcano-seismic events in the period between October 1994 and February 1995. Hourly event counts indicate cyclic activity with periods of ∼ 40 to ∼ 100 h, attributed to pulsatory ascent defined by strain localisation and faulting at the conduit margins. Waveform correlation revealed two strong clusters (a.k.a. multiplets, families) which are attributed to fracturing along the margins of the shallow, ascending spine. Further analysis indicates variable seismic velocities during the spine extrusion as well as migration of the cluster sources along the spine margins. Our interpretation of the results from seismic data analyses is supported by previously published field and experimental observations, suggesting that the spine was extruded along an inclined conduit with brittle and ductile deformation occurring along the margins. We infer that changes in stress conditions acting on the upper and lower spine margins led to deepening and shallowing of the faulting sources, respectively. We demonstrate that the combination of geophysical, field and experimental evidence can help improve physical models of shallow conduit processes
Neutrino, Neutron, and Cosmic Ray Production in the External Shock Model of Gamma Ray Bursts
The hypothesis that ultra-high energy (>~ 10^19 eV) cosmic rays (UHECRs) are
accelerated by gamma-ray burst (GRB) blast waves is assumed to be correct.
Implications of this assumption are then derived for the external shock model
of gamma-ray bursts. The evolving synchrotron radiation spectrum in GRB blast
waves provides target photons for the photomeson production of neutrinos and
neutrons. Decay characteristics and radiative efficiencies of the neutral
particles that escape from the blast wave are calculated. The diffuse
high-energy GRB neutrino background and the distribution of high-energy GRB
neutrino events are calculated for specific parameter sets, and a scaling
relation for the photomeson production efficiency in surroundings with
different densities is derived. GRBs provide an intense flux of high-energy
neutrons, with neutron-production efficiencies exceeding ~ 1% of the total
energy release. The radiative characteristics of the neutron beta-decay
electrons from the GRB "neutron bomb" are solved in a special case. Galaxies
with GRB activity should be surrounded by radiation halos of ~ 100 kpc extent
from the outflowing neutrons, consisting of a nonthermal optical/X-ray
synchrotron component and a high-energy gamma-ray component from
Compton-scattered microwave background radiation. The luminosity of sources of
GRBs and relativistic outflows in L* galaxies such as the Milky Way is at the
level of ~10^40+-1 ergs/s. This is sufficient to account for UHECR generation
by GRBs. We briefly speculate on the possibility that hadronic cosmic rays
originate from the subset of supernovae that collapse to form relativistic
outflows and GRBs. (abridged)Comment: 53 pages, 8 figures, ApJ, in press, 574, July 20, 2002. Substantial
revision, previous Appendix expanded to ApJ, 556, 479; cosmic ray origin
speculations to Heidelberg (astro-ph/001054) and Hamburg ICRC
(astro-ph/0202254) proceeding
Superluminal motion of a relativistic jet in the neutron star merger GW170817
The binary neutron star merger GW170817 was accompanied by radiation across
the electromagnetic spectrum and localized to the galaxy NGC 4993 at a distance
of 41+/-3 Mpc. The radio and X-ray afterglows of GW170817 exhibited delayed
onset, a gradual rise in the emission with time as t^0.8, a peak at about 150
days post-merger, followed by a relatively rapid decline. To date, various
models have been proposed to explain the afterglow emission, including a
choked-jet cocoon and a successful-jet cocoon (a.k.a. structured jet). However,
the observational data have remained inconclusive as to whether GW170817
launched a successful relativistic jet. Here we show, through Very Long
Baseline Interferometry, that the compact radio source associated with GW170817
exhibits superluminal motion between two epochs at 75 and 230 days post-merger.
This measurement breaks the degeneracy between the models and indicates that,
while the early-time radio emission was powered by a wider-angle outflow
(cocoon), the late-time emission was most likely dominated by an energetic and
narrowly-collimated jet, with an opening angle of <5 degrees, and observed from
a viewing angle of about 20 degrees. The imaging of a collimated relativistic
outflow emerging from GW170817 adds substantial weight to the growing evidence
linking binary neutron star mergers and short gamma-ray bursts.Comment: 42 pages, 4 figures (main text), 2 figures (supplementary text), 2
tables. Referee and editor comments incorporate
No anomalous supersaturation in ultracold cirrus laboratory experiments
High-altitude cirrus clouds are climatically important: their formation freeze-dries air ascending to the stratosphere to its final value, and their radiative impact is disproportionately large. However, their formation and growth are not fully understood, and multiple in situ aircraft campaigns have observed frequent and persistent apparent water vapor supersaturations of 5 %–25 % in ultracold cirrus (T<205 K), even in the presence of ice particles. A variety of explanations for these observations have been put forth, including that ultracold cirrus are dominated by metastable ice whose vapor pressure exceeds that of hexagonal ice. The 2013 IsoCloud campaign at the Aerosol Interaction and Dynamics in the Atmosphere (AIDA) cloud and aerosol chamber allowed explicit testing of cirrus formation dynamics at these low temperatures. A series of 28 experiments allows robust estimation of the saturation vapor pressure over ice for temperatures between 189 and 235 K, with a variety of ice nucleating particles. Experiments are rapid enough (∼10 min) to allow detection of any metastable ice that may form, as the timescale for annealing to hexagonal ice is hours or longer over the whole experimental temperature range. We show that in all experiments, saturation vapor pressures are fully consistent with expected values for hexagonal ice and inconsistent with the highest values postulated for metastable ice, with no temperature-dependent deviations from expected saturation vapor pressure. If metastable ice forms in ultracold cirrus clouds, it appears to have a vapor pressure indistinguishable from that of hexagonal ice to within about 4.5 %
- …