Dynamic first-order phase transition in kinetically constrained models of glasses

We show that the dynamics of kinetically constrained models of glass formers takes place at a first-order coexistence line between active and inactive dynamical phases. We prove this by computing the large-deviation functions of suitable space-time observables, such as the number of configuration changes in a trajectory. We present analytic results for dynamic facilitated models in a mean-field approximation, and numerical results for the Fredrickson-Andersen model, the East model, and constrained lattice gases, in various dimensions. This dynamical first-order transition is generic in kinetically constrained models, and we expect it to be present in systems with fully jammed states.Comment: 4.1 pages, 3 figure

Effect of alumina and titanium nitrides inclusions on mechanical properties in high alloyed steels

peer reviewedevery commercial steel product in varying amounts. Since inclusions significantly influence properties and behaviour of materials and at the same time give indications on the quality of the steel, it is quite interesting to precise their nature and their origin. In this paper concerning a project involved in the COST 517 framework, studied alloys are high alloy steels. The raw materials were obtained from the conventionally electrical cast ingot and the Electro Slag Refining processes. The purpose is to compare various inclusions produced by these different processes and their effect on the mechanical properties. The raw material because of the melting processes themselves, leads to a product with a good to a great cleanliness, and tiny inclusions, which are haphazardly distributed. The actual ASTM E45 chart seems to be inappropriate, as the inclusions founded are too small in size. Therefore, we manage to develop a specific procedure for the study of such inclusions. The different types of inclusions encountered are oxides, titanium nitrides, and manganese sulphides. Studying the effect on mechanical properties, oxides often seem to initiate fatigue fracture

French Innovative Processes in the Field of Thermal TreatmentFor Decommissioning and Legacy Waste

International audienceIn order to optimize decommissioning waste management and better anticipate related issues, French nuclear waste producers CEA and AREVA, and the French Agency in charge of radioactive waste disposal (ANDRA) have decided to collectively develop technologies mastering costs, schedules and dose uptake as well as optimizing waste volumes and repository safety. In this context, several innovative projects have emerged over the past few years to develop specific thermal treatment processes. This paper focus on four new processes, presenting their goals, technical descriptions and first experimental results

Parasites of an Arctic scavenger; the wolverine (Gulo gulo)

Parasites are fundamental components within all ecosystems, shaping interaction webs, host population dynamics and behaviour. Despite this, baseline data is lacking to understand the parasite ecology of many Arctic species, including the wolverine (Gulo gulo), a top Arctic predator and scavenger. Here, we combined traditional count methods (i.e. adult helminth recovery, where taxonomy was confirmed by molecular identification) with 18S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to document the wolverine parasite community. Further, we investigated whether the abundance of parasites detected using traditional methods were associated with host metadata, latitude, and longitude (ranging from the northern limit of the boreal forest to the low Arctic and Arctic tundra in Nunavut, Canada). Adult parasites in intestinal contents were identified as Baylisascaris devosi in 72% (n = 39) of wolverines and Taenia spp. in 22% (n = 12), of which specimens from 2 wolverines were identified as T. twitchelli based on COX1 sequence. 18S rRNA high-throughput sequencing on DNA extracted from faeces detected additional parasites, including a pseudophyllid cestode (Diplogonoporus spp. or Diphyllobothrium spp.), two metastrongyloid lungworms (Angiostrongylus spp. or Aelurostrongylus spp., and Crenosoma spp.), an ascarid nematode (Ascaris spp. or Toxocara spp.), a Trichinella spp. nematode, and the protozoan Sarcocystis spp., though each at a prevalence less than 13% (n = 7). The abundance of B. devosi significantly decreased with latitude (slope = -0.68; R2 = 0.17; P = 0.004), suggesting a northerly limit in distribution. We describe B. devosi and T. twitchelli in Canadian wolverines for the first time since 1978, and extend the recorded geographic distribution of these parasites ca 2000 km to the East and into the tundra ecosystem. Our findings illustrate the value of molecular methods in support of traditional methods, encouraging additional work to improve the advancement of molecular screening for parasites

Construction of a Coordinate Bethe Ansatz for the asymmetric simple exclusion process with open boundaries

The asymmetric simple exclusion process with open boundaries, which is a very simple model of out-of-equilibrium statistical physics, is known to be integrable. In particular, its spectrum can be described in terms of Bethe roots. The large deviation function of the current can be obtained as well by diagonalizing a modified transition matrix, that is still integrable: the spectrum of this new matrix can be also described in terms of Bethe roots for special values of the parameters. However, due to the algebraic framework used to write the Bethe equations in the previous works, the nature of the excitations and the full structure of the eigenvectors were still unknown. This paper explains why the eigenvectors of the modified transition matrix are physically relevant, gives an explicit expression for the eigenvectors and applies it to the study of atypical currents. It also shows how the coordinate Bethe Ansatz developped for the excitations leads to a simple derivation of the Bethe equations and of the validity conditions of this Ansatz. All the results obtained by de Gier and Essler are recovered and the approach gives a physical interpretation of the exceptional points The overlap of this approach with other tools such as the matrix Ansatz is also discussed. The method that is presented here may be not specific to the asymmetric exclusion process and may be applied to other models with open boundaries to find similar exceptional points.Comment: references added, one new subsection and corrected typo

Soil surface structure stabilization by municipal waste compost application

ABSTRACT tional farmyard manure which is no longer available in intensive cropping areas. Loess-derived soils of the northern Paris basin are prone to surface Beneficial effects of sewage sludge application have structure degradation leading to erosion, flooding, and pollution. and soil material were seldom suggested, but a close from the top of surface aggregates to illuviate a few millimeters deeper

Fluctuation relations in non-equilibrium stationary states of Ising models

Fluctuation relations for the entropy production in non equilibrium stationary states of Ising models are investigated by Monte Carlo simulations. Systems in contact with heat baths at two different temperatures or subject to external driving will be studied. In the first case, by considering different kinetic rules and couplings with the baths, the behavior of the probability distributions of the heat exchanged in a time $\tau$ with the thermostats, both in the disordered and in the low temperature phase, are discussed. The fluctuation relation is always verified in the large $\tau$ limit and deviations from linear response theory are observed. Finite-$\tau$ corrections are shown to obey a scaling behavior. In the other case the system is in contact with a single heat bath but work is done by shearing it. Also for this system the statistics collected for the mechanical work shows the validity of the fluctuation relation and preasymptotic corrections behave analogously to the case with two baths.Comment: 9 figure

SOLE Project – Demonstration of a Multistatic and Multiband Coherent Radar Network

The aim of the NATO-SPS SOLE project is demonstrating the feasibility and the high performance of a radar network thanks to photonics. Indeed, the coherence offered by photonics makes the proposed distributed radar system capable of an efficient implementation of MIMO processing and ISAR imaging, enhancing the performance in terms of resolution and precision. The advantage of a fully coherent, multistatic radar system here is experimentally proven by a 5-time cross-range resolution enhancement thanks to MIMO processing, and in an efficient focusing in ISAR imaging