262 research outputs found
Concentration fluctuations of large Stokes number particles in a one-dimensional random velocity field
We analyze the behavior of an ensemble of inertial particles in a
one-dimensional smooth Gaussian velocity field, in the limit of large inertia,
but considering a finite correlation time for the random field. We derive in
this limit a perturbative scheme for the calculation of the concentration
correlation and of the particle relative velocity distribution, providing
analytical expressions for the concentration fluctuation amplitude, its
correlation length, and the modification in the particle pair relative velocity
variance. The amplitude of the concentration fluctuations is characterized by
slow decay at large inertia and a much larger correlation length than that of
the random field. The fluctuation structure in velocity space is very different
from predictions from short-time correlated random velocity fields, with only
few particle pairs crossing at sufficiently small relative velocity to produce
correlations. Concentration fluctuations are associated with depletion of the
relative velocity variance of colliding particles.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, revtex
Chaotic diffusion of particles with finite mass in oscillating convection flows
Deterministic diffusion in temporally oscillating convection is studied for
particles with finite mass. The particles are assumed to obey a simple
dissipative dynamical system and the particle diffusion is induced by the
strange attractor. The diffusion constants are numerically calculated for
convection models with free and rigid boundary conditions.Comment: 5 figure
Continuum description of finite-size particles advected by external flows. The effect of collisions
The equation of the density field of an assembly of macroscopic particles
advected by a hydrodynamic flow is derived from the microscopic description of
the system. This equation allows to recognize the role and the relative
importance of the different microscopic processes implicit in the model: the
driving of the external flow, the inertia of the particles, and the collisions
among them.
The validity of the density description is confirmed by comparisons of
numerical studies of the continuum equation with Direct Simulation Monte Carlo
(DSMC) simulations of hard disks advected by a chaotic flow. We show that the
collisions have two competing roles: a dispersing-like effect and a clustering
effect (even for elastic collisions). An unexpected feature is also observed in
the system: the presence of collisions can reverse the effect of inertia, so
that grains with lower inertia are more clusterized.Comment: Final (strongly modified) version accepted in PRE; 6 pages, 3 figure
Clustering in mixing flows
We calculate the Lyapunov exponents for particles suspended in a random
three-dimensional flow, concentrating on the limit where the viscous damping
rate is small compared to the inverse correlation time. In this limit Lyapunov
exponents are obtained as a power series in epsilon, a dimensionless measure of
the particle inertia. Although the perturbation generates an asymptotic series,
we obtain accurate results from a Pade-Borel summation. Our results prove that
particles suspended in an incompressible random mixing flow can show pronounced
clustering when the Stokes number is large and we characterise two distinct
clustering effects which occur in that limit.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Turbulent thermal diffusion in a multi-fan turbulence generator with the imposed mean temperature gradient
We studied experimentally the effect of turbulent thermal diffusion in a
multi-fan turbulence generator which produces a nearly homogeneous and
isotropic flow with a small mean velocity. Using Particle Image Velocimetry and
Image Processing techniques we showed that in a turbulent flow with an imposed
mean vertical temperature gradient (stably stratified flow) particles
accumulate in the regions with the mean temperature minimum. These experiments
detected the effect of turbulent thermal diffusion in a multi-fan turbulence
generator for relatively high Reynolds numbers. The experimental results are in
compliance with the results of the previous experimental studies of turbulent
thermal diffusion in oscillating grids turbulence (Buchholz et al. 2004;
Eidelman et al. 2004). We demonstrated that turbulent thermal diffusion is an
universal phenomenon. It occurs independently of the method of turbulence
generation, and the qualitative behavior of particle spatial distribution in
these very different turbulent flows is similar. Competition between turbulent
fluxes caused by turbulent thermal diffusion and turbulent diffusion determines
the formation of particle inhomogeneities.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure, REVTEX4, Experiments in Fluids, in pres
Dissipative chaotic scattering
We show that weak dissipation, typical in realistic situations, can have a
metamorphic consequence on nonhyperbolic chaotic scattering in the sense that
the physically important particle-decay law is altered, no matter how small the
amount of dissipation. As a result, the previous conclusion about the unity of
the fractal dimension of the set of singularities in scattering functions, a
major claim about nonhyperbolic chaotic scattering, may not be observable.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, revte
Singular Scaling Functions in Clustering Phenomena
We study clustering in a stochastic system of particles sliding down a
fluctuating surface in one and two dimensions. In steady state, the
density-density correlation function is a scaling function of separation and
system size.This scaling function is singular for small argument -- it exhibits
a cusp singularity for particles with mutual exclusion, and a divergence for
noninteracting particles. The steady state is characterized by giant
fluctuations which do not damp down in the thermodynamic limit. The
autocorrelation function is a singular scaling function of time and system
size. The scaling properties are surprisingly similar to those for particles
moving in a quenched disordered environment that results if the surface is
frozen.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Invited talk delivered at Statphys 23, Genova,
July 200
Size-selective concentration of chondrules and other small particles in protoplanetary nebula turbulence
Size-selective concentration of particles in a weakly turbulent
protoplanetary nebula may be responsible for the initial collection of
chondrules and other constituents into primitive body precursors. This paper
presents the main elements of this process of turbulent concentration. In the
terrestrial planet region, both the characteristic size and size distribution
of chondrules are explained. "Fluffier" particles would be concentrated in
nebula regions which were at a lower gas density and/or more intensely
turbulent. The spatial distribution of concentrated particle density obeys
multifractal scaling}, suggesting a close tie to the turbulent cascade process.
This scaling behavior allows predictions of the probability distributions for
concentration in the protoplanetary nebula to be made. Large concentration
factors (>10^5) are readily obtained, implying that numerous zones of particle
density significantly exceeding the gas density could exist. If most of the
available solids were actually in chondrule sized particles, the ensuing
particle mass density would become so large that the feedback effects on gas
turbulence due to mass loading could no longer be neglected. This paper
describes the process, presenting its basic elements and some implications,
without including the effects of mass loading.Comment: 34 pages, 7 figures; in press for Astrophys. J; expected Jan 01 2001
issu
Dynamics of a small neutrally buoyant sphere in a fluid and targeting in Hamiltonian systems
We show that, even in the most favorable case, the motion of a small
spherical tracer suspended in a fluid of the same density may differ from the
corresponding motion of an ideal passive particle. We demonstrate furthermore
how its dynamics may be applied to target trajectories in Hamiltonian systems.Comment: See home page http://lec.ugr.es/~julya
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