Analytic approximations to the spacetime of a critical gravitational collapse

We present analytic expressions that approximate the behavior of the spacetime of a collapsing spherically symmetric scalar field in the critical regime first discovered by Choptuik. We find that the critical region of spacetime can usefully be divided into a ``quiescent'' region and an ``oscillatory'' region, and a moving ``transition edge'' that separates the two regions. We find that in each region the critical solution can be well approximated by a flat spacetime scalar field solution. A qualitative nonlinear matching of the solutions across the edge yields the right order of magnitude for the oscillations of the discretely self-similar critical solution found by Choptuik.Comment: 12 pages, Revtex, 9 figures included with eps

17 ways to say yes:Toward nuanced tone of voice in AAC and speech technology

People with complex communication needs who use speech-generating devices have very little expressive control over their tone of voice. Despite its importance in human interaction, the issue of tone of voice remains all but absent from AAC research and development however. In this paper, we describe three interdisciplinary projects, past, present and future: The critical design collection Six Speaking Chairs has provoked deeper discussion and inspired a social model of tone of voice; the speculative concept Speech Hedge illustrates challenges and opportunities in designing more expressive user interfaces; the pilot project Tonetable could enable participatory research and seed a research network around tone of voice. We speculate that more radical interactions might expand frontiers of AAC and disrupt speech technology as a whole

On the consistency of the constraint algebra in spin network quantum gravity

We point out several features of the quantum Hamiltonian constraints recently introduced by Thiemann for Euclidean gravity. In particular we discuss the issue of the constraint algebra and of the quantum realization of the object $q^{ab}V_b$, which is classically the Poisson Bracket of two Hamiltonians.Comment: 13 pages, RevTex, 2 figures include

On imploding cylindrical and spherical shock waves in a perfect gas

The problem of a cylindrically or spherically imploding and reflecting shock wave in a flow initially at rest is studied without the use of the strong-shock approximation. Dimensional arguments are first used to show that this flow admits a general solution where an infinitesimally weak shock from infinity strengthens as it converges towards the origin. For a perfect-gas equation of state, this solution depends only on the dimensionality of the flow and on the ratio of specific heats. The Guderley power-law result can then be interpreted as the leading-order, strong-shock approximation, valid near the origin at the implosion centre. We improve the Guderley solution by adding two further terms in the series expansion solution for both the incoming and the reflected shock waves. A series expansion, valid where the shock is still weak and very far from the origin, is also constructed. With an appropriate change of variables and using the exact shock-jump conditions, a numerical, characteristics-based solution is obtained describing the general shock motion from almost infinity to very close to the reflection point. Comparisons are made between the series expansions, the characteristics solution, and the results obtained using an Euler solver. These show that the addition of two terms to the Guderley solution significantly extends the range of validity of the strong-shock series expansion

Physical requirements for models of consciousness

Consciousness presents a series of characteristics that have been observed through- out the years: unity, continuity, richness and robustness are some of them. It manifests itself in regions of the brain capable of processing a huge quantity of integrated information with a level of neural activity close to criticality. We argue that the physics of consciousness cannot be exclusively based on classical physics. Consciousness unity cannot be explained classically as the classical properties are always Humean like a mosaic. One needs an entangled quantum system that can at least satisfy part of the functions of a quantum computer to allow to generate an inner aspect with the unity of consciousness and to couple with a classical system that gives it simultaneous access to preprocessed information at the neural level and to produce events that generate neural firings

The influence of calcium, sodium and bicarbonate on the uptake of uranium onto nanoscale zero-valent iron particles

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.This work investigates the influence of calcium (Ca), sodium (Na) and bicarbonate (HCO3−) on the uptake of uranium (U) onto nanoscale zero-valent iron particles (nZVI). Solutions tested contained U at 1 mg/L, NaHCO3 ranging from 0 to 100 mg/L and CaCl2 or NaCl ranging from 625 to 719 mg/L to normalise the ionic strength. Mine water containing a similar concentration of U (1.03 mg/L) and HCO3− at 845 mg/L was also tested as a natural analogue. All solutions were stored in sealed glass jars in the open laboratory with headspace comprising ambient air. Results demonstrate Ca, Na and HCO3− as having no significant inhibitive influence on the efficacy of nZVI for initial U removal from solution, with ⩾95.7% uptake recorded for all systems studied after 0.5 h reaction. Similar U retention (>97.1%) was recorded throughout the entire 672 h experiment for all solutions with Ca absent. In contrast, partial U desorption in the latter stages of the experiment was recorded for all solutions with Ca present, with 87.3%, 85.2% and 84.7% removal recorded after 672 h for solutions containing 0, 10 and 100 mg/L HCO3−, respectively, and 10.9% removal recorded for the mine water. Maximum U removal onto nZVI was recorded as directly proportional to HCO3− concentration for solutions with Ca absent, however, no trend was identified for the Ca-bearing solutions. Overall results demonstrate Ca as having a significant inhibitive influence on the long-term retention (e.g. >48 h) of U on nZVI, which is independent of HCO3− concentration when also present at <100 mg/L.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research CouncilNAT

Finite-amplitude solitary waves at the interface between two homogeneous fluids

Numerical solutions are presented for finite-amplitude interfacial waves. Only symmetric waves are calculated. Two cases are considered. In the first case the waves are free-surface solitary waves propagating on a basic flow with uniform vorticity. Large-amplitude waves of extreme form are calculated for a range of values of the basic vorticity. In the second case the waves are propagating on the interface between two homogeneous fluids of different densities, which are otherwise at rest. Again large-amplitude waves of extreme form are calculated for a range of values of the basic density ratio. In particular, in the Boussinesq limit when the density ratio is nearly unity, solitary waves of apparently unlimited amplitude can be found