Fluctuation-enhanced frequency mixing in a nonlinear micromechanical oscillator

We study noise-enhanced frequency mixing in an underdamped micromechanical torsional oscillator. The oscillator is electrostatically driven into bistability by a strong, periodic voltage at frequency $\omega_d$. A second, weak ac voltage is applied at a frequency $\omega$ close to $\omega_d$. Due to nonlinearity in the system, vibrations occur at both $\omega$ and $2\omega_d-\omega$. White noise is injected into the excitation, allowing the system to occasionally overcome the activation barrier and switch between the two states. At the primary drive frequency where the occupations of the two states are approximately equal, we observe noise-induced enhancement of the oscillation amplitudes at both $\omega$ and the down-converted frequency $2\omega_d-\omega$, in agreement with theoretical predictions. Such enhancement occurs as a result of the noise-induced interstate transitions becoming synchronous with the beating between the two driving frequencies.Comment: 4 pages 5 figure

High-temperature-materials study

Chemical vapor deposition of aluminum phosphides onto single crystals of silicon and gallium arsenide for producing high temperature operating solid state electronic device

DIII-D YPGRADE PROJECT FINAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OCTOBER 1, 1993 THROUGH MAY 31, 2003

OAK-B135 Under DOE Contracts DE-AC03-89ER51114 and DE-AC03-99ER54463 to General Atomics (GA), three ''capital project'' upgrade projects were accomplished on DIII-D from FY93 to FY03 at a total GA cost of $27.2M. These projects included the Fast Wave Current Drive (FWCD) Upgrade ($8.2M), the Radiative Divertor Upgrade ($7.2M) and the Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) Upgrade ($11.8M). The ECH and FWCD upgrades provided DIII-D rf and microwave power for electron heating, driving plasma current, controlling the plasma current profile, controlling tearing mode instabilities, and modulated transport studies.The divertor provided adequate density and impurity control for high triangularity single null plasmas in the Advanced Tokamak (AT) Program and information for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) divertor design. These upgrades provide the power and density control required to initiate the active control of advanced tokamak discharges, which is the key element in the DIII-D program

Patterns and Collective Behavior in Granular Media: Theoretical Concepts

Granular materials are ubiquitous in our daily lives. While they have been a subject of intensive engineering research for centuries, in the last decade granular matter attracted significant attention of physicists. Yet despite a major efforts by many groups, the theoretical description of granular systems remains largely a plethora of different, often contradicting concepts and approaches. Authors give an overview of various theoretical models emerged in the physics of granular matter, with the focus on the onset of collective behavior and pattern formation. Their aim is two-fold: to identify general principles common for granular systems and other complex non-equilibrium systems, and to elucidate important distinctions between collective behavior in granular and continuum pattern-forming systems.Comment: Submitted to Reviews of Modern Physics. Full text with figures (2Mb pdf) avaliable at http://mti.msd.anl.gov/AransonTsimringReview/aranson_tsimring.pdf Community responce is appreciated. Comments/suggestions send to [email protected]

Treatment of rising damp in historical buildings: wall base ventilation

Intervention in older buildings increasingly requires extensive and objective knowledge of what one will be working with. The multifaceted aspect of work carried out on buildings tends to encompass a growing number of specialities, with marked emphasis on learning the causes of many of the problems that affect these buildings and the possible treatments that can solve them. Moisture transfer in walls of old buildings, which are in direct contact with the ground, leads to a migration of soluble salts responsible for many building pathologies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V23-4H7T0H7-1/1/f5e8a4ec173c5dadf120770678facf4

Feasibility of sex-sorting sperm from the white and the black rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis)

The objective of these studies was to investigate the practicality of flow cytometric sex-sorting for spermatozoa from the white and the black rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum, Diceros bicornis). In Experiment 1, four semen extenders were tested regarding their suitability for liquid preservation of spermatozoa before sorting. Dilution in MES-HEPES-based semen extender followed by incubation generated best sperm quality parameters (motility, viability, and acrosome integrity). In Experiment 2, the effect of staining method (15 degrees C for 4 to 6 h during transport or 37 degrees C for 1 to 1.5 h) on sort efficiency and sperm quality was investigated. Staining at 15 degrees C during transport resulted in a higher percentage of sperm samples showing a resolution of X- and Y-chromosome-bearing populations (60%) compared with that for staining at 37 degrees C after transport (33%) and resulted in superior sperm integrity after staining (43.8 11.3% vs. 19.6 12.1%). Sort rate was 300 to 700 cells/sec and sort purity, determined for one sorted sample, was 94% for X-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa. In Experiment 3, the highly viscous component of rhinoceros seminal plasma, which complicates the process of sperm sorting, was examined by gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Results suggested a 250-kDa glycoprotein (most likely originating from the bulbourethral gland) to be responsible for the characteristic viscosity of ejaculates. In Experiment 4, viscosity of seminal plasma, as measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, was significantly decreased after addition of alpha-amylase or collagenase (0.5 and 3 IU per 100 mu L seminal plasma, respectively) by 28% and 21%, respectively, with no negative effect on sperm characteristics. The results of this study demonstrate for the first time that rhinoceros spermatozoa can be successfully sorted into high-purity X- and Y-chromosome-bearing populations. Furthermore, the successful liquefaction of viscous ejaculates provides the means to greatly improve sort-efficiency in this species. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserve

Vanadium alloys for the radiative divertor program of DIII-D

Vanadium alloys provide an attractive solution for fusion power plants as they exhibit a potential for low environmental impact due to low level of activation from neutron fluence and a relatively short half-life. They also have attractive material properties for use in a reactor. General Atomics along with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), has developed a plan to utilize vanadium alloys as part of the Radiative Divertor Project (RDP) modification for the DIII-D tokamak. The goal for using vanadium alloys is to provide a meaningful step towards developing advanced materials for fusion power applications by demonstrating the in-service behavior of a vanadium alloy (V-4Cr-4Ti) in a tokamak in conjunction with developing essential fabrication technology for the manufacture of full-scale vanadium alloy components. A phased approach towards utilizing vanadium in DIII-D is being used starting with small coupons and samples, advancing to a small component, and finally a portion of the new double-null, slotted divertor will be fabricated from vanadium alloy product forms. A major portion of the program is research and development to support fabrication and resolve key issues related to environmental effects

Divertor characterization experiments

Recent DIII-D experiments with enhanced Scrape-off Layer (SOL) diagnostics permit detailed characterization of the SOL and divertor plasma under various operating conditions. We observe two distinct plasma modes: attached and detached divertor plasmas. Detached plasmas are characterized by plate temperatures of only 1 to 2 eV. Simulation of detached plasmas using the UEDGE code indicate that volume recombination and charge exchange play an important role in achieving detachment. When the power delivered to the plate is reduced by enhanced radiation to the point that recycled neutrals can no longer be efficiently ionized, the plate temperature drops from around 10 eV to 1-2 eV. The low temperature region extends further off the plate as the power continues to be reduced, and charge exchange processes remove momentum, reducing the plasma flow. Volume recombination becomes important when the plasma flow is reduced sufficiently to permit recombination to compete with flow to the plate