Long-Range Order and Dynamic Structure Factor of a Nematic under a Thermal Gradient

We use a fluctuating hydrodynamic approach to calculate the orientation fluctuations correlation functions of a thermotropic nematic liquid crystal in a nonequilibrium state induced by a stationay heat flux. Since in this nonequilibrium stationary state the hydrodynamic fluctuations evolve on three widely separated times scales, we use a time-scale perturbation procedure in order to partially diagonalize the hydrodynamic matrix. The wave number and frequency dependence of these orientation correlation functions is evaluated and their explicit functional form on position is also calculated analytically in and out of equilibrium. We show that for both states these correlactions are long-ranged. This result shows that indeed, even in equilibrium there is long-range orientational order in the nematic, consistently with the well known properties of these systems.We also calculate the dynamic structure of the fluid in both states for a geometry consistent with light scattering experiments experiments. We find that as with isotropic simple fluids, the external temperature gradient introduces an asymmetry in the spectrum shifting its maximum by an amount proportional to the magnitude of the gradient. This effect may be of the order of 7 per cent. Also, the width at half height may decrease by a factor of about 10 per cent. Since to our knowledge there are no experimental results available in the literature to compare with, the predictions of our model calculation remains to be assessed.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, presented at the 3rd NEXT-SigmaPhi International Conference (13-18 August 2005, Kolymbari CRETE

Unveiling the origin of shape coexistence in lead isotopes

The shape coexistence in the nuclei $^{182-192}$Pb is analyzed within the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach with the effective Gogny force. A good agreement with the experimental energies is found for the coexisting spherical, oblate and prolate states. Contrary to the established interpretation, it is found that the low-lying prolate and oblate $0^+$ states observed in this mass region are predominantly characterized by neutron correlations whereas the protons behave as spectators rather than playing an active role.Comment: 5 pages, 6 postscript figure

Neutrinoless ββ\beta\beta decay nuclear matrix elements in an isotopic chain

We analyze nuclear matrix elements (NME) of neutrinoless double beta decay calculated for the Cadmium isotopes. Energy density functional methods including beyond mean field effects such as symmetry restoration and shape mixing are used. Strong shell effects are found associated to the underlying nuclear structure of the initial and final nuclei. Furthermore, we show that NME for two-neutrino double beta decay evaluated in the closure approximation, $M^{2\nu}_{\mathrm{cl}}$, display a constant proportionality with respect to the Gamow-Teller part of the neutrinoless NME, $M^{0\nu}_{\mathrm{GT}}$. This opens the possibility of determining the $M^{0\nu}_{\mathrm{GT}}$ matrix elements from $\beta^{\mp}$ Gamow-Teller strength functions. Finally, the interconnected role of deformation, pairing, configuration mixing and shell effects in the NMEs is discussed

Few-body decay and recombination in nuclear astrophysics

Three-body continuum problems are investigated for light nuclei of astrophysical relevance. We focus on three-body decays of resonances or recombination via resonances or the continuum background. The concepts of widths, decay mechanisms and dynamic evolution are discussed. We also discuss results for the triple $\alpha$ decay in connection with $2^+$ resonances and density and temperature dependence rates of recombination into light nuclei from $\alpha$-particles and neutrons.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures. Proceedings of the 21st European Few Body Conference held in Salamanca (Spain) in August-September 201

Polydispersity Effects in the Dynamics and Stability of Bubbling Flows

The occurrence of swarms of small bubbles in a variety of industrial systems enhances their performance. However, the effects that size polydispersity may produce on the stability of kinematic waves, the gain factor, mean bubble velocity, kinematic and dynamic wave velocities is, to our knowledge, not yet well established. We found that size polydispersity enhances the stability of a bubble column by a factor of about 23% as a function of frequency and for a particular type of bubble column. In this way our model predicts effects that might be verified experimentally but this, however, remain to be assessed. Our results reinforce the point of view advocated in this work in the sense that a description of a bubble column based on the concept of randomness of a bubble cloud and average properties of the fluid motion, may be a useful approach that has not been exploited in engineering systems.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, presented at the 3rd NEXT-SigmaPhi International Conference, 13-18 August, 2005, Kolymbari, Cret