A numerical simulation of the NFAC (National Full-scale Aerodynamics Complex) open-return wind tunnel inlet flow

The flow into an open return wind tunnel inlet was simulated using Euler equations. An explicit predictor-corrector method was employed to solve the system. The calculation is time-accurate and was performed to achieve a steady-state solution. The predictions are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. Wall pressures are accurately predicted except in a region of recirculating flow. Flow-field surveys agree qualitatively with laser velocimeter measurements. The method can be used in the design process for open return wind tunnels

Domain wall mobility in nanowires: transverse versus vortex walls

The motion of domain walls in ferromagnetic, cylindrical nanowires is investigated numerically by solving the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation for a classical spin model in which energy contributions from exchange, crystalline anisotropy, dipole-dipole interaction, and a driving magnetic field are considered. Depending on the diameter, either transverse domain walls or vortex walls are found. The transverse domain wall is observed for diameters smaller than the exchange length of the given material. Here, the system behaves effectively one-dimensional and the domain wall mobility agrees with a result derived for a one-dimensional wall by Slonczewski. For low damping the domain wall mobility decreases with decreasing damping constant. With increasing diameter, a crossover to a vortex wall sets in which enhances the domain wall mobility drastically. For a vortex wall the domain wall mobility is described by the Walker-formula, with a domain wall width depending on the diameter of the wire. The main difference is the dependence on damping: for a vortex wall the domain wall mobility can be drastically increased for small values of the damping constant up to a factor of $1/\alpha^2$.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

A Component Based Heuristic Search Method with Evolutionary Eliminations

Nurse rostering is a complex scheduling problem that affects hospital personnel on a daily basis all over the world. This paper presents a new component-based approach with evolutionary eliminations, for a nurse scheduling problem arising at a major UK hospital. The main idea behind this technique is to decompose a schedule into its components (i.e. the allocated shift pattern of each nurse), and then to implement two evolutionary elimination strategies mimicking natural selection and natural mutation process on these components respectively to iteratively deliver better schedules. The worthiness of all components in the schedule has to be continuously demonstrated in order for them to remain there. This demonstration employs an evaluation function which evaluates how well each component contributes towards the final objective. Two elimination steps are then applied: the first elimination eliminates a number of components that are deemed not worthy to stay in the current schedule; the second elimination may also throw out, with a low level of probability, some worthy components. The eliminated components are replenished with new ones using a set of constructive heuristics using local optimality criteria. Computational results using 52 data instances demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach in solving real-world problems.Comment: 27 pages, 4 figure

A Note On R-Parity Violation and Fermion Masses

We consider a class of supersymmetric SU(3)\times SU(2)\times U(1) multihiggs models in which R-parity is violated through bilinear Higgs-lepton interactions. The required, due to R-parity violation, higgs-lepton rotations introduce an alternative way to generate the phenomenologically desirable fermion mass matrix structures independently of the equality of Yukawas, possibly imposed by superstring or other unification.Comment: 8 pages, uses LaTeX2

Flammability limits, ignition energy, and flame speeds in H₂–CH₄–NH₃–N₂O–O₂–N₂ mixtures

Experiments on flammability limits, ignition energies, and flame speeds were carried out in a 11.25- and a 400-liter combustion vessel at initial pressures and temperatures of 100 kPa and 295 K, respectively. Flammability maps of hydrogen–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, ammonia–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, and ammonia–nitrous oxide–air, as well as lean flammability limits of various hydrogen–methane–ammonia–nitrous oxide–oxygen–nitrogen mixtures were determined. Ignition energy bounds of methane–nitrous oxide, ammonia–nitrous oxide, and ammonia–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures have been determined and the influence of small amounts of oxygen on the flammability of methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures has been investigated. Flame speeds have been measured and laminar burning velocities have been determined for ammonia–air–nitrous oxide and various hydrogen–methane–ammonia–nitrous oxide–oxygen–nitrogen mixtures. Lower and upper flammability limits (mixing fan on, turbulent conditions) for ignition energies of 8 J are: H₂–N₂O: 4.5 ∼ 5.0% H₂(LFL), 76 ∼ 80% H₂(UFL); CH₄–N₂O: 2.5 ∼ 3.0% CH₄(LFL), 43 ∼ 50% CH₄(UFL); NH₃–N₂O: 5.0 ∼ 5.2% NH₃(LFL), 67.5 ∼ 68% NH₃(UFL). Inerting concentrations are: H₂–N₂O–N₂: 76% N₂; CH₄–N₂O–N₂: 70.5% N₂; NH₃–N₂O–N₂: 61% N₂; NH₃–N₂O–air: 85% air. Flammability limits of methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures show no pronounced dependence on small amounts of oxygen (<5%). Generally speaking, flammable gases with large initial amounts of nitrous oxide or ammonia show a strong dependence of flammability limits on ignition energy

Flammability limits, ignition energy, and flame speeds in H₂–CH₄–NH₃–N₂O–O₂–N₂ mixtures

Experiments on flammability limits, ignition energies, and flame speeds were carried out in a 11.25- and a 400-liter combustion vessel at initial pressures and temperatures of 100 kPa and 295 K, respectively. Flammability maps of hydrogen–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, ammonia–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, and ammonia–nitrous oxide–air, as well as lean flammability limits of various hydrogen–methane–ammonia–nitrous oxide–oxygen–nitrogen mixtures were determined. Ignition energy bounds of methane–nitrous oxide, ammonia–nitrous oxide, and ammonia–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures have been determined and the influence of small amounts of oxygen on the flammability of methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures has been investigated. Flame speeds have been measured and laminar burning velocities have been determined for ammonia–air–nitrous oxide and various hydrogen–methane–ammonia–nitrous oxide–oxygen–nitrogen mixtures. Lower and upper flammability limits (mixing fan on, turbulent conditions) for ignition energies of 8 J are: H₂–N₂O: 4.5 ∼ 5.0% H₂(LFL), 76 ∼ 80% H₂(UFL); CH₄–N₂O: 2.5 ∼ 3.0% CH₄(LFL), 43 ∼ 50% CH₄(UFL); NH₃–N₂O: 5.0 ∼ 5.2% NH₃(LFL), 67.5 ∼ 68% NH₃(UFL). Inerting concentrations are: H₂–N₂O–N₂: 76% N₂; CH₄–N₂O–N₂: 70.5% N₂; NH₃–N₂O–N₂: 61% N₂; NH₃–N₂O–air: 85% air. Flammability limits of methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures show no pronounced dependence on small amounts of oxygen (<5%). Generally speaking, flammable gases with large initial amounts of nitrous oxide or ammonia show a strong dependence of flammability limits on ignition energy

From D3-Branes to Lifshitz Space-Times

We present a simple embedding of a z=2 Lifshitz space-time into type IIB supergravity. This is obtained by considering a stack of D3-branes in type IIB supergravity and deforming the world-volume by a plane wave. The plane wave is sourced by the type IIB axion. The superposition of the plane wave and the D3-branes is 1/4 BPS. The near horizon geometry of this configuration is a 5-dimensional z=0 Schroedinger space-time times a 5-sphere. This geometry is also 1/4 BPS. Upon compactification along the direction in which the wave is traveling the 5-dimensional z=0 Schroedinger space-time reduces to a 4-dimensional z=2 Lifshitz space-time. The compactification is such that the circle is small for weakly coupled type IIB string theory. This reduction breaks the supersymmetries. Further, we propose a general method to construct analytic z=2 Lifshitz black brane solutions. The method is based on deforming 5-dimensional AdS black strings by an axion wave and reducing to 4-dimensions. We illustrate this method with an example.Comment: version 3: version published in Classical and Quantum Gravit

The changing nature of risk and risk management: the challenge of borders, uncertainty and resilience

No abstract available

The Price of WMAP Inflation in Supergravity

The three-year data from WMAP are in stunning agreement with the simplest possible quadratic potential for chaotic inflation, as well as with new or symmetry-breaking inflation. We investigate the possibilities for incorporating these potentials within supergravity, particularly of the no-scale type that is motivated by string theory. Models with inflation driven by the matter sector may be constructed in no-scale supergravity, if the moduli are assumed to be stabilised by some higher-scale dynamics and at the expense of some fine-tuning. We discuss specific scenarios for stabilising the moduli via either D- or F-terms in the effective potential, and survey possible inflationary models in the presence of D-term stabilisation.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, plain Late