1,396 research outputs found
On the excitation of inertial modes in an experimental spherical Couette flow
Spherical Couette flow (flow between concentric rotating spheres) is one of
flows under consideration for the laboratory magnetic dynamos. Recent
experiments have shown that such flows may excite Coriolis restored inertial
modes. The present work aims to better understand the properties of the
observed modes and the nature of their excitation. Using numerical solutions
describing forced inertial modes of a uniformly rotating fluid inside a
spherical shell, we first identify the observed oscillations of the Couette
flow with non-axisymmetric, retrograde, equatorially anti-symmetric inertial
modes, confirming first attempts using a full sphere model. Although the model
has no differential rotation, identification is possible because a large
fraction of the fluid in a spherical Couette flow rotates rigidly. From the
observed sequence of the excited modes appearing when the inner sphere is
slowed down by step, we identify a critical Rossby number associated with a
given mode and below which it is excited. The matching between this critical
number and the one derived from the phase velocity of the numerically computed
modes shows that these modes are excited by an instability likely driven by the
critical layer that develops in the shear layer staying along the tangent
cylinder of the inner sphere.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figure
Measurement of angular momentum transport in turbulent flow between independently rotating cylinders
We present measurements of the angular momentum flux (torque) in
Taylor-Couette flow of water between independently rotating cylinders for all
regions of the \(\Omega_1, \Omega_2\) parameter space at high Reynolds
numbers, where \(\Omega_2\) is the inner (outer) cylinder angular
velocity. We find that the Rossby number Ro = \(\Omega_1 -
\Omega_2\)/\Omega_2 fully determines the state and torque as compared to
G(Ro = \infty) \equiv \Gi. The ratio G/\Gi is a linear function of
in four sections of the parameter space. For flows with
radially-increasing angular momentum, our measured torques greatly exceed those
of previous experiments [Ji \textit{et al.}, Nature, \textbf{444}, 343 (2006)],
but agree with the analysis of Richard and Zahn [Astron. Astrophys.,
\textbf{347}, 734 (1999)].Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Physical Review Letter
Boolean Chaos
We observe deterministic chaos in a simple network of electronic logic gates
that are not regulated by a clocking signal. The resulting power spectrum is
ultra-wide-band, extending from dc to beyond 2 GHz. The observed behavior is
reproduced qualitatively using an autonomously updating Boolean model with
signal propagation times that depend on the recent history of the gates and
filtering of pulses of short duration, whose presence is confirmed
experimentally. Electronic Boolean chaos may find application as an
ultra-wide-band source of radio wavesComment: 10 pages and 4 figur
Comprehensive User Engagement Sites (CUES) in Philadelphia: A Constructive Proposal
This paper is a study about Philadelphia’s comprehensive user engagement sites (CUESs) as the authors address and examine issues related to the upcoming implementation of a CUES while seeking solutions for its disputed questions and plans. Beginning with the federal drug schedules, the authors visit some of the medical and public health issues vis-à-vis safe injection facilities (SIFs). Insite, a successful Canadian SIF, has been thoroughly researched as it represents a paradigm for which a Philadelphia CUES can expand upon. Also, the existing criticisms against SIFs are revisited while critically unpackaged and responded to in favor of the establishment. In the main section, the authors propose the layout and services of the upcoming CUES, much of which would be in congruent to Vancouver’s Insite. On the other hand, the CUES would be distinct from Insite, as the authors emphasize, in that it will offer an information center run by individuals in recovery and place additional emphasis on early education for young healthcare professionals by providing them a platform to work at the site. The paper will also briefly investigate the implementation of a CUES site under an ethical scope of the Harm Reduction Theory. Lastly, the authors recommend some strategic plans that the Philadelphia City government may consider employing at this crucial stage
Collective patterns arising out of spatio-temporal chaos
We present a simple mathematical model in which a time averaged pattern
emerges out of spatio-temporal chaos as a result of the collective action of
chaotic fluctuations. Our evolution equation possesses spatial translational
symmetry under a periodic boundary condition. Thus the spatial inhomogeneity of
the statistical state arises through a spontaneous symmetry breaking. The
transition from a state of homogeneous spatio-temporal chaos to one exhibiting
spatial order is explained by introducing a collective viscosity which relates
the averaged pattern with a correlation of the fluctuations.Comment: 11 pages (Revtex) + 5 figures (postscript
Experimental observation and characterization of the magnetorotational instability
Differential rotation occurs in conducting flows in accretion disks and
planetary cores. In such systems, the magnetorotational instability can arise
from coupling Lorentz and centrifugal forces to cause large radial angular
momentum fluxes. We present the first experimental observation of the
magnetorotational instability. Our system consists of liquid sodium between
differentially rotating spheres, with an imposed coaxial magnetic field. We
characterize the observed patterns, dynamics and torque increases, and
establish that this instability can occur from a hydrodynamic turbulent
background.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Final version, accepted for publication in
Physical Review Letter
Variational bound on energy dissipation in turbulent shear flow
We present numerical solutions to the extended Doering-Constantin variational
principle for upper bounds on the energy dissipation rate in plane Couette
flow, bridging the entire range from low to asymptotically high Reynolds
numbers. Our variational bound exhibits structure, namely a pronounced minimum
at intermediate Reynolds numbers, and recovers the Busse bound in the
asymptotic regime. The most notable feature is a bifurcation of the minimizing
wavenumbers, giving rise to simple scaling of the optimized variational
parameters, and of the upper bound, with the Reynolds number.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, 5 postscript figures are available as one .tar.gz
file from [email protected]
Characterization of reconnecting vortices in superfluid helium
When two vortices cross, each of them breaks into two parts and exchanges
part of itself for part of the other. This process, called vortex reconnection,
occurs in classical as well as superfluids, and in magnetized plasmas and
superconductors. We present the first experimental observations of reconnection
between quantized vortices in superfluid helium. We do so by imaging
micron-sized solid hydrogen particles trapped on quantized vortex cores (Bewley
GP, Lathrop DP, Sreenivasan KR, 2006, Nature, 441:588), and by inferring the
occurrence of reconnection from the motions of groups of recoiling particles.
We show the distance separating particles on the just-reconnected vortex lines
grows as a power law in time. The average value of the scaling exponent is
approximately 1/2, consistent with the scale-invariant evolution of the
vortices
- …