Impurity in a granular gas under nonlinear Couette flow

We study in this work the transport properties of an impurity immersed in a granular gas under stationary nonlinear Couette flow. The starting point is a kinetic model for low-density granular mixtures recently proposed by the authors [Vega Reyes F et al. 2007 Phys. Rev. E 75 061306]. Two routes have been considered. First, a hydrodynamic or normal solution is found by exploiting a formal mapping between the kinetic equations for the gas particles and for the impurity. We show that the transport properties of the impurity are characterized by the ratio between the temperatures of the impurity and gas particles and by five generalized transport coefficients: three related to the momentum flux (a nonlinear shear viscosity and two normal stress differences) and two related to the heat flux (a nonlinear thermal conductivity and a cross coefficient measuring a component of the heat flux orthogonal to the thermal gradient). Second, by means of a Monte Carlo simulation method we numerically solve the kinetic equations and show that our hydrodynamic solution is valid in the bulk of the fluid when realistic boundary conditions are used. Furthermore, the hydrodynamic solution applies to arbitrarily (inside the continuum regime) large values of the shear rate, of the inelasticity, and of the rest of parameters of the system. Preliminary simulation results of the true Boltzmann description show the reliability of the nonlinear hydrodynamic solution of the kinetic model. This shows again the validity of a hydrodynamic description for granular flows, even under extreme conditions, beyond the Navier-Stokes domain.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures; v2: Preliminary DSMC results from the Boltzmann equation included, Fig. 11 is ne

An exact solution of the inelastic Boltzmann equation for the Couette flow with uniform heat flux

In the steady Couette flow of a granular gas the sign of the heat flux gradient is governed by the competition between viscous heating and inelastic cooling. We show from the Boltzmann equation for inelastic Maxwell particles that a special class of states exists where the viscous heating and the inelastic cooling exactly compensate each other at every point, resulting in a uniform heat flux. In this state the (reduced) shear rate is enslaved to the coefficient of restitution $\alpha$, so that the only free parameter is the (reduced) thermal gradient $\epsilon$. It turns out that the reduced moments of order $k$ are polynomials of degree $k-2$ in $\epsilon$, with coefficients that are nonlinear functions of $\alpha$. In particular, the rheological properties ($k=2$) are independent of $\epsilon$ and coincide exactly with those of the simple shear flow. The heat flux ($k=3$) is linear in the thermal gradient (generalized Fourier's law), but with an effective thermal conductivity differing from the Navier--Stokes one. In addition, a heat flux component parallel to the flow velocity and normal to the thermal gradient exists. The theoretical predictions are validated by comparison with direct Monte Carlo simulations for the same model.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures,1 table; v2: minor change

On the Uq[sl(2)]{\cal{U}}_{q}[sl(2)] Temperley-Lieb reflection matrices

This work concerns the boundary integrability of the spin-s ${\cal{U}}_{q}[sl(2)]$ Temperley-Lieb model. A systematic computation method is used to constructed the solutions of the boundary Yang-Baxter equations. For $s$ half-integer, a general $2s(s+1)+3/2$ free parameter solution is presented. It turns that for $s$ integer, the general solution has $2s(s+1)+1$ free parameters. Moreover, some particular solutions are discussed.Comment: LaTex 17 page

Role of the LEXE motif of protein-primed DNA polymerases in the interaction with the incoming nucleotide

The LEXE motif, conserved in eukaryotic type DNA polymerases, is placed close to the polymerization active site. Previous studies suggested that the second Glu was involved in binding a third noncatalytic ion in bacteriophage RB69 DNA polymerase. In the protein-primed DNA polymerase subgroup, the LEXE motif lacks the first Glu in most cases, but it has a conserved Phe/Trp and a Gly preceding that position. To ascertain the role of those residues, we have analyzed the behavior of mutants at the corresponding φ29 DNA polymerase residues Gly-481, Trp-483, Ala-484, and Glu-486. We show that mutations at Gly-481 and Trp-483 hamper insertion of the incoming dNTP in the presence of Mg2+ ions, a reaction highly improved when Mn2+ was used as metal activator. These results, together with previous crystallographic resolution of φ29 DNA polymerase ternary complex, allow us to infer that Gly-481 and Trp-483 could form a pocket that orients Val-250 to interact with the dNTP. Mutants at Glu-486 are also defective in polymerization and, as mutants at Gly-481 and Trp-483, in the pyrophosphorolytic activity with Mg2+. Recovery of both reactions with Mn2+ supports a role for Glu-486 in the interaction with the pyrophosphate moiety of the dNT

New data about the la baña lake origin (Cabrera Range, nw Spain) Using geomorphological and sedimentological analysis

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Gestión, protección y despoblación en las Reservas de la Biosfera de la Cordillera Cantábrica

Our study analyses the current status of the Biosphere Reserves on the Cantabrian Mountains, especially the relationships that they have with other Protected Natural Areas with which very often coincide. These relationships concerns management bodies and one of their main problems that has to do with their negative demographic dynamic that has led to an intense depopulation and aging of their local population. Although twelve reserves have been declared, there are still many areas which have not been named reserves but they potentially could. This tells us that we are still far from a Biosphere Reserve of the Great Cantabrian Mountain Range. The management is different depending on the regions: in Asturias, it is the regional administrative department which performs its management; in Galicia, the provincial administrative department and in Castilla and León, it’s the local government who is in charge of its management. Depopulation is one of the most serious problems suffered almost by every Cantabrian reserves and as a process has not stopped yet. The status of the Biosphere Reserve has yet to find its place in the context of other figures that are clearly under protection. In general, the aim of our study is to underline the importance of separating this figure from other more consolidated concerning Protected Natural Areas, and also, to raise awareness about the serious process of aging and depopulation expressed in their territories.Se analiza la situación actual de las Reservas de la Biosfera de la Cordillera Cantábrica, en especial las relaciones que tienen con los Espacios Naturales Protegidos, con los que a menudo coinciden, las relativas a sus órganos de gestión y a uno de sus principales problemas actuales: su dinámica demográfica negativa que ha desembocado en una intensa despoblación y envejecimiento. Aunque se han declarado doce reservas, aún hay muchas zonas que potencialmente lo podían ser, por lo que aún se está lejos de una Reserva de la Biosfera de la Gran Cantábrica. La gestión es dispar de unas autonomías a otras, pues la realiza la administración regional en Asturias, la provincial en Galicia y la administración local en Castilla y León. La despoblación es uno de los fenómenos más graves que sufren casi todas las reservas cantábricas y como proceso aún no se ha detenido. El estatus de Reserva de la Biosfera debe encontrar aún su lugar en el marco de otras figuras que sí son claramente de protección. En general, se remarca la importancia de separar esta figura de otras más consolidadas referidas a Espacios Naturales Protegidos, así como el grave proceso de envejecimiento y despoblación que manifiestan sus territorios

Seasonal changes of ecophysiological responses of Hymenaea courbaril L.

The increase in the concentration of atmospheric CO2 and the likely associated climatic changes became a subject of most interest from several points of view. In Brazil, this issue is especially important due to the presence of the major tropical forests. Thus, it is important to produce scientific data about the native plants that could help to explain their role in the global carbon balance. It is obviously known that the photosynthetic process is key for this task and several experiments have been or are now being performed to understand the responses of plants to atmospheric CO2. In this work, we monitored the CO2 assimilation for 1 year, two times a week between 6am and 6pm with the aim to gather information on how Hymenaea courbaril responds during the four seasons in a year. Our results show that the higher assimilation rates occurred during the spring (the growing season) but that the periods during the day in which photosynthesis occurred were larger in the summer. A positive correlation (0.6) was observed between CO2 assimilation and the PPDF but no correlation was found with humidity. This is a large data set that describes in detail the photosynthesis related events during a whole year, which allowed the evaluation of the seasonal behaviour, a key approach to help understanding of carbon balance in the rain forest