2,701 research outputs found
Skin friction in zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers
A global approach leading to a self-consistent solution to the
Navier-Stokes-Prandtl equations for zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers is
presented. It is shown that as , the dynamically
defined boundary layer thickness and the
skin friction . Here and are the wall shear stress and
free stream velocity, respectively. The theory is formulated as an expansion in
powers of a small dimensionless parameter
in the limit
Is turbulent mixing a self convolution process ?
Experimental results for the evolution of the probability distribution
function (PDF) of a scalar mixed by a turbulence flow in a channel are
presented. The sequence of PDF from an initial skewed distribution to a sharp
Gaussian is found to be non universal. The route toward homogeneization depends
on the ratio between the cross sections of the dye injector and the channel. In
link with this observation, advantages, shortcomings and applicability of
models for the PDF evolution based on a self-convolution mechanisms are
discussed.Comment: 4 page
Inelastic hard-rods in a periodic potential
A simple model of inelastic hard-rods subject to a one-dimensional array of
identical wells is introduced. The energy loss due to inelastic collisions is
balanced by the work supplied by an external stochastic heat-bath. We explore
the effect of the spatial non uniformity on the steady states of the system.
The spatial variations of the density, granular temperature and pressure
induced by the gradient of the external potential are investigated and compared
with the analogous variations in an elastic system. Finally, we study the
clustering process by considering the relaxation of the system starting from a
uniform homogeneous state.Comment: RevTex4, 10 pages, 14 eps-figures, new versio
Wind and boundary layers in Rayleigh-Benard convection. I: analysis and modeling
The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding and to model the
processes controlling the amplitude of the wind of Rayleigh-Benard convection.
We analyze results from direct simulation of an L/H = 4 aspect-ratio domain
with periodic sidewalls at Ra = 1e5; 1e6; 1e7; 1e8 and at Pr = 1 by decomposing
independent realizations into wind and fluctuations. It is shown that deep
inside the thermal boundary layer, horizontal heat-fuxes exceed the average
vertical heat-fux by a factor 3 due to the interaction between the wind and the
mean temperature field. These large horizontal heat-fluxes are responsible for
spatial temperature differences that drive the wind by creating pressure
gradients. The wall fluxes and turbulent mixing in the bulk provide damping.
Using the DNS results to parameterise the unclosed terms, a simple model
capturing the essential processes governing the wind structure is derived. The
model consists of two coupled differential equations for wind velocity and
temperature amplitude. The equations indicate that the formation of a wind
structure is inevitable due to the positive feedback resulting from the
interaction between the wind and temperature field. Furthermore, the wind
velocity is largely determined by the turbulence in the bulk rather than by the
wall-shear stress. The model reproduces the Ra dependence of wind Reynolds
number and temperature amplitude
Analytic study of the three-urn model for separation of sand
We present an analytic study of the three-urn model for separation of sand.
We solve analytically the master equation and the first-passage problem. We
find that the stationary probability distribution obeys the detailed balance
and is governed by the {\it free energy}. We find that the characteristic
lifetime of a cluster diverges algebraically with exponent 1/3 at the limit of
stability.Comment: 5pages, 4 figures include
Spectral analysis of boundary layers in Rayleigh-Benard convection
A combined experimental and numerical study of the boundary layer in a 4:1
aspect-ratio Rayleigh-B\'{e}nard cell over a four-decade range of Rayleigh
numbers has been undertaken aimed at gaining a better insight into the
character of the boundary layers. The experiments involved the simultaneous
Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) measurements of fluid velocity at two locations,
i.e. in the boundary layer and far away from it in the bulk, for Rayleigh
numbers varying between and . In parallel,
direct numerical simulations (DNS) have been performed for the same
configuration for Rayleigh numbers between and . The temperature and velocity probability density functions and the power
spectra of the horizontal velocity fluctuations measured in the boundary layer
and in the bulk flow are found to be practically identical. Except for the
smallest Rayleigh numbers, the spectra in the boundary layer and in the bulk
central region are continuous and have a wide range of active scales. This
indicates that both the bulk and the boundary layers are turbulent in the
number range considered. However, molecular effects can still be
observed and the boundary layer does not behave like a classical shear-driven
turbulent boundary layer.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Noise activated granular dynamics
We study the behavior of two particles moving in a bistable potential,
colliding inelastically with each other and driven by a stochastic heat bath.
The system has the tendency to clusterize, placing the particles in the same
well at low drivings, and to fill all of the available space at high
temperatures. We show that the hopping over the potential barrier occurs
following the Arrhenius rate, where the heat bath temperature is replaced by
the granular temperature. Moreover, within the clusterized ``phase'' one
encounters two different scenarios: for moderate inelasticity, the jumps from
one well to the other involve one particle at a time, whereas for strong
inelasticity the two particles hop simultaneously.Comment: RevTex4, 4 pages, 4 eps figures, Minor revisio
Hysteretic clustering in granular gas
Granular material is vibro-fluidized in N=2 and N=3 connected compartments,
respectively. For sufficiently strong shaking the granular gas is
equi-partitioned, but if the shaking intensity is lowered, the gas clusters in
one compartment. The phase transition towards the clustered state is of 2nd
order for N=2 and of 1st order for N=3. In particular, the latter is
hysteretic. The experimental findings are accounted for within a dynamical
model that exactly has the above properties
Kinetic and Structural Analysis of the Mg2+ -binding Site of the Guanine Nucleotide-binding Protein p21 H-ras.
The coordination and binding of the Mg2+ ion in the nucleotide−binding site of p21 have been investigated using site−directed mutagenesis, kinetic methods, and phosphorous NMR. Mg2+ in the p21.nucleotide.Mg2+ complex appears to be in fast equilibrium with the solvent. The dissociation constant between Mg2+ and the p21.GDP complex was determined to be 2.8 microM. It decreases 30− or 16−fold on substituting Ser−17 or Asp−57 with alanine, respectively, whereas the T35A mutation has no effect. All three mutations influence the dissociation constants and the association and dissociation rate constants of the interaction between guanine nucleotides and p21, but to a different degree. We conclude that Thr−35 is only complexed to Mg2+ in the GTP conformation and both Asp−57 and Ser−17 appear to be critical for both GDP and GTP binding. 31P NMR spectra of the GDP and Gpp(NH)p (guanosine−5'−(beta,gamma−imido)triphosphate) complexes of mutated p21 show a remarkable perturbation of the guanine nucleotide− binding site compared to wild−type protein. The mutant proteins show reduced GTPase rates, which are not stimulated by the GTPase−activating protein GAP. p21(S17A) has been reported to function just as p21(S17N) as a dominant negative inhibitor of normal p21. We find that it inhibits oncogenic p21−induced survival of primary neuron
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