14,236 research outputs found
The Chaotic Regime of D-Term Inflation
We consider D-term inflation for small couplings of the inflaton to matter
fields. Standard hybrid inflation then ends at a critical value of the inflaton
field that exceeds the Planck mass. During the subsequent waterfall transition
the inflaton continues its slow-roll motion, whereas the waterfall field
rapidly grows by quantum fluctuations. Beyond the decoherence time, the
waterfall field becomes classical and approaches a time-dependent minimum,
which is determined by the value of the inflaton field and the self-interaction
of the waterfall field. During the final stage of inflation, the effective
inflaton potential is essentially quadratic, which leads to the standard
predictions of chaotic inflation. The model illustrates how the decay of a
false vacuum of GUT-scale energy density can end in a period of `chaotic
inflation'.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. v3: matches version published in JCA
High-performance light-weight electrodes for hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells
High performance light weight electrodes for hydrogen oxygen fuel cell
Kinetic Vlasov Simulations of collisionless magnetic Reconnection
A fully kinetic Vlasov simulation of the Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM)
Magnetic Reconnection Challenge is presented. Good agreement is found with
previous kinetic simulations using particle in cell (PIC) codes, confirming
both the PIC and the Vlasov code. In the latter the complete distribution
functions () are discretised on a numerical grid in phase space.
In contrast to PIC simulations, the Vlasov code does not suffer from numerical
noise and allows a more detailed investigation of the distribution functions.
The role of the different contributions of Ohm's law are compared by
calculating each of the terms from the moments of the . The important role
of the off--diagonal elements of the electron pressure tensor could be
confirmed. The inductive electric field at the X--Line is found to be dominated
by the non--gyrotropic electron pressure, while the bulk electron inertia is of
minor importance. Detailed analysis of the electron distribution function
within the diffusion region reveals the kinetic origin of the non--gyrotropic
terms
Helicopter model rotor-blade vortex interaction impulsive noise: Scalability and parametric variations
Acoustic data taken in the anechoic Deutsch-Niederlaendischer Windkanal (DNW) have documented the blade vortex interaction (BVI) impulsive noise radiated from a 1/7-scale model main rotor of the AH-1 series helicopter. Averaged model scale data were compared with averaged full scale, inflight acoustic data under similar nondimensional test conditions. At low advance ratios (mu = 0.164 to 0.194), the data scale remarkable well in level and waveform shape, and also duplicate the directivity pattern of BVI impulsive noise. At moderate advance ratios (mu = 0.224 to 0.270), the scaling deteriorates, suggesting that the model scale rotor is not adequately simulating the full scale BVI noise; presently, no proved explanation of this discrepancy exists. Carefully performed parametric variations over a complete matrix of testing conditions have shown that all of the four governing nondimensional parameters - tip Mach number at hover, advance ratio, local inflow ratio, and thrust coefficient - are highly sensitive to BVI noise radiation
Model helicopter rotor high-speed impulsive noise: Measured acoustics and blade pressures
A 1/17-scale research model of the AH-1 series helicopter main rotor was tested. Model-rotor acoustic and simultaneous blade pressure data were recorded at high speeds where full-scale helicopter high-speed impulsive noise levels are known to be dominant. Model-rotor measurements of the peak acoustic pressure levels, waveform shapes, and directively patterns are directly compared with full-scale investigations, using an equivalent in-flight technique. Model acoustic data are shown to scale remarkably well in shape and in amplitude with full-scale results. Model rotor-blade pressures are presented for rotor operating conditions both with and without shock-like discontinuities in the radiated acoustic waveform. Acoustically, both model and full-scale measurements support current evidence that above certain high subsonic advancing-tip Mach numbers, local shock waves that exist on the rotor blades ""delocalize'' and radiate to the acoustic far-field
Dual Behavior of Antiferromagnetic Uncompensated Spins in NiFe/IrMn Exchange Biased Bilayers
We present a comprehensive study of the exchange bias effect in a model
system. Through numerical analysis of the exchange bias and coercive fields as
a function of the antiferromagnetic layer thickness we deduce the absolute
value of the averaged anisotropy constant of the antiferromagnet. We show that
the anisotropy of IrMn exhibits a finite size effect as a function of
thickness. The interfacial spin disorder involved in the data analysis is
further supported by the observation of the dual behavior of the interfacial
uncompensated spins. Utilizing soft x-ray resonant magnetic reflectometry we
have observed that the antiferromagnetic uncompensated spins are dominantly
frozen with nearly no rotating spins due to the chemical intermixing, which
correlates to the inferred mechanism for the exchange bias.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Complementary Sensory and Associative Microcircuitry in Primary Olfactory Cortex
The three-layered primary olfactory (piriform) cortex is the largest component of the olfactory cortex. Sensory and intracortical inputs converge on principal cells in the anterior piriform cortex (aPC).Wecharacterize organization principles of the sensory and intracortical microcircuitry of layer II and III principal cells in acute slices of rat aPC using laser-scanning photostimulation and fast two-photon population Ca²⁺ imaging. Layer II and III principal cells are set up on a superficial-to-deep vertical axis. We found that the position on this axis correlates with input resistance and bursting behavior. These parameters scale with distinct patterns of incorporation into sensory and associative microcircuits, resulting in a converse gradient of sensory and intracortical inputs. In layer II, sensory circuits dominate superficial cells, whereas incorporation in intracortical circuits increases with depth. Layer III pyramidal cells receive more intracortical inputs than layer II pyramidal cells, but with an asymmetric dorsal offset. This microcircuit organization results in a diverse hybrid feedforward/recurrent network of neurons integrating varying ratios of intracortical and sensory input depending on a cell’s position on the superficial-to-deep vertical axis. Since burstiness of spiking correlates with both the cell’s location on this axis and its incorporation in intracortical microcircuitry, the neuronal output mode may encode a given cell’s involvement in sensory versus associative processing
A comparison of the acoustic and aerodynamic measurements of a model rotor tested in two anechoic wind tunnels
Two aeroacoustic facilities--the CEPRA 19 in France and the DNW in the Netherlands--are compared. The two facilities have unique acoustic characteristics that make them appropriate for acoustic testing of model-scale helicopter rotors. An identical pressure-instrumented model-scale rotor was tested in each facility and acoustic test results are compared with full-scale-rotor test results. Blade surface pressures measured in both tunnels were used to correlated nominal rotor operating conditions in each tunnel, and also used to assess the steadiness of the rotor in each tunnel's flow. In-the-flow rotor acoustic signatures at moderate forward speeds (35-50 m/sec) are presented for each facility and discussed in relation to the differences in tunnel geometries and aeroacoustic characteristics. Both reports are presented in appendices to this paper. ;.)
Spacelab 3: Research in microgravity
The Spacelab 3 mission, which focused on research in microgravity, took place during the period April 29 through May 6, 1985. Spacelab 3 was the second flight of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's modular Shuttle-borne research facility. An overview of the mission is presented. Preliminary scientific results from the mission were presented by investigators at a symposium held at Marshall Space Flight Center on December 4, 1985. This special issue is based on reports presented at that symposium
Phase Separation in Charge-Stabilized Colloidal Suspensions: Influence of Nonlinear Screening
The phase behavior of charge-stabilized colloidal suspensions is modeled by a
combination of response theory for electrostatic interparticle interactions and
variational theory for free energies. Integrating out degrees of freedom of the
microions (counterions, salt ions), the macroion-microion mixture is mapped
onto a one-component system governed by effective macroion interactions. Linear
response of microions to the electrostatic potential of the macroions results
in a screened-Coulomb (Yukawa) effective pair potential and a one-body volume
energy, while nonlinear response modifies the effective interactions [A. R.
Denton, \PR E {\bf 70}, 031404 (2004)]. The volume energy and effective pair
potential are taken as input to a variational free energy, based on
thermodynamic perturbation theory. For both linear and first-order nonlinear
effective interactions, a coexistence analysis applied to aqueous suspensions
of highly charged macroions and monovalent microions yields bulk separation of
macroion-rich and macroion-poor phases below a critical salt concentration, in
qualitative agreement with predictions of related linearized theories [R. van
Roij, M. Dijkstra, and J.-P. Hansen, \PR E {\bf 59}, 2010 (1999); P. B. Warren,
\JCP {\bf 112}, 4683 (2000)]. It is concluded that nonlinear screening can
modify phase behavior but does not necessarily suppress bulk phase separation
of deionized suspensions.Comment: 14 pages of text + 9 figure
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