849 research outputs found
Logarithmic scaling in the near-dissipation range of turbulence
A logarithmic scaling for structure functions, in the form , where is the Kolmogorov dissipation scale and
are the scaling exponents, is suggested for the statistical
description of the near-dissipation range for which classical power-law scaling
does not apply. From experimental data at moderate Reynolds numbers, it is
shown that the logarithmic scaling, deduced from general considerations for the
near-dissipation range, covers almost the entire range of scales (about two
decades) of structure functions, for both velocity and passive scalar fields.
This new scaling requires two empirical constants, just as the classical
scaling does, and can be considered the basis for extended self-similarity
Beyond scaling and locality in turbulence
An analytic perturbation theory is suggested in order to find finite-size
corrections to the scaling power laws. In the frame of this theory it is shown
that the first order finite-size correction to the scaling power laws has
following form , where
is a finite-size scale (in particular for turbulence, it can be the Kolmogorov
dissipation scale). Using data of laboratory experiments and numerical
simulations it is shown shown that a degenerate case with can
describe turbulence statistics in the near-dissipation range , where
the ordinary (power-law) scaling does not apply. For moderate Reynolds numbers
the degenerate scaling range covers almost the entire range of scales of
velocity structure functions (the log-corrections apply to finite Reynolds
number). Interplay between local and non-local regimes has been considered as a
possible hydrodynamic mechanism providing the basis for the degenerate scaling
of structure functions and extended self-similarity. These results have been
also expanded on passive scalar mixing in turbulence. Overlapping phenomenon
between local and non-local regimes and a relation between position of maximum
of the generalized energy input rate and the actual crossover scale between
these regimes are briefly discussed.Comment: extended versio
Non-specific cellular uptake of surface-functionalized quantum dots
We report a systematic empirical study of nanoparticle internalization into
cells via non-specific pathways. The nanoparticles were comprised of commercial
quantum dots (QDs) that were highly visible under a fluorescence confocal
microscope. Surface-modified QDs with basic biologically-significant moieties,
e.g. carboxyl, amino, streptavidin were used, in combination with the surface
derivatization with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in a range of immortalized cell
lines. Internalization rates were derived from image analysis and a detailed
discussion about the effect of nanoparticle size, charge and surface groups is
presented. We find that PEG-derivatization dramatically suppresses the
non-specific uptake while PEG-free carboxyl and amine functional groups promote
QD internalization. These uptake variations displayed a remarkable consistency
across different cell types. The reported results are important for experiments
concerned with cellular uptake of surface-functionalized nanomaterials, both
when non-specific internalization is undesirable and also when it is intended
for material to be internalized as efficiently as possible.
Published article at: http://iopscience.iop.org/0957-4484/21/28/285105/Comment: 14 pages 7 figure
Biological Principles in Self-Organization of Young Brain - Viewed from Kohonen Model
Variants of the Kohonen model are proposed to study biological principles of
self-organization in a model of young brain. We suggest a function to measure
aquired knowledge and use it to auto-adapt the topology of neuronal
connectivity, yielding substantial organizational improvement relative to the
standard model. In the early phase of organization with most intense learning,
we observe that neural connectivity is of Small World type, which is very
efficient to organize neurons in response to stimuli. In analogy to human brain
where pruning of neural connectivity (and neuron cell death) occurs in early
life, this feature is present also in our model, which is found to stabilize
neuronal response to stimuli
A Minimalist Turbulent Boundary Layer Model
We introduce an elementary model of a turbulent boundary layer over a flat
surface, given as a vertical random distribution of spanwise Lamb-Oseen vortex
configurations placed over a non-slip boundary condition line. We are able to
reproduce several important features of realistic flows, such as the viscous
and logarithmic boundary sublayers, and the general behavior of the first
statistical moments (turbulent intensity, skewness and flatness) of the
streamwise velocity fluctuations. As an application, we advance some heuristic
considerations on the boundary layer underlying kinematics that could be
associated with the phenomenon of drag reduction by polymers, finding a
suggestive support from its experimental signatures.Comment: 5 pages, 10 figure
Probability density function of turbulent velocity fluctuations in rough-wall boundary layer
The probability density function of single-point velocity fluctuations in
turbulence is studied systematically using Fourier coefficients in the
energy-containing range. In ideal turbulence where energy-containing motions
are random and independent, the Fourier coefficients tend to Gaussian and
independent of each other. Velocity fluctuations accordingly tend to Gaussian.
However, if energy-containing motions are intermittent or contaminated with
bounded-amplitude motions such as wavy wakes, the Fourier coefficients tend to
non-Gaussian and dependent of each other. Velocity fluctuations accordingly
tend to non-Gaussian. These situations are found in our experiment of a
rough-wall boundary layer.Comment: 6 pages, to appear in Physical Review
Asteroseismic detection of latitudinal differential rotation in 13 Sun-like stars
The differentially rotating outer layers of stars are thought to play a role
in driving their magnetic activity, but the underlying mechanisms that generate
and sustain differential rotation are poorly understood. We report the
measurement of latitudinal differential rotation in the convection zones of 40
Sun-like stars using asteroseismology. For the most significant detections, the
stars' equators rotate approximately twice as fast as their mid-latitudes. The
latitudinal shear inferred from asteroseismology is much larger than
predictions from numerical simulations.Comment: 45 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables, published in Scienc
Butterfly diagram of a Sun-like star observed using asteroseismology
Stellar magnetic fields are poorly understood but are known to be important
for stellar evolution and exoplanet habitability. They drive stellar activity,
which is the main observational constraint on theoretical models for magnetic
field generation and evolution. Starspots are the main manifestation of the
magnetic fields at the stellar surface. In this study we measure the variation
of their latitude with time, called a butterfly diagram in the solar case, for
the solar analogue HD 173701 (KIC 8006161). To that effect, we use Kepler data,
to combine starspot rotation rates at different epochs and the
asteroseismically determined latitudinal variation of the stellar rotation
rates. We observe a clear variation of the latitude of the starspots. It is the
first time such a diagram is constructed using asteroseismic data.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted in A&A Letter
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