21,776 research outputs found
Efficient approximations of neutrino physics for three-dimensional simulations of stellar core collapse
Neutrino transport in spherically symmetric models of stellar core collapse
and bounce has achieved a technically complete level, rewarded by the agreement
among independent groups that a multi-dimensional treatment of the
fluid-instabilities in the post-bounce phase is indispensable to model
supernova explosions. While much effort is required to develop a reliable
neutrino transport technique in axisymmetry, we explore neutrino physics
approximations and parameterizations for an efficient three-dimensional
simulation of the fluid-instabilities in the shock-heated matter that
accumulates between the accretion shock and the protoneutron star. We
demonstrate the reliability of a simple parameterization scheme in the collapse
phase and extend our 3D magneto-hydrodynamical collapse simulations to a
preliminary postbounce evolution. The growth of magnetic fields is
investigated.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, in Proceedings of "Nuclei in the Cosmos IX,
Geneva, Jun 25-30", associated movies are displayed at
http://www.physik.unibas.ch/~liebend/displa
General Relativistic Contributions in Transformation Optics
One potentially realistic specification for devices designed with
transformation optics is that they operate with high precision in curved
space-time, such as Earth orbit. This raises the question of what, if any, role
does space-time curvature play in determining transformation media?
Transformation optics has been based on a three-vector representation of
Maxwell's equations in flat Minkowski space-time. I discuss a completely
covariant, manifestly four-dimensional approach that enables transformations in
arbitrary space-times, and demonstrate this approach for stable circular orbits
in the spherically symmetric Schwarzschild geometry. Finally, I estimate the
magnitude of curvature induced contributions to satellite-borne transformation
media in Earth orbit and comment on the level of precision required for
metamaterial fabrication before such contributions become important.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. Latest version has expanded analysis,
corresponds to published versio
A Completely Covariant Approach to Transformation Optics
We show that the Plebanski based approach to transformation optics overlooks
some subtleties in the electrodynamics of moving dielectrics that restricts its
applicability to a certain class of transformations. An alternative, completely
covariant, approach is developed that is more generally applicable and provides
a clearer picture of transformation optics.Comment: 10 pages. This version: Additional references added, corrected a
small error in Eq. (28) (Eq. (29) in present version), some revision of the
text, appendix content moved to the main body of the text, figure removed.
Corresponds more closely to published version. Prepared for a special issue
on transformation optics published by Journal of Optic
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Functional Brain Hyperactivations Are Linked to an Electrophysiological Measure of Slow Interhemispheric Transfer Time after Pediatric Moderate/Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.
Increased task-related blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) activation is commonly observed in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of moderate/severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI), but the functional relevance of these hyperactivations and how they are linked to more direct measures of neuronal function remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated how working memory load (WML)-dependent BOLD activation was related to an electrophysiological measure of interhemispheric transfer time (IHTT) in a sample of 18 msTBI patients and 26 demographically matched controls from the UCLA RAPBI (Recovery after Pediatric Brain Injury) study. In the context of highly similar fMRI task performance, a subgroup of TBI patients with slow IHTT had greater BOLD activation with higher WML than both healthy control children and a subgroup of msTBI patients with normal IHTT. Slower IHTT treated as a continuous variable was also associated with BOLD hyperactivation in the full TBI sample and in controls. Higher WML-dependent BOLD activation was related to better performance on a clinical cognitive performance index, an association that was more pronounced within the patient group with slow IHTT. Our previous work has shown that a subgroup of children with slow IHTT after pediatric msTBI has increased risk for poor white matter organization, long-term neurodegeneration, and poor cognitive outcome. BOLD hyperactivations after msTBI may reflect neuronal compensatory processes supporting higher-order capacity demanding cognitive functions in the context of inefficient neuronal transfer of information. The link between BOLD hyperactivations and slow IHTT adds to the multi-modal validation of this electrophysiological measure as a promising biomarker
Friction Laws for Elastic Nano-Scale Contacts
The effect of surface curvature on the law relating frictional forces F with
normal load L is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations as a function
of surface symmetry, adhesion, and contamination. Curved, non-adhering, dry,
commensurate surfaces show a linear dependency, F proportional to L, similar to
dry flat commensurate or amorphous surfaces and macroscopic surfaces. In
contrast, curved, non-adhering, dry, amorphous surfaces show F proportional to
L^(2/3) similar to friction force microscopes. In our model, adhesive effects
are most adequately described by the Hertz plus offset model, as the
simulations are confined to small contact radii. Curved lubricated or
contaminated surfaces show again different behavior; details depend on how much
of the contaminant gets squeezed out of the contact. Also, it is seen that the
friction force in the lubricated case is mainly due to atoms at the entrance of
the tip.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Europhys. Let
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