1,115 research outputs found
An idealized numerical study of tropical cyclogenesis and evolution at the Equator
Tropical cyclone formation and evolution at, or near, the Equator is explored using idealized three‐dimensional model simulations, starting from a prescribed, initial, weak counterclockwise rotating vortex in an otherwise quiescent, nonrotating environment. Three simulations are carried out in which the maximum tangential wind speed (5 m surn:x-wiley:qj:media:qj3701:qj3701-math-0001) is specified at an initial radius of 50, 100, or 150 km. After a period of gestation lasting between 30 and 60 hr, the vortices intensify rapidly, the evolution being similar to that for vortices away from the Equator. In particular, the larger the initial vortex size, the longer the gestation period, the larger the maximum intensity attained, and the longer the vortex lifetime. Beyond a few days, the vortices decay as the cyclonic vorticity source provided by the initial vortex is depleted and negative vorticity surrounding the vortex core is drawn inwards by the convectively driven overturning circulation. In these negative vorticity regions, the flow is inertially/centrifugally unstable. The vortex evolution during the mature and decay phases differs from that in simulations away from the Equator, where inertially unstable regions are much more limited in area. Vortex decay in the simulations appears to be related intimately to the development of inertial instability, which is accompanied by an outward‐propagating band of deep convection. The degree to which this band of deep convection is realistic is unknown
Role of inertia in two-dimensional deformation and breakup of a droplet
We investigate by Lattice Boltzmann methods the effect of inertia on the
deformation and break-up of a two-dimensional fluid droplet surrounded by fluid
of equal viscosity (in a confined geometry) whose shear rate is increased very
slowly. We give evidence that in two dimensions inertia is {\em necessary} for
break-up, so that at zero Reynolds number the droplet deforms indefinitely
without breaking. We identify two different routes to breakup via two-lobed and
three-lobed structures respectively, and give evidence for a sharp transition
between these routes as parameters are varied.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Diffusive transport and self-consistent dynamics in coupled maps
The study of diffusion in Hamiltonian systems has been a problem of interest
for a number of years.
In this paper we explore the influence of self-consistency on the diffusion
properties of systems described by coupled symplectic maps. Self-consistency,
i.e. the back-influence of the transported quantity on the velocity field of
the driving flow, despite of its critical importance, is usually overlooked in
the description of realistic systems, for example in plasma physics. We propose
a class of self-consistent models consisting of an ensemble of maps globally
coupled through a mean field. Depending on the kind of coupling, two different
general types of self-consistent maps are considered: maps coupled to the field
only through the phase, and fully coupled maps, i.e. through the phase and the
amplitude of the external field. The analogies and differences of the diffusion
properties of these two kinds of maps are discussed in detail.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figure
Correlation functions of small-scale fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field
The Interplanetary Magnetic Field shows complex spatial and temporal
variations. Single spacecraft measurements reveal only a one dimensional
section of this rich four dimensional phenomenon. Multi-point measurements of
the four Cluster spacecraft provide a unique tool to study the spatiotemporal
structure of the field. Using Cluster data we determined three dimensional
correlation functions of the fluctuations. By means of the correlation function
one can describe and measure field variations. Our results can be used to
verify theoretical predictions, to understand the formation and nature of solar
wind turbulence. We found that the correlation length varies over almost six
orders of magnitude. The IMF turbulence shows significant anisotropy with two
distinct populations. In certain time intervals the ratio of the three axes of
the correlation ellipse is 1/2.2/6 while in the remaining time we found
extremely high correlation along one axis. We found favoured directions in the
orientation of the correlation ellipsoids.Comment: accepted to Solar Physics on June 14, 2010. 10 pages, 8 figure
The transfer of fibres in the carding machine
The problem of understanding the transfer of fibres between carding-machine surfaces is addressed by considering the movement of a single fibre in an airflow. The structure of the aerodynamic flow field predicts how and when fibres migrate between the different process surfaces. In the case of a revolving-flats carding machine the theory predicts a “strong” aerodynamic mechanism between taker-in and cylinder and a “weak” mechanism between cylinder and removal cylinder resulting in effective transfer in the first case and a more limited transfer in the second
Stochastic homogenization of the laser intensity to improve the irradiation uniformity of capsules directly driven by thousands laser beams
Illumination uniformity of a spherical capsule directly driven by laser beams has been assessed numerically. Laser facilities characterized by ND = 12, 20, 24, 32, 48 and 60 directions of irradiation with associated a single laser beam or a bundle of NB laser beams have been considered. The laser beam intensity profile is assumed super-Gaussian and the calculations take into account beam imperfections as power imbalance and pointing errors. The optimum laser intensity profile, which minimizes the root-mean-square deviation of the capsule illumination, depends on the values of the beam imperfections. Assuming that the NB beams are statistically independents is found that they provide a stochastic homogenization of the laser intensity associated to the whole bundle, reducing the errors associated to the whole bundle by the factor , which in turn improves the illumination uniformity of the capsule. Moreover, it is found that the uniformity of the irradiation is almost the same for all facilities and only depends on the total number of laser beams Ntot = ND × NB
Vortex tubes in velocity fields of laboratory isotropic turbulence: dependence on the Reynolds number
The streamwise and transverse velocities are measured simultaneously in
isotropic grid turbulence at relatively high Reynolds numbers, Re(lambda) =
110-330. Using a conditional averaging technique, we extract typical
intermittency patterns, which are consistent with velocity profiles of a model
for a vortex tube, i.e., Burgers vortex. The radii of the vortex tubes are
several of the Kolmogorov length regardless of the Reynolds number. Using the
distribution of an interval between successive enhancements of a small-scale
velocity increment, we study the spatial distribution of vortex tubes. The
vortex tubes tend to cluster together. This tendency is increasingly
significant with the Reynolds number. Using statistics of velocity increments,
we also study the energetical importance of vortex tubes as a function of the
scale. The vortex tubes are important over the background flow at small scales
especially below the Taylor microscale. At a fixed scale, the importance is
increasingly significant with the Reynolds number.Comment: 8 pages, 3 PS files for 8 figures, to appear in Physical Review
Influence of shear flow on vesicles near a wall: a numerical study
We describe the dynamics of three-dimensional fluid vesicles in steady shear
flow in the vicinity of a wall. This is analyzed numerically at low Reynolds
numbers using a boundary element method. The area-incompressible vesicle
exhibits bending elasticity. Forces due to adhesion or gravity oppose the
hydrodynamic lift force driving the vesicle away from a wall. We investigate
three cases. First, a neutrally buoyant vesicle is placed in the vicinity of a
wall which acts only as a geometrical constraint. We find that the lift
velocity is linearly proportional to shear rate and decreases with increasing
distance between the vesicle and the wall. Second, with a vesicle filled with a
denser fluid, we find a stationary hovering state. We present an estimate of
the viscous lift force which seems to agree with recent experiments of Lorz et
al. [Europhys. Lett., vol. 51, 468 (2000)]. Third, if the wall exerts an
additional adhesive force, we investigate the dynamical unbinding transition
which occurs at an adhesion strength linearly proportional to the shear rate.Comment: 17 pages (incl. 10 figures), RevTeX (figures in PostScript
3-D Perturbations in Conformal Turbulence
The effects of three-dimensional perturbations in two-dimensional turbulence
are investigated, through a conformal field theory approach. We compute scaling
exponents for the energy spectra of enstrophy and energy cascades, in a strong
coupling limit, and compare them to the values found in recent experiments. The
extension of unperturbed conformal turbulence to the present situation is
performed by means of a simple physical picture in which the existence of small
scale random forces is closely related to deviations of the exact
two-dimensional fluid motion.Comment: Discussion of intermittency improved. Figure include
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